As a shadow, Alex had no difficulty in moving across the maze-like city. Much so because he could sense shadows around him.

Being a Pseudo Shadow Spirit, he had the innate ability to do so – however, because he was only a quarter spirit, he didn’t possess their other abilities.

After a few minutes, he entered Rodric’s Pen and watched Allura and her group.

While making his way here, he had heard about another group of slaves that had managed to save themselves, and he was certain that their leader would soon contact Allura.

He didn’t know if it would lead to an alliance or a group battle because during this original, Alex was busy leveling up.

Now that I am him, he really didn’t do much during the beginning...

Alex stayed there for a few more minutes. He needed more information about Allura, but it seemed her group members were more worried about their future and the major quest.

He sighed or tried to at least – however, as a shadow, he had nothing to sigh from.

Soon, he left the place and once again made his way into the forest.

Unlike yesterday, he no longer had to worry about surprise attacks, though staying as a shadow was continuously draining his mana – it was also regenerating just as quickly within the shadows. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

For the next few days, Alex stayed within the forest and hunted as many beasts as he could, and during the night, he entered the city and watched Allura.

[Kill: Wild Rabbit (Bronze V) (F) x20]

[Experience: +200]

[Evo Points: +200]

[Kill: Wild Boar (Bronze V) (F) x17]

[Experience: +170]

[Evo Points: +170]

[Kill: Swift Marten (Bronze V) (F) x10]

[Experience: +100]

[Evo Points: +100]

[Kill: Pale Hare (Bronze V) (F) x5]

[Experience: +50]

[Evo Points: +50]

[Kill: Brass Coyote (Bronze V) (F) x13]

[Experience: +130]

[Evo Points: +130]

...

[Level: 4 (790/800) (F)]

[Combat Value: 28.8 (30.3)]

[Evo Points: 2760]

It took a while, Alex thought as he blitzed through the streets and stopped at a concealed spot near a four-storey building with a large red banner hanging beside its doors.

The banner read:

Adventurers Guild

Although everyone ignored slaves, he could still sell his hunt at the guild and earn coins.

As he was no longer in the Hall of Great Evils, he needed to eat and drink, and for that, he required money, before he could very well manage with Vitality alone, but after evolution, his body required more Vitality.

Even the CV obtained from converting Vitality to strength had decreased a lot.

Alex stepped out of his shadow and mumbled under his breath, "It’s good that I remembered about the Babirusa that I had killed."

The people around him chatted about various things, and Alex stepped inside the guild.

The hall and the counter came into his vision, and he walked toward the nearest one.

Adventurers filled the chairs and sofas placed across the hall, and a few glared at him with cold eyes.

Alex stopped at the counter, and the receptionist, wearing a green and white uniform with a scar running across his forehead, fixed his glasses before examining him from top to bottom.

Soon, he scowled, "What do you want, slave?"

A vein throbbed at Alex’s forehead, but he took a deep breath to calm himself and said, "I want to sell some beasts."

Just as those words fell into the receptionist’s ears, his disgusted expression disappeared, and with an extremely friendly look, he asked, "I’d be happy to help you then. Can you take them out?"

Alex glanced at the adventurers from the corners of his eyes and said, "Sure. But do you really want me to do that here?"

"What do you mean?" The receptionist frowned.

"Well... I have over 50 Wild Rabbits and 50 Wild Boars, and those are the lowest I have. So I think it would be better if we chatted somewhere more private."

The receptionist’s eyes widened so much that they seemed to pop out of their sockets.

"I-Is that so?" He came to his senses if they were still intact.

And only then did he realize that all of the adventurers were staring at Alex with bitter greed in their eyes.

Of course, normally such a thing wouldn’t matter to him, but if something happened to this slave, their guild could be held accountable by his owner, and that would be too troublesome to deal with.

The receptionist stood up and walked to the back. "Let’s move to the back."

Both of them stepped past a door leading further inside the establishment, and as they walked, Alex asked, "What is your name?"

For a long moment, the receptionist seemed reluctant to answer him, but he soon gave up.

He sighed and answered, "Jake."

"Jake," Alex repeated and asked, "Why do you guys hate us so much?"

Jake suddenly halted in his steps. He slowly, almost mechanically, turned his head toward Alex and said coldly, "Hate? You seem to have a very big misunderstanding, slave."

"We do not hate your kind. We simply cannot tolerate the existence of heretics such as yourself."

"At the moment, you stand in Nyxare. In the domain of Goddess Nyx, the Eternal Night, the Mother of Darkness, and you do so by denying death... the very thing she created."

Jake stepped closer, his eyes devoid of any emotion or life itself as he intoned, "The only reason you still stand is that deceit is also one of mother’s creations."

For a long moment, he gazed into Alex’s eyes, and then he blinked.

Jake tilted his head in confusion and asked, "Huh? When did we stop? And what was I doing?"

"You were telling me the process of selling my hunt."

"Ah! I see. Let us continue, then," Jake mumbled and turned back.

They continued walking, and Alex stared at the blue screen before him.

[System: Host Alex, you have received a hidden city quest!]

[Quest: Dark Curse — Find the Seed of Darkness that has cursed the civilians of Nyxare.]

[Reward: Darkness Affinity Gem (A), +10,000 Experience, +10,000 Evo Points.]

[Time Limit: 1 month.]

[Failure: Quest – Heretics Vs Devotee.]