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An Understated Dominance Chapter 312
"Bear witness for me—after I kicked this traitor out, he felt vindicated and returned to challenge me. Since the official battle hasn't kicked off, I shall do some warmups to entertain you all." Luther's booming voice instantly attracted everyone's attention. He was keen to set up a precedent to deter any future traitors and rebuild his reputation! "Hey! Why is your friend up there in the ring?" Ralph, Abby, and the others came up to Dustin with curious and odd expressions. "He's getting some personal grudge out of the way," Dustin offered a curt answer. "Personal grudge?" Abby was a little doubtful. "Do you know who that other guy on the platform is? He's Mr. Williams from Boulderthorn! Well, of course, he's not as great as Tatum, but he's decent! He's at the same level as Grandpa!" "And?" Dustin was unimpressed. "How can your friend fight off Mr. Williams with his subpar skills? He'll be crushed and humiliated!" Abby shook her head. Ralph nodded. "That's right. I'd advise
An Understated Dominance Chapter 313
"Luther Williams, you have gotten slower in sword fighting," Maximus casually commented. "No! That's impossible! How did you manage to strike me? It must have been dumb luck!" Feeling indignant, Luther turned around and launched his attacks again, even though he was injured. This time, he did not hold back and put in his 100%, evident from his frenzied and merciless attacks that were hard to dodge. During the ninth move, he switched it up and aimed his blade at Maximus' throat with the intent to kill. However, Maximus didn't shun the attack and instead slashed Luther in the abdomen with greater speed and accuracy. Luther stumbled backward, aghast. He would have been gutted had Maximus' sword slashed upward. "What's going on? Where did that punk learn the trick from?" He pressed against his bleeding abdomen in shock. He could not wrap his mind around how Maximus had recovered from the grave injury with significant improvements to his skills all within a few days. "Luther William
An Understated Dominance Chapter 314
"Don't ever show up in front of me!" Maximus kicked Luther aside and proceeded to leave."Got it …" Luther put on a fake smile. When Maximus turned his back against Luther, the man had a gleam in his eyes as he picked up the sword on the floor and plunged it into Maximus' body. "Look out!" Dustin yelled, and Maximus jumped aside at the final moment. Although Maximus wasn't critically wounded from the stabbing, the sword left a long, gaping wound that oozed blood on his waist. Luther was taken aback when he realized that his ambush failed. Then, he threw the sword away and frantically pleaded, "Max! I'm wrong! I'm definitely in the wrong! I was blinded for a moment just now. Please don't take it to heart!" "You stubborn old donkey!" Fuming, Maximus took out his sword and attempted to slash Luther, this time showing no mercy at all. "Stop!" a thunderous roar sounded out of the blue. Next, a majestic figure descended from the air and shielded Luther. The man, in his thirties, g
An Understated Dominance Chapter 315
"Gosh, who is that kid? He's quite something to challenge Tatum in public! Is he asking for death?" "He is gutsy but not the sharpest tool in the shed." Dustin's presence became the talk of the town. No one had expected any martial artist to have a showdown with Tatum at the last minute. "Hey! Why did you go up there? Are you mad? Get down here now!" After a slight pause, Abby loudly called out to Dustin. In her eyes, he was nothing more than a clueless young man who did not know his place. "What is that dude doing? Doesn't he know that he's up against one of The Heavenly Immortals, Tatum Thunders? He'll die in Tatum's hands!" Ralph shook his head forlornly and looked on as though he could predict Dustin's demise. After all, Ralph wasn't strong enough to take on Tatum, and he did not expect a no-name as young as Dustin to succeed too. "Hmph! That reckless thing! How dare he insult Tatum? He'll meet his end!" Brody and the others started cackling with glee. Not only would Tatu
An Understated Dominance Chapter 316
The impact of the punch barreled toward Dustin with the weight of a mountain. A martial artist who achieved divinity could easily decapitate the opponent ten feet away by releasing his or her internal energy. "He's indeed one of The Heavenly Immortals! That punch could easily crush a car!" "That rash young man shouldn't have provoked Tatum Thunders. Now, he's cornered." The martial artists watching from the crowd shuddered when they saw the shadows of Tatum's punch. In their opinion, the punch was indefensible. "Hah …" Dustin smiled and tapped his feet on the floor. He disappeared into thin air and dodged the punch with ease. "You're quick! But let's see how many times you could dodge my punches!" Scoffing, Tatum launched three punches, each quicker and stronger than the previous ones. Dustin skipped around speedily but calmly and dodged all the attacks with his freakish skills. "Fuck! He's like a slippery eel!" Brody was quite frustrated at the sight. He badly wanted to witn
An Understated Dominance Chapter 317
An eerie silence hung over the scene. The spectators were wide-eyed at the sight of Tatum's lifeless body on the ground. They struggled to make sense of the outcome, as it was totally out of their expectations. They had assumed that Dustin would be defeated when Tatum used his signature attack. To their shock, Dustin sent Tatum flying with a slap. It was a sight that no one would have believed unless they saw it for themselves. They could not help but wonder about the reason behind the Fanatic Blade's shameful loss. Was it a momentary slip-up, or was Dustin simply too powerful? "Heavens! Did I see it wrong? Was Tatum … defeated?" "A sight that was unseen and unheard of!" After moments of utter silence, the audience exploded in a raucous chatter, punctuated by exclamations and expressions of shock, astonishment, confusion, and disbelief. No one had expected that the Fanatic Blade, one of the Heavenly Immortals, had been taken down by Dustin. "T-that's impossible. How did that
An Understated Dominance Chapter 318
"You rarely see a decent man who's from Boulderthorn. They're all bullies." "That's a pity. I wonder if Dustin could survive this." Some martial artists started worrying about Dustin's fate. As the grassroots, they would rather Dustin win the battle. Given how conceited and bold they were, it would be great if someone could teach Boulderthorn a lesson. However, it was a tough feat to beat Tatum due to his killer technique—the Blade of Gale. "You little rascal, I have to admit that you're quite something. You've forced me to use the blade. Alas, this shall be the end of it. Dying under my blade today shall be an honor for you." Tatum waved the brass ring saber with a sharp look in his eyes. He handled the heavy weapon weighing hundreds of pounds like it was a strand of straw, showing off the strength of his bicep. "Just cut to the chase and come at me." Dustin wiggled his fingers, a provocative gesture to get Tatum to start the fight. "You're asking for it!" The look in Tatum'
An Understated Dominance Chapter 319
The audience was split in their reactions toward Dustin's victory. Cheers exploded around Dustin, but some spectators seemed sour at the outcome. "Fuck! Who's that guy? How could Tatum lose to him?" a surly and fearful Brody hissed. "Whoever he is, let's get out of here before he notices us!" After the initial shock, Luther dared not stay a minute longer and planned his immediate escape. "Stand still!" Dustin turned around and instantly spotted the few suspicious-looking men. "Luther Williams, did I tell you to leave?" "Dustin Rhys, I'm the second-in-command at Boulderthorn. You'd better steer clear of me!" Luther warned him with a stern look. At the critical moment, he had no choice but to use the Boulderthorn name as protection. "The second-in-command? Hah …" Dustin scoffed and remarked, "Do you think I'd be scared of the second-in-command when I couldn't care less about the guildmaster?" "What do you want?" Luther's expression sank. "Give up your practice, and I'll spa
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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
