An Understated Dominance (Dustin Rhys)

The poisoned needles zipped through the air with blinding speed. They were impossible to avoid, and each was aimed directly at vital points. One hit meant certain death.

"Hmph! What a simple parlor trick." The gray-robed elder, Aven Foyer, stood motionless.

A sudden burst of golden light flared around him. The needles struck the light but bounced away, which left him completely unharmed.

"Glow Incantation?" Marcell seemed to have expected this. He smirked but didn't stop attacking.

With a quick motion, his hands moved in rapid succession. A new wave of poison needles poured out like a torrential storm and swept toward Aven.

"Get him!" Marcell shouted as he signaled his men to attack.

He knew well that the guardian of Sacred Wyrm Summit's forbidden ground wasn't someone he could take down alone. So, he had no choice but to overwhelm Aven with numbers.

"Kill him!" Without hesitation, the two groups of men drew their weapons and charged toward Aven in a coordinated assault. Poisonous insects, deadly toxins, throwing darts, and hidden weapons rained down on him.

They weren't just after the money they wanted the rare treasures hidden in the Forbidden Ground. Rumor had it that finding those treasures would set them up for life. They would never have to worry about food or money for generations.

Blinded by greed, these desperados threw caution to the wind. To achieve their goal, they were willing to use any means necessary.

"You asking for a death wish?" Aven's eyes narrowed as he watched the assassins charging at him, and his patience snapped.

Without a moment's hesitation, he thrust both palms forward. Two bolts of purple lightning shot out and struck down the first few assassins.

These men met an even grislier fate than Danny. Their skin was charred black, and their flesh was mangled beyond recognition. By the ttheir bodies hit the ground, they were already dead.

Aven's mastery of Stormcraft was on a level far beyond Oron's. It was something no ordinary martial artist could withstand.

He showed no mercy as his hands unleashed one deadly strike after another. Bolts of lightning struck the attackers in rapid succession. The air crackled with thunder, mixed with their agonized screams and disparate shouts.

None of their defenses-energy armor or divine artifacts-were effective against Aven's Stormcraft. Anyone hit by the lightning was as good as dead. Their counterattacks also had no effect on his Glow Incantation.

Aven stood at the entrance to the Forbidden Ground like a grim reaper.

Anyone who dared to approach would be met with a fatal strike of Stormcraft.

In just a few minutes, more than half of the assassins were wiped out. Their charred bodies littered the ground, and the stench of burning flesh lingered in the air.

The remaining assassins were paralyzed with fear and were too terrified to advance. Aven's strength was far beyond anything they could have imagined. Their weapons and techniques were useless against him, while every strike of his Stormcraft claimed another life.

Faced with such overwhelming power, they hesitated, their greed replaced by fear. Though they craved the treasure, their instincts to survive had kicked in.

They might have risked their lives to fight if there had been a slim chance of victory. But in this situation, with no path to success, they were just like lambs for slaughter.

Seeing the hesitation in the group, Marcell immediately fired them up.

"What's everyone waiting for? All of you-charge together! He's almost out of energy. If we hold on a little longer, we can win this. Once we take him down, all the treasure inside is ours." The group exchanged uncertain glances and looked hesitant.

"Don't forget that we all took the poison. If we don't finish this mission, we'll die." With a menacing look, Marcell growled, "Do you want to die like cowards from the poison, or will you fight for your lives?" The moment those words were spoken, their expressions hardened with determination. Before the mission, they had all taken the special poison from the Hall of Gods. Only by completing their mission would they be able to get the antidote.

If they backed down or tried to run, they would be dead either way. So, risking their lives was better than dying without a fight. At least if they died, their families would be taken care of, and they wouldn't have to worry about them.

Follow my lead, and let's take him down together!" With a roar, Marcell charged toward Aven.

Among the two groups, Marcell was the strongest and most respected. Seeing his fearless charge, the others picked up their weapons again and resolved to fight.

"You're charging straight into your doom." Aven remained cold and merciless as he unleashed Stormcraft relentlessly.

Each bolt of purple lightning struck down the assassins with q.m overwhelming force Soon, bodies piled up, and the screams slowly faded. In just a few minutes, both groups had been wiped out, Marcell was the only one left standing, though he now looked far more disheveled than before.

"Your men are dead. Surrender now, and I'll spare your life," Aven said coldly.

He could tell Marcell was skilled, and his movements were unpredictable. More than once, Aven's Stormcraft had missed him.

"Surrender?" Marcell's face twisted with a sinister grin. "You still don't get it, do you? If those people, Kadn't died, I wouldn't stand a chance against you. But now that they're dead, you've just giventhe perfect opportunity to kill you." "Kill me? You really think you can takedown?" Aven said impassively.

"I forgot to tell you that I practice the Soul Abyss Technique. The ne moren people die the stronger get. Their resentment feeds me, and now you'll learn what despair feels like.” Suddenly, Marcell opened his mouth wide and inhaled sharply. Black mist surged from the bodies around him and rushed into his mouth and nose. In the next moment, his body transformed.