He took the script of an exorcism legend, but became the number one anti-fraud expert.

The thick white fog was no longer impenetrable, and Benjamin's pupils began to contract.

His vision shifted from far to near, and the roaring in his ears gradually subsided.

The sense of touch in my limbs returned, and my physical condition was almost back to the beginning of my life.

The pulse became regular and strong.

Holding his breath, Benjamin sat up.

The fish-man's already prominent eyes became even more distinct; Benjamin even suspected those eyes were about to pop out.

They suddenly retreated, weapons raised, warily facing Benjamin.

The merman holding the cane stopped flapping his cheeks.

Everything returned to calm.

Benjamin's gaze swept over the three people beside him; all of them except Abby had fainted.

Pete didn't actually turn into ice cream, and John didn't catch fire.

Was it all just an illusion?

Benjamin was brimming with power. He stood up, and a white light flashed in his peripheral vision, more dazzling than sunlight filtering through the white mist.

Look at your hands,

Have I become an angel? Why is there such a bright, white light swirling around the edge of my palm?

The light continued to spread... along the wrist and arm.

It was also on the shoulders, and then on the top of the head; it was very bright.

*Clang! Ring!*

[Benjamin's Grit Test Successfully Confirms Virtue]

[Awakening to the first virtue in life—fearlessness!]

Fearless

So this is what virtue tastes like.

He pulled the flintlock pistol from his waist.

"Mr. Hord! You..."

Abby was speechless; it was the first time he had ever seen such a scene, and his speech was slurred.

But in that moment of distraction, Benjamin's incredibly sensitive features seemed to come together.

Warn him that there is danger ahead!

A dark shadow flashed by, accompanied by a violent gust of wind.

The giant mermaid raised its round shield and smashed it down on Benjamin's head with its sharpest edge!

'Bang!'

Almost instinctively, Benjamin immediately took a half step back and then fired a follow-up shot.

The giant mermaid was unable to defend itself; Benjamin's speed was terrifying to it.

How could a normal human being react so quickly?

"Snap!" That was the crisp sound of a bullet piercing delicate, smooth skin.

The merman, lacking the protection of a round shield, was struck by a bullet at close range and hastily retreated.

The pebbles on the ground were covered with blue liquid.

It worked!

The fishman was injured.

But the excitement didn't last more than a few seconds before the clanging of chains came from the side.

Benjamin immediately lunged to the side, and a tremendous thud echoed from the ground.

Gravel was sent flying high into the air.

If I couldn't dodge in time, I'd probably be torn to pieces.

What terrifying power!

The mermen gave Benjamin no chance to breathe, attacking relentlessly.

One moment it's a harpoon, then a shield, and then chains.

The little fishman holding the cane began to chant, and Benjamin had no time to deal with it.

Abby finally lost his temper, and as his consciousness faded, he raised John's gun and pointed it at the little fishman...

'Bang!'

As luck would have it, Abby, who was handling a gun for the first time and didn't even know how to cock it, actually hit the target.

The merman dropped his cane, clutched his chest, and made a creaking sound of surprise.

*Thump.* The fishman fell to the ground.

The other three merfolk were stunned. They hadn't expected that this dark-skinned man could withstand the piercing chant for such a short time.

Benjamin took the opportunity to quickly reload and chamber a round...

He raised his gun, aimed it at the fishman holding the chain, and was about to pull the trigger.

"Gah!"

Suddenly, another figure rushed out of the fog.

It's a little fishman!

Then, countless figures darted out.

Oops!

There was no time to spare; Benjamin didn't even have a chance to fire.

If it weren't for my heightened senses and my body being in a state of extreme excitement, I probably would have been ambushed long ago!

As Benjamin gradually adapts to the power that virtue gives him, he is able to dodge and retaliate.

But it was still like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

At this moment, he finally realized...

He may have awakened to virtue, but he doesn't understand combat, let alone combat skills!

Having no professional training, I didn't even know how to use the weapons.

If this continues, even with virtue, it probably won't last long.

calm.....

This damn flintlock pistol can only fire one shot at a time, and it's full of openings during the reload interval. We need other weapons.

He pondered, groping and dodging as he went.

Finally, he touched something sharp.

A little fish-man leaped up and pounced head-on at Benjamin.

This time, instead of dodging, he pulled out the dagger he had prepared in advance to reclaim his property from the monastery!

"Swish!"

A tremendous pulling sensation came from my palm, and the little fishman in front of me was pulled and dragged to the side.

Large patches of blue liquid spread across the ground.

This strike thrilled Benjamin, giving him a sense of accomplishment.

but,

Just as he was feeling smug, his facial features seemed to vibrate wildly, a sudden gust of wind coming from his side.

It was a shield. That damned murloc charged at Benjamin while he wasn't looking.

There was no time to dodge.

Benjamin bent down, tensed his thigh muscles with all his might, and instinctively leaped up in the direction he was facing.

*Thump!*

A muffled thud followed, and Benjamin was thrown into the air.

The pain in his arm was excruciating, as if it had been dislocated. Luckily, he had just released the force, otherwise the blow might have killed him!

hateful,

Even so, he didn't give up and quickly got up.

Perhaps this is the effect of virtue; he is not afraid of the oppressive feeling of being in dire straits.

but,

What should we do?

Just then, an unfamiliar voice entered his mind.

"Would you like me to teach you how to use this power?"

"....."

His voice was deep, yet it conveyed an unquestionable sense of trust.

This isn't a log; logs can't speak.

Benjamin patted his temples, trying to break the illusion.

power?

Is it referring to virtue?

"Who are you?"

Taking advantage of the distance between himself and the fishman, Benjamin started running, looking around to see if anyone was playing tricks.

"Let me take over your body and teach you how to use this power."

Take over the body? Are you kidding me?

What kind of pretentious act is this? Benjamin feels like he's seen this kind of plot somewhere before in his past life.

"Gah—!"

Hearing footsteps, the fishmen burst out of the mist and quickly gave chase.

At the same time, a chain came crashing down.

Benjamin could only barely dodge with a contorted movement, rolling once on the ground.

Even with the awakening of virtue, Benjamin, lacking physical strength, profession, and combat skills, seemed to have no chance of victory. The owner of the mysterious voice in his mind seemed to be an ancient soul.

He would choose...

[Virtue: My fate is in my own hands, not in the heavens; I forge my own path through blood and fire, +50%]

[Torture: Give up the struggle, witness the combat skills from ancient heroes, and learn from them, +50%]

Ancient heroes?!

Are you kidding me?

Benjamin's face trembled as he hesitated.

The giant fish-man's figure burst out of the mist and crashed straight into Benjamin.

Oh no!

Screw it!

"take over!"

"..."

In his moment of crisis, Benjamin accepted the mysterious man's spirit, knowing he had no chance of winning, even with the awakening of virtue.

[Torment: Nutrient accumulation progress: 102%]

A feeling of suffocation washed over me, and everything around me became quiet.

Time seemed to freeze; Benjamin could almost see the round shield about to strike his cheek.

He closed his eyes.

His consciousness was being pulled away, and his gaze followed it frantically.

It crossed the coastline at a speed of one kilometer per second, then plunged into a reef.

At the end of the reef was a cave. Entering the cave, it was pitch black inside.

The cave walls are covered in glowing stones. You occasionally encounter merman monsters, even a gigantic creature covered in tentacles, and then a group of repulsive, rotting sea monsters...

They were howling and roaring inside the cave.

But Benjamin's consciousness ignored him and continued traversing the cave until he reached a completely dark end.

Suddenly, there was a pause.

It was a dead end. Just as Benjamin was at a loss, his gaze suddenly met the cave wall.

He was startled; heaven knows how long he had been burrowing in that underground level.

Until the vision cleared again, what lay before me was a jumbled mass of boulders.

He knew he was still underground, but this didn't seem to be a cave.

It was a grave.

In the center, atop a pile of rubble, sits a stone coffin, while above, the cave is bathed in direct sunlight streaming through a beam of light from an opening.

The place was filled with the sound of dripping water and the swift undercurrents.

Benjamin's consciousness acted again, uncontrollably moving above the sarcophagus.

Just as he was puzzled and unable to look around,

The lid of the stone coffin rattled, and dust billowed out.

Benjamin heard the sound of the coffin being opened, and as he stared intently at it...

Inside the coffin was a skeleton; suddenly, its eye bones glowed.

Suddenly staring at Benjamin's consciousness,

Benjamin was terrified and unable to look away, and was thus forcibly dragged into the stone coffin...