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 compared to the previous versions of the loops, Ren's actions were

different from that of the Ren he

'...What is he doing?'

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

became known by everyone in the world, and he

everything to go dark and the loop to restart

'What happened?'

to himself as he

the loop suddenly restart? Ren was definitely

"Another failure."

top ends of

opened his mouth, Ren's voice echoed throughout the dark

got greedy, and his meddling resulted in Kevin becoming weak and eventually dying. A short oversight on my

'What?'

hand on the orb once

too much resulting in Kevin and the others becoming too weak and inevitably leading to his

again rose from

in the 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

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

more Kevin felt his mouth speak, the more the black threads

Clank. Clank.

the chains became more intense as time

will inevitably lead to a change in the plotline. A pawn is necessary. One that would force him into the specific route

Clank! Clank!

from the chains became more and more powerful with each passing second.

inexperienced and will have a

CLANK! CLANK!

shook with a wild force and Kevin felt his body get flung

black threads that were

scene began to replay

'It's once again different.'

see the scene change. However, if there was one thing

closer to the

way he talked

the Ren that he knew

and headed out for what seemed to be the black market. After that, he came into contact

Clank. Clank.

Kevin felt his body

Clank. Clank.

rattling sound, Kevin felt his

"Red desolation."

but it was enough for Kevin to understand

one of the

as Ren chose

was cracked. Marching through the dungeon, Kevin watched as Ren fought against monsters and trained

be

help them, Kevin watched their bodies eventually start to convulse

'Mindbreaker curse.'

Kevin was able to tell with a glance how they died,

same conclusion, but before he could do anything about it, a sandstorm engulfed him. The only thing Kevin saw in the orb was an endless amount

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

'What is he doing?'

as Ren approached

did he enter

"Good."

his mouth open as Ren's

'What good?'

to be

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 enraging

'This...make it stop.'

his eyes away, but he physically couldn't.

Kevin could only watch as the demon toyed with Ren till he died and

watched the same thing happen

for Kevin, as this was a memory, he

aren't you

the same scene of Ren getting tortured over and

'Do something!'

about to die, Kevin

recuperate some of

over the orb, more black threads shot into the air

saw something

his subjects. The key is to pretend you don't work anymore

Kevin watched as the same scene unfolded. This time, however, he was shocked to see a

pretended to no longer move, and exactly as the demon lost interest,

as

not last for long as he once again felt his hand press against the

CLANK. CLANK. CLANK. CLANK.

stunned to see the chains that were binding

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

body, Ren was

what was even more stunning to Kevin was the fact that he felt his lips curl

"I've succeeded."

his eyelids close, darkness enveloped

"Aaahhhhhh!"

a

'What's going on?'

again, Kevin found

is he doing

on the ground before him

"Ahhhhh!"

the room as he desperately clung to each part of

"Quiet."

words rang

head, Kevin felt his eyes meet with

'This demon...he feels familiar.'

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

"It's you!"

a bloodthirsty gaze. Sadly for the demon, his attack went right through Kevin and before he could react, Kevin felt his hand rise and he pressed his

The demon froze mid-air.

time to waste. I've already used most of the energy I had trying to get

watched as a white glow suddenly enveloped the finger

lucky that

"Ahhhhh!"

demon let out another scream and his body arched

'What did he do?'

to himself as he watched the demon scream for

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