Owen Clark gave a hearty laugh. “Just walk over openly and confidently, no fear.” If you want to gain people’s trust, how can you hide in the shadows? Besides, I’m not the type to back down. Believe it or not, it’s not me who’s going to die anyway.

Two warriors spotted Owen Clark and immediately tensed up, waking their companions and watching the lone Owen Clark warily. “Who are you?”

A dozen people slowly approached Owen Clark in a fan formation, itching to make a move. The moment Owen Clark showed any suspicious sign, they would all rush in at once.

They spoke the common tongue. When Owen Clark was young, he had learned the language and script from the village chief, so he could understand and reply, “I’m a hunter. I’ve run out of supplies. These mountains are too dangerous. I want to travel with you. If I’m not mistaken, your goal is the same as mine—to get out of this damned place.”

The group exchanged glances. The captain, clad in silver-gray chainmail, stepped forward and sized up Owen Clark. Suddenly, he drew his longsword. “There can’t be any hunters in this cursed place. Seize him!”

A warrior swept his battle axe with both hands. Owen Clark clicked his tongue, drew his spear, and pressed down on the axe. The warrior struggled a few times but couldn’t move, staring in shock at the effortlessly composed Owen Clark. Their strength was on completely different levels.

From the resistance transmitted through the spear, Owen Clark could clearly sense that this man was at the level of a formal warrior—average physical ability, with many flaws in his technique that Owen Clark could spot at a glance. The results of four years of training were showing now.

“Could he be an Awakened-level warrior?” The thought flashed through the captain’s mind. If an Awakened-level warrior joined them, their chances of escaping this cursed place would increase significantly.

Owen Clark’s eyes darted as he shouted, “Since you don’t trust me, I’ll just leave!”

“Leaving won’t be that easy!”

A sorcery apprentice, shrouded in a mage’s robe, spoke coldly, scattering a handful of gray bone powder and quickly chanting an incantation. With a raised hand, he pointed, and suddenly Owen Clark felt a tightness at his feet. Looking down, he saw two small purple shadowy hands reaching up from the ground, grabbing his ankles.

“Shadow: Grasp of Roroan.”

“Grab him! Maybe he knows the way out!” the sorcery apprentice shouted.

Two apprentice swordsmen slashed their swords, sending two translucent crescent-shaped sword auras flying at Owen Clark. He pulled out his warhammer, twisted his wrist, and a humming shockwave burst forth, colliding with the sword auras midair. With a bang, they canceled each other out, and the resulting gust whipped everyone’s clothes.

So this is what a swordsman is like—able to unleash ranged slashes so easily, Owen Clark thought to himself.

Demacia: “A swordsman’s lethality is second only to a mage’s. A powerful Sword Saint can even cut down a golden dragon.”

“I see. By the way, aren’t you a swordsman too?”

Demacia was baffled. “I’m a demon. How could I be a swordsman?”

“Don’t lie to me. I still remember your R skill is the mighty sword drop from the sky—so cool.”

“What on earth are you talking about?”

Owen Clark felt a wave of sadness. In this other world, no one could keep up with his banter. What’s the point of playing anymore?

His feet were bound by sorcery, unable to move. Owen Clark glanced at the captain’s conflicted expression and realized that the attacks so far were probably just tests. Owen Clark deliberately put on an angry face. “Why won’t you let me leave?”

Four werewolf hunters simultaneously raised their hand crossbows, and four bolts shot toward him. Owen Clark planted his warhammer, and the Iron Hill Fortress shielded his whole body. He barely escaped unscathed, leaving everyone astonished.

Owen Clark looked at the sorcery apprentice, raised his hand, and hurled his spear with a loud whoosh. His diligent practice of the Troll Spear-Throwing Technique had greatly improved Owen Clark’s accuracy and wrist strength. The adventurers were shocked, and the captain shouted in alarm, “Stop! This is a misunderstanding! Block it, quickly!”

Three priests raised their hands at the same time, stacking three blazing red fire shields in front of the sorcery apprentice. The spear pierced through them, only slightly slowing down. The water magic apprentice quickly cast a spell, and a stream of water appeared out of thin air, knocking the sorcery apprentice aside and out of danger. The spear embedded itself deep in a tree, piercing through the trunk.

The captain wiped his cold sweat. “My friend, it was all a misunderstanding just now.” It was rare to find a living person in this cursed place, and he was very strong. Since everyone’s goal was to get out, he probably wasn’t an enemy. In that case, Owen Clark’s strength would be a great help to them.

Owen Clark rolled his eyes. “If I wanted to deal with you, I’d hide in the dark and ambush you—one spear, one kill. Why would I bother coming out?”

“Yeah, we were reckless. Sorry about that. I’m the squad captain, Morgan. You are…?” the captain said.

“My name is Owen Clark.” I’m telling you my real name. If you actually know me, that’d be a miracle.

“Brother Owen Clark, please come into the tent and warm up by the fire.”

Owen Clark breathed a sigh of relief. He had finally gained some initial trust. There was no way he could withstand Shadow Uncle alone; leading them out quickly was the only way.

It wasn’t that there were no other options, but with the current level of trust, nothing else would be accepted. For example, if Owen Clark suggested they split up and escape, these people definitely wouldn’t listen.

Just then, a shadow suddenly appeared behind the water magic apprentice. A dagger flashed silently, stealing the apprentice’s life, and then vanished without a trace.

“Who’s there!” the sorcery apprentice shouted in terror.