An Understated Dominance by Marina Vittori

"Abigail? Are you for real?" Dustin raised his eyebrows in disbelief.

Since discovering her hidden abilities, she had becbolder than usual. He thought he was ready for anything, but her boldness surprised him.

On the day of the Combat Tournament, she suggested poisoning all the skilled disciples from different sects.

Dustin felt uneasy about taking such a risky step. He cto understand that Abigail's way of thinking was beyond conventional norms.

She exclaimed proudly, "Of course, I'm serious! With us poisoning those formidable opponents, winning the championship will be a breeze, don't you think? I feel like a genius for coming up with this brilliant plan!" Dustin fell silent while Dalen and the others tensed up. They felt like they were treading on thin ice.

Abigail was loud and caught all the nearby martial artists' attention.

Everyone cast wary glances in their direction, and seven started to reach for their weapons.

If Abigail continued to speak boldly, Dustin and the others would soon be considered enemies in the martial world.

It becevident why disciples of the Mystic Arts Order were so despised. Their frequent tactic of using poison made it difficult for them to be accepted.

"Abigail, abandon this idea. The tournament should be about fairness and skill, not underhanded tactics," Dustin stated earnestly.

He intentionally raised his voice to help ease the tension among the martial artists nearby.

"Sir, are you doubting my plan?" She tilted her head to look at him.

"I'm not, but I'm concerned about the risks involved," Dustin replied.

He discreetly glanced around and whispered, "Everyone heard you. If things go wrong, we'll all be in hot water.

Let's stick to fair play and rely on our abilities." "What's there to be afraid of? If anyone challenges us, we'll poison them!" Abigail declared confidently. She glanced at the martial artists nearby.

However, those who looked back at her seemed shaken, as if they had encountered a strong opponent.

"Alright, young lady. Tone down on the violence. A gentler approach might be better for you, especially if you're thinking about settling down." Dustin redirected the conversation.

She retorted, "Settle down? No way! Men are the worst! She quickly changed the topic and smiled. "Except for you, that is. You're the exception, the cream of the crop!" "You little rascal!" Dustin shook his head and smiled helplessly.

Dalen and Miles exchanged looks and grinned wryly. After all, Abigail's comment about men had quite an impact on them.

"Ms. Abigail, I've heard your Mystic Arts Order's venomous curses are legendary. Can you show it to me?" Ruby's curiosity bubbled up unexpectedly.

"We've got quite the collection of venomous curses. Which one are you interested in?" Abigail smiled.

Most people would avoid her once they realized who she was, but Ruby appeared unaffected.

"Anything's fine, but | want something unique," Ruby replied enthusiastically.

"Unique, huh?" Abigail raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Alright, I'll show it to you. But | need a pair of male and female volunteers." "I'm in! And as for the other volunteers..." Ruby glanced at Miles. "Miles, let's help Ms. Abigail." "Huh? Me?" He froze. He was caught off guard and wondered how he had been roped into this.

"It's a chance to try something new. Help satisfy my curiosity," Ruby said eagerly.

"Is it... safe?" His eyes darted around nervously.

Everyone knew how dangerous the Mystic Arts Order's curses could be. What if he ended up being the test subject? Miles naturally wasn't willing to gamble with his life.

"Don't worry, you won't die," Abigail reassured, though her tone lacked conviction.

"Miles, you're usually the picture of bravery and wisdom. You're not about to chicken out now, are you?" Ruby quickly resorted to psychological coercion when she noticed his lingering hesitation.

"Who said anything about chickening out? It's just helping out, right? Let's do this. Let's go. If | waver, then I'm no longer Miles Young!" Miles puffed his chest to display his bravery. As a man, he couldn't afford to back down in situations like this.

Abigail said, "Okay, let's proceed." She smirked and reached for her waistband. From there, she pulled out two pills, one black and one white. They looked ordinary, about the size of a pea.

"Here, one for each of you," she said. Then, she handed Miles the black pill and Ruby the white one.

"What is it?" Ruby asked curiously.

"Swallow it, and I'll tell you," Abigail said with a mischievous grin.

"Okay." Ruby nodded and downed the white pill without a second thought.

In contrast, Miles hesitated as he eyed the black pill warily.

"What are you waiting for, Miles? Gulp it down!" Ruby urged.

After a deep breath, he gritted his teeth and reluctantly swallowed the black pill.

Ms. Abigail, can you tell us now?" Ruby asked eagerly.

Abigail replied, "This is the Echoed Curse, also known as the Affliction Curse. Once you ingest it, your lives will be bound together." She smiled and explained, "From here on out, you two are bound together, for better or worse." "Bound together? What does it mean?" Miles looked perplexed.

"Oh, it's simple," Abigail replied casually. She unwrapped a lollipop and popped it into her mouth. "It means you're now sharing a life. One dies, the other will also die." As they understood what she meant, the mood grew somber.