-339- [ Titan's Hand ]

"You... You are..."

Seeing the person walking out from the nearby trees, Silica couldn't help but be surprised.

With fiery crimson hair, bright red lips, and clad in glossy black enamel leather armor, wielding a slender cross spear with one hand, it was a female figure.

This person was the one from the shield and sword user's team that had invited Silica to join earlier, the spear-user who had seemed bored and stayed at the rear.

"So it's you?"

Rozen also raised an eyebrow.

However, Rozen wasn't surprised at all.

"Should I call you Miss Rosalia or is it better to address you as the guild leader of the Orange Guild 'Titan's Hand'?"

With these words, Rozen made Silica slightly bewildered and also caught the other person off guard.

"Ho?" Rosalia narrowed her eyes, curling her lips into a mocking smile, as if she wanted to showcase her sarcasm. She said, "So you recognized me?"

For this question, Rozen naturally affirmed it.

"Though I haven't seen you before, your 'Titan's Hand' is quite notorious. A criminal guild that primarily preys on mid-level players, you've killed countless players for rare items and money. If it weren't for your specific purpose targeting players' wealth rather than just killing for fun, you could easily be categorized as a red-name guild."

Rozen said this with an indifferent tone, evoking various reactions from the two players present.

"A... a guild that kills...!?"

Silica covered her mouth, shocked, as she looked at Rosalia.

Clearly, Silica hadn't expected to encounter such a terrifying presence.

"...Looks like I underestimated you. Even if you're just a member of 'Crimson Wing,' you're ultimately from the strongest guild," Rosalia retorted with a sarcastic tone, though her smile momentarily disappeared before returning, dripping with sarcasm.

"But even if you recognize me, what difference does it make? Can you change the current situation?"

As she spoke, Rosalia snapped her fingers.

In the next instant, players started emerging from the thickets on either side of her.

These players were collectively adorned with orange names, signifying their criminal status.

These orange-name players were bedecked in silver jewelry and offhand gear, dressed in elaborate attire that masked their true nature as thieves. Apart from Rosalia, they were all male.

These male players with orange names all wore malicious smirks and unfriendly expressions as they gathered around Rosalia, the lone player with a green name.

Clearly, these players were members of the 'Titan's Hand' guild, true criminals.

The reason Rosalia, as the guild leader, still had a green name was already mentioned before—she was infiltrating the towns, seeking suitable targets, luring them outside the safe zone, and then having her guild members ambush and eliminate them.

This was also why Rosalia had joined the team of that shield-sword user.

She definitely saw them as her prey, a pitiful sacrifice to be devoured soon.

However, Rosalia had seemingly changed her mind now.

"Compared to a mid-level player team, players from the strongest guild are undoubtedly fatter prey. Even if they're just insignificant lackeys, they've come to the lower floors to gather weapon materials and possibly even a player who were focused on crafting. They must be carrying a lot of guild resources on them, right?"

Rosalia licked her lips, revealing a sadistic smile.

"Having such fat prey come to me willingly and even inviting a useless little girl to venture into this labyrinth forest, isn't this basically telling me that I can eat them whenever I want?"

As she spoke, Rosalia's smile became increasingly brutal. Her demeanor oozed cruelty, signaling to everyone that this orange-name guild leader had no intention of letting the young man and girl in front of her escape.

Not only Rosalia, even each member of 'Titan's Hand' guild were displaying sinister smiles, exuding a cruel aura.

—"They will be killed."

Silica recognized this.

However, Rozen's face remained indifferent throughout, with a hint of ripples in his gaze as he stared at Rosalia.

That expression was akin to watching a pathetic little creature jump around.

And then, Rozen said this:

"Don't you think these conditions are rather too favorable, Miss Rosalia?"

Rosalia's brutal smile faltered for a moment.

But this is the truth. Being willingly offered as prey, unable to escape, unable to send messages, seek help, or even reveal the identity of the perpetrator to have the guild avenge you—can these conditions really just be described as favorable?

Even if it were designed by Rosalia herself, it could be considered.

The problem is that all these favorable conditions were not designed by Rosalia herself, but were created by what she referred to as the 'fat prey.'

In other words...

"To be able to lure you out this easily, it's both unexpected and within expectations."

Rozen smiled at Rosalia like this.

"Though, I originally planned to reveal my presence at the Wind Rooster Pavilion and lure you out, I never expected it to go so smoothly. I thought it would take more effort, but who knew this would be even easier than imagined."

This was why Rozen had raised his hand in front of so many people at the Wind Rooster Pavilion, expressing his desire to team up with Silica.

As long as he displayed his guild affiliation and showed himself as a crafting player carrying precious resources, these orange-name guild members, who were willing to commit crimes for wealth, wouldn't hesitate.

In other words, Rozen's initial goal was merely to showcase himself. Teaming up with Silica was just a spontaneous change of plan.

Rosalia didn't know this truth.

Naturally, Silica was even more clueless.

However, both of them could sense the complexity of the situation from Rozen's demeanor and words.

"You...you little...!?"

Rosalia was about to say something but was interrupted by Rozen's next action.

"Swish..."

With a crisp sound, Rozen drew a one-handed sword.

It wasn't the basic one he had used when he fought the Drunk Apes with Silica earlier; this was Rozen's main weapon now.

"Silica, wait for me here and don't move."

Rozen instructed Silica.

"I...I understand..."

Silica subconsciously nodded her head.

With that, Rozen smiled faintly and walked forward.

The laid-back atmosphere around him began to change.