Hammer could only stare at the door where Clyde had left, his brow furrowed with questions. He didn't know what Clyde was going to do, but based on what he had done before, Hammer was sure that he didn't want to know more.
The Dwarf blacksmith felt that something significant had happened in the past few days. He didn't exactly know what it was, but Hammer was certain that Clyde was behind it. When he saw them emerge from the portal inside his workshop, he immediately knew they had just accomplished something significant.
Hammer shook his head, as if trying to dispel the curiosity he always felt when dealing with Clyde and his dangerous affairs.
"I'd better follow his request and stay out of his business."
Hammer began to examine Clyde's two exceptionally beautiful swords, storing incredible power. He still couldn't fathom where he had acquired a sword with a translucent blue blade that looked like ice or glass. Although the sword appeared fragile, Hammer could tell that it held immense, perhaps boundless, potential.
Hammer smiled. "Maybe... I'll add something to this sword."
And so, Hammer proceeded to do his job. There was a smile on his face because he felt excited at the thought of enhancing Clyde's sword to make it even more formidable.
~~~
After handing over his weapons to Hammer, Clyde felt that he needed to test his physical strength. He had to know how he could fight without using weapons.
Because of this, Clyde went ahead to the Ruin to carry out this testing. Through the portal in the middle of the city, he intended to enter the Ruin.
However, a familiar voice called out to him from behind, causing him to pause.
"Clyde! Where are you going?" Lola said as she ran up to him.
Clyde, who had been dealing with many problems lately, almost forgot about their existence. He rarely spoke to them, so he had almost forgotten about the people who had embarked on the Selection Stage with him, the people who had saved him.
"I'm going to the Ruin," Clyde replied matter-of-factly.
Lola stopped in front of him with a puzzled expression. "What for? Are you looking to level up again?"
"Well, yes," Clyde said. "Alone?"
"In a while, Albert, Leon, Wiley, and Rosa will be coming. We're planning to train in those vast plains."
"If you also want to train, why don't you just join me?" Clyde suggested.
"That's actually a great idea!" Lola said excitedly.
Not long after, all of her friends arrived. Clyde waited patiently. Spending time with them again felt refreshing amidst the pressure of the Celestials who would be hunting him.
Although he couldn't truly blend in and spend time with them like a friend, Clyde felt more at ease observing their progress. Someday, they might become his companions who would help him fight against the Celestials.
That moment might not be far off. Yes, Clyde hadn't thought about it before, but if he could make them strong enough, then they, along with Samuel's group, could be a great help for what awaited him in the future.
***
"You look great," Leon said.
"Thanks." Clyde nodded briefly. "Are you all ready?"
They all gave nods indicating that they were prepared. And so, Clyde attached his amulet to the portal, revealing a shattered world beyond it.
Clyde stepped into the portal first, and they followed, their hearts pounding.
~~~
The Ruins looked the same wherever they were. There was no discernible difference; they only saw ruins and death floating in the air or around them.
"Hey, Clyde. Are you sure you're not going to use any weapons?" Wiley asked.
"Yeah, don't worry about me," Clyde replied. His usual relaxed demeanor put them all at ease. Even without weapons, they were confident that he could fight better than them.
"Alright." Wiley shrugged his shoulders. Like the others, he believed that Clyde was stronger than him, even without his swords. "Where are the monsters, by the way?"
"I'm sure they'll show up soon. Just prepare your blowdart and your hiding place," Albert said with a sneering tone.
Wiley could sense the sarcasm in his voice. "What is that supposed to mean? Are you mocking me?" Wiley asked.
Albert shrugged. "I don't know. What I do know is that I'm not the one who likes to hide and run when a fight breaks out, then steal another person's kill."
Clyde could clearly sense that Albert was being sarcastic. It seemed that something had happened between the two of them while exploring the Ruin not long ago.
'Odd,' Clyde thought. 'This should be past the time when they bothered each other.'
Albert should know how Wiley fought. He wasn't a close combat fighter who would attack directly. As for him stealing kills, Clyde had anticipated that would happen when in a group with someone like Wiley.
"Stop it, guys. I don't want to hear your quarrels anymore. Let's hunt again for now. Then, you can go back to trying to kill each other once we return to the Fortress," Leon said.
Clyde smiled a little. And as usual, Leon made a good leader for them. If it were Clyde, he might simply let them kill each other.
Not long after, they felt the ground beneath them tremble. After that, a few meters in front of them, they could see a mound of earth rising, indicating something was about to surface from underground.
"That's your monster, Wiley!" Rosie said.
Wiley didn't respond. He immediately prepared his blowdart and channeled Mana into his weapon.
"Clyde, are you going to let us kill it like before?" Leon asked.
Clyde just shrugged. "I don't know. This monster might be too strong for you."
Finally, the creature emerged completely from the ground. It was a giant ground rat, enlarged by the influence of Mana to about three meters in size. Dozens of small crystals protruded from its body.
The giant ground rat stared at them with its dark green glowing eyes. It brandished its long claws and charged at them.
~~~
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