An Understated Dominance by Marina Vittori

“Dustin, I understand your concerns,” Hank said with a smile.

“But I can promise you, as long as you stay loyal and don’t betray the Hall of Gods, you won’t be in danger. We highly value talent like yours. Honestly, the poison is just a safeguard to keep our secrets safe. I’m sure you understand.”

Without taking the poison, there was no way to exert control, which meant trust would always be in question. This wasn’t much of an issue with disposable operatives, but loyalty had to be guaranteed when the Hall of Gods counted on someone for critical positions.

“Mr. Styles, I understand what you’re saying, and the Hall of Gods sounds intriguing. But we’ve just met, and it’s hard for me to put my complete trust in you right now.” Dustin shook his head again.

He thought, “Do they really think they can make demands without offering anything in return? Do they take me for a fool?”

“Trust can be built. Just take a look at this…” Hank reached into his coat and pulled out a small, ornate box. He slid it across the table toward Dustin.

“What’s this?” Dustin opened the box and saw two vials. One was red, and the other was blue. At first glance, they didn’t seem extraordinary. However, upon closer inspection, he could feel a powerful and unique energy within them.

“To be honest, these are enhanced serums specially crafted by the Hall of Gods. They’re incredibly rare. Only those at the god level or higher have the privilege of using them,” Hank explained.

He gestured to the vials and continued, “The red serum primarily boosts physical attributes like speed, strength, defense, and reflexes. The blue serum significantly enhances internal energy. In Dragonmarsh terms, it’s like spiritual essence, which is something you can absorb directly.”

“Oh? Is it really that impressive?”

an

the martial artists in Dragonmarsh, who trained tirelessly, the Strequan could quickly churn out a group

elites often hit a limit in their abilities, faced shorter lifespans, and had to take the serum regularly. Without taking it, their enhancements

despite these downsides, countless people were drawn to this path. It was a tempting shortcut to

it during the tournament match, right? George and Jeremiah used those serums to boost their physical attributes,” Hank

“While they can’t compare to a genius like you, I’m sure you noticed how much stronger they got. The downside is that their natural abilities are limited, so they can only tap into about half of what the serum offers. But you should

say that if you take these two vials of serums, you can be the champion of

a mindset centered on growth and self-improvement. Strength was the ultimate goal for

seem great, but… are there any side effects?” Dustin studied the two vials with a hesitant

opportunity. “Don’t worry. These two vials contain our most advanced formulas. They’re expensive to make, and I

that this kind of serum requires long-term use, or the effects

nearly perfect. With just one dose a year, you can maintain its effects long-term.”

you join the Hall of Gods, the supply of this serum will

see.” Dustin nodded thoughtfully, yet his mind was filled with

but anyone who took them would fall under the Hall of Gods’ control. If anyone dared to defy their orders, their supply would be

used the serums would likely become addicted. The Hall of Gods cleverly used these addictive substances to

Hall of