Victor, a man of considerable influence in Lannopolis, was easily swayed. Winning his favor would benefit Dustin. Victor was delighted. "Thank you, Master Dustin!" he said gratefully. Dustin dismissed him with a wave, and Victor left smiling.

Suddenly, a furious shout echoed, "Dustin!"

Timothy stormed in, carrying Mark's body, his face contorted with rage. "Did you kill my uncle?" he demanded.

Dustin met his gaze coldly. "I did," he said indifferently. "He shouldn't have stood in my way. His arrogance annoyed me, so I killed him," he added, as if it were inconsequential.

Timothy's face turned savage. He had initially refused to believe Dustin had killed Mark, seeking confirmation despite his doubts. The confirmation ignited his fury. He yearned to kill Dustin, but Dustin's feat—killing one of the strongest members of the Bones family—was daunting. Timothy, a mere ninth-grade fighter, stood no chance. Mark's death solidified Dustin's position as the unmatched power in Lannopolis.

Despite his rage, Timothy, exhibiting remarkable restraint, maintained his composure. "This isn't over," he said coldly. "The Bones family will kill you." He then departed with Mark's corpse.

Dustin felt no threat. Howard approached, "Master Dustin, the Bones family is part of the Seven Clans of Central Harbor. They'll be formidable opponents. Why not kill Timothy to prevent future trouble?"

"No need," Dustin replied, shaking his head. "Killing him won't change the fact I killed Mark. The Bones family will discover it was me regardless. Killing their heir will only enrage them sooner." He added, "Besides, I'm not afraid of them."

Dustin allowed Timothy to leave, anticipating a period of peace.

After leaving the Sorensen family villa, Timothy proceeded to the Martial League's Lannopolis branch. He dispatched someone to the Chandler family villa for Elisa.

"Elisa," he said dejectedly, "I'm leaving Lannopolis for Central Harbor."

Elisa was surprised and concerned. "What happened? Didn't you say you'd capture Dustin and bring him to justice?"

Timothy, commanding the Lannopolis Martial League branch, was a powerful ally. "I can't explain everything, but Dustin is not an easy opponent," he said grimly. "I'm returning to Central Harbor to seek my teacher's aid. He's a powerful Martial League executive. With his help, capturing Dustin will be easier. I also need to inform my family and mobilize our forces to destroy Dustin and his allies."

Elisa was stunned. Could Dustin truly be so formidable that even Timothy was wary?

"Elisa," Timothy said gravely, "don't provoke Dustin before my return. He's far more dangerous than your family realizes. Just wait for me. Once I return, he will be dead!"

Elisa agreed, but harbored her own plans. It's just Dustin. How dangerous could he be? she thought, seething. She dismissed Timothy's caution as weakness. Even without Timothy, I can kill him! Dustin, just you wait!