Clyde felt various feelings in his heart that were churning like waves in a stormy sea. All those feelings are a mix of rage, pain, and disappointment.
Most of it was Clyde blaming himself for how stupid he was. He should never let his guard down one bit.
He even had his suspicions about the Regressors and thought that Rodney and company might still have something he was hiding.
But during this chaotic situation between life and death, Clyde lost his sense of vigilance. So he let his guard down and let Rodney stab him in the back like an idiot!
Clyde gritted his teeth. The blood that came out of the damaged organs filled his teeth and dripped out of his mouth.
Clde's eyes were red like blood. Staring at Rodney who was talking to the other Regressors. If he was an ordinary human he would be dead by now because he was sure Rodney's sword had stabbed through his heart.
"Why do we have to kill him? Weren't we still able to get a good grade even though he's still alive?" Reed asked. He still couldn't believe it and couldn't accept that they had to kill the people who had fought alongside them.
"I know a few things at this Selection Stage," said Rodney. "We will only be at the lowest level when we arrive in the next world. We will only be slaves.
Only by being the best can we get rewards and the best positions. No rule forbids us from killing to get the best Grade."
"But-"
Reed's words were cut off by Rodney sharply.
"Do you want to become a slave after going through all that suffering over and over again?!" Rodney said. "There are Celestials who came to see me. He said, if we kill the Players who are most likely to get the highest Grade together, we will get his achievement. You can get the reward you want with that!"
Reed, Eric, and Mona were silent and pondering about what Rodney had said. Meanwhile, Clyde lunged at Rodney.
*CLANG!*
The Elderglass Sword's blade collided with Rodney's blade and created a spark.
The dark red lightning had indeed lost more power than before. However, for Rodney, it turned out that Clyde's strength, which had weakened considerably, was still quite difficult to overcome.
Clyde snarled like a cornered beast. Its bloodshot red eyes could only see Rodney as its prey.
Yet, Rodney didn't look scared. Instead, he grinned at Clyde.
"Do you feel vengeance? I know you just want to use us too. But who would have thought, if it turns out you're the one I'm using," said Rodney?
Then Rodney kicked Clyde in the stomach causing him to be thrown backward. But, without the slightest pause, Clyde shot back toward Rodney.
*CLANG!*
However, Clyde hit a light shield that he was familiar with.
It was Eric. He stood between Rodney and him. He looked at Clyde from behind his light shield.
Apparently, they had agreed to help. Clyde even forgot about their existence for a moment as his mind was filled with rage toward Rodney.
Mona came not long after slashing her sword. Clyde, who was late to notice her arrival, immediately jumped away.
"Blergh!"
Clyde spat out thick blood from his mouth. Indicates that his condition is now getting worse. Despair suddenly fell on him.
"Good," Rodney said to his friends. Then he noticed Reed who was still silent in his place. Pondering whether to attack or not.
"Reed! What else do you need to think about?!" Rodney asked impatiently. "You know you have no other choice."
Reed looked at him. Rodney's tone and gaze started to look threatening. Somehow, Reed had a feeling that he would be shunned from this group if he didn't act.
Reed gritted his teeth. He felt that now he was caught between the abyss that would swallow him and the monsters that would tear him apart.
"There's no time. Make your decision now!" Rodney said.
Reed groaned. Then gripped his sword tightly as if he might crack the hilt.
Reed ran and approached Rodney. "Let's fucking do this, Rodney. And I hope this is a good decision."
Rodney grinned at him. "It is a good decision."
Clyde now saw that they had all decided to attack him together. He was about to face four high-level Regressors with depleted Magic Power and heavily injured bodies.
Clyde couldn't imagine a worse situation than the current one. Could it be that everything he has done until now will end up in vain with his death?
Rodney lunged before Clyde could overcome the despair that suddenly crushed him. He thrust the sword with all his might but Clyde was still able to parry it.
But Clyde saw Rodney grin. He knew that his friends would come and Clyde's resistance would be meaningless.
Reed came and immediately swung his sword. Clyde was forced to move the Elderglass Sword to block Reed's blade.
Suddenly the lightning around Clyde's body disappeared. Indicates that there is no longer enough Magic Power to maintain the lightning.
Mona came soon after and slashed Clyde's shoulder which was not protected by his black coat.
*CRAATT!*
Eric came a moment later and bash Clyde's face from the side with his shield.
*BUAGH!*
Clyde was thrown to the ground and rolled over. Rodney felt that now he had won. Clyde was unable to get up after the attack. He also vomited more blood from his mouth.
Rodney walked towards Clyde while rotating his sword. "Where is the mighty Clyde now?"
Clyde wanted to reply to his words. But he has no more energy for it. He didn't even have the energy to lift his head.
Clyde's vision was getting blurrier and darker. He felt the fear of death so certain. Clyde couldn't even hear anything after Rodney's voice just now.
He could only see that there was a flash of blue lightning in the corner of his eye.
It was Rosie. She came swinging the hammer covered in lightning.
Rodney was taken aback. But he was not too late to block the hammer with his sword. But Rosie immediately increased the volume of her lightning so that it struck Rodney.
Rosie then punched Rodney causing him to be pushed backward.
Not only Rosie who came. Leon, Albert, Wiley, and Lola also came to that place. Even if they don't look well.
After getting pressure from the Outer God, it's impressive for them to be able to survive and be able to stand up.
It was possible because of the items they got from the Night Quest that they took the night before.
Those items really couldn't make them face the Outer God. However, it can make them live and survive well.
Then, with Lola's precognition ability, they knew what was going to happen and rushed here.
Wiley fired his blow dart which immediately stuck a poison-filled dart into Eric's thigh.
Albert and Leon also immediately followed Rosie to face them.
"Who the fuck are you?!" Rodney looks furious. He didn't know where these people had come from and why they had decided to jump in to help Clyde.
"We're just people who happened to receive help from that young man," said Leon.
Rodney gritted his teeth. "You guys made a big mistake. You should be able to stay quiet and enjoy what you got after this."
"Why did you betray your friend?" Rosie asked with obvious anger. She didn't bother to reply to Rodney's words.
Rodney snorted. "Friend? You don't know anything."
"What should we do now?" Reed asked, anxious.
"You still ask?" Rodney asked in disbelief. "We fucking kill them too! What can they do anyway? Their levels must be way lower than ours."
What Rodney said was of course true. Leon, Rosie, and Albert, who heard it, couldn't help but the feeling of fear that started to rise in their guts. They understood their strength and knew that they couldn't overcome the Regressors.
So, their real plan is to take Clyde away from here. Even though the chances of Clyde still being alive were slim and they didn't know where to run to, they couldn't just let him die.
Rodney charged first and sent a sword slash toward them. Leon stepped forward and used his short sword to counter the sword slash.
"Urgh!"
Rodney's attacks proved very difficult for him to deal with. But then Albert came and used his daggers to throw the sword slash up.
Rodney approached with Mona and Reed. They swung their swords with the aim of killing so now an unequal battle was going on.
Meanwhile, Lola is trying to do everything she can to keep Clyde alive. However, she doesn't have any healing skills.
"What should I do?" Sonya muttered frantically. She saw Clyde's eyes closing and his breath fading. The wound on his chest was very worrying.
Then, Sonya remembers that she still has something. She took the orb from her Inventory. The orange orb released a thin glow in her hand.
~~~
