An Understated Dominance - Chapter 243

In the ring, Dustin stood tall with his hands behind his back, looking strong and confident. He was no longer hiding his abilities and showed off his true power. Everyone around him avoided his gaze, especially after he had defeated the King of Kicks with just one move.

“Wow! The Harmons have a real talent,” Maximus said, narrowing his eyes. He respected Dustin for his strength. Even Maximus knew it wasn’t easy to beat the King of Kicks in a fair fight.

“Weakling!” Dustin brushed off some dust from his sleeve and coolly asked, “Next?”

The Boulderthorn disciples exchanged nervous looks. They all knew they couldn’t compete with Dustin, especially after his recent victory.

“What should we do, Max? That guy is trouble!” Brody said, clenching his teeth in frustration.

“I guess I’ll have to step up,” Maximus replied slowly, his eyes bright with excitement. He hadn’t planned to fight when he arrived, thinking the battle would be easy. But Dustin’s skill surprised him and made things more interesting. Maximus was not in martial arts for fame or money; he was looking for excellence in swordsmanship. He always felt challenged when he faced a strong opponent.

“Max, are you sure you can beat him?” Brody asked carefully.

“I wouldn’t stand a chance in a bare-handed fight, but I’m confident I can win with a sword,” Maximus answered calmly.

“Awesome! Go for it, Max! We need to take care of him quickly!” Brody said with a smirk. Maximus was a rare talent in swordsmanship, ranking sixth among The Hundred Immortals before turning thirty. He was far more skilled than the King of Kicks.

Maximus was known for his incredible martial arts skills, especially with a sword. Brody’s father once predicted that Maximus would become a divine figure in just three years, reaching the ranks of The Heavenly Immortals by then.

“What’s going on? Is there no one else from Boulderthorn?” Dustin asked, scanning the crowd with a sharp look.

“I’ll go!” Maximus shouted as he jumped into the air. As he landed, he lightly tapped a spectator’s shoulder before bouncing back up with amazing agility. His movements were so graceful that the women in the guild gasped in admiration, their eyes shining with excitement.

“Wow! He’s so cool!” one of them exclaimed.

“A young man in white—he’s my type!” another added.

Maximus not only looked handsome but also carried himself like a true knight.

“Who are you?” Dustin asked, giving him a careful look from head to toe.

“I’m Maximus Kane, a disciple from Boulderthorn. I’m here for the experience,” Maximus replied, bowing politely. His introduction caused quite a stir among those in the guild.

“Maximus Kane? Isn’t he ranked sixth on The Hundred Immortals?” someone in the crowd asked.

“Yes! He’s the famous ‘Lightning Blade’ from Balerno. I saw him fight once!” another person chimed in.

“Oh wow! It’s Maximus ‘Lightning Blade’ Kane! I heard his sword moves faster than lightning, and he hasn’t lost a battle since he became famous. This is going to be exciting!”

The crowd buzzed with interest, knowing that Maximus was much stronger than the King of Kicks, who ranked ninth. The difference in their rankings was significant, even though they were both skilled fighters.

The two fighters were three places apart in the rankings. Once a martial artist reached the top ten, it was tough to move up. The names in the top five rarely changed; they kept the same spots all year.

“Ah, finally, a normal opponent,” Dustin said with a grin and waved his hand. “Please, go ahead.”

“Just a minute,” Maximus replied seriously. “I’m skilled with a sword. Can we change this to an armed fight?”

“Hey! You can’t change the rules like that! We don’t agree!” Ruth immediately protested, clearly upset. Everyone knew that a bare-handed fight was very different from one with weapons. An average person with a weapon could easily defeat multiple opponents, especially someone as skilled as Maximus “Lightning Blade” Kane.

“Why? Are you scared he’ll lose to Max?” Brody mocked her. “If you’re afraid, just admit defeat now and stop wasting our time!”

“We’re not scared! You all are the ones breaking the martial arts code!” Ruth shot back.

“That’s nonsense! We never banned weapons from fights. Why not have Rhys use a weapon too?” Brody laughed coldly.

“You—” Ruth stammered, furious.

“Sure! Use a weapon if you want. It doesn’t matter to me,” Dustin said nonchalantly, agreeing to the change. This only frustrated Ruth more, as it seemed to undermine all her efforts to fight fairly.

“Thank you,” Maximus said with a slight bow as he drew his sword from its sheath on his back. “My sword is three feet and six inches long. It’s made from deep iron and has been my companion for five years. It’s strong enough to cut through almost anything!”

“Come at me,” Dustin said, waving his hand.

“Where’s your weapon?” Maximus asked, raising an eyebrow.

“My bare hands are my weapons,” Dustin replied confidently.

“Are you sure?” Maximus squinted, thinking that his opponent was skilled but too confident. Dustin would be embarrassed if he tried to block Maximus’s sword attack with his bare hands.

“Of course! I’ll let you have it if you can hurt me,” Dustin replied, waving his hand. “Come on!”

“Okay! Let’s do this!” Without hesitation, Maximus charged forward, his unsheathed sword in hand. As he got closer to Dustin, he thrust his sword at him, making the blade glint in the light and causing gusts of wind to swirl around them.

“Great move!” many martial artists gasped in surprise. Maximus’s sword moved quickly and was incredibly sharp, making it hard to see where the blade ended and the shadows began. Even skilled fighters at their level wouldn’t dare to fight without some protection against it. But Dustin stood still, seeming unfazed by the incoming attack.

“That guy is bold! Why isn’t he dodging Maximus’s sword?” someone whispered.

“Does he think he’s invincible after beating the King of Kicks? He doesn’t know how strong Maximus is!” another voice added.

“Exactly! There’s a huge difference in skill among the top ten of The Hundred Immortals! Underestimating Maximus is like digging your own grave!”

Amid the chatter, everyone heard a soft clinking sound as Maximus’s sword suddenly stopped. The sharp blade hovered just an inch from Dustin’s throat, unable to move. When the crowd looked closer, their faces paled. They realized Dustin had caught the sword between his two fingers.