All of them were staring at Clyde now. The air around him felt heavy, warped by an aura that pressed down on their instincts.
It was power that felt raw and unrestrained, nothing like the presence of monsters they had fought before.
Monsters were violent and chaotic. This was different. This was controlled and deliberate. And deadly.
The man who had shouted earlier took a step back without realizing it. His grip on his weapon loosened slightly. His throat felt dry.
He knew it. He had become the target.
Clyde noticed, but he didn't react. His expression remained unchanged.
In his mind, the images surfaced again. Six bodies, blood-soaked ground, and eyes that had looked at him with trust until the very end.
He had failed them. And now these people stood here, asking him to join another group.
He didn't want it.
The leader cleared his throat, forcing himself to move past the fear crawling up his spine.
