Chapter 23: Fated Encouter

"There are so many people here!"

"And they're all braves like us."

The gang had made their way to the top of Mount Rosy for their first crypt raid as a clan.

"Woah, I can see Lily town all the way from here."

The mountain top was also a famous tourist attraction sight in the western continent.

Braves travel far and wide from different corners of the world so they could participate in the Aquarius crypt trial.

"There's the portal." Pale points towards the direction of the crypt's portal.

"Come on let's go!" Max dashes in the direction of the portal.

He turns around and calls out to his clanmates to follow suit.

Thud!

"He crashed into a woman and her glasses fell to the ground.

"My glasses! Hey, watch where you're going, punk!" She gets down and begins to pat the ground helplessly trying to feel her glasses.

Max picks up the glasses and hands them over to the woman with both hands as he bows apologetically.

"My apologies, I wasn't looking where I was going."

She snatches the glasses and puts them on. Thankfully, they were still in a good condition so her anger subsided.

Just as she was about to address the man who just bumped into her...

"Well, sin-" Before she knows it, Max had sprinted away and left the girl to her thoughts.

'What a strange fella.'

"You have to stop rushing into things without thinking."

Rex scolded the ex-assassin as they've caught up with him and were now facing the spiraling portal.

There were also a bunch of groups gathered around the portal as well. It seems they were all waiting for something.

"Why can't we enter the portal!?" Max was standing right in the same spot as the portal but nothing seems to be happening.

He jumps and shakes his body and yet it seems like the portal was just a hologram.

The braves gathered around them started bickering.

"Check out that clown over there."

"Is this like his first time?"

"No way, is he a newbie?"

They all watched how Max would charge at the portal only to go through it and turn again to repeat the same.

Some of them were shocked at Max's actions while the greater population were laughing at him.

The woman from earlier was watching Max as he hopelessly tries to enter the portal.

'That fool, doesn't he know that the portal hasn't been activated by the keeper yet?'

"Leave it to the newbies to make a fool out of themselves!"

"What did you say?" Rex turned towards the direction of the voice that was mocking their captain.

The red-haired man pushed through the crowds and walks towards Rex.

They stood face to face with only a few meters separating them.

"You heard me, your clanmate over there is making a fool out of himself." He mocked with a smug look on his face.

Rex gritted his teeth as the red-haired man continue to mock them.

"I mean, everyone here has participated in this raid at least once and thus have a little experience here. This is my fifth attempt you lot should be calling me senior."

Rex smirks at that remark.

"Oh really? You mean we're surrounded by a bunch of nobodies who have all failed the challenge a couple of times?"

The people gathered around them were getting annoyed by this remark.

"Who does he think he is?"

"Does he not know who he's talking to?"

A vein popped on the man's head.

"You said it yourself, you've failed four times now, maybe being a brave ain't for the likes of you. Have you ever thought of it like that, little runt?"

"Who are you calling a short stack?" His head turned red in rage as he grabs Rex by the collar.

"I didn't say short stack, but that's ne too, little man." He frees himself as he looks down at the man who was mocking his captain earlier.

"Grr. We'll see how smug you are once you get inside." He finally suppressed his anger despite the series of insults from Rex.

He was certain that these "newbies" will fall on their butts the moment they enter the crypt. He just needs to be patient and wait for them to make a fool out of themselves.

'I'll clear the crypt this time around and teach those punks not to mess with the Reginald Valentines!'

"We're completing this challenge in a single run, unlike some of you posers here."

Rex turns and walks towards the direction of his clanmates as he sees Conroy holding Max by his shoulders.

"Ehh, Sir Max, I don't think there's an issue with the portal seeing how everyone's gathered here. They must be waiting for something."

"Yeah, so stop making a fool out of yourself!"

Rex arrived with his arms folded as he scolds their Captain.

Max pouted his cheeks as he sits down on the snowy surface of the mountain. He looked like a child that was being scolded for being mischievous.

"Fine. I just can't wait to get in there!"

"Ahahaha! I know how you feel Captain."

Pale sits beside Max and pats him on his back as he continues.

"The suspense before a great trial, the adrenaline rush, and the spirit of adventure burns within our so-"

Just then a man wearing a blue cloak appeared out of the portal.

"Greetings adventurers, I am the crypt keeper of this here crypt. You may call me Paris."

The braves that were scattered around the area all arranged themselves and regrouped with their respective clans.

At one side were the grouped braves. Those belonging to clans and the other side were the solo raiders. Braves who do not have a clan.

With the solo raiders standing on one side. Amongst them was the woman that Max bumped into.

'Great, here comes my least favorite part of all this.'

She looks on as the keeper continues to explain.

"The requirement for this raid is a group of at least 4 braves. Those whose group are incomplete may invite the solo raiders to join their team for the remainder of the challenge."

As soon as he finished.

"My relic grants me ice powers! Invite me!"

"I can y, I can carry anyone out of any tough situation."

"No, invite me! My fellium staff will be useful when facing rebeasts."

One by one, the solo raiders began to advertise themselves announcing their abilities so they would be picked.

Max and co. watched as they were all chosen by one clan or the other. Except for a certain young woman.

"Hehe, Looks like Maggie didn't get chosen once again!"

"Well, no one wants a liability in their party."

"Yeah, she'll only be a burden."

"She has no relic, no weapon, and no combat experience, Pathetic!"

"She should give up on becoming a brave, she's too weak."

"These bastards!" Rex exclaims

"That's no way to treat a woman!" Pale was disgusted over the way that they were mocking the woman.

Max didn't say anything as he approaches the woman who looked like she'd burst into tears any moment.

"It's you. You here to also make fun of me?"

Max didn't respond as he silently stares at her for a while.

"Well? Get it over with! You're holding up the line."

"Would you like to join my clan?"

"Eh?"

"Ehhhh!?"

Everyone was shocked at Max's actions as he holds up his hand for the woman.

"What does that bastard think he's doing?"

"Hahahaha! As expected of the captain."

Rex couldn't help but face-palm at the current turn of events whilst Pale bursts into laughter.

"Lending a hand to a damsel in distress, what a noble deed sir Max."

Just then a peal of laughter could be heard from behind. Rex seemed to recognize the voice of the person laughing.

"Pfft. Hahahahahahah. Not just is this your first time taking the challenge here. You're inviting a dead weight to join your team? I knew you bozos were all talk."

The man who spoke was none other than Reginald Valentines, leader of the lost soul clan.

"Grr. I've had just about enough of that runt."

"W-why would you invite me? Haven't you heard that I'll only hold you back?"

Maggie was reluctant to accept Max's offer. She feels that he might just be trying to lay a prank on her.

This was her sixth time coming here but she was never invited to a party for the raid because she was not a combatant and didn't possess any relic.

What was a person like her trying to do by taking the challenge?

She was a timid young woman that grew up in an orphanage in Rose town.

While other kids would be running around the compound playing games, she would spend all her time in the library studying the history of the world.

She had only ever dreamt of one thing. And that was to uncover the truth behind the relic wars eight centuries ago, the greatest mystery of their time.

That was how she grew up and became a historian.

"Give it up missy, there's no reasoning with this knucklehead once he's made up his mind."

"Sir Reginald! Isn't that a bit rude?"

"Missy? For your information, the name's Maggie!"

"Yeah, whatever. You're stuck with us now."

"Hihihi. Hi Maggie, I'm Max. Welcome to Band of Misfits."

"Rawwww! I, Pale of Bouchart swear to protect our newest ally as we venture off into the unknown."

'Honestly, what is it with this bunch?.'

Max could have simply just invited her to join their raid party and not the clan, but he insisted that she joins his clan.

'I mean, it won't be a bad thing since I do have to travel across the world solving the other zodiacs.'

That was the case.

And as the old saying goes, "Opportunity comes but once." Who knows when she'll ever get the chance of being invited to a party let alone a clan.

'But being in a clan means I'll have to live with them from now on.'

A chill runs down her spine as she sends a glare to Rex which the latter returns with his own hostile look.

After a few minutes of pondering about what to do, she finally made up her mind.

She bows her head and spoke. "Nice to meet you all, please take care of your newest member."

This was the beginning of a new chapter in her life.