Westminster Bank

She silently watched Baron’s vacant expression, gazing into his eyes that had turned completely blood-red.

"Your eyes are so beautiful... but so hypocritical, and full of lies. You have incredible willpower, though, so I understand how you, a Dragon Knight, could endure being a Bloodless for so many years."

"You saw through my identity long ago, yet you suppressed your revulsion to get close to someone like me, tainted by Demon’s Blood. You said all the right things, but your trembling hands on the Magic Train back then betrayed what was truly in your heart."

"And all that talk about coming here to save me... In reality, you wanted to kill me. You wanted to use the credit for killing a member of the Blood Race to redeem yourself before the Prole Court. I know exactly what you were thinking..."

"I know exactly how your kind thinks. Deep down, you members of the Old Race look down on us Bloodless who live at the bottom. You see us as pariahs—especially a pariah like me, tainted by Demon’s Blood."

"But then again, maybe pariahs like us do deserve to die... because we’re base, wretched, and treacherous..."

"Do you know how Dunbar died? He really was my grandfather. The man on the Magic Train was just an actor I hired..."

"After I was tainted by the Demon’s Blood, the Demon Hunter Association’s Law Enforcers never came looking for me. Instead, the townsfolk came to our door... My old friends and playmates, our once-friendly neighbors and relatives... they drove my grandfather and me out of town. Hypocrites! All of you Old Race are nothing but a pack of hypocritical Demons!"

Vivian’s expression suddenly grew heated, but the emotion vanished just as quickly. She shook her head. "I don’t know why I’m telling you all this... I suppose it’s because your eyes are so beautiful."

Vivian leaned down, meeting Baron’s Blood Eyes. Her own dull, lifeless reflection was mirrored in that lightless, crimson expanse.

She said, "Relax. You must be terrified right now... Your body, thoroughly cleansed and remade by my blood, your very consciousness slowly being invaded by mine... But don’t worry. I will make you the most perfect Blood Servant... Embrace the blood completely, if you’re not afraid of being drained dry."

She added, "Now, tell me. What was your true reason for approaching me?"

This was a command.

She was now utterly certain that the Dragon Knight’s Divine Soul was completely corrupted by her. He could now only expose the truest thoughts buried deep in his heart.

And based on those true thoughts, she would decide his fate... just as she had with the one hundred and thirty-two Blood Servants before him.

The Dragon Knight received her command. His Blood Eyes flickered for an instant, and then he said, "Because white hair and beast ears are really cute."

Vivian was stunned.

But then the hairs on her arms suddenly stood on end. As if sensing something, she shot backward.

But it was too late. A sharp, golden Dragon Spear plummeted from above, piercing through her soft chest and nailing her to the floorboards.

She spat out a mouthful of blood, her face a mask of disbelief. "How is this possible... You drank so much of my blood. Your Divine Soul should have been corrupted, you should have lost all reason... Even a Dragon Knight couldn’t have resisted that much... What’s happening..."

The youth, who had been kneeling with his head thrown back, now lowered it. He coughed up a large mouthful of blood, wiped the stain from the corner of his mouth, and stood, gripping the Dragon Spear in front of him. By then, Vivian had already dissolved into a pool of blood and reformed her body three meters away.

He said, "Ever heard of something called purging, miss?"

The moment the word "miss" left his lips, he shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow, giving no warning.

The Dragon Spear weaved like a serpent in his hand. Vivian tried to dodge but found her body had gone rigid. Baron sneered. The tip of his Dragon Spear was coated with venom from Poison Dragon Glanville. A single touch of this poison would kill a Black Iron instantly, and even a Bronze Tier would be lucky to survive after being flayed alive.

Faced with this life-or-death moment, Vivian dissolved into a pool of blood again. Simultaneously, streams of that blood formed into sharp Blood Swords, attacking the Dragon Knight from all sides.

But just then, Baron suddenly retracted his Dragon Spear. His Blood Eyes gave way to Golden Eyes as his Spear Sword flashed from his waist, its fiery glow brighter than any light Vivian had ever seen.

The blade spun, tracing several brilliant arcs in mid-air. The Blood Swords were sliced apart, and as flames erupted, most of the blood she had become was instantly vaporized!

By the time Vivian solidified halfway across the room, she had reverted to the form of the small girl from the cage, with a child’s innocent face and skin as pale as moonlight.

’What a brilliant assault! And what meticulous calculation! From the moment he first raised his spear, he had already planned every subsequent move!’

Their eyes locked from a distance. In the space of a single breath, Baron moved again, gripping his Spear Sword with both hands and rapidly closing the distance to Vivian.

Vivian seemed not to have reacted in time. Only when her vision was completely filled by his form did she cry out, "I command you to kneel."

Baron’s body lurched, but he did not kneel.

Vivian commanded again, "Kneel."

Baron came to a halt. He still didn’t kneel, his body straining as if he were wrestling with some invisible force.

Now he suddenly understood a little of how Gawain must have felt during the Hunting Competition in Fude City—it was not a pleasant feeling at all.

Vivian said, "You almost had me fooled... But no matter what, even if you did purge, my blood is still in your veins."

Her voice suddenly sounded childlike.

Looking at Baron, who stood frozen in place, she sized him up for a moment and said: