Rebirth: Childhood friend of the heroine

It was chaos outside, and Sarah could only watch.

Inside the carriage, she had already lulled the child to sleep and cast a protective barrier around them. No strike, no spell could reach past her magic—at least, not without her knowing.

From her place behind the translucent shimmer of the barrier, she watched the battlefield unfold… and what she saw left her stunned.

A handful of individuals were pushing back an army. Thousands of soldiers, many of them beast warriors, overwhelmed by just a few.

Celestria stood guard near the carriage, making sure no one got close. Her presence alone was like an invisible wall. But the real storm was up ahead.

The other four were in the thick of it—cutting through waves of enemies without pause.

And then her eyes found Alex.

A few months ago, it would have been unthinkable for him to stand against so many, let alone hold his own.

But now?

Now he was fighting alongside Rebecca and Natasha as an equal.

Sarah felt a weight in her chest—not of worry, but of quiet awe.

'How far you've come…' she thought, her gaze softening.

Out on the battlefield, Alex surged forward, weaving through the enemy ranks with blinding speed. His entire body radiated power, thick and untamed, the kind of energy no ordinary mortal should ever possess.

And yet—he did.

He has gotten his soul used to the presence of the Curse, which allowed him to strengthen his body and use a few spells from the huge library.

Just like this,

"Raijin." Alex slammed his hands on the ground before dark lightning erupted and crept toward the incoming forces.

The ground cracked.

Black lightning surged like a beast let loose, crawling fast and wild. Screams echoed as soldiers were flung back, bodies smoking, armor split open by raw force. Those who weren't killed instantly were paralyzed, twitching on the ground as the curse seeped into their veins.

Alex didn't wait.

He sprinted forward, eyes locked onto the next wave. His hand reached for his side—and pulled a jagged blade glowing faintly.

One soldier swung a spear. Alex ducked and slashed low. Blood sprayed. Another came from behind—he twisted and stabbed backward through the ribs without turning. The man choked on blood, collapsing.

"Get back! He's—"

Too late.

Alex raised his hand. The sky dimmed. Lightning cracked again, sharper, louder, as if the storm itself obeyed him.

"Raijin: Scatter."

A line of dark bolts rained down, tearing through men and steel alike. The battlefield reeked of burnt flesh. Panic spread.

But Alex didn't stop. He dashed again—each step leaving a faint black mark behind. A knight tried to block him with a tower shield.

Crack. Shield shattered.

Alex's fist drove through metal and bone.

He moved like a ghost—appearing, killing, vanishing.

One enemy mage tried to chant. Alex hurled a bolt of lightning straight through his skull.

Silence fell for a breath.

More than seven hundred had fallen to the combined power of just five.

Alex rejoined the others, standing side by side as they stared at the remaining soldiers—most of whom were shaking, stepping back in fear.

On their side, only Jullie and Rebecca had taken a few cuts, nothing serious. Nothing could stop them from finishing the rest.

The Elder who had led the attack stood frozen, his eyes wide with disbelief. Spitting out his words in rage, he shouted, "Y-You monsters! You don't deserve to exist!"

Rebecca's eyes narrowed as she let out a cold sneer. "The real monster was your son. If you had just slapped his hand when he was causing trouble as a kid, maybe he wouldn't have grown up to steal someone's innocence."

The Elder growled, his glowing eyes filled with what little bloodlust he had left.

Alex was done with this farce. He thought of ending it here and now—cut the Elder down, wipe him off the face of the earth. No one could blame them. He started the fight. And even if someone did raise a finger, the Vampire Princess would handle it.

"Enough of this," Alex muttered, stepping forward.

That's when he heard the Curse's voice echo in his mind:

[I want to eat that. He has a nice skill—Revival.]

Alex's brows twitched. Revival, huh? No wonder the Elder had dared to start a war with some of the strongest in the world.

"Die!" the Elder roared, lunging forward. His mouth opened wide, sharp teeth flashing as he aimed to rip Alex apart.

The women tensed instantly, ready to step in if anything went wrong.

But Alex didn't move. He didn't even raise an arm. He just stood there.

Rebecca's heart skipped a beat. She summoned a blood dagger and prepared to intercept, ready to strike down the beast—when suddenly,

SCHFOOM—

A dark vortex burst open as Alex slowly lifted his hand.

The Elder's eyes widened in panic. He tried to stop himself, to pull back, but it was too late. The vortex dragged him in.

"No! Stop this!! Help!!" His cries of agony echoed across the battlefield as his body was swallowed, little by little, by the pull of death.

The remaining soldiers could only tremble, watching their leader thrash and scream, completely powerless.

Not far away, Natasha watched with shining eyes, a euphoric smile spreading across her face as she witnessed her father's raw, overwhelming strength.

In the carriage, Alice stirred from her sleep, her eyes opening wide, glowing with awe as she looked out at the scene before her.

Once Alex was done feeding on the Elder, he turned his gaze to the remaining soldiers. His voice was calm, almost cold, as he said, "You have two choices: sacrifice yourselves for the dead… or run back to your families."

There was no need to shout. The meaning was clear, and the fear in their eyes told him they understood.

It was a simple decision. If more than half of them—and their strongest leader—couldn't even land a scratch on this group, what hope did the rest have?

One of the women among the soldiers looked back one last time, her lips trembling. Then, she turned and ran.

That was all it took. One turned into three, then ten. Soon, the battlefield emptied of enemies.

Alex let out a long breath and muttered, "Wise decision."

'Did you get the skill?' he asked inwardly.

A few weeks ago, he'd learned that devouring someone didn't always guarantee their abilities. And even if he did get something, it often ended up being a weaker, incomplete version.

The Curse responded with a rumble of interest.

[Hmm… not bad. I got it, but it's not perfect. Still… I can work with this.]

Alex narrowed his eyes. "Good. We'll need everything we can get."

Turning towards the others he said, "Let's continue the journey."

....

It took them around three more hours before they finally reached the academy.

They stopped a few hundred meters away from the main gate, careful not to draw attention. If the academy's security spotted the Saintess and the Vampire Princess, it would stir up more than just rumors—it'd be chaos.

Alex turned to Sarah, his brows slightly furrowed. "You sure you don't want to come?" he asked softly. She had just told him she was heading to Chainedvale with Rebecca and Natasha instead.

Sarah let out a long breath. "I know exactly what would happen if I walked in there," she said with a faint smile. "And if I have to spend the whole time hiding in some room so no one sees me, I'd rather stay outside… where I can breathe."

She wasn't wrong.

Her presence would change everything. The farewell would no longer be about the students and their final day—it would turn into something else entirely. And she didn't want that. She didn't want to steal their moment.

Besides, Alex would be arriving at Chainedvale tomorrow anyway. She just had to be patient a little longer.

She gave him one last look, her eyes gentle but steady. "Go enjoy it. I'll see you soon."

Alex let out a soft sigh before turning to Rebecca. "I'll be there tomorrow," he said.

Rebecca gave a warm smile and nodded.

He pulled her and Sarah into a brief hug, holding them close for just a second longer than usual. Then, he turned to Alice.

"I'll be back in a few minutes," he said gently, kneeling to meet her eyes. "Listen to your sisters and eat a lot, okay?"

Alice closed her eyes and leaned into his hand as he ruffled her hair, soaking in the warmth.

With a final wave, Alex stepped back as the carriage began to roll away, slowly disappearing down the path toward Rebecca's hometown.

When he turned around, ready to head to the academy, he was met with an unexpected sight.

"Professor?" he asked, surprised.

The woman stood frozen, her hand trembling slightly, beads of sweat forming on her forehead.

Her eyes were locked on the towering castle in the distance—the academy.

"I never thought," she whispered, her voice low and tight, "that I'd be this nervous to return to the place that used to be my home."

Alex didn't say anything right away. He just stood beside her, silent… giving her the space to feel what she needed to feel.

Celestria rested her hand on Jullie's shoulder before she said, "Those who adore you won't reject you, remember that, Professor."

Alex added, "That's right, Professor. Don't forget what I said: even though your origin has changed you still are who they know."

Jullie, being encouraged by the two, took a deep breath and nodded, "Let's go."

°°°°°°°°°°°

A/N:- Thanks for reading.