An Understated Dominance Novel (Dahlia & Dustin) by Marina Vittori updated 2025-26 - An Understated Dominance Chapter 2536

Chapter 2536

Nathaniel walked up to the front of the treasury and knocked briskly on the heavy double doors. With a deep boom, the doors slowly creaked open.

Inside, a dazzling array of treasures came into view—jade pendants glowing with a mystical aura, bronze tripods engraved with ancient symbols, and glowing elixirs radiating strange light.

At the very center, under a bulletproof glass cover, sat a jade box.

Nathaniel stepped forward, entered a password, lifted the protective cover, and opened the jade box to reveal another strand of Dracan essence.

The Dracan essence resembled a gem the size of an egg, with a dragon-shaped current flowing continuously inside.

“What a treasure!”

Nathaniel placed the Dracan essence Dustin had given him beside it, unable to hide his excitement.

The power contained in the Dracan essence was said to change one’s fate and bring immense fortune. He had gone to great lengths to acquire the first strand—now, unexpectedly, he had a second. His luck truly seemed to be turning.

Once he collected three strands, he could activate a special formation to absorb their energy. When that happened, he’d become the luckiest man in all of Dragonmarsh.

Claiming the throne would be the next natural step.

After admiring the two Dracan essences for a moment, Nathaniel finally closed the jade box, sealed the protective cover, and stepped out of the treasury.

This secret chamber—and the treasury itself—had been meticulously built. Guards were stationed around the clock, and multiple hidden traps were set. Anyone trying to break in without authorization would die on the spot.

Before leaving, Nathaniel instructed the guards to remain on high alert and allow no mistakes.

Satisfied that everything was secure, he walked back to his residence with a light step, humming as he went.

…

By midnight, the grand estate had fallen silent.

Except for a few patrol teams still moving through the palace grounds, most people had long since gone to bed.

At that moment, in a secluded courtyard, Dustin suddenly sat up in bed—his eyes clear and fully awake.

He reached under his robes and pulled out a delicate compass, then infused it with a thread of true energy.

The compass needle lit up, emitting a soft glow. After circling a few times, it settled and pointed steadily southwest.

Dustin turned the compass in different directions to test it—but the needle kept pointing southwest.

“It works,” he said to himself, eyes bright.

Grace was trapped inside the Dracan essences, and ordinary people wouldn’t be able to detect her. But this compass could help him pinpoint the exact location.

“It’s time.”

He glanced up at the sky, then quickly changed into dark nightwear, pulled on a mask, and left the room quietly.

Before leaving, he set up a detection barrier—if anyone entered while he was gone, he’d sense it immediately.

Like a shadow, Dustin moved silently through the estate—leaping over rooftops, vanishing into corners, and skimming past patrol routes.

Because he had studied the estate’s layout in advance, including all guard posts and secret paths, he navigated with ease, avoiding danger without drawing attention.

After a careful search, Dustin arrived at a remote courtyard.

The security here was tight. Guards were stationed at every entrance with no blind spots in sight. Sneaking into the secret chamber without alerting them was impossible.

There was only one option—neutralize the guards and go in.

Prepared for this, Dustin lit a stick of incense and placed it in a corner. As green smoke began to rise, he waved his hand, guiding the breeze and smoke toward the gate.

The two guards inhaled the strange scent. Before they could react, they slumped to the ground, unconscious.

“Impressive,” Dustin thought.

Grace had given him this incense, claiming it could knock people out with a single whiff. Clearly, she wasn’t exaggerating.

Moving silently, Dustin vaulted over the courtyard wall like a civet cat and took out several more guards using the same method.

The guards were strong, but they hadn’t expected an intrusion—making them easy targets. And compared to Dustin, a grandmaster, they stood no chance.

Once the area was secured, he took out the compass again and carefully adjusted his direction.

Eventually, it led him to the house where the secret room was hidden.

Holding his breath, Dustin listened for movement inside. Hearing nothing, he pushed the door open slowly and stepped in.

After taking just two steps, he felt the floor shift slightly under his feet with a faint click.

Suddenly, dozens of poisonous arrows shot from the walls.

With lightning speed, Dustin dodged them, moving like a blur, and countered by flicking his fingers—each strike knocking an arrow out of the air.

To someone of his skill, these traps were no threat.

“This room may look ordinary, but there’s definitely something hidden.”

Still holding the compass, Dustin walked the perimeter of the room several times before his eyes locked onto one particular wall.

He studied it carefully, eventually discovering a hidden mechanism. With a light twist of the mechanism—boom—the wall began to shift, revealing a stone staircase leading downward.

Dustin’s eyes lit up.

He’d found it.