Chapter. 08 Pirate in the church

"Where has everyone gone? Damn, maybe it was the next floor? Why can't anyone give sensible directions?" A deep voice could be heard inside the fog, hardened from many battles, making the lateral roof supporting columns shake. The presence alone felt overpowering and pushed away the benches positioned parallel to the aisle. The frustration reverberated through the church and caused Maxwell to step back as if swords threatened his throat.

The smoke gradually cleared, and the outline of a man appeared on the holy altar. A dark green cloak waved in the calming storm. His stature was straight and imperturbable. Three swords hung from his right hip while his left hand rested over the hilts. Ready to draw them at any moment.

The stranger's presence made the air in the church tremble. His aura froze even the wind carried away from his spiritual pressure. The narrowed eyes, sharp as swords, staggered through the ruined church and finally stopped on Maxwell. Not wanting to waste any more time, he greeted the warrior who had come from far away.

"Welcome, brave warrior of God. I have been awaiting your arrival!" His voice echoed in the church. Quite if one would compare it to the stranger. The Holy Warrior's mouth was slightly open, while his right eye seemed to glimmer red.

"Huh?" The voice was rough but held a tone of surprise as he saw the room of ruined furniture. His first fingers clasped the beautifully bound hilts of the katana. Humming, the blades waited for battle. The strange man looked down at Maxwell, demanding an answer.

"I bow to your countenance of a proud warrior. The scars on your body are proof of your strength. Together, we will decide the upcoming battle in our favor!" Maxwell raised his arms while at the same time praying to God in his heart. The joy he felt made any age that afflicted his bones vanish. He was ready to go into battle for the Goddess who sent her warrior.

"I'm not sure what's going on here, but Grandpa, you've got the wrong guy." Confused by Maxwell's words, the stranger straightened, though his fingers never left the grips. 'How in the world did I end up here?' The man shook his head to clear his thoughts. The person in front of him seemed to be the only one who could answer it.

"Ahh, I've been asking God for help for years, and now she's sent me the power to destroy the False Holy Relic with your power." Maxwell continued to praise the apparition that had stepped out of the Sacred Circle without even heeding the stranger's words.

"Now, wait a minute! I'm telling you, you've got the wrong guy. I haven't the faintest idea what's going on."

"I don't quite understand."

Confused, both looked at each other. It was the man wearing green who took his chance to clarify the situation.

"Not long ago, I was on my captain's ship..."

"Oh, what a blessing, a member of Noah's Ark!"

"Huh?"

"What a noble man you are. Who took two animals of every kind to save all that breathes on the land?" Father Maxwell bowed again to his Chosen Warrior.

"I have not yet heard from the Noah Pirates. I'll have to let my captain know," the stranger muttered, his eyes narrowing and a hand on his chin.

"What, Noah pirates? Say, have you not been sent by my Goddess to assist me in the battle over the Holy Grail?"

It was the first time Maxwell took a step back that wasn't forced by the overbearing aura. He had planned a grand reception to celebrate the honorable warrior. But the present situation was beyond his expectations. 'If he is not the chosen warrior, then who is he? Have I sinned and summoned a demon? Oh, God, you must forgive me.'

"Now I understand," The stranger's voice was slow and menacing, almost a horrifying growl."So you belong to Enel and his crew."

Father Maxwell looked trembling with fear. The warrior's aura was as unwavering as his stance itself, perfected down to the slightest movement. He took a step back, unable to resist this pressure. But he still couldn't shake the feeling something felt off.

"Who is this Enel you're referring to, noble sir?" Drops of sweat formed on his forehead. For a brief moment, he considered the command spell. But where could Maxwell, as a mortal old man, get the authority to command such a high-ranking being? Although the stranger did not behave like a holy warrior, he looked by no means like a demon. The stories that accompanied him for years always spoke of inhuman or deceptive beings. Neither of the two was true, and since the man was willing to talk, Maxwell decided to clarify the misunderstanding with words. But he always kept the back of his hand in the corner of his eye.

The stranger relaxed his stance again. "Tell me, at least, on what island have I landed here?"

"Ehh, island? Well, I wouldn't call this land an island. But..."

"But are we still on the Grandline here?"

"What line?" asked Maxwell.

Both looked at each other as if worlds separated them, confused by the other's questions. Possible answers raced through both of their minds. Maxwell immediately concluded that something must have gone wrong. The person was supposed to be an envoy from God, but somehow the personality and knowledge did not match the warrior who should have come.

There was no question about the stranger's power, but... Maxwell's face paled, and his gaze wandered down to the magic circle on which the stranger still stood. 'Did I make a mistake summoning him, and am I to blame for his change of heart?'

The stranger was also thinking about what had happened. The hand left the grip of his weapons in shock. Because, in his opinion, it was impossible not to recognize that name. His senses covered the entire area around the church. And he noticed the man in front of him, standing alone. The radiating presence of the priest didn't exist. 'Strange. He is weak but still a threat?' More concentrated than before, he searched for the man with his haki.

Nothing.

Drunkenly, he refocused on the conversation, which had been at a standstill for a few moments, before he cracked open his eyes.

"What, you don't know the Grandline? Okay, ehe, what sea are we on?"

"We're in Italy. The only sea you'll find is the Mediterranean."

The stranger did not know how to answer. It was not possible that a previously unknown sea existed. Even though he seemed frozen, his attitude never lost the swordsman's dignity that he embodied. Maxwell, observing the warrior's perplexity, decided to explain the situation.

"My Goddess chose you and summoned you to a holy war to destroy a False Sacred Object. However, your memories are confused, as I created a flawed summoning circle. I deeply apologize for my failure."

Maxwell deeply regretted this circumstance and bowed. It was a mistake for which he was deeply ashamed.

"Can you send me back?"

"I don't think that's possible. The only way to come back is to win the Holy Grail War. When it is destroyed, your goal here should be complete, and you will return to the Kingdom of God."

"So I just have to cut a chalice in two pieces? Where do I have to go?"

"Well, the Grail has not yet started; only when a certain number of heroic spirits have died in the Grail War will it reveal itself."

The stranger understood that he was supposed to destroy an object. With his swords and skills, he could cut through any material. A grail was, therefore, no problem. However, he frowned. How could he destroy something that did not even exist? At least not yet.

"I have been chosen by the Lord Almighty to destroy this object. No man should have the power to wish for anything. For where else is the point of effort?"

The stranger sighed. He was no longer on his homeworld by this point. While victory was not the only way home, the honor of the sword and the oath would forbid his suicide. For the warrior, there was nothing but victory. To be the best swordsman, he had to overcome any enemies.

"OK, where is this war going? I can't keep my captain waiting any longer." For the first time, Maxwell could breathe a sigh of relief as the swords hung loosely in their scabbards. The pressure that had brought the church to the brink of collapse disappeared.

"That means you will follow me into battle in Japan?"

"I want you to know there is only one person I follow. However, if I do not return to the Grandline, where my comrades await me, I am not worthy of the title of Strongest Swordsman."

Maxwell was spellbound by this warrior's steadfastness. His heart told him victory was certain.

"On to Japan!" He turned and walked towards the gate, which was opened by the wind. Full of haste, Maxwell hurried after him.

"So wait, Japan is much too far away for us to walk there.

"Well, then, say that right away. That means we need a ship first." His hand rested on his chin as if he were considering while his gaze was fixed on the corridor.

"Well, that would be one option, but it would take far too long. We could take a flight in two days, though you'd have to take off your swords."

"What!" His hand wandered to the hilt as he turned sideways to block Maxwell's view of those treasures.

"That's not what I meant at all, but you can't just show up at the airport with a sword."

"And why shouldn't I be able to? Doesn't everyone here carry a weapon? What else are you supposed to do if you get mugged?"

"Yeah, well, how am I going to explain that to you? Only law-abiding people carry a gun here."

The stranger frowned bitterly. "Damn, I guess I'll have to watch out for the Navy too. This might be trickier than I thought."

Maxwell felt as if he were talking to a wall. Although their understandings were far enough apart that the description didn't seem entirely inaccurate.

He sighed " Can't you just take a ghost form? Or at least make your weapon disappear?"

"Is that the custom here that you make your weapons disappear?"

"No," he said, slightly exhausted. "However, Servants like you should be able to do so. How about you give it a try?"

The stranger just nodded and closed his left eye. After a short while, the swords began to flicker and eventually left this world.

"This feels strange," he said, looking at his empty holster. While he could still feel the three katanas, he missed the weight on his hips.

"This should get you on the plane without any problems, but maybe we should change your clothes."

"Why, what's wrong with it?"