The Almighty Dominance

The next morning, Alex sat watching the news, his eyes narrowing as the anchor reported on the unrest shaking Vinland State.

Everyone was talking about Jose.

They said he had changed after his son's death and his wife's injury.

Now he was cleaning house, rooting out the corrupt officials who had been trying to undermine him.

Speculation spread like wildfire.

To answer Jose's call, his old loyalists-men who once fought beside him in the rebellion that toppled the tyrant governor-were rising again.

Vinland was witnessing a storm, Jose tightening his grip on power.

"Alex! Alex-something happened!"

Josephine's voice rang out, sharp and urgent, as she rushed down the stairs.

It was already noon, yet she was just now emerging from her room. She had never slept so late before.

"What's wrong?" Alex asked, his gut tightening.

"There's... something inside me." She pointed at her stomach, her face pale with panic.

Alex froze. "What do you mean, something inside? Are you pregnant?"

"God, are you stupid? I'm still a virgin!" she snapped, rolling her eyes. But her cheeks burned crimson.

"Then what the hell are you talking about?" Alex pressed, thrown completely off balance.

She hesitated, then burst out, her voice trembling with excitement.

"Didn't you teach me that cultivation technique last night? Well... I did it. I actually did it! There's this warmth, this... seed in my stomach-the core energy you told me about!"

Alex's eyes widened. "What? That fast?"

His voice was sharp with disbelief. If cultivating inner energy were this easy, every martial artist in the world would already be a superhuman.

Normally, it took at least a year of relentless training just to glimpse the first sparks of inner energy.

Even geniuses needed months to form the faintest core. But Josephine was claiming she had succeeded overnight.

Suspicion flickered across Alex's face. He reached for her wrist, fingers steady as he searched her pulse.

His eyes narrowed. There it was—a faint but unmistakable current flowing through her core. Subtle, yes, but real.

the kind of energy most people spent a year, sometimes more, struggling to

achieved what countless martial

was beyond

compared to raw, natural

I? I told you I wasn't lying!" Josephine bragged, her voice sharp

studied her, a rare

deny it. Your talent is remarkable. You're a prodigy. If you keep

"Even if I'm not the sharpest mind on the class, I've never lost a

a brow. "So you're admitting you're

the stupid one!" she shot back, her eyes

a saying, right? Everyone's born to succeed, they just need to find their path. Well, mine has always been

plan to sell your fists

froze, the future he painted hanging over her like

the back of her head and muttered, "Forget it. I don't even like

chuckled. "Don't worry. Martial arts isn't just about fighting. I can teach you healing techniques too. That requires inner energy as well. With cultivation, you can protect yourself and

her voice bursting with excitement. "Yes! That's exactly what I

training. Keep cultivating. I'll

could say more, his

from an unknown number. He answered. "Who is

have Jasmine Kingston. If you want her back alive, follow the address I'll send. Come alone. If you call for help... she'll be

The line went dead.

glanced at the address and

The ghost town.

that cursed place. Towering, abandoned buildings and crumbling

years ago, the town had died overnight-industries

the streets

dared

for gangs and mercenaries, rebels and

shed blood for the

out of the shadows and approached

voice smooth but mocking,

walked straight inside. The stadium swallowed

and the field-hulking men with scarred faces, tattoos crawling over their skin,

him the moment he stepped through

walking into

the giants in the crowd barked out a laugh.

voice sharp, steady. His gaze cut across the mob.

roared with laughter, their voices bouncing around the empty stands. Alex tilted

funny. You know why? Because you're

to Alex's forehead. "Tell me don't you

The sound was low, dangerous. "Yeah.