An Understated Dominance by Marina Vittori

"Troublemaker! | know you're in there, so cout and face the music!" The loud shout echoed through the tavern again. It sent waves of unease rippling through the patrons.

Miles and the others instinctively turned their gaze toward Abigail.

To them, she was the only one who fit the bill of a troublemaker. But who would dare to be so bold as to challenge the Grand Sorceress of the Mystic Arts Order so openly? "Everyone, please continue enjoying your meal. I'll take care of this." Abigail smiled as she dabbed her mouth with a napkin. Then, she rose from her seat and descended the stairs.

Miles and the others exchanged glances and hurried to the window to see what was happening outside.

On the street, a burly man surrounded by a gang of 20 to 30 men was shouting threats. They wielded their weapons menacingly as if they were ready for action.

"Hey, doesn't that man look familiar?" Ruby arched her eyebrow as she recognized the burly man. She had seen him at the Combat Tournament, but his nmomentarily escaped her.

"It's Luke Harding from Frostzard Manor!" Miles chimed in.

"You're right! It's him!" Ruby nodded. "This punk caused a scene at the Combat Tournament earlier, and Caleb blasted him with Stormcraft magic until he was a mess. | didn't expect him to recover so quickly. He's quite resilient." "Luke's got the skills, but he's not the brightest bulb," Dalen remarked.

He unfolded his fan and said casually, "Caleb spared his life back at Sacred Wrym Summit, but now he's out looking for trouble again." "People like him, sheltered from reality, have no idea how dangerous the Mystic Arts Order can be." Crystal shook her head in disbelief. She shared Dalen's view on Luke's futile provocation.

"Frostzard Manor is a major sect. By looking at the group of men that Luke's brought along, I'm worried that Ms.

Abigail might be outnumbered." Ruby observed the situation from above.

She noticed that the men accompanying Luke were elites. Despite Abigail's status as the Grand Sorceress of the Mystic Arts Order, Ruby couldn't help but worry about her confronting them alone.

"Ruby, don't underestimate them. Regular martial artists might fret over being outnumbered, but not the Mystic Arts Order. Think about it—what's their specialty?" Miles hinted.

"Witchcraft and parasitic poison?" Ruby quickly caught on.

"Exactly!" Miles nodded.

He went on, "Let's not talk about witchcraft and those dark arts. We haven't encountered anything like that. But just the parasitic poison alone is terrifying enough to make the top martial artists quake in their boots! "Given the size of the crowd at Frostzard Manor, if Ms. Robinson were to use her parasitic poison, she could incapacitate them effortlessly." "Is the poison really that deadly?" Ruby asked skeptically.

"More than deadly—it's downright unpredictable!" Miles shuddered.

He added, "Do you know how many elites from the martial world have fallen victim to parasitic poison? "It can kill its victim without leaving a trace. Plus, its eerie menace has haunted countless martial artists’ nightmares.

"The Mystic Arts Order has many enemies, yet no faction dares to pick a fight with them. That's because the terror of parasitic poison has deeply ingrained itself in everyone's minds.

"Even our sect would avoid confrontation unless provoked by profound animosity." The Mystic Arts Order thrived in outnumbered scenarios and employed various unorthodox tactics. Those who provoked their disciples would meet their end without understanding how it happened.

"So, Luke and his gang are walking into a hornet's nest?" Ruby raised an eyebrow.

She asked, "Are they really that oblivious? They're still eager for a fight despite knowing the risks of crossing paths with the Mystic Arts Order?" "We'll see soon enough," Miles remarked as he glanced out the window.

At that moment, Abigail confidently stepped outside the tavern's entrance.

"Troublemaker! So, you're here!" Luke angrily brandished his sword at her.

"It seems like you haven't learned your lesson from this morning. And you dare to swagger in front of me? Aren't you afraid of the consequences?" Abigail smiled, but her eyes betrayed a chilling coldness.

"Hmph! We'll see who's left standing in the end," Luke sneered.

Then, he shouted, "The men behindare martial arts experts I've paid handsomely. You might be tough, but you can't take us all on alone!" "Martial arts experts?" Abigail scoffed as she scanned the group. "A bunch of amateurs think they're experts? This is freaking hilarious!" "Outrageous!" "How dare you!" "This is absurd!" Abigail's words sparked anger among the martial arts experts, who began to curse her behavior. After all, these martial arts experts were prominent figures in the martial world.

Luke had invited them to join forces in defeating her. Their mission was fueled by the belief in wiping out evil and safeguarding the people.

Yet, they never imagined Abigail would be so bold as to disregard them.

"Hey, troublemaker! Don't you dare get ahead of yourself! We're all geared up for this. Regardless of your skill, you won't throw us off track!" Luke's voice boomed.

Really? Then, bring it on. Let's see just how tough you are. I'm curious how many lives you think you've got to throw around .Abigail looked at them disdainfully and beckoned them with her finger.

Hey Luke, she's just a kid. There's no need for all the other big shots to jump in. With just in.With just two we'll have her tied up in no time." The Bovens brothers—twin siblings—volunteered for the showdown. "I've heard you two have been experimenting with poisons for years and have built up immunity to all sorts of toxins?" Luke asked.

"You're right!" The twins nodded in unison.

Then, one of the twins added, "Yeah, we might not have man talents but we're the go to guy for poisons .So dealing with this troublemaker should : [1 be a walk in the park for us." "Great! You two take the lead, and let's capture this troublemaker together." Luke's face lit up with determination.

The Mystic Arts Order's most dreaded weapon was their mystic poison.

Coincidentally, the Bovens brothers were immune to all poisons and utterly fearless. Hence, they were the perfect counter to Abigail's technique.