Westminster Bank

Chapter 290: Chapter 175: Since It’s Come to This, Might as Well Rob Them.

’Isabella is planning to use the Dragon Helmet’s enhancement to draw the Dragon Spear... and Father even told *her* about it.’

As this thought struck Lidton, he pushed all concerns about "Master Jack" to the back of his mind. He only snapped back to reality when an Attendant reported that another Dragon Tide was surging down the mountain.

The Lidton Family Head looked toward the mountains, where a vast Thunder Wolf Dragon Group was stampeding down, shaking the very earth.

"Father... have you chosen her?"

.........

「Meanwhile, in the valley.」

SLAM!

A Black Iron Tier Trial Taker was viciously slammed against the cliff face by the Thunder Wolf Dragon King’s claw, dying instantly.

Staring at the pool of blood on the ground, everyone present was reminded of the ancient terror of being dominated by the Dragon Race.

"Why is the Thunder Wolf Dragon King here?! Didn’t you say that as the leader of the pack, he only lives deep in the mountains and never comes out? We’re in the outer ring!"

Tune, who had just acquired two Dragon Scales, demanded of his Dragon Guide. The guide was momentarily speechless, only able to mutter, "This is impossible..."

In the heat of the moment, Roy stepped forward. "Regardless, this Thunder Wolf Dragon King is only a Fourth Generation Species, equivalent to a Bronze Tier. There are so many of us—someone will be able to take it down. Here’s the deal: whoever kills it gets to keep the scale."

"The problem isn’t the Thunder Wolf Dragon King, it’s the Dragon Tide surrounding him..."

Tune, his body covered in Alchemy Circuits, felt his mouth go dry. He was only Black Iron Tier; it was hard for him to look down on a Fourth Generation Species.

"Leave the Dragon Tide to us."

Freya, looking as proud and arrogant as ever, made the offer. Though she was only Black Iron Tier, as a noble Wizard, she could keep even a Fourth Generation Species tied up from a distance.

She drew her Magic Staff, produced a Magic Card, and began casting Magic at the Dragon Tide circling the Thunder Wolf Dragon King.

There weren’t many Wizards among the Trial Takers, just a handful. But seeing Freya take action, they too drew their own Magic Cards and began casting spells to mitigate the Dragon Tide’s assault.

Vast fields of frost, vines, and swampy mire rose from the ground, rapidly freezing, entangling, and slowing the Thunder Wolf Dragons. Combined with the narrow mountain path, the charging Dragon Tide was actually brought to a standstill.

Seizing the opportunity, the Trial Takers charged the Thunder Wolf Dragon Group on Roy’s command, spears and swords in hand.

A similar scene unfolded on Jose’s side, though their encounter was slightly better. It wasn’t the Dragon King, but the Thunder Wolf Dragon Queen.

Under the command of Jose and the Dragon Guide at his side, the Trial Takers began to wipe out the remnants of the Dragon Tide.

As Jose drove his spear into the Thunder Wolf Dragon Queen’s bronze-like Scale Armor, he suddenly thought of the situation on the other path.

’Is the Thunder Wolf Dragon Tide my eldest sister Isabella is facing at the center even worse than what we’re dealing with on the periphery?’

"I just hope this holds her up for a while..."

Jose sighed softly. The pressure emanating from the eldest daughter, Isabella, was just too intense. The Dragon Hunting Ceremony may have started early, but given her power, the Trial of the Dragon Spear would likely be a breeze for her—even with that Master Jack weighing her down.

Then,

He yanked out his spear and used the Queen’s thick Dragon Claw as a springboard, vaulting high to plunge his weapon into her right eye. As she thrashed and roared—her cries summoning the Dragon Tide and startling roosting Dragon Birds from the forest—he thrust his Silver Hand into her other, undamaged eye.

Then, with three other Trial Takers and a Dragon Guide helping to pull the beast taut, he drew his Scale-Stripping Saber and plunged it into the Queen’s Reverse Scale, hidden three inches diagonally beneath her white mane.

Blood gushed like a fountain, instantly flooding the ground. The Queen shrieked in agony, her massive body toppling like a crumbling gravestone and kicking up a cloud of dust.

In the distance, another draconic roar echoed—a heart-wrenching sound, full of sorrow and grief.

’That’s the Thunder Wolf Dragon King... Could it be? Has my sister encountered him?’

At the Dragon Guide’s direction, Jose looked past the dragons, now agitated by their Queen’s death, toward another section of the cliff face. That was the direction of his eldest sister, Isabella, and his third brother, Tune.

"That was the Thunder Wolf Dragon Queen... Could it be Isabella who encountered her?"

On the other side, Roy, Tune, and the others locked in a bitter struggle with the Thunder Wolf Dragon King also heard the cry.

During a brief lull in the fighting, they followed their Dragon Guide’s gesture and looked off in another direction, their expressions grim.

.........

Meanwhile, Isabella and Baron, the very people on the minds of so many Dragon Guides and Trial Takers, were wandering aimlessly through the lair the Thunder Wolf Dragon Group had been using as a temporary den.

Looking at the emptiness before her, Isabella was momentarily plunged into intense self-doubt.

’Could my Blood Curse really be so powerful that just releasing my aura is enough to make an entire pack of dragons flee?’

’But I haven’t even activated my Alchemy Circuits.’

Unable to figure it out, she turned to Baron, who was currently smashing a lock with a rock. Her expression reverted to the cold mask she always wore for the outside world. "To continue our earlier conversation... what was your proposal?"

’My own aura makes it impossible for me to lead her to any Dragon Descendants. The ones that aren’t afraid of me are of too high a Tier. Even if we could handle them, I’d inevitably slip up and reveal my true nature... so there’s only one option.’

Baron said, "Robbery."

"Robbery?" Isabella raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by this proposal.

"To unlock the Trial of the Dragon Spear, you just need the combined aura from the Dragon Scales you’re holding to reach a certain threshold. We can just take the scales from other people. We’d advance directly, skipping the risk of tangling with Dragon Descendants."

"The Trial Takers are all scions of the Old Blood Clans and the Law Enforcement Organization. Do you want me to make enemies for the Beowulf Family left and right, and abandon my dignity as a Dragon Slayer?" Isabella sneered, the tip of her dark Red Spear once again hovering before Baron’s mask.

"Great achievements require overlooking the details," Baron said, ignoring the spear tip. "What Miss Isabella needs is the position of Patriarch."

THUNK!

The spear tip drove into the rock wall. Isabella said coolly, "Lead the way, Master. You’ve convinced me."

"Once we complete the Trial, I’ll remove your chains. And I’ll pay you the promised sum."

"How much?" Baron asked, displaying a Westminster Commissioner’s keen sense for money.

"No less than one hundred thousand pounds," Isabella said, pulling her Red Spear free and giving Baron a cold glare.

Her glance was a mixture of captivating charm and naked killing intent.

......

Meanwhile, the battle between Tune’s party and the Thunder Wolf Dragon King was reaching its conclusion, with Roy driving his spear into the king’s spine.

Tune used his Scale-Stripping Saber to peel away the Reverse Scale—a scale only a thumb’s width, utterly disproportionate to the beast’s massive body.

The Thunder Wolf Dragon King let out one last howl at the sky before collapsing, dead.

With the death of the Thunder Wolf King, the Dragon Tide that had been swarming the Trial Takers fell into an eerie silence.

"Watch out!" Tune’s Dragon Guide suddenly yelled.

Tune, who was still beneath the Dragon King’s corpse admiring the Dragon Scale in his hand, snapped to attention. But any courage he had to raise his spear evaporated the instant he met the gaze of the Fifth Generation Thunder Wolf Dragon Beast standing before him.

Thunderbolt crackled around the Silver Horn on the beast’s head, coalescing into a purple orb of light. Anyone struck by that orb would be instantly vaporized; even a Bronze Tier would be grievously wounded.

A massive shadow fell over Tune. He looked up to see the colossal form of the Thunder Wolf Dragon looming over him.

"Tune, close your eyes! Quick!"

A woman’s voice cried out. Tune instinctively held his breath and squeezed his eyes shut.

"Yellow River Sword Array!"

Even through his eyelids, Tune could feel the blinding light as it flickered like a faulty lamp.

When Tune opened his eyes, the Thunder Wolf Dragon Beast was riddled with countless silver Light Sabers.

His Daoist Nun sister, Lucy, stood with her back to him, facing the imposing Dragon. Her hands were formed into a peculiar sign for a Magic Technique.

"Shatter!"

The Light Sabers shattered. Blood streamed from the countless wounds.

Seeing this, the other Fifth Generation Thunder Wolf Dragon Beasts let out low growls. After a moment of hesitation, they led the remaining Dragon Descendants in a rout, swarming past the Trial Takers and fleeing toward the other side of the mountain.