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 loops, Ren's

from

'...What is he doing?'

the past such as

name became known by everyone in the world, and he was

to go dark and

'What happened?'

wondered to himself as he

restart? Ren

"Another failure."

felt the top ends of his

he opened his mouth, Ren's voice echoed

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

'What?'

placed his hand on

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

once again rose from beneath the

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 his previous

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

felt his mouth speak, the more the black threads

Clank. Clank.

rattling sound coming from the chains became more intense as

actions for growth will inevitably lead to a change in the plotline. 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 his

alive. Coming from a world without magic, he will be inexperienced and will have a high chance of dying. When the

CLANK! CLANK!

wild force and Kevin felt his

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

began to replay on

'It's once again different.'

to see the scene change. However,

the Ren that

way he talked

a lot like the

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 dungeon

Clank. Clank.

was then that Kevin

Clank. Clank.

sound, Kevin felt his hand press against

"Red desolation."

it was enough for Kevin to understand what they

the ranked dungeons on the

Kevin watched as Ren chose

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

be a mercenary

to help them, Kevin watched their bodies eventually start

'Mindbreaker curse.'

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

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

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?'

Kevin watched as Ren approached the

did he

"Good."

his mouth open as

'What good?'

words caused Kevin to be 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

'This...make it stop.'

scene, Kevin wanted to take his eyes away, but he

as the demon toyed with Ren

and Kevin watched the same thing happen again. Training in the dungeon and dying

this was a memory, he only saw short glimpses of

you

the same scene of Ren getting

'Do something!'

was once again about to die, Kevin finally felt his mouth

five loops in order for me to recuperate some of the

orb, more black threads shot into the air and wrapped

Kevin saw

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

watched as the same scene

and exactly as the demon lost interest, he put up a last-ditch effort and

exactly as he

astonishment in Kevin's voice did not last for long as he once again felt his hand

CLANK. CLANK. CLANK. CLANK.

that moment, Kevin was stunned to see the chains

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

was

was even more stunning to Kevin was the fact that he

"I've succeeded."

close, darkness enveloped his

"Aaahhhhhh!"

heard a

'What's going on?'

up again, Kevin found himself inside a

he doing

down on the ground before him was the same demon from

"Ahhhhh!"

screamed in agony throughout the room as he desperately clung to each part of his

"Quiet."

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

his head, Kevin felt his eyes meet

'This demon...he feels familiar.'

look at the demon, Kevin realized that he looked somewhat familiar. He knew that he was the same demon

much time to

"It's you!"

for the demon, his attack went right through Kevin and before he could

The demon froze mid-air.

have much 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 through your

white glow suddenly enveloped the finger

yourself lucky that I

"Ahhhhh!"

the demon let out another scream and

'What did he do?'

to himself as he watched the demon scream for the

definitely doing something to him. Unfortunately, the only thing Kevin could do was watch. The