The Author's POV

Crack—!

A thin fissure materialized out of thin air.

Tok.

A calm and steady footstep echoed throughout a large hall. Two crimson-red eyes shone in the dark hall, as a semi-transparent white-haired figure stepped out of the thin fixture.

The fissure closed up, and the figure walked toward the end of the hall where a throne sat at the top of a flight of stairs.

Stopping next to the flight of stairs, the figure looked up.

It was then that his eyes met with another set of scarlet red eyes. Sitting on the throne with his legs crossed and the side of his face leaning on his arm which was propped up on the throne, the red-eyed figure looked down.

At the exact moment the two eyes met, the white-haired figure beneath the flight of stairs started to disintegrate as bright white lights started coming out from his body.

Slowly, the particles floated in the air and merged into a white ball that flew in the direction of the figure sitting on the throne.

Extending his hand and opening his palm, the white-haired figure sitting on the throne watched as the ball paused and levitated atop the palm of his hand.

He then stared at the orb for a good couple of seconds.

"Heh."

He smiled and squeezed his hand.

Rumble—!

Immediately after he squeezed his hand, the hall started to shake uncontrollably. This persisted for a good minute before the shaking came to an abrupt halt.

Just then, the moment he squeezed the white orb, memories, and images of what had transpired not too long ago began to replay inside of the Demon King's mind.

Leaning his head back, the white-haired figure muttered.

"Not bad."

For someone that had not remembered his past, this was indeed pretty good.

But.

"He's still too weak."

Jezebeth shook his head.

Although the figure was the same as he remembered in the past, he had still not reached the strength of his past.

"Old friend..."

Jezebeth laughed a bit.

This was a bit of a stretch from his end.

They couldn't quite be called friends, after all, their goals clashed. Had they not clashed, then perhaps they might've even joined hands.

Unfortunately, they were fated to stand on the opposite ends of each other.

Such was their fate.

"It's truly a pity..."

Waving his hand the air distorted and a small black portal formed in front of him. Squinting his eyes, he peered through the black portal.

From there, he was able to see a large planet in the distance.

"It's only a matter of time."

Jezebeth ended up mumbling after staring at the planet in the distance.

"...Five years."

Placing his hands on the side-arms of the chair, he gradually stood up.

"That's how long you have left. I hope you don't disappoint me the next time I see you. I can sense it. This will be our last game."

Extending his hand, powerful black energy sprung forth from his body and merged toward the palm of his hand.

Opening his mouth, the edges of his lips curled upwards as amusement flashed across his face.

"Boom."

Seconds after his words came out, cracks started to form on the surface of the planet.

Within seconds the cracks started to expand, before...

Bam.

They shot outwardly throughout the space, leaving nothing but a bright orange nebula.

***

"What do you mean Ren is gone?"

Smallsnake's exasperated voice rang inside a small luxurious room.

"First he breaks a dungeon, then he suddenly runs away without telling us where's he going, and expects us to be fine with the situation."

Pacing around the room, he threw his arms in the air.

"I'm sick of his shit! I'm sick of it!"

Gone was his usual demeanor as he continued ranting nonstop.

Not that anyone else paid him any particular attention. Smallsnake ranting about Ren wasn't exactly a rare sight.

"Do this do that, solve this, solve that, I'll be gone for a bit so take care of the others for me while I'm out."

He threw his middle finger in the air.

"You fucking bastard! Just wait until you come back!"

"...and what are you going to do when he comes back?"

Angelica's voice echoed throughout the

I going

Smallsnake puffed his chest.

a reality check. Let him understand that he can't overwork

"Oh?"

lips curled

conversation between

"Hm?"

he could even reply, Angelica

we need to

Smallsnake,

"Okay."

nodded their heads. Be it Leopold, Ava, Ryan, or Hein,

imagine

"Wha—"

aren't I? Stick-like

turned to

his hand,

to stop calling

feel like

shrugged her shoulders and leaned back

caused Smallsnake's sudden inflated ego to

"Hey..."

"What?"

Angelica snappily asked

"Nevermind..."

gave up and sat down in the

"No one likes me..."

to himself with a lost look on his

Angelica rolled her eyes.

time. This was exactly why no

Clank—!

in. With his shirt untucked and filled with beer stains, Thomas walked into the room. His haggard eyes scanned the room in search

was inevitably unable to

has that bastard

a

here that he was

*Puff*

rose in the

wooden tea table, Leopold casually glanced at

for Ren, then tough luck, he went on

fell on

"A trip?"

*Puff*

another puff and

"Yeah."

"Give me that shit."

up to Leopold, Thomas snatched his cigarette and

*Puff*

"Oy, Oy."

anger. Extending his hand he tried

to your drinks

allow it as he

the

*Puff*

He took another puff.

Leopold from snatching the cigarette

not here to

atmosphere in the room suddenly started to become

*Puff*

puff, Thomas looked at Leopold's face scrunch up from the corner of his eyes, but he pretended to feign ignorance and

anyway, I'm here to thank you on behalf of the black market. Had it not been for you guys, we would've never been able

his hand, Thomas scratched the back

pay too much attention to what happens within the dungeons, times have

tapped on the butt of the

you all

exact moment, his words faded, and everyone's

Thomas already started to express

"Ah, shit..."

a doubt, they were going to lose a lot

***

A few hours later.

see. Okay, yes, Alright,

Click—!

up the phone, Samantha turned

room, Natasha raised her

"Is something up?"

Her smile sent chills down Natasha's

"Oh, no, nothing much."

sit down on

with her hand, her eyes opened

just heard something

"Funny?"

asked as she scooched her body back a

funny. Quite the contrary in fact. To Natasha, she looked like someone that

"Very."

lowered her hand

face, her face darkened. Or at least, that

filial, handsome, kind, smart, son has decided to take a six-month vacation without

smile on her

sweet of him,

"He what?"

was Natasha's

going on

what his

leaned back

"No wonder you're ma—"

"I'm not mad."

Samantha sharply cut.

about to say something, she closed

a

leaning back on the