Standing behind Stella, Neo stared at the approaching figure in front of him with eyes filled with utter disbelief and confusion.
The one who just walked out of the Shelter was a man, seemingly in his mid-forties. He had short hair as dark as the night sky, eyes crimson as flowing blood, and a physique as well-refined and full of vitality as that of a walking mountain!
The man, who also turned out to be Stella's father, wore the same set of clothes as the others with the only discrepancy that instead of a sword, bow, and a quiver full of arrows, what was attached to his back was a massive greatsword.
Hell, just looking at that enormous thing hanging down made Neo's back hurt! He could actually feel the weight of that thing almost as if he was the one carrying it!
'No... To hell with that! Instead, what is HE doing here!?'
That's right! Who cared about a piece of forged metal when the person wielding it was someone he knew from his previous world?
"Well, this... Is indeed an unexpected twist, I dare say."
Zen murmured as he too recognized the man, feeling greatly taken aback.
Logan Sanford.
That was the man's name that Neo could hardly ever forget as he was one of his father's close friends. A friend who had died together with his father because of an unforeseen accident during one of their business trip!
Technically, he was considered to be dead now for almost 5 years!
...Yet, for some unknown reason, he was alive, here, right before him, in the flesh!
'No, this just makes no sense at all!' Neo's awestruck expression turned into a deep scowl.
Meanwhile, the twin's faces quickly changed and lowered their heads with respect.
"Lord Sanford, congratulations! Your daughter seems to have succeeded with her trial without an issue!"
With a joyful smile on his face, Logan nodded toward Max and shifted his gaze to his daughter. Then, after a few seconds, his smile grew even wider.
"My beautiful fairy, even after a whole year you look just as gorgeous as ever, just like your mother! Haa... Oh, how I wish she could have lived long enough to see this moment..."
Saying that, the delight in Logan's eyes slowly diminished and what replaced it was sorrow, grief, and a hint of remorse.
Max, on the side, raised his head and sighed bitterly.
"My Lord, I do not doubt that she is watching this moment proudly even from above."
"I'm sure about that too, my Lord." Dax agreed with a nod as well as a regretful sigh, almost as if he was mourning over the loss of someone very close and important to him.
On the other hand, Stella looked at the twins and rolled her eyes before she began to speak, her voice full of gravity.
"Dad, this is not the right time for this. There's something I need your help with."
And with those words, she took a step to the side, revealing Neo's figure.
Upon seeing him, Logan's eyes immediately turned sharp, his crimson gaze focusing on the black cleaver hanging down on Neo's waist.
"Dad, his name is Neo. I met him in the woods, north of here. He was fighting an Ice-Claw Panther."
Neo's brow raised in surprise hearing Stella's words before he shook his head.
"Fight? Oh, I do appreciate your kind words, truly, but I did not fight that horror. No, you can't even call that a fight, to begin with. In fact, I was almost killed were it not for you."
Then, he turned to face Logan and lowered his head with respect, the same way the twins did previously.
"Thus, I must thank you also, umm... Sir. I owe your daughter one for saving me then."
"Oh? Is that so?" Logan hummed, the wariness in his eyes slowly vanishing but his gaze still fixed on the Artifact.
"Great! Wonderfully done! Now they all know you are a wimp! Fool!" Zen hissed with annoyance, giving one a feeling as if he was ready to strangle Neo to death.
It was pretty much obvious for one to know he didn't wish others to know Neo was a weakling, as that way others could easily target him first.
Max, meanwhile, just sneered with mockery and asked;
"You can consider yourself lucky then. Though, if you can't even take care of a beast of that tier, I wonder what you have been doing outside there all alone. The Shivering Woods is not a place for cowards to wander around."
Dax nodded.
"My brother is indeed right. But what makes me more curious instead, is... you. I have never seen your face around here or I'm sure I would have recognized you."
Logan nodded, looking at Neo with curiosity, waiting for an answer.
"Just lie to them." Zen quickly spoke.
Neo clenched his teeth as he pondered for an answer. Then, he said, telling a mixture of truth and falsehood;
"I'm indeed not from around here, that is true. I came here from lands very far away, trying to reach the fortress on the north."
"The fortress on the north?" Logan raised a brow before his eyes flashed with realization, "You mean the Fallen Citadel? You were heading there? Oh, sorry kiddo, but I think you have traveled for nothing. That is no longer a place to be visited."
Max nodded and crossed his bulking hands before his chest.
"Lord Sanford is correct. It had already become the territory of the Fallen about three months ago. Going there is nothing more than a suicidal wish."
Neo watched as Stella and Dax nodded in agreement, however, his shock didn't come from the fact that the fortress was no longer standing for whatever reasons, but instead because of something else.
'...Fallen? Who... What the hell is that?'