Third Place!

A sweet cheer and a burst of applause rose from the Fox Clan's section.

"Ninety-eighth place, Bear Umbrella of the Icefield Bear Clan!"

The image of a huge, powerfully built bear appeared, radiating a biting chill.

Low, excited growls sounded from the Icefield Bear Clan's section.

The elderly woman continued reading the names at an unhurried pace.

Each name stirred a reaction in its clan's section—cheers, gasps, regret, or some mixture of them all.

The top hundred!

These were the true elite of the Hidden Dragon Assembly!

In past assemblies, the points earned by those who reached the top hundred had usually stood far above the scores of everyone below them.

If a clan had someone break into the top hundred, especially at a high rank, the clan itself was unlikely to rank poorly in the Hidden Dragon Assembly.

That could bring it a substantial increase in both resources and influence afterward!

A ranking was more than personal glory. It shaped the interests and future of the clan behind each contender!

As more places were announced, the atmosphere in the square grew more feverish—and more tense.

Countless eyes fixed on the remaining orbs of light overhead, which shone brighter and brighter, especially the few at the very top that blazed like miniature suns.

The Elf Clan's elderly woman spoke in an aged yet clear voice that rang across the square like an ancient bell.

One name after another was called. Orbs burst, figures appeared, and the gathered clans responded in rising and falling waves of celebration and disappointment.

At last, with eleventh through ninety-first places settled, the tension in the square climbed to a new peak.

Every gaze—hopeful, nervous, curious, or resentful—locked onto the final ten orbs, whose brilliance outshone all the rest.

The elderly woman paused, then pointed one