An Understated Dominance by Marina Vittori

“I'm sorry, Ancient Sage. | misspoke earlier.” Dustin apologized with an awkward expression.

“It’s okay. I'm not bothered by it.”

Arion laughed heartily. He then waved at Kaden. “Bring out his reward.”

“Of course,” Kaden replied, then retrieved a jade box and placed it on the table beside Dustin.

“Go ahead and open it.” Arion smiled and motioned for Dustin to look inside.

Dustin nodded and carefully opened the box with both hands. Inside, he found three translucent orbs-one gold,

one red, and one green.

Each orb glowed faintly, and inside, a small snake of the scolor slithered.

Their movements were graceful and almost alive.

“Dracan essence!” Dustin's eyes widened in surprise.

He had encountered Dracan essence before and immediately recognized the orbs. But what surprised him was

that Sacred Wyrm Summit had not one, but three of them. It made him wonder what kind of treasure-filled land

this was.

“Well, how do you like the reward?” Arion asked with a smile.

“Ancient Sage, how did you know this is exactly what | needed?” Dustin couldn't hide his surprise.

“My mentor’s foresight is unmatched.

The trends of the world never escape his keen eyes,” Kaden said proudly.

“Ancient Sage, | have nothing but respect for you,” Dustin said with a respectful salute.

Sometimes, things did cwhen one least expected them. He hadn't expected to receive the Dracan essence

so effortlessly, much less three at once. With four of the five Dracan essences already in his possession, he just

needed to find the remaining one.

“Don’t get too ahead of yourself,”

Arion said with a smile.

He continued, “The Dracan essence will shape the fate of the world, and it will draw the attention of countless

forces eager to seize it.

“Now that it’s in your hands, it’s both a blessing and a burden. You'll have to think carefully about whether

you're ready to take on such a heavy responsibility.”

“I was entrusted with this task and will carry it out loyally. The Dracan essence is mine to protect, and I'll do

whatever it takes to safeguard it,” Dustin replied

seriously.

“Good. A true Dragonmarsh man should have that kind of spirit.” Arion nodded with approval.

“Ancient Sage, you've givensuch a generous gift. | have snews to share with you in return.” Dustin

suddenly changed the subject.

“Oh? Do tell.” Arion raised an eyebrow.

“The Hall of Gods from Streuquan has sent experts to infiltrate Sacred Wyrm Summit. Their target is the

Forbidden Ground. I'm not sure if they're after the Dracan essence or have other intentions,” Dustin said

truthfully.

“The Hall of Gods?” Arion narrowed his eyes but kept his smile. “They've got snerve trying to target Sacred

Wyrm Summit.”

“They're well-prepared. We can’t “Dustin afford to let our guard down,” replied.

“Kaden, take care of this. Anyone who dares to trespass in the Forbidden Ground-kill them.” Arion smiled, though

his words carried a deadly edge.

“Understood!” Kaden responded and turned to leave.

There had been too many intruders around Sacred Wyrm Summit lately. It was tto put an end to it.

“Kid, do you want to know what's hidden in the Forbidden Ground?” Arion asked suddenly.

“Well... isn’t that something I'm not supposed to know?” Dustin was unsure of Arion’s intentions.

“It's not a huge secret, so | don’t mind telling you,” Arion said, taking a sip from his cup.

He smiled and continued, ”

Dragonmarsh has grown stronger because it’s been riding a wave of success that’s hard to stop. There are three

key factors that shape a country’s success-timing, geography, and harmony.

“By ‘timing,’ | mean the kind of cosmic forces tied to the universe’s natural laws. It’s complicated, and | haven't

fully grasped it myself, so | won't go into it.

“On the other hand, geography refers to the land-its mountains, rivers, and resources. What truly influences all

of this is the Dracan force hidden deep underground. The strength of this force determines whether a nation

thrives or falters.”

He went on, “Harmony is tied to the rulers of Dragonmarsh and those with special destinies.

“Alaric Drakon, the Chief Guildmaster of the Dragon Guard, once ruled Dragonmarsh. He took control of the royal

Dracan force and used it for his own greedy, cruel purposes. He betrayed his loyal subjects and sowed fear

throughout the kingdom.

“Your mentor, Seth, stepped in and risked his life to stop him. With a single strike, he killed Alaric and wiped out

the Dragon Guard. He freed the Dracan force, and it began to flow freely again. That was an act of true

righteousness, and | have nothing but respect for him.”

Hearing this, Dustin's gaze darkened briefly before he composed himself. “I understand what you're saying. But

what does this have to do with the Forbidden Ground at Sacred Wyrm Summit?”

“Truth be told, there is more than one Dracan force in Dragonmarsh.” Arion smiled knowingly. “Aren’t you curious

why Sacred Wyrm Summit has three Dracan essences? What do you think draws them here?”

“You mean there’s another Dracan force hidden beneath the Forbidden Ground?” Dustin quickly caught on.

“That's right.” Arion nodded. “That's why I've remained here all these years without leaving. My duty is to

safeguard the Dracan force. It doesn’t just secure the fate of Sacred Wyrm Summit, but it’s also connected to the

fate of all Dragonmarsh.”

Realization dawned on Dustin. “No wonder... Even after the royal Dracan force was destroyed, Dragonmarsh

didn’t collapse into chaos. The one beneath Sacred Wyrm Summit still anchors the country’s fate.”

“Exactly. Thanks to the Dracan force, I've reached my current level of cultivation and managed to survive this

long.” Arion openly revealed the secret without any hesitation.

By guarding the Dracan force, he had sustained himself. Its power pushed his cultivation to unprecedented

heights and earned everyone's reverence.

“Then, why are you tellingthis, Ancient Sage? What does it have to do with me?” Dustin asked tentatively.

Arion’s smile deepened. “You're sharp. The truth is that age catches up with everyone. I'm almost 200 years old,

and my tis running out. | can’t protect the Dracan force much longer.”

He continued, “Before my tis up, | need a successor. And you're the perfect candidate.”