An Understated Dominance - Chapter 2396

With a loud bang, a bright golden light exploded, sending a wave of powerful energy through the air. The ground shook, and strong winds whipped around.

Dustin was thrown several yards away, landing hard. He stumbled back a few steps before managing to steady himself.

When he looked up, he saw Abigail covered in shining golden armor. He didn’t know when it had appeared, but it glowed brightly, making her look both impressive and fierce.

It was clearly a divine artifact.

The Mystic Arts Order had existed for centuries, with deep roots and many treasures. As the Grand Sorceress, Abigail surely had several divine artifacts to protect her.

Dustin wasn’t shocked, but the armor’s power surprised him. It didn’t just protect her; it could also fight back.

When his sword had hit the armor earlier, it hadn’t left a mark. Instead, the armor absorbed the impact and sent the force back at him. It had a built-in feature for retaliation. The more damage it took, the stronger the counterattack became.

“Bet you didn’t see this coming, huh? I also have mystic armor,” Abigail said with a smile. “And this one has a special feature—whatever hits it will bounce right back. The harder you strike, the stronger the backlash.”

“Yeah, I noticed,” Dustin replied, then shifted the topic. “But remember, the armor is just an object. It isn’t perfect. Don’t let it make you overconfident. That could lead to your downfall.”

As a martial artist, Dustin believed true strength came from within. Equipment was just extra, and relying too much on it could be a mistake.

His words served as a reminder that personal growth can be hindered, leaving someone open to being taken advantage of.

“So, do you really think you can beat me?” Abigail smirked as she tossed aside her broadsword and took out a red sword with one hand.

After awakening her Phoenix bloodline, Abigail gained the memories of the Ninth Grand Sorceress. This meant she had mastered every weapon known to humans.

“You can use a sword?” Dustin raised an eyebrow in surprise.

“Want to find out?” She flicked her longsword with a quick motion. In an instant, she closed the distance and thrust her sword forward.

The strike was fast, sharp, and came from an unexpected angle, making it hard to read.

Every move she made had small variations that made it nearly impossible to predict. Without a decade of intense training, no one could reach her level.

“Oh?” Dustin raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised.

As people often say, a true expert shows their skill in a single move. With his keen eyes, he quickly realized that her swordsmanship was extraordinary.

This wasn’t just the result of a few years of practice; she either had a natural talent or her Phoenix bloodline was giving her an advantage.

Before he could think more about it, her sword was already coming at him. He reacted instinctively, mirroring her move with a horizontal thrust. Their swords clashed perfectly.

The tips locked for a moment, sending a flash of light outward from where they met. The force wasn’t overwhelming, but it had a sharpness that made his nerves tingle.

In that instant, their swords were aligned in a perfect horizontal line, locked in a silent battle of wills.

The internal energy of two grandmasters clashed through the swords, creating a powerful force pushing against each other. The energy surged like two armies in a fierce battle, sending waves of light exploding around them.

The impact of the clash caused waves of energy to pulse out in rhythmic bursts.

Abigail’s breathing became heavy, and sweat formed on her forehead. Her grip on the sword began to shake.

In contrast, Dustin remained steady and calm.

Even though Abigail had many powerful artifacts and impressive abilities, her skills fell short compared to Dustin’s. It was clear she was struggling in this battle of energy.

Eventually, Abigail couldn’t keep going. With a quick flick of her wrist, she broke the connection between their swords and stepped back.

As she retreated, Dustin seized the opportunity. Without hesitation, he lunged forward, aiming for the golden armor on her chest.

The armor made a loud clang as it absorbed the blow and sent the impact back through his sword.

Dustin felt the recoil but used it to his advantage. He spun around and lunged again, driving his sword into her armor once more.

The clang echoed again as the armor shook, sending back an even stronger force.

Dustin repeated his tactic, using the momentum to launch a flurry of strikes. His Celestial Blade fell like rain, each blow hammering against the armor.

With every strike, Abigail was pushed back, struggling to keep her balance. Whenever she tried to counterattack, his sword sliced through her defenses easily.

She endured more than a dozen attacks without being able to defend herself properly. If it weren’t for her protective armor, she would have been badly hurt.

In that moment, Abigail recognized the true skill of Dustin’s swordsmanship. What looked like simple moves were actually the core techniques of fighting. His strikes were so fast and accurate that they were nearly impossible to block.

His strikes became harder and faster with each moment. After landing dozens of blows, the golden armor began to lose its shine, and cracks appeared where it was hit. It was clear that the armor was close to breaking.

The armor was strong, but it had its limits. After taking so many hits, it was finally starting to give in.

Dustin thrust his sword one last time, and the golden armor shattered instantly. The bright light surrounding Abigail faded, but the force of his sword continued to rush toward her throat.

Her eyes widened in fear, but before she could move, the Celestial Blade stopped. The tip was now less than half an inch from her throat.

Abigail felt its cold, sharp edge, and every hair on her body stood on end.