Live

Although Libertas glanced dazedly around, he didn't see anything. It was too dark. He tried to stand, but he ended up falling with his chin on the ground. It turned wet. Slowly he touched with his hands around the surrounding. Gradually, they reached to the back. He felt a boulder squashing his legs.

The hands dropped to the ground, and the eyes closed. He had done his best. In such a situation, there was nothing else he could have done. His story has ended. Let him rest for the last bit of his story. It was tiring to live until the end. His body relaxed.

The memories since the start of his journey slowly floated up in his mind. He woke up in this world as the crown prince of a kingdom. Immediately after that, he heard from Igor it was wartime. And shortly following he got to know, he had no talent in cultivation. It would be terribly exhausting to be the king at wartime. Even more so, in a fantasy world without any talent. At this point, he had decided to be a lazy lord ruling over his subjects. As such, he requested a fief and became a marquess.

On his journey to his marquessate, he met Friedrich and his companions. Friedrich had attentive taught him butchery. However, he betrayed them in the face of danger. Due to this, a bandit group kidnapped them. But due to that Libertas met at the bandit group's layout a new friend, Judas. Furthermore, he could interact with countless different people.

Wasn't it nice to interact with others again? Wouldn't it be nice if that young girl he met remained pure in heart for the rest of her life? With such thoughts, he took up the task of eliminating the evils.

Though Libertas took the responsibility, what did he do? Nothing except becoming a part of it. He has killed in cold blood. Ruthlessly and cruel. The words of the monkey-brother flashed by in his mind. They called Libertas a 'noble soul'. He couldn't help but inadvertently laugh mockingly at these words.

Who has entered an underground colosseum to participate in a life and death battle? Who has cruelly butchered his opponent? Who has bathed in the blood of the opponent? Can anyone say, this wasn't evil? Maybe there were, but for Libertas, they were evil, and he did them all. If he honestly desired to eliminate the evil, shouldn't he start with himself?

But, why should Libertas be the only one to suffer? Didn't he suffer enough while seeing others enjoying themselves? Couldn't he too drag others down to the depths of hell? Won't he enjoy it as others suffered as he did? At this time, a creepy laugh continued to escape his mouth.

Friedrich's words floated up in Libertas' mind. It swivelled around, as it brought the inside into a mess. In the end, Libertas sighed, "I won't do it. If I did it, won't I regret it at the end? I really should die here. Quietly and without harming anyone."

As memories of Caesar, and then Igor flashed by in Libertas mind, he smiled wryly. It was pretty strange. He lived unmistakably as XXX. However, he too lived obviously as Libertas. Nevertheless, he wasn't XXX, as he clearly died in the hands of that man. Although he can't be Libertas too, as the life of XXX changed him too much. Who was he?

It doesn't matter. He was now Libertas. Maybe he hadn't the same sentiments as the earlier Libertas, but they had the same body. No one could reject his identity as Libertas, right? Libertas sighed. It didn't change the fact that he wasn't the same Libertas as before. He weakly opened his eyes, gazing at the bracelet. Suddenly, he laughed out again. It started faintly before the laugh turned roaringly. It resounded in the darkness, bouncing up and down.

Friedrich sacrificed his life for him. Caesar waited for his visits. Igor hoped for his return. The monkey-brothers have their debt to pay. It didn't matter who he was now, or if he was Libertas or not. Even if he was none of them, he now needed to live to meet up with their expectations!

However, what could he do? There was nothing to do except waiting for death to come to fetch him. The laughing died, Libertas laid back down on the ground with his eyes closed. He couldn't see hope, even if he hated to die now. He wished he could have at least tried to live his life to the fullest.

Almost as if in return to his wish, footsteps soon resounded from afar. Slowly but gradually it neared and in front of Libertas, it halted. Libertas weakly opened his eyes, looking up. Two crimson eyes stared down at him. It spoke, "Do you want to live?"

Libertas' eyes widened, his mouth gaping. He didn't expect to find another chance to live here. He took a deep breath to calm down and stared back in the crimson eyes. He already wasted a lifetime. He couldn't wast another. In this life, he wouldn't think and just do his thing. He breathed out, as resolution filled his eyes. He will enjoy his life despite everything that the world will throw at him!

Libertas declared with a firm voice, "I want to live!"

A single long white canine teeth gleamed in the darkness. It was smiling. Gleefully it said, "Great! Then drink my blood!"

There was a loud crash, the boulder at Libertas' legs rolled off. A hand grabbed his hair, dragging his head up. Blood dripped on his lips. Startled, he gaped at crimson eyes. It spoke excited, "Now, drink! Why are you not drinking? Don't you want to live?"

Feeling the wound with lips, Libertas sucked on it and swallowed one after another a mouthful of blood. Gradually, his senses blurred, and the body heated up. The crimson eyes looked up. Then it pulled the wound away. After a bit of silence, it muttered, "Is the prophecy dawning near?"

The crimson eyes closed before something pearl-like forced itself down Libertas' throat. Libertas coughed. A weak crimson light formed in front of him. It spoke, "Follow the light."

He hurried away. Once more, footsteps resounded. The light swiftly floated into another direction. Hurried to follow the light, Libertas fell once again. However, he only noticed now that his crashed legs recovered. Standing anew, he quickly followed the light.

The light led Libertas through a passage to a stair. Suddenly, a bright white radiant light flashed behind him. Seeing that light, Libertas hurried even faster the stairs up to another passage. Swiftly, he walked from one turn to another and finally reaching a ladder leading up. Unfortunately, a metal plate covered the sight to the outside. As such, it was unknown what exactly laid there.

The light dispersed in front of the ladder. Never mind the dust on the ladder, Libertas climbed up on it before he tediously pushed the metal plate away. Soon he crawled out of the underground, back to the surface. Instantly the starlight bathed him. Then the cool fresh night air penetrated his pores. He closed the eyes, taking a deep breath, he enjoyed the fresh air. Finally, he regained his freedom.

After relaxing for a while, Libertas opened his eyes. The metal plate had a layer of earth on top of it. Nearby was a side road, leading to the city of slaves. However, when he looked down the road, instead of seeing the city of slaves, he saw a village. It was a strangely familiar village. Where had he seen it before? Suddenly, as if a bolt of lightning had hit him, he remembered. This was the same village from which he travelled to the city of slaves.

A faint white light flashed inside. Libertas rubbed his eyes, and then he cursed. The faint light didn't weaken! Instead, it seemed to grow stronger with time. Swiftly he placed the metal plate back before he piled a small mound of earth on top of it. After taking another deep breath, he rushed to the village.

Nearing the gates of the village, he saw two carriages and one man leaning against a carriage, sleeping. Seeing him, Libertas slightly smiled. This man was Igor. Heavily panting, Libertas reached him. He relaxed, but another bright white light flashed behind him.

Libertas turned around, then bit on his lips. In the white light, he could vaguely see a metal plate and a troop jumping out of a hole. Before the light faded, he saw the troop rushing in his direction. Immediately a severe expression covered his face. He quickly turned around to shake Igor wide awake.

Though the moment his hands stretched out to Igor, his eyes opened. Igor grabbed his hand, kicked his legs, and swiftly pressed him against the ground. However, the next second Igor saw the face, and stunned, he released the hand. He stammered as he stepped flustered back, "You, Your,… Excellency? What are you doing here?"

Libertas stood up while rubbing his wrist. He frowned, "No time to explain. We have to quickly flee from here."

Instantly, after Igor heard the severe voice, he calmed down. A question came into his mind, without any hesitation, he inquired, "What about the ones wishing to follow us?"

Libertas gazed into the darkness. Fear was tearing at him. The troop were likely chasing after him, even if he didn't know why. Although, he could think that it was likely due to the colosseum or the crimson eyes. And it was definitely nothing good to be caught by them. As such, it was better to escape first before he thought more into this. He immediately told Igor, "Wake everyone up. We will them then chose if they will stay here or follow us."

He gave a military salute and then turned around to face the village, "I understand, Your Excellency!"

Igor shouted, yelled, kicked doors open, then woke the villagers one by one up. Libertas leaned against a carriage, tiredly. His legs trembled faintly from pain. His eyes squinted as unpleasant memories resurfaced in his thoughts. He shook his head and ran to an unopened door. Taking a deep breath, he shouted. Then he kicked the door open before waking the villagers inside one by one up.

Soon, all of the residents were woken up and gathered in the plaza. Fortunately, as Libertas woke the monkey-brothers and the village chief up, he had told them to calm the crowd down. Pitifully, he couldn't explain what is happening right now due to the time restrain. Due to which, the village chief first stared at him dubiously before he sighed and agreed. On the contrary to them, the monkey-brothers immediately agreed to help him.

Strangely, under the leads of the monkey-brothers and the village chief, the crowd had parted into two. One crowd had only the humans, while the other had only the beast-men. However, both crowds had calmed down.

Sighing, Libertas then took one last glance at that little girl behind the monkey-brothers. Then walked between the two groups, but before he could begin a speech, a pouting girl jumped at him. She had pointy ears and a tail, she was a succubus. However, Igor stepped in front of Libertas, as such she wrapped around him instead of Libertas.

Sulkily she wailed as she hit Igor's chest, "Where have you brought my sisters?"

Igor looked at her, stunned. He asked back, "Your sister?"

Libertas patted on Igor's shoulder with his head down. The succubus only then noticed that she caught the wrong guy. He spoke, "I am sorry. Your sisters were taken by the son of the city lord. I couldn't save them."

Instead of angrily slapping him, the succubus heaved in relief, "Were they really only taken by the city lord's son?"

Libertas gazed puzzled at her relieved expression, as he replied, "Yeah, but-"

"Thanks for taking care of them. See you next time, bye!"

She released Igor and then quickly rushed away. Igor and Libertas were left behind to stare at her back. Igor scratched his head as he asked, "What happened just now?"

"I don't know…"