The Author's POV

Coming out from beneath, the black threads gently wrapped around the white orb.

Opening his eyes, Kevin felt his mouth open.

"How should I start?"

Ren's voice echoed throughout the dark void.

After looking at the orb and seeing the reflection, Kevin felt his brow furrow as Ren fell into contemplation. He seemed to be thinking about the current circumstances.

"...Let's see if it's possible for me to completely replace my memories with his."

After uttering those words, Kevin watched as the black threads flung around like wild snakes and attempted to wrap around the orb as quickly as possible.

"Khh..."

Kevin let out a short groan as his hand pulled away from the orb.

Tsss.

What followed after was a sizzling sound. Lowering his head, Kevin caught sight of Ren staring at his hand which had become transparent.

Taking a moment to raise his head again, he gazed at the orb's reflection.

"Looks like I can't do that. Whatever Kevin put on me sealed some of my powers..."

Silence ensued after he uttered those words. After which, Kevin watched as Ren kept his gaze on the orb, and the same scenario from before replayed.

Time seemed to have passed by in the blink of an eye as the memories shifted, and it was now the fourth time that Kevin was staring at the same image of Ren standing up from his bed, in what seemed to be the Lock's dormitory.

"Hm?"

This time, a change to the scenario happened.

Ding Dong.

The door suddenly rang.

'What? Why did the bell suddenly ring?'

Taking aback by the sudden events, Kevin was unsure of how to react. Having watched the scenario well over four times, he had never seen this happen in teh past.

Kevin's attention was soon taken away by a subtle pull of his lips.

Opening his mouth, Kevin spoke through Ren's mouth.

"...As expected, you can't let this happen, can you? Without me, all hopes of defeating the demon king are null."

What followed after his words was the sudden appearance of a man in a blue jacket. He was holding onto a small box which Ren took and brought with him inside of the room.

After which, he looked through the contents and eventually pulled out an unfamiliar red book.

'That...'

Kevin instantly recognized the book in Ren's hands.

How could he not? It was the same book he had used back when Ren was in danger in the past.

"Oh? What an interesting book."

Focusing his attention back on the reflection, Kevin was able to see what was written in the book. It was his life.

'As expected, it's the same.'

...and it was from there that Kevin was able to confirm his suspicions.

Time moved forward, and now, with the aid of the book, Ren no longer died during the Hollberg incident as he did in the past. He managed to survive.

Kevin felt interest arise from within his body.

"Can this be enough to stop the loop?"

Kevin mumbled out loud through Ren's body.

But...

"Doesn't look like it."

Time passed, and Ren once again died. This time, he died during the inter-academy tournament. He made it a bit further, but he still died.

"...This won't do."

The same scene repeated itself once again. This time, the red book appeared in each scene.

Clank. Clank.

Reaching out for the orb once more, Kevin felt his mouth open as he muttered.

"I think I've got an idea of what I should do..."

Black threads once again started to form around the white orb upon reaching out for it.

This time, they were a lot less than before. Nevertheless, they were still many.

"A red book, huh? Is this the only thing, or have you left more?"

Kevin mumbled through Ren's mouth.

Locking his eyes onto the red book, the black threads gently wrapped around the white orb.

"...This might work."

Thinking of something, Kevin felt Ren's brows relax. After that, he stared at the reflection on the orb.

"Since you've received a book that outlines exactly what Kevin is doing, it stands to reason that his altered memories have to do with a book. How about an author entering his own book? This would reduce the possibility of you discovering that your memories have been tampered with, and I won't have trouble giving him the power of foresight..."

Trying to wrap around the orb, more black threads emerged from beneath it with each passing second. Soon, a black cacoon formed in front of Kevin's vision.

"Since I have only a limited amount of power, I can't add too many details to his memory. Nevertheless, it shouldn't be a problem. Right now, my priority is making sure that he does what I want, and that is...have Kevin kill the Demon King."

Removing his hand from the orb, Kevin felt his body take several steps back.

Carefully observing the orb, Kevin once again felt his mouth open.

"Trial one. Begin."

Following his words, the black threads revolving around the orb started to scatter and Kevin was once again able to see what was reflected inside of the orb.

'It's different.'

was from this point that Kevin noticed that compared to the previous versions of the loops, Ren's

from that of the

'...What is he doing?'

items, and interfering with certain events in the past such as the Hollberg incident, the inter academy

his name became known by everyone in the world, and

to go dark and the loop to restart out

'What happened?'

he continued to gaze at the

suddenly restart?

"Another failure."

thoughts, Kevin felt the top ends of his brows furrowed

his mouth, Ren's voice

in Kevin becoming weak and eventually dying. A short oversight on my

'What?'

on the orb

failure. Subject meddled too much resulting in Kevin and the others becoming too weak

from

subject's personality. If he is too smart or ambitious, he will derail from the plotline I have set up for him like the last trial. For that to happen, I decided to make some adjustments to

is a total loser that is rejected by society. His only ambition will be to live a happy life and in order to do that, he must make sure that he thoroughly follows the plotline. Having him adopt this mindset, I will be able to better control

Kevin felt his mouth speak, the more the black

Clank. Clank.

rattling sound coming from the chains became more intense

change in the plotline. A pawn is necessary. One that would force

Clank! Clank!

and more powerful with each passing

that he stays alive. Coming from a world without magic, he will be inexperienced and will have a high chance of dying. When the time comes, I need something

CLANK! CLANK!

with a wild force and Kevin felt his body get flung all the

were wrapping around it, dissipated

began

'It's once again different.'

again shocked to see the scene change. However, if there was one

closer to the

he talked

resembled a lot like the Ren that

be the black market. After that, he came into contact with what seemed to be a broker. Talking with him for a bit, he proceeded to head to a

Clank. Clank.

it was then that Kevin felt

Clank. Clank.

sound, Kevin felt

"Red desolation."

words, but it was enough for Kevin to understand

name of one of the ranked dungeons

shockingly, Kevin watched as Ren

the land was cracked. Marching through the dungeon, Kevin watched as Ren fought against monsters and trained himself. It was only after a while that he spotted several

be

help them, Kevin watched their bodies eventually start to convulse and they ended

'Mindbreaker curse.'

with a glance how they died, and it was then that he

came to the same conclusion, but before he could do anything about it, a sandstorm engulfed

again able to see what was happening only after Ren entered the eye of the storm. A massive castle appeared in

'What is he doing?'

Ren approached

did he enter the

"Good."

mouth

'What good?'

caused Kevin to be even

out what was going on, Kevin spotted a black humanoid figure sitting on a throne. Staring at Ren with an amused look on his

'This...make it stop.'

scene, Kevin wanted to take his eyes away, but

the demon toyed with Ren till he died and the loop

watched the same thing happen again.

repeated five more times. Fortunately for Kevin, as this was a memory, he only saw short

aren't you

couldn't stand seeing the same scene of Ren getting tortured over

'Do something!'

to die, Kevin finally felt his

in order for me to recuperate some of the energy I lost,

the orb, more black threads shot

saw

play with his subjects. The key is to pretend you don't work anymore and attack his core right when he loses interest

Kevin watched as the same scene unfolded. This time, however, he

the torture, Ren pretended to no longer move, and exactly as the demon lost interest, he put up

exactly as he

as he

CLANK. CLANK. CLANK. CLANK.

that moment, Kevin was stunned to see the chains that were binding

right there, more sprang from beneath the ground, and clung onto

around his body, Ren was pulled away from the

any case, what was even more stunning to Kevin was

"I've succeeded."

feeling his eyelids close, darkness

"Aaahhhhhh!"

a bloodcurdling

'What's going on?'

again, Kevin found himself

is he

before him was the same demon

"Ahhhhh!"

in agony throughout the room as he desperately clung to

"Quiet."

the instant that his words rang

his eyes meet with

'This demon...he feels familiar.'

Kevin realized that he looked somewhat familiar. He knew that he was the same demon from the orb, but the familiarity actually came from somewhere

time to dwell on this anymore as the

"It's you!"

his attack went right through Kevin and before he could react, Kevin felt his

The demon froze mid-air.

had trying to get a small fraction of my soul to

a white glow suddenly enveloped the finger that pressed

yourself lucky that I

"Ahhhhh!"

demon let

'What did he do?'

himself as he watched the demon scream for the next

thing Kevin could do was watch. The