Ast didn't want to waste any more time on these low-level mercenaries or adventurers, so he woke one up from his slumber interrogated him for all the information and then simply killed all of them. The bodies of 5 men turned to dust and vanished.
Ast knew that after leaving the event everyone will be sent back to their original position in reality so he had to again look for Anna.
But now he knew the exact location of their group in reality from the person he interrogated. He also figured out the location of others present inside the event here in the desert so Ast planned to torture all their captors through 'nightmare trap', so they would be mentally unstable when they return and this would give Ast ample time to reach Anna and Alena to rescue them in reality. So with this plan in mind, Ast started wondering about other things.
The good news for Ast was that the time that he spent inside this event was like a bonus. At first, Ast wanted to learn more about elements and maybe improve his comprehension, to be able to wield an element and that was a great idea as that would increase his overall power.
But the problem was that in this event all powers related to elements were blocked so Ast couldn't access any element right now. So Ast decided first to go to any nearby kingdom to investigate how humans would grow powerful in this world and then move forward in that direction.
"Viktor, don't you think that the first rule of the system is some kind of clue, it says we cannot be outside this continent for more than 24 hours if the system wants to restrict our movement then why not just set the boundaries to this continent itself, instead it is giving us a chance to venture out and setting a time limit of 24 hours.
I think we should get a map of this continent and look at how we could capitalize on this"
Viktor too agreed with Ast thinking but he reminded him that Ast won't be able to use the teleportation artefact (silver disc), as except for the storage ring all other artefacts are blocked by the system.
Ast was indeed thinking of using the teleportation disc as it could allow him to cheat his way out of the 24-hour rule but now he had to either think of other ways to bypass this rule or simply follow it earnestly.
Ast again scouted the area from above and found another group of 5. Again he quickly swept across the ground and immobilised everyone and asked Luna to intensify the power of the 'nightmare trap' as he didn't want to waste time. Sometime later he kills the group members.
They repeated the process until they found the main group of 5 men with Alena. One of the members of this group was wearing the same badge that Ast had seen on Greg Blake the one in charge of this whole operation. Ast had come to know from Viktor that this badge was the symbol of the order.
Ast maintained his cool even after seeing the badge, Ast turned to Luna "Luna as much soul power as you seems necessary but make sure his mind collapses completely"
Ast wasn't going to be merciful towards anyone associated with the order. Ast again repeated his routine and saved Alena while making her captors unconscious on the ground then Luna cast her skill on all of them.
"Alena are you okay?" asked Ast. Alena wasn't a kid and has been groomed from a small age to be a leader in her tribe so she kept her composure during the whole ordeal but seeing Ast she let out a sigh of relief.
"Ast you have become something else entirely, tell me how did you gain so much power, even when our talents are restricted you can wield such power, tell me Ast what's your secret" said Alena with a small grin on her face as if taunting Ast.
Ast knew her personality well and didn't bother answering. Alena was reunited with Anna and they got along well. Alena was surprised to see Ast partnering with someone outside his tribe when she saw Viktor, she asked Ast about it and he simply told her that Viktor was someone that has signed a slave contract and now works for him.
Alena was a bit shocked that Ast would use such a trick to make someone his slave but Ast didn't bother explaining it to her so she just quit bothering him, Alena also noticed the cute adorable fox on Ast's head but Luna didn't allow anyone except Ast to come near her and would show her discontent by growling in a high pitched voice.
Seeing Ast's pet treating her like that she was in a foul mood but when she saw even Anna being treated the same she somehow got over it. Ast told Alena about all that happened inside the forest and she was completely bewildered by knowing that someone had wiped the entire Chrome tribe with a single attack.
Alena was now in a state of panic as she didn't know if her tribe had met the same fate as the chrome tribe. Ast told Alena about how the event works and the functioning of isolated space-time. Alena was relieved that her tribe was relatively safe inside this event but she panicked when Ast told her how torture could still harm someone inside the event and she was now scared of Ast's innocent-looking pet fox.
Alena asked Ast to help her, but although Ast did want to help Alena he was hesitating for several reasons, firstly Fero tribe has around 200 members and it would be a huge task to find all their members secondly more than anything else Ast wanted to find Greg Blake the main culprit for his tribesmen death and lastly, now Ast was going to take a path of no return where he would go against the order and the council and he only wants those he can fully trust with him.
Ast knew that although the Fero tribe treated him very well all these years but as soon as they exit this desolate place they would very likely seek asylum with the elves race which would never allow them to associate or help a human. And throughout the years one thing that he came to know about the Fero tribe was that they would literally do anything for their race. A quintessential example of this was Alena, who embodied their sentiment of racial piety.
"Alena I know we have been good friends since our childhood but I cannot help you with this matter, even after exiting the event I and Anna have no place to belong and I have to make that place for us. I am sorry" Ast bowed his head down and sincerely apologised.
"Ast you and Anna could live with the Fero tribe and be with me and we would live like a family," said Alena.
Anna was touched seeing Alena offering them shelter despite the elf's natural hate for humans, but before she could persuade her big brother Ast to take Alena's offer, she heard Ast's loud and stern voice.
"Quickly get behind me, Anna" and then he threw two sharp daggers toward Alena.