The Author's POV

"Yes, I won't let you die even if you wanted to die. I've already made the proper calculations."

"This..."

Hearing his words, I unconsciously took a step back as my eyes opened wide.

'It can't be...'

He had made the proper calculations? ...Didn't that mean that he already knew that I was going to act the way I was going to act?

How was that even possible?!

Furthermore, from what his words suggested, my life had never been in any danger. The only reason why I had passed out was probably him trying to drag me here.

Confirming my doubts was the other Ren's voice as he coldly said.

"Don't think too much. It's exactly what you think."

"...How!?"

I softly muttered, trying to suppress the shock within my body.

The shock didn't last for long. Clenching my teeth, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Then, lifting my head and meeting the other Ren's gaze, I opened my mouth.

"So it really was you who planned this whole thing..."

I already had a hunch before this when I linked up the scenario with Angelica and Amanda's mother.

The clues were there, from how Everblood had tried to manipulate her to come to me, to how she was able to have pictures of her mother back at the Lock.

Everything was a full circle, and it all led to the man in front of me. Of course, everything was just speculation on my part, but the more I looked at the other Ren, the more I was convinced about my conjecture.

As my thoughts paused there, my brows furrowed.

'If this is indeed planned by him, what would his real motive be?'

Could he be trying to separate me from the others? ...That was a plausible scenario, but I don't think it was the right answer.

From what I knew, his goal was to create a 'perfect' version of Kevin. An unfeeling Kevin that had no burdens and only aimed to kill the demon king.

That was the only goal I knew he had. Without a doubt, there were other goals he had, but I had no idea about what they were.

'...Wait.'

It was then that a thought suddenly struck me.

'Wasn't the reason why I was able to see him in the real world because of the damage that my soul took due to the contract breach? ...What if the real purpose in him trying to set this whole scenario up was to damage my soul...'

A cold chill ran down my spine as my thoughts paused there. Lifting my head, my eyes met with the other Ren's.

"Looks like you've figured things out."

The other Ren said as he calmly stood in the void with the chains rotating around his body, binding him down even more tightly.

With both of his hands locked down, he continued.

"My goal was indeed to damage your soul."

Upon hearing his confirmation, I became even warier of him. Taking a step forward, I coldly asked.

decision that I did because of

"...You can say so."

other Ren indifferently nodded his head, admitting to every single thing that I was accusing

more as my brows tightened

The reason why I chose

when did he

when you activated

being able to read my thoughts, the other Ren answered the

indifference, that was when I

upon

just admit to the fact that he could affect my mind whenever I use

but who would've thought that

Ren, the more apprehensive I became. Whenever I thought I was one step

It was frustrating.

had he

secretly clenched my fists at the

was thinking, or at least pretending to not know, the other Ren

undertaking the contract breach. Had you been stronger, the damage that your soul would've taken wouldn't have

more he spoke, the number my mind

puppeteered to the will of someone else caused me this sense of loathing to rise from deep within my

his words

the tournament ended, although it would've taken me nearly four months to reach rank, it would've definitely

Amanda's mother's situation, I could've easily said that I needed to make some preparations that required me to reach

from back then didn't make

heart started to

didn't seem to care about what I was

was so that I could create a perfect excuse for you to act the way that you

not hurting

before, the feelings inside of my heart weren't as dominant. If that made

his mouth, the

amplified your feelings for her. Whether you like her or not, it's for

his head, the other Ren's eyes once again met

"Frustrating isn't it?"

"..."

to remain silent. Tilting his head, the

flow of your life, it's

"Hm?"

words, my brows

the other Ren's voice. It was faint, very faint, but I could feel

slightly when I

mouth

telling me this? What's your

he had been manipulating me to how he revealed that he could influence

a hidden agenda would never reveal such things, yet, here

he have

knew that he could manipulate me through it, why would he ever think that I

'Unless...'

my head snapped upwards

influence my decision-making

of setup, it felt

when I was manipulating the commander into acting the way that I wanted him to act by acting in a way that made it seem as though he could

was exactly what was

that I would be forced to act in a way

I realized this, my glare