Siana's pained cry was clearly heard by Merlin, but he ignored it and pushed himself to run faster.
Though the monsters had been distracted by Siana, it didn't mean he was out of danger. Many other monsters were still chasing him.
After five minutes of breathless running, Merlin finally reached the safe zone and rushed inside.
*Buzz!*
As his body crossed the boundary, the number above the safe zone, previously [4/19], changed to [5/19].
"Hah~ Hah~ Hah~" Merlin panted, collapsing onto his back.
Being chased by monsters felt like a nightmare—an experience he never wanted to relive. Given the choice between being pursued by the previous hitmen or these brutal monsters, he would undoubtedly choose the former.
At least the hitmen could be reasoned with, unlike those mindless creatures.
After resting for a few minutes, Merlin regained some strength and slowly sat up.
He took in his surroundings and realized the safe zone was quite spacious. By his estimate, this circular area could accommodate around thirty people.
However, since the safe zone only allowed nineteen people, there was still plenty of space to move around later. The green light forming a barrier around the zone protected them, keeping the monsters at bay and preventing them from breaking through.
Merlin's gaze instinctively fell on the other four people—those who had arrived before him. In their faces and eyes, he could see the lingering fear they couldn't quite hide.
"They seem to be in the same situation as me," Merlin murmured, a soft chuckle escaping him.
Realizing he wasn't the only one feeling tense, Merlin felt a small sense of relief.
Afterward, Merlin pretended to glance at the horde of monsters outside, though his attention was actually fixed on a fat man a few meters away.
"Status," Merlin called out flatly.
[Status]
[—Name—: Daniel]
[—Age—: 32 years old]
[—Traits/Characteristics—: Cowardly, Fearful, Hesitant, Low Self-Esteem, Prone to Overthinking]
[—Title—: -]
[—Level/XP—: 1 (0/100)]
[—HP/Mana—: 320/125]
[—Class—: -]
[—Attributes/Talents—: 28 LCK (Unique), 20 INT (Unique), 15 CHA (Common), 18 AGT (Common), 22 VIT (Unique), 17 END (Common), 14 STA (Common)]
[—Skills—: -]
[—Items—: -]
In an instant, the fat man's status appeared before him, and he read it over carefully.
"This guy's status is pretty average," he muttered, disappointment tinged in his voice.
In running and passing this test, Merlin hadn't intended to do it alone. He wanted to form a small team, no larger than two or three members.
Of course, the people he selected for his team weren't chosen at random; they had to have extraordinary status panels.
That way, his chances of passing the test would increase, working in his favor.
Ignoring the fat man's status, Merlin's gaze shifted to a tall, burly figure a few meters ahead of him—a man with a fierce expression.
"Status," Merlin called out.
[Status]
[—Name—: Roy]
[—Age—: 38 years old]
[—Traits/Characteristics—: Brave, Arrogant, Quick to Anger, Dislikes Weakness]
[—Title—: -]
[—Level/XP—: 1 (0/100)]
[—HP/Mana—: 660/103]
[—Class—: -]
[—Attributes/Talents—: 30 LCK (Unique), 18 INT (Common), 17 CHA (Common), 26 AGT (Unique), 37 VIT (Unique), 44 END (Epic), 40 STA (Epic)]
[—Skills—: -]
[—Items—: -]
He read it carefully, and once again, disappointment washed over him.
"This guy's status is good, but not enough," he muttered softly, shaking his head.
The man's status was solid, with both [STA] and [END] attributes at the [Epic] talent level. However, it still fell short. Merlin was looking for someone with at least one attribute—[INT], [STA], [AGT], [END], or [VIT]—at the [Legendary] talent level.
Based on Quinella's earlier words, the difference between [Epic] and [Legendary] talent levels was vast. Those with [Legendary] talent had immense potential and a far greater chance of becoming great figures in the future.
That was why he desperately hoped to find someone with such talent. However, he didn't expect this search to be so difficult. Only a select few could possess [Legendary] talent.
Next, Merlin turned his attention to a woman with an ordinary appearance and examined her status.
Once again, disappointment swept over him—the woman's status was even worse than the fat man's.
Finally, his gaze settled on the last figure—another woman.
She sat alone about twenty meters to his left, and Merlin was surprised to find her appearance truly extraordinary.
"This woman is incredibly beautiful," Merlin whispered, a note of admiration lingering in his voice.
Her beauty was arguably the most striking he had seen compared to the women in his world. Her flawless face held an indifferent, cold expression, while her deep black eyes were nothing short of exquisite.
Her long black hair was straight and elegantly tied in a ponytail, highlighting her mature, calm charm.
Dressed in a black kimono adorned with white cloud motifs, reminiscent of traditional attire from an East Asian country, she looked like a heroine straight out of a popular fantasy novel.
What stood out the most about her appearance, however, was the long black katana in her right hand. Though its sheath concealed the blade, Merlin could tell the katana was razor-sharp and capable of decapitating someone with a single strike.
Merlin swiftly parted his lips and whispered, "Status."
[Status]
[—Name—: Sherlin Christina (Yuzuhira Kaede)]
[—Age—: 23 years old]
[—Traits/Characteristics—: Honest, Straightforward, Arrogant, Admiring of the Strong, Dislikes Lies and Injustice, Fond of Animals]
[—Title—: -]
[—Level/XP—: 1 (0/100)]
[—HP/Mana—: 1700/550]
[—Class—: -]
[—Attributes/Talents—: 50 LCK (Epic), 57 INT (Epic), 97 CHA (Legendary), 95 AGT (Legendary), 44 VIT (Epic), 45 END (Epic), 96 STA (Legendary)]
[—Skills—: -]
[—Items—: -]
As he read the status, his expression instantly froze. His eyes widened slightly, as though he had stumbled upon a national treasure.
"This status..." Merlin murmured, his heart racing.
The status panel before him was nothing short of extraordinary—no, it was beyond extraordinary; it was truly remarkable.
The woman possessed three [Legendary] talents—[CHA], [STA], and [AGT]—a combination that both shocked and amazed him.
Although there was no [Mythic] talent, those three [Legendary] talents were already extraordinary. After all, only a select few could possess [Legendary] talent, let alone [Mythic].
"I must make this woman my ally," Merlin muttered, his voice filled with determination.
In addition to her remarkable talent and striking appearance, this woman, Sherlin Cristina, possessed traits that intrigued Merlin.
Unlike many women who were manipulative and scheming, Sherlin's panel revealed her to be honest, straightforward, and proud.
Such a woman was rare, and Merlin's resolve to bring her into his team only grew stronger.
"However, I can't act impulsively. We don't know each other yet, and if I approach her too soon, it might make her suspicious," he whispered with a faint smile.
With an ordinary woman, he wouldn't need much strategy, but Sherlin was a unique case, and every move had to be carefully considered.
Still smiling, he shifted his focus back to the area outside the safe zone, watching as people entered one by one.
Meanwhile, Sherlin, sensing a gaze upon her, frowned slightly.
"How strange. Is someone watching me?" she wondered, scanning the people entering the safe zone or already within her vicinity.
Her gaze eventually landed on Merlin, sitting casually about twenty meters away. Her eyes widened, and a subtle smile tugged at her lips.
"I didn't expect to see him here," she murmured softly.