Teams

We waited with the other two teams while our captains were busy getting information out of the bandits.

"You three must be Reizo's recruits. My name is Derin, It's a pleasure to meet you." An orange-haired boy with the body of an athlete from one of the other teams offered Serith a handshake. "We're team Soaring Luck, and our captain is Gyanku, he's the blonde guy who was talking to Reizo." The other five members of his team waved at us.

A green-haired girl who also had the body of an athlete from the other team also introduced herself and her team. "My name is Adery, and we're team Rising Fury. Our captain is Oraten, she's the one who was standing near Meitre." Her other four team members started posing when we looked at them.

Seeing how everyone here was so fit made me feel self-conscious about my body. It just seemed weird that there is a group of ventgards who look strong and powerful, and in the middle of them was a scrawny kid who looks like he's doing this because his mom told him to.

"My name is Serith and this is my team. Our captain is..." Saliza pushed Serith aside as he was talking. "I'm Saliza and our captain is the emotionless drunk idiot who probably isn't even a human."

Serith pushes Saliza away. "Show some respect to Reizo, don't you remember what Meitre said?"

The two started arguing with each other while I stood there and watch. Derin walked around those two and approached me. "So what's your name and where are you from?" He offered me a handshake while asking.

I panicked and struggled to get the words out of my mouth. "I-I'm Zeigel and I uhh....errale?"

He laughed at what I said and thought it was a joke.

"I meant what county are you from?" I panicked again and shook his hand for a solid minute while trying to come up with something. "Are you okay?"

Eventually, I came up with a response. "I'm from Scotland." I said with a horrible scottish accent.

I am an idiot. I am a bloody idiot. If there was a competition for idiots, I would be banned from it to give everyone else a chance. Why did I bring up a country from earth? I don't even live in Scotland and I've never even been there.

"Hahahaha! If you don't want to tell me where you're from, that's fine. Sorry for trying to pry that out of you." I was relieved that he didn't find what I said suspicious. "You should come meet my team."

I nervously took a step back away from him. "No thanks I'm...oh look our captains are back." Saliza and Serith stopped arguing once Reizo and the other captains came back. Up until now, Reizo wasn't wearing any armor, he simply wore a normal outfit. Now he was wearing silver armor with a bunch of crystals place into it. The other captains were also wearing armor you'd normally see in video games.

"Saliza called you an emotionless drunk idiot." Serith said. Reizo sighed while Gyanku and Oraten laughed at him.

"You three are ventgards, so stop acting so immature. You'll also be working with each other for a long time to try to get along."

Serith apologized to Saliza and she sarcastically said that she was sorry and everything she said was wrong.

"We'll be heading out again to do some investigations in ten minutes. In the meantime, I'll bring you guys to the armory to buy you better equipment."

It was about time we got something better than the basic gear we're given. The other teams had much better armor and weapons than us.

When we reached the armory, Reizo grabbed a long blue sword with a crystal embedded in the center of the hilt.

"Check your stats right now and tell me how much mana you have." We used our yutri bracelets and checked our stats. The three of us had 100 mana, which was the same amount we had had when we started.

"Leveling up won't increase the amount of mana you have, but this will." Reizo handed the sword to Saliza and asked her to check her mana. She now has 130 mana.

"There are certain materials that can naturally absorb mana from the surroundings. Using

equipment made with those materials will allow you to increase your total mana."

Reizo took back the sword and put it back. "Now I want you to go get yourselves armor and weapons. Be sure to check your stats to see if the equipment you want to get will boost your mana. Also I won't be buying anything too expensive"

We searched the armory for weapons and armor. After a few minutes, we finished buying our equipment and put them on.

I bought a blue armor with metal platings and two swords with two skill slots. Saliza bought light armor made of doruso skin and a red axe with two skill slots. Serith bought iron armor and a long sword with two skill slots.

"I won't be buying equipment for you anymore so try not to break them." Reizo said after checking his wallet.

We went back to the lobby where the other teams were waiting. Testra was also there with her team. She was chatting with Gyanku when she spotted us.

"Hey there Reizo. Meitre asked me to join you guys in the investigation. We haven't been on a mission together for quite some time." said Testra.

Reizo didn't seem to care at all. He greeted her the same way he greeted her friends, with a tired look and a wave of him arm.

"Don't be so cold, we've been on alot of missions together when we were still in training. Don't you think this will be nostalgic"

I paused for a moment. She said that she used to be in Reizo's team when they were in training.

I leaned over to Serith and asked "Was Testra in Reizo's team before they got backstabbed by the evil earth guy?" Serith nodded and I got nervous. "Reizo and Testra were in the same team when they were still training. When they got promoted, Reizo stayed in his team while Testra left. She's also a legend ranked ventgard."

So now I have to worry about two people who have met someone from earth finding out that I'm also from earth. What's worse is that they're both the strongest people here. Maybe if I don't go near them and avoid eye contact, I'll be able to survive.

"Are you okay?" I jumped after seeing Testra standing beside me. "Your face looks pale and you're sweating alot."

"I'm perfinely! Ferpect ok." Testra got confused trying to figure out what I'm trying to say. Saliza saw Testra and ran over to help.

"He's just nervous about his first mission. We should give him some space and let him rest before we start"

"Oh, I see. Don't worry too much, I'm sure Reizo will protect you if you're in danger." We looked over at Reizo and watch as Meitre scold him for trying to drink before a mission. "Trust me, He will protect you." Testra left and went to talk with Meitre.

"Thanks, you are a literal lifesaver Saliza." I breathed a sigh of relief after Testra left. "Guess I'll just have to stick with you throughout the mission in case your stupidity kicks in." she said as she pokes my head. I can't really deny that.

When the mission was about to start, a group of 8 people arrived. "I told you guys to come earlier." They were Testra's team, so of course Laren was also there. "These are the people you'll be working with for this mission, so go ahead and get to know them."

Laren approached us with a scowl on his face. "You three better not drag all of us down." He turned around and walked away from us.

"How could we drag everyone down if we're better than you?" Laren stopped dead in his tracks and turned his head at me. "You're not better than me and you never will be." I tried to keep myself from laughing over how easily aggravated this guy is.

"Well we did pass Reizo's test and you didn't, so technically speaking we are in fact better than you."

Laren stomped towards me with a fuming red face and a clenched fist.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to say that we're better than everyone who failed Reizo's test, I'm saying that we're better than you since you're so obsessed with Reizo and yet you couldn't please him enough to..."

Laren tackles me to the ground and choked me with both hands. "You think you're better than me? YOU THINK YOU'RE BETTER THAN ME!" I couldn't breathe but I also couldn't help but tell him, "Yes."

Saliza pushed Laren off me and helped me up. "What's wrong with you! Are you trying to kill him?" Saliza healed my throat and Serith got in front of me in case Laren tries to attack me again. "It's okay. I'm fine, why? Because I'm better than him." I giggled to myself.

Just as Laren was about to attack again, Reizo appeared in front of him. "Why did you strangle Zeigel?" Reizo stared at Laren with a calm and emotionless face. "He...He mocked me!"

"So what? Who do you think you are? Some sort of king who kills anyone who dares insult him?" Laren thought about it for a moment before telling himself that he's not going to listen to someone like Reizo.

"I'm not scared of you just because they falsely made you a legend ran-" Reizo grabs Laren by the throat and lifted him while glaring at him with eyes full of hatred and anger. it's rare to see Reizo show any emotion, including anger.

"Did you become a ventgard just to abuse your powers and cause trouble? I'm sick and tired of seeing hotshots like you thinking so highly of themselves and expecting nothing but praise and admiration from others. In fact, give me one good reason as to why I shouldn't kill you right now and rid this world of your nonsensical problems." Reizo tightened his grip on Laren's throat to the point where he almost crushes his windpipe.

I was honestly fine with Laren getting killed. It's also nice to see Reizo defending us and acting like a more proper captain.

"That's enough Reizo!" Testra yelled. Reizo releases his grip on Laren and turns to Testra.

"That boy is going to cause alot more problems than you think." Testra bends down and heals Laren's throat while he coughs and gasps for air.

"I can get through to him Reizo. My recruits are none of your business." Testra scolded him. "And if you don't, then there will be consequences."

Meitre places her hand on Reizo and shakes her head. "We shouldn't cause any tension between teams before a mission." Reizo shrugs and apologizes.

The room was filled with indistinct chatter and everyone was staring at Laren and me.

"Is he crazy? Why would he piss off Reizo?"

"It's about time Laren got what he deserved."

"That idiot must have a death wish to do that."

"I've never seen Laren that mad before, haha." I hope everyone isn't going to start paying attention to what I do because of this.

"Everyone settle down. I'm going to explain the mission so listen up."