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.'

compared to the previous versions of the

they were far too different from

'...What is he doing?'

the past such as the Hollberg incident, the inter academy tournament...Kevin watched as Ren slowly started to get more

everyone in the world, and he was

go dark and

'What happened?'

as he continued to gaze at

the loop suddenly restart? Ren was

"Another failure."

his thoughts, Kevin felt the top ends of his brows furrowed

Ren's voice

his meddling resulted in Kevin becoming weak and eventually dying. A short oversight

'What?'

his hand on

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

rose from beneath

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

to live a happy life and in order to do that, he must make sure that he thoroughly follows the plotline.

the more the

Clank. Clank.

sound coming from the chains became more intense

not enough. His actions for growth will inevitably lead to a change in the plotline. A pawn is necessary.

Clank! Clank!

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

will have a high chance of dying. When

CLANK! CLANK!

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

threads that were wrapping around it, dissipated

familiar scene began

'It's once again different.'

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

much closer to the Ren that I

way he talked

a lot like the

market. After that, he came into contact with what seemed to be a broker. Talking

Clank. Clank.

then that Kevin felt his body

Clank. Clank.

by the rattling sound, Kevin felt his

"Red desolation."

but it was enough for

name of one of the ranked dungeons

watched as Ren

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

to be a mercenary

Kevin watched their bodies eventually start to convulse and they

'Mindbreaker curse.'

glance how they died, and it was then that he came to the conclusion that

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

see what was happening only after Ren entered the eye of the storm. A

'What is he doing?'

Ren

he enter the

"Good."

felt his mouth open as

'What good?'

words caused Kevin to be even

could 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 on a struggle, but it only

'This...make it stop.'

Kevin wanted to take his

watch as the demon toyed

watched the same thing happen again. Training in

repeated five more times. Fortunately for Kevin, as this

aren't you

seeing the same scene of Ren getting tortured over and over

'Do something!'

to

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

the orb, more black threads shot

saw

you don't work anymore

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

move, and exactly as the demon lost interest, he put up

exactly as he

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

CLANK. CLANK. CLANK. CLANK.

see the chains that were binding him shake even more fiercely than ever

the ground,

body, Ren was pulled away

case, what was even more stunning to Kevin was the fact that

"I've succeeded."

feeling his eyelids close, darkness enveloped his

"Aaahhhhhh!"

a bloodcurdling

'What's going on?'

up again, Kevin found himself inside a

is he

ground before him was the same demon from

"Ahhhhh!"

he desperately clung to each part of

"Quiet."

words rang out, the

his eyes meet with the

'This demon...he feels familiar.'

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

he didn't have much time to dwell

"It's you!"

through Kevin and before he could react, Kevin felt his hand rise and he pressed his finger

The demon froze mid-air.

time to waste. I've already used most of the energy I had trying to get a small fraction of my soul to enter your body

glow suddenly enveloped

that I chose

"Ahhhhh!"

his words faded, the demon let out another scream and

'What did he do?'

as he watched the

Unfortunately, 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