Hearing his curt remarks, Max's face dropped, and Austin, who had been watching the scene from a distance, let out a hearty laugh. He left the girls and plopped down next to Skyler.
"You have got some serious nerve, huh? I know it sounds very difficult to believe, but he is always like this. Like a saint, trying to rescue every damsel in distress."
Skyler moved away from him with a scoff. Was he going to believe him? No!
The first impression this group of four made on him was terrible, and if possible, he never wanted to encounter them again.
Still, even though he disliked them, that didn't mean he wouldn't accept Max's offer to sleep in his tent and join their team. It was disheartening, but he wasn't an idiot and knew he needed their help to survive for the time being until he got a little stronger.
He gazed at Max, who was looking at him with a wry smile, waiting for his answer.
"Sorry, that was quite harsh of me... I will join your team. Thanks."
He uttered the last word with sincerity.
He wasn't an ungrateful brat who would overlook the kindness others showed him, even if they had ulterior motives.
Max's face brightened instantly, and he nodded, still willing to let him join the team despite his earlier sarcastic remark, which only made Skyler more suspicious. After all, how the hell could someone be so kind to a stranger they had just met?
Skyler narrowed his eyes, and suddenly he saw something in the other person's golden eyes that made his own eyes widen.
'He knows... He knows I am Jenny's younger brother! But how?'
He could not confirm his thoughts or find any proof since Max left his side. He had never met him before, and aside from his eyes, which were only similar to Jenny's in color, they were nothing alike! So, how did this man know he was Jenny's brother?
Austin raised an eyebrow at the scene. Given the personality this youth had just displayed, he didn't expect him to join their team. But he did. He hummed and glanced at Skyler from head to toe.
"Anyway, were you robbed? How did you end up in such a bad situation? The test just started today."
Skyler remained silent, not even glancing at him. So, he changed the question.
"What's your name? Now that you're joining us, shouldn't we at least know your name?"
"Sky... you can call me Sky."
"Sky? That's an unusual name."
Austin murmured and yawned slightly.
"If you're going to stay here, just keep watch tonight. I'm going to sleep—"
He paused midway as Skyler stood up with the clothes and shoes in his hands and left before quickly entering Max's tent.
"Wow. How ungrateful."
Inside the small tent, Skyler noticed two beds already made. One of the beds was occupied by Max, who was loosening the laces of his shoes. So, he chose the other bed. First, he grabbed the hem of his torn and burned shirt and tossed it aside.
He wanted to take a bath, but knowing he couldn't, he simply slipped into the clothes that had been given to him. They were a bit oversized, but they would suffice for now.
With that, he pulled the blanket over his body and shut his eyes, turning his back to Max. Even though his injuries had healed, his body still ached from all the strenuous movements he had made throughout the day while fighting monsters. Therefore, he desperately needed rest.
He fell asleep in no time, but even in his sleep, he was clutching the thick bundle of gem-like elemental stones he had gathered throughout the day, wrapped in the fabric.
Fortunately, no one paid attention to the bundle due to his condition and the dark surroundings; otherwise, they would have truly been dumbfounded. After all, not many systems lead their linked hosts to encounter monsters that had formed elemental stones. In fact, the participants didn't even know yet that the system could do such a thing. They only knew that the linked systems could direct them to monsters.
Suddenly, Max turned to look at Skyler. The young man had his back to him, so he didn't realize that he had already fallen asleep. A hint of nervousness clouded Max's face.
"Umm... You are Skyler, right? I can recognize you, even though you've changed a lot since I saw you in the testing center two years ago. Jenny isn't a bad person at heart; I think she was just shocked, which is why she said what she did earlier. So, try not to hold any negative feelings against her. She is your sister."
He spoke everything in one go. He had no idea how Skyler, who wasn't even 20, ended up here in this dangerous place, but it's fortunate they found him in time.
"I actually know about your low potential. You can't use elemental power, right? I've heard about similar cases in the news, and I believe you got teleported here by accident, but we will protect you."
"Okay?"
Max raised his voice in the end, but there was still no response. So, he moved a bit closer. Only then did he notice that Skyler's breathing was even, and he smiled wryly.
"He's already asleep... I talked so much to myself. Shhh."
He wanted to go to sleep too, but Austin entered his tent and asked him to go out and keep watch for monsters since he was tired and wanted to sleep.