NOVPUB
Chapter 114: Chapter 114 New Class
Lilith turned to Boss, her eyes sharp and unblinking. "I hope you’ll honor your words," she said coldly.
Boss nodded with a smug grin, keeping his tone respectful. "Of course."
But in his heart, he was already calculating. What is half of my property compared to what the Golden Bird will give me? His loyalty had already shifted. With Li’s announcement, everything had changed. The balance of power in the underworld had been shaken, and Boss intended to be on the winning side, no matter the cost.
Lilith nodded once, curtly. She didn’t want to spend another second here. Everything about this place made her skin crawl now—Li, Boss, the Crimson Hand, all of it. She turned to walk away, but before she could go far, Lady Viora stepped into her path.
Viora’s expression was unreadable as she leaned in close, her voice low and gentle. "You’re cornered now, Lilith. You sure you won’t consider joining me?"
Lilith hesitated. The Black Lotus had taken a massive blow today. Crimson Hand had new backing. And now, they were being watched from all sides.
Joining Lady Viora’s gang was the only move that could guarantee survival. The Golden Bird was powerful—too powerful to fight head-on. But Lilith forced a small, tight smile onto her lips.
"This is my mess," she said softly. "I’ll take care of it."
Viora studied her for a moment, then placed a warm hand on her shoulder. "Anything you need," she said sincerely. "All you have to do is call."
Lilith nodded. "Thank you."
With that, Viora turned and walked away into the crowd. Lilith’s eyes lingered on her for a moment, then slowly shifted toward Liam.
He was standing alone now, facing Li from across the courtyard. The two of them locked eyes, tension crackling in the space between them. Khan’s lifeless body still lay between them, untouched. It was like a symbol now—what had been lost, and what was still to come.
Li’s face was expressionless as he stared at Liam. Then, he broke the silence with a sneer.
"Pray you’re dead when we meet again, kid," he said darkly.
He didn’t wait for a response. He turned to Boss, giving him a subtle nod, and the two of them began walking away together, disappearing into the crowd.
The moment they were gone, Lilith rushed over to Liam.
"Are you alright?" she asked, her voice low and urgent.
Liam gave a small nod. "I’ll be fine. The wound’s gonna heal, but I need to dress it properly." 𝒏𝙤𝙫𝒑𝙪𝙗.𝙘𝒐𝙢
Lilith stared at him for a moment, then sighed. "I know you’re not normal," she murmured. "But... that’s a conversation for another day."
Liam chuckled dryly. "Probably for the best."
She stepped closer, then—without warning—crept under his arm and slid it over her shoulder, helping to support him.
"What are you doing?" he asked, caught off guard.
Lilith didn’t look at him. "They’re under the impression that we’re dating," she said quietly. "Don’t get the wrong idea."
Liam smirked as they walked away together. "Sure... whatever you say."
The air brushed against Liam’s skin as he stepped outside, his arm still slung over Lilith’s shoulders. Just ahead of them, Ella was pacing back and forth in visible agitation. Her arms were crossed, her brow furrowed, and her high heels clicked with every sharp step.
She hadn’t seen the fight—couldn’t stomach it. When Lilith stepped into the arena against Khan, Ella had turned her back and walked away. She couldn’t bear the thought of watching her get hurt, and certainly not the idea of seeing Liam wounded. But when she turned around and saw Liam limping, bloodied, with Lilith holding him up, her eyes widened in shock.
"Wait—" she said, pointing in confusion. "Wasn’t she the one fighting?"
Liam snorted, a wry smirk tugging at his lips despite the dull ache in his shoulder. "If not for me, she’d be dead."
Before the words even had time to hang in the air, Lilith’s stiletto heel came down on his sneaker, grinding into his foot with sharp pressure.
"That is not how it went, bitch," Lilith snapped, but her tone carried more teasing than venom.
Ella stared at the two of them, her confusion deepening. "Okay... what the hell did I miss?"
Liam let out a tired breath. "Everything."
As they moved forward, heading toward the cars waiting by the curb, a blue screen blinked into view in front of Liam.
[EXP +1000]
[LEVEL UP]
The notification hovered in the center of his vision, glowing faintly in the darkness. The "Level Up" button pulsed slowly, almost as if it were breathing, urging him to click it.
But now wasn’t the time.
---
The next morning, Liam sat on the edge of his bed, the sun slanting through the half-closed blinds. He slowly unwrapped the bandage from around his shoulder blade. It fell away with ease, revealing smooth, unblemished skin. No wound. No scar. It was like the poisoned dagger had never touched him.
He blinked.
"That’s... convenient," he muttered.
Getting to his feet, he stretched, wincing at the dull soreness still lingering in his muscles. Then he padded across the marble floor to the bathroom as he took his bath. Steam from the morning shower clung to the mirror, but he wiped it clean with a swipe of his hand and stared at his reflection.
Still the same face—sharp jawline, deep blue eyes, tousled dark hair. But there was something different in the way his eyes looked back at him. Something sharper. More dangerous.
He brought up the system interface with a blink and looked at the glowing Level Up button still waiting for him. After a brief moment of hesitation, he tapped it.
Nothing happened.
He frowned.
"Is that it?" he asked aloud, leaning closer to the mirror.
Then it hit him.
His body convulsed violently, his knees buckling as he crashed to the ground. The pain started in his stomach—hot, molten, unbearable. It crawled up his spine, into his chest, down his limbs, until it was everywhere.
He screamed.
His back arched off the floor, fingers clawing at the polished tiles. His vision blurred, the bathroom lights becoming streaks of white. Then his eyes changed—completely red, glowing like molten lava. The reflection in the mirror lit up with an eerie, otherworldly hue as the energy pulsed from his body.
He tried to scream again, but no sound came out. His lips parted, his lungs strained, but only air hissed through his teeth. The pain tore through his very soul, breaking down every wall of comfort he had ever known.
And then... nothing.
Darkness.
When Liam opened his eyes again, he was on his back. The sunlight had shifted in the room, now casting golden beams across the floor. It felt like time had passed—hours maybe, or longer. He groaned as he sat up slowly, a heavy pressure sitting on his chest and limbs.
His body felt different.
He reached up, rubbed his face, then swung up. Every movement felt heavy, like his muscles were denser, his bones harder. There was strength in his limbs now—raw, untapped, brimming just beneath the surface.
"Shit... I’m late for school," he muttered, then stood up and turned toward the mirror.
And froze.
The boy who had looked back at him that morning was gone.
What stared at him now was something else entirely.
"What the hell!!!"
