The Survival of the Third-rate Villain - Chapter 269

Chapter 269: 269 – One Last Gathering [2]
With Lena joining them, the whole group became energetic, and the sad atmosphere around them disappeared in an instant. The heaviness that hung in the air moments ago seemed to vanish, replaced by laughter and light conversations echoing softly through the camp.

Jerusha, Sofia, and Aria went to Lena and the four of them started catching up to each other. The four girls got really close to each other after spending some time together.

Their voices overlapped, filled with excitement and stories about what they had been doing lately, teasing and giggling like close friends who hadn’t met for months.

Anyway, the boys just let them have their time, and they also talked among themselves. Raye leaned back, quietly listening at first out of curiosity, then turned his gaze to the others.

At that moment—

“Here, take these, guys.”

Kyle said that as he turned to look behind him. There, Devin stood with two huge sacks on his shoulders, smiling. The size of the sacks alone made everyone stare.

“What are those?”

Leon asked, looking at the sacks curiously. His tone was relaxed, but his eyes were sharp, trying to guess what they were.

Allen was standing beside him, doing the same.

“They’re processed and seasoned meat! The sacks are enhanced with magic so they won’t go bad for a long time. We prepared one sack for each of you. Bring them to your journey, hehe…”

Devin answered him excitedly. His voice carried genuine pride.

“I know you guys will travel for a long time, and proper food will be hard to come by until you guys make a stop in a village or whatever. That’s why Kyle and I prepared these for you guys!”

He declared, puffing out his chest. Kyle feels proud as well.

“Wow, thanks!”

“Haha, you guys are the best.”

Allen and Lycus said when they heard that. They both grinned widely, clearly happy with the gift. Then, they took one sack each, nodding at Devin and Kyle.

SWOOSH~

Leon and Raye put the sacks in their spatial storage. The faint shimmer of mana appeared for a brief moment before fading again.

“Thank you. This will help us a lot, haha.”

Leon said with a light laugh after that as he looked at Kyle and Devin. His tone had softened from his usual composed manner, showing that he was genuinely grateful.

‘Look at this guy, he’s much more comfortable around us now.’

Raye thought when he saw Leon’s face.

In the game— Leon was more rigid and serious. He was not very social as well. But in this reality, it didn’t happen because he met and got close with the others…

Anyway, Raye’s eyes shifted to Kyle and Devin as well.

The two of them were the first friends he made after coming to this world. Well, Devin basically forced him into friendship, but it’s not like Raye hates it. In fact, he kind of appreciated it now that he thought about it.

“Heh…”

A smile appeared on his face as he remembered that. Then, opening his mouth—

“Thanks.”

He simply said that. The word was short, but it carried more meaning than it looked.

“…”

Kyle smiled at him, then with a shrug—

“What are you thanking me for? I only succeeded in life because of the help you gave me to start. This is nothing.”

He stated that. A nostalgic look appeared on his face when he remembered meeting Raye the first time. It was dark, cold early in the morning… Then, Raye appeared in his shop and started devouring four beef skewers like a man who hadn’t eaten in days.

Kyle laughed a little at that memory. He didn’t know that meeting was going to change his life.

“I’m really glad that I met you, brother.”

He mumbled while looking at Raye’s eyes, his words genuine.

“You lost your left arm because of me, what are you talking about?”

Raye shot back jokingly. Kyle lifted his non-existent left arm at his words.

“This isn’t your doing, ugh. I kept telling you that… It was that demon.”

“But if I came earlier, I could’ve prevented it.”

“Idiot, you already prevented something much worse than that.”

“…?”

Raye tilted his head when Kyle said that. Then—

“You prevented my death.”

Kyle declared that firmly. His tone wasn’t dramatic, just honest.

“You saved my life that day… You saved a lot of people by stopping that demon from advancing and holding him in place until the Headmaster arrived. You received an award from that, right? That’s because that was fucking amazing.”

Then he followed with that.

“…”

Raye became silent. His gaze lowered slightly as if remembering that battle.

That moment still lingered in his head— the chaos, the screams, the pain. But hearing Kyle say that somehow made it feel… lighter.

“Also, thanks to you, I was able to buy all the medicines my mother needs. She’s better now. My two younger brothers aren’t malnourished anymore, and they’ll start attending school next year.”

“They said they want to get into the [Zion Academy] just like you, haha.”

Kyle just continued talking.

And his words— it made Raye feel a lot better. His shoulders relaxed, then a calm smile appeared on his face. He didn’t really know how to respond, but he could feel the warmth spreading inside him.

“Though, I do hate that demon for taking my arm and almost destroying the business— so you better avenge me.”

Kyle jokingly ended that. Raye looked at him, then with a confident smile on his face—

“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of him for you.”

He immediately responded with the same tone. His voice carried a quiet but firm promise.

The two of them got silent after that short conversation of them.

And just then—

“Yo!”

Devin appeared behind Kyle and broke that silence. The two looked at him.

Devin looked at Raye—

“Haha, sorry I can’t come with you.”

Then he said that with a wide smile.

“Meh, it’s not like you’re obligated to.”

“True… But I do want to come with you guys, to travel with you together.”

“But I know I’ll just be a burden sooner or later.”

Devin said awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. Raye was about to say something—

“I promise to be much stronger when you guys come back… So, let’s travel together after that.”

But Devin spoke first. He was serious when he said that. His smile didn’t fade, but Raye could see the resolution in his eyes.

“…”

Raye didn’t say anything at first, but after a few seconds—

“Sure, why not?”

He replied with that. His tone was casual, but there was warmth in it.

Devin’s smile widened, his eyes bright.

“There’s still time before you guys leave, let’s go catch up to each other!”

Then he exclaimed that.

His voice was so loud that the whole group turned to look at him. They all laughed, and after that— just like he said, they all started catching up to each other.

The laughter, the small talks, the quiet exchanges that followed—it all blended into something soft and comforting. It was a moment none of them would forget.