An Understated Dominance - Chapter 2365

“According to the investigation, Dusk Titan was killed by the Grand Sorceress of the Mystic Arts Order, while the Shadow Prince and The Dust of Angel were defeated by someone named Dustin Rhys.” Hank spoke clearly as he explained what had happened.

Losing those three elite fighters was a huge setback for the Hall of Gods. They had planned a two-part attack to win the championship title in the Combat Tournament and shake the confidence of Dragonmarsh’s martial artists, all while secretly raiding their treasures to weaken them financially.

But before they could even begin, their first plan had already failed. They lost their top fighters and took a big hit to their reputation.

“I know about the Grand Sorceress of the Mystic Arts Order, but who is this Dustin Rhys?” Bailey asked, his face darkening.

He had done his homework on Abigail, the second-ranked master on Dragonmarsh’s Legendary List. It made sense that George had fallen to her. But Bailey had never heard of Dustin.

Jeremiah was a powerful fighter, nearly as strong as the ultimate grandmaster. Even Abigail would find him tough to beat. So, how could someone unknown defeat two of their best?

“We don’t know much about Dustin. His identity is still a mystery,” Hank replied, a chill running down his spine. It felt like a predator was watching him.

He quickly added, “But I’ve had a brief encounter with Dustin. I think we should try to recruit him.”

“Recruit him?” Bailey paused, his anger fading as curiosity took over. “What’s your plan?”

“If he can take down two of our top fighters, he must be strong. If we offer him a good reward to join the Hall of Gods, it could benefit us both,” Hank suggested respectfully.

When dealing with someone powerful, it’s often better to build alliances than to make enemies.

the Hall of Gods.

“If we can get him into the Hall of Gods, that would be perfect. But do you think you can do it?” Bailey asked thoughtfully.

“Just a few days ago, I had a chance to talk to Dustin. At first, I planned to use him and the Dragonmarsh martial artists as bait to catch the attention of Sacred Wrym Summit. But after seeing what he can do, I think he’s worth much more,” Hank explained.

Suddenly, it hit him that the man who had just killed Jeremiah was the same one he had wanted to recruit days before.

“Can we trust him? We wouldn’t want to let a wolf into our group,” Bailey said, narrowing his eyes.

With Dustin making it into the top eight, he was sure to attract interest from different factions in Dragonmarsh. Bailey knew it wouldn’t be easy to convince him to betray his homeland. Even if Dustin agreed, trusting him could be risky.

“Mr. Bailey, don’t worry. I’m confident I can recruit him. As for trust…”

Hank smiled slyly and pulled out a small vial. “This is a poison I’ve created. It targets the Dragonmarsh elites specifically. If someone takes it without my antidote, they’ll meet a gruesome end in three days.”

“Now that’s impressive!” Bailey’s eyes lit up with approval. “I didn’t realize you had a plan ready, Mr. Styles. Seems I was worried for nothing. Just make sure it’s done perfectly. I’m counting on you.”

Using poison to control the martial artists of Dragonmarsh was a clever strategy. After all, who would risk their lives without being fearless? But how many would actually gamble their lives?

“Yes. I’ll take care of it right away.” Hank nodded and prepared to leave.

Dustin’s strength had already proven to be more valuable than the three elites they had lost. No matter what it took, Hank was determined to recruit him for the Hall of Gods.

The Hall of Gods.

It was a cold night, and the wind cut through the air like a knife. Just as Dustin finished his dinner and was about to head to his room for some rest, he heard a voice calling from the doorway.

“Hey, Dustin!”

He turned to see Hank stepping forward with a friendly smile. “Remember me?”

“Mr. Styles?” Dustin recognized him right away.

“Can we talk?” Hank looked around and lowered his voice.

“Sure, come in.” Dustin understood what he meant. He opened the door and waved Hank inside.

Hank smiled and stepped in. Dustin closed the door behind them and poured two cups of tea, sliding one across the table. “Mr. Styles, I’m curious about your late-night visit. What brings you here?”

“First off, congratulations on making it to the top eight. You really surprised everyone,” Hank said, suddenly changing the subject. “But your actions today have complicated things for us.”

“Oh? What do you mean?” Dustin pretended to be confused.

“Honestly, the two foreign contestants you defeated today were connected to us,” Hank said quietly.

“What? Are you serious?” Dustin’s eyes went wide with surprise. “If I had known they were from the Hall of Gods, I wouldn’t have gone so hard on them.”

He shook his head, sighed, and put on a look of regret. The truth was clear.