Maven Sears.
That was the woman who stood between Zefer and the group of men. The girl already had one of the men in a hold on the ground, with their arm bent so they could not move. Zefer figured she learned something like that from her father.
In fact, Zefer figured she learned a lot from her father since he was the Chief of Police. Nevertheless, an exciting notification appeared before him. He glanced it over, and his brow rose with curiosity. Unlike his usual skills, this one was already maxed out, meaning he did not have to level it up.
Of course, he didn't get the time to look it over since a commotion was stirring in front of him. As his eyes shifted from the notification, it fizzled out as he focused on the scene before him. He didn't need to be saved. In fact, he would have been upset since he was trying to gain something. The only reason he wasn't was because he gained something anyways.
To him, a maxed-out skill was better than one he needed to level up. Besides, he had this feeling that the skill he gained was highly beneficial to his goals.
"Maven..." Ruth grumbled as he took a step back when Maven's eyes looked at him. She shook her head, "All of you are under arrest. Fights not within Gambit's Challenge are a violation of public order. Ruth Gutter, you should know that." Maven's voice held aggression, one deemed fit for the daughter of a police officer.
"Not to mention, attempted murder. Once again, this is a violation of public order. All fights are to be held with Gambit's Challange." Maven added.
The group of men began to panic. Even Simon didn't know what to do. He was about to make a run for it until he heard a laugh come from his side. He looked down to see it was his little brother who was laughing. All eyes were now on Ruth, wondering why he was laughing or if he had lost it.
"You are kidding, right? Violation of public order? Maven, the guy you are protecting is a murder. He has been found guilty of killing several men from the upper district. We were only doing a service to the public because no one cares about that Zero, if you haven't noticed." Ruth finally started speaking after his laugher fit.
"Or are you telling me that the daughter of a policeman is siding with a murder? After all, I do find it strange that he isn't locked up or put on death row. Since when was murder allowed, hm?" Ruth continued speaking.
Maven was speechless. She couldn't come up with a retort. She wanted to say it wasn't Zefer's fault and that he was defending himself and his family. She wanted to fight back, but her words caught her throat since she felt like it would prove that Ruth was right if she did.
"That's... He was..." Maven began to struggle, her sense of righteous reason crumbling. She was raised to do the right thing, to fight for what was right. It was what her father did, but was there any justice in any of this? What was the right decision, and what was the wrong decision? Siding with Zefer was right, right? She didn't know because everything seemed flawed.
"I... Well..." Once more, Maven struggled, her mind going blank as she failed to conclude. By law, by the court, the ruling of Zefer was guilty. There was no overturning it, and if she sided with Zefer, it could ruin everything. Her entire life, her father's life, even those connected to her.
But, if she sided with Ruth, she would be no different from those who plead Zefer guilty and labeled him a murder. If it was just her life that would change, perhaps she could make that choice to side with Zefer, but this would affect all of those around her, not just her. Her sense of reason and sense of justice were clashing with one another, causing her to stumble over a choice.
"Alright... I've changed my mind." A voice drew everyone's attention towards it. They all saw Zefer picking up the pocket knife that the man previously had. He looked it over, playing with it as he tapped his finger on the tip of the blade.
"I'll just kill all of you. You've already said it before, remember? You called me a murder." Zefer pointed the blade at Ruth. "So, I should act like one, yes?" Zefer said as he approached the group of people, but before he could even take another step, a voice called out to him.
"Is that what you really want, Zefer?"
Once again, all eyes turned to the voice, even Maven looked, and this time they saw a boy at the ends of the alley. He was standing there, looking over the scene before him. He was surprised to see Maven but sighed and shook his head before looking at Zefer.
"I've looked into the incident. What happened to you is tragic, but why let what others say and do dictate your actions?" The boy stepped forward, revealing to be Alex. He looked to be in a stable condition, showing that he made a full recovery.
Zefer looked at Alex, stared at him for a long moment, and as he did, he saw that Alex still had the look of respect in his eyes. Even now, as Zefer was about to kill someone, Alex still showed him respect. "Now's not the best time to act..." Zefer thought to himself. He was getting ahead of himself just now, and it seemed like Alex's voice of reason brought him back to his sense.
Was it luck? Perhaps even fate? Well, who knows.
"Perhaps you are right, but tell me, Alex..." Zefer closed the pocket knife and slipped it into his pocket, storing it into his inventory for later. "...Since when did I get a choice on what path my life was going towards?" Zefer's expression became cold, just like his voice.
"We all have a choice, Zefer. With or without power, we choose who we want to be. What you need to realize is with great power comes great responsibility." Alex remarked as he stopped in front of Zefer.
"Will you use your power of evil or for good, that choice is yours alone. I can only hope that you will make the right choice, unlike some people." Alex shifted a cold glare at Ruth and Simon.
"Beat it, now." Alex's voice was cold, yet Ruth, Simon, and his group left without a word. The only one that could not escape was the man Maven had pinned down. Everyone in the City of Falter knew Alex and knew who his father was. Therefore, people did not mess with Alex since messing with him was like messing with their City's Champion.
"Alex..." Maven finally spoke.
"I know. I let them get away, but you still have one. He should be all you need." Alex said as he looked at the man grumbling and groaning in defeat. Maven nodded then decided to call for the police to pick up the person in question. She also gave a report.
Meanwhile, Alex turned to look at Zefer.
"Zefer, can you tell me what truly happened to you?" Alex asked suddenly for the story behind the incident with Zefer. "My power or my past?" Zefer asked, although his voice showed he wasn't going to tell him anything, more so, he just wanted to know what Alex was asking.
"Both, but mostly your past," Alex said, but before Zefer could reply, his bracelet started to make a ringing noise as if he were getting a call. He tapped upon it, and the screen opened up to a visual feed of Karin in her room filled with girly items.
"Hey, I tried messaging you and looking for you after school, but you didn't pick up! What was with you leaving me in that storage room!? You think that just because I had sex with you that you can leave me there like some used toy!?" Karin exclaimed with frustration. She was only wearing a pink bath towel showing that she had just gotten out of the shower.
She called Zefer with her cleavage showing and what not to try and stir him up or embarrassment in some way, but he seemed indifferent to how she looked.
"I told you never to call me, only to reply to my messages. If I do not contact you, don't contact me." Zefer sighed as he hung up on Karin without another word. When he returned his attention to Alex, he looked red on the face and seemed to try and hide it.
Video calls could be seen by anyone and heard by all, so it was clear that Alex saw Karin and listened to what she said, but it wasn't just her, but Maven as well.
"Who you sleep with is your business, but try not to do it on campus grounds, Zefer." Maven said with a sigh and shake of her head. Honestly, it was to mask her disappointment in Zefer. She knew about Karin since the girl tried to come onto her boyfriend at one point. She didn't think Zefer would ever mess with someone like that, but perhaps she was wrong.
After that, Zefer never answered Alex and instead dismissed himself even when Alex and Maven wanted to talk with him. He returned to his grocery shopping, unaware that another pair of eyes were on him today.
"Oh... Zeffy... you are just so cool." Serena said as she watched from above, on the rooftop of the building.