REBIRTH: CHILDHOOD FRIEND OF THE HEROINEC113- Help
There was no chance for Alex to approach Frostbate directly, given the animosity they carried for him. As such, Edric and the co arrived in Swortine.
It was the closest nation to Grimland and the safest for Alex, considering the security wasn't excessively firm around the place.
Celestria and Amanda were inside a carriage; given their peculiar hair and delicate features, it was not possible not to attract attention.
Edric and Valerie were pulling the carriage as they halted before the security gate of Swortine,
"State your purpose and provide an identity."
Valerie glanced at Edric upon hearing the guard's demand.
The identity proof they have would probably reveal their connection to Grimland.
And there was a chance for Eryndor to find out about their stay in Swortine and send his forces.
However, unlike Valerie, Edric didn't panic and stepped forward with a smile, "We are here to witness the legendary contest of the braves. Surely you wouldn't keep us away from the grand event." As the boy said, he pushed a bag full of silver coins towards the commander.
The soldier narrowed his eyes, and for a moment, Edric thought that he might have messed up. However,
"You are our honorable guests. How can I keep you standing here in the cold?" Glancing at the soldier near the entrance, he gestured.
Edric grinned before he gave him a firm nod and returned to the carriage.
Valerie scoffed, "Look at you, bribing people so casually."
Edric began pulling the carriage once again, and he responded, "There is no human who is immune to the greed of some extra money."
"I don't desire money."
"Me too."
Celestria and Amanda immediately rebuked. Valerie wasn't also left behind, "I also don't feel the greed to earn money. What I truly want is strength."
Edric rolled his eyes, "If only the three of you hadn't been born into noble families..."
-------**------
Alex brought Rebecca to the market of the town. Although it was only an hour past dusk, half of the stores were closed.
The temperature drops significantly after sunset, and normally people don't go out around this time.
"Do you not feel cold at all?" Alex asked as he tucked his hand inside his pockets while wearing three layers of clothes over his shirt.
Rebecca was just wearing a sweater and a scarf to hide her hair and face, as she said, "It's quite normal for me. But well, if you allow I will cling to you."
Alex shook his head, "No, thank you. I am already feeling too cold here."
As they walked, snow began to fall, creating a beautiful scene for the duo to gaze at. There were a few groups who had lit a bonfire and were enjoying their evening with their loved ones and friends.
"By the way, Alex, although I am enjoying walking around with you, why are you torturing yourself with the cold? Shouldn't we just return and stay warm in the room?" Rebecca suggested.
"I would love nothing more than that, however, I have a goal in mind."
Rebecca knew that unless for some purpose, he wouldn't have invited her for a walk. However, what hurts is the fact that she didn't feel betrayed. It was like she had already accepted her position in his life.
'What am I thinking....' Shaking her head, she regained her smile and followed Alex silently.
Alex returned to the very spot where he killed that big ape today.
The place where he met Beatrice.
'Hmm...it should be around somewhere.' Alex was trying to find that small paper on which Beatrice wrote the names of the council members who put the seal on him.
However, because of the snow, it was impossible to look for it.
"What are you searching for?" Alex heard, as he nonchalantly responded,
"Just a small piece of paper..."
"If you want I can write the names once again."
This time he was forced to look up, only to realize that it wasn't Rebecca who was talking to him.
"So she is the old friend you went to meet?" The Vampire Princess asked as she crossed her arms and looked at the silver-headed woman.
"It's a pleasure to meet you again, Miss Steelhound." Beatrice greeted.
They got to know each other since Beatrice spent a few days back in the Steelhound mansion when she came to rescue others from Alex.
"You didn't run away?" Alex asked, a frown knitting his brows.
It was dangerous for a native of other clans to be present here in the capital; the situation between the three clans always remains stiff, and a single entity can cause unnecessary conflict.
Beatrice heaved a sigh, "I was compromised by someone, and naturally, now the Patriarch of Frostbate is looking for me for interrogation. So, returning to Frostbate would be dangerous."
Alex raised his brows, "Just tell him that you didn't come to meet me? Not like anyone would tell Eryndor about my presence here."
Beatrice shook her head, "You are wrong...Eryndor already knows about your arrival in Dorhales. He has a bunch of spies even in the main house of Dorhales. I bet he would even send an official warning to Dorhales' ruler, to hand you over."
Alex clenched his fist, "This is messed up. My plans to remain incognito are ruined."
"And I can't be any more apologetic about it." Beatrice lowered her head, "I thought Mace wouldn't betray me if I kept feeding her enough. However, after the news of your reappearance must have given her the courage to reveal your whereabouts to the Patriarch."
Rebecca asked, "Then why did you let this person...Mace know about the fact that you are going to meet Alex?"
Beatrice took a long breath...a tired one, "It's a long story, but to explain in short, after my mother's betrayal, Mace's family was solely devoted to surveilling me and my movements. I knew it would be impossible to visit Grimland without letting her notice, that's why I bribed Mace."
Alex narrowed his eyes, "Why does it seem you are hiding something here?"
Beatrice looked hesitant, as she said, "It's about your father's personal life, that's why I feel hesitant sharing it with you....but whatever. Mace is the Patriarch's mistress. However, because of their age difference, the Patriarch kept it under the wraps...but I somehow found out." Experience tales with empire
Alex now understood everything, "That's why Mace used to keep silent about your movements since she also wanted to not let others find out about it."
Beatrice nodded, "The Patriarch has a reputation when it comes to women. However, Mace has that allure to even make someone as strong-willed as the Patriarch give in to his desires."
Rebecca scoffed, "What strong-willed if he has three wives and a mistress on top of it?"
Alex decided to not comment on that anymore as he asked Beatrice, "What do you plan to do now? Are you going to stay here?"
Beatrice shook her head, "I heard the recruitment of champions in Swortine has begun. I may participate in the contest just so I can gain some extra cash?"
Rebecca suggested, "Since you are helping Alex out, I can lend you a place in Chainedvale. And for now, here." She took out a pouch from her pants, "A hundred gold and the Symbol of Steelhound which would allow you to reside in Chainedvale easily."
Beatrice was stumped at her place...couldn't understand what she should do.
Alex understood her dilemma, so he insisted, "Just take it, Beatrice. You and your mother have saved my life and protected me all those years. I can never return the favor so consider this as a sign of gratitude."
Beatrice shyly nodded before taking the pouch from the girl, "Thank you."
Alex warned, "Go to Chainedvale right away since Eryndor must have turned crazy by now."
Beatrice nodded, "Okay, and here." She handed him a small paper, "These are the five alive memebers who were involved in sealing your curse. I have marked the name of that person, who was head of the council at that time."
Alex read the name, "Raze Heltex."
"He is the current Council Supreme's father and lives in a heavily guarded compound. If you are thinking of questioning him, try to be discreet."
Alex nodded, "Thanks for the warning. I will cut the chase and ask the old man directly."
Beatrice gave him a firm nod, and not so long after, she departed.
Once Rebecca and Alex were on their way back, the red-eyed girl asked, "There are three days for the tournament to begin. Are you going to search for your answers before that?"
Alex nodded, "There is a high chance for Eryndor to try and suppress me during the tournament, and he might not fulfill the wish I would ask for even if I win. That's why I don't want to take any chances."
"Then let me come with you." Rebecca spoke seriously. This time, even he denies she would follow him.
However, "I will need your help, so yeah, come with me."
--------**-------
A/N:- Thanks for reading.
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REBIRTH: CHILDHOOD FRIEND OF THE HEROINEC114- Spar
Edric was rubbing his palms together as he entered the room, and told them, "No results. This place is huge and considering Alex must be hiding his identity, it becomes even more difficult to locate him."
They rented a small house where the four of them were staying. Since yesterday, all four of them have gone to search for Alex in different directions, but to no avail. The capital was huge, and the market was overcrowded because of the tournament.
"It's nearly impossible to locate him like this." Valerie muttered, "And we cannot take the help of authorities as well. With just the four of us, I don't think we can find him before the tournament."
Celestria frowned, "So we are left with only one option."
Amanda heaved a sigh, as she finished the cup of tea and voiced, "Meet him during the tournament."
Celestria nodded, "The preliminary rounds would be held for two days before every chosen one would be gathered in Whiteden for the quarter-finals."
Amanda added, "So we need to pass the preliminary and meet Alex in Whiteden, I suppose?"
"But are we all going to participate? I mean, there is a chance for Edric to be recognized." Valerie voiced.
"So what? Not like Edric is some kind of wanted criminal here." Amanda added.
However, "Participating in another nation's tournament so he could get selected as their warrior....won't that be considered as Edric is considering migrating to a different nation? Worse, he might be regarded as a rebellion." Valerie's words caused Amanda to frown.
"Aren't you exaggerating things a little here?" The lime-haired asked.
"However, what she is saying isn't baseless either." Celestria added, "Recently, Alex became the savior of Grimland, an occurrence which could cause the previous Hero of the nation to feel betrayed. And then, all of a sudden, he is being spotted participating in another nation's event."
Celestria asked, "How will that be interpreted?"
A profound silence ensued in the room. The closest to the government was Celestria as such, she could guess how they would think.
"So....who is going to participate?"
------------**------------ Explore hidden tales at empire
"I hope you had a good sleep last night." The next morning, against what he desired, the Patriarch invited Alex and Rebecca for breakfast.
Other than the three only the soldiers around the room could be seen, who were there for the Patriarch's protection, undoubtedly.
"Yes, it was comfortable." Alex gave him a nod and he continued to feast on the warm meat.
As they continued to eat, Godric again spoke up, "The day after tomorrow, it begins. You will need to win two rounds to qualify in the quarter-finals, which would be held in Whiteden."
Alex was aware, so he gave no sudden reaction and said, "I will do what I can."
Godric hummed, "I have prepared both indoor and outdoor training grounds, and have arranged the necessary equipment you may want. However, if there is any other requirement you may have, you can contact me through Russel." Gesturing towards the soldier on his left, the man spoke.
Alex nodded, "Well, I carry my things along, but thanks for the help."
"Thank me by qualifying in the quarter-finals. I can't wait to see Eryndor being pulled from his high horses."
--------**--------
In the afternoon, Alex and Rebecca went to check the equipment together.
The indoor training ground was vast, unlike what he expected, and had enough space for them to spar.
While Alex was assessing the weapon, he heard Rebecca asking, "The man you need to interrogate...how far does he live?"
Alex, without removing his eyes from the sword he was tracing with his finger, responded, "Three hours it will take to reach us there. At our full speed."
Rebecca narrowed her eyes, "So are we leaving tonight?"
Alex nodded, "Yes, after dinner, we will depart and return before breakfast."
"What if these people notice? After all, we don't know how long it will take to get the information."
Alex shrugged, "Not like Godric will forsake us just because we were snooping around."
Rebecca nodded before her eyes went towards the weapon he was assessing, "Why don't you try something else this time?" She pointed at a sword which has a blunt top.
The weapon was unlike any he'd seen before—broadening gradually as it extended away from the handle, giving it a striking and powerful appearance. Partition marks ran along the blade, hinting at hidden mechanisms or a layered design.
"A composite sword?" Alex asked, "My sword art would be pretty much ineffective with this one."
Rebecca grinned, "Try something new? You might as well, find some improvement?"
Alex thought for a moment before he picked up the sword and assessed how it worked.
"Should I feed-ah!" Just as Alex supplied his SE into the weapon, he found the teeth of the sword separating at his will.
He swung the blade and,
**SCREECH**
The elongated blades collided against the surface, scraping the wooden floor.
Rebecca grinned, "So? Wanna give it a go?"
Alex stepped back as he reeled the sword, and said, "Can you manage against this great me?"
Rebecca chuckled, "Let's see about that."
Alex grinned, his grip firm on the composite sword. Rebecca stood a few paces away, her daggers twirling in her hands like extensions of her fingers. The tension crackled in the air as they both moved simultaneously, closing the distance in a blink.
Rebecca struck first, her dagger slicing through the air toward Alex's shoulder. He swung the composite sword with a smooth motion, the blade's broad edge deflecting her strike with a sharp clang.
"Not bad," Rebecca smirked, stepping sideways and launching a flurry of quick jabs aimed at Alex's torso.
Alex countered with a wide sweep of his sword, the segmented blades extending mid-swing to force Rebecca to leap back. The screech of metal echoed through the training ground as the sword scraped the ground.
Rebecca darted forward again, her movements quick and unpredictable. She feinted left, then spun to the right, her dagger aiming for Alex's side. He twisted his wrist, retracting the sword's segments just in time to block her attack.
"You're fast," Alex admitted, stepping back to gain space.
"And you're hesitating," Rebecca complained, closing the gap with a low sweep of her leg, aiming to trip him.
Alex jumped and while holding the sword in both his hands, he tried to hit her shoulder.
Rebecca raised her forearm and parried the attack, as she heard,
"I am learning about the new weapon."
Rebecca raised her brows as she swatted his sword away and jumped back on her feet.
Looking him in the eye, she asked, "When the first time we fought there was an intensity in your eyes that said you are coming at me with the intention of ending me. But now, you seem just casually swinging your weapon. Why?"
Alex heaved a sigh, "Because at that time you were nothing to me...but now you are a friend."
Rebecca was dumbfounded as she raised her finger towards herself, "Me...." Pointing the same finger at him, she added, "...your friend?"
Alex asked, "You don't want to?"
Rebecca's eyes widened, "I want to! It's...just...you are my first friend that's why I am...."
Alex somehow didn't feel surprised that he was her first friend, so he didn't react and asked her, "Now, shall we continue the spar?"
Rebecca smilingly nodded, "Yep! Let's go!"
Rebecca grinned as she lunged forward, her daggers flashing in a rapid series of strikes. Alex parried, the segmented composite sword retracting and extending with his movements. Their weapons clashed in a chorus of metal, sparks flying with each blow.
"Not bad, Alex," Rebecca teased, pivoting on her heel to avoid his sweeping strike. "But you're still too slow!"
She darted under his guard, aiming a strike toward his ribs.
Alex launched the fragments to block the attack; however, suddenly, Rebecca threw the other dagger at his feet. Alex instinctively stepped back, giving her just the opening she needed.
She closed the gap in a heartbeat, using her momentum to knock the composite sword out of his hands. Alex tried to grab her wrist, but Rebecca twisted gracefully, sweeping his legs out from under him.
He hit the ground with a thud, groaning as Rebecca pounced, pinning him down as she sat on his chest and looked at him with a faint blush on her face.
"I wished to sit somewhere else, but that would have been too much for a friend."
Alex was rendered speechless for a moment, as he heard her adding, "This is bad...the more time I spend with you, the more I fall in love with you, Alex. Am I mad? Maybe I am but I can't help it. Haa~"
She leaned her head and hugged him.
Alex stared at the ceiling, thanking that Sarah wasn't here.
Letting the two meet would be disastrous.
'I wonder what she is doing...'
--------**-------
A/N:- I hope you all enjoyed reading the chapter. Thanks for reading.
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REBIRTH: CHILDHOOD FRIEND OF THE HEROINEC115- A few questions(1)
The snow crunched under Alex and Rebecca's boots as they sprinted across the wide, open field, their breaths puffing like smoke in the frosty air. The night sky was clear, stars glimmering above, but the pale light of the full moon made their surroundings look like a never-ending blanket of white.
Alex and Rebecca didn't waste time, and once the lights turned off in the rooms, they dashed away from Dorhales, advancing toward their destination.
There were still about a hundred kilometers left, which would take around one and a half hours to reach at their current pace.
"Rebecca, stop!" Alex stopped her, and the Vampire Princess slid against the snowy surface before turning towards him,
"What happened? Do you want to take a break?" They had been running for the past hour, so she thought that he might be exhausted.
However, "No, taking a break would be self-harming here. I am saying that we might get separated, given the increasing snowstorm. So let's use this."
Alex took out a small rope which he tied to his belt strap before handing the other end to Rebecca.
Rebecca smiled slightly, 'He is concerned for me, huh?'
Alex knows where to go, and the destination is set in his mind. It was Rebecca who could have gotten lost...so he decided to use the rope.
Although it was snowy all around her, her heart felt warm at that moment as she tied the top to her pants.
Once they were done, Alex said, "Let's match our pace and try to remain parallel."
Rebecca nodded before they, once again, resumed their journey.
Although it was a bit difficult, they were able to run at the same pace for an hour before they took a break.
It was under a tree, a huge one, where they both sat and drank some water.
"We will reach there in twenty minutes at most. Do you want to rest for a bit?" Alex asked since it was only midnight now, and they had like six hours before someone could look for them back in Dorhales.
Rebecca was looking a little bit exhausted, given moving in the snow was rather troublesome. However, she shook her head and said, "We don't know what challenges we might need to face there, so the more time we can get at the compound, the better it would be."
Alex nodded, feeling grateful that he was traveling with a warrior.
Soon, they departed once again, and this time with the intention to pause only when they would reach their destination.
------**------
*Crunch*
Amanda heaved a sigh, as she stepped out of the house and found her beloved training in the backyard.
She heard the sound of someone punching wood from the room, and without even peeking she could have guessed who it could be.
"Are you nervous?" Amanda asked as she leaned against the door frame and stared at her sweat-bathed boyfriend.
Edric shook his head, "Just being cautious. Although I am not participating, there is a high chance we need to confront Eryndor and his army."
Amanda couldn't help but ask, "But...aren't you already strong enough to handle them? You have our support as well."
Edric nodded, "I know that with you all, we can handle the situation fairly well; however, we never know what we might have to face."
Edric has seen how unexpected danger can turn the situation for the worse. During the summit, the capital of Grimland was the most protected region, yet a Vampire Duke showed up and completely overwhelmed everyone in that palace.
If that Vampire had decided to annihilate every soldier and citizen of Grimland, Edric doesn't think anyone would have been able to stop that being.
His intention to grow stronger has become firmer after that incident.
Amanda tied her hair in a ponytail as she stepped forward and said, "Training against the wooden dolls won't be much fun. How about you show your strength to your girlfriend?"
Edric chuckled, "In a way, it seems you are asking me to assault you?"
Amanda raised her brows, and with a mischievous smile, she said, "Who knows, if you beat me, I might let you 'assault me'?"
Edric's eyes went down her face....looking at that body that had caused him to go sleepless for so many nights. Clad in a thin night dress she extruded an alluring feminine charm.
Suddenly, he was extremely motivated.
--------**-------
They finally reached their destination. The isolated compound where the ex-head of the Council resides.
Why did he live here all alone was not within his knowledge. Well, it was beneficial for Alex that the old man was not within the protection of Whiteden.
"It's complicated..." Rebecca muttered as she and Alex sat on top of a tree, from where the compound was visible.
It was pentagonal, with the outer perimeter built of thick concrete and barbed wires planted on top of it. The area was surrounded by the wall, except for the small gaping for the only entrance.
There were five watch towers around the base, and in each one of them were soldiers, alert and prepared to erase any existence that may be suspicious.
Continue your journey with empire
Alex narrowed his eyes and found runes on the walls that possibly were for a
barrier. Inside the perimeter as well, there were runes drawn at random places—possibly for magic detection.
"Isn't there too much security?" Rebecca asked as she looked at the numbers inside the premises, patrolling around the house where the target lives.
Alex nodded, "Yeah...for an ex-leader, this much security is a little too much."
Rebecca frowned, "Were they notified about our arrival?"
Alex shook his head, "Even if they were, this much preparation couldn't have been done in just a single day. This seems like the usual setting of this place...and that's quite concerning."
Rebecca hummed, "Infiltrating without alerting the guards would be difficult. I can sense a few profound Soul users among them as well."
Alex thought for a moment, before saying, "I just need to enter the premises, then I think I can reach the target."
Rebecca's brows were raised, "Really?"
Alex nodded before he turned towards the girl and asked, "Do you have any plans?"
Rebecca was a bit taken aback since she wasn't expecting Alex to ask her.
However, now that he was relying on her, Rebecca wouldn't disappoint her Darling.
Turning her eyes toward the border once again, she said, "There is only one way to enter the premises without being caught...that watch tower." She pointed at the one on the other side of the tree, which was facing the south.
"Why that one?" Alex asked curiously.
"Because that's the only watchtower where we could be on blind spots from other towers, and also, the number of soldiers on that side is lower in comparison to the front."
Alex hummed, before he asked, "But how can we climb the tower? We don't have rope that long."
Rebecca grinned, "Leave that to me."
.....
While moving through the forest they reached below the watch tower without getting noticed somehow.
Alex watched with his brows rising as she bit her wrist, and blood began pooling around her skin before it twisted into thin, dark-red strings. With a flick of her wrist, the bloodshot upward, solidifying into a sturdy line that latched onto the edge of the watchtower like a grappling hook.
"Hold on tight," she whispered, grabbing Alex's waist. With a sharp tug, the blood strings began pulling them upward. The wind howled around them, but Rebecca's focus didn't waver.
As they reached the top, Rebecca released the blood string, and it retracted instantly, disappearing into her wrist as she held the edge of the tower with a single hand.
Alex also grabbed the edge and first peeked at the platform.
Finding a guard passing by, he activated Quick Silver and shot upward before covering the soldier's mouth and slicing his throat with a dagger.
Rebecca kept looking around to see if someone saw them. However, her Darling being meticulous as ever, never allowed a sound to leak as he continued to slaughter every guard.
There were not many, so Alex was done pretty quickly before he told her, "It's done; come up now!"
Rebecca jumped on the platform before she looked at the bloodied mess.
"We need to keep them moving or the others will notice." She hurriedly voiced as streams of blood shot from her fingertips and plunged inside the bodies of the soldiers
Although Alex was aware of her skills, this still caught him off guard as he watched the dead soldiers rising to their feet once again.
"I will keep them moving for twenty minutes at most...make it quick." With her face already looking slightly pale, Rebecca muttered.
Alex cupped her cheek and said, "Once I return, I will let you have my blood to your heart's content," and with that, he jumped into the enemy's territory.
--------**--------
A/N:- A useful waifu is always appreciated. Well, thanks for reading and drop a comment.
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REBIRTH: CHILDHOOD FRIEND OF THE HEROINEC116- A few questions(2)
In his last life, Ceaser received numerous missions where he had to remain hidden and reach his target in silence. And considering the amount of soldiers present around the vicinity, Alex has adopted the same method, of not announcing his presence by mindlessly killing whoever came in front of him.
Thankfully, he was spared from the super senses of the soldiers, given they couldn't use Soul Energy around the residence. However, because of that he has to slowly walk around a lot to find the target.
All the Soul Energy users were around the perimeter and watch towers, since inside the compound there were detection runes to detect any magical movements.
'Being paranoid or is this for something else?' To disable the possible intruders from using SE, they have disarmed themselves as well. And Alex had a feeling that it was not just because of paranoia.
'Shit....' He barely stopped himself from appearing from the corner of the gallery, as he spotted an obstacle.
'I have to kill him...'
A single guard stood at the end of the corridor, leaning lazily on his spear. Alex crept closer, his movements smooth and careful. In one quick motion, he grabbed the guard and silenced him with a sharp strike, lowering the body gently to the ground.
Further ahead, another soldier turned a corner, walking without a care. Alex pressed himself against the wall, waiting for the right moment. As the soldier passed, Alex stepped out, swiftly taking him down without a sound, dragging him into the shadows.
Thanks to his training with Edric for the Moon Dance, he can now regulate his breathing and heart rate to not get noticed by the guards even when he is standing right beside them.
A few more minutes of struggle before Alex finally reached the place, he desired to be.
It was a sliding door, in the middle of the center gallery. There were four soldiers stationed on either side of the door, and they looked strong enough to not get down without a decent fight.
'Lets see...' Alex couldn't use Quick Silver since his range wasn't that far to reach. Tempest Dart, without proper build-up, wouldn't kill all four soldiers, even though they are standing in perfect alignment. The problem was the gaps between their heads.
Then only one possible route he could utilize.
Drawing his sword, Alex took a deep breath.
With a slight shift of his weight, he stepped forward, his body moving in a low, graceful arc. Each step was like a whisper, blending into the faint hum of the compound's silence.
In one seamless motion, Alex unsheathed his blade. The silvery edge glinted faintly under the dim light before it vanished into the sweep of his attack. His movements were so smooth, so controlled, that the soldiers didn't have time to react.
The blade sliced through the air, tracing a perfect crescent as it passed through the necks of all four guards. Their heads fell silently to the ground, their bodies following with a soft thud. Alex had already shifted out of the arc, standing still as the faint metallic tang of blood filled the air.
The perfect use of Moon Dance—silent and graceful.
'No time to feel proud.' Alex clenched his fist and approached the sliding door. He didn't hasten his steps and slowly slid the door—only to hear,
"Come on in, now. I know you are there."
Alex frowned as he saw the back of a man sitting in seiza.
He looked nonchalant and expected his arrival.
Alex exchanged his blade for a dagger as he approached the old man, "Then you could have lessen the security and called me in, directly."
Alex suggested as he carefully, while monitoring his surroundings, entered the room.
"I desired to see your performance. You truly are magnificent."
"Or maybe your soldiers are just too weak." Alex mocked as he finally stood before the old man and saw his face.
Bald head, tanned skin, several moles on his face, sunken and pale featureless eyes. His appearance and aura were quite horrifying.
"The Cursed One—you have damaged the blessing I bestowed upon you." The older one said, urging Alex to scoff,
"What blessing? You just placed a lid over astronomical power, so naturally, it will break."
Raze's brows were slowly elevated, as he asked, "What do you know about the Cursed Mark of yours?"
Alex rolled his eyes, "If I had known, why would I have come to meet an old man?"
Raze's aura flickered, his muscles twitched as a nasty grin etched on his face, "So you aren't aware of what resides within you, huh? Nice."
Suddenly, the figure of the old man disappeared, and just in the nick of time, Alex ducked his head,
**SWISH**
Alex barely dodged the first strike, the sharp steel claws grazing past his ear and slamming into the sliding door behind him, splintering it to pieces. He twisted his body, stepping back to create space as Raze lunged forward again, his speed unnatural for someone his age.
Alex blocked the next strike with his forearm, the impact sending a jolt of pain through his arm. Raze's grin widened as he followed up with a spinning kick aimed at Alex's ribs. It connected hard, making Alex stagger back with a grunt.
"Old, but quick," Alex muttered, wiping the corner of his mouth as he steadied himself. He tightened his grip on his dagger and adjusted his stance.
Raze came at him again, claws swiping in a flurry of strikes. Alex ducked, weaved, and sidestepped, his movements fluid and precise. He let Raze overextend, and the moment an opening appeared, Alex spun on his heel and slashed upward with his dagger.
The blade caught Raze across the chest, tearing through his shirt and drawing a deep, clean cut. The old man hissed, but his grin didn't falter. He leaped back, only to find his eyes widened.
Alex switched to a blade, faster than one can blink, and charged in with Quick Silver,
**SQUELCH**
The older one barely had the time to tilt his body, yet his shoulder was sliced, and blood began to dye his hakama.
"I-Impossible! Using Soul Energy in this room is impossible!"
Alex paused, his lips stretching in a face-splitting grin, as he told the old man, "Shocked? Now despair."
Activating his Sixth Step, Alex delivered quick consecutive slashes, running in an unpredictable pattern, leaving no room for the old man to retaliate.
The slashes continued and only intensified as Alex destroyed the older one, only stopping when he knew that the Raze could no longer move.
"Agh..." Raze vomited blood as he dropped to his knees and said, "So....you have unlocked your potential...the strength of the curse...you can use it..."
Alex didn't know what he was saying. Alex was just utilizing the sword arts he leaned back in his previous life—in a world where there was no Soul Energy.
As such, he had no problem fighting without SE here.
"Now old man, tell me, what were you doing here? And why did you suddenly attack me?"
Alex sat down before the older one, placing his head on his hand and further resting it on his thigh. Your adventure continues at empire
Raze also sat down...looking completely and utterly defeated as he stared at the floor.
"I failed...to fulfill the duty...to gain their favor...to attain immortality." Raze was muttering things that made Alex frown, as he asked again,
"Can you tell me what the fuck this is all about? What is this Curse Mark and how can I remove the Seal?"
Raze scoffed, "Since my time is drawing close, I guess I might as well tell you..."
Raising his face to look at Alex, Raze said, "I was...supposed to kill you...today...and gain 'their' favor. The one who bears the curse of Greed and endless hunger. The one who cannot be killed...you...you are that cursed one."
Alex gritted his teeth, "Okay, I know I am the Cursed One. Now tell me, who told you to kill me and who are they who was supposed to provide you immortality?"
For once Alex thought that the man was being fooled by someone who held animosity against Alex—possibly the Vampire Duke who invaded Grimland a few days ago.
After all, there was no being in this world who could bless another with immortality, regardless of their race. That's why, Alex knew that the old man was getting fooled here.
However, when the old man opened his mouth and uttered the name of the being, Alex was shocked beyond belief,
"Solaris."
"..!!!" Alex knows that name! He has read that name in the novel.
'One of the seven deities that rule over the upper world...made contact with Raze? And because of me? Why...?'
--------**-------
A/N:- I hope you all enjoyed reading the chapter. Well, the mysteries regarding Alex would be slowly unraveling, however, we would all know about his origin before the tournament.
Thanks for reading and drop a comment.
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REBIRTH: CHILDHOOD FRIEND OF THE HEROINEC117- A few questions(3)
Very few things, Alex knows about the Ruling Gods who govern the upper realm. And that knowledge as well, comes from his last life. After all, this world doesn't know anything about the upper realm as of now.
Solaris, the God of the Sun—someone who shouldn't have been interfering with the lower world like Nebula was actually, using one of the humans to get rid of Alex? But why?
"You aren't joking with me, right?" Alex asked, a deep frown marring his face.
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Raze chuckled; an ugly guttural voice resonated in the room as he said, "Look at me...I am fading, young man, and this is no sorcery, but divine punishment."
True to his words, Raze's body was slowly disintegrating. His skin was getting peeled off, his eyes were getting sunk in, and his skin color was darkening each second.
'Is this guy—no, I should ask him first.' Alex approached the older one and asked, "What is inside me? And why did Solaris ask you to kill me?"
There were a lot of questions he had in mind however, Alex's curse and Solaris's intention held priority. During the Tournament, he would be doomed if the Ruling Gods held animosity against him.
Raze coughed; instead of blood, dark liquid tainted the floor as he barely held himself straight.
Looking at Alex, he shook his head, "I...don't know what's within you....but it's not mortal. And your curse is the reason why...Solaris wanted you dead. You have started to gain control over the Curse...a-and that is making the Ruling Gods restless."
Alex was dumbfounded...his curse was strong enough to make even the Gods restless?
Raze's consciousness was slipping, his body was quivering, and his stomach had sunk in completely. Clinging to Alex's arm suddenly, he said, "T-T-The m-m-mom-moment y-y-you g-g-ga-ga-gain control over th-that curse...t-th-the-they wi-will co-come for y---"
*THUD*
The old man fell, dead and gone.
Alex was rendered speechless and motionless at his spot for a long minute. There was a lot to digest. However, the first thing he needed to do was to get away from there.
He briskly leaped out of the room, jumping from shadows, and approached the watchtower where Rebecca was using her Blood Arts to manipulate the soldiers.
"Let's go," Alex said as he stood beside Rebecca, only to find the girl falling on him, releasing her control over the puppets.
Her face was pale and her breathing labored. It was only the third time she used this skill, and considering the number, it was too much for her to continue for even ten minutes.
"W-Welcome back..." She softly uttered before she fainted in his arms.
Alex wordlessly held the girl over his shoulders before jumping off the tower and advancing back to Dorhales.
En route, he was thinking back on what the old man said.
A power that can even force the Immortals to hunt him down. An immortal sin that Alex carries.
'I gained control over it that's why they are apprehensive?' Alex wondered. If the Ruling Gods decide to target him, there would be no place to hide or escape. All the lower realms and the upper realms are under their watch. As such only one option remains.
'I need to fight those a*swipes as well.'
-------**------
"Mm..." Rebecca frowned in her sleep as she felt her throat being met by a very sweet and warm sensation that was energizing her whole body and giving her a euphoric sensation.
This feeling was...familiar. It was the taste of her Darling.
"Ah!" She jolted out of her sleep as she looked at the person whom she was hugging with her dear life.
"I thought you might suck me dry today." Alex joked as he looked at Rebecca with a soft smile on his face.
Earlier, Rebecca got up suddenly after Alex finished his breakfast meal, and started drinking his blood without uttering a single word.
"....it must be my instincts kicking in. Did I hurt you?" Softly, she asked.
Alex shook his head, "I would have removed you if I had felt the necessity. Anyway, you can sleep some more if you want to."
Rebecca held his shirt and asked with concern in her voice, "What did you find out yesterday?"
Rebecca never got to hear anything from Alex last night, regarding what he heard from the old man.
Alex heaved a sigh, as he told her, "I am cursed and fated to be doomed. So it would be best for you to not get involved with me."
Rebecca clicked her tongue, "Stop joking and tell me."
Alex chuckled as he placed her on the futon before getting up, "I am not joking, Rebecca; I indeed am cursed and someone who might get targeted by beings far more dangerous than anything you have ever faced. Immortal beings, to be precise."
With his face turned towards the window, he added, "That's why, for your benefit, it would be best if you no longer get involved with me."
There was a long silence from behind before Alex found a pair of dainty arms encircling his waist and the girl's soft body pressing against him,
"Aren't you practically asking me to go ahead and kill myself? Because I cannot imagine a life without you."
Alex heaved a sigh, "You do know that we aren't in a relationship, right? Yet you are .."
"That's the beauty of one-sided love, Alex. You can go to such lengths which normal people regard insane."
Alex looked over his shoulder, into her crimson eyes. The devotion she shows, the craze she possesses, the love she radiates...Alex doesn't know what he did to receive such affection from the girl.
"Excuse me." Suddenly someone called out from outside the door, urging Alex to climb out of his daze before he said, "Wait a moment."
He removed Rebecca's arms and approached the door.
*Slide*
The silver head found a familiar soldier, Russel, standing there with a sac in his hand, as he said, "The Patriarch wishes you to choose the guise which you would be using during the contest."
Alex raised his brows before taking the sac from him and giving the soldier a firm nod.
Just as Russel was about to walk away, Alex asked, "At what time do we need to report at the contest venue?"
The soldier didn't delay in answering, "Sharp at seven. But before that, you have a meeting with the Patriarch early in the morning at five."
Alex grumbled; waking up early in the winter was quite hectic. But well,
"I will be there."
--------**--------
"Raze is dead?!" Eryndor barked upon hearing the soldiers reporting to him, early in the morning.
Raze was a vital figure in the council, someone from whom Eryndor seldom took suggestions. A man who has loyally served Frostbate for a long time and always thought of Whiteden's betterment.
"Yes, sir. Several soldiers died and the intruder didn't leave a single piece of evidence behind."
"It must be that Cursed Child!" One of the council members voiced.
The news of Alex's return has already been widespread in the main house, and it won't be long before the whole town knows that the cursed prince has returned.
"I have a feeling, my lord." Another council member voiced, "That this Cursed child would participate in the tournament for the sake of humiliating you."
"Indeed, Patriarch. And Lord Dorhales is giving him refuge, denying all the claims of sheltering him, just so he could uplift Dorhales' reputation through that Cursed child."
Eryndor remained silent, thinking closely about what could be the objective of Alex for suddenly barging into Whiteden.
'If he is still here after meeting Raze, then he would surely participate in the tournament....but why-ah!' The Patriarch of Frostbate suddenly realized the reason.
His mother.
Alex must have been informed by that traitor about his birth mother's situation, as such, that brat must be assuming that winning the tournament would be enough to liberate his mother. Or maybe he was after Eryndor's throne? It can be possible.
"We need to get him killed during the tournament," Eryndor spoke, his voice silencing the others instantly.
Inside the arena, it wasn't uncommon for the warriors to lose their life and no one would be held responsible for that.
Outside the arena, there was a chance for Eryndor to get caught conspiring against Alex, the hero of Grimland, but if something happened to him during the contest, no one would point their fingers at Eryndor.
"In that case, my lord, I have someone I can suggest who might be helpful in this situation." The second in chief and the head of Frostbate council, voiced; gathering attention from everyone.
Eryndor frowned, as he wordlessly urged the man to continue.
With a malicious grin, he added, "It's the enemy of our enemy, my lord, who will help us remove the stain on Frostbate's name."
-------**------
A/N:- If you enjoyed reading the chapter and have been reading the story so far, then please drop a review. It's not increasing anymore!!!
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REBIRTH: CHILDHOOD FRIEND OF THE HEROINEC118- Claim
"So is this the disguise you have chosen for yourself?" Lord Dorhales asked as he sat across the duo.
Both of them were wearing body-fitting suits under their cloak, and Alex was wearing a theatrical mask to cover his face.
Rebecca didn't need to hide her face since her name was popular not her face.
"We will be registering ourselves with fake names in the tournament as well. Can you help with the identification?" Alex asked since submitting his original citizenship card would ruin the whole thing.
"Of course. Russel will take care of it." The Patriarch voiced, to which the soldier behind them, nodded.
Godric paused for a moment before he turned toward Alex and said, "I've received a letter from Frostbate, inquiring about you. Naturally, I didn't confirm that anyone matching your description or name was in Dorhales. So, if possible, please keep your identity hidden for as long as you can."
Alex nodded, "Revealing my identity would gain me public animosity, and trust me, I am not much of a fan of that."
The conversation came to an end after that. Godric didn't keep them there for long and asked them to relax in their rooms if they wanted since, at six, they would be picked by Russel and escorted to the venue.
Returning to the room, Alex checked his inventory. He was using a ring and his right shoe as his storage spaces where he had stored several swords, daggers, and a composite sword, as Rebecca suggested. Other than that, he had kept potions that he received from Celestria, Amanda, and Sarah.
Turning towards Rebecca he asked, "Do you want me to keep your things in my storage?"
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Rebecca shook her head, "I can't digest much potion, and other than my daggers, I can use nothing as comfortably."
Alex nodded, "Well, if you need something just ask me. And about the blood, then in between the rounds, we will get some time."
Rebecca grinned ear to ear, "I look forward to that."
------**-----
At six, Alex and Rebecca heard a knock on the door.
Upon checking, it was the soldier named Russel who said, "Do you need some more time?"
Alex shook his head, "We are ready."
Rebecca and Alex stepped out of the room, following the soldier when suddenly, the second Princess appeared out of nowhere, with a huge smile on her face.
Rebecca instinctively pinched the hem of Alex's sleeve as she narrowed her eyes at the girl.
"You are going, savior?"
Alex nodded with a hum.
The girl took out a red threat from her sleeve, before asking, "This is a good luck charm. Can you let me bind it around your wrist?"
Alex couldn't feel any Soul Energy from it so he just nodded, "Go on."
Rebecca widened her eyes at Darling, shocked that he was allowing her to bind that weird thread to him. It was like she was binding him to her!
As the Princess tied the knot, she said, "I wish you good luck, my savior."
Alex gave her a short nod before he, along with Rebecca, began walking away.
Once they were out of her sight, Alex removed the thread from his wrist and stored it in his ring.
Rebecca, who suddenly smiled upon seeing her Darling removing the suspicious object, frowned again seeing that he was keeping it in his ring.
"It wasn't anything special..." She complained.
Alex didn't reply to her and continued to follow Russel until they reached the carriage before the big man said, "We will travel in the carriage until a certain point before you two will be traveling by foot."
Alex understood the reason behind this hybrid mode of transportation; Dorhales could not expose his favorability towards Alex.
They both sat down inside the carriage and soon after, the scenery outside the window began to shift.
'I should write a letter to Sarah and inform her about the situation...' Alex decided as he took out a parchment from his storage ring, and made some use of his free time.
--------**--------
Sarah was nervous. It has been so many years since she came here. She was just a little girl when she left, and now, she was a grown-up woman.
When she walked away, she was nonchalant and confused. She didn't know where she was, nor could she feel any connection with the people once Sarah called her family.
And after that day, only Amanda and her father were the two whom she had met. Her mother and brother only saw her last time when she was leaving...not a word she has with them.
'This is difficult...I should have prepared myself a little more...' She was fidgeting at the entrance of the mansion where they lived while assuming a disguise so others wouldn't identify her.
Taking one step and retreating five was what she had been doing for half an hour now.
Suddenly, much to her surprise, a carriage paused before her—urging Sarah to step back as a lady stepped out of the carriage.
'Ah...' Sarah's eyes widened as she gazed at the lady who stepped out gracefully, possessing the same shade of hair as Amanda and someone who extruded motherly warmth.
Kaira tilted her head, seeing the strange woman standing there while biting her lower lip and, seemingly, stifling a sob.
Kaira was confused as she asked, "What business you m-ah!" Suddenly, the lady gasped as her eyes went towards the eyes of the person. Lady Lockwood suddenly was reminded of someone who was dearly close to her.
Her hands shook as Kaira shakily asked, "S-Sarah?"
The other one clutched the hem of her skirt, and with a smile that forced her tears to roll down, Sarah nodded, "Yes, Mother...I am back."
---------**---------
Alex and Rebecca reached the contest venue nearly at seven, and surprisingly, there weren't as many contestants as there should have been.
Reason?
"The local arenas arrange their tournament that allows the local citizens to understand their chances in the grand contest."
Alex asked, "So they are wise, eh?"
"Yes, unlike the people of Frostbate, the people here do care about their lives and are not knuckle-headed."
Alex heaved a sigh, "Well, that lessens the competition."
Not so long after, Alex and Rebecca's turn arrived as they stepped forward to fill up the form. They just have to write their names and sign the agreement that their lives would be their responsibility. No one would be held accountable if they died.
Suddenly, someone approached them from the left, urging Rebecca to frown.
She thought the person might be here to register himself, however,
"Rebecca, long time." It was a man with dark long hair and a pair of dead grey eyes. There was no expression on his face, as the man called out again,
"I didn't know you would be participating in this as well."
Alex raised his brows, "You know him?"
Rebecca rolled her eyes, "Luke Greyhart's elder brother—Rui."
Alex recalled that dude he killed during his shopping trip. The guy who was originally betrothed to Rebecca.
Alex ignored him and urged Rebecca, "Here, fill out the form."
Rebecca smiled and stepped away from the raven-haired.
Rui looked at Alex, before asking, "Are you his boyfriend?"
Alex was mildly annoyed, as he said, "Why do you care? Just do-"
"If you are not, then I am going to claim her in this tournament."
*SHLINK*
Rebecca lunged at the man, the fountain pen turning into a deadly weapon in the woman's hand as she pointed it at Rui's neck, "What did you just say?"
Rui looked unbothered, as he uttered, "By defeating that guy, I will claim you."
Rebecca gritted her teeth and tried to plung the pen into his throat—however, despite her effort, she wasn't able to move her hand at all.
Rui tilted his head and gazed at Alex, "You don't dare?"
Alex was genuinely frustrated with the guy. He was behaving so much like a certain as*hole he knew in his past life that Alex was on the verge of slicing his throat.
"You think Rebecca is a thing that you will claim her? Was your mother also claimed by one of the participants who came to bid for her?"
There was a certain pause after that—the people who heard their conversation widened their eyes and were expecting a fight to break out.
However, Rui's expression didn't change. At all.
After seemingly thinking for a bit, he nodded, "Yes, during her courtship trials, the men who came had to battle to show their strength before my mother got married to my father."
Alex rolled his eyes, "Congrats. Now fuck off."
Rebecca had already filled the form, so Alex didn't wait there to hear any more bull crap, and after holding Rebecca's hand, he pulled her inside.
Without turning to look at her, the silverhead voiced, "Stay away from him."
Rebecca, with a wide grin on her face, hummed obediently.
'Is he being protective of me? How cute~'
--------**-------
A/N:- I hope you all enjoyed reading the chapter. Drop a comment.
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REBIRTH: CHILDHOOD FRIEND OF THE HEROINEC119- First round
There are four rounds one needs to face before one can be selected as the quarter-finalist. Every battle would be two-on-two, where the participants either have to completely incapacitate their opponents or make them surrender.
There are no rules here; you can kill or permanently damage your opponent, and that's why this tournament is known as the contest of savages.
After you qualify in the quarter-finals, the participants are no longer allowed to participate in the pairs. They all will have to fight individually to advance into the semi-finals and then finals.
Alex and Rebecca would be participating until the quarter-finals. After that, Rebecca was unsure if she would continue. Although she was battle hungry she doesn't think she would find competent challengers here.
As a Vampire and someone who possesses such an extremely versatile and dangerous skill, Rebecca is already an A-rank hunter—someone who can earn multiple stars if she decides to join the military, like her father.
Alex would have done the same, considering the necessity to prepare for the upcoming ascension tournament, he needs to battle much stronger opponents. However, he was fighting this tournament for something else.
He wishes to liberate the person who has been getting tormented for years now.
He wants to free his mother.
"Aww, how adorable."
Alex rolled his eyes, hearing that from Rebecca.
The girl couldn't hold herself from squealing in awe, seeing how determined her Darling looked to liberate his mother.
His cold gaze and clenched jaw are so handsome that she can pay to watch him for hours.
"It's our turn next. Get ready." He said as they sat on the participant's stands, which were attached to the arena wall.
There were about three thousand people gathered around the whole arena, witnessing the battle that would decide the two champions of Dorhales.
The arena was surrounded by a protective barrier that ensured that none of the attacks or spells damaged the audience. The barrier was infused by high ranking runes, and magicians. There were four referees and they all were brilliant combatants—just in case they needed to step in.
"It's strange that despite the grand prize only thirty-two people participate." Rebecca casually muttered. Although she was happy that she had to fight only four rounds, her time with Darling would get reduced as well.
"Well, there is a prerequisite to participate in this tournament. They test your strength or see your hunter's card or your experience stars to ensure that you are not wasting their time."
Rebecca hummed, as she gazed at the four fighters, doing their best to defeat the other one.
"Do we need to drag the battle so we don't demolish others' morale?" Rebecca asked, which gained a shrug from Alex,
"Nah, that would be a waste of time. And considering your hunting style I don't think you will feel encouraged to drag the battle." Alex spoke, as he recalled that night when she defeated Amanda—a Star-crowned sorceress—within minutes.
[Next contestants; please step on the stage!]
Hearing the announcement, Rebecca and Alex got up from their seats and approached the arena.
Alex was continuously wearing his mask, and a cloak covered their body.
From the other side, there were two men wearing similar clothes and welding axes. They were tall and bulked up, wearing a grin to be matched against a pair of young lads.
"Aren't they infamous B-rank hunters who are known for killing their opponent in every battle?"
"Yeah, whenever they landed on a battlefield, someone died."
"The other two look delicate enough that even I can defeat them."
"Damn, that woman is a looker..."
The audience was going wild with the comments; everyone wondered how long it would take for the younger ones to get defeated or, worse, get killed.
Rui, who was in the stands, watched them with kin interest. He has had his eyes on Rebecca ever since he gazed at her for the first time. It was a disappointment that her younger brother got betrothed to her, but now that he is out of the way,
'I will get you, Rebecca.'
The duo faced their opponents with a nonchalant demeanor.
The referee stepped on the stage before stating the rules, "We will intervene if, despite your opponent surrendering you keep attacking them. Second, the round will continue for twenty minutes; if the winner isn't decided by then, then no side will be declared as the winner."
"Now, are you ready?" The referee asked, and got a nod from both sides, urging him to slash his hand and announce, "BEGIN!"
The echoes of the audience and the rush of cold wind came to a standstill as Alex and Rebecca shot forward, their figure disappearing from the eyes of their opponents before the duo wielded their weapons and sliced their opponent's leg.
**SQUELCH**
"....huh?"
"Hmmm?"
It was too sudden, too abrupt for them to believe their eyes. However, when the searing sensation assaulted their minds, and their body began to tilt to their left, the two bald men realized the situation.
"Aghh!"
"Fuck! My leg! MY LEG!!"
Alex and Rebecca were standing behind them, cleaning their weapon, which was tainted by the filthy blood, as they marveled at their handicraft.
"Mine is cleaner cut." Rebecca grinned.
Alex sighed, "Yeah, whatever."
The referee and the audience were all too silent as they witnessed the two infamous murderers falling in the arena with blood pooling around them and crying for their lives.
The referee regained his composure and immediately signaled to the medic team. And as he did so, he declared,
"The White Fang wins!!"
Alex narrowed his eyes before turning towards Rebecca, "You named our team?"
Rebecca nodded, "Fangs as in my daggers, and white as in for your hair. Isn't it cool?"
"That's the most generic name I have ever heard." Saying so he began returning to the stands—when suddenly a familiar bastard appeared before them,
"You are strong. I almost lost track of you back there." Rui now understands why Rebecca chose this man as her mate.
He is strong.
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Alex ignored the guy and continued to walk, only to hear him say again, "But don't forget, once you lose, what's yours will be mine."
--------**--------
"Cela, on your left!" Hearing Valerie's warning, Celestria ducked and sent a vortex of soundwaves into the solar plexus of her enemy.
"Guh!" The fox woman, grunted before she was sent flying back—giving Celestria some breathing space.
On the other side, Valerie swung her axe, but the enemy was fast, as she dodged the attack, and the opponent countered with a swift jab to Valerie's ribs. Valerie winced but retaliated instantly, her fist igniting as she drove a flaming uppercut into the woman's jaw.
The enemy staggered, but before Valerie could press her advantage, the woman spun, aiming a kick at her knee. Valerie blocked it with her forearm, flames sparking on impact, and roared, unleashing a wave of fire that forced the opponent to backflip out of range.
Meanwhile, Celestria turned to assist, her voice ringing like a whip-crack as another sonic vortex shot out. The soundwaves collided with the fox woman's torso mid-dodge, sending her crashing to the ground.
"She's tough!" Valerie growled, flames licking her knuckles as she stood ready.
"No time to hold back," Celestria replied, stepping beside her, soundwaves rippling around her hands.
She brought her hands together and pointed them at the advancing fox woman.
**SCREEEECHH**
The heavy sound funnel was impossible to dodge as the opponent was hit by a force that was heavier than a bull's strike.
The fox woman was sent back at full pace, colliding against the barrier, before she fell to the ground; unconscious and defeated.
"Eyes on me, bitch!" Valerie roared as she took advantage of her opponent's distraction, and swung her axe to target the fox woman's shoulder.
The lady tilted her body at the last moment, only to find her boot being trapped under her opponent's foot.
"Nice dodge. But how about now!" Valerie punched the woman in her gut, making her choke, before launching a flame thruster from point blank; releasing her foot and seeing the woman joining her sister.
"Crimson Echo wins!!!" The referee shouted, as Celestria and Valerie, while breathing roughly, stood victorious.
Edric couldn't stop jumping and cheering for the duo, while Amanda just clapped to congratulate them from the stands.
Approaching Celestria, Valerie couldn't help but admit, "You have become stronger."
Celestria slowly regained her breathing, as she said, "Well, to stand beside a strong man, I need to be strong as well."
Valerie chuckled, as while shaking her head, she said, "For you, everything starts and ends with Alex, no?"
Celestria wiped her sweat, as she casually muttered, "Once you fall for someone, you will understand me."
Valerie raised her brows, as she glanced at a certain someone in the stands, and couldn't help but think,
'Then...what do I feel for Edric? Is it not love?'
---------**--------
A/N:- I hope you all enjoyed reading the chapter. If you did, then drop a comment/review.
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REBIRTH: CHILDHOOD FRIEND OF THE HEROINEC120- Crushed(1)
As Alex predicted the next two rounds went as planned. He and Rebecca seamlessly trod through the battles within seconds of commencement.
They didn't need to drag the battle; rather, they just cut off their enemy's legs and ended the match right away.
Well, generally, Alex would have liked to farm some Soul Points, however, considering the strength of these being, he wouldn't gain much and only would end up prolonging the battle.
The audience might have been complaining and disgruntled, however, they had a reason to be patient and feel the hype from this contest.
And that hype arises from the final battle that would bring the strongest warriors across each other.
"Agh!!"
"I can't move!"
The two beastmen groaned in pain as they levitated high in the air, and couldn't fight against the invisible force at all.
Just like Alex and Rebecca, a certain someone was also quick with his matches as he used his skill to end the battle before it could properly begin.
"He is not a human, right?" Alex asked as he gazed at Rui, who was toying with his opponent while his partner remained completely nonchalant, even going as far as sitting in the middle of the arena and waiting for the battle to conclude.
Rebecca removed her eyes from her dagger and glanced at the arena before saying, "He is a half-vampire; a special case. It's very rare for a human and a vampire to produce a baby, yet Rui was born, proving those rumors to be wrong."
Alex raised his brows, "Is he the only one with Vampire's blood in him? Then why was Luke engaged to you?"
In Alex's eyes, there was no comparison between Rui and Luke. Although Luke was a strong warrior, looking at Rui, anyone could tell that the telekinesis user is far superior when it comes to strength.
So naturally, Lord Steelhound should have chosen the stronger one for his daughter, no?
Rebecca felt reluctant to talk about those people, however, since it was her Darling who asked, she didn't make him wait,
"Our clan and the Greyhart family have an alliance since both of them are in the same boat. Lord Greyhart participated in the courtship contest and won the heart of a vampire. Naturally, after it was discovered that he was a human, he was being chased away—however, the lady was already head over heels for Lord Greyhart. As such, she followed him back here, severing all the ties with her family."
Alex raised his brows, "So Lord Greyhart had more than one wife?"
Rebecca nodded, "Although Rui was the strongest of them all, because of his unstable mind and lack of respect for human lives, my father instantly rejected my engagement with him."
Rui relished the thrill of slaughtering those weaker than himself, treating it as nothing more than twisted entertainment. When Victor uncovered his depraved tendencies, he wasted no time rejecting any proposal that could tie the lunatic to his daughter.
Alex now understood the whole situation with the Greyhart. However, he was curious about something.
How did a human win the courtship contest while competing against the vampires?
"What are you thinking?" Rebecca asked, as the semi-final match came to a conclusion and the management staff went to clean up the arena.
Alex glanced at the girl, and asked, "Did you like him? Luke?" He killed Luke during a battle and never asked what Rebecca, the one he was betrothed to, felt about it.
Rebecca heaved a sigh, "I met him twice, and already knew what kind of person he was. Knuckle-headed, someone who loves to do first think later."
"And you don't think I am similar to him?" Alex chuckled, "What made you like me?"
Rebecca, with all seriousness, muttered, "You don't see women as just an object to take care of the house and produce babies. I have seen how you respect the women close to you...giving them the right to speak even in serious matters. And most of all, you care about the one you love, above anything else."
Taking a pause, she added, "In a way, you are like my father...that's why I respect you."
Alex was...rendered speechless.
For a long time, he just stared at Rebecca, until he heard the announcement,
"Now, onto the final match to decide the two brave warriors of Dorhales! Please come on the stage, Team White Fangs and Team Ghost Grip."
"Let's go." Rebecca urged as she held his wrist and pulled him toward the stage.
Alex shook himself out of his daze and decided to focus on the match. He was against a half-vampire, naturally, the competition would be tough. And to win this tournament, Rui was the first obstacle.
Rui gazed at Alex as if he was looking past his mask and staring at him in the eye.
Beneath his indifferent facade, Alex caught a glimpse of a maddening look lurking in his eyes. The guy was unstable—that much was obvious—but the bloodlust radiating from him was all too familiar to Alex, a sensation he had encountered many times before.
Rui wasn't an enemy worth losing control over. And if Alex ends up again going into 'that' state, then he seriously needs to rethink his life decisions and do something about his feeble self.
"There is no time limit for this match." The referee voiced as he asked, "Are the contestants ready?"
Rebecca gazed at the guy standing beside Rui as she voiced, "I will go for the other one." Alex hummed in response and gave a nod to the referee.
The referee took a deep breath, raised his hand, and while bringing it down, he cried, "BEGIN!"
Rebecca dashed forward, her daggers appearing in her hand, as he neared the green-haired individual close to Rui.
This time the long-haired guy didn't interfere, as Rebecca swung her dagger and aimed for her target's neck.
*CLANG*
A small glowing barrier appeared at the spot where she tried stabbing him, as the man uttered, "Quite vicious you are."
Swinging his fist, he aimed it at Rebecca's torso, but the vampire princess easily tilted her body and slashed the attack, before slashing her dagger in a horizontal cut.
However, the man again chanted a barrier, which she struck and pushed away with both of his hands.
Rebecca's eyes glinted as she closed the distance again, her movements a blur. She feinted to the left and slashed to the right, her dagger carving a clean arc aimed at his ribs.
*CLANG!*
The glowing barrier shimmered into existence just in time, deflecting her attack. The green-haired man smirked, his lips moving rapidly as he chanted under his breath.
Rebecca narrowed her eyes, 'Let's see if you can dodge this...' She threw her dagger straight to his forehead and jumped into the air at the same time. Showing her nimble movements, she threw the other dagger while being airborne and shot several blood threads in his direction once she landed behind him.
The man was overwhelmed by the number of attacks advancing at him at once, so he ended up shielding his whole body with a barrier, closing off his senses just to ensure nothing stabbed him to death
*CLANG*
The sound of metal hitting the ground resonated, and the participant felt something nearly breaking his barrier from behind.
The audience gasped at the restless assault of the pretty girl who, for the first time, was forced to use her skill.
The green-haired man's barrier flickered as the relentless assault pounded against it. Rebecca stood poised, her crimson eyes locked onto him, blood threads coiling around her fingers like living serpents.
Inside his barrier, the man's chanting faltered. He couldn't see or hear anything, but he could feel the vibrations of her attacks. The pressure was suffocating.
"Enough!" he growled, dropping the barrier in one swift motion to conserve his energy.
The instant the barrier faded, Rebecca was already in motion. Her silhouette blurred, and before he could react, her boot connected with his back with a resounding THUD.
The force of the kick sent him hurtling forward like a ragdoll.
Alex kicked the man with enough force to send him skyrocketing toward the ceiling of the barrier, leaving the man unconscious.
*Clap* *Clap*
As his partner fell to the ground, unconscious and defeated, Rui clapped to congratulate the two. Find more chapters on empire
"Nice work, Rebecca. You truly are worthy of Greyhart's name." A smile bloomed on his face as he continued to clap with his eyes crescent.
Alex summoned his blade before he lunged toward his enemy—however,
*STRETCH*
He was blocked from attacking the individual as an invisible forcefield stopped him mid-track.
Rui smilingly looked at Alex and asked with a tilt of his head, "Are you prepared to die?"
"How can you talk this much?" Alex was genuinely annoyed as he leaped back and launched his sixth stance—dancing through the arena, he tried attacking the chatterbox from different angles.
The audience gasped upon seeing his unnatural speed which didn't allow most of them to keep track of the swordsman.
Rui was nonchalantly standing there, his telekinesis forming a barrier around him as he easily parried the attacks.
Alex stood back at his initial spot, thinking of a way to get through his defense....when suddenly,
*BLINK* *BLINK*
Alex's eyes widened as he took out the beacon, and found it was blinking rapidly.
"Celestria...is in danger?"
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A/N:- Thank you for reading.
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REBIRTH: CHILDHOOD FRIEND OF THE HEROINEC121- Crushed(2)
"Here, for you two." It was the night before Alex left when he called Celestria and Sarah in the back garden of the palace.
Sarah raised her brows upon seeing the beacon, as she asked, "You don't expect me to have one unless you give me your, no?"
Sarah was aware of the artifact's mechanism. She was herself thinking of planting a tracker in him so at least she could track him down if something happened.
Celestria was smiling in elation. Seeing Alex being concerned for her, filled her heart with warmth.
When your feelings start to get reciprocated, it gives a very pleasant sensation.
However, at that time Celestria didn't know that her beacon would be sending signals to Alex this soon.
"Nnngh...." She groaned, as Celestria held her broken leg and tried to get away from the sight of the inhumane who suddenly appeared in the arena.
The final round was about to commence...when suddenly a portal appeared above the arena, and from that portal jumped a massive beast.
A Soulless.
A hulking beast stood in the middle of the arena, its humanoid body rippling with unnatural strength. Its head resembled a feral lion, with a wild mane and gleaming fangs, while its muscular arms looked powerful enough to crush stone. Clad in tattered brown pants, it radiated a suffocating presence, making the air feel heavy and thick around it.
She has only heard about Soulless beings capable of ensuring great destruction, leaving nothing intact under their unnatural strength. However, this one was not insane like the ones she had heard of.
'This being holds intelligence...but how..." The pain was making her feel numb all over. None of her attacks worked on the beast—its natural resistance was too high for her or the other mages to do any damage.
On one side, Valerie was lying unconscious after she was swatted away by the beast. Hitting her head against the concrete ceased all her movements.
The administrators of the contest were of no match. Some of them fell down just by the oppressive aura the beast radiated. Enjoy new stories from empire
A catastrophe has descended and only a single person was still standing there against it.
"You are commendable, I admit." The Beast voiced, its golden eyes locked with Edric's.
Edric was in his Berserk state since he knew he couldn't inflict any damage on the beast unless he went all out.
'Just by overall comparison, this beast is stronger than the wolf we faced in the labyrinth, and its natural resistance against magic is absurd.'
There was none in the town that could face this catastrophe, and if Edric didn't end this monster right here, thousands of innocent lives would get wasted today.
Amidst the graveyard of corpses, Edric clenched his fist, and through his blurry vision he locked onto the target
"Grrr ...so you still have some fight left in you?"
Edric didn't respond, rather, he dashed forward, his muscles bulging with raw strength, his blurry vision focused solely on the towering beast. His steel knuckles gleamed under the dim light as he swung his first strike straight at the Soulless's chest.
**THUD**
The impact landed, but the beast didn't even flinch. It stared down at him, its golden eyes filled with disdain.
"My turn," it rumbled, its voice like a low growl of thunder.
The Soulless moved faster than Edric expected. Its massive arm swept across, catching Edric in the side like a battering ram. CRACK! Edric's body flew like a rag doll, smashing into the arena wall with a sickening crunch.
Edric coughed, blood dripping from his lips, but he forced himself back up. His mind screamed at him to retreat, but he knew there was no running. If he didn't stop this beast, everyone in the town was doomed.
He charged again, this time feinting to the left before aiming a powerful uppercut at the Soulless's jaw.
The beast caught his fist mid-swing, its massive claws digging into Edric's arm. "You're persistent," it snarled, before slamming him headfirst into the ground. The stone cracked beneath him as a shockwave rippled out, silencing the terrified crowd.
Edric groaned, his vision swimming, but he refused to stay down. He pushed himself up on shaky legs, his knuckles trembling as he prepared another attack.
However, a chill ran down his spine when he found the figure of the beast above him, with its fist cocked and its eyes gleaming with untamed amusement, the beast shot toward Edric—intending to annihilate the bug.
However,
"So there was one left?" The beast scoffed as it found its fist met by a huge ice pillars.
**DHAK**
The ice pillars broke into several pieces before the Soulless turned towards the chanter.
Although bloodied and bruised, Amanda couldn't back down when Edric's life was at stake.
"For fuck sake, I did all the training, just to get down by just a punch?!" She raised her hand and moisture in the air twisted and churned, forming into three massive icebergs above the arena. They loomed like frozen giants, their sharp edges gleaming in the dim light.
The monster roared, "Come at me!"
Amanda slashed her hand down and the massive ice pillars hurtled toward the Soulless like meteors, tearing through the air with a deafening roar. The ground trembled under their weight as they descended, each one carrying enough force to crush mountains.
The first iceberg slammed into the beast, shattering into countless shards. The impact sent shockwaves rippling through the arena, the ground caving under the force. The Soulless roared in pain, but before it could recover, the second iceberg struck, forcing it to its knees.
With her eyes cold and emotionless, she launched the third one, "Die, you dog."
The third came down like judgment itself, crashing with an earth-shaking explosion. Ice and dust filled the air, obscuring the beast from sight.
Amanda fell to one knee, gasping for breath, her vision blurry. "That… should hold it," she muttered, hoping her attack was enough.
However,
**CLINK**
A soft glass-cracking voice resounded, followed by a heavy shockwave that shattered the icebergs, and the beast launched out of the cage with nothing but a few wounds visible on its body.
Amanda's eyes parted wide as she saw the beast high in the air, its eyes radiating overwhelming blood lust as it shot toward Amanda, with nothing but annihilation in mind.
However,
**SCREEEECHH**
A massive vortex of ultrasonic sound waves, hit the beast before it could reach Amanda.
Celestria, while still planted on the ground, breathed heavily as she kept using one of her strongest spells to keep pushing the beast away.
"Insolent pests!" The beast slammed its hand, and the glowing arm cut off the sound waves, making Celestria feel nauseous as her Soul Energy was abruptly forced back.
The beast was annoyed as it disappeared from its spot, heading toward the damn bug; however, before it could reach her, Edric lunged at the inhumane, and while holding it from the side, he pushed the beast away from Celestria.
"Ugh!" However, the raven-haired was soon hit on the back with enough intensity to make him lose his grip and fall to the ground.
The beast raised its feet, intending to crush Edric, when,
**SWIISSH**
Numerous ice daggers shot toward the Soulless, crashing and breaking at a blinding pace.
The Soulless gritted its teeth and despite Amanda's effort,
**BOOOOOM**
It plummeted Edric into the ground by stomping on him.
The ice daggers no longer held the strength to advance toward the Soulless, as Amanda cried,
"EDRIC!!!" She couldn't see Edric at all, as she somehow pushed herself to walk towards the beast.
"YOU MONSTER!" She raised her hand, intending to use all her SE in this last attack, when suddenly, the beast appeared behind her, and lifted Amanda by holding her head.
"Agh!!" Amanda groaned as the beast clutched her head and asked,
"Will he come here sooner if I kill you?"
Turning toward Celestria, the Soulless asked, "Or maybe I should kill you first? You seem to have a close connection to the Subject."
Throwing Amanda away, the beast advanced toward Celestria.
The blond Princess was powerlessly lying on the ground, seeing the incoming beast advancing towards her.
She tried to raise her hand and chant a spell but to no avail. She had already used up her reserve, and her mind was no longer stable enough to chant properly.
Each step of the beast resonated loudly in her ears, an announcement of her possible demise.
With tears building up in her eyes, Celestia closed her eyes.
'I wish I could have saw you for the last time....'
The beast halted before Celestria. Flexing its claws, a malicious grin appeared on its face, as it muttered,
"Blame the Cursed One for your demis-" However, before it could have stabbed Celestria and ended her life, the beast paused.
**RUMBLE**
A presence, far stronger than the humans it have faced until now, was approaching.
The Beast frowned, 'The vessel is here.'
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A/N:- Thanks for reading. We will see some development of Alex in the next chapter.
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