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.'

was from this point that Kevin noticed that compared to the

far too different from that of the

'...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

known by everyone in the world, and he was

dark and

'What happened?'

as he continued

suddenly restart? Ren was definitely

"Another failure."

his thoughts, Kevin felt the top

his mouth, Ren's voice echoed

in Kevin becoming weak and

'What?'

on the

Kevin and the others becoming

again rose from beneath the orb, wrapping around

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

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

the more the black

Clank. Clank.

from the chains became more intense as time

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

Clank! Clank!

with each

ensure that he stays alive. Coming from a world without magic, he will be inexperienced and will have a high chance

CLANK! CLANK!

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

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

scene began to replay on the

'It's once again different.'

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

to the Ren that

way he talked and

the Ren that

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

Clank. Clank.

then that Kevin felt his body

Clank. Clank.

felt his

"Red desolation."

said two words, but it was enough for Kevin to understand what they

of one of the ranked

Kevin watched as Ren chose that exact

against monsters and trained himself. It was only after a while that he spotted

to be a mercenary

Kevin watched their bodies eventually start to convulse and

'Mindbreaker curse.'

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 a demon inside

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

Ren entered the eye of the storm. A massive castle appeared in the distance at that

'What is he doing?'

Kevin watched as Ren approached the castle and

he

"Good."

his mouth

'What good?'

caused Kevin to be

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 ended in enraging the

'This...make it stop.'

scene, Kevin wanted to take his eyes away, but he physically couldn't. This

as the demon toyed

repeated once more, and Kevin watched the same thing happen

for Kevin, as this was a memory, he only

aren't you

seeing the same scene of Ren getting tortured

'Do something!'

once again about to die,

to recuperate some of the

black threads shot into the air and wrapped around

saw

pretend you don't work anymore and attack

watched as the same scene unfolded. This

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

as

as he once again felt his hand press against

CLANK. CLANK. CLANK. CLANK.

stunned to see the chains that were binding

sprang from beneath the ground, and clung onto his leg and

was pulled

any case, what was even more stunning to Kevin was the fact that he felt his lips curl a

"I've succeeded."

his eyelids close, darkness enveloped

"Aaahhhhhh!"

heard a

'What's going on?'

found himself inside

is he doing

before him was the same demon from

"Ahhhhh!"

throughout the room as he desperately

"Quiet."

rang out, the demon that was lying down on the

felt his eyes

'This demon...he feels familiar.'

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

didn't have much time to dwell on this anymore as the demon's voice

"It's you!"

slash 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 his finger

The demon froze mid-air.

I had trying to get a small fraction of my

a white glow suddenly enveloped

lucky that I chose

"Ahhhhh!"

his words faded, the demon let out another scream and

'What did he do?'

himself as he watched

Unfortunately, the only thing Kevin could do was watch.