The Author's POV

"Haa...Haa...I guess this is the level I'm currently at"

Taking a deep breath, I sat down on the bench near the villa. Sirens rang everywhere and the colors red and blue flashed everywhere.

'”Weeeeooo! '”Weeeeooo!

"Khh..."

Suddenly I felt a sharp pain by the side of my abdomen. My face scrunched up, and a bitter smile appeared on my face.

'I guess fighting without using 'Monarch's indifference' and 'The one' is still a bit tough for me', I thought.

Since Professor Thibaut's strength and mine were quite similar, I decided to fight him using my skills only.

Wasn't too keen on losing another arm. Plus, depending on the opponent, there was a chance that 'The one' wouldn't work. I needed to know the extent of my abilities without the use of my skills.

The result?

A deep gash on the side of the abdomen.

"Khh...still, I guess all of my efforts weren't for nothing"

Ignoring the pain, I took out two things from my pocket. A black smartwatch and a ring.

[Alfonse Thibaut]

Time : 21:39

Messages (69) Calls (2) Mail (987)

'Well, looks like someone doesn't check their mail'

Booting up the smartwatch, I quickly looked through Professor Thibaut's watch. Noticing the 987 unopened messages, I shook my head.

What an irresponsible man.

'If I'm not wrong, it should be this...yup'

Opening the setting function of the watch, I scrolled down, pressed software update, and rebooted the watch. Moments after the interface of the watch changed.

Instead of the usual colorful interface, one with a darker tone appeared.

"Success..."

Successfully entering the database, I clenched my fists. Four apps appeared on the screen.

[Bounties]

[Annoucements]

[Merits]

[Missions]

At the moment I was in the Monolith main database system. It was something that every member of the Monolith had. With it, I could check the different bounties, announcements, and missions that they had up during a certain period of time.

This was key information for me as it would help me avoid a lot of trouble.

Playing with the watch in my hand, I smiled, 'Fortunately it has no tracking device installed'

For obvious reasons, all the watches were anonymous without any tracking devices installed in them.

No one in the Monolith trusted each other. If there was a tracking system installed in the watch, chances were that none of the villains would wear it.

This was especially so since most villains liked to operate alone. Who'd want someone to keep watch of their movement?

Even worse, what if the Union suddenly hacked their system? Wouldn't that expose the location of all their members?

'”Ding!

[Ren we're done here, where are you?]

Suddenly my watch rang. It was Kevin. Putting the other watch by my side, I responded.

[Just resting]

[Where exactly?]

Taking my eyes off of my watch, I looked around. It appeared to me that I was on a bench in the backyard of the mansion.

[Looks like the backyard of the mansion. Ah, if you're thinking of looking for me, curb such thought from your mind]

[Why?]

[Because I want to be in peace]

Kevin was the main star of the show today.

Defeating a ranked villain, whilst simultaneously preventing the portal from being created, a lot of the attention right now was drawn towards him.

This was one of the reasons why I chose to interfere. To increase his shine.

Though not exactly a solution, it somewhat diluted the amount of attention I was getting.

[Alright, if you say so...by the way, thanks for the information]

[Don't mention it]

I should be the one thanking you.

[Alright, I'll contact you later]

[Cya]

"Haaa...this is tiring"

and laid back on the bench. Frowning slightly, I took out a potion and quickly downed

'”Gulp!

recovering. Unfortunately, because the potion was a low leveled one, the rate at which my wounds were healing

a thought suddenly struck me, 'Actually, what is the bounty

on Professor Thibaut's watch again, I clicked on the

"12,000 merit points? Tsss..."

lot more than I had expected. Out of curiosity, I clicked on my

'5000? Hmm, that's alright'

lot, it was less

that seems to be

Kevin's I checked the other's bounty as well. In general,

watch sure

say, getting the watch was a good idea. With it, I could more or less

also glad that I was the

with the purpose

I naturally knew of a way to bypass

crystal. The function of the crystal was simple. Act as a detonating switch that would destroy the watch once it no longer felt demonic energy being transmitted

I killed professor Thibaut, I took out the crystal and quickly put it in my dimensional space. With time and space frozen in my dimensional space, the

the same time. With not much known about the crystal, it was only natural that the union had a hard

the Monolith had no idea about this flaw. It was

'There's also this...'

with the ring in

'The Monolith Ring...'

my hand was the primary reason why I decided to

yet extremely important. It allowed me to create a

this. This item was so rare that only

it

I did promise

of the reason I did this was also for Smallsnake. With him being haunted by

had other plans. But that was well off into

'Future aside, right now I

indeed in

"Ahhh...life sure isn't easy"

...

the front of the

before a beautiful young girl wearing a black dress that

right after the calamit...khemm, I mean Miss Longbern appeared, the attack

midsentence. It was quite well known

her, in the vicinity, it was best not to

"Yes, that's what happened"

was short and to the

asked many different questions. She

a major role in today's event, a lot of attention was on her. From both reporters

working for the central government were keeping the reporters in check or the situation would've turned out

"I understand...is this everything?"

"Mhm"

me a

on the screen. After a couple of seconds,

enough for now. We will

"Thank you"

the agent, Amanda was

around, Amanda decided to move away

a quiet space to

natural for her to want to rest. Plus, she

....

'”Clink!

his watch, Kevin raised his right hand. Two hands covered with blue

moment Kevin was being examined by a doctor. This was

"Alright, we're done"

charge of Kevin took out a pen. Taking out a clipboard

to be in

check, the doctor

few superficial wounds, there's nothing particularly worrying. Just take a potion and

"Thank you"

stretcher,

figure, the doctor

villain, Kevin came out on top with only minor

The doctor was impressed.

"Kevin? you're done?"

the tent, Kevin met Emma. It seems like her

how are

fight so nothing on my side, you,

only had minor injuries on his body, Emma shook her

nothing to scoff at,

'When will I ever catch up to

Slapping Kevin in

just thinking about

"You'll get there eventually"

Emma, only to have

"Piss off!"

suddenly asked, "Oh,

he's

what Ren told him in the message. Whether it was true, he didn't

I'll believe that! I didn't see him at the scene

"I don't think so"

shook his head. Emma's brows

you

suspicious.

and Ren

finish, Kevin quickly waved his

also didn't see

"But what?"