An Understated Dominance by Marina Vittori

Dustin carefully examined the box and ensured there were no unusual markings before turning to Grace. He

asked blankly, “Did you actually guess, or can you see what is inside?”

“Of course, | guessed it. | don’t have X- ray vision, so how could | see it?” She rolled her eyes.

“Amazing. I'm impressed.” He gave her a thumbs-up. Just from a guess, she was able to piece everything

together. He couldn't help but feel a bit outmatched by her sharp wit.

“So, is it really the enhanced serum in there?” Grace raised an eyebrow. She was surprised that her casual guess

was accurate.

“See for yourself.” Dustin didn’t bother explaining further. He opened the box to show her the two red and blue

vials inside.

“Oh? This is an S-class serum from the Hall of Gods. They certainly hold you in high regard.” Grace leaned in for

a closer look, and she was genuinely surprised.

The Hall of Gods’ enhanced serums were ranked in five tiers-D, C, B, A, and the highest, S. Each level brought a

tenfold increase in value and potency. Only gods and their key personnel at the god level or above had access to

the S-class serum.

Since the Hall of Gods had given him two vials of S-level serum, it showed how much they valued him.

“They may value me, but it sure comes with its costs. | mean, they just forcedto drink a vial of poison.”

Dustin shrugged.

“Poison?” Grace frowned, “What kind? Is there a cure?”

“I've already digested it, and there's nothing left. Don’t forget that my body is immune to all poisons.” He smiled

faintly.

Aside from the ten deadliest poisons, most wouldn't affect him. His body could quickly break them down, and

anything more potent could be flushed out with his mystical, pure energy.

“I'm glad you're fine.” Grace sighed in relief, but her expression quickly turned serious. “I know what you're

thinking, but I have to remind you that your safety comes first. Don’t take unnecessary risks.”

Despite Dustin's considerable strength, the Hall of Gods was hto many powerful elites. If his identity were

exposed and someone schemed against him, he could be in danger.

“Don’t worry. | have a plan. | won't do anything reckless,” he said with a nod.

“As long as you know what you're doing.” She dropped the subject and asked, “What do you plan to do with

these two vials of enhanced serum?”

“Of course, I'm giving them to you for research,” Dustin said earnestly. “The enhanced serums from the Hall of

Gods are among the best in the world. If we can unlock their secrets, it would be a huge benefit to our nation.”

Dragonmarsh had a long way to go in genetic research compared to the Streuquan countries. He hoped this

opportunity would help them advance in that field.

“These two vials are extremely valuable. Are you really willing to part with them?” Grace asked seriously. “If you

drink them, you could easily becthe champion in the Combat Tournament.”

Dustin and Glenn were tied for first on the Legendary List, and no one knew who was stronger. If Dustin used the

serums, his chances of winning would increase tically.

She naturally wanted him to win for the greater good, mixed with spersonal reasons.

“Drinking the enhanced serum might boost my strength slightly, but it won't make much difference for me,”

Dustin said calmly.

He continued, “Besides, it could lead to addiction if I drink something like that. I'm not going to let a couple of

vials kill my fighting spirit.”

A martial artist's cultivation was a slow and steady journey, with each ounce of power earned through diligent

effort. The path to strength required both physical refinement and mental fortitude. Both elements relied on each

other, and neither could be ignored.

In contrast, the enhanced serums developed in Streuqua offered rapid boosts in strength, but they also came

with severe drawbacks.

First, gaining power too quickly created a reliance on the serum and caused them to lose their drive to train

hard.

Second, the sudden influx of power was difficult to control. The user might not notice any issues when facing an

average martial artist. However, against a true expert, the inability to manage that newfound strength could

expose serious weaknesses and put them in real danger.

For Dustin, the enhanced serum was unnecessary and something he had no interest in. Could someone be called

strong if they relied on serum? If that were the case, then Jeremiah wouldn't have been blown to bits by him.

“Since you've made your decision, | won't say more. Thank you on behalf of Dragonmarsh. If we achieve a

significant breakthrough in genetics, you'll be the one we credit as the hero,” Grace said earnestly.

Whether it was the Predator they had captured with beast-like abilities or the enhanced serum from the Hall of

Gods, both were invaluable assets for Dragonmarsh’s research team.

If the research was done right, it could save them decades of setbacks. That was why Dustin's contribution was

essential.

“Don’t make it sound so formal. Think of it as a small gift from me. Just don’t leaveout when the good stuff

comes your way.” He smiled.

Dustin didn’t have grand ideas of sacrificing himself for his country, but he felt it was essential to contribute

within his means. Born and raised in Dragonmarsh, he couldn't stand by while outside forces invaded his

homeland. If he did, he would lose all respect for himself.