'I guess this team-creation thing is not just for matches.' Raydon pondered, fascinated by the intriguing possibilities of the invitation scroll.
Since it was stated in the description of the scroll that the team agreement would last for twenty-four hours, it should come as no surprise that this scroll was also useful for inheritances that involved more than one participant as well as for other events.
"Will the extra experience boost buff still be in effect even if they don't physically join the match?" Raydon asked, his hopes clinging to a sliver of possibility.
The idea of facing the match with a large number of teammates was unsettling to him, and having only Mell present, primarily for her dimensional storage capabilities, seemed more appealing.
Samuen's response delivered a disappointing blow. "Unfortunately, the team needs to remain in close proximity to benefit from the extra experience boost. Oh, and don't forget to stick together while slaying mobs in the match," Samuen explained with a hearty laugh, aware of Raydon's concerns.
'What the hell? So if they die, this buff will disappear? ' Raydon's expression turned sour as he processed this new information.
Realizing that the presence of the battle maids meant he could no longer freely use his most efficient EXP farming skill, Explosive Swarm, in the match, a sense of frustration washed over Raydon.
In the meantime, Raydon was frowning as he looked at them, and the battle maids were looking at him with frowns of their own, equally irritated by what they just heard.
After everything that they had seen, they came to the conclusion that Samuen and the others had shown Raydon an extraordinary level of privilege. Despite the fact that they were convinced he was not a typical person, they were bothered by his attitude toward them.
Raydon talking about them as if they were a hindrance was unacceptable for prideful and arrogant people like them.
However, under Diam's watchful gaze, they lacked the courage and authority to reject the task assigned to them, leaving them with no choice but to wait in silence.
'I seem to have pissed them off a little. ' Raydon mused, suddenly realizing that the shocked and curious eyes now held a tinge of hostility.
Even though all he had done was ask a question, he was baffled by their outburst of anger and offense, which even he found difficult to comprehend.
Raydon grumbled, "Well, whatever, I will just ignore them," and opened his system panel to accept the match's invitation.
[The next match is ready to begin. Do you want to join?]
''Yes.''
And then, right in front of everyone, Raydon's body just vanished out of thin air, as if he had never been there before.
As the battle maids witnessed his disappearance and glanced at Diam, who nodded in approval, they retrieved small gray items from their dimensional storage, each fitting in the palm of their hands.
"Activate," they all chanted in unison, gripping the item in their hands. In a mesmerizing display, various item parts materialized on their bodies, completely replacing their training uniforms.
Obviously, this item allowed them to wear all their gear simultaneously, eliminating the need to put on each individual item one by one. If Raydon had been aware of this earlier, he would have certainly desired such an item for himself.
Also, because he was still wearing his casual clothes and did not have any trash items to wear on himself other than his bound items, he would not have to go naked in his first E-Rank match.
"What do you think? Will he be able to gain their support?" Seeing that the last battle maid had also disappeared, accepting the match invitation with an annoyed expression on her face, Samuen turned to ask Diam.
Diam remained silent for a moment before responding, "I have raised them all to value power and talent above all else. Given young master Raydon's abilities, I don't think it will be difficult for him to earn their acceptance."
Samuen chuckled happily at her answer, saying, "Good, good."
"Father, what is your plan? Why didn't you directly provide him with the items?" Arden asked with curiosity.
Although they had previously agreed to support and assist Raydon in any way possible, Samuen's actions seemed to deviate from their initial decision.
"Do you think he won't meet the requirements?" Zephyr speculated, considering the only plausible reason he could think of.
If for some reason Raydon was unable to fulfill the requirements, he would not be given the items that were promised to him. However, since Samuen had already made the decision to grant him the items, even in the event of failure, he would show his goodwill by giving the items. That was the first thing that came to Zephyr's mind, but after hearing Samuen's response, he realized that his assumption was incorrect.
"Will he fail? Of course not. I am even certain that he will exceed our expectations," Samuen proclaimed with a small chuckle in his voice.
"Then why?" Zephyr asked once again, seeking clarification.
"Because, as I mentioned before, it wouldn't be entertaining enough otherwise," Samuen explained, taking a seat on the ground while awaiting the return of Raydon and the others.
"Father, do you not think that this matter is a little bit too serious to think about having fun?" Cael chimed in, expressing confusion.
Raydon didn't seem to harbor friendly feelings towards them, and it seemed peculiar for Samuen to emphasize fun instead of working towards earning his trust and attachment.
"You misunderstand. I am not referring to my own entertainment," Samuen clarified, taking a deep breath before continuing. "Throughout his life, Raydon has always achieved his accomplishments by facing various challenges, both big and small. So, regardless of how eager he may appear now, I am certain that he is more interested in overcoming the challenge we have presented than in the items themselves.
Whether he trusts us or considers us family is inconsequential. Our primary responsibility is to foster his growth, and we cannot achieve that by simply providing him with everything he needs. Ultimately, whether we assist him or not, he will continue to evolve and grow stronger as long as he finds it enjoyable."
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