Traveling Companions Meet, Busy Stabbing Each Other

"Are you... are you alright?"

The girl, wearing a black hood and having efficiently dealt with over a dozen Raging Lions, seemed hesitant to approach directly, holding back with some reservation.

She stopped at the edge of the campfire, lowering her head and speaking in a soft, faint voice. Her downcast eyes seemed reluctant to meet anyone's gaze.

As the Sumerian traveler she had rescued from the pit stood up, the girl instinctively took a step back, as if quite timid.

However, not sensing any hostility, she didn't want to be impolite. She could only tense her body slightly and remain where she was.

"Thank you! You helped a lot, young lady!"

Samael thumped his right fist against his chest, nodding in greeting, his tone filled with sincerity.

"By the way, could you tell me your name? I need to remember this kindness!"

"Anna..."

After a moment's hesitation, the girl responded, her voice as faint as a mosquito's whine. Had it not been for the Ancient Snake's keen senses, he might have thought she hadn't spoken at all.

"Anna, right? I've got it!"

"The demonic beasts are all dealt with, so there shouldn't be any immediate threats. Come, come, sit here."

"You saved my life, so at least let me try to entertain you a bit, won't you?"

Samael was overly enthusiastic, pushing her shoulder without ceremony, trying to guide her closer to the campfire.

But the girl was very reserved, appearing flustered, her eyes darting towards the silhouette of a withered tree on the wilderness as if seeking help.

"Oh dear, oh dear, it seems I can't continue observing little Anna's shyness."

With a leisurely yet magnetic hum, a handsome man with loose silver hair draped over his shoulders, purple eyes filled with amusement and a dreamy hue, and clad in purple-trimmed white robes, approached from the darkness, holding a staff.

Samael eyed the peeping tom who had appeared without warning from behind the tree with vigilance, his muscles tensing, displaying instinctive defense.

"Merlin, die!"

The purple-haired girl under the black hood let out a soft hum, a frown creasing her brow.

The white-haired magus chuckled dismissively, walked forward a few steps, bowed slightly, and offered an elegant greeting, exuding a thoroughly courtly demeanor.

"My friend, relax. I'm just a kind big brother passing by, Merlin."

"Also, my companion is a bit shy, and if you're too enthusiastic, she gets a little uncomfortable."

For some reason, although this fellow's speech and physical actions were nearly flawless, he exuded a sense of languidness.

And then there was the smile on his face, which held a detached, cynical air of seeing through fate, making him seem incredibly punchable.

"Of course, if you still wish to express your gratitude up close, this big brother wouldn't mind some intimate contact with such a beautiful creature."

The white-haired mage chuckled and teased, attempting to lighten the mood.

Yes, those words, so flippant, made one want to punch him. It was definitely him.

The Ancient Snake felt a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth in the shadows, maintaining extreme caution towards this half-breed Nightmare from another era.

According to history, the Triple Goddess Alliance was formed, and Uruk faced encroachment from three directions, unable to resist.

Heroic King Gilgamesh, though powerful, was stretched thin.

Therefore, to ensure Uruk's survival, he sacrificed his unparalleled combat prowess, instead awakening and solidifying his magical potential. Through a secret summoning ritual, he summoned seven Heroic Spirits from other timelines.

They were divided into seven classes that spanned human history's mystery: Saber, Lancer, Archer, Assassin, Rider, Caster, and Berserker.

Among them, the Heroic Spirit who filled the Caster position was Merlin, the great sage from Celtic legends who had mentored King Arthur.

It was said that this Magus of Flowers possessed the bloodline of a Nightmare and was most adept at illusions and trickery.

In a sense, Samael had run into a peer.

What's more, Merlin was an ally in Gilgamesh's plan, serving as his outreach and eyes and ears.

To successfully infiltrate Uruk's power structure and influence the Heroic King's judgments and decisions.

Engaging in a battle of wits with the master con artist before him was undoubtedly a test.

At this moment, seeing the girl Anna nod slightly, confirming the authenticity of this white-haired companion, Samael gradually withdrew his outward vigilance and invited them both to rest by the campfire. However, his mind raced, carefully considering his words and actions without leaving a trace.

If judging solely by his Nightmare bloodline, his good or bad character aside.

Historically, this fellow, upon his appearance, had used illusions to deceive Tiamat, later tricked the Feathered Serpent God into abandoning the Triple Goddess Alliance, and in the future, impersonated an online idol to defraud the human form of the legendary King Solomon.

This series of accomplishments was enough to prove that the great sage Merlin was extraordinary in terms of intelligence.

When peers meet, they busy themselves stabbing each other in the back.

From the fact that only the young girl Anna had appeared to act, while a certain Nightmare hybrid hid behind the trees and watched, Samael could vaguely discern.

Merlin harbored doubts about him, a traveler daring to wander alone in the wilderness late at night.

If he didn't want to be "educated" by this unscrupulous young man from the future and end up with a tarnished reputation, leaving behind a dark history.

Maintaining a state of outward relaxation and inner tension was the most suitable approach.

Through their conversation, the three briefly got to know each other, and the atmosphere on the surface appeared quite harmonious.

Sandwiched between them, Anna cast a lingering glance at the Sumerian traveler Samael and the kind big brother Merlin sitting on either side, her small, furrowed nose twitching subtly.

For some reason, the purple-haired girl faintly smelled a similar scent from these two men who were chatting so animatedly.

If this girl had more experience, perhaps she would understand.

This was the scent of utter… utter scum.

Just as the testing by the campfire was proceeding harmoniously, on a hilltop dozens of kilometers away, a series of ferocious figures crawled closer below, emitting suppressed low growls and whimpers.

"Oh? A sector of monsters has lost contact?"

"What's the direction, distance, and range? Be specific!"

A solitary figure, standing tall in the cold wind, hidden in darkness, lightly brushed the flame-like hair of a Raging Lion and asked in a murmur.

"Wuwuwu..."

However, the response from below was filled with confusion and uncontrollable rage.

They yearned for the hunt, for slaughter, for blood. They were created to inflict scars and destruction upon the world.

Reason and thought were not the strengths they needed.

"To blindly pursue quantity, causing rapid bloodline degradation, truly brainless failures!"

"No wonder they couldn't breach Uruk's wall in half a year! Useless!"

"I don't even know what mother sees in you lot!"

A clear, neutral voice revealed a trace of disdain, and deep eyes emitting a verdant glow turned towards the general direction of that sector.

"Forget it, I'll handle this myself and flush out these rats!"

In an instant, the air vibrated violently, and a Golden Stream pierced the night sky.

At this moment, Merlin, the Great Sage sitting by the campfire, twitched his eyelids, suddenly stood up, and grasped his staff. His usual laziness instantly focused into determination.

Following him, the purple-haired girl, Anna, who was a step slower, also hugged her Purple Sickle and murmured nervously.

"Merlin, that guy is chasing us again, so fast!"

"That guy is chasing us? What do you..."

Samael was slightly taken aback by her words. When his gaze fell upon the surrounding monster corpses, his expression changed.

"A large number of monsters bypassed Babylonia's defenses and gathered at Uruk because of you?!"

Merlin cast a resentful glance at Anna, his ally, who was lowering her head in self-reproach beside him. He shook his head helplessly, then forced a smile. Facing this Sumerian traveler, he was as sincere as possible.

"This is an accident, do you believe me?"