An Understated Dominance - Chapter 2529

“Give me a moment to think,” Dustin said.

Grace’s words sent him into deep contemplation.

Carrying the fate of Dragonmarsh was no small task. First, he needed the strength to bear it—and then the determination to accept everything that came with it. Once he shouldered that weight, there would be no turning back.

He had always acted freely, doing as he pleased without overthinking the consequences. But once the nation’s destiny became part of the equation, everything would change.

Not that he had many choices.

He could hide away at Sacred Wrym Summit and count on Arion’s protection, or he could take the gamble—absorb Dragonmarsh’s fate and break through his cultivation bottleneck. Between the two, he leaned toward the latter.

“I’ll give your plan a shot,” Dustin said suddenly. “But we’re still missing a piece of the Dracan essence. If we’re going to do this, we need to find that last one first.”

Only when all five pieces of Dracan essence were united could he truly harness the full power of Dragonmarsh’s fate.

“You’re right,” Grace said with a nod. “I’ve already assigned people to track it down. We’re fairly certain the last piece is in Nathaniel’s possession. But we haven’t figured out exactly where he’s hiding it.”

Her intelligence network was strong, but it couldn’t fully penetrate the royal family. Uncovering even this much had already pushed her resources to the limit.

After all, spying on royalty was dangerous business. A single slip-up could trigger consequences no one wanted to face.

“Nathaniel?” Dustin narrowed his eyes. “That could be a real problem.”

Nathaniel was a master of both strategy and combat—clever, ruthless, and powerful. On top of that, his noble status and influence made recovering the Dracan essence from him no simple task.

“I might have an idea, but it’s risky. I’ll need your help to make it work,” Grace said.

“Oh?” Dustin raised an eyebrow. “Let’s hear it.”

“Nathaniel’s greedy,” Grace replied with a knowing smile. “One Dracan essence won’t satisfy him. If he wants the throne, he’ll need at least three to unlock his full power. That’s our leverage—we can use that to bait him.”

“Bait him?” Dustin looked skeptical.

“He wants Dracan essence, right? Then let’s give him one. We’ll use what we have to lure him out and draw his attention away from the one he’s hiding. When the time is right, we’ll take them all,” she said.

Dustin nodded slowly. “It’s a bold move. But like you said, it’s risky.”
Grace’s plan was simple—at least on paper. Lure the wolf with bait, then take it down. If it worked, they’d hit the jackpot. If it failed, they’d walk away empty-handed.

“For the sake of the Dracan essence and Dragonmarsh’s future, this risk is worth it. As long as you stick to the plan, I’d say there’s at least a 70% chance of success,” Grace said confidently.

“Oh? And what exactly do you need me to do?” Dustin asked.

“It’s straightforward,” she explained. “You’ll pretend to switch sides and offer Nathaniel one of the Dracan essences to earn his trust. I’ll embed a special mark in it.

“Once you’re inside and the time is right, you’ll retrieve the marked one. And if luck’s on your side, you might be able to steal the one Nathaniel already has too.”

Since the Dracan essence had to be stored in a special container, there was a good chance Nathaniel would keep both together. That meant once Dustin retrieved the marked essence, he’d have a shot at getting the other as well.

It was a trap built on bait and timing. Whether it succeeded would depend 30% on luck and 70% on skill.

Nathaniel’s mansion wasn’t easy to infiltrate. Even if Dustin located the vault, getting in and out without setting off alarms would take precision and nerve.

“I get it,” Dustin nodded. “When do we start?”

“The two royal gods from the Hall of Gods have already crossed the border. They’ll reach Oakvale soon. You don’t have much time. Ideally, you move tomorrow,” Grace said.

Time was running out. The sooner Dustin secured the Dracan essence, the better his chances of surviving what lay ahead.

“All right. Tomorrow it is,” he agreed without hesitation.

“I’ll leak just enough information to let Nathaniel believe you’ve acquired one of the Dracan essences,” Grace said. “That’ll draw him in and make your approach look natural.”

Then her tone shifted. “But be careful. Nathaniel is paranoid. Gaining his trust won’t be easy. Once you’re inside, wait for the right moment. Don’t make any reckless moves.”

“Thanks for the warning. I know what I’m doing,” Dustin replied with a faint smile.

He had been inside Nathaniel’s mansion before and was familiar with the layout. Besides, he wasn’t storming in with a weapon—it was a heist, not a bloodbath. No one had to die.

The real challenge was pulling it off without arousing suspicion afterward. That was where the real thinking came in. He needed to ensure he stayed completely out of the spotlight.