The Inferno Sentinel

20 meters

10 meters

'If reincarnation is real, then I wish in my next life I'm reborn as your bride!'

5 meters

3 meters

'Goodbye, my love~'

1 meter

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMM!!!!!!!

FUUUUSSSSHHH

The train collided against something solid, and dust and debris flew off everywhere.

"Aaaaahh!"

"Run!"

"Mommy! Daddy!" A middle-aged man shrieked in fear like a little girl as he ran away.

The people began running in fear, afraid they'd be caught in the chaos.

Slowly, the dust began to subside, and the few people who remained turned to look at what had happened.

A massive wall of dark blue energy stood tall, halting the steel behemoth from moving even an inch forward.

The people looked at it, their faces full of disbelief.

***

Alice, who had given up and closed her eyes, slowly opened them.

"Eh?" she murmured, confused, as she saw the scene in front of her.

A figure clad in futuristic, full-body black armor with red accents and a flowing black cape had both hands stretched out, with a dark blue Energy Barrier standing between the figure and the train.

'I lived...?' Alice thought, her disbelief settling in.

However, a loud thumping sound from inside her chest distracted her.

BADUMP... BADUMP...

'Eh? Why is my heart beating so fast? This only ever happens when I... stalk Xavier? Not even with my own family do I feel this way...'

'Wait a minute....' Alice froze, realization dawning on her.

She turned to look at the figure once more. The figure was wearing a helmet, but deep down, Alice had this strange feeling she knew this person.

'No way... i-it can't be... but is it?' she thought, confusion mingling with growing hope.

At that moment, she heard the figure speak.

"Phew... I made it just in time. But I need to leave quickly before the Railway Officials arrive. Otherwise, I'll be in serious trouble."

Hearing the voice, an affectionate smile—almost too fond—formed on Alice's face.

'This voice! It's him! It's Xavier! I'm sure of it! He saved me! Again!' Alice's heart raced with excitement.

'Although, it's a bit muffled, probably because of that helmet he's wearing.'

She was overjoyed to find out the one behind the helmet was Xavier—no, her husband!

'That's right! I won't hold back! Not anymore!'

'Ahn~ Just thinking of our future together is making me... wet.' Alice thought to herself as her hand unconsciously brushed over her private. She was soaking wet. Her excitement was palpable, but she forced herself to focus.

'We will give each other our first kiss, our first time, and all of our firsts! Kyaa~!! I can't wait!' She had a crazed expression on her face. She didn't look like someone who was just about to die.

"But before that..." Alice glanced at the figure once more. Though she was desperate to rush toward Xavier, she knew now wasn't the right moment.

It wasn't because of what had just happened, but because Xavier was wearing a helmet.

'He wants to hide his identity. Makes sense...' Alice reasoned silently, watching him carefully.

After all, a civilian caught carrying unauthorized weaponry could face up to 70 years in prison. Though Alice wasn't sure if Xavier's armor was unauthorized, his urgency to leave before the Railway Officials arrived spoke volumes.

'It seems I'll have to let him go for now,' she thought, feeling a twinge of dissatisfaction. But then, her expression shifted to one of delight.

'Well, it doesn't matter. I'll just go to his home. After all, I know where he lives. Hehe~'

"There, all done," Xavier said as he let go of the Energy Barrier.

He turned to look behind him and saw the middle-aged woman he had saved.

"Are you okay, ma'am?" Xavier asked.

"E-eh?" Alice let out a sound of confusion.

'D-did he just talk to me?'

'KYAAAA!!' Alice inwardly roared in excitement.

'H-he talked to me! He talked to me! He talked to me!!'

"Hehehehe~" Alice started uncontrollably giggling.

"Schlick." Alice licked her lips with her tongue as she had a lewd expression on her face. However, since her head was lowered, Xavier couldn't see her expression. Although, he did hear the licking of her lips.

'Huh? What was that noise? Did she just lick her... lips? Ugh! What am I even thinking? I am reading way too much erotic novels.' Xavier shook his head refusing to believe what he'd heard.

"Um... ma'am? I think you need to go to the hospital. You might've some how hit your head." Xavier said as he saw Alice giggling like a maniac.

'What a weirdo. She keeps on laughing like a crazy person.' Xavier thought to himself as he watched her keep on giggling.

"Eh?" Alice came back to her senses.

"Thank you for saving my life, mister?" She gazed at Xavier and said with a smile on her face.

"I'm..."

'Um... I never thought of an alias' Xavier thought to himself with a slight embarrassment.

'What should I do? Oh! Let's go with that.'

"I'm Inferno Sentinel." Xavier said in a heavy voice.

'It's so cringe! So, that's how my readers felt when I used this name for my character Rex Ashburn!'

Meanwhile, Alice was even more certain than before that it was Xavier.

'I'm now a hundred percent sure that it's him.' However, she didn't show it on her face and instead thanked him.

"Thank you again for saving my life Mr. Inferno" Alice said her face filled with gratitude. Inwardly however, she was thinking something else.

'You're MINE! Just you wait!'

Beep Beep Beep

A beeping sound could be heard from the distance.

"Crap! I took too long. I need to leave immediately." Xavier said to himself. It'd be bad for him if he got caught.

"Well ma'am it was nice talking to you but I gotta go now! Ciao!" Immediately after he finished saying that Xavier vanished.

***

"You remember right?" Alice asked as she finished recalling the events of that day.

Xavier just stayed silent. A lot of things were going on his mind.

'So, that old woman who I helped and middle-aged woman that I saved was actually Alice in disguise.'

Badump BADUMP BBADUMP

'She went that far to confirm her feelings... for me.' Xavier thought his heart started beating loudly.

'W-wait, what is this feeling? Why do I feel so happy? So satisified? I don't understand!' Xavier thought his cheeks gaining a red hue.

'Don't tell me… No, Xavier, don't fall for this,' he mentally protested, trying to deny the growing feelings that were emerging for Alice.

***

A/N: Click on the paragraph comment for Inferno Sentinel pic