"Me?" I pointed at myself, bewildered.
"How could it be me?"
I was clearly out for the count. No way had I done any harm to him; however, there must have been more to this.
Clyseus shrugged and spoke.
"Maybe there are secrets you're hiding."
There were secrets I would conceal; it wasn't myself alone here. Clyseus was hiding more secrets than I did; it was a hunch, but I believed it. However, this secret he speaks of, I wasn't sure.
[Watcher 'Selfish Pig' wants to see your fight!]
Ignoring the watcher, I sat at the parapet. My body was still whacked out; I didn't have any rest to recover, and without recovery I wasn't sure if I would be able to face the monsters of the third game.
Fortunately, the third game will commence in two days. Within this reprieve, I had to make the ruse to deal with the monsters.
I glanced at Clyseus, standing with a smirk on his face, his eyes watching the sky shimmering with the stars and the crescent moon.
The night was the same as usual; the shadows of the night lurked near the buildings and the faint moonlight kept them from devouring everything.
I watched every dilapidated building to obliterate buildings and shops. On the piles of rubble was light guttering, and a group of people had gathered.
No, not in one place; several places were lit up. There was no electricity, which made people depend on wood or other sources.
I took a deep breath and spoke.
"In the morning, we were fighting, and now, staring into the world in Apocalypse."
Peering through my side, I glanced at the solemn expression of the Jin. It was strange; there was no telling what was on his mind.
"I already have apologized to your puny friends." He spoke.
I turned my head, eyes wide and my mouth twisted; I was incredulous. When I narrowed my eyes, he tilted his head.
"Are we good?" He stretched his hand.
I gazed at the metallic hand, the same tough hand that heaved me away without effort.
"I'm not sure what others have said, but I'm not believing the nonsense you're spouting."
Even if he's my friend, I spend my time with him. He was simultaneously not the same person. He was a character now, unpredictable, treacherous, and dangerous.
"Didn't I spare your friends? Come on, have some faith in me. Let us come together and fight side by side."
Seeing how dubious I was, Clyseus gave a resigned sigh and pulled his hand back.
"Whether you like it or not, I'm still joining you."
"Alright…"
Clyseus gave me a strange look, as if he was in disbelief. There was no way to let a monster in my team but right now, I needed tremendous strength on my side.
To keep him at bay, I needed to find a way to restrict him.
"However, we will sign an oath."
Suddenly, Clyseus winced as if he knew what I was talking about. There was a way to keep people from turning into a vigorous being.
Mostly it was great for treacherous people like him.
"Fine."
To sign an oath, we needed witnesses. Watchers were the ideal, but the real cad had his ears pricked up long ago.
Clearing his throat, Zaradus manifested in the air.
[I have heard an intriguing conversation. Mind if a join in.]
Of course he could. The real witness was basically my key card for the future plans.
For now, I didn't have the required ploy to lodge him under my foot but when the time will arrive…
"Wouldn't that be wise?" My mocking eyes turned to Clyseus; his expression hardened.
Everyone had their own secret weapon, you know, and they needed to use it wisely. The monsters weren't the ones we will fight in the games; the real ones are outside the games.
"You have some wits." Quoth Clyseus, annoyed.
[Time for the oath.]
The tiny finger of the Crospeya lit up and a parchment floated in the air. The text written in it was magically glowing.
[Write your condition: 3 maximums]
I wrote my condition and Clyseus read it, his brows twisted irately. Honestly, it was gratifying to look at him.
He grumbled in a low voice and signed.
However, there was a condition for me as well. Trying to kill Clyseus will also lead to my own demise, which apparently was still negligible.
Furthermore, I can't stop him from joining my party and lastly, I can't ask him about his secrets.
They were plain conditions and yet at the same time gave me an ominous feeling.
[The result of breaking the conditions is death.]
One problem solved, I thought.
"Should we get off? Or you have something more" I said.
[Watcher 'Kind Devil' wants to see justice!]
[Watcher 'Selfish Pig' wants a fight between you two.]
Seeing how childish these two are, I realized how annoying it actually is. Perhaps my novels never succeed because of my own faults.
Maybe I never saw anything through a real vision; it was all a self-believed rational vision.
[Watcher 'The Entity of Arcane' is questioning what the next game about?]
Getting excited Zaradus said.
[Dear Watchers, the next game would indeed be exciting unlike the last two.]
He darted an irritated glance at me, which turned into a sneer.
[Frankly the next game wouldn't be easy for you since we have made some modifications.]
Modification or not, I still had more chance of clearing it. I was confident because I had knowledge about the staple of the game.
Most of all, I had a goal. A goal to survive and thrive in this world. To end what I started with people around me. It isn't possible without them.