An Understated Dominance by Marina Vittori

“No way! That priest looked ordinary and didn’t seem like a threat,” Aurora said, puzzled.

Given Fenley’s skills, he was among the best in Dragonmarsh. So, she figured he had no reason to be afraid of

those three Strequans.

“You can't judge a book by its cover. Among those three, the priest is the strongest. If you ever run into him,

avoid him at all costs,” Fenley warned earnestly.

If he had been alone earlier, he wouldn't have been concerned. But with Aurora and Alicia by his side, he had to

be cautious and couldn't fight freely.

He knew Jeremiah could distract him if they fought while Bill and George captured the Marshall sisters. With the

sisters’ lives as leverage, the other party could turn the situation in their favor.

So, Fenley decided to let the matter slide for the sisters’ safety and stop pursuing the matter.

“Okay, | understand.” Seeing how serious he was, Aurora nodded.

“Fenley, those people mentioned about competing in the Combat Tournament tomorrow. You might faced off with

them, so be careful,” Alicia reminded him.

She knew Bill was strong, but Jeremiah’s strength was an unknown factor. Until they had a clearer picture of their

opponents, being cautious was the safest approach.

“These people aren't here with good intentions, so we should stay alert,” Fenley said, nodding.

He added, “But don’t worry. Our nation has plenty of hidden talents. If we faced off in the battle ring, we wouldn't

lose to those Strequan forces. The only concern is that they might resort to dirty tricks.”

“We'll handle whatever comes our way, “Aurora said. “Once we're in the battle ring, those guys from the

Strequan underworld don’t stand a chance!”

Over the years, the Strequan forces, led by the Hall of Gods, had always used dirty tactics-manipulating, bribing,

and even resorting to assassination behind the scenes.

They never had the guts to confront the Dragonmarsh head-on. By entering this Combat Tournament openly,

they were just asking for trouble.

“Enough about those guys. Let's continue our meal.” Alicia redirected the conversation as they started to savor

their food. She knew the elders would deal with the Hall of Gods, so they didn’t need to worry.

Outside the tavern, Jeremiah strolled down the lively street while enjoying the night as if he were a tourist.

George trailed behind him silently like a bodyguard.

In contrast, Bill was frustrated. Not only had he failed to attract any women, but he had also been beaten up,

which was a major blow to his pride. If Jeremiah hadn't stopped him, Bill would have shown his true form and

challenged Fenley to a fight.

“Father, | don’t get it. He's just a martial artist from Dragonmarsh. Why are we so afraid of him?” Bill, who had

been holding back his anger, finally spoke up.

“Sir Hudson from the Celestial Alliance is ranked fifth on the Legendary List. He's not someone we can take

lightly. We're still on a mission, and now isn’t the tto stir up more trouble,” Jeremiah replied calmly.

“What's so great about being fifth on the Legendary List? If | had transformed, | could've killed him,” Bill said

bitterly.

Powerful vampires typically have three forms. He was defeated earlier because he only used his second form. If

he could unleash his third form, his strength would double. Then, he would be able to kill Fenley to vent his

anger.

“If you transform, you'll be weakened for days and unable to compete in the tournament,” Jeremiah said.

He continued, “Besides, even if you did transform, it might not make a difference. You weren't fighting at full

strength, and Fenley might have been holding something back, too. In a life- or-death fight, you might not be his

equal.”

“Even if | can’t take him down alone, we still have Mr. Burroughs, right?” Bill said defiantly. “If he is willing to take

action, we can kill Fenley.”

“I don’t need any help. | can handle this on my own,” George interjected.

Bill was speechless. His frustration was barely contained as he glanced at George beside him. He would have

taken out his anger on George if he weren't outmatched.

“Did you really think it was only Fenley back there?” Jeremiah suddenly stopped walking.

While walking with his head down, Bill bumped into Jeremiah’s back and staggered backward. “What? Are you

saying there was another expert?” he asked, surprised.

“Didn’t you notice the young man sitting with Fenley?” Jeremiah asked.

“The guy sitting with him?” Bill pondered briefly before saying, “He seemed pretty average. He didn’t say

anything despite our provocations. He must be a wimp.”

Jeremiah scoffed and turned. He smiled coldly. “I think he’s more like a werewolf than a vampire.”

“Huh? What do you mean?” Bill asked, puzzled.

“All brawn and no brains,” Jeremiah stated bluntly.

Bill's eye twitched again. He was speechless from the insult. In Strequan, strength was everything. If one

couldn't measure up, they had to keep quiet.

“That man is just as strong as Fenley. He had an intimidating presence.”

Jeremiah’s smile faded as he said thoughtfully, “If you had faced him earlier, you might already be a corpse.”