Any literate person could tell that they were meant to choose a teammate, the text on the screen said so.
Leo didn't think about the betrayal, that was the last thing on his mind as he wiped his tears.
'Even if I have a God-Level Skill I can't tell anyone.'
'Right now, a teammate will be the foundation of everything I have.'
Now that the initial happiness had faded, he realized that he still had something to do.
He wasn't afraid of who he would pick, but he was afraid that the person he would pick would reject him.
This was their last chance of life, most people would go for heavy-hitters, thinking that if they did that their chances of survival would be high.
Who would choose Leo?
He was just someone who had just awakened a rank 3 skill, and not even one for attacking at that.
'Even if people don't want me, I still have to make an effort to try.'
[Spatial Awareness]
With his three hundred and sixty degree eyesight he could scout out for people he had fought before, and if they met his eyes he would ask them to join him.
He spotted several people his team had fought against, either winning to them or losing.
'That makes six people.'
Jason approached the first person whom was closest to him.
"Hey there."
He attempted to start a conversation.
The girl turned her head to face him.
"You..." She murmured, almost as if trying to remember him.
Then, she clasped her hands together.
"You're that guy from the that team, aren't you?"
He couldn't tell if she actually remembered him or not.
"That team that beat us."
Once again he couldn't tell, but since their team had between hers, he nodded.
"You see, I wanted to ask if we could team up for this."
He couldn't engage in small talk with her before getting to the point.
He felt a little uncomfortable around her.
"What's your skill?" She questioned.
"Spatial Awareness, its a skill that enhances my vision."
"Sure, we should team up. We'd make a pretty good team with your skill."
She readily agreed.
Leo was taken aback.
'I didn't think she would actually agree.'
He was only asking her out of necessity, he didn't think someone like her would actually agree to him.
"My skill is the rank 2 skill – Water Manipulation – It allows you to use transcended energy to create water, or manipulate already existing water."
Element Manipulation skills were only rank 2.
He nodded at her explanation.
"Since I've told you mine, you should at least give me an explanation on yours as well."
"Rank 3 skill – Spatial Awareness – It gives me a 360 vision that extends for several hundred meters."
He was exaggerating.
The girl's expression changed, her brows furrowing as she scrutinized him more closely.
"Wait a moment."
She took a step back.
"You're that guy with Spatial Awareness I killed two times in that match!"
He froze.
Leo was guilty as charged.
"You're physical abilities were so weak, I'd be damned if I ever chose you as a teammate!"
She walked away, her steps brisk.
Her loud words had attracted the attention of those close to them.
He smiled sadly.
'My reputation precedes me.'
He knew that she wouldn't agree to his words so easily, she had probably thought that he was just some other guy, only to find out he was him.
His reputation wasn't the best, but it wasn't the worst as well.
'Onto the next one.' He thought.
It was clear that she had ended their partnership when she walked out on him.
Her words were harsh and blunt.
Leo moved through the crowd going in the opposite direction of the girl, chances were she would stop other people from teaming up with him.
'It can't be that hard, at the very least I'll have someone with a rank 4 skill.'
He approached the next person.
"Hi, there."
Four other people were surrounding him already and they all turned to see the next person.
"Name and skill."
"Leo, my skill is-"
The guy cut him off.
"Spatial Awareness?"
Leo paused, his composed facade crumbling easily.
'How does he know that?'
He had battled against this person again, but while he was able to kill him once, the kill was a flank.
"I wouldn't forget the guy who killed me once." The teen explained. "However, I will not team up with you, I hope you find a better teammate."
Their conversation ended and the teen turned his attention back to the four people who still wanted him to team with them.
He had a powerful skill after all.
Leo too had a powerful skill, but the consequences of announcing that he had a God-Level skill, not even a rank 0 skill would make people think he was crazy.
He doubted that if he did it, anyone would believe him.
He could only move forward hoping that the next person would team up with him.
However, his situation did not change a single bit.
No matter how many times he tried, everyone kept on rejecting him.
Every rejection dampened his spirit.
'This is the last one.'
His last resort wasn't someone with a rank 2 or 3 skill, he had to go below that if he wanted to get a teammate.
"Hey."
For a teammate...
He'd even fall to rank 4.
"Would you like to team up with me?"
She was already looking at him.
It was as if they shared an unspoken bond.
A connection of sorts; and in truth, they did have a connection.
"Leo?" She was confused.
She had every right to be.
Leo was her former teammate, before she died and ended up here.
"Claire."
He responded.
For a teammate, Leo would stoop as low as rank 4. Under normal conditions, he would have ignored her presence completely, and acted like she wasn't even there.
"Leo, how did you end up here?" She questioned.
"I died."
She was shocked by his short reply and noted that it wasn't like him.
Leo had his spirit dampened many times over now, even after he had just thought he useless anymore.
"I didn't think it would be you that would die."
"You thought it would be Kyrel."
She nodded.
"What happened?"
Leo sighed in response.
"Look, I'm here for a teammate, not for someone who wants to bear my emotional pain with me.
Do you want to join me or not?"
There were quite a few people with rank 4 skills here.
They would obviously have trouble finding a teammate with anything higher than rank 4, and might even have to resort to rank 5.
He was giving her an opportunity.
"Of course." She smiled weakly. "What choice do I have?"
He offered a weak smile as well, feeling relived that she didn't reject his offer.
They stood together for a moment.
"We should leave since we've already formed a team."
Leo nodded.
Both of them left the crowded room, leaving the chaotic atmosphere behind.
'Her skill is quite useful.'
He thought as they went through the door on the right.
The number on the door red 4 as before opening automatically for them.
"You already know my skill, don't you?"
Leo nodded again.
"Rank 4 skill – Strike – Pours all T.E and strength into a single punch, it has devastating effects but leave you weakened by 80%. Is that about right?"
"Yes."
Strike was a powerful skill that would normally deserve rank 2 status, but the unbelievable drawbacks it had for just a single use outweighed the gains.
If she used it, the team would be forced to protect her so they wouldn't rack up deaths needlessly. But, they would just die protecting her.
Hence, she was the first to die outside the ring.
As the door opened, they walked through the hall.
"You already know mine, right?"
"Spatial Awareness?"
"Yes."
The hallway quickly ended and they came across a room.
"This door says Team 1."
"We should enter the door that says Team 4, the number on the door read 4 as we passed it."
She looked at him.
"Okay."
It wasn't hard finding the room that read Team 4.
The door opened automatically.
Both entered the room.
It was a large spacious room with its only furniture as a single bed.
"It reminds me of our team hall."
Leo nodded in response, the place gave him the vibes for it.
It only had a bed added to change it up.