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Chapter 960
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An Understated Dominance Chapter 961
But Dustin's attitude only stirred Vanessa's competitive spirit. "Hey, can't you be a little friendlier?" Vanessa pouted teasingly. "It's polite to return kind gestures. I'll lose sleep if I don't repay you.""You'll be fine with a couple of sleeping pills. Goodbye," Dustin replied curtly before walking away. "Wait, mister!" Vanessa tried to catch up to him but stumbled after a few steps. As she fell, her torn clothing revealed her voluptuous figure. Dustin paused briefly to remove his coat and tossed it to her. "Thanks!" Vanessa quickly covered herself with the coat, feeling genuinely grateful. "Vanessa!"A man and woman approached. Their elegant fashion tastes made it easy to tell that they held a higher status than ordinary citizens. "I'm here!" Vanessa waved at them, her spirits lifting. "Where did you go, Vanessa? "Why didn't you inform us? We were so worried!" The woman in red feigned annoyance. "What happened to you, Vanessa? And why are you dressed like
An Understated Dominance Chapter 962
At 7:00 pm, Dustin, Abigail, and Azalea arrived as planned at the resort's restaurant. The restaurant was spacious enough to accommodate hundreds of people. Dustin noticed that there were already groups of people sitting together, chatting lively. While there were a few tourists, most of the guests were martial artists who came for the treasure. "Over here!" Vanessa called out as she waved at them energetically. Dustin nodded in acknowledgment and led the others to her table. "I'm glad you could make it. Please take a seat," Emily greeted warmly. Nathan, who had appeared aloof earlier, perked up upon seeing Abigail and Azalea. He straightened up and tried to strike a handsome pose. "Allow me to introduce my friends, Abigail Robinson and Azalea Larson. "I hope you also don't mind having them, Ms. Hoyles." Dustin made a brief introduction. "Of course not. The more, the merrier. Please, have a seat." Emily smiled and gestured for them to sit."Thank you." Dustin nodde
An Understated Dominance Chapter 963
"Of course, even though these folks seem tough, we aren't afraid of them," Emily continued. "But the real concerns are Boulderthorn, the Combat Priests, the Zen Order, and the Soul Reapers. Oh, there's another person we must be careful of!""Who?" Abigail asked curiously. "The young genius who recently gained fame after winning against Sir Augustus Kline!" Emily gushed. "What?" Abigail blinked in surprise. Emily was referring to Dustin, right?Abigail looked at Dustin subtly. He replied by shaking his head discreetly. They needed to lie low during their journey to avoid being targeted. "Ms. Hoyles, have you ever met him?" Azalea smiled mischievously. "Of course not. But I've heard plenty of stories," Emily replied dreamily. "Rumors say he's handsome and has a strong sense of justice. More importantly, he's only in his early twenties but is already a grandmaster. "He's one of Balerno's rare talents and desired by many female martial artists!"Emily's eyes glimmered
An Understated Dominance Chapter 964
"What?" Nathan was caught off guard by the sudden attack. He touched his forehead, and blood coated his fingers. Without his energy armor, his body was slightly stronger than average. "Who the fuck did this?" Nathan spun around and shouted angrily. "Damn it! How dare someone hurt Nathan!" Azure Mist's disciple stood up furiously. "Me." A man wearing flashy sunglasses arrived with two martial artists in tow. His calm demeanor suggested he didn't care about anyone else. "Do you know who I am? How dare you attack me!" Nathan snapped. "Well, I have no idea. Who are you?" The other man smiled, seeming amused. "Listen up! I'm Nathan Hoyles, one of Lester's Supreme Ten! I'm also known as the Little Dragon!" Nathan stated confidently. "Lester's Supreme Ten? The Little Dragon?" The man in sunglasses blinked before chuckling. "Big reputation you have there. I'm terrified."The two martial artists with him laughed simultaneously. "How dare you!" Angry, Azure Mist's disciple
An Understated Dominance Chapter 965
"Sure, but I've got a condition," Ken answered, raising an eyebrow. "What is it?" Emily asked with a smile. "I want you and the two other girls to come and drink with me. I'll let this slide if you make me happy." Ken smirked. Girls like them weren't ordinary, much less three. There was no way Ken would miss this chance. "But …" Emily's smile froze. She knew what he wanted. It would be hard for them to get away after drinking with him."Why? Are you going to refuse?" Ken's face turned hard as he warned, "I don't like being rejected, so you'd better think carefully.""It's an honor to drink with Mr. Shonde, so you'd better not refuse!" one of Ken's lackeys warned. "I'll join you, Mr. Shonde, but the other two ladies should sit this out." Emily bargained, wanting to avoid getting others involved. "Are you telling me what to do?" Ken snapped in annoyance. "I said all three. You better serve me tonight!""Hey, don't push it!" Abigail was unable to hold herself back and
An Understated Dominance Chapter 966
Everyone was astonished to see Ken being thrown back. Nobody expected Dustin to be so bold. After all, this was Ken Shonde, the son of Regalswords' leader, and hitting Ian Shonde's son was risky. "Are you crazy? How could you hit Mr. Shonde?" Nathan sprung up, shocked. He had endured all the humiliation just now, yet Dustin slapped Ken without care. This would bring trouble to all of them. "Shit! This is bad!" Emily paled. She'd warned Dustin, hoping he would hold himself back, but he didn't. They'd be in trouble if Regalswords retaliated."How dare you hit Mr. Shonde! We'll kill you!" The two furious Regalswords martial artists began attacking Dustin. "Let me handle this!" Abigail grabbed her metal club and fought them. Her natural talent and Dustin's training made her far stronger than her opponents, especially when she used the staff combat technique. Soon, the two men, who had climbed the ranks through flattery instead of actual skill, fell to the ground. They were
An Understated Dominance Chapter 967
The slaps disfigured Ken's face, leaving him unrecognizable. There was a bigger issue now. Ken was highly regarded as the son of Regalswords' guildmaster and was well-feared. So, how could Dustin hit him? Was Dustin out of his mind?"Stop right now!" Emily finally stepped in. At this point, Ken had already been reduced to a bloody, unconscious mess. "You've gotten us into trouble now, Mr. Rhys!" Emily exclaimed, helping Ken up. She began administering medication and other techniques to wake him up. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that if anything were to happen to Ken, Azure Mist would also be doomed. "Damn it, we shouldn't have sat with you! You only bring disaster!" Nathan shouted anxiously. Why the fuck did they have to cross paths with a maniac like Dustin, who didn't give a shit about Ken's status or Regalswords' authority? Dustin must be crazy!"You'll be in trouble now that you beat Ken up, so you need to run away. "Hurry, or it'll be too late!" Vanessa
An Understated Dominance Chapter 968
"I'm in trouble now!" A wave of unease washed over Ian, the strongest martial artist in Lester, as he met Dustin's cold gaze. Ian couldn't help being worried about getting beaten up. "What are you waiting for, Dad? Tear him to pieces! "You have to teach him a lesson!" Ken seethed. "Shut up!" Ian slapped his son angrily. Ken staggered backward, his remaining teeth flying away as well. His eyes widened in disbelief as he asked, "W—why did you hit me, Dad?" He couldn't understand why he'd been smacked. His father usually wouldn't speak harshly to him, so what was happening? How could Ian slap him in public?"Don't you deserve to be disciplined after ruining Regalswords' reputation by bullying others? "I should teach you a lesson for embarrassing me!" Ian snapped, delivering another two slaps. "Pissed, he began kicking his son as well. Ken's pained screams filled the air under Ian's relentless attack. Ian was so violent that outsiders might have mistaken the two of
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An Understated Dominance 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
An Understated Dominance 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
An Understated Dominance 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
An Understated Dominance 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
An Understated Dominance 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
An Understated Dominance 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
An Understated Dominance 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
An Understated Dominance 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
An Understated Dominance 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
