The Author's POV

-Tap!

Ren's footsteps halted as he stood ten meters away from the Matriarch. He indifferently gazed at her who coldly stared back at him. A stifling atmosphere prevailed in the sorroundings. Breaking the silence, the Matriarch spoke

"So you're him..."

...the youth from the picture.

Staring at Ren standing on the opposite side of her, the Matriarch frowned. According to the report she got, her target was only an ranked kid.

Someone that was far beneath her notice.

...in fact, she didn't believe that it was him that killed Elijah. How could an rank kill a rank? that was impossible. But, even if he didn't kill Elijah, he at least must know something. After all, what would Everblood gain from giving her such information?

The only reason why she didn't attack Ren already was because of her wariness towards Kevin who was slowly recovering. Moreover, she wanted answers...

Staring at Ren, the Matriarch coldly said

"Tell me, are you responsible for killing Elijah"

"..."

Staring at the Matriarch before him, Ren didn't respond. He just stood there looking at her with no emotions.

"Answer me!"

Seeing Ren being unresponsive, the Matriarch screamed in anger as a red hue expanded out of her body creating a gust of wind that swept everything near her away.

...even so, Ren stood rooted where he was. Completely unfazed by the Matriarch's outburst.

Seeing that Ren remained unfazed despite her show of might, the Matriarch venomously spat

"...if you refuse to speak, then I'll make you speak!"

"Ren watch out!"

Noticing that the Matriarch was about to move, Kevin couldn't help shout as he tried to warn Ren about the incoming danger.

Having gone against her before, Kevin knew how fast and powerful she was...she was on another level compared to the people he had fought before.

Although he didn't believe Ren was any weaker than him, if caught off-guard, the situation could get serious. Moreover, even if she was injured, he didn't see any possibility of Ren being able to beat her.

"Answer me!"

Appearing right before Ren, the Matriarch extended her hand forward and reached for his neck.

"Ren!"

However, contrary to Kevin's expectations, Ren didn't show any apprehension towards the Matriarch and merely raised his left hand in the air. Thereafter, with his right hand on the grip of his sword, Ren snapped his fingers.

-Snap!

"khhh'”!"

Just as the Matriarch's hand was about to reach for his neck, her hand suddenly froze. In fact, not just her hand froze, but her whole body.

The first movement of the [Keiki style] : Quick flash

Thereafter, the world around the Matriarch turned white as the last thing she heard what a subtle clicking sensation before she felt something pierce the scalp of her head.

-Click!

prevailed in the

"Wh-at happened"

his neck, opening his eyes wide, similarly to before when he

-Thud

what

the pavement as a large thud resounded across the place. The look on her face was

Kevin couldn't help but point towards him as

"Y-ou, how?"

Kevin, Ren didn't answer. Pointing towards the

go and break the

something, Kevin

"B-u"

Kevin midsentence, Ren's indifferent voice rang out

care of it, I'll

nodded his head. Since the fight against the demons started, Ren had become a completely different person. He seemed completely emotionless,

stark difference compared to the Ren he had gotten to know these past few days...just what happened during that short period of

*Sigh*

extended sigh

things to ask, he knew that any type of

would be equivalent

Pointless.

"...alright"

Kevin eventually nodded his head and prepared to look for the device responsible for creating the

too far from them. Thus, glancing at Ren one more time, Kevin's eyes soon paused on the Matriarch on the floor. Deeply staring at Ren for a couple of seconds, he eventually turned his head

"hm"

in the distance, Ren subtly glanced towards the distance where a statue with

artifact twin

Ren knew that the reason he managed to win was

eyes were staring right where the Matriarch's body

future thanks to the book, Ren had

absent when Kevin was fighting was because he was busy setting the pieces in motion...Because he knew that he couldn't beat the Matriarch one on one even if Kevin went all out or worked together with him, using the book, Ren managed to devise a

exhaust the Matriarch beforehand, Ren took advantage

the book, Ren managed to pinpoint the exact location at which the

after he was done setting up the artifacts, right after Kevin was on the verge of losing, calculating the distance, Ren slowly approached the Matriarch and stopped right before

to him. Like this, when the Matriarch attacked, all Ren

Matriarch for a split

right before the Matriarch froze due to the

the Matriarch was wide open due to her body freezing,

that happened was within Ren's calculation.

"Stop pretending...wake up"

at the Matriarch on the ground, Ren's indifferent voice rang out. Raising his

-Spurt!

"Gyyyyaaaa'”!"

Matriarch's white eyes soon regained some clarity as she

"Yo-u!"

fact that she was still alive despite the hole in her forehead, Ren

the fact that you higher-ranked demons only die

"Ghh..."

Matriarch glared at him as she tried to retaliate. However, her

wasn't dead, her

pierced by Ren's sword, she could only helplessly lay down on the floor. Gritting

you

on the ground, with his sword imbued on her stomach, Ren slowly extended his hand towards

-Spurt!

Matriarch's horror, his hand pierced her right