Guardians of Managas

Chapter : 24 The Cresent Moon guild

Max stood up, fully determined to tackle his next quest job at the Adventure Guild in Atla. He had been working steadily, putting in the effort to build his reputation. Unlike our other heroes Max had the advantage of already being in Atla, giving him a head start in accepting and completing quests. His dedication and skill earned him the title of "Solo Adventurer" from the Mythical Horizon Guild, a name that was now recognized across the entire Wave Realm.

His fame had grown, and with it, the renown of the guild he belonged to. Mythical Horizon had become a household name. Max, had recently completed his first A-rank quest, a significant milestone in his task, but the elusive S-rank quests remained out of reach.

However, S-rank quests were rare and highly coveted. Even if one did appear, there was always the risk that another group would claim it before he had the chance. Until that opportunity arose, all Max could do was continue taking on other quests, sharpening his skills, and preparing himself for the day when he could finally tackle an S-rank mission.

Max soared through the sky in his phoenix form, his fiery wings cutting through the air as he made his way toward the guild hall at the port of Atla. As he neared the guild, he gracefully descended, flames briefly flickering around him before he transformed back into his human form, landing lightly on his feet in front of the entrance. He strode into the guild hall, his presence immediately drawing attention. As he walked toward the receptionist, murmurs started. Conversations hushed, and all eyes turned to him. "Is that the Solo Bird? I want to be like him someday," one of the younger adventurers whispered, eyes wide with admiration.

"Yeah, he's so cool," another added, watching Max with a mix of envy and awe.

But not everyone was impressed. "Pfh, just a poser who can't work with a team," muttered a gruff voice from a shadowed corner of the hall, the words laced with bitterness.

"He's got a bit of fame, sure, but that's all there is to him," someone else grumbled, dismissing Max as nothing more than a flash in the pan.

The guild was divided when it came to Max. Some saw him as a beacon of what an adventurer could achieve through sheer determination and skill. Others, however, resent his rapid rise, viewing him as someone who shunned teamwork and relied too much on his unique abilities.

Max moved forward, unaffected by the whispers that followed him. He had long since grown accustomed to divided opinions, and he knew that no amount of praise or criticism would deter him from his path. He approached the receptionist, the flicker of phoenix flames still visible in his eyes, and gave her a nod. He was ready to see what the guild had to offer today

Max approached the reception desk, his expression calm but with a hint of impatience. "Hey, are there any S-class quests available?"

The receptionist looked up with a sympathetic smile. "Sadly, still no. There hasn't been anything worthy of an S-class ranking yet. I'm sorry, I know you've been waiting for one."

Max waved off her apology. "Don't worry about it. I'll take an A-rank quest then. Gotta make sure I don't get soft just waiting around doing nothing."

The receptionist hesitated, then spoke cautiously. "Oh... ehmm, about that. The owner asked if I could ask you for a favor."

Max raised an eyebrow, intrigued but slightly annoyed. "A favor, huh? Spit it out, what is it?"

She leaned in a bit, lowering her voice. "Well, there's a new guild called Crescent Moon. They've just established themselves, and all three of the members are new. They don't have any experience with quests and are younger than you. The owner was wondering if you could take them under your wing, at least for a while, to make sure they don't get themselves killed and actually complete their quests properly."

Max scratched the back of his head, a bit exasperated. "Ehh, babysitting rookies? That's not really my style. And since when do new adventurers get special treatment like that? No one assigned me a mentor when I started."

The receptionist leaned in closer, whispering into his ear. "One of those three is the owner's nephew. He's seen how much you've accomplished in such a short time, and he thinks it'd be good if you could keep an eye on them. And, of course, there's a reward. Whenever we get an S-class quest, you'll be the first to know. We won't make it public until you've had a chance to accept it."

Max's lips curled into a smile as he thought it over. "Well, I guess I can show the rookies a thing or two. And getting first dibs on S-class quests... yeah, that's a deal I can't pass up." He nodded, then asked, "Alright, where's this group I'm supposed to babysit?"

The receptionist looked relieved. "Thank you! They're on the second floor, room 101."

"Got it," Max replied. With a flash of fiery energy, he transformed into his phoenix form and soared up to the second floor, ready to meet the Crescent Moon guild.

Max knocked on the door to room 101 and was greeted by an energetic male voice from within. "Come in, come in! Welcome to the HQ of the soon-to-be greatest guild in Olymp—the Crescent Moon!"

Opening the door, Max was met with a lively scene. Standing proudly in the center of the room was a young man with big, spiky red hair, turquoise eyes, and a half-moon tattoo on his forehead. His hands were planted confidently on his hips, and he wore a broad, wholehearted smile. Tattoos snaked down his neck and chest, adding to his bold appearance.

To his left, sitting on a bed with her nose buried in a book, was a girl with orange, twin-twirled ponytails and large glasses. A full moon tattoo was visible on her chest. She glanced up briefly at Max, her expression calm and focused, before returning to her reading.

In the far corner of the room sat the third member. His back turned toward the room and his face against the wall. He wore a white hoodie with the hood pulled up, partially obscuring his face, and a mask covering his mouth. He shot a quick, cautious glance at Max before returning his gaze to the wall. Max stepped into the room, taking in the trio. "So, you're from the Crescent Moon Guild, huh?" His tone was neutral, but his eyes were sharp as he assessed the young adventurers before him.
Max thought, "An energetic guy, full of confidence, believing he can conquer anything." A smart-looking girl, probably not interested in me, even though she did glance my way. And a guy who can't even look in my direction. What a trio to look after. I hope I can do a good job guiding them, just like Ari and Aquador did for us."

The red-haired guy said excitedly, "So, you're our new recruit, huh? Don't worry, we're new too, but we know how to get stuff done. I'm so happy we got a new member right off the bat! Aren't you, Lilith, Spook?"

Max looked confused and facepalmed. "A new recruit?" He gazed at the red-haired guy. "I'm not a new member; I'm your babysitter and mentor for the time being, kid," he said, a little irritated.

The spike-haired kid acted surprised and confused. "Huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu? This is the first time I'm hearing this. We don't need a babysitter. Who even allowed that?"

Lilith put her book aside and said, "Kelum, your uncle and the receptionist lady told us about that. Not only that, they sent us the solo bird from Mythical Horizon. His name rose to fame quickly in the wave realm."

You hear a small rumbling from the corner of the wall. Spook whispered, "Ehhh, they sent someone unfamiliar to us and a famous person at that. His eyes are scary."

Kelum responded, "Oh, did they tell us that?" Ehhh, I probably forgot. Also, 'solo bird' sounds lame, and I've never heard of him or his guild. Eh, but whatever. If my uncle is worrying too much, I will allow you to temporarily join our guild, bird."

And so a new unexpected challenge in Max's adventure opened

To be continue