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."

onto the page of the book trembled as Kevin

in front of the demon, three translucent

Bang—!

on the ground and

had expected

What followed the

landed on the left ring before he

***** was already upon it. The demon's face finally changed, but it

powerful wave of mana

"Huuup!"

use of the [Keiki style], *****

sword,

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

"Puchi!"

from above, creating

it's not

book, Kevin moved back. A look of complete denial appeared

possible. How can he still be alive? I-I watched

terrifying explosion, the

it possible? How

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

could he accept such a

understand who

else could it be

he thought he had lost

his trembling lips, Kevin tried to calm

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

to calm down were in vain. It just wasn't possible for him to remain cool-headed. The news was

perhaps, be a recount

possibility. Perhaps what he was seeing was what had happened to Ren

moment the Baron ranked demon

"Haa…"

that it was

it was impossible for the

"Ugh..."

Kevin's head started to sting out

groan, Kevin's

his head, Kevin supported his body by holding the top of

sensation, the book

"Argh..."

pain in his head intensified as the book

it wasn't long before the

"… What just happened?"

times, Kevin's eyes flashed with

stared at

landed on the book, Kevin's eyes opened widely. That was because

mouth, a subtle

explosively shot towards the demon, like a

"This…"

back on his chair

It really is

with both hands, Kevin's mind was a mess. He couldn't make heads or

and relief of finding out that his best friend

world had happened to him, and why did he fake his death? How did

questions flooded Kevin's

Kevin's eyes landed on

the

Flip—! Flip—!

missing a single detail. Now that he knew that Ren was the person in the book, he wanted to know more about what happened

"Hehe…"

face would change from time to

oftentimes be taken aback,

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

demons and was getting along with the

"Hah?"

Frowning, Kevin leaned back slightly. The more he read, the bigger his

his face turned extremely

Ren recounted the story, he tried

whole conversation, the smile on the headmaster's face slowly started to fade as his brows

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

ripples slightly. For a while, he

Bang—!

"What?!"

pounded the table

his fists clenching tightly resounded in

"Union!"

book. For them to do what they did to Ren...

bastards! How could you sell out

that when he had helped them, those bastards. Kevin's rage was

"Haa...haaa..."

paper beside him, Kevin tried his best to calm himself

read about Ren's plans regarding