A few hours later, they arrived.

Hundreds of failed adventurers and criminals spilled out of the tree line.

They came in groups with some riding on bikes, others came in trucks and a few even had beast mounts... From large lizards with thick scales and yellow eyes to wolves with matted fur and scars across their snouts.

They got down from their vehicles and spread across the clearing outside the camp entrance.

They formed a loose, restless crowd. There were murmurs and weapon clanking as if ready to charge.

But nobody did... Not yet... everyone just stood there and observed.

Among them was Ardeth and his mercenary group.

"Boss, should we go in?" one of his men asked.

"No... Let us wait." Ardeth’s eyes swept across the camp. "Although it seems like Jack was not lying, something still bothers me."

He paused.

"Why did he come to meet us personally first?"

During the journey here, he had spoken to others around him.

One thing he learned was that some loser ’Jack’ had let the information slip in a bar while drunk.

Jack was not that stupid.

And if his goal was to spread such information, why did he come to them first?

Unless something was going to happen. Something that would be bad for them.

So Ardeth waited... And waited... And waited.

Until finally, the weaker, less experienced mercenaries and criminals could no longer hold themselves back.

"Fuck this... CHARGE!"

A man at the front drew his weapon and ran toward the entrance.

Chaos broke out immediately with several more charging after the first one.

War cries filled the air as they charged at the camp trying to take it.

But not everyone followed.

The more experienced ones knew that nothing came easy. What could go wrong would go wrong.

And they were right.

The first man to pass the boundary suddenly lost his head.

One moment he was running... The next, his body kept moving forward while his head tumbled backward.

Blood sprayed from his neck in a thick, pulsing fountain... The head hit the ground and rolled twice before stopping, face up.

The rest of the fools froze.

Roden stood over the headless body.

His right sword pointed at the people now frozen a few steps away with blood dripping from the blade.

Everyone fell so silent that they could hear the sound of the blood dripping.

*Drip* *Drip* *Drip*

"State your name and purpose," Roden said releasing his aura.

The criminals and mercenaries scanned him and their faces twisted.

A peak Level 1.

They glanced at each other, sneered and resumed their charge.

All of them were Level 1 and although not all were peak, they believed they could overwhelm him with numbers.

The first man charged, stabbing his spear toward Roden’s head.

Roden’s left sword deflected the tip, throwing it off target.

The man could not stop his momentum and drove himself onto Roden’s outstretched right sword.

The blade sank into his stomach and blood came pouring from the wound.

Roden dragged the blade upward opening the man’s stomach like a zipper.

His insides spilled out... Coils of intestine, loops of yellow fat and other organs could be seen clearly.

Roden sidestepped him, avoiding the blood the spurtted out when he pulled out his sword.

The man released his spear and tried to hold his organs in but before he could succeed, Roden’s left sword found his neck.

The blade sliced through and his head came off clean.

It landed on the ground with a wet thud leaving the body standing for a moment before it finally collapsed.

At the same time, Roden’s right sword parried the next man’s blade... Pushing him back.

Roden pushed all his strength behind it forcing the man to lean forward in a contest of strength.

Suddenly Roden pulled back, avoiding a fireball that scorched the air where his face had been and at the same time causing the sword attacker to stumble forward, off balance.

Before the man could recover, Roden kicked his head causing his skull snapped to the side with a crack.

Then Roden drove his sword through the man’s head and pinned him to the ground. The blade went through the eye socket. Dark fluid oozed out around the blade.

Another criminal ran at him, jumping high and smashing his axe down. Roden stepped to the side leaving the man flying past him and axe biting into empty dirt.

Roden prepared to strike the exposed back but then he sidestepped again avoiding a dagger that sliced through the air where his spine had been.

He elbowed the assassin in the face breaking her nose with a wet crunch and discombobulating her.

Blood sprayed from her nostrils and she staggered backward, hands flying to her face.

Roden’s eyes moved to the axe user trying to stahe and he stamped down on the man’s back, keeping him pinned.

He threw his sword up and switched his grip to reverse before slicing backward. Taking the assassin’s head off her shoulders.

Seeing the bad situation the axe user tried to scramble away.

Suddenly a spear appeared in his head.

The tip erupted through his forehead spraying brain matter and blood down his face.

Elda had arrived.

She walked over casually and pulled her spear from his head. The wet sound of metal sliding through bone and flesh made several people wince and back away.

She shook the spear, removing blood and brain fragments scattering grey and red droplets scattered across the ground.

The rest of the assailants backed away immediately.

Seeing how easily the others had been killed, none of them wanted to be next so they retreated to the main group.

Their faces were pale.

"Is this it?" Roden asked.

He had not even used his mana yet nor had he used a single bloodline ability.

Just pure speed and technique.

The leaders of the mercenary and criminal groups had serious faces. Even though some of them could have killed the same people, it would not have been that easy.

Finally, one of the largest group leaders stepped forward.

"The information about this place has already leaked," Ramzy said as he stepped forward still keeping his distance from Roden. "You might as well share."

"And if we do not?" Roden asked.

"I know you are strong, but there are so many of us here." Ramzy spread his arms. "How do you plan to stop us with just you two?"

"What makes you think they are the only ones you are facing?"

A new female voice sounded from behind Elda and Roden.

The criminals and mercenaries shifted their gaze. A woman was coming out of the camp.

The leaders tensed immediately as the pressure from the two guards standing one step behind her fell on them like a collapsing roof.

Level 3s.

They all came to the same conclusion.

’I knew it... I knew this was too good to be ttrue’ Ardeth thought, his face was slightly pale. ’That bastard was trying to send us to our deaths.’

He had always felt something was wrong when Jack came to them first and now he had confirmed it.

"Do you still want to try?" Talia asked as she stepped to the front of Elda and Roden.

Ramzy fell silent.

Trying to fight a Level 3 without another Level 3 was suicide.

Although there had been cases of Level 3s being surrounded and killed, it was not as common as most people thought.

Surrounding them was one thing and keeping them trapped long enough to kill them was another.

Not to mention that only worked if the groups had a good enough synergy... In this rag tag group... There was a more likely chance of people simply taking each other out.

The clearing fell quiet as the wind blew through the trees.

This time no one moved or even spoke as they could almost smell the death in the air.

Hundreds of people stood frozen, wondering if they had just walked into their own graves.

Nothing?" Talia questioned with her arms folded.

She raised her hands and pointed at Ramzy, "What about you?"

Ramzy remained quiet, taking a step back submissively.

Fighting the first young man and woman was one thing... Fighting two level 3 was another.

He considered charging and trying to take her captive after all she seemed to be a very important person ... With the help of everyone they could slow the Level 3s long enough to capture her and threaten but that wasn’t sure to work for several reasons.

While his group might charge, the others around them could simply betray him and hand him over to get on their good books.

Some might not even charge in the first place not wanting to risk their lifes.

Others might simply want to take the stop and watch approach.

Once he stepped back, Talia fell silent and seemed to fall into deep thoughts.

Everyone just stood there silently waiting for her to come to a decision.

After what felt like forever Roden finally spoke up.

"Sister, since they are already here why not make use of them?"

Elda nodded along but did not speak.

"We are alreadu spending too much time here anyway and since it already out... Let have them search and then we reward whoever finds it." Roden continued.

Talia nodded, "The idea seems sound but these fools seems far to dishonest to be trusted."

This time neither Roden nor Elda disagreed with her.

Some of the mercenaries wanted to disagree with her but when none of the stronger ones spoke they smartly kept their mouth quiet.

"Very well... Make camp out here for a few days while I come to a final decision on how to deal with you?" Talia said before turning around and walking back into the camp leaving one Level 3 with Roden.

Seeing her leave on of the mercenaries raised her hands and asked, "Can we leave?"