For someone unfamiliar with Crisanto Cruz, this might not seem so utterly alarming. Jaden wasn't exactly the type to follow famous System users, but even he knew of Crisanto Cruz.
No one gained a system without Crisanto Cruz knowing about it.
He was simultaneously every system user's best friend and source of inspiration, and their indisputable leader and the one given the title "The Strongest".
For this sort of man to whisper in your ear that your system was "suspicious" was enough to cause someone to faint from fear or beg at his feet for mercy.
As if Jaden would ever do that.
The two of them were approximately the same age. However, when Jaden had been dealing with the trials of middle school, Crisanto had been living on the streets. After he saved a fellow kid from the streets from certain death, his system awoke. The first system in the whole world.
At least, that's how Crisanto told the story.
Fast forward a few years. This would have been the same time Jaden was dealing with high school. He grinded for good grades, while Crisanto grinded for XP points.
It was on October 12, 2041 that Crisanto Cruz took down a King Class monster, saving the entire city of Manila from certain death. Jaden remembered the date well, since that was the same day his father left home, never to return.
It was pure coincidence, of course, but Jaden would never forget that date. He had always felt like Crisanto and him were two sides of the same coin. He strived for the ordinary, while Crisanto lived for the extraordinary.
On the day Crisanto had his greatest victory, Jaden had his greatest tragedy.
Of course, the two of them had never met. Any thoughts about their similarities or differences were Jaden's thoughts alone. Even if they had met, Jaden would have simply faded into the background. Why would an international celebrity spare a thought for a typical businessman from New York?
Seriously, why would he???
Jaden didn't want his acknowledgement, he wasn't like those hoards of adoring fans! He was much happier being the simple office worker naively working in his office, not even aware a fight was going on outside!!
He wanted to be an NPC, not a hero!!
Yeah, apparently that wasn't happening.
Even as he was thinking these thoughts, Borger Porker and Tenma ran into the room, chasing after Sofia. When they saw Crisanto, even Tenma looked as though he had made a big mistake.
Tenma checked his watch. "But..but..we're not in Filipino airspace yet! What…what is this!?"
Crisanto looked at Tenma, looking almost annoyed. "Do you think China has a problem with me stopping by?"
Borger caught sight of Viv, collapsed against the wall opposite to Jaden and ran over to him, checking his pulse with all the concern of a worried father. Crisanto didn't even bother to stop him.
Somehow, that was even more insulting than if he had.
Sofia, breathing hard, stated: "Crisanto, it is important to stop these men. I have reason to believe they were sent by those people."
Now who were those people?
Jaden had the feeling he knew a lot less than anyone else here. How annoying.
Tenma adjusted his glasses. His suit was ripped in a lot of places, and he looked absolutely furious. "Try whatever you want, we still have a bomb on this plane. Maybe you can survive, Crisanto, but can these filth - uh, I mean civilians?"
Crisanto glanced at him, almost carelessly. "Already got rid of it, mate."
Tenma began to sweat, his face going red. Jaden supposed usually his plans didn't go this poorly. Or maybe they always did. It would explain why he was constantly stressed.
Crisanto then responded to Sofia: "Oh really. Interesting~" He then pivoted around to stare at Tenma and simply snapped his fingers. A huge part of the airplane side simply snapped apart and Tenma was sucked outside.
He screamed: "Wha-!"
But it was cut off as he flew off. The faces of the passengers were torn between shock and awe. They were obviously excited to get to witness the one and only Crisanto Cruz, but no one wanted to be the next person thrown outside.
Borger carefully rested Viv down and slowly got to his feet. Jaden noticed that he seemed to be a bit battered from his fight with Sofia. Obviously she was better at fighting butchers than bugs.
Jaden expected such a big brute to begin to attempt to fight, but to his surprise, Borger Porker began to speak in a sophisticated voice. Was that the hint of a British accent?
"Mr. Cruz, I am sure you believe you completely understand this situation. However, I assure you that you don't know what you're dealing with. In fact, we did not understand either when we accepted this job."
Crisanto laughed: "The specifics are never that important, mate. Now, you go. You three are coming with me."
When he pointed at Borger, he fell through the airplane's floor as if it simply ceased to exist. Then the floor re-appeared as if it had never disappeared to begin with. How he did that, Jaden didn't want to find out.
And then he pointed at Jaden, Sofia, and the unconscious Viv.
Suddenly, being thrown out of an airplane didn't seem like such a bad option.