An Understated Dominance by Marina Vittori

Dustin didn't dodge when the three assassins attacked him. He simply lifted his foot and lightly stomped the ground.

A dull thud resounded as his foot left a deep imprint in the ground.

At the stime, a surge of powerful energy burst forth from his body, and it quickly formed a translucent protective shield in front of him.

The three assassins swung their swords, but they struck the shield instead.

A low hum filled the air, accompanied by a deep rumble.

Despite their relentless efforts, the assassins couldn't breach the shield. All they managed to do was push it back by a mere three inches.

Dustin's protective shield was as strong as steel wire mesh. Even when swords pierced and bent it, it remained intact.

"What?" The man in black's face went white when he saw his attacks weren't working.

After taking a miracle cure earlier, he reached the level of grandmaster. Armed with a shadowsteel sword, he was accompanied by two elites halfway to becoming grandmasters.

The man in black thought Dustin wouldn't stand a chance against their attacks without strong defensive gear.

To his surprise, Dustin could effortlessly block their attacks with only his energy armor. It left him wondering just how powerful Dustin really was.

"Break it!" The man in black refused to back down. With a furious roar, he summoned all his energy and thrust forward with all his might to break through Dustin's defense. a The other two assassins aided the attack upon seeing this.

The three swords trembled violently and unleashed waves of sword aura toward the protective shield. As the tips of the swords pressed against the translucent barrier, they edged closer to Dustin's chest, now a mere foot away.

The three assassins clenched their teeth and gripped the sword hilt tightly as they kicked against the ground with all their might, aiming to intensify their assault.

However, the protective shield remained intact despite the ground crumbling beneath them and sweat drenching their faces.

Dustin didn't even budge an inch and stood there with a calm expression. After a minute of stalemate, he finally made a move. He slowly raised his hand and flicked at the protective shield before him.

A powerful shockwave surged as the shield erupted with a thunderous explosion.

The three swords immediately shattered into fragments. The assassins were hurled six miles away and landed hard on the ground, coughing up blood.

They were left incapacitated, unable to rise to their feet.

"You probably won't be able to kill Aldric with your skills," Dustin said. He stood with his hands behind his back and looked at the three assassins.

Although Aldric may coff as arrogant, he possessed exceptional swordsmanship and had achieved advanced cultivation. At a young age, he had already attained the rank of grandmaster.

After all, the man in black was the only assassin who could be considered a grandmaster, while the other two were far from reaching that level.

Even with their combined strength, they stood no chance against someone as skilled as Aldric.

"You... you're so strong? Who are you?" The man in black, clutching his chest, looked incredulous.

Just one blow had left all three of them severely wounded and coughing up blood. Dustin's strength far surpassed his expectations.

"Huh? You didn't even bother to checkout before launching your attack?" Dustin scoffed.

"We knew about your feat of lifting the cauldron. That's why the organization sent the three of us. We just didn't expect." The man paused, unsure what to say.

"You didn't expect that I'm as tough as nails, and the three of you couldn't budge me, huh?" Dustin smirked.

The man in black remained silent. His expression shifted between gloom and uncertainty. He had to admit that their organization had made a grave error in judgment, leading them to underestimate their opponent.

If they had known how strong Dustin was, they would have sent that beast instead.

Dustin said sternly, "Okay, let's cut to the chase. I'm not going to waste any more ton this.

"You've got two options—either you spill the beans willingly, or I'll have to resort to more drastic measures to get the information out of you. It's your call." The man in black sneered. "Hmph! Do you think you've won? Well, lettell you, anyone we set our sights on doesn't make it out alive!" He reached into his pocket and retrieved a signal flare. With a swift motion, he pulled the tab and aimed it skyward.

The red distress signal shot straight up into the sky, reaching about 300 feet before erupting with a thunderous explosion.

A dazzling display of fireworks burst forth in the night sky, mesmerizing and lingering for a long while.

In an instant, everyone's attention within a radius of approximately six miles was drawn to this spectacle.

Meanwhile, a group of shadowy figures lurking near the Sacred Wrym Summit began to advance toward the source of the signal. These individuals were hidden assassins.

Calling for backup?" Dustin raised his head and watched the fireworks with a smirk.

He had been wondering how to take down this assassin organization. Things would be easier for him now. With that signal, he didn't need to look for them since they would cto him.

The man in black barked, "Hey kid, see this distress signal? It's how we notified our organization. Soon, our members will be swarming in. If | were you, I'd leave now. 'Cause once they show up, you're toast!" He didn't warn Dustin because he cared but because he was worried about himself. After all, he knew he couldn't win the fight, so his best shot was to intimidate Dustin into backing off.

"Honestly, | wasn't sure where to find you at first. But now, you've walked right into my trap." Dustin smirked slightly.

The man in black sneered. "Kid, don't get too confident. Sure, you've got sskills, but our organization is filled with top-notch elites.

"There are plenty of others who are way more skilled than you. You're just a pawn. Can you bring down our entire organization? In your dreams." They were bold enough to stir up trouble near the Sacred Wrym Summit, showing they had the power and confidence to support their actions.

How could they hope to face the whole martial world if they couldn't handle a single kid? And achieving their big goals seemed impossible if they couldn't manage this small challenge.