Chapter 455: One With the People

Lilith watched as his fellow roommates worked, carrying heavy bags on their backs, as they helped build a poor house. ’And they expect me to do this labor?’ Crossing his arms, he smiled. But as he did, someone poked his cheek.

Confused, he turned around to see the boy again. "Why aren’t you working, huh? Are you trying to make them mad at you again? I mean, if you continue, and I also continue to protect you, since of course I have because we’re best friends, they will kick both of us out."

...

"So pleaseeee stop." He said, looking at him like a rained-on puppy.

It amused him more than anything. "Kid, stop. You don’t have to defend me; I never asked you to. That way I’ll be the only one kicked out. I don’t want to live in this place either way."

The boy gasped, offended. "I can’t do that; we’re best friends! Childhood best friends, actually; it would be as if betraying a close family member. And don’t call me Kid; I’m older than you dumbass. Just call me by my name, James, or the nickname you always use, Jamie

James crossed his arms, pouting.

Lilith chuckled. "I’ll call you whatever I want, and you can’t do anything about it." He stuck his tongue out.

Jamie rolled his eyes before leaning forward, whispering into his ear. "Actually, remember yesterday? When we talked about the forest."

Pulling back, he put his bag onto the ground, opening it in excitement.

"Look what I found." He said, smiling, as he pulled a blade from inside the bag, one that looked dirty, yet at the same time, was quite sharp. "It reminds me of a fairy tale my mother used to tell me, about a legendary blade and such. What do you think?"

Lilith scoffed, looking at it. ’Is this supposed to be Excalibur or something? This world’s legendary blade? What a generic book you chose, Cain."

"Wow, very cool... do you know how to use it?" Lilith asked.

James turned to him, smiling. "I think I’m already... you know, this blade could be my path to glory; I just need an opportunity to use it and show the world my worth."

Yet just as he finished talking, a giant bell started to ring, drawing the attention of everyone as they started panicking.

Lilith turned to Jamie, confused, even more so after seeing the boy’s terrified expression. "A-An attack?" The boy said.

Freedom’s eyes widened as he heard. ’Already, I was expecting something like this, but this fast? It’s either a very fast book, or either me or Cain, or both, caused the book’s story to accelerate without knowing.’

He wasn’t mad about it, just less time to stay inside the book, while also probably giving him a chance to meet up with Cain. "You said you wanted a chance," Lilith said to James, making him turn back to him. "Here it is, your chance."

The boy stared at him for some seconds, his eyes sparkling with conviction as he nodded. Grabbing his blade. "Let’s split up!" He said, running away.

He was surprised by his decision; after all, he personally hadn’t said he was going to fight, but he wasn’t wrong.

Cracking his knuckles, Lilith watched as bandits started raiding the village.

...

...

...

The village burned; people ran and screamed. It was absolute chaos. Cain stood among the many bandits, taking his blade out of one of the knights’ chests. He looked at his rank counter.

Knowledge Rank — [Beast]

>2995/3000 knowledge shards

’Five more.’ He smiled. These knights were reinforcements, the strongest things he could kill, and they were all Seeker fragments, so no match for him. Most others were just some lowly villagers wanting to fight back, but they gave him nothing.

The other bandits were also not weak, weaker than the knights, but not that weak. They were probably Reader Titans.

’So this village should be easy to destroy-’ As he was about to finish that thought, he noticed with the side of his eyes, one of his people flew into the wall and died.

He smirked, already knowing who had caused this. "There you are, you Devil," Lilith said, smiling, as he moved closer to him.

"I was wondering where you were, and it seems like fate has finally decided to answer me. You were with the bandits, ready to attack the village, so that the original protagonist could gain the trust of the people."

Cain tilted his head. "I see, so it was this option. Then, if you don’t mind me going to kill him first, before our fight." He said, trying to walk away, but Lilith ran in front of him. "You aren’t going anywhere." He said, as his marks started glowing, just before he unleashed a punch straight to Cain’s chest, making him fly into a wall, coughing out blood through his devilish smirk.

Cain chuckled, getting back on his feet. "Alright, I guess I can fight you first. But be quick about it; I don’t have that much time." He said as his horns started to manifest.

Lilith clenched his fists, his gaze not moving away once from him.

People started to get closer, intrigued by the sudden events that had happened. After all, ever since Lilith had started fighting, most Bandits had been taken care of, so he had already gained an audience, and now that he was fighting the person they thought was the leader of the bandits since he was the strongest, the crowd only grew. Staring at their salvation and Freedom through Lilith’s eyes.

"You’re pretty confident you will win..."

Cain tilted his head. "I shouldn’t? Who else could win this battle if not me? After all, tell me what happened the last times we fought; plus, I would never be scared of you. You aren’t a threat to me."

Lilith should have been angered by his comment; after all, he was mocking all of their fights until now, while also looking down upon him. Yet at the same time, he couldn’t stop.

Smiling.

As the people around them started to cheer for him.

"I know I’ve lost all the times before. But Liberation always comes."