In a desolate, featureless, and damp void, Forbidden Power, Wrath, and Lust found themselves in an uncomfortable stillness. Both Forbidden Power and Lust silent from their humiliating defeats. As they sat in the silence, Wrath couldn't conceal his disappointment. Each sigh that escaped him echoed the disapproval.
"Hmph, I wonder why you didn't run away when you faced two of the Victorious Ten, Power. Nothing but foolishness trying to fight both of them," Wrath remarked.
"Should you be talking, Wrath? You let the halfbreed and those other two run away," Power retorted, questioning Wrath's own actions.
"Distinguishing between letting them escape and tracking them down at my leisure is something you fail to comprehend, Power. Unlike you, who endured nothing but a humiliating defeat," Wrath remarked.
"Geez~! Stop arguing you two, you're giving me a headache!" Lust stuck out her tongue at the both of them.
Wrath couldn't resist taking a dig at Lust, his voice filled with disdain, "Don't get me started with you, Lust. Your arms require time for regeneration, and in addition, you've been deprived of your weapon. Furthermore, your defeat came at the hands of that traitor who hasn't seen combat for decades."
Lust, in an attempt to defend herself, said, "Hey now, I was caught off guard. How was I supposed to know his Forbidden attributes?"
"Given the circumstances, we have to call upon more allies. However, I'm confident the boss won't be pleased with this news." Wrath sighed, acknowledging the situation.
"Shouldn't we let Alexander know about this?" Lust tilted her head.
"Lust, you should know best. It's unnecessary; Alexander is merely another pawn. Otherwise, we would be with him instead of our pocket dimension," Wrath dismissed.
"Who do you reckon we should call over?" Power asked.
"Before either of you proposes anything, I've already made the decision on who we shall summon here," Wrath said.
"And that is..?"
"Forbidden Illusion; with his abilities, we can conceal ourselves in plain sight. Moreover, his combat abilities will prove most useful," Wrath stated.
"That's one. What about the second one?" Lust chimed in.
"As for the second one, it shall be Forbidden Energy. These humans, without being able to control mana, are nothing more than ants. Additionally, his ability to distribute energy to us will be of assistance." Wrath said.
"Lastly, the third one we shall call over is Forbidden Nature," Wrath declared, closing his eyes.
"Forbidden Nature!?" Power and Lust said in unison.
"You do remember his power, right?" Power asked, eyeing Wrath with skepticism.
As Wrath contemplated the decision, he continued, "The force of nature... Unpredictable as it may be, could serve as a trump card."
"Just keep Nature in this pocket dimension until we actually need him," Power said.
"Naturally, now let me contact the boss..." As his words echoed, a vibrant green hue began to materialize in the void above them.
The green hue spoke with authority, "Don't bother in reporting the bad news to me; that human already told me everything." Pulsating brightly everytime it spoke.
"I see, my lord, it disgraces me to ask, but we require more allies to assist us," Wrath humbly said, the green hue intensified, before dimming its light.
"Very well," the green hue, acknowledging their request . "Seeing the sorry state both Power and Lust are in, I suppose I can grant that request."
"Who do you wish to be dispatched for assistance?"
"I have chosen Forbidden Illusion, Energy, and Forbidden Nature..." Wrath nodded.
"Forbidden Nature? The force of nature is a double-edged sword, however, such details are not my concern. Very well, I shall have Forbidden Illusion, Energy, and Nature over there as soon I can," the green hue assured.
"Thank you, my lord. With their assistance, we will ensure that everything proceeds as planned, and that the human finishes the portal," Wrath expressed his gratitude.
"I won't be so lenient next time, if something like this happens again the consequences will be severe. I don't care if you must lay down your lives; your duty is to stop them from getting to that human," the green hue warned.
"Understood, my lord. Rest assured, we will not fail you again. Next time, we shall ensure their defeat," Wrath bowed.
"Good, then we've nothing more to say to each other." The green hue in the void slowly faded.
"It's quite interesting that you didn't tell him about letting the halfbreed and her friends escape," A heavy sigh escaped Power's lips.
Lust with a cheeky demeanor, chimed in, "He's right, you know! At least we lost while fighting; you got the cushy job and let them run off!"
"We're not talking about this again. I'm off to visit the human. You two have to recover." Wrath using spatial retreat, he left for the WWP labyrinth.
In his office, Alexander, aware of the potential consequences of staying out of the public eye for too long, thought about the repercussions. He understood that prolonged seclusion could lead to the spread of rumors, further tarnishing the already delicate reputation of the WWP.
While Alexander thought about the current unfolding events in his office, Forbidden Wrath appeared abruptly before him; stepping out of the portal. His heavy footsteps echoed throughout the office.
"Human..." Wrath said, his deep voice getting the attention of Alexander.
"I didn't expect for you to visit, but more importantly, what brings you here, Wrath? If it's about the portal, Edward is still working on it. It appears to be far more complex than we thought. He even had to deconstruct the entire thing," Alexander sighed.
"We need you to slow down those pests. I'll personally hunt down those of the Victorious Ten; however, those six other humans will be a problem if left unchecked," Wrath said.
"Aren't the Victorious Ten still stronger than you?" Alexander asked.
"Do not compare me to the likes of Power or Lust, don't question my capabilities. Your task is clear: kill or slow down those humans by any means necessary." The crevices in Wrath's mask began to glow brightly, mirroring the intensity of his command.
"Your command is duly noted, Wrath. Rest assured, I'll take appropriate measures to stop them. Now, if you please, if anyone saw you here, I could get into quite a bit of trouble," Alexander said, knowing the need for discretion.
"One last matter, concerning the other human, Edward. Can he be trusted? I've sensed a resemblance between him and Blood, someone who in the future will be a treacherous coward." Wrath asked.
"I had the same question, but Edward has helped us in slowing down those six with his robot. His reliability is unquestionable for now, though I anticipate for him to leave once the portal is working," Alexander assured.
"Understood. Nevertheless, I shall assign Lust to closely monitor his actions for now," Wrath declared.
As Wrath turned around to leave, a heavy silence hung in the air before Alexander broke it. "Before you go, Wrath, where are you and the others staying? I expected you to stay within the labyrinth." Alexander asked.
Wrath sighed and shook his head, "Curiosity is a trait that humans never seem to outgrow." With that, he used spatial retreat, disappearing from Alexander's office.
Eve walked away, observing the chaotic scene where police cars and ambulances scrambled to restore order and aid the injured following the recent events.
The weight of Vaos's words lingered in Eve's mind. While he might not be her biological parent, he and Eliza were the only family she had left. Tears escaped Eve's eyes, betraying the seriousness of her expression. Despite her outward demeanor, sadness consumed her within.
Overwhelmed by guilt, she couldn't help but think that the chaos unfolding was a consequence of her selfish pursuit of revenge. She thought about Wrath's words, she came to the realization that maybe she was truly an anomaly, a existence not meant to be.
As more dark thoughts harbored Eve's mind, she stopped walking as she heard familiar voices reached her ears.
In middle of the chaotic atmosphere, Eliza's voice cut through, accompanied by a subtle smile. "You really didn't think you'd run away that easily, did you, Eve?" With those words, Eve turned around to face her.
"Ehh, were you crying?!" Eliza exclaimed as she noticed the redness in Eve's eyes.
"N-no, some dirt just entered my eyes is all..." Eve rubbed her eyes as she subtlety smiled.
Eliza sighed, "Vaos isn't happy, you know. I even had to tell him about what happened on the highway. But nonetheless, we can't just let you go alone like that." Eliza's tail gently patted Eve's head.
"By the way, where's Vulcan?" Eve asked.
"He went back to Bard's car; he's waiting for them there. Seeing how our car was completely destroyed, we have no choice but to hitch a ride with them," Eliza said.
"Assuming they'll even allow us," Eve sighed as she walked beside Eliza.
"Don't worry about that, Eve, I have my ways of convincing people!" Eliza smiled.
A faint smile formed on Eve's lips,
"I know you do..."