The Author's POV

"This will do for now."

Brian carefully combed his hair and adjusted his clothes in front of the mirror. In addition to his white shirt, he wore a black pair of pants that seemed a bit too big for his body.

His shirt was slightly wrinkled, but given his current living conditions, it was all he could do.

It was still nevertheless a good look for him. He looked sharp.

"Haaa…"

As Brian exhaled, he leaned forward and placed both hands on the side of the sink.

Softly mumbling under his breath, he gazed at his reflection, particularly his green eyes.

"You can do it. You can defiantly do it, Brian!"

This was the first day of his new job, and he couldn't screw it up. Brian's resolve hardened as he thought about his mother's condition.

"I can definitely do it."

As Brian turned around, he slapped his cheeks and closed the faucet.

As he carefully opened the bathroom door, he felt his previous nervousness disappear completely.

Upon exiting the bathroom, Brian was greeted by a blast of cold air coming from the air conditioner of the building.

"You must be the newbie."

A young man in his mid-20s greeted him near the entrance to the bathroom. With long black hair that flowed down his shoulders, he had a face that mesmerized everyone who looked at him. Especially his eyes that made one fall into a trance with just a glimpse.

'Handsome.'

As he stared at the man in front of him for a moment, even Brian was mesmerized for a short couple of seconds.

"Eh..ah."

He fumbled with his words.

As he extended a hand, the man carefully scrutinized Brian's face.

"Nice to meet you, newbie."

A bright smile adorned his face.

"My name is Hemlock. Hemlock Feyner...and I'll be your supervisor."

***

"Smallsnake!" "Smallsnake!" "Smallsnake!"

Suddenly, he was awakened by a familiar voice. After slowly coming to his senses, Smallsnake spotted a familiar face.

'…Ren.'

He silently thought to himself as he struggled to open his mouth.

He could feel water dripping inside of his mouth as some of the water began spilling all over his face. He didn't know for how long this had been going, but he no longer felt as thirsty as before.

Even so, his body and mind remained numb.

"Smallsnake!" "Smallsnake!"

He heard Ren's voice calling out for him.

'Why is it him out of all people?'

When Smallsnake thought about how someone would hallucinate near death, he wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry.

If there was a face that he didn't want to see when he was close to death, it would definitely be Ren's.

He had been traumatized enough by him.

"Smallsnake!" "Smallsnake!"

Smack—! Smack—!

the dream cleared up a bit, he realized he had not been dreaming, and Ren had indeed been slapping

Smack—! Smack—!

"S…stop!" "Stop!"

"You're awake!"

voice as

"…Yeah."

in a relieved voice, but for a different

the slapping

They really hurt.

"Are you okay?"

"…Yeah."

moment Smallsnake tried to move his body up, he realized he couldn't

"Ugk."

escaped from his lips

"Stay down."

down on his chest as

given you enough water

moment, he could see Ren's face turn bitter with

'I guess he cares…'

doubted that Ren cared for him, but seeing how worried he was for him, Smallsnake realized that

was just too much of an

smile spread on his face as he turned his gaze away from

"..it's..b..ad, isn't it?"

to understand that his current condition

able to move his body, to feel little to

Smallsnake could tell.

the verge

'This sucks.'

of his mind as his eyelids grew

don't want to die

he wanted to do before dying. Something that he promised himself

couldn't die just

Yet…

progressively became heavier. He didn't know what was happening, but the incoming darkness

also faintly hear

the end, darkness slowly overtook his vision

was able to make out the last words that Ren had

"Have..a..rest."

spread on his

'Okay.'

***

"This is bad."

at Smallsnake,

terrible. If something wasn't done soon, I couldn't

do something about

just like you said, they

did I

filled with malice echoed throughout the room as my head snapped back and I

"Who goes there?"

behind them. It was there

Jin and the others on the ground staring at me with their eyes open, I realized that

of the demons

so you know demonic

taking a step forward, I tried to shield

happened at the moment, I feared

'Shit.'

the thought made my heart palpitate with

what, I can't let

responsibility, but because he was one of the people I knew

before Amanda, Kevin, and

been with me through my highs and lows. I couldn't for the love of god let

you humans managed to get

the two demons asked. He had a rather bulky figure and two large horns on his head that circled inwardly. The

of, but since my mana was currently sealed,

quite curious. Have the humans perhaps figured out a way to teleport to other planets? If so, that

demon, he had a rather lanky build and his horns were sharp rather than