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An Understated Dominance Chapter 1202
However, at that moment, that mountain had collapsed. Ronald's legend and glory were completely shattered. "He won! Dustin won! That's amazing!" After being momentarily stunned, Lyn cheered. "As expected of the man I've set my eyes on. He's truly unparalleled!" Josie was thrilled and excited. Her face began to redden.Although she wasn't sure what happened, she was certain Dustin had won. And brilliantly at that! In front of thousands of people, he had defeated the martial arts alliance leader. The one and only Ronald Reeds. From that moment on, he had successfully made a name for himself. He would stand uncontested, leaving everyone in the dust. "Excellent! What a magnificent victory!" Even the shrewd Emery couldn't help applauding the win. Ronald had suppressed him for a whole decade. With Dustin's unexpected victory and a severely injured Ronald's fall from grace, it was a joyous occasion. Finally, he could seize this opportunity to assume the position of alliance
An Understated Dominance Chapter 1203
"Stop!" Just as Dustin was about to kill Ronald, a booming voice yelled. At the same time, an arrow shot out at an incredible speed, carrying tremendous force. With a loud clang, it accurately struck against the Celestial Sword."Hmm?" Dustin's body quivered, stopping his actions. At the same time, he cast a cold gaze below stage. Unbeknownst to him, Woody had already stood up, holding a powerful bow in his hand. He had fired that arrow. "Sir Bolts, what do you mean by this?" Dustin frowned slightly. "Dustin, you have won. Don't overdo it."Woody's expression was cold. "Don't be so eager to burn bridges and make things difficult lest it backfires!""Sir Bolts, our duel was a fight to the death. Only one can emerge alive in the battle ring. That is the rule of the martial world," Dustin said coldly. "The Martial Arts Union establishes the rules of the martial world. I hold the highest position here and wield the ultimate authority!" Woody's tone was extremely overbearing.
An Understated Dominance Chapter 1204
If Ronald died, Theodore would probably be next. "Hmph! With the union backing Ronald, what can that brat do? Even if he's powerful, he still has to listen to orders obediently." Quincey grinned widely. He had believed the Reeds family was on the verge of ruins moments ago. Thankfully, Woody had intervened just in time to save the situation. "What a shame. I was almost there." Emery sighed, shaking his head in regret. Today would have been perfect if Woody hadn't turned the situation around."As expected of the Martial Arts Union. They were able to intimidate Dustin with just a few words." "Haha … Even the most formidable figures had to bow down to the union!" Many of the martial artists in the audience breathed a sigh of relief. Although they couldn't accept Ronald's defeat, the current outcome was far from disastrous. After all, Ronald was safe now. Nobody would be that foolish to go against the union. "Dustin, I must admit that you are strong and skilled. Unfortunat
An Understated Dominance Chapter 1205
With all eyes on him, Dustin suddenly lifted his blade and cut Ronald's head off.Everything had happened without warning, and he did it without any hesitation.With the slashing of his blade, one of the greatest leaders in the martial world was slain. He had been one of the best martial artists in the Balerno martial world! Dustin's actions were so swift that Ronald's head was already at his feet while he remained standing.His expression was one of shock, fear, and, for the most part, disbelief.Even until death, Ronald did not expect Dustin to dare cross the Martial Arts Union. To kill a person was a serious violation of their regulations."He … He really killed him? Am I mistaken?""Mad! He's gone utterly mad! How dare he commit murder when the head of the Martial Arts Union is present? That's outrageous!""How brutal! He's trading life for life!""In all my years, I've never seen anyone challenge the Martial Arts Union like him! The brat is so ignorant that he doesn't fe
An Understated Dominance Chapter 1206
More and more guilds joined in on the mission to kill Dustin.At a glance, the place was jam-packed with people. The arena was so tightly surrounded that there was no way out.In an instant, Dustin became the enemy of the entire martial world. He was now a villain that everyone was out to get rid of.Ronald had been the leader of the Balerno martial arts alliance for many years. He was well-received and respected by all, with a strong following that rallied behind his every call. Now that he'd been murdered, it was a given that they'd all be angered.But of course, the most important reason behind their agitation was that the Martial Arts Union had now declared Dustin a criminal.No matter what, Dustin would have to pay for what he had done. That was how things were in the martial world."Dustin! You have ignored our laws and committed a heinous crime! Surrender immediately and follow me to receive your punishment! "If you do not, you shall be killed on the spot!" Woody roare
An Understated Dominance Chapter 1207
Dustin stood on the stage with his sword in hand. He alone was enough to intimidate all the other martial artists. They all stood around hesitantly, not daring to be the first ones to make a move.But such a reaction from them angered Woody to no end."Hey! What are you all afraid of? Powerful as he may be, he's just one person!"If you all attacked at once, you can easily slash him into pieces!"Seeing that he failed to stir a reaction among them, Woody turned his attention to the leaders of the various guilds. He started calling them out one by one, "Sir Crane, Sir Williams, Father Orson, Sir Rosen, and Sir Bilmet."As leaders of the martial arts scene, you should stand up and be role models for the rest. Lead your disciples and get rid of the criminal!""Uh …" When they heard what Woody said, Theodore and the rest looked around awkwardly.They could hype others up and support the Martial Arts Union verbally. But they'd think twice about putting their lives on the line an
An Understated Dominance Chapter 1208
Woody was not the only one surprised. Even Theodore and all the other martial artists present were shocked by what the one-eyed old man did.Several of them were grandmasters with extraordinarily heightened senses. Nothing that went on around them went by undetected.However, none of them noticed the old man until he appeared before their eyes. It was beguiling indeed!And the most terrifying part was that they did not sense the slightest energy waves coming from him. He looked just like any other old man.But how could an ordinary old man intercept Woody's shot? That was clearly impossible!There was only one possibility as to why they could not sense his powers.And that was because the old man's powers were way beyond theirs!"Who are you? How dare you meddle in the affairs of the Martial Arts Union?" Woody's brow was knitted as he roared.It was bad enough for them to have to deal with Dustin. It would only get increasingly difficult for them to deal with this elite expert
An Understated Dominance Chapter 1209
Woody was scared out of his wits. He trembled in fear.The Drunken Maniac's appearance had unleashed his deepest, darkest fear.Ten years ago, he was just a small fry in the Martial Arts Union.He was full of fighting spirit the night he received the mission to capture the criminals. Beyond excited, he thought that would be his one chance to prove himself. He was going to make a name for himself.But it wasn't until they reached the battlefield that he realized how cruel reality was. He saw with his own eyes how his comrades were shredded into pieces.He saw how his leader was beheaded.And he saw how all the experts he had looked up to were murdered. They had all been utterly defenseless against their opponents and were killed upon contact.He was thoroughly traumatized by the bloody and gory scenes that had unfolded before his eyes. To this very day, those scenes still haunt his every nightmare. He would shake involuntarily every time he was reminded of what happened.
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Chapter 2530
The next morning, Nathaniel was inside a lavish mansion. He was in his study, flipping through an ancient manuscript. One of his most trusted aides hurried in and lowered his voice, "Your Royal Highness, word just came in. Another trace of Dracan essence has been found."Nathaniel raised an eyebrow and closed the manuscript. "Where?""Our investigation shows it ended up in the hands of Logan Rhys," the aide replied."Logan Rhys?" Nathaniel narrowed his eyes slightly and was surprised by the name.He had tried to win Logan over before and spared no expense, but never received a response. Later, he discovered that Tristan and Matthias had done the same.Fortunately, Logan still hadn't picked a side. He might be holding out for the best offer, but at least he hadn't shut the door on Nathaniel.With the Dracan essence in his hands, Logan had become an even more valuable target. In addition to the West Lucozian monarchy, Logan was an ultimate grandmaster, which made him worth recrui
Chapter 2529
"Give me a moment to think," Dustin said.Grace's words sent him into deep thought.After all, carrying the fate of Dragonmarsh was no small burden. First, he had to be tough enough to handle it. Then, he needed the resolve to accept what came with it. Once he carried that burden, it meant taking on a heavyweight.He used to act on his own terms and do things as he pleased without worrying too much about the consequences. But once the nation's fate was involved, everything changed.Not that he had many options.Dustin could either hide in Sacred Wrym Summit and hope Arion would protect him, or take a risk and absorb the Dragonmarsh's fate to push through his cultivation's bottleneck. Between the two, he was leaning toward the latter."I can give your plan a shot," Dustin said suddenly. "But we're still missing a piece of the Dracan essence. If we're doing this, we need to find that last one first."Only once all five pieces of Dracan essence were united could he truly wield the
Chapter 2528
"Royal gods? And two of them?" Dustin frowned at the news.His battle with Poseidon in West Lucozia had shown him firsthand that the Hall of Gods didn't send weaklings into the field.One royal god had already pushed him to his limit. If two came at him together, winning wasn't even the question. He'd be lucky just to make it out alive."That's right," Grace said solemnly. "The royal gods, Zeus and Hera, have crossed the border. They're even stronger than Poseidon. If they ambush you together, your chances are slim."She knew Dustin was strong, but he was still young. Moreover, Zeus and Hera weren't just anyone. They were world-class powerhouses. Surviving a fight with them would be next to impossible.The Hall of Gods had probably figured out how dangerous Dustin could become. If they had given him a few more years to grow, they might not have been able to stop him."Well, that complicates things." Dustin rested his chin in one hand with a thoughtful expression.Two royal god
Chapter 2527
Soluna Hall had one rule—they wouldn't accept unfamiliar customers. They only served those they knew well or people introduced by someone they trusted. Every transaction required an appointment. Exceptions were made for urgent matters, but those came with an additional fee.When Dustin reached the entrance, two security guards stopped him. After stating his name and being verified by the guards, they let him through.Inside, a female attendant with a pleasant smile greeted him and led him across the main hall straight into the back garden. They passed a small fish pond and stopped in front of a secluded private room."This is Ms. Linsor's private reception area. Mr. Rhys, please come in," the female attendant said with a smile."She's not here?" Dustin asked curiously."She had something come up, but she'll be here soon. Please make yourself comfortable," the attendant said, still smiling."Alright then." He nodded and walked into the room.The room was spacious, with a vintag
Chapter 2526
"You're wrong, Tristan," Matthias said with a meaningful look.He continued, "Sure, I've got the Moseys to back me, but I'm still far from securing the throne. Nathaniel's got strong backing too, and this won't be an easy win. But if you were to support me, I'd say my chances shoot up to 80%."In his eyes, Tristan's support was worth more than the Ballard family.If he could win Tristan over, his odds would jump from 60% to nearly 80%. The only question now was whether Tristan would be willing to shelve his own ambitions and place his bet on Matthias."You know me, Matthias. I've never been one for ambition or glory. This kind of power struggle just isn't for me. I hope you can understand that," Tristan said.After thinking about it thoroughly, he finally turned his brother down. He knew his chances of winning were slim, yet he couldn't let go.Tristan was the eldest legitimate son, the rightful and undisputed heir to the throne. Aside from his poor health, he had no real shortco
Chapter 2525
Tristan, Matthias, and Nathaniel weren't fools. They understood the unspoken message loud and clear.Their purpose for this trip was to take advantage of the opportunity to offer their condolences and win the Ballard family's support. Should it work, all the better. If not, they'd at least make a good impression. The key was that as long as the Ballard family didn't pick a side or turn against them, there was still room to make things work. No need to rush into anything.Tristan spoke first. "You're being too kind, Duke of Lachshire. We've always admired Mr. Jovian's loyalty and courage. We're simply here to pay our respects—nothing more."Matthias added, "That's right. Your family has a lot to deal with right now. Plus, you're not as young as you used to be, so don't wear yourself out over this. We won't take up more of your time today."He gave a respectful nod, then turned to leave."Duke—"Nathaniel opened his mouth to speak, but Tristan interrupted. "That's enough, Nathani
Chapter 2524
"Oh? I didn't expect both of you to be here," Nathaniel said.He was just about to pay his respects when he spotted Tristan and Matthias inside the mourning hall. He gave a respectful nod and said, "Hello, Tristan, Matthias."Truthfully, he wasn't surprised. He had already guessed they would show up.The four ancient houses and the eight great families were all key players he needed on his side. And with the Ballard family still undecided, he wasn't about to miss the chance to make an impression."I heard you left Oakvale on official business. Funny how quickly you came back," Tristan said, his tone laced with meaning."It wasn't anything important. When I heard about Mr. Jovian's passing, I returned immediately. I wanted to pay my respects in person," Nathaniel answered smoothly, without missing a beat.He brushed off Tristan's subtle jab and used the moment to show the Ballard family he was genuinely there to pay his respects."Don't just stand there, Nathaniel. Go pay your re
Chapter 2523
"Your Royal Highness, it's an honor to have you here," Jonathan said.Upon seeing the distinguished guest arrive, he quickly pulled himself together and aside his grief. He led his family to greet Tristan, and they bowed in respect.Before they could finish the gesture, Tristan raised a hand to stop them. "No need for such formalities," he said. "The deceased deserves our respect."He turned to Jovian's portrait, which was displayed in the mourning hall, and sighed deeply.Tristan continued, "Mr. Jovian's untimely passing is truly a great loss to Dragonmarsh. May his soul rest in peace. My condolences to your family during this difficult time."Jonathan's eyes were filled with tears as he bowed his head slightly. "Thank you, Your Highness, for your kind words. My family is heartbroken over my brother's tragic death."Tristan nodded slightly. His gaze quickly swept across the hall before asking, "I've heard that Duke Lachshire fainted from grief. How is he doing now?"Jonathan
Chapter 2522
The unrest in West Lucozia finally ended with the capture of Warrick.Every official who was his accomplice was thoroughly investigated. Those who needed to be arrested were taken into custody, and those who deserved to be punished were executed.After the purge, more than 300 officials in West Lucozia were removed from their posts. Those guilty were arrested, and those whose crimes were severe were executed.Under Austin's iron-fisted reforms, West Lucozia's government underwent a complete overhaul. Corruption, bribery, and the tangled web of illegal deals were swept away like dust in the wind.The citizens quickly noticed the difference. When they visited government offices, they no longer faced delays, refusals, or demands for bribes.Long-neglected public issues began to move forward, thanks to the organized efforts of newly appointed officials. Things were improving across the board.Instead of fearing the crackdown, the citizens welcomed it. The corrupt officials who had dr
