The sun beat down relentlessly on the scorched earth, baking the long line of travelers that stretched out from the massive iron gates of Scale-Iron City. This was one of the major hubs in the Dragon Region of the Dragon and Phoenix Riders Alliance.

Judas stood in the queue, wiping sweat from his forehead. The heat here was unnatural. It wasn't just the sun; the ground beneath them seemed to radiate a geothermal warmth, a constant reminder of the volcanic activity that powered this region.

On his shoulder, Nyx sat in her miniature form. To anyone else, she looked like a small, pitch-black lizard with oddly intelligent eyes. She let out a small yawn, her tiny claws digging slightly into Judas's shirt for balance. She looked bored. Incredibly bored.

"Move along! Keep the line moving!" a guard shouted from the front, his armor gleaming with a reddish tint.

Judas sighed. "Why is this line so long?" he muttered to himself. "We've been standing here for two hours."

The man standing in front of him turned around. His round face glistened with sweat. He wore expensive-looking silk robes that were clearly not designed for this kind of heat.

The lizard on his shoulder had already calmed down, and now, with a hint of dissatisfaction, looked at Nyx. It had brownish scales on its neck.

"You don't know?" the fat man asked, his eyes widening in surprise. He wiped his face with a handkerchief. "It's the recruitment season for the Dragon Academy! That's why everyone is here."

Judas raised an eyebrow. "Dragon Academy?"

"The most prestigious institution in the Dragon Region!" the fat man exclaimed, puffing out his chest. "They are inviting Riders. It doesn't matter if you already have a contract or if you are unassigned. If you have talent, you get in."

The man patted the brown lizard on his shoulder affectionately. The creature let out a raspy squeak and tried to puff its chest out, mimicking its master.

"See this little guy?" the fat man said, his voice dripping with pride. "This is my partner, Bruno. He is a genuine Drake."

Judas looked at the lizard. It looked like it would struggle to catch a fly, let alone fight in a battle.

"A Drake?"

"Yes! A descendant of the Earth Dragon," the man declared. He leaned in closer, lowering his voice as if sharing a state secret. "He has a bloodline purity of 0.10%!"

The brown lizard, Bruno, looked at Judas and let out a small hiss, trying to look intimidating. It looked ridiculous.

Judas twitched his lips, fighting the urge to laugh. 0.10%? He glanced at Nyx on his own shoulder. If that brown lizard was a 'Dragon,' then what was Nyx?

Nyx didn't even look at the brown lizard. She just yawned again, her tail flicking lazily against Judas's neck.

The fat man noticed Judas's gaze and looked at Nyx. He squinted, analyzing the small black creature.

"Your monster looks... cute," he said, his tone polite but clearly condescending. "Is it a shadow lizard? I'm afraid it won't pass the assessment. It doesn't look strong. It seems of too low intelligence for you to form any connections. Just change it when the time comes."

Judas tensed slightly. He knew Nyx's temperament. She was the definition of pride. Being called 'weak' by a human was supposed to result in that human being turned into ash.

He waited for the killing intent. He waited for the temperature to drop or for Nyx to snap the man's head off.

But nothing happened.

Nyx simply closed her eyes, ignoring the fat man completely. She treated him like air. Like he didn't exist.

The fat man, assuming Judas was embarrassed by his weak pet, gave a sympathetic nod and turned back around to shuffle forward in the line.

Judas was surprised. He communicated with her mentally. 'Why aren't you angry?' he asked. 'That guy just insulted you. He called you weak.'

Nyx's voice echoed in his mind, cool and indifferent. 'For what? For this insignificant person's misunderstandings?'

Judas blinked.

'Do you get angry when an ant thinks it can hurt you even a bit?' Nyx continued, her tone bored. 'He cannot sense my power because I am suppressing it. His ignorance is not my concern. I am a Dragon. I do not need to prove myself to food.'

Judas nodded slowly. That made sense. Her pride was so absolute that the opinions of lesser beings didn't even register as insults. They were just noise.

'Besides,' Nyx added, a darker tone entering her mental voice. 'If I released even a fraction of my aura to crush him, that person might sense it. I cannot risk exposure. If not for that fear... I would have already turned this entire queue into meat paste for making me wait in the sun.'

Judas felt a chill run down his spine despite the heat. He decided not to push the subject.

They finally reached the massive gates. The guards were checking identification and collecting an entry fee.

"Next!" the guard barked.

Judas stepped forward. "One person."

"Five silver coins," the guard said, extending a hand.

Judas froze.

He patted his pockets. He had nothing. He quickly opened his System interface, hoping to buy some local currency from the shop.

[System Notice: Transaction Failed.]

[Reason: Outstanding Debt. You must repay your loan before making new purchases.]

Judas cursed internally. He had forgotten about the loan he took to buy the contract. He was broke. Completely broke.

"Well?" the guard asked, looking annoyed. "Pay up or move aside. You're holding up the line."

The fat man behind him chuckled. "Forgot your wallet, lad? It happens."

Judas felt his face heating up. This was embarrassing. He was a powerful awakener, a man with a system, and he was about to be kicked out of a line for five silver coins.

'Troublesome,' Nyx's voice drifted into his mind.

Before Judas could respond, the weight on his shoulder vanished.

"Nyx?" he whispered.

He looked around. She was gone.

Suddenly, he felt a strange sensation. It was his connection to her. Since she was his contracted partner, he could sense her location even when he couldn't see her. She was moving incredibly fast.

Because her powers were suppressed to the Initiate level, he could sense all her movements. Judas watched, dumbstruck.

A merchant stood in the direction she was moving. A small black shadow flickered near his belt. The merchant's heavy coin pouch vanished.

He saw a mercenary laughing with his friends. The shadow darted past his hip. His purse was gone.

'The proud, legendary Dragon is... pickpocketing?' Judas thought, his jaw dropping.

A few seconds later, the black blur returned to his side. Nyx reappeared on his shoulder as if she had never left.

She nudged his cheek with her snout.

Judas looked down. In his hand, she had deposited three heavy leather pouches. They clinked with the sound of gold and silver.

He looked at her. Nyx looked back, her eyes screaming, 'Well? Pay the man.'

Judas quickly shoved the pouches into his Couple Space and took the coins he needed.

"Here," Judas said, trying to keep his voice steady. Unfortunately for him, the pouches didn't have silver coins.

The guard's eyes widened. "A gold coin? I... I don't have change for this right now."

"Keep it," Judas said, feeling a mix of guilt and relief. "Consider it a tip."

The guard's attitude flipped instantly. He bowed. "Thank you, sir! Welcome to Scale-Iron City!"

Judas walked through the gates, his heart pounding. He felt like a criminal.

Everything happened in seconds, too fast for anyone to notice. When Nyx started moving, Judas had sensed the time around the area slow down. Even with her strength suppressed to Initiate, she was terrifying.

He looked at her. 'I just... I never expected a Dragon to resort to theft.'

Nyx glanced at him, her expression shifting to one that clearly said he was an idiot. "I am proud, not stupid. Sleeping on the street is an insult to my dignity. Taking gold from weaklings to ensure I sleep in a soft bed is simply asserting my dominance."

Her eyes looked up and down at him. "No wonder you have no money."

Judas scoffed.

"Still, you gave more money to that human."

"That's because I had no change."

"Hmph." Nyx disappeared again. Judas froze, looking back towards the gate. The pouches on the soldiers disappeared one after another as she reached out to him and threw more than five pouches to him.

"Fuck..." Judas cursed as he took all of them into the Couple Space. Nyx looked proud as she looked at him with her round eyes.

"That money is mine," she said. "Before we leave, I will show you how to be rich."

Judas shook his head, suppressing a chuckle. It seems the city gained a thief dragon.

Scale-Iron City was magnificent. The buildings were made of dark, volcanic stone reinforced with iron. Dragon motifs were everywhere—statues, banners, even the shape of the streetlamps. The streets were bustling with adventurers, merchants, and aspiring Riders.

Judas walked straight to the center of the city, looking for the best accommodation. If he had stolen money—or rather, if Nyx had "taxed" the people—he might as well enjoy it.

He found it: The Gilded Wyvern Inn. It was a massive six-story building with a roof tiled in gold. It looked more like a palace than an inn.

He walked into the lobby. The floor was marble, and a chandelier made of mana crystals hung from the ceiling.

"Welcome," the receptionist said. She was a woman with faint scales on her cheeks, likely a human with a distant dragon bloodline. "How can I help you?"

"I need a room," Judas said. "Your best suite. For a week."

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