The Author's POV

"Tell me why... you have a demon on your finger."

As soon as Douglas's words faded, the atmosphere instantly froze. The echo of his words chilled the very air, creating a palpable tension.

"What's going on?"

Feeling that something was gravely wrong, Waylan looked at Douglas.

Staring at the two for a while, I tapped the ring on my finger after letting out a long sigh.

'This isn't going to be easy.'

"Looks like I can no longer hide it. Come out, Angelica."

SHUU—

At my call, black steam rose from my hand, much to Waylan's surprise. A stunning woman materialized next to me.

Having just canceled her taxing transformation, Angelica's face was extremely pale, and she barely had any strength to defend herself.

"Need a hand?"

Seeing how weak she was, I offered to lend her a hand, but she swiftly refused it.

"——!"

The moment she appeared, Waylan, who was next to Douglas, finally realized what was going on.

He suddenly became wary.

"A demon…"

A threatening aura suddenly sprang out of his body, aiming towards the currently weakened Angelica.

However, just as the pressure was about to crash against Angelica, Douglas waved his hand. The pressure instantly disappeared.

"Stop."

"Douglas?!"

Waylan cried out in surprise, evidently confused by Douglas's actions. Raising his hand, Douglas calmly looked at Waylan.

"Wait."

Turning his head, Douglas scanned Angelica up and down. A frown emerged on his usually calm face.

Opening his mouth, he asked,

"Have the demons advanced so much that their stealth abilities have become nigh undetectable?"

"It's her skill,"

I replied in Angelica's stead.

"She has a special skill that allows her to turn into any object she wants. The downside, as you can see, is her current, weakened state, where for a while she has no demonic energy in her body. However, because of this skill, it becomes extremely easy for her to infiltrate most areas."

"Oh?"

Humming in thought, Douglas took a step forward, walking towards Angelica who fearlessly stared at him from where she stood.

She seemed unafraid and proud while she matched eyes with a seemingly overwhelming opponent. She looked dauntless.

Halting a few meters away from Angelica, Douglas continued to stare at her. She coldly looked back at him, not letting her gaze falter for a moment.

"..."

"..."

Their staredown continued for what felt like forever, till finally, turning his head to face me, Douglas pointed towards the seats.

"I think we still have a bit to talk about."

Slowly closing my eyes, I looked at Angelica before nodding my head and heading back to the seats.

"I understand."

***

At the same time.

[Lock, Leviathan building.]

Flip—! Flip—!

The sound of pages being flipped echoed inside of a room.

Sitting behind a large wooden desk, dimly lit by a small lamp, Kevin's eyes darted between each page of the novel. He carefully read each line twice to make sure he didn't miss a single detail.

Before long, his finger paused in front of a certain page.

Leaning forward to make sure his eyes weren't deceiving him, Kevin's face changed from one filled with seriousness to one filled with absolute shock.

"…N-no way."

hand holding onto the page of the book trembled as Kevin had trouble keeping

of the demon, three translucent yellow rings appeared, revolving

Bang—!

on the ground and tried to force his body to a halt.

he had expected

appeared towards his left. What followed the first disc was a second that stopped a

the left ring before

could react, ***** was already upon it. The demon's face finally

a low cry, a powerful wave of mana suddenly burst out

"Huuup!"

style], ***** opted to

sword, he swung

Baron-ranked demon was about to block the attack, using the last ring, ***** used the gravitational effect and changed the course of the sword, once again catching the

"Puchi!"

creating a misty rain

not possible.

book, Kevin moved back. A look of complete denial

How can he still be

terrifying explosion, the mourning, the

possible? How could

didn't want to believe it. How could he? How could he suddenly accept the fact that his friend, who he thought to be dead, was

he accept

understand

else could it

that he thought he had lost

trembling lips, Kevin tried to

"Haa...haa... Let's calm down."

possible for him to

perhaps, be a recount of the

Perhaps what he was seeing was what had happened

Baron ranked demon was about to block the

"Haa…"

that it was impossible.

knew that it was impossible for the previous Ren to kill a

"Ugh..."

head

groan, Kevin's knees

his head, Kevin supported his body by holding the top

sensation, the book

"Argh..."

in his head intensified as the

his eyes with his hand, it

"… What just happened?"

a couple of times, Kevin's

Kevin stared at the book with

the book, Kevin's eyes opened widely. That was because the black mist covering the name of the individual slowly

the side of his mouth, a subtle green

towards the demon,

"This…"

slumped back on his chair as

shoes… It really is

Kevin's mind was a mess. He couldn't make

shock and relief of finding out that his best friend was alive, there was something else

him, and why did he fake his death? How did he even survive

and more questions

Kevin's eyes landed on the

knew that the answer lay

Flip—! Flip—!

quickly read through every part, without missing a single detail. Now that he knew that Ren was the person in the book, he wanted to

"Hehe…"

Kevin's face would

sometimes frown, oftentimes be taken aback, and sometimes

his worries for his friend became. Though he was in the middle of a war, he seemed to

demons and was getting along

"Hah?"

hand paused on a certain page. Frowning, Kevin leaned

his face turned

he tried his best to

face slowly started to fade as his

hands with the Monolith and put a bounty on me. Because of the bounty, I was forced

slightly. For a

Bang—!

"What?!"

pounded the

fists clenching tightly resounded in

"Union!"

them to do what they

you sell out the

them to betray Ren like that when he had helped them, those bastards. Kevin's

"Haa...haaa..."

beside him, Kevin tried his best to

read about Ren's plans regarding the Union did Kevin finally manage