Roland soared unimpeded through the sky, naturally outpacing Autumnwater and Thuke below. He arrived at the scene first.

Just as Thuke’s intel had predicted.

Two mercenaries lay gravely wounded, barely clinging to life on the ground.

The other two—a male swordsman and a female mage wielding a staff—were not severely hurt but utterly exhausted.

Their opponent stood three meters tall, over twenty meters long: a giant lizard-like beast. Its tough hide was scarred from a brutal fight.

Normally, monsters flee when cornered. This wasn’t even its territory—no reason for territorial rage. But thinking wouldn’t change anything.

Roland flicked his wrist. A crimson sword flashed from his storage space. He dove, plunging the blade straight into the lizard’s eyeball.

The sudden strike shocked the beast. Pain sent it thrashing wildly, flinging Roland off. He stabilized midair with his angelic wings and landed safely.

“B-rank?!” he called out.

“Yes! Molten Iron Lizard—its tail’s venomous. Watch out!” the warrior and mage replied instantly.

Seasoned mercenaries. Zero hesitation.

“I’ve got two more allies. Fall back!”

“No! It’ll escape!” the mage shot back.

Negotiations collapsed. They still wanted this B-rank monster all to themselves.

Such insatiable greed—abandoning dying comrades? Tsk. But Roland wasn’t exactly noble either.

“Fifty-fifty split.”

“…”

Blatant opportunism. Without Roland’s group, they’d be dead today.

“Deal!”

“Contract sent.”

Ducking a claw swipe, Roland pulled out his phone. Through the Mercenary Guild app *BingBing*, he sent the bounty-sharing contract to the pair.

This contract existed for one reason: profit. Mercenaries didn’t help for kindness. Too naive to expect otherwise. Spot a comrade in trouble? Share the reward, join the fight. Since its launch, mercenary deaths dropped sixty percent. The math spoke for itself. Humans act on interest.

The mage and warrior accepted without pause. Better than nothing. Truth was, Roland’s fifty-fifty offer was generous. Hard bargainers demanded seventy percent—and waited calmly for others to die first, then reaped the rewards.

“Contract confirmed.”

Roland glanced at his screen. A faint smile tugged his lips.

Time to go all out.

B-rank monster: Molten Iron Lizard.

Bounty: 8,000 gold coins.

Fifty-fifty meant 4,000. Split three ways with Autumnwater and Thuke? Roughly 1,333.3 each.

A massive haul. Roland had never scored this big by opportunism.

But this foe was trouble.

The Molten Iron Lizard regained composure—and lunged straight for the mage. Least agile of the group.

Roland was too far. The warrior shoved her aside, taking a savage bite to his left arm. His armor absorbed the crushing force—else his arm would’ve shattered.

“You damn reptile!” the warrior roared. Light flared from his sword. He thrust upward through the soft jaw, piercing the beast’s flat mouth clean through.

The lizard shook its head, flinging him off. Roland darted through its gaping maw.

Lunar God Style.

Crescent Slash.

Five crescent blades flashed.

The lizard’s tongue severed. Blood sprayed. But scaled jaws remained unbroken—even Roland’s blade couldn’t pierce them. B-rank meant targeting only weak spots.

“Fire Twelve: Flame Orb!”

Fireballs slammed into the beast. Warrior and Roland had bought her this casting window.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!!

Impact registered.

But at the monster’s roar, Roland’s eyes narrowed. “Wrong! Watch out!”

“ROAR!!!”

Flames engulfing it, the lizard charged the mage, jaws wide.

Damn it!

Too far. Roland couldn’t reach her. Warrior was stranded.

She’d be pulp.

Then—

A shadow flickered. Enveloped her. Vanished like smoke.

The lizard snapped at empty air.

Next moment: the mage cradled in Autumnwater’s arms, soaring high. His massive demonic wings marked pure demon bloodline. That instant shadow-step? Demon Shadow Art. A rescue by a hair’s breadth.

As the lizard stumbled, Thuke leaped, halberd crashing down. “Dinner’s served!!”

Flames around the beast erupted anew—Thuke’s Zhuque bloodline reactivating fire, intensifying the blaze.

Blind now (Autumnwater’s crossbow bolt had taken its other eye), the lizard thrashed wildly.

Roland’s gaze sharpened. He charged.

“Catch!” the warrior yelled.

A shield sailed through the air.

Roland caught it, crouched behind the iron barrier, and charged straight into the inferno.

Stellar Flow.

Meteor Pierce.

Perfect range.

THUD!!

His sword drove into the heart—a spot usually armored, now torn open by fire and prior strikes. Light surged inward.

One strike.

Dead.