An Understated Dominance - Chapter 2532

During the meal, Nathaniel arranged for two women to accompany Dustin.

Throughout history, even the greatest heroes had struggled to resist the allure of beautiful women. Sometimes, a woman of rare beauty could be more tempting than wealth or power.

Dustin, however, remained composed. He neither showed interest nor deliberately turned them away.

To the women seated on either side of him, he was polite and respectful. He shared drinks and light conversation but didn’t go beyond that.

Nathaniel saw it differently. To him, Dustin appeared unimpressed by their company.

Given Dustin’s status and background, it wasn’t surprising—an average beauty likely wouldn’t catch his eye.

Nathaniel realized he’d need to raise the stakes. It might be time to introduce his most prized companion and see how Dustin would react.

After the meal, he led Dustin to the mansion’s training grounds.

The midday sun blazed overhead as more than a hundred armored soldiers trained in the open yard. Their builds were powerful, their movements precise—clearly, they had undergone strict, elite training.

Their presence was commanding. It was obvious they’d been handpicked and honed into the best of the best. Any one of them could easily serve as a mid-level officer in a regular army.

As Dustin observed, he noted their strength rivaled that of West Lucozia’s enforcement team.

Even the lowest-ranked among them had reached divinity, and the two commanding officers were grandmaster-level martial artists.

But they weren’t ordinary grandmasters.

With power like this, they could dominate any battlefield. They could annihilate a major noble house without much resistance.

Dustin suspected this was the true foundation of Nathaniel’s strength.

What was visible on the surface was just a glimpse—there were likely many more experts hidden in the shadows.

It was no wonder Nathaniel had risen above the other princes to become a leading contender for the throne.

He was not a man to be underestimated.

“What do you think of my men?” Nathaniel asked with a smile. “Do they meet your standards?”

He had brought Dustin here deliberately—to showcase his military strength and subtly hint at the power base behind him. It was a quiet bid for Dustin’s support.

“Not bad. Each one looks like they could take on a dozen men. Their combat abilities are impressive,” Dustin remarked.

He nodded and added, “I didn’t expect Your Highness to command such a formidable force. It’s truly remarkable.”
Nathaniel chuckled. “Oh, this is just something I threw together. A team like that would never make it to the big leagues.”

“You’re being modest, Your Highness,” Dustin replied. “Even if you assembled them casually, their strength rivals that of a guild with over a century of history.”

He wasn’t offering empty flattery.

The team was led by two powerful grandmaster martial artists, supported by over a dozen nearing the grandmaster level, and more than a hundred experts who had attained divinity. Their combined strength rivaled that of many prominent guilds.

What stood out most was their specialized training. These soldiers followed orders with precision and worked in perfect sync, boosting their combat effectiveness well beyond what typical martial world forces could achieve.

“Logan, my soldiers still have room to grow. Since you’re here, why not help train them? Show them what true skill looks like—remind them there’s always someone stronger,” Nathaniel offered.

It was a chance both to test his troops and showcase Dustin’s strength.

Though his soldiers were battle-hardened, they had never gone up against a top-tier expert from the martial world. With someone like Logan present, Nathaniel wasn’t going to miss the opportunity.

“Your Highness, I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” Dustin said hesitantly.

These soldiers were Nathaniel’s pride. If he accidentally injured one of them, things could take a bad turn.

Nathaniel laughed. “Come on, it’s just a friendly spar—no weapons. Just give them a few pointers. My men have gotten a bit too full of themselves. A few knocks might do them good.”

“In that case, I’ll spar with them,” Dustin agreed.

With his keen instincts, he saw through Nathaniel’s intentions. The prince was clearly shrewd and calculating. Even now, he was trying to make the most of Dustin’s presence.

“Excellent,” Nathaniel replied.

He smiled faintly and stepped forward, clapping his hands lightly.

The soldiers, who had been engaged in intense drills, immediately stopped.

“Formation!” a burly, bearded general barked.

Within seconds, the scattered soldiers fell into a perfect formation. They stood tall, eyes sharp, radiating power and unwavering confidence.

“The one leading them is General Lycas Derin,” Nathaniel said, gesturing to the bearded man. Then, motioning to the slender man with a spear beside him, he added, “And this is his second-in-command, Lieutenant General Bryce Gantz.”

Lycas stepped forward with confident strides and saluted. “At your service, Your Highness. What are your orders?”

“This is Mr. Rhys,” Nathaniel said. “He’s one of the best in his field. Select a few of your top men to spar with him.”

“Huh?”

Lycas raised an eyebrow and narrowed his eyes at Dustin, a flicker of doubt in his expression.

He didn’t take Nathaniel’s words seriously. How could someone who looked like they couldn’t even lift a sword possibly challenge his elite troops?