"Pretty lady, would you like to sleep with me tonight?"
The sudden voice startled Merlin and Shen Ling'er. Instinctively, they turned toward the source and saw a tall, burly man approaching.
The man's face was fierce and menacing, his bald head completely devoid of hair. His broad, muscular upper body was bare, exuding an intimidating presence that could make anyone tremble with fear.
A large scar ran across his right eyelid, while both sides of his chest bore the marks of dried sword slashes, remnants of brutal battles.
Although the man was tall and powerfully built, he was still slightly shorter than Merlin, who towered at six feet five inches.
Merlin's brow tightened, his expression hardening as he caught the man's lewd gaze and lustful grin fixed intently on the beautiful Shen Ling'er beside him.
"What do you want?" Merlin asked icily, his eyes sweeping the man from head to toe.
From his appearance, the man didn't seem like someone from the modern era, but rather like a barbarian fond of war.
Merlin guessed that this man likely came from a primitive world still ruled by barbarians.
The man stopped two meters from Merlin and Shen Ling'er, then locked eyes with Merlin, his gaze cold and filled with hatred.
"I'm not talking to you, buddy," he snapped, his tone dripping with hostility.
He then turned his attention back to Shen Ling'er, a lewd smile spreading across his face once again. "Pretty lady, I'm captivated by your beauty. You're the most stunning woman I've ever seen."
"How about becoming my concubine? Don't worry, I'll ensure your safety. Anyone who dares to harm you, I'll kill them. Plus, I promise you'll be one of the winners in this test, and we can go to the Altheran world together!"
He spoke shamelessly, his words laced with pride and arrogance, as though he believed he was destined to win this test.
At his boastful words, the few bystanders were momentarily stunned, then sneered in disbelief.
In this test, the chances of surviving—of being one of the ten who made it—were barely two percent, almost as unlikely as being hit by bird droppings on a leisurely walk.
They couldn't understand where the bald, burly man found the confidence to speak so boldly.
Nonetheless, they said nothing, watching with keen interest, eager to see what would unfold next.
Meanwhile, Shen Ling'er, hearing the burly man's words, couldn't hide the fear that clearly showed on her beautiful face.
"I don't want to be your concubine..." she replied nervously, slowly retreating behind Merlin's back.
As she looked up at his tall, broad back, she felt a sense of safety and instinctively pressed herself closer to him.
At Shen Ling'er's rejection, the burly man's face immediately flushed with anger.
"What did you say? You don't want to?" He shouted, his voice booming and only intensifying Shen Ling'er's fear.
"Enough!" Merlin interrupted coldly, his gaze sharp and filled with killing intent. "Since she doesn't want your offer, don't you dare force her. If you do, don't blame me for acting violently."
Although Merlin always appeared cautious and calm, that didn't mean he was incapable of being ruthless and aggressive when needed.
Shen Ling'er possessed extraordinary talents, and Merlin had chosen her as an investment to help him build power in the Altheran world.
Furthermore, as Shen Ling'er's big brother, and to strengthen her dependence on him, he would naturally protect her and ensure no one dared to harm her.
The burly man's anger flared even more at Merlin's words, his eyes burning with hatred as he glared at him.
"Damn it! You're just a man with nothing but a handsome face!" he roared, his voice dripping with contempt.
By Merlin's striking appearance, the burly man clearly recognized him. Merlin was the one who had asked the final question in the hall, and because of that, his plan to eliminate the other participants in this test had been canceled.
As a result, the burly man harbored intense hatred and hostility toward Merlin. Now, with Merlin openly threatening him in front of everyone, he felt both furious and deeply insulted.
Clenching his right fist, the burly man suddenly pulled his leg back and launched a powerful punch aimed straight at Merlin's lower jaw.
Upon seeing that, everyone's expressions immediately shifted. They hadn't expected the burly man to be bold enough to throw a punch at Merlin.
Moreover, the punch appeared incredibly powerful, leaving them wondering if Merlin would have time to react.
In response, Merlin swiftly raised his right hand, and with a sharp thud, he effortlessly blocked the punch.
Shocked that his punch had been blocked so easily, the burly man immediately tried to pull his hand away, but couldn't!
Merlin tightened his grip, and an excruciating pain shot through the man's body.
"Ahhh!" The burly man screamed, his face flushing red with pain. "That really hurts! Damn it! Let go!"
Merlin's grip felt like an iron vice, crushing his bones with relentless force.
The man struggled desperately, begging for release, but Merlin ignored him, only tightening his grip further, causing the man's screams to grow louder.
Merlin smiled coldly, a look of disdain on his face as he whispered, "Status."
[Status]
[—Name—: Daniel Gruvord]
[—Age—: 36 years old]
[—Traits/Characteristics—: Brave, Hot-tempered, Values Strength Above All, Cruel, Favors Beautiful Women, Despises the Weak]
[—Title—: -]
[—Level/XP—: 2 (200/400)]
[—HP/Mana—: 850/170]
[—Class—: -]
[—Attributes/Talents—: 21 LCK (Unique), 23 INT (Unique), 15 CHA (Common), 35 AGT (Unique), 36 VIT (Unique), 32 END (Unique), 44 STA (Epic)]
[—Skills—: Rage (Unique)]
[—Items—: -]
In an instant, the man's status panel appeared before Merlin. As he read it, the dismissive smile on his lips grew wider.
"Pufft! This guy only has [Epic] talent in [STA], and the rest are all [Unique]—how disgusting," Merlin muttered, shaking his head slightly.
He closed the panel, looked back at the burly man, and released his grip, pushing him slightly.
The burly man's body instantly toppled, and before he could react, Merlin kicked him squarely in the face.
"Pfft!" The kick sent his body flying several meters, causing him to roll across the ground in a pitiful heap.
"If it weren't for the restriction on killing, I would have tortured you until you regretted your life," Merlin said coldly, his tone laced with menace.
The burly man's body trembled violently, fear flashing in his eyes as he stared at Merlin. Without another word, he quickly scrambled to his feet and backed away from Merlin and Shen Ling'er.
The onlookers watched in stunned silence, their eyes wide with shock and fear.
They hadn't expected Merlin to be so powerful, reducing the towering, burly man to a helpless mess.
At the same time, their wariness toward Merlin grew, and they began to see him as a serious threat.
Merlin ignored their cautious gazes and turned his attention to Shen Ling'er behind him.
"Alright, don't worry. I've already dealt with that wicked man," Merlin said softly, gently patting her head.
Shen Ling'er let out a relieved sigh, and at the same time, her admiration and trust in Merlin grew immensely.
"Thank you for your help, Brother Merlin! You're truly amazing!" Shen Ling'er exclaimed, her face lighting up with a wide smile.
Merlin chuckled and replied calmly, "You're welcome, Shen Ling'er. As long as I'm here, you have nothing to fear. I'll always protect you."
"Um!" Shen Ling'er nodded eagerly, her eyes sparkling with joy.
Merlin offered a warm smile, but inwardly, he couldn't help but laugh.
"Hahaha! I didn't expect my hypnotic skill could be used like this. I'm really lucky to have such a skill," Merlin muttered to himself, a wicked grin spreading across his face.
In truth, the entire scene had been carefully orchestrated by him, and he was certain no one had ever conceived of such a plan.
By using his newly acquired hypnotic skill, he had subtly brainwashed the burly man earlier, casting him as the villain in this drama. The outcome was exactly as he had anticipated.
Not only had Shen Ling'er's trust and dependence on him grown significantly, but he had also caught the attention of Sherlin from afar.
With a faint smile still playing on his lips, Merlin glanced to the left and noticed Sherlin's gaze fixed firmly on him.
Quickly averting his eyes, Merlin whispered softly, "It won't be long before Sherlin falls into my hands... hehehe..."