The Survival of the Third-rate Villain - Chapter 260

Chapter 260: 260 – Party Assembling [4]

“Ugh… Fuck you guys…”

Raye groaned with a frown on his face as he rested his back on the wall, sliding down until he was sitting on the ground. His chest rose and fell quickly. Sweat rolled down his cheek, dripping from his chin. He was exhausted.

Lycus and Devin were standing in front of him, smiling like idiots, like they had just won something big. Their shoulders heaved from the spar, but they were still standing straight, weapons lowered at their sides.

They already finished their training match, and Raye got defeated first because the two kept going after him together.

It was unfair. Completely unfair.

But—

That was exactly why he lost.

They didn’t use any skills. They didn’t use any artifacts. No flashy magic, no tricks. They only fought with their techniques and weapons, relying purely on fundamentals and instinct.

Raye wasn’t inferior to them in that aspect, but fighting against two people who specialized in close combat… both highly skilled and taking pride in their mastery… it was too much.

Especially for someone like Raye.

He specialized in something else. Using everything at his disposal—skills, items, artifacts, strategy. Crushing his enemies with overwhelming advantage. That was his way of fighting.

So of course, against two technical specialists like Lycus and Devin in a restriction like this—he had no chance.

Still…

He was confident. If it had been a serious one versus one, with his full arsenal, he could win.

Maybe not easily, but he would.

Or at least, he believed that.

‘It wouldn’t be easy though… And I’ll probably lose too if I fight them seriously two versus one. That’s just how strong they are.’

Raye thought to himself as he looked up at the two. His lips twitched in mild irritation, but there was also… a small, hidden smile of respect behind his tired expression.

“Haha, sorry—”

Lycus broke the silence with a laugh, wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead. He extended his hand toward Raye.

“You just became super strong after coming back, so we had to double-team you.”

Raye stared at the hand for a moment, then sighed. He reached out and grabbed it, pulling himself up to his feet.

“Tch.”

He brushed some dirt off his pants.

“Yeah, are you a monster or what…?”

Devin added, rolling his shoulders, rotating his arms slowly. His tone was half complaint, half genuine admiration. His forearms were red, almost swollen. His gauntlets had blocked Raye’s blade the most, and the recoil had left his arms sore and numbing.

“You keep jumping to higher levels every time you disappear and come back. It doesn’t make sense.”

“Erm… I’m just lucky, I guess.”

Raye casually said, responding without much thought.

And it was true.

Most of the strength he had right now—wasn’t stolen from the other main characters’ opportunities. He barely interfered in the main storylines he remembered from the game. He didn’t seize too many chances that weren’t his. He could probably count them on one hand.

Everything else came from his own hands. Hard work. Relentless training. And yes—luck.

That was all.

Anyway—

“Why did you come here, by the way?”

Lycus asked that, tilting his head curiously. He shifted the topic.

“Oh yeah, you said earlier you had something to tell us.”

Devin followed, crossing his arms, his breathing now calmer.

Raye looked at them both. He inhaled, exhaled, then opened his mouth—

“Ah, right… I came here to invite you two to my [Hero Party].”

He calmly said it. Direct. No hesitation. No beating around the bush.

“…”

“…”

Both Lycus and Devin froze for a second.

But deep down, they had already expected it.

“Haha…”

Lycus scratched the back of his neck, smirking.

“Leon just came earlier and invited us too.”

“Welp, that’s to be expected. You two are strong, after all.”

Raye shrugged, lips curving slightly. He didn’t seem surprised at all.

“So, who are you two joining?”

He asked casually, but his eyes sharpened slightly.

In the game… he knew how this played out.

Lycus was supposed to join Leon’s party. He was a massive help to Leon and his group. A core member. One of the pillars that helped push the main story forward. His role was significant—without him, Leon’s chances of surviving some arcs dropped sharply.

So by trying to recruit him here, by pulling him to his own side, Raye was deliberately destroying the storyline he once knew.

He was rewriting everything.

But even knowing that—

‘I don’t really care.’

Raye thought firmly.

He only had one goal in his mind.

‘I need to get to the Demon Territory and wake up the old man.’

And to achieve that, he needed allies. As many as possible.

No matter how much it altered the flow of the future—he didn’t care.

After a moment of silence—

“Well…”

Lycus broke it first, his expression calm, tone steady.

“Although Leon and I got closer… I’m closer to you. And honestly? I think it’ll be more fun to go with you.”

“…!”

Raye’s eyes widened slightly. He hadn’t expected Lycus to answer so decisively.

“Then…”

“Yeah. I’ll join your team.”

Lycus firmly declared. No hesitation.

A grin spread across Raye’s face. He extended his hand again.

“Let’s work together.”

Lycus smirked and clasped it. Their handshake was solid, almost like a silent vow.

Then—still smiling—

Raye turned his head toward Devin.

He was about to open his mouth. He had already prepared words to convince him, to pull him into the fold too.

But before he could say anything—

“Sorry, Raye…”

Devin spoke first. His voice was softer than usual, almost reluctant.

“I plan on staying here. I don’t plan on joining any [Hero Party].”

He weakly said it, an awkward smile tugging at his lips.

…

…

…

“…”

Raye blinked, caught off guard.

He didn’t know what to say…

Then, unconsciously—

“Why?”

Raye asked, his voice quiet.

Devin scratched his cheek, looking away.

“I just… don’t think I’m fit for it. The whole ‘Hero Party’ thing. Running around, carrying responsibility. It doesn’t sound like something I want to do… Or something that I can do.”

He mumbled with a smile on his face.

“I admit I’m pretty strong for someone my age, I take pride in that— but I don’t think I can stand toe to toe against you guys…”

“I already hit my limit.”

He added with a rather solemn voice.

“That’s why I decided to stay here and just help Kyle grow our business together, haha…”

Then he finished with that.

“…I see.”

Raye muttered. His expression didn’t change, but deep inside, gears were turning.

Devin was strong. Incredibly strong. Having him on the team would’ve made things much easier down the line. Losing him was a heavy blow.

But he knows what he’s talking about…

‘Devin is very talented. I was really surprised to meet someone like him that was not one of the main characters. But in the end… he’s still an extra, I guess…’

Raye bitterly thought.

Devin can’t grow endlessly like Alec, he wasn’t favored by the universe like Lycus and the others… And also, he doesn’t know the future and system of the world like Raye does…

Tap-

Raye took a step forward and patted Devin’s shoulder.

“Do what you want. Just don’t slack off training.”

Devin chuckled faintly after hearing his words.

“Like you need to tell me that.”

“…Heh.”

Raye smirked.

For a moment, the three of them just stood there in silence, a strange sense of camaraderie hanging in the air.

One had joined him. One had refused.

But either way—Raye had taken another step forward.

Toward his goal.

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