Chapter 261: Humanity’s Traitors (3)

The few weeks of being away from each other had taken a toll on the two, but it obviously affected Kamille more. After all, Rise had been in a hazy sleep for most of the duration of his captivity.

Furthermore, he always had to think of ways to escape and preserve his strength to think about what was happening outside the world.

Kamille was different. He had almost been driven to losing control when Rise disappeared, if not already. His subsequent actions were also something no normal human being would do, much less a dignified guild leader with a reputation to be upheld.

However, there was no need for that now. Since the author had already started their actions, they were bound to cross head-on from this point on.

Although it was the case, Kamille and Rise did not do anything besides accompanying each other in these few days of their reunion.

For a while, the two harmoniously spent their time together, only occasionally playing with Riri or speaking with the others. It was as though they had already forgotten the mess that had been waiting for them outside, choosing to live in this small piece of fantasy they created.

Of course, that was not the case at all. It was more like the two knew that once they started their fight, peacetime like this might take quite a long time to experience again.

They needed to cherish, or at least have their fill to their satisfaction.

Niftan and Thalia also knew it too. So, when they visited the two, they did not talk about outside matters. Even if the increasing hunt for the two was intensifying, they chose to keep this false peace.

"You can feel it too, right?" Rise leaned on Kamille’s chest as his fingers traced it. They had just finished another round, and the pleasure still lingered on their content faces.

Kamille caressed Rise’s arms as he leaned in and planted a kiss on the other’s temple and nodded.

"It’s increasing. Soon, we won’t be able to hide from it." Even as he said so, there was not a hint of fear in his voice.

Rise smiled and looked up, meeting Kamille’s dangerous but mesmerizing crimson eyes.

"Hmm, it’s uncomfortable. I feel like this world’s malice is about to swallow me whole." Rise was quite honest in his words. There was no need to lie in front of Kamille.

Kamille exhaled slightly and softly caressed Rise’s naked back, comforting him. Rise widened his smile, eyes glistening with both excitement and anticipation.

"But it meant they are uneasy too. I’m not the only one feeling this way." Rise laughed somehow maliciously, making Kamille’s lips lift too. "Every time I felt the malice around me increase, I knew that being must be twice, no, a lot more uncomfortable than me."

This thought made him stop thinking of this feeling as a bad thing. After all, it was just a feeling and had yet to truly harm him. And Rise had Kamille by his side.

The two stared at each other with a smile. Kamille was smiling not because of the author’s similarly miserable situation, but because of Rise’s excited smile.

After a while, Rise put on a more solemn look. There was also a hint of reluctance in his face, but he knew that this was inevitable.

"Tomorrow, everything will be unpredictable."

Kamille stared at him, examining his expression.

"Are you afraid?" Kamille asked softly.

For the first time, this question was put forward.

Rise was a bit taken aback, but only a little. In a way, he expected this. And again, there was no need to lie. So, he nodded.

"I’m terrified. What happened last time was such a wake-up call. It made me realize just how much of a behemoth we’re facing. For them, manipulating this world is as easy as flipping the hand."

Rise had experience firsthand and in both lifetimes. Calling it terrifying was actually an understatement.

"I’m always confident about my strength, but in front of the world’s malice, I felt so weak and powerless. In fact, death is not what I’m so afraid of. I already experienced it."

Rise felt Kamille’s body stiffen at his words, but he continued. There was no time to mince words.

"What I’m most terrified of... is resetting this life, and the conditions we had in this life will be gone. That, with our failure, we won’t be able to succeed no matter what we do."

These words had some truth in them. It could be said that if they still failed to fight against the author and fate this time, they were destined to never defeat this world.

This life had so many advantageous points, and they even uncovered a lot of opportunities in this reset, something their previous selves did not have.

Saying this was their last chance was probably not wrong at all. As the author would certainly make various countermeasures in the next reset.

Kamille did not interrupt him, only rubbing his back. In a way, Rise was talking for both of them. Most of his apprehension also stemmed from this one simple but crucial fact.

Rise poured out his thoughts without restraint, and so did his vulnerable emotions. While Kamille comforted him, occasionally giving responses to show his presence.

After he had had enough, Rise took a deep breath and tightened his hold of Kamille. Only then could he stabilize himself.

"We’ll win... right, Kamille?"

Rise shed his usual confidence and only put on a tone filled with uncertainty. His nervousness was fully displayed.

Kamille did not give a certain answer either. He knew that Rise did not need such a comforting but obvious lie.

Even so, he tried to give a satisfying answer for both of them. Rise smiled, hearing that, obviously liking his answer. The tension in his body was also released, and he leaned on Kamille’s body more contentedly.

Kamille’s answer was, "We don’t have a choice but to win."

Kamille’s words were truly what Rise needed. He was right. Thinking about whether they would win was pointless. They had no choice but to do their best to win.

There was no other path given to them; everything was a dead end.