Maxwell discreetly trailed behind the White Crusader and the girl accompanying him, keeping a careful distance to avoid drawing attention. Though he couldn't make out their words, he could tell that they were talking with each other. The girl seemed engaged, occasionally glancing up at the The White Crusader, while he nodded in response. Maxwell's curiosity grew with every step about what their discussion could be about.
Maxwell discreetly pulled out the runic tablet, carefully aiming it at the White Crusader. As the device activated, the number that appeared was unsurprising—thousands, just like Sidgroth's. It was a sign to the White Crusader's strength, a reflection of someone from the Victorious Ten. However, when Maxwell shifted the tablet toward the girl walking beside him, his eyes widened in shock. Her number matched the Crusader's, soaring into the thousands as well.
As Maxwell continued to follow them, something unexpected happened. The White Crusader abruptly departed, heading in a completely different direction without so much as a word. Maxwell's eyes shifted to the girl, who stood still for a moment, her crimson eyes narrowing in concern. Her expression was tense, almost troubled.
Without warning, she leapt effortlessly onto a nearby building, her movements fluid. Maxwell watched as she sprint across the rooftops. His gaze followed her, realizing that her path seemed deliberate, her destination was clear.
"She's heading toward the supermarket..." Maxwell muttered under his breath, instinctively quickening his pace to keep up. Whatever was happening, it was far from ordinary.
After roughly fifteen minutes of following her trail, Maxwell finally arrived at the supermarket. He came to a stop across the street, his eyes scanning the area. There she was, the girl from earlier—her blonde hair flowing in the air as she ran straight through the supermarket's entrance.
Maxwell furrowed his brow, even more curious now. What could have driven her here in such a rush? He leaned against the side of a building, he began to think. Was this tied to the White Crusader, or was it something entirely different? Either way, he couldn't shake the feeling that something unusual was about to unfold.
In what felt like an instant, the White Crusader appeared, he came to a stop just outside the supermarket's entrance. His faceless, horned helmet turned slightly as if scanning the surroundings.
Maxwell tensed at the sight, his hand instinctively resting on Gladiolus's head. He could feel the tension in the air.
"Looks like we better be ready, Gladiolus," Maxwell said softly. He patted Gladiolus's head gently, "whatever happens, we have to protect the town."
Gladiolus growled lowly in response, his amber eyes fixed on the White Crusader, ready for whatever was to come.
A few more minutes passed, and that's when the girl Maxwell had been following earlier stepped out of the supermarket. She was no longer alone. Accompanying her were what Maxwell could only assume to be her friends, a small group of young adults who appeared to be around the ages of eighteen to twenty.
Maxwell's eyes narrowed as he observed them from his spot across the street. The two boys in the group didn't catch his attention. They were unremarkable to him, it was the girl who drew Maxwell's focus.
That was Mary Wildflower, a name that carried significant weight even in a town as distant as Calla Lily. She belonged to the prestigious Wildflower family from Magnolia, a family known for their wealth, influence, and connections.
"What's someone like her doing here?" Maxwell muttered under his breath, keeping his gaze fixed on the group.
As the group stepped outside, they were immediately stopped by the White Crusader, who stood firmly in their path.
From the distance, Maxwell could see that they were speaking, though he couldn't make out the words just yet. It didn't take long for a small crowd to gather a safe distance away, curious but cautious. Using the opportunity, Maxwell gestured for Gladiolus to follow him. They got closer to the scene.
"Mary Wildflower, daughter of the prestigious noble family of Magnolia. I stand before you as The White Crusader, and I'm here to return you to your rightful place," the White Crusader proclaimed, his deep, commanding voice cutting through the murmurs of the gathered crowd.
Maxwell, now close enough to hear, observed the scene carefully, his instincts on high alert. If things get out of hand, I'll intervene, he thought to himself. For now, however, he chose to remain hidden, observing the situation.
Mary's eyes widened in disbelief as she turned her gaze toward the legendary hero standing before her. "You really weren't lying, Eve," she whispered.
Maxwell's focus shifted momentarily to the girl with crimson eyes. So her name is Eve... he thought.
"Man, since when were heroes this terrifying?" the boy wearing shades muttered nervously, "is this how villains feel when they're up against him?"
Eve, however, seemed undeterred, or at least, she hid her nerves well. She pulled out her phone and began typing rapidly. Maxwell's eyes caught the motion, and he assumed she was sending a message to someone.
"Mary Wildflower, will you come peacefully, or will you resist?" The White Crusader words were like a weight that bore down on everyone present, even those who were merely bystanders.
"I won't go willingly. What do you want with me?" Mary demanded, her voice firm despite the uncertainty of the situation.
"I have no wish to cause a scene, nor do I wish to reveal sensitive information in a public setting," the White Crusader replied coldly. "But I will not hesitate to resort to force if necessary. Make your decision quickly and wisely."
As the standoff stretched on, Maxwell noticed the boy with glasses lean in to whisper something to Eve. Though the words were inaudible, the look exchanged between them spoke volumes, concern mixed with quiet resolve. Eve nodded subtly before stepping forward, her expression unreadable.
"Mr. Hero! This isn't a good look for you—" Eve began to speak, but before she could finish, the White Crusader moved with blinding speed, unsheathing his sword and slicing off a single strand of her hair. The blade was back in its sheath before most even realized he had drawn it.
"Eve Kinhana," the White Crusader said, his tone cold, "I explicitly warned you not to interfere. Consider this your only warning." Though his face was obscured by his faceless mask, the weight of his words made it clear he wasn't bluffing.
Eve chuckled nervously, though her crimson eyes were more piercing than ever. "You know, Mr. Hero, Vaos told me a lot about you. Sure, you've got plenty of reasons to cut me down, but don't think for a second that I don't have my own reasons to take you down." She raised her hands, activating her Ornament. Blades of wind swirled around her fingers.
The name made Maxwell freeze. Vaos? How does she know Vaos? He began to question, but he forced himself to stay focused.
The White Crusader shifted slightly, his hand returning to the hilt of his sword. "I see... Very well. Don't think I'll hold back—" He paused abruptly, his posture stiffening. His head turned slightly, as if sensing something unseen. "Wait... this energy..."
Before anyone could react, a new voice interrupted the standoff. "Quite the spectacle you're putting on, 'hero.'"
A man with tousled brown hair walked forth from the crowd, his confident and calm attitude a contrast to the tense situation. His sharp gaze swept over the White Crusader before settling on Mary and her companions, a faint smirk on his lips.
The White Crusader turned to face the newcomer, his stance immediately shifting to one of battle. "This feeling... You're..."
The man's right eye, faintly glowing a red hue, locked onto the White Crusader. "You and the others may have stopped us before, but you won't be so lucky this time." His voice venomous.
"Everyone in the area, evacuate immediately!" the White Crusader commanded, his booming voice scattering the remaining bystanders. Panic spread as the crowd scrambled to flee the scene.
The brown-haired man's smirk widened. "I am Forbidden Power, and this time, I will put an end to you..."
Maxwell stood in the shadows, his eyes narrowing as he observed the man. So this is Forbidden Power, he thought. The man gave off the feeling of quiet confidence, his rugged handsomeness almost striking against the ominous aura he projected. His lean, well defined body hinted at a power that lay hidden beneath the surface, a kind of strength that could strike in an instant.
The man's reddish-brown hair was tousled in a way that suggested both effortlessness and a degree of wildness. His piercing red eyes were glowing with an intensity that sent a shiver down Maxwell's spine. But it wasn't just the man's appearance that caught Maxwell's attention; it was the raw power that seemed to radiate from him. His long, flowing black coat, as though it were alive with energy, while the black shirt and trousers beneath gave him a dangerous appearance.
Maxwell observed how the man's right eye began to glow with a unusual intensity. The light seemed to pulse, growing stronger with each passing second, as though some deep, hidden power was beginning to surface, ready to be unleashed.
The White Crusader's hand tightened around the hilt of his sword, his posture shifting into one of readiness. He was no stranger to battle, but Maxwell could tell from the way the White Crusader's body stiffened that this situation was different, that Forbidden Power was not a foe to be underestimated.
"Yes, you're Forbidden Power..." The White Crusader's voice was steady.
Forbidden Power smiled, the expression devoid of warmth. It was a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "I'm glad you remember me! You know, it's been many years since the last time we met." His voice was calm, almost conversational.
Maxwell could feel the tension building between the two of them, it was clear that neither of them intended to back down now.
Maxwell began recalled the stories he had read about the Forbidden, creatures born from the void itself, existing as living embodiments of chaos and destruction.
The void dimension they came from was a place shrouded in mystery, a realm where time and space twisted unnaturally, and reality itself seemed to warp. It was said that the creatures of the void were born from the very darkness between the stars. When they invaded Earth, the world had been thrown into disarray, the Void War, it was called. Only the combined might of heroes like the Victorious Ten and The White Trial had been able to push them back.
Now, as he stood watching the confrontation unfold before him, Forbidden Power wasn't just a name, he was one of the very creatures that had come through the void, a remnant of that chaos. He wasn't just a man; he was something far more dangerous, a being shaped by destruction and chaos, one who had survived the war and lived to see another day.
Maxwell couldn't help but wonder, had the Forbidden truly been defeated, or was this just the beginning of a new conflict? Something that could bring about the chaos of the void once again.
Maxwell's brief time in this new world, which had once seemed so simple, was now becoming far more complicated and dangerous than he could have ever imagined...