Reincarnated As The Side Character

The creature locked its glowing white eyes onto Maxwell and Gladiolus, its gaze giving the impression that it was measuring their strength, calculating their potential as threats. Without a word, it began to fly membrane similiar to a bats forming with void energy under its arm, its movements fluid. The glowing eyes flared brighter, a clear signal that it was preparing something.

And like a hawk targeting its prey, the creature swooped down, snatching Maxwell by the shoulders in its iron grip. The force of the grab knocked the wind out of him, and before he could react, the creature shot back into the sky, carrying him higher and higher.

Maxwell struggled as the creature's claws dug into his shoulders. Then, without warning, the creature dove downward, using Maxwell as a battering ram to smash through buildings. Each impact sent shockwaves of pain through Maxwell's body as he was driven into walls and through debris, the rubble scattering with each crash. To the creature, Maxwell was nothing more than a battering ram, but to Maxwell, each collision felt like his body was being torn apart.

The screams of the people echoed in the distance, but Maxwell could barely hear them over the sound of shattering stone and his own gasps for air.

Maxwell, despite activating the full power of his Ornament, felt a sense of helplessness. His body ached from the relentless impacts, and the creature's strength seemed immeasurable. Just as the creature prepared to swoop down again, its talons aimed to finish the job, a blur of movement caught Maxwell's eye.

Gladiolus, timing his leap, slammed into the creature mid-flight, throwing it off balance. The sheer force of Gladiolus's tackle sent both him and the creature towards to the ground. Maxwell, dazed but alert, rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding being crushed by the falling pair.

As he pushed himself up, his breathing ragged, Maxwell couldn't help but feel a flicker of hope reignite. "Nice timing, Gladiolus," he muttered under his breath.

No different from a savage beast, Gladiolus unleashed a assault on the creature. His massive hands pinned its head to the ground, preventing it from rising freely. Each blow he delivered was powerful enough to shake the earth beneath them.

However, the creature didn't seem fazed by the attack. Instead, its glowing white eyes locked onto Gladiolus. Its mouth opened wide, a bright, ominous light building within. Maxwell immediately recognized the signs, it was preparing to unleash another devastating void energy blast.

"Gladiolus! Get out of there!" Maxwell shouted.

Just as Gladiolus crouched, preparing to jump away, the creature's unnaturally long arms shot out, coiling around Gladiolus's thick neck like a snake. The creature's grip was strong, preventing any chance of escape.

Before Gladiolus could counter, the light within the creature's mouth erupted into a concentrated beam, a laser of void energy that struck Gladiolus squarely in the chest. The beam didn't dissipate on impact; it continued to push against him, its destructive force scorching the ground beneath them. Gladiolus roared in pain but held firm, his powerful body absorbing the brunt of the attack.

Maxwell acted quick as he scanned the area. His eyes landed on a large shadow cast by a collapsed structure. It was the perfect spot for Gladiolus to escape to, but only if he acted quickly.

"Gladiolus!" Maxwell yelled, pointing to the shadow. "The shade, use it now!"

In an instant, Gladiolus vanished into the shadow, freeing himself from the creature's grip. But his respite was short lived. The creature's glowing eyes locked onto him, and it tracked his movement, its void powered laser still firing. Gladiolus barely had time to brace as the beam followed him, slamming him into the rubble of the collapsed structure, pinning him beneath the debris.

The creature's mouth began to glow even brighter, "explode into a million pieces!" it roared.

It ceased the continuous laser, only to unleash a massive void blast. The force of the blast struck the rubble with devastating impact, triggering an eruption of debris and fire. The explosion was deafening, and a massive plume of dust and energy filled the area.

Maxwell dashed forward, with a powerful swing, he slammed his mace into the creature's face, the force twisting its head to the side. Before it could recover, Maxwell shifted his stance and brought the mace crashing down against its knees, driving the massive beast downward. The aura of his Ornament pulsed around him.

The creature growled in pain, its glowing eyes narrowing as it opened its mouth to retaliate. A sudden blast of void energy erupted from its mouth. But Maxwell raised his mace and swung it, the void energy collided with the mace, and with a loud clang, Maxwell deflected the blast back toward the creature.

The redirected energy struck the beast, causing it to stagger backward, its body shuddering under the force of its own attack. Maxwell's aura flared brighter, and he gripped his mace tightly.

Maxwell closed the distance, gripping his mace tightly with both hands, he planted his feet firmly on the ground, using every ounce of strength he had into his next move. His aura flared brighter.

"Strike of Luck!" Maxwell roared, he swung his mace in a powerful arc, the weapon glowing with the amplified force of his Ornament. The mace connected squarely with the creature's chest.

The force sent the creature backwards, its massive body slamming into the ground. Dust and debris flew into the air as the creature lay seemingly defeated, the ground beneath it cracked and shattered from the force of the collision. Maxwell stood firm, the aura around him flickering like a shield.

The creature let out a laugh as it stood up, brushing off the dust and debris as if Maxwell's strike was nothing more than an inconvenience. Its glowing eyes locked onto Maxwell's.

"I see it now," the creature said, "you aren't from this world either. I could tell when I observed you up close after that little attack of yours. There's something... foreign about you, something misplaced."

Maxwell froze for a moment, his grip tightening on his mace. "Wha—? What do you mean? How could you tell? Are you saying... you're not from this world either?"

The creature grinned, a glint in its glowing eyes. "Not from this world? You could say that," it replied. "But what matters is that I see through you, through your facade. Tell me, do you even remember where you truly belong?"

Maxwell's heart pounded, but he steadied his expression, refusing to let the creature's words shake him. "It doesn't matter where I'm from," he said firmly. "What matters is protecting this world now."

The creature's laughter echoed once more. "Protect this world? Brave words, but let's see if you can live up to them." Its posture shifted as it prepared for another attack.

The creature's long arm shot out like a whip, its claws slashing through the air. Maxwell reacted instinctively, sidestepping just in time to avoid its grasp. With a swing of his mace, he struck the creature's outstretched arm, the weapon collided with the dark, ethereal flesh. The creature recoiled for a moment, its glowing eyes narrowing in irritation.

But it was merely a feint. As Maxwell prepared for another strike, the creature dug its remaining arm deep into the earth. Before Maxwell could react, the ground beneath him seemed to shift. A suddenly he was gripped by his foot, and in an instant, he was yanked off his feet. The creature's grip was strong as it dragged him violently across the ground, toward it.

Maxwell struggled, his foot slipping through the dirt and debris as the creature's arm pulled him. He swung his mace in a desperate attempt to break free, but the ground around him seemed to pull him in deeper.

"No!" Maxwell gritted his teeth, trying to maintain his balance, but the creature's strength was too much. It dragged him closer, the distance between them closing with each agonizing second.

"Your luck can only carry you so far," the creature said. "Soon, you will be nothing but another victim."

The creature's grip tightened around Maxwell's body as it effortlessly lifted him into the air. His head spun from the sudden motion, before he could react, the creatures swung his arm down, slamming Maxwell into the ground. The force rattled his entire body, but before he could recover, the creature lifted him once more, only to repeat the motion again and again. Each slam sent shockwaves of pain throughout Maxwell's body, and his vision blurred with each impact.

"My name is Malacosteus," the creature growled. "Remember it well, human. I am the monster who will send you into your next life. Your pain will be a small price for me to return to what I once was." With a final, twist of its wrist, Malacosteus lifted Maxwell high into the air before slamming him down. The world around Maxwell went black for a moment.

The creature leaned closer, its gaze cold and calculating as it examined Maxwell.

"Your Ornament..." Malacosteus continued, "it would be troublesome if you ever mastered it. The power of luck you wield is dangerous. But don't worry, your mana won't go to waste. No, it will serve me. It will fuel my return to humanity."

Maxwell's breath came in shallow gasps as he struggled to lift his head. "Wait… I need to know something," he said, wincing with each word. "Do you remember everything from your previous life? Everything you were before you became this... monster?"

Malacosteus's glowing eyes narrowed, "every bit of it," he replied,. "I didn't die, I was thrown into a rift. Forced into another world, and this is what I became. A creature of darkness, starving for mana. But my memories, my humanity, they are still mine."

"So it's true… you're the one responsible for the disappearances in Calla Lily, aren't you?"

Malacosteus nodded slowly, "indeed, I am. You see, I don't feast on food like you humans. I feed on mana. The energy that flows through this world, through you. And if I can feed enough, I might just be able to turn back into what I once was."

Maxwell gritted his teeth, trying to push through the pain as he glared at Malacosteus. His voice was raw with anger, "It might? You're not even sure yourself. And what if it doesn't turn you back into a human? What then?"

Malacosteus's expression darkened, his glowing eyes flickering with a mix of annoyance and cold calculation. He paused for a moment, "then my efforts will be wasted, and the disappearances will be nothing more than a tragic footnote in Calla Lily's history," he replied, his tone shifting, almost contemplative. "But that's the price of survival, isn't it?"

Maxwell's anger flared. "Survival? You've slaughtered people to feed your hunger, and you call that survival?"

Malacosteus tilted his head slightly, studying Maxwell. "Tell me something, Maxwell," he said. "With your perspective of morals and ethics, would you allow yourself to starve and die? Would you allow yourself to remain as you are, a monster, if you were in my position?" His gaze locked onto Maxwell.

Maxwell stayed silent, he didn't know how to respond. His anger was still there, but it was mixed with confusion and doubt. What kind of answer could he give to someone who had been forced into this monstrous existence?

Malacosteus broke the silence, "every world, every universe... they're all cruel in their own way," he murmured, as if speaking more to himself than to Maxwell. "I'm unwanted here, unneeded. I've been cast aside, left to suffer in this form. Once I turn back into a human, I'll go through the rift again, leave this place behind."

Maxwell gritted his teeth, pushing himself to his feet despite the sharp. Blood stained his clothes, and the exhaustion weighed him down, but he refused to stay down. His voice was weak, but his resolve remained strong. "We may never see eye to eye," he said. "Your situation... it's tragic, but I won't stand by and let the innocent lives you've taken go unpunished. I can't."

"How noble," Malacosteus said, his eyes narrowing with contempt as he observed Maxwell's defiant stance. "Even in your current form, broken and battered, you stand tall, still fighting for the weak. Very well." He locked eyes with Maxwell.

"Let's see how far you'll go for this world, this new home of yours... and how far you'll fall in the process..."