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.'

that Kevin noticed that compared to the previous versions of the loops, Ren's actions

far too different from that of the Ren he

'...What is he doing?'

all sorts of items, and interfering with certain events in the past such as

name became known by everyone in the world, and he

to go dark and the loop

'What happened?'

wondered to himself as he continued to gaze at the

loop suddenly restart?

"Another failure."

Kevin felt the top ends of his brows furrowed

his mouth, Ren's voice echoed

becoming weak and eventually dying. A short oversight

'What?'

hand on the orb once

others becoming too weak and

rose from beneath the orb,

he will derail from the plotline I have set up for him like the last trial. For that to happen, I decided

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 his

Kevin felt his mouth speak, the more the black threads

Clank. Clank.

chains became more intense as

A pawn is necessary. One that would force him into the

Clank! Clank!

rattling sound coming from the chains became more and more powerful with each passing second. It was clear to Kevin that Ren was nearing

magic, he will be inexperienced and will have a high chance of dying. When

CLANK! CLANK!

of nowhere, the chains that were rattling shook with a wild force and Kevin felt his body get flung all the

go of the orb, the black threads that were wrapping around it,

which, the familiar scene began to replay on the

'It's once again different.'

change. However, if there was one thing that

the Ren that I

he talked

the

as Ren left the academy and headed out for what seemed to be the black market. After that, he came into contact with what

Clank. Clank.

Kevin felt his body move once

Clank. Clank.

the rattling sound, Kevin felt

"Red desolation."

said two words, but it was enough for Kevin

the name of one of the ranked dungeons on

as Ren chose

watched as Ren fought against monsters and trained himself. It was only after a while that he spotted

to be a mercenary

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

'Mindbreaker curse.'

a glance how they died, and it was then

conclusion, but before he could do anything about it, a sandstorm engulfed him. The

entered the eye

'What is he doing?'

Ren approached the

did he enter the

"Good."

mouth

'What good?'

caused Kevin to be even

a throne. Staring at Ren with an amused look on his face, he began to toy with him. Ren did try to put on a struggle, but it only ended in

'This...make it stop.'

take his eyes

only watch as the demon toyed with Ren

that, the loop repeated once more, and Kevin watched the same thing happen again. Training in the dungeon

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

you doing

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

'Do something!'

to die,

of five loops in order for me to recuperate some of the energy I

orb, more black threads shot into the air and wrapped around

saw

to pretend you don't work anymore and attack his core right when he loses interest

the same scene unfolded. This time,

pretended to no longer move, and exactly as the demon lost interest, he put up a last-ditch effort and cracked

as he

voice did not last for long as

CLANK. CLANK. CLANK. CLANK.

was stunned to see the chains that were binding him shake even more fiercely than

more sprang from beneath the ground, and clung onto his

around his body, Ren was pulled away

case, what was even more stunning to Kevin was

"I've succeeded."

his eyelids close,

"Aaahhhhhh!"

a

'What's going on?'

them up again, Kevin found himself inside a dark

he

ground before him was the same

"Ahhhhh!"

throughout the room as he desperately

"Quiet."

his words rang out, the demon that was lying down

felt his

'This demon...he feels familiar.'

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

case, he didn't have much time to dwell

"It's you!"

for the demon, his attack went right through Kevin and before he could react, Kevin felt his hand rise and

The demon froze mid-air.

don't have much time to waste. I've already used most of the energy I had trying to

glow suddenly enveloped the finger that pressed against the

lucky that

"Ahhhhh!"

his words faded, the demon let out another scream and his body arched

'What did he do?'

himself as he watched the demon

the only thing Kevin could do was watch. The memories didn't allow him to understand what Ren was thinking or doing. He had to figure everything out