Westminster Bank

’Looking at it now, I have to admit, this is pretty useful.

The haul from this morning alone has already surpassed everything I got yesterday. At this rate, it won’t be long before I can start the Dragon Spear guidance ahead of schedule. I might even be able to secure a spot in the square.’

However, unlike his older sister—who was like a tornado, robbing everyone and everything in her path—Denero primarily targeted weaker teams with little strength or influence.

He knew his place perfectly: corner the lower-end market.

Besides shortening the time it took to acquire Dragon Scales, this strategy also reduced the risk of death or serious injury from confronting Dragons.

Especially with his sister, Isabella, drawing most of the other Trial Takers’ heat, people might even assume he was acting on her orders.

With that thought, Denero shouted to the Trial Takers with him, "Don’t let him get away! Close in, close in!"

The Trial Takers nodded. The Silver Faction members lit up their Alchemy Circuits while the Beast Faction members enhanced their legs. The Dragon Guides, meanwhile, performed their designated roles, blowing their dragon-luring whistles to mask the commotion of the robbery and avoid disturbing any fourth or Fifth Generation Species sleeping nearby.

Denero moved through the forest with the agility of a leopard. His current target was a member of a collateral branch of Lancelot’s Family—a Black Iron Contract Knight who had successfully hunted a Fifth Generation Species during the Thunder Wolf Dragon Tide.

’He should have a decent number of Dragon Scales, which makes him a suitable target.’

Under Denero’s command, the group quickly gave chase and surrounded the Black Iron Contract Knight in short order.

As for the Knight’s Black Iron Dragon Guide, he had seen which way the wind was blowing and had already made a run for it.

The Black Iron Knight looked at the Trial Takers closing in on him and said grimly, "Denero, I don’t believe I’ve done anything to offend you."

Denero nodded. "You haven’t."

"Then why the relentless pursuit?"

"Hand over the Dragon Scales," Denero said with a smile, making no attempt to hide his purpose.

A look of grim understanding crossed the Black Iron Knight’s face.

"Are all you Beowulfs this shameless!"

Even as he spoke, the Black Iron Knight acted, his amber, lion-like pupils instantly flaring to life.

[Promise: Lion’s Eye]

A majestic, leonine aura radiated from his pupils, instilling an overwhelming urge to submit in anyone who met his gaze. Caught off guard, some Trial Takers froze on the spot, while others unconsciously let their weapons slip from their grasp.

Even Denero was stunned for a moment, and by the time he snapped out of it, the Black Iron Knight had already bolted past him.

’Lion-eyed Knights are just as tough as the rumors say.’

As the thought crossed his mind, Alchemy Circuits flared to life on Denero’s face. He moved like a phantom, swiftly cutting off the Black Iron Knight’s only path forward.

The Black Iron Knight skidded to a halt and swung his Scale-Stripping Saber. Denero dodged the blade, a cold glint in his eyes, and swept his spear toward the Black Iron Knight’s stomach.

The Knight took the heavy blow to his stomach and was sent staggering back dozens of feet. He threw his head back with a curse, then unexpectedly drew an Alchemy Longsword, the type commonly used by the Lion Eye Knight Order. His Lion’s Eye flared again, shining like two brilliant columns of light, too bright to look at directly.

Denero faltered for a second under the leonine pressure, just as the Black Iron Knight charged, his Longsword carving a silver arc through the sky.

He hastily brought his spear up to parry the slash. But the Knight, using the opening, landed a vicious kick on his chest. A dull pain flared in Denero’s chest, but he seized the chance, using his spear to wrench the Longsword from the Knight’s grasp. As the disarmed blade tumbled through the air and stabbed into the dirt, he yelled to his companions, "What are you waiting for? Get him!"

The other Trial Takers pounced, and before long, they had the Black Iron Knight bound in iron chains.

Clutching his aching chest, Denero stepped forward and sneered, "You’re a tough one, I’ll give you that."

The Black Iron Knight merely gave a cold snort, displaying all the pride of a Lion-eyed Knight.

Denero didn’t waste any more words, simply motioning for the Trial Takers to search the Knight and find the Dragon Scales.

Unexpectedly, a voice suddenly cried out, "Watch out!"

A sense of crisis flared. He instinctively tilted his head just as an Ice Spear, radiating a bone-chilling cold, flew past his cheek.

"Who’s there?!"

He and the other Trial Takers spun around, their eyes widening in shock at the sight.

Freyja Lancelot, flanked by her own contingent of Trial Takers, aimed her Magic Staff at them. "Seize them."

An incantation followed.

As the Magic Crystal at the tip of her Magic Staff lit up, ice crystals materialized around Freya. The moment her incantation finished, they shot toward Denero and his group like a torrential downpour.

The Trial Takers scrambled to dodge, but it was no use.

In no time, the tables had turned. Denero and his companions were the ones bound like prisoners.

Denero looked up at Freya standing before him and forced a wry smile. "Miss Freya, I think there’s been a misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding?"

Freya rolled her eyes in disgust, but on her youthful, beautiful face, the expression held a strangely thrilling appeal.

Some of the bound Trial Takers gulped, their Adam’s apples bobbing. This was especially true after Freya borrowed a whip used for driving Dragon Descendants from a nearby Dragon Guide and cracked it a few times in the air. Their mouths went dry, and they felt as if an iron beast was raging in their chests, begging to be brutally flogged.

If Baron had been there, he would’ve seen it for what it was: their damn M-kink was acting up.

"All I see is a Beowulf bullying one of my own... The honor of Lancelot’s Family cannot be sullied by anyone. Even the Beowulfs will pay the price for such an insult."

"He’s just from a collateral branch of Lancelot’s Family! I am the son of Andes Beowulf!"