"Is... is your team capable of handling the threats of Deadwood Pass?" the merchant finally asked, his voiceced with uncertainty. "I''ve heard many stories about that ce... rogue Awakeners, bandits, and mercenaries. It''s no simple task, you know."


    His assistant nodded in agreement, her lips pressed into a thin line as her eyes flicked toward the darkening horizon. "We''ve had escorts before," she added, "but they were usually seasoned veterans. You seem... younger."


    I could feel the weight of their expectations, or rather, theirck of faith. I understood where they wereing from. Escorting a merchant through one of the most dangerous paths around was no easy feat, and here I was, barely looking the part of apetent leader.


    I leaned backfortably, my eyes meeting theirs with calm confidence.


    "No, we can''t, at all."


    Their reactions were immediate. The merchant''s eyes widened in disbelief, while his assistant blinked several times as if she hadn''t quite heard me correctly.


    "Eh?" The merchant leaned forward slightly, his brows furrowing in confusion. His assistant looked at me with the same dumbfounded expression, clearly taken aback by my bluntness.


    "You... can''t?" she stammered, exchanging a nce with the merchant. It was as if the words hadn''t processed properly, like they couldn''tprehend how I could say something like that so casually.


    I couldn''t help but smirk at their reactions. Their confusion was palpable, and frankly, it amused me. It wasn''t every day that someone got to y with expectations like this.


    The merchant straightened his back, trying to regain hisposure. "I don''t understand. You epted this mission, didn''t you? How—"


    "Rx." I waved off his concerns with azy hand, my tone calm and easygoing. "It was a joke."


    They both stared at me, still looking bewildered. I couldn''t help but chuckle softly at their confusion.


    Before either of them could respond, a voice came from outside, sharp and clear.


    "We''re entering Deadwood Pass," Aria called from the front.


    The merchant and his assistant quickly turned toward the window, eager to catch a glimpse of the notorious pass they had been dreading. Through the small carriage window, thendscape shifted from the open road to the looming, jagged cliffs that marked the beginning of Deadwood Pass. The trees here were sparse, their branches twisted and gnarled as if thend itself was cursed.


    Shadows stretched long across the narrow trail, giving the pass a foreboding atmosphere.


    The assistant pressed her face against the window, her breath fogging up the ss slightly. "It''s even more eerie than I thought," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.


    The merchant shifted uneasily in his seat, his fingers gripping the edge of his cloak. "This ce has a reputation for a reason," he muttered. "Are you sure we''re prepared for—"


    I leaned back, closing my eyes as I settled into my seat. "We''ll be fine," I said, my tone light and casual. "Nothing happens in the first half of the pass. The bandits usually wait until the middle—more confined space, easier to set up an ambush. We''ve got time."


    The merchant nced at me skeptically, as if unsure whether I was being serious or just incredibly arrogant. His assistant continued to stare out the window, her fingers nervously fidgeting with the edge of her scarf.


    "You''re... very calm about all this," the merchant finally said, his tone cautious. "Most escorts would be on high alert by now."


    "That''s because they don''t understand the timing," I replied, keeping my eyes closed.


    The silence in the carriage stretched on as they both absorbed my words. I could feel their uncertainty, their doubt. But I wasn''t worried. My team was outside, watching every movement. Even if something unexpected happened, we have our radar - Ardel.


    For now, I might as well enjoy a moment of peace. After all, the real action wouldn''t start until we reached the middle of Deadwood Pass.


    Until then, it was just a waiting game.


    As for the second mission, we would do it before reaching the end of the pass, after we got out of this terrain.


    We will probably be attacked several times till then, so I can use the excuse of going from a safer path andplete the second mission on the premise of taking a rest.


    I wouldn''t have considered it before, doing the second mission.


    However, it all changed that day - the first week of ruin speedrunning.


    When that white light appeared.


    I studied it after returning and my initial guess about what it was seemed to be correct.


    Right, it was the Forbidden Light or its power I hadn''t been able to find for a long time. However, I hadn''t expected salvation toe in such a cliché way — the whole "power awakening in a moment of desperation" scenario.


    But thanks to it, I gained a new trump card. After experimenting and learning, I found out what I could do with it.


    My initial guess was right: it could protect me from a host of dangers — fear, curses, illusions, darkness, even corrupt emotions. That alone made it an invaluable defense, a kind of shield that no ordinary power could match.


    I called it "Radiant Shield."


    But the second aspect of it was what truly fascinated me. The Forbidden Light wasn''t just a passive defense. No, it had an offensive side too. I could emit a blinding surge of light, so powerful and so fast that it could stun enemies in an instant. That''s what I used when Gaston and his dark mercenaries ambushed me.


    "Bright," I called it, for simplicity''s sake. The technique could incapacitate anyone in its path. I watched them stumble blindly,pletely disoriented, giving me the upper hand. It was more than just a blinding light — it carried an overwhelming force that could disarm and disable without causing permanent harm. Useful, especially for situations like this.


    I leaned back again, a small smile creeping onto my lips as the carriage rattled along.


    But that wasn''t even the best part.


    I could share it. The Radiant Shield, I mean.


    I wasn''t sure at first if it was possible, but after some careful experimentation, I found that I could extend its protective aura to my teammates. It wasn''t as strong as when I used it on myself, but it was enough to give them an edge in situations where fear, darkness, or mental attacks might overwhelm them.


    It was a game-changer.


    And it might just make the second mission easier.


    I nced outside the window for a brief moment, watching as Deadwood Pass swallowed us deeper into its dark embrace. The cliffs loomed higher, casting shadows that seemed to stretch endlessly.


    The merchant and his assistant were still tense, whispering nervously to each other. They were unaware of the manyyers of preparation that went into these kinds of missions. To them, it must have seemed like we were walking straight into danger with nothing but reckless confidence.


    But I knew better.


    With the Forbidden Light Relic''s power and my sword, I had a trump card that could turn the tide in our favor. And my team? They were more than capable of handling whatever ambushes or threats came our way.


    The second mission — well, it didn''t seem nearly as impossible as it once had.


    I smiled quietly to myself, settling back into my seat once more.


    This might not be so difficult after all.


    But... Why do I feel like I''m setting up a g?


    ...


    Hope I''m overthinking as usual.