An Understated Dominance Novel (Dahlia & Dustin) by Marina Vittori updated 2025-26 - An Understated Dominance Chapter 2529

Chapter 2529

Emmett stepping into the fight instantly raised the energy on the training ground.

All around, soldiers started murmuring among themselves.

“Deputy General Trottier is one of the top fighters in our army. With his martial arts skills, he’s taken down countless enemies in battle. It’s been a while since I’ve seen him in action,” a young soldier said with admiration.

“Yeah, he’s a battle-hardened warrior,” another veteran added. “If he’s fighting, Mr. Rhys is in trouble.”

After what they’d just seen, the soldiers knew Dustin was no ordinary fighter—taking out five elite soldiers like that was no small feat.

Still, in their eyes, no matter how skilled Dustin was, he couldn’t compare to Deputy General Trottier.

As a true martial arts master, Emmett surpassed ordinary fighters in every way—training, strength, and battlefield experience.

Even other high-level martial artists Mateo had brought in were all beaten by Trottier in the end.

They didn’t believe Mr. Rhys would be any different.

“Why? Is Mr. Rhys hesitating?” Emmett stood tall in the center of the arena, his presence powerful and commanding.

His hair swayed slightly, even without wind, and the air seemed to ripple around him.

Dustin glanced at Nathaniel. Seeing him silently smiling, he nodded. “Since General Trottier is interested, I’ll join you for a few rounds.”

“Great! That’s the spirit!” Emmett said with a grin. He pointed to the racks nearby. “Mr. Rhys, feel free to choose any weapon you like. If you don’t find something here, we have even more powerful ones in the armory.”

“No need,” Dustin said calmly. “This is just a spar. No weapons needed.”

“Alright then—just hand-to-hand.” Emmett rolled his shoulders, his joints cracking loudly.

He’d seen enough to know Dustin wasn’t just some show-off. He wanted a real fight.

“It’s been too long since I met someone who could challenge me,” Emmett added, his fighting spirit growing.

“Be careful. Don’t underestimate him,” Mateo warned quietly.

“Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing,” Emmett replied with a confident smile before turning back to Dustin. “Mr. Rhys—please.”

“After you,” Dustin responded, motioning with one hand.

“Here I come!”

With a loud shout, Emmett charged forward like a bull.

He moved fast, wind kicking up around him. The ground cracked slightly under his feet as he pushed off.

In a blink, he was in front of Dustin, launching a powerful punch straight at his chest.

That punch packed serious force—strong enough to destroy even a tank.

But Dustin stayed calm. He leaned slightly to the side, narrowly avoiding the blow.

At the same time, his left hand shot out like a blade, aiming for Emmett’s ribs.

Emmett reacted quickly, pulling back his fist and dodging sideways.

He stepped in with his left foot, spun his body, and swung his leg like a steel bar, aiming low to knock Dustin off balance.

Dustin lightly pushed off the ground with his toes, jumping into the air to avoid the sweeping kick.

Midair, he twisted and snapped out his right leg, targeting Emmett’s head like a lightning strike.

Emmett instinctively raised both arms to shield himself.

Bang!

Dustin’s kick slammed into Emmett’s forearms with a heavy thud.

The impact forced Emmett to stumble back several steps. His arms went numb.

Frowning but unfazed, Emmett launched a fierce counterattack.

His fists moved fast, whipping through the air with explosive power.

Every strike sounded like a firecracker going off.

But Dustin moved like a shadow, his footwork light and unpredictable. He slipped past every strike effortlessly, dodging and weaving like it was second nature.

No matter how hard Emmett tried, Dustin stayed calm—countering now and then, each hit pushing Emmett backward.

The clash was intense, and the soldiers were glued to the action. None of them had expected a battle this fierce.

They had assumed Emmett would win quickly.

But now, it was clear: Dustin was on a whole different level.

“Brother Rhys, stop holding back,” Nathaniel finally spoke up. “Let them see what you’re really capable of.”

Most of the onlookers didn’t notice, but Nathaniel knew: Dustin hadn’t even used his full strength.

Whether it was out of respect for Emmett or to avoid embarrassing him, Dustin had kept things defensive—barely attacking.

If he fought seriously, Emmett wouldn’t have lasted ten moves.

“Mr. Rhys! Come on! Show me what you’ve got!” Emmett shouted, fists still flying.

He was getting frustrated. Dodging wasn’t enough—he wanted a real fight.

“Alright, I won’t hold back,” Dustin said with a faint smile.

Suddenly, he launched a punch.

It moved so fast it looked like a meteor streaking through the sky—unstoppable.

Emmett’s eyes widened. Instinctively, he raised his arms to block.

Boom!

The punch shattered Emmett’s stance. His arms popped out of joint from the force.

He was blasted several meters through the air, crashing to the ground with a heavy thud, blood streaming from his nose.

Shock and disbelief filled his face.