An Understated Dominance by Marina Vittori

“Corpse?” Bill scoffed dismissively.

He continued, “Father, aren't you exaggerating? Vampires are immortal. Even the most skilled martial artists

from Dragonmarsh wouldn't be able to kill me.”

He didn’t mention that the Holy Sovereign Church’s holy laws, while effective against vampires, wouldn't be

enough to stop him. Even Jeremiah wouldn't be able to catch him if he chose to escape.

“Mr. Wolfe, your vampire gene is impressive, but you're not immortal. If you were, the Coven of Blood Eclipse

wouldn't be a vassal of the Hall of Gods, “Jeremiah said calmly.

He continued, “Also, don’t underestimate Dragonmarsh’s martial artists. We've clashed with them multiple times

over the years and haven't cout on top. If you keep being arrogant and complacent, you're bound to face

consequences.”

Bill, being an inexperienced aristocrat, had no idea how dangerous Dragonmarsh could be. His earlier encounter

with a group of young elites had been relatively easy by comparison.

However, if they provoked the older, more formidable figures, their chances of escaping alive would be slim.

“Father, | hope you're not afraid of those Dragonmarsh martial artists. Seems like your title as ‘The Dust of

Angel’ isn’t as impressive as the legends say,” Bill said with a sneer.

As an aristocratic vampire, he naturally looked down on human martial artists. He had expected Jeremiah to be

on the spage as him. But instead, he discovered that Jeremiah was actually a coward and ran away from a

handful of young martial artists. It was a real letdown for him.

“Bill, you'd better watch what you say. If you disrespect Father again, | might just shut you up for good!” George

warned, his voice low and menacing.

Unbeknownst to Bill, George had witnessed Jeremiah’s terrifying power firsthand. A few years back, he was just

as arrogant as Bill until Jeremiah gave him a brutal beating that put him in his place.

“Don’t get too full of yourself, gorilla! You really think I’m scared of you?” Bill snapped, baring his fangs and

taking an aggressive stance.

As the Shadow Prince, he was used to getting his way in Esmington. After the earlier defeat and now facing a

threat from George, his patience had worn thin.

“Hmph! If you're not satisfied, let's settle this with a fight!” George stopped talking and tightened his fists.

His muscles swelled, making him look even more intimidating. A wave of fierce energy rolled off him like a storm

hitting the shore. The wind howled around them at that instant, and the temperature dropped sharply.

Bill's expression changed slightly. He hadn't anticipated George's challenge and wondered if George was not

afraid of the Coven of Blood Eclipse’s retaliation.

“That's enough!” Suddenly, Jeremiah’s voice cut through the tension. An invisible sound wave broke up George's

intimidating presence.

He added coldly, “We're allies now. Our mission is to work together against the Dragonmarsh martial artists, not

to squabble among ourselves. Save your energy for tomorrow's match.”

“Yes, Father,” George said, lowering his head and stepping aside.

However, Bill huffed annoyingly. He turned and walked away from them, realizing that George and Jeremiah were

clearly on the sside. He figured sticking around would only bring him more trouble.

“I just don’t get it. With so many experts in the Coven of Blood Eclipse, why would they send this spoiled brat to

the front lines? He's nothing but trouble for us,” George grumbled as he watched Bill's departing figure.

The so-called Shadow Prince was riding on his father’s reputation to boss others around in Esmington. He wasn’t

remarkably talented but had a notoriously bad temper.

“Bill is set to inherit the Coven of Blood Eclipse. He was sent to Dragonmarsh under the pretense of serving the

Hall of Gods. In fact, this was just a way to boost his credentials,” Jeremiah said.

He continued, “If he makes a nfor himself in this tournament, his status in the Coven of Blood Eclipse will

improve. Plus, his future succession as Shadow Master will be much smoother.

“Bill thinks he can becthe Shadow Master? What a joke!” George scoffed.

He continued, “The werewolves have been gaining power over the years, matching the vampires. The new

generation of werewolf elites is even more formidable. Werewolves, who admire strength, would never let a

weakling rule over them.”

The Coven of Blood Eclipse was anything but a harmonious alliance. For centuries, werewolves and vampires had

been locked in endless conflict. It wasn’t until a powerful Shadow Master rose among the vampires that they

managed to keep the werewolves at bay.

But now, that Shadow Master's days were numbered. Once he died, a war between vampires and werewolves

was inevitable. Bill was nowhere near capable of bearing this burden.

Jeremiah said, “The Coven of Blood Eclipse is bound to have internal strife sooner or later. This hatred has been

brewing for over a thousand years, and there's no avoiding it.

“I just hope these filthy dark creatures killed each other. It'd be best if they all wiped each other out!” He grinned

wickedly.

But he quickly composed himself and masked his expression with a harmless, friendly smile. After all, harboring

murderous thoughts wasn’t appropriate for a clergyman. He figured half would do since wishing for their

complete extinction was too cruel.