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"A pass to the Neutral Zone? Can\'t only the owner of Void create passes?" Wain asked.

"I have my ways, but I have few such passes, and I can only give you one. If you refuse now, I won\'t offer any more. If you say yes and the old man kicks you out of his zone, you won\'t get to him again, but no one can help you like he can." Sven said weakly smiling.

"How much does it cost?"

"Not at all, or rather the price will not be in souls. In return, I want you to owe me one request. I don\'t know what yet, but you will have to help me if possible."

Wain frowned. He didn\'t like being in debt, it was fraught with problems, but Wain understood this was a unique opportunity.

He had only found one neutral zone all along, this bar. Wain wanted to visit other places like this because their owners were unique individuals. Sven was the most mysterious and powerful person Wain had ever met.

"Okay, I\'ll take you up on your offer." Wain murmured and took the shard.

"You\'re a pleasure to do business with, as always."

"Hmm? We\'re not going to make any contracts?"

"No, I\'m sure you\'ll keep your word, and so will I. Words and oaths are very important in this world, but you\'d better ask the old man about that. See you later."

Wain nodded and headed for the exit.

He hit a spatial rift and used the pass. The crystal took off and disappeared into the darkness. An iron, rusted door with several chains appeared in that place.

Wain struggled to open the door. He applied all his strength, and it felt as if he were trying to move a mountain.

\'I should have gone back to the island, but if I stay a bit longer and learn more about the powers of this world, it won\'t hurt anyone.\' Wain thought as he opened the door.

Behind it was a dark portal that engulfed Wain.

...

Wain found himself in what looked like an abandoned dungeon. Many cells were locked, chains and shackles scattered across the floor, and a few dim torches hung on the walls.

The atmosphere in this place was eerie and lonely. Even the most vicious and violent crime would go mad in such a place.

Wain strolled forward, looking around carefully. The dungeon was much different from the calm and cozy bar. Wain thought all neutral zones were alike, but he was sorely mistaken.

Clang.

In the distance, there was a muffled sound of thumping. It was coming from the dark tunnel at the end of the dungeon. Wain saw an old man of medium height beating a strange mannequin out of chains. It was breaking into many pieces but then coming together.

The old man snapped his finger as if he were controlling the process each time before.

Wain grew wary; he didn\'t know what to expect.

"Come in, don\'t be afraid." The old man said without even turning around.

The old man was dressed in shabby clothes like a criminal. His hands were shackled with torn chains. His eyes were green, and his hair was gray. Although he was old, he was quite muscular, and his skin was not flabby.

\'Did he notice me? Hmm, that\'s interesting.\' Wain thought and stepped forward.

"I don\'t know who sent you to me, but go away. I have no desire to waste my time on some brats." The old man uttered and delivered a powerful blow to the dummies.

It was so fast that it exceeded the speed of sound, and the dummy was shattered into small shards.

"Well... Sven was right when he talked about you."

"What did you say? Are you here from Sven?" The old man\'s voice changed slightly.

"Yes. He gave me an invitation to this area and said this is where I would meet the crazy old man. So far, it\'s just as he said."

Wain doubted whether he should have agreed to Sven\'s offer, but after seeing the old man\'s punch, he was convinced that Sven always advises only the best. Wain understood that the old man and Sven were many times stronger than he was, but Sven, unlike the old man, would not teach him anything. It wasn\'t in his line of work.

"Hahahahaha, Sven, that sly boy always has something to surprise me. You\'re a pretty interesting guy. It\'s not often you meet people whose Soul Altars I can\'t see. Okay, what do you want from me?"

\'Was he trying to see my Main Soul? Hell, I didn\'t even notice anything. I need to be more careful. He\'s not Sven, and he could kill me at any time if he wanted to.\'

"I want to identify my Martial Essence."

"Ah, I see. You just became a Second Chronicle. Well, I met that problem once, too. Though Sven sent you, I refuse." The old man waved his hand and turned around.

"What? Why?"

"It\'s too boring. You\'ll determine your Martial Essence without my involvement. Sure, it\'ll take longer, but it\'s an intuitive process. I have no desire to waste my time on it."

Wain was a young man who didn\'t know what he wanted from the old man. Wain wasn\'t used to being treated this way, which made him angry. He didn\'t mind learning something new, but he wouldn\'t put up with being put in anything.

"You don\'t want to waste your time? Like you\'re busy doing something important. Judging by your scruffy look, you\'ve been hitting that dummy for days and practicing the same technique. No man has as much free time as you do!"

The old man drew his eyebrows together and said slowly, "What\'s your name?"

"Wain, that\'s enough."

The old man nodded, "Osvald. Wain, you\'re unfortunately right about something. I\'ve been really bored lately, but peace and quiet are better than teaching someone you don\'t know. I\'ll give you a chance, we\'ll fight, and if you can stand a full minute against me and not fall, I\'ll share my wisdom with you."

"When do we start?" Wain was serious.

Osvald smiled, "Now."

Whooooooosh.

His silhouette blurred, and he was in front of Wain.