An Understated Dominance - Chapter 319

The crowd reacted differently to Dustin’s win. Some people cheered loudly for him, while others looked disappointed.

“Who is that guy? How could Tatum lose to him?” Brody grumbled, looking both angry and scared.

“Whoever he is, we need to get out of here before he sees us!” Luther said, feeling the need to escape quickly after the shocking outcome.

“Stop right there!” Dustin called out, turning to see the few uneasy-looking men. “Luther Williams, did I say you could leave?”

“I’m Luther Williams, the second-in-command at Boulderthorn. You should stay away from me!” Luther warned, trying to use his title for protection.

“The second-in-command? Ha!” Dustin laughed. “Do you really think I’m scared of you when I don’t care about the guildmaster at all?”

“What do you want?” Luther asked, his expression darkening.

“Give up your practice, and I’ll let you live,” Dustin said calmly. He wanted to teach Luther a lesson for pretending to be a teacher while acting like a hypocrite.

“That’s too much, Dustin Rhys!” Luther’s face twisted in distress. He knew that if he gave up his practice, he would lose his purpose in martial arts.

“Too much? Did you ever think about the consequences of your actions?” Dustin shot back, showing no respect for Luther.

“You shouldn’t burn your bridges,” Luther warned, trying to keep his cool. “Aren’t you worried about making enemies in our field if you push me this far?”

“Courtesy means nothing against someone like you. If you won’t do it, I’ll take care of it myself,” Dustin replied, refusing to say anything more and turning away.

Maximus quickly jabbed a silver needle into Luther’s abdomen. Luther let out a yelp and fell to the ground, grimacing in pain.

“Maximus, I’m finished destroying his core. What happens next is up to you,” Dustin said. He knew it was best to let Maximus decide Luther’s fate since Maximus had a personal grudge against him.

“It’s okay. He’s basically paralyzed now, so I’ll spare his life.” At first, Maximus raised his sword, but then he lowered it after thinking it through. He realized that sparing Luther wasn’t an act of mercy. Luther had made many enemies, and now that his core was gone, he would face a miserable life ahead. That seemed like the best punishment for him.

“Count yourselves lucky. Get lost now!” Dustin told the Boulderthorn men. Hearing this, Luther and the others hurried away, leaving only the lady in white behind.

Max Caitlyn approached Maximus, looking weak and apologetic. “I’m sorry for saying such cruel things. I was under pressure. Please forgive me.”

Maximus was stronger than Luther and had a bright future, so it made sense for her to try to win his favor.

“Forgive you?” Maximus scoffed. “How can you ask for forgiveness after what you did?”

“Max, I know I was wrong, but I had no choice. It’s tough for a weak woman like me to succeed in martial arts. Luther has dirt on me, and I couldn’t fight back. I’m a victim too…” Her voice trailed off, and she started to cry.

Her soft sobs could touch anyone’s heart, but Maximus remained cold. “Don’t put on an act in front of me. That just disgusts me.”

“Whether you believe me or not, I truly love you. I would run away with you and live like nomads!” she pleaded, tears shining in her eyes.

“Did you say you love me?” he sneered. “Would you have said that if I wasn’t powerful? Would you have apologized if I hadn’t beaten Luther Williams? You don’t love me for who I am—you only want my power, my potential, and my status!”

“I…” she started to reply.

“Enough! I don’t want to hear anything more. From now on, we’re going our separate ways. There’s nothing left between us!” His face was cold and hard.

“Max, I know I don’t deserve you, but I’ll still pray for you. I hope that when you’re alone at night, you remember me, your mentee, and the good times we had. I’ll leave now and won’t come back. I wish you all the best in your career…” Tears filled her eyes as she turned and walked away.

He opened his mouth to say something but couldn’t find the words. He felt a mix of love and anger for Caitlyn, and deep down, he knew they could never be together again. Once bitten, twice shy.

“Let’s go. It’s time to celebrate,” Dustin said. After handling the situation, he and Maximus quickly left. The fight had started suddenly and ended just as fast. Because of this event, Dustin gained a lot of fame and was seen as a martial arts prodigy. Many believed that his presence would shake up the martial arts scene in Balerno.

“Mr. Dunn, if I remember correctly, Dustin Rhys came here with you, right? Does that mean he’s your student now?” a middle-aged martial artist from the crowd asked.

“Well…” Ralph felt all eyes on him and forced a smile. “Since you’ve figured it out, I won’t hide it. To be honest, Dustin Rhys is now the principal disciple of the Steel Legion!”

Gasps spread through the crowd.

“What? Dustin Rhys has joined the Steel Legion?”

“My goodness! Mr. Dunn, you hit the jackpot!”

“Mr. Dunn, you really know how to keep your talents hidden!”

“How did you find someone as talented as him? We’re so jealous!”

“Congratulations, Mr. Dunn! Please remember us if you have any news to share with the community.”

The martial artists began to compliment Ralph, especially the eager teens who wanted to join.

“Mr. Dunn, do you still take in students? I want to be part of the Steel Legion!”

“Me too! Count me in!”

“The Steel Legion must have a strong foundation to support a genius like Dustin Rhys. I want to join as well!”

The young martial artists around them were buzzing with excitement, each worried they might miss out.

“Joining is always a possibility. The Steel Legion welcomes good people who fight for justice!” Ralph smiled at their enthusiasm. He was surprised by how mentioning Dustin instantly drew interest from so many young fighters. If this continued, he believed the Steel Legion would thrive under his leadership!

Abby, watching the crowd’s excitement, had a puzzled look on her face. She was surprised by her grandpa’s boldness in trying to link the guild to Dustin, even though Dustin had clearly turned him down. She thought to herself, “Is this what they call the ‘real world’?”