The planning hut was packed with people; it was the largest among them, yet it was still holding more than it should. Archer and Jonathan's search party had just arrived. Before their arrival, there had been almost no conversation, as a stifling silence hung between the duo, the Leonine Champion and William.
"How are you?" asked Archer. She didn't even know his name. The group had never shared any personal information—it was truly a selfish arrangement, each member driven by their own reasons.
A smile spread across William's face as he felt delighted that someone cared for him. He replied gently and warmly, "I am good now, thank you."
Archer felt relieved hearing his response. She corrected him with a soft smile, "It's Elisa. My name is Elisa Hart." Then, looking at him with concern, she asked, "What happened? I heard from Bran that you fell and got yourself injured."
William was puzzled upon hearing it. 'Who is Bran among the three of them? Certainly not the gym rat; the name's far too feeble for him.'
Noticing William's puzzlement, Elisa gestured toward the Gym Rat. "It's him, Bran Smith. Those two are Eren Walker and Eric Worth," she said, pointing to the two standing beside the Gym Rat. Eric didn't bat an eye, while Eren seemed uncomfortable seeing William again.
'Nothing. Well, at least his friend feels guilty,' William said, introducing himself. "I am William Shaffold."
Elisa smiled and asked with curiosity once more, "What happened? How did you manage to return?"
William smiled as he spoke, not spilling anything that mattered. His enemies were already in the room, and Jonathan? Completely unreliable. Who knew what that freak was plotting? Ever since the tutorial began, he'd strutted around like the main character—like the whole thing was written just for him.
"I tripped on a rock, and the monster was too close for me to get up and run. The others were far away, but luckily the monster couldn't see me. Maybe it was tracking us by sound since its vision seemed poor. I managed to save myself by climbing up a tree at night to avoid the night hunters. In the morning, I followed the path we had taken earlier, using the footsteps you all left behind to guide me."
Jonathan looked at William, surprised to see that he had not only survived the night but also made it back safe and sound.
William met Jonathan's gaze and said, "No, I didn't come back unscathed. A goblin poisoned me near the camp. Luckily, it was alone and separated from its group. My initial sneak attack injured it, and if not for that, I wouldn't have made it out alive."
"What's the class you got, then?" a voice called out from the group of men next to Jonathan. It was a kid, maybe around 15 years old, unfortunately caught up in these deadly trials.
William didn't respond, nor was he obligated to. Few people shared their classes anyway. The reason was simple: trust. In this godforsaken trial, if there was one thing people could be counted on to do, it was betray each other to survive. Even though the Game-Master Guiline never explicitly stated there would be future trials, there was no reason not to assume it.
It seemed safer to keep it hidden, even to lie. Jonathan glanced at his men as the kid hesitated, his expression shifting from playful to serious. "I'm sorry, I was just kidding," he said.
There were five members in his group. One was a kid with stark white hair and red eyes, resembling an albino. He wore a small white robe with golden embroidery, giving off a holy or priestly vibe.
Next was a shrewd-looking man with a monocle on his left eye. His hair was jet black, and his dark blue eyes were as deep as the ocean.
Then there was a towering man, about 2.5 meters tall, who looked like a giant. On the first day, when everyone gathered in the clearing, William hadn't seen anyone that tall, so he believed the man became a giant after awakening his class. Despite his size, his brown hair and light blue eyes gave him a gentle, caring appearance, the opposite of his stature.
There was also a girl with red hair and blue eyes who had an alluring presence. Though she wasn't the most beautiful girl William had ever seen, there was something about her that resonated with his desires, leaving him confused.
Lastly, there was a girl with dark green hair and brown eyes who sent a shiver down William's spine. She was ominous and unsettling, though he couldn't pinpoint why. Something about her warned him to never cross paths with her.
William wasn't angry or annoyed at the kid for asking about the class. His mind was preoccupied with a more pressing matter: had Jonathan recruited any of the former team members, and if so, who? The answer to that could determine how quickly he could exact his revenge. If it was Elisa, he could openly reveal how Bran and the others had left him to die. But if it was one of the latter three, or worse, Bran himself, he would have to wait, biding his time until he became stronger than Jonathan and his cohort.
What could be better than asking directly? "It's alright, I don't mind, but I do have a question—how many members are in your group?"
The kid was a little cautious and asked, "Why do you want to know?"
William scoffed, "I meant, is there still a place for me?"
But that wasn't his true intention, and Jonathan caught on. He didn't intervene—maybe he wanted the kid to figure it out on his own, or perhaps he was challenging William to act on his desires, knowing there would be consequences.
Kid glanced at Jonathan, his face expressionless, before shifting his gaze away. "Including the Captain, we are seven members. Everyone is here right now," he said.
William felt slightly annoyed upon hearing that someone had indeed joined Jonathan's cohort. However, the statement was vague and left open the possibility that it could be someone other than his former teammate, as Agatha was also in the hut and Elisa didn't matter if she joined it or not. This uncertainty didn't rule out his immediate option to uncover the truth; he just needed to ask who it was.
There was a pause, and then the kid spoke again, "To join the team, it is required to share their class."