Before long, the group noticed that something was off with the camp... during the whole time they had been there, no monsters attacked them. Considering that the leader there had an orb that could make him an overlord in the future, perhaps he had some other relics, but then what would be the point of the guards?

As the trio of Terry, Rebecca, and Vanessa approached the walled camp, the tension in the air was palpable. The guards stationed on the walls quickly took notice of their presence, their weapons pointed at the newcomers with a mix of caution and readiness. The sight of armed guards, their expressions stern and alert, indicated that this was no ordinary camp.

Terry instinctively raised his arms in a gesture of surrender, his movements slow and deliberate to communicate that they were not a threat. His action was a universal sign of peace, an attempt to convey that they came in peace and sought no harm. However, the guards’ unwavering gazes and tightened grips on their weapons indicated that they were not taking any chances.

As they reached the gate, the guards remained vigilant, their eyes scanning the group for any signs of danger. Vanessa spoke, her voice carrying a calm and measured tone, explaining their purpose and the urgency of their arrival. She hoped her words would be enough to persuade the guards of their intentions, despite the suspicious circumstances.

"Mi nombre es Vanessa, y venimos en son de paz, solo queremos hablar con su líder por un breve momento," Vanessa said.

"... Are you all from the north? What do you want here?" A woman armed with a yellow spear asked without hiding much of her anger and mistrust.

"We are looking for some friends, and we believed that they came here," Terry replied. "Did ten people arrive here yesterday, or did they do something? We are here to solve that."

"No, not such group arrived yesterday," the woman replied. "If that is all, you should leave, we aren’t receiving people."

Terry looked at the woman once to get a good read out of her. Short brown hair, quite bulked and wearing light red armor. Her face also showed that she wasn’t up for discussion, so Terry wondered if he should just explode the gate in front of him. Still, before he could make his decision, the gate began to open by itself and soon the interior of the city was revealed alongside the image of a dark haired man walking with his hands on his back.

"You are too much on guard, Fernanda," the black haired man said. "Just denying the entrance of visitors like this won’t do when they asked for me. Besides, they could open the gate easily."

The dark haired man was wearing a dark robe, and while his clothes made him look a bit suspicious, he had a gentle smile on his face. He was either a very good actor or a very warm person.

"My name is Gustavo and I am the leader of this camp," The black haired man said. "We don’t have many camps around these parts, so we don’t have to split ourselves into guilds."

Terry’s keen observation didn’t go unnoticed, as he picked up on the possibility that the leader of the camp might have employed Telekinesis to open the gates.

Telekinesis, in the context of supernatural abilities, refers to the power to manipulate and control objects using only one’s mind, without the need for physical contact. Allowing individuals to move, lift, or manipulate objects at a distance through mental focus and concentration.

However, Terry’s intuition told him that there might be more to the leader’s abilities than just Telekinesis. The heavy gates of the camp appeared to be opened with ease, suggesting that the leader possessed a significant level of power beyond the typical capabilities of Telekinesis. It was as if there was another layer to their abilities that Terry was unable to discern just yet.

"I am Terry, these are Vaness and Rebecca," Terry said. "Still, maybe you already know us."

"Yeah, I know of you all," Gustavo said. "You have been moving around and closing portals. I wonder why you all are here."

"I guess playing dumb is useless with you, so there is no time to waste," Terry said. "Apparently, our friends were attacked by someone who apparently came to your camp after failing. Apparently, our friends came here to apparently come to talk to you to apparently hand over the assassin." 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

"That are a lot of apparentlys," Gustavo said while blinking. "You aren’t very sure of all this."

"I am not, since I didn’t see that with my own eyes," Terry replied. "Still, I can tell that you have a troublesome relic with you that can make you become what we are trying to fight. Do you understand that?"

Gustavo’s serious gaze bore into Terry, his eyes like keen blades of assessment. He couldn’t deny that he appreciated Terry’s straightforwardness and honesty, traits that were often rare and valuable in their line of work. Yet, there was a nagging suspicion that hovered in the back of his mind – was Terry’s candidness just an elaborate façade, masking deeper motives and intentions?

Knowing what he did about Terry’s history and reputation, Gustavo found himself torn between two conflicting notions. On one hand, Terry’s upfront manner seemed to align with his known personality, a warrior who didn’t mince words and faced challenges head-on. On the other hand, Gustavo couldn’t shake the feeling that Terry might be harboring something beneath the surface – a hidden agenda or strategy that eluded easy understanding.

It was a delicate dance of trust and skepticism. Gustavo appreciated that Terry’s demeanor cut through the usual pretense, but he couldn’t fully set aside the caution that came with his position as a leader, especially in the midst of such uncertain times. Terry’s reputation as a formidable fighter and hunter was well-established, but that didn’t mean there weren’t more complex layers to his character.