“Lilith?”
He wasn’t sure because he couldn’t see her face, but from the voice, he was able to identify the individual.
It would be weird if Zero, who has spent most of his time with her lately, doesn’t know her voice. Lilith turned around and looked at him for a moment before taking something out of her ring.
-TKA!
Lilith poured something on Zero. Although Zero didn’t know what that was, he could feel his exhaustion and injuries healing. He could feel his pain go away in an instant. It was more effective than the potion that he used before.
“Zero, you need to run! I will hold him back.”
Lilith said.
She seemed to know that Zero was in some kind of trouble and immediately told him to run away.
“Kakaka… I didn’t expect the princess to show up.”
Sixtus said.
Though he was not really surprised considering he already knew how much time Lilith and Zero spent together.
While acting as Sixtus, he has already collected enough information to know who was who to Zero. He was only looking for the most ideal time to bring Zero to this isolated place.
While the Devil Sixtus was really calling out the title of Lilith, Zero just interpreted it as something that Sixtus was calling to a girl.
It is not surprising that some people like to call certain girls princesses and Zero just thought of it as the same case.
Anyway, in that situation what Sixtus called Lilith hardly mattered but if he could have thought carefully, he would have found something about Lilith’s identity.
However, lucky for Lilith, Zero at the time was naive and could not think about those complicated things.
“You have certainly crossed the line, Xalvar.”
Lilith said as she got ready to attack.
Lilith’s voice sounded angry, and this was the first time Zero noticed her anger. Even when fighting with Eleonore, Zero didn’t think that she actually resented Eleonore. However, this time was different. Lilith actually seems to want to kill him.
“Zero, I will hold him back! You escape!”
While concentrating on Sixtus, Lilith spoke to Zero.
Lilith wanted Zero to run away from this dangerous place.
“NO! You should run. He is a Devil. You are no match for him!”
Zero refused.
Zero didn’t know how strong Lilith was but he was aware that Sixtus was not a weak Devil. He knew an 11-year-old could never defeat him. With his new profound strength, Zero believed that he could even defeat Rank-E Explorer but even so, he ended up getting beaten up.
And moreover, he didn’t want to see another of his friends die because of him.
“You can’t! He is after me. You will also die because of me. You should run instead.”
Zero said almost as if he was begging Lilith.
While Zero was momentarily happy that Lilith came to help him, he could not help but think about the worst-case scenario where she would end up dead. Having experienced having his friends killed, he didn’t want it to happen again.
“…”
Lilith didn’t know what was going through Zero’s mind but seeing the situation around her, she knew that Zero experienced a strong mental shock.
Who could not be devastated when all his friends died in front of him? Lilith could already see that the smiley and happy Zero was already gone.
Positive thinker Zero has been replaced with someone who only worries about bad things. He was no longer who he used to be!
-BAM! -BAM!
Sixtus struck but Lilith also responded to his attack. While Lilith showed extraordinary power which is beyond what Zero and his other friend had still Sixtus displayed more power.
“RUN!”
Lilith shouted.
Even in the middle of fighting, Lilith wanted Zero to escape. However, Zero was like a statue who refused to move. He was already thinking about the worst possibility that could happen and wanted to prevent that.
-BAM!
Sixtus slammed Lilith to the ground with a punch. However, even after that Sixtus seemed to be very cautious and didn’t let that get to his head.
He didn’t get arrogant and let his guard down after he knocked down Lilith. He was waiting almost as if he knew that his attack would not work.
However, for Zero, it seemed as if Lilith was getting beaten up like him.
Zero almost could see where it could lead to if Lilith stayed. He doesn’t expect Lilith to be able to compete with a Rank-D Devil.
Even after Lilith repeatedly urged Zero to run away, Zero refused to do so. He wants Lilith to run away instead of him. He was already prepared to die after failing to save his friends.
-WHOOSH!
Zero refused to run away, and Sixtus took advantage of that to attack Zero rather than Lilith.
Zero had also seen Sixtus make his move, however, it was too late to dodge. And he didn’t think that it was such a bad thing.
As long as he dies, Lilith would stop worrying about protecting him and could run away safely. He thought that maybe dying was better.
He thinks that as long as Lilith decides to run away, she is perfectly capable of that. From the speed she showed to save him at the start, Zero realized that Lilith was quite fast.
-BANG!
However, before Sixtus’ attack lands on him, Lilith threw her body in between, taking the blow for Zero.
“ARGH!”
Lilith spits some blood.
Lilith already looked battered because of an earlier fight and by blocking that attack, Lilith almost looks like someone who is dying.
“This is my fault! I should have been killed instead.”
Zero was already breaking down.
When he chose to resist, his friend got killed. When he chose to die, his friend also died. He didn’t know what to do.
He already blamed himself for being alive. Him giving bad luck to others.
“It is okay!”
At that moment, as if some angel were there to help him, Lilith’s soothing voice entered his ears.
Lilith smiled while saying those words. Whether she meant to say she was okay or that it was okay for him to stay alive, both of those meanings were good for Zero.
Even when she was battered and had some blood on her face, Lilith looked incredibly beautiful. She looked like the goddess to bring salvation.
Lilith didn’t blame Zero at all. Even when Zero refused to listen to her and as a result, she got injured, she didn’t seem to see Zero as a burden or think it was his fault.
She knows that Zero went through a lot and that he was suffering. She could see that Zero at the moment hated himself too much. She didn’t want Zero to change. She liked to see him smiling and staying optimistic and bringing joy to others.
However, that was her wishful thinking. She knew that this event would have a profound impact on Zero’s life, and he may change into a different person. This greatly angered her and she was furious at Sixtus who was responsible for this.
“I will be fine! That bastard could never kill me.”
Lilith said with full confidence. Lilith was very confident even with her body full of injuries. She didn’t seem to view Sixtus as a threat at all.
Zero seemed to regain some of his composure. He didn’t know why but he felt like he could trust her words.
“Zero, remember none of this is your fault. It is him who should be punished.”
Lilith said.
Lilith, similar to Sixtus, was trying to put the blame on Sixtus. The only difference was what she said was true. All that happened was because of Sixtus.
No matter whether Zero possesses something that he wants or someone else, it is a fact that Sixtus was the one to kill his friend.
Zero could not really stop being guilty but he felt a little less guilty after listening to what Lilith said.
Even if what Lilith said was true, it was also a fact that because of him, his friend got dragged into this mess. This guilt cannot be erased even if he knows that it is Sixtus’ fault.
Seeing that Zero had calmed down a little, Lilith once again tried to persuade Zero to escape.
“Zero, listen! You run straight down this path and you will see an exit. You don’t need to worry about me and run.”
Lilith said.
*NOD!
This time, Zero nodded to Lilith. He already knew that he was being a burden to Lilith.
He could also see that Lilith is determined to stay here if he refuses to run away. He thought that she might go away if she knew the difference in strength between her and Sixtus but she didn’t.
She even risked her life to block Sixtus’ blow to save him. He realized that Lilith would really get herself killed if he stayed. Therefore, he has no choice but to run away.
Only that he could not stop worrying about Lilith.
-THUD! -THUD!
Zero then began running. He would look behind him sometimes only to see the image of Lilith getting more and more blurred.
*****
Back to the battle area.
Sixtus didn’t dare to go after Zero because he was wary of the person in front of him.
While Zero was worried and even thought that Lilith was dying of the injuries that Sixtus caused, for Sixtus those injuries were nothing, considering who she was.
“Xalvar, you really dare to harm this princess and her precious friend. Today, you are not going to leave this place alive.”
Lilith said.
The tone of voice was really dominating and she seemed very different from who she was when she was with Zero. Her eyes emitted enough blood lust to even frighten Sixtus.
Moreover, the energy that she released was completely different. It was dark and suffocating to the point that Sixtus had to back away.
Lilith’s height grew a little and there was a pair of wings growing on her back. Like a shackle being undone, Lilith’s strength increased dramatically as she kept glaring at Xalvar.
-GULP!
Xalvar knew that he was done for.