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."

the page of the book trembled as

translucent yellow rings

Bang—!

was about to enter the demon's attack range, he stomped his foot on the ground and tried to force his body to a halt. However, it

he had

his finger forward, a disc appeared towards his left. What followed the first

the air, ***** softly landed on the left ring before he propelled

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

cry, a powerful wave of mana suddenly

"Huuup!"

style], ***** opted to apply a simpler

his sword, he

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!"

above, creating a

not

moved back. A look of complete denial appeared on his

can he still be alive? I-I watched him

explosion, the mourning,

possible? How could he still

could he

accept such a sick

stupid if he didn't understand who the

could it

friend that he thought he had lost more

Kevin tried

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

wasn't possible for him to remain cool-headed. The news was too

a recount of

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

moment the Baron ranked demon was

"Haa…"

Kevin knew that it was impossible. He

that it was impossible for the previous Ren

"Ugh..."

head started to sting

out a groan, Kevin's knees buckled

his head, Kevin supported his body by

sensation, the book started to glow

"Argh..."

in his head intensified as the

hand, it wasn't long before the

"… What just happened?"

times, Kevin's eyes

at the

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

of his mouth, a subtle green glow enveloped the bottom

shot towards

"This…"

on his chair as he absentmindedly

shoes… It really is

hands, Kevin's mind was a

his best friend was alive, there was something else that Kevin

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

and more questions

a while, Kevin's eyes landed on

that the answer lay somewhere

Flip—! Flip—!

that he knew that Ren was the person in the book, he wanted to know more about what happened to him and

"Hehe…"

the pages, Kevin's face would change from time

sometimes frown, oftentimes be taken aback,

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

and was getting along with

"Hah?"

hand paused on a certain page. Frowning, Kevin leaned back

his face

recounted the story, he tried his best to suppress his

the smile on the headmaster's face slowly started to fade as his brows knit

and put a bounty on me. Because of the bounty, I was forced to leave the human domain. It is also

headmaster's eyes ripples slightly. For

Bang—!

"What?!"

pounded the

of his fists clenching tightly resounded in

"Union!"

at the book. For them to

could you sell out the one guy that saved

had helped them, those bastards. Kevin's rage was reaching a

"Haa...haaa..."

of paper beside him, Kevin tried his best to

plans regarding the Union did Kevin finally manage to