Second World

"What's the meaning of this?!" Red Death asked. She looked around. Everyone was displaying a hostile expression. She didn't understand why everyone turned on her. Even more, she didn't understand why she had been expelled from the guild. She was pretty high up in the guild ranking, the only one who had the authority to do so was only White Death.

"What's the meaning of this? Hehe, you still dare to ask? You should know what traitorous act you have done against our guild," Yellow Death said.

"Me, betraying the guild? Stop spouting nonsense!" Red Death uttered.

"No? All right. I will spell out your transgression," Yellow Death said with a grin. "You have conspired with our sworn enemy, Storm Wind, and acted in a manner that put your own interest over our guild interest."

"Don't be absurd! Are you talking about what happened during the world tournament? I have said that my decision at the time is for the larger picture. You can bring up your complaint to Black Death once she returned to us."

"Oh, is that how you gain a sudden level increase at the end of the tournament? I know you go somewhere with Storm Wind's group after the tournament. Don't you deny it, I saw it myself. You also get that nice new boots. Is that how he enticed you to make us lose the tournament prizes? So that you get a better one yourself? And don't you think you can rely on Black Death's protection. She is nowhere to be found. We aren't even sure if she is in this world at all. I have taken up your case to White Death and he agrees that you should be punished."

"Then do it after we deal with the matters at hand. We need to reach Prince Rhemos fast or our guild chain quest will be in jeopardy."

"Don't you worry about the quest anymore," Yellow said. His grin turned wider. "It is no longer your concern."

Red Death frowned at Yellow's words. What did he mean by that? This quest had always been the main concern in the guild. Since she didn't see any chance to reason with Yellow, Red Death turned to her other former guildmates, "All of you. You can't be serious about going with this. You all know how much we have put in our effort for the success of this quest. Yellow is bitter about his private vendetta because I have supported Storm Wind during the World Tournament, but this is not the reason to risk our guild quest. If we don't get to where Prince Rhemos is soon, our guild will be in a serious setback."

"Stop spouting your nonsense!" A woman with a spear and heavy armor came forward. "I have always been sickened by your high and mighty act. I have been waiting for the chance to do you in!"

The woman was a level 47 Dragoon named Killingred. She was a long-time member of Death Associates and had carried a long grudge against Red Death, a grudge that was out of jealousy. A grudge that was strong enough that she expressed it in her alias. Red Death simply ignored her all this time and think of her as a joke.

Yellow Death chuckled. "You should stop trying to goad everyone. Your crime goes further than before the tournament. Everyone must be wondering why Storm Wind still managed to escape after we managed to trap him inside our guild warehouse. Well, wonder no more."

Yellow Death took out a recording stone which then played out the scene where he had spied Jack and Red Death conversing during the night before the tournament started.

'He was listening in at that time?' Red Death's scowl became deeper. In this case, it was pointless to try persuading them. She used Vanish. Her figure disappeared.

Yellow Death wasn't troubled by her sudden disappearance. An orb appeared in his hand. It was the Orb of Detection.

"Over there!" Yellow Death knelt and activated Shooting Stance. Several Elite Marksman in the group aimed their bows and crossbows at where Yellow Death's rifle was pointing at.

Yellow Death used Rapid Shot. His Rapid Shot was originally at level 10, but his full set equipment bonus increased his Gunner's standard skills by five levels, so it was considered to be at level 15. The bullets that came out of his rifle numbered five. He shifted his rifle when he made the shot. The five bullets came out in a fan shape, covering more area. The Orb of Detection only allowed him to pinpoint the general area Red Death was, not her exact position.

The Elite Marksman players, who had followed his aim, used their Fan Shot skills. These Fan Shots covered a much larger area than Yellow's Rapid Shot. The shots were also aimed at different elevations.

With that many shots flying her way, Red Death couldn't dodge them all. She shifted to a position where the arrows were fewest and cut the ones that she couldn't dodge. She survived the barrage but her invisibility was dispelled.

The Elite Marksmans followed up by using Shower of Arrow. Innumerous arrows came from the sky raining on Red Death. She could only take a defensive stance and again cut at any arrow that was coming at her.

When she was defending against the arrows, the other players came and surrounded her again.

"Forget about escaping! All the ones I bring here are elite class players," Yellow shouted. He continued to shoot using his max-level shooting stance that covered a great distance. "Your pride of never getting an Amulet of Rebirth has come back to bite you now. You never imagine you will be in such a situation, do you?"

Red Death indeed never bothered getting an Amulet of Rebirth. She thought such an item would only weaken one's resolve. Additionally, the amulet wasted an equipment slot and didn't carry any strengthening effect.

"She is mine!" Red Death heard a yell from above at the same time she sensed the attack. Killingred had used Jump Attack.

Red Death made a swipe to strike the other players around her at the same time dodging Killingred's stab from above. She then backflipped with a leg striking Killingred's head. Killingred was smacked away by the kick. No damage, only the pain on her face, but the pain of embarrassment in her heart was greater.

Red Death activated Trinity Assault and Combat Clone. She had the clone block her rear while she tried to escape. She and her two copies by her sides stabbed at anyone who tried to block her.

She suddenly sensed a threatening force from the side. She turned and saw Grimclaw with his martial art, Tearing Twister, coming at her. She tried blocking the best she could, but she had been unprepared when the twister came. She couldn't stop all the erratic assaults within the twister. The halberd finally struck her waist.

Several Magic Binds locked her while she was reeling from the attack. She then sensed multiple backstabs coming behind her while she was retreating. She used her race's skill, Willpower, to break the magic binds before making a super jump to dodge the backstabs.

"Shoot her!" Yellow Death ordered.

Multiple ranged and magic attacks flew at Red Death who was in the air. Some magic class even placed Arcane Turbulence at where Red Death should be landing. However, before their attacks hit, Red Death made another kick in the air. Her kick hit the air as if it was a solid object, she then jumped a second time in a different direction.

The ranged attackers were all taken aback by Red Death's feat. That feat was due to Red Death's unique-grade boots. It possessed the ability, Double Jump, allowing her to jump the second time in the air.

She drank a healing potion while in the air. This double jump saved her but the enemies were still nearby. It only gave her a short breath of reprieve. She wanted to resume her escape but several wolves and pets came blocking. While she was dealing with those pets, the other players again surrounded her. With so many enemies, she couldn't help but feel despair. The fact that these people used to be her comrades further added to the anguish.

'He… help…,' A voice surfaced in her mind.

"Hahaha, accept your defeat, Red!" Yellow Death shouted.

Hearing Yellow's laugh, Red Death's resolve was instead being hardened. The despair that she felt turned to anger and fury. She had determined a long time ago to not depend on another. She would solve her predicament herself. Even one that seemed to have no way out like her current situation.

She gritted her teeth then let out a steely cry. Her daggers stabbed in a flurry as she slipped in and out amidst her opponents. However, even with her determination, it was still not enough to overcome such a disadvantage of being heavily outnumbered. She suffered damage after damage.

At one point, Yellow Death's Snipe hit her shoulder. Her HP was now very low. Yellow's snipe pushed her to the side. A side where she saw an opening that was not blocked by any players. She instinctively ran that way. In her haste, she didn't sense the mana on the ground. The ground she stepped on lightened up. She received small damage that brought her life to critical and was unable to move. She had stepped onto the Immobilizing Trap that a Technocraft had placed. Unable to move, she was helpless as the enemy approached.

Killingred was the closest and also the most passionate. She used Charge with her spear ready to impale Red Death. She wanted to see Red Death's expression up close when she delivered the final blow.

Red Death looked at the spear that was coming. Watching the inevitable demise, her despair returned. While her heart was down, a small shining plate suddenly floated before her. It took her an instant to recognize that it was the recall plate that Jack had given her.