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.'

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

from that of the Ren

'...What is he doing?'

all sorts of items, and interfering with certain events in the past such as the Hollberg incident, the inter academy tournament...Kevin watched as Ren slowly started to

his name became known by everyone in the

go dark and the loop to

'What happened?'

himself as he continued to

loop suddenly restart? Ren was definitely extremely

"Another failure."

his thoughts, Kevin felt the top ends of his brows

he opened his mouth, Ren's voice echoed

greedy, and his meddling resulted in Kevin becoming weak

'What?'

on the orb

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

from beneath the orb, wrapping

I need to make a change 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

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

speak, the more the black threads that emerged from

Clank. Clank.

rattling sound coming from the chains became more intense

change in the plotline. A pawn is necessary. One that would force him into the specific route

Clank! Clank!

became more and more powerful with each passing second. It was clear to Kevin

have a high chance of dying. When the time comes, I need something to make him

CLANK! CLANK!

of nowhere, the chains that were rattling shook with a wild force and Kevin felt

of the orb, the black threads that were wrapping around it, dissipated till only

began

'It's once again different.'

once again shocked to see the scene change. However, if there was one thing that particularly caught his interest, it

the Ren that I

he

a lot like the Ren that he

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

Clank. Clank.

was then that Kevin felt his

Clank. Clank.

rattling sound, Kevin felt

"Red desolation."

words, but it was enough for Kevin

the name of one of the

shockingly, Kevin watched as Ren

watched as Ren fought against monsters and trained himself.

be

attempt to help them, Kevin watched their bodies eventually start to

'Mindbreaker curse.'

with the symptoms the mercenary group experienced, Kevin was able to tell with a glance how they died, and it was then that he came to the conclusion that there was

about it, a sandstorm

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

'What is he doing?'

as Ren approached the

did he

"Good."

he felt his mouth open as

'What good?'

caused Kevin to be even more

even make out what was going on, Kevin spotted a black humanoid figure sitting on a throne. Staring at Ren with an amused look on his face, he began to toy with him. Ren did try to put

'This...make it stop.'

wanted to take his eyes away, but he physically

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

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

Kevin, as this was

aren't you

same scene

'Do something!'

as Ren was once again about to die, Kevin finally

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

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

saw something

don't work anymore and

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

the demon lost interest, he put up a last-ditch

as

long as he once again

CLANK. CLANK. CLANK. CLANK.

at that moment, Kevin was stunned to see the chains that were binding him shake even more

more sprang from beneath the

his body, Ren was pulled away from the

stunning to Kevin was

"I've succeeded."

his eyelids close, darkness enveloped his

"Aaahhhhhh!"

a

'What's going on?'

Kevin found himself

he doing

ground before him

"Ahhhhh!"

throughout the room as he

"Quiet."

mouth open. In the instant that his words rang out, the demon that was lying down on the floor

his eyes

'This demon...he feels familiar.'

he was the

any case, he didn't have much time to dwell on this anymore

"It's you!"

towards him with 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

The demon froze mid-air.

energy I had trying to get a small fraction

suddenly enveloped the finger that pressed against the

yourself lucky that I

"Ahhhhh!"

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

'What did he do?'

wondered to himself as he watched the demon scream for the next

like this...Ren was definitely doing something to him. Unfortunately, the only thing Kevin could do was watch. The memories didn't allow him to understand what Ren was thinking or