Chapter 77: Fifth Teammate

"Is what you did really funny?" Paimon questioned.

"It is. Sometimes you just want to mess with others."

Neo returned the phone to his pocket and waited.

Jack continued to stare at F rank missions, unable to pick a choice.

He looked around for help and happened to meet Neo's eyes.

…!

Jack looked in a different direction quickly.

'I just made eye contact with him! He won't get angry, right?'

The rumors of Neo being a crazy bastard were spread far and wide.

Jack did not want to have any connection with Neo.

Suddenly, Neo stood up.

He approached Jack.

'Don't run away. Don't run away.'

'He isn't coming to me. He will pass by me and go somewhere else.'

Jack repeated the words in his heart only for Neo to stop before him.

"...Can I help you?" Jack questioned.

Neo looked up at the F-rank mission list.

He lowered his gaze and met Jack's eyes.

"I noticed you were looking at F-rank missions. Are you going solo?"

"Yes." Jack scratched his cheek. "My rank is quite low. Nobody wanted to team up with me."

While he answered properly, he wished for Neo to leave as soon as possible.

"How about you join my team if you don't have anyone else? We still need the fifth member."

"Thanks for the offer. I can't— What!?"

Jack paled as if he saw a ghost.

"Y-you are asking me to join your team?"

"Yes."

"But you are the Ruler! I bet the rest of you teammates are Top 100 too!"

"That's true."

"I ca-can't join a team like that. I'm too weak—"

"Are you sure you want to refuse my offer? I can ask someone else if that is the case. I'm sure there are others who will join my team happily."

Jack, about to refuse, closed his mouth with a snap.

He looked around.

Many students surrounded Neo and him.

They heard them talk and a few of them looked eager to join Neo's team.

The team made by the Ruler where the rest of the members were Top 100 students.

It was bound to be successful.

'Why is he inviting me into his team?'

'Does he have an ulterior motive?'

Jack couldn't make a choice.

Was Neo asking him team just to fill the vacancy?

Besides, what would he gain from someone like Jack?

"Calm down. I'm not forcing you to join my team. You can refuse."

Neo stared at the students around them.

He muttered to himself.

"Guess I need to find someone else."

His words struck Jack's ears like a thunderbolt.

"Wait!"

"Hmm?"

"I'll join your team! No, please let me join your team!"

The teammates were fixed until the next semester.

They couldn't be changed.

Besides, Jack would gain rewards and credits by joining the team, regardless of Neo's motives.

"It's a good choice."

Neo smiled.

His handsome features stunned Jack for a moment.

"I'll send you the Team Form. Let's exchange contacts."

"Y-yeah."

After he filled the Team Form, he let out a sigh.

"Good work. Now let's go, I'll introduce you to the others."

Jack nodded.

They went around the campus and entered a café.

"Welcome—"

The host stammered when she noticed Neo's clothes.

Ruler.

The top ranked student.

Silence spread inside the café.

The students stayed quiet.

"We have a reservation."

"I-I see. Please follow me."

They entered the deeper area of the café.

Jack couldn't help but cower at the attention he received by being at Neo's side.

'Is it always like this for him?'

The first rank was a respected position.

Neo would receive recognition whenever he went, be it inside the academy or outside.

Jack joined the team of such person.

He was still having trouble believing the reality.

The host took Neo to a private room.

She opened the door.

"Your friends are inside."

Neo entered the room with Jack.

The room, fragrant, was small and cozy with a window towards the garden.

"Hey, you are finally here!" Mars grinned.

"Good afternoon, Neo," Christian said.

"…"

Leonora focused on her game and ignored him.

"Hi," He replied and pointed at Jack. "He is our fifth team member."

"H-hello, I'm Jack Hanma, 1721th rank."

Jack's heart was beating loudly.

His ears rang and he was sweating badly.

Neo, while first rank and stone-faced, was amicable.

But the three people in front of him had an unapproachable air.

Jack knew about them.

They were existences he could never dream to meet in his life.

"…"

They didn't respond to Jack's greeting and stared at him instead.

"T-thinking again, I shouldn't be in this team—"

"Don't worry. They aren't angry, just wary of your Aura."

Neo placed a hand on Jack's shoulder.

"There is no need to be nervous. Take deep breaths."

Jack never realized he was releasing his Aura.

He followed Neo advice.

The aura spreading out from him disappeared.

"That Aura… It was Death element?" Christian asked.

"Y-yeah. I'm sorry. My mastery is low and I can't control the aura. I s-swear I wasn't trying to threaten you."

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Christian frowned.

Jack's aura wasn't weak.

It was… scary.

No, not just scary.

It was almost as frightening as Neo's aura.

Had he been a second late to retract his Aura, Leonora's Spirit, Ruby, would've attacked him.

"Do you really rank in 1700s?" Christian spoke.

Jack nodded.

"Weird."

Christian turned to Mars.

It was rare to see Mars not smiling.

"What do you think?"

"I don't know. He feels weak, but something is weird.

"It's like his strength doesn't have a fixed shape."

"Okay, that's it. You guys are being rude to Jack."

Neo clapped.

"Jack, they are Leonora, Christian, and Mars in order.

"He is Jack. We can ask him about his specialties later. Welcome him at least."

Mars and Christian nodded.

"I apologize if my words were rude."

"Sorry. We didn't mean to scare you. We were just startled because of your Aura."

"I-it's fine."

Jack realized they were not as scary as he thought.

It was his fault to begin with.

He was about to sit next to Leonora when she looked at him and clicked her tongue.

"…"

Jack, being wise, chose to sit beside Christian and Mars.

She frowned again when Neo sat by her side, but Neo ignored her.

"I'll explain the mission now."