Rebirth: Childhood friend of the heroine-Chapter 223 - 222- Sort things out

Splash

In the stillness of early morning, Alex knelt by the lake, splashing cold water on his face. The ripples spread out slowly, catching the soft glow of the rising sun.

When you're camping beside a woman that beautiful, it's no wonder you end up sleeping late.

Haah... He exhaled and rubbed the back of his neck. System, tell me—what's the assimilation rate right now?

For the past month, Alex had been hunting monsters, slowly letting the Curse seep deeper into his soul. He wasn't reckless with it. Even when he used the Curse for small things—like cutting firewood or carrying supplies—he did so carefully, watching how it interacted with his soul. Every move was calculated.

This wasn't just about power.

This was training.

{Ding!}

{Assimilation: 56.20%}

Alex hummed thoughtfully. "Still not enough…"

There were about seven months left before the Trials began. That might be enough time to fully assimilate the Curse—but not enough to master it. Not enough to truly understand its potential before he was thrown into a battlefield that would decide the fate of worlds.

His expression turned serious, 'Curse…tell me something. Why do these Ascension Trials even happen? Can't they just let us live our lives the way we are?'

There was a pause, and then the voice answered.

[There are many reasons. But one of the main ones… is fear.]

Alex listened quietly, dipping his legs into the cold lakewater as the Curse went on.

[Long ago, they didn't force the worlds into these trials. They let them live freely. But over time, some beings grew strong—too strong. Strong enough to challenge other worlds… and even the gods.]

"Hoh? That's actually possible?"

[Once you see the other participants, you'll understand.]

Alex raised an eyebrow. He didn't know exactly who he'd face, but surely, they couldn't be that different from what he'd read in books… right?

Still, a small flicker of unease crept in.

The Curse continued its voice like a slow whisper in his mind.

[So, annihilation began. Once every thousand years, they would wipe out half the population—randomly. Without warning. That way, people focused on survival, not rebellion.]

"…That's brutal," Alex muttered. "Reminds me of a certain someone."

The Curse didn't respond to that. It simply went on.

The sourc𝗲 of this content is freēwēbηovel.c૦m.

[But that method didn't work for long. Entire civilizations collapsed. Many worlds couldn't recover at all. Mother didn't approve.]

"So, the Trials were born?"

[Yes. This contest is the most efficient way. Every two thousand years, new worlds are given a chance to rise… while the old ones must prove they're still worthy to survive.]

Alex leaned back on his hands, eyes narrowing slightly.

"A fair fight, huh?" he murmured. "Now it's not just luck or fear… it's strength and resolve."

He yawned, his body still heavy from the restless night, and stretched with a quiet groan.

The future felt close. Too close.

And every second counted now.

It was then that a voice broke the calm.

"How loud can you be?"

Sarah appeared beside him, arms crossed, her eyes narrowed in mock annoyance. "If I hadn't put up a barrier around your tent, wild animals might've come running into the campsite."

Alex offered an apologetic smile. "I should've been more mindful."

Sarah sighed and sat down beside him, tucking her knees to her chest. After a moment of quiet, she asked softly, "…So… how was it? Did she cry?"

There was a hint of hesitation in her voice. Sarah could joke around with Alex all day long, but when it came to Rebecca, she wasn't sure how far she could go. She didn't want to pry too much, unsure how Rebecca would take it.

Alex shook his head. "She didn't. Well, you know my skills better than anyone."

That grin—cocky and playful—stretched across his face.

Sarah rolled her eyes, "Such narcissism."

Alex chuckled, and the two slipped into a calm silence. The water brushed against their feet, cool and steady, grounding them in the moment.

Then Sarah spoke again, her voice quieter this time. "Have you thought about what you'd do if someone brainwashed Cela's father?"

The question was heavy. The king held influence over the selection of trial participants. If someone wanted to keep Alex away from the Trials, targeting the king wasn't out of the question.

Alex let out a long sigh, leaning back on his hands, eyes up at the morning sky.

"You know very well," he said, "even if God Himself showed up and said, 'Let them go for the sake of world peace'—I wouldn't. I can't."

He turned his head slightly, meeting her gaze with a soft intensity.

"When you've drawn a line in your heart—one that you'll never let anyone cross, not even yourself—everything else becomes clear."

Sarah looked at him, speechless.

That wasn't just stubbornness. It was something deeper—his absolute devotion to the three women he loved. No matter what doubts he might have about the Trials, or even about himself, she could see it now.

When it came to them... there was no room for hesitation.

....

Soon, Celestria stepped out of the tent, rubbing her eyes, while Natasha returned from her hunt, two dead beasts slung over her shoulders.

"Ahh~ that was not a great sleep," Celestria yawned, her mouth barely parting, making her look like a sleepy hamster.

She walked over and leaned against Alex, who was busy arranging firewood by the lakeside.

The silver-haired man chuckled. "I was thinking of building a home in the forest someday… but I guess Cela wouldn't be too thrilled about that."

Celestria's eyes popped open. She turned to him sharply, wrapping her arms around his back. "When did I ever say that?" she complained. With a soft smile, she rested her cheek against his back. "I'd be happy anywhere, as long as I'm with you."

Alex chuckled, warmth seeping into his chest. She really gets clingy in the mornings, huh...

"Hey, Princess. Move your lazy ass and wash the meat," Natasha called out with narrowed eyes. "All you do is flirt with him the whole damn day."

Celestria pouted but obediently pulled away—though not before planting a sweet kiss on Alex's cheek—then made her way over to the freshly butchered meat Natasha had prepared.

Meanwhile, Sarah was by the lake with Alice, helping the little girl wash her face and change her clothes.

"Sarah," Alex called out as he stood up and dusted off his hands, "where's the charcoal box I gave you?"

Still holding Alice—who was flailing her legs like a tiny penguin—Sarah replied without turning, "Inside the tent."

Alex nodded and made his way toward it.

Zap

As he pulled open the tent flap, his steps came to an abrupt halt.

Standing there, in nothing but her underwear, was Jullie.

"A-Ah…" she blinked at him, a bit surprised, a touch shy—but she didn't try to cover herself. "You needed something?"

Alex, momentarily frozen, quickly gathered himself. Even though his eyes had already betrayed him by wandering a little too freely, he kept his tone even as he stepped inside.

"Yeah, just here for the charcoal."

Doing his best to act natural, he walked over to the wooden box tucked into the corner, resisting the strong urge to glance back.

Just as Alex reached for the charcoal box, a hesitant voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Do you mind if I take some of your… blood?" Jullie asked softly. "I'm feeling a bit low."

Alex swallowed hard. Damn it… being near the current Processor was straight-up dangerous for his heart.

Still, it had been over ten days since she last fed on him, and he wasn't the type to make her wait—especially when he could see the faint paleness on her cheeks.

"Sure," he replied, walking over to the stack of folded bedding. He sat down, exhaling quietly.

But keeping his eyes under control? That was a losing battle.

His gaze swept over her. Jullie's hair fell like dark silk down her shoulders, the strands brushing lightly against her chest. That chest—strapped snugly in a black bra held together by just two slender strings—rose and fell gently with her breath. Her stomach was flat, her core visibly toned, and her waist held a sculpted curve that neither made her look too lean nor too muscular. And her legs… those endlessly long, shapely legs. He had always wondered what they looked like without those tight combat pants.

Today, unfortunately for his self-control, he got his answer.

Jullie approached him with slow steps before lowering herself just enough to bring her lips to his face level.

Their eyes met for a moment, their heartbeat elevating before Jullie hurriedly sank her fangs into his neck

Alex groaned as he instinctively wrapped his arm around her waist.

Jullie was surprised, but the intoxicating taste of his blood didn't allow her to think carefully, and she ended up acquiring his lap as a resting spot.

Alex softly ran his hand down her smooth back to say, 'I am not running away,' and Jullie calmed down.

After a few seconds, Jullie finally parted her lips from his neck, giving the mark a few licks before she looked him in the eyes

Her eyes were still glowing red as she looked at him with an evident sense of hunger in her eyes.

The tension between them was rising. Their body is connected, their breath collides, and they can hear each other's accelerated heart rate.

Just as Jullie was about to forget her boundaries and bring her lips close to his, "Alex."

Celestria called out from outside and Jullie suddenly snapped out of her daze

She instantly parted from him and stepped away.

Alex looked at his empty arms and sighed.

Getting up he took the charcoal box and silently walked out of the tent

'I need to sort things out...'

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A/N:- Thanks for reading.