A few more questions like that continued to pop up among the crowd of players, slowly growing louder.
"Seriously, why isn't Terry here?"
"Maybe something happened to him?"
"Yeah, maybe he's just scouting ahead or something… You know how he is."
Each one was like a hammer tapping at Yano's temple.
His smile twitched.
He tried not to show it, refusing to let his expression falter.
The smirk on his face remained smooth and composed, as he tried to hold everything together, like the charismatic leader he was supposed to be.
But inside, he was gnashing his teeth.
Still… he kept the act going.
"Terry…" Yano began, feigning a soft sigh. "Terry ignored my offer to team up today."
He lowered his head slightly, letting the wind catch his coat, casting a shadow over the players below.
"He said we're all too weak… and that he couldn't be around dead weight."
Gasps rose from the players, and the crowd shifted uneasily.
"He abandoned all of you, claiming you're all pathetic. He—"
