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 previous versions of the loops, Ren's

they were far too 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, the inter academy tournament...Kevin watched as Ren slowly

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

dark and the loop to restart out

'What happened?'

as he continued

the loop suddenly restart? Ren was definitely

"Another failure."

the top

opened his mouth, Ren's voice echoed throughout

in Kevin becoming weak and eventually

'What?'

on the

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

once 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

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

more Kevin felt his mouth speak, the more the black

Clank. Clank.

coming from the chains became more intense as time

growth will inevitably lead to a change in the plotline. A pawn is necessary. One that would force

Clank! Clank!

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

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

CLANK! CLANK!

shook with a wild force and Kevin felt his body

were wrapping around

the familiar scene began to replay on the white

'It's once again different.'

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

the Ren

he talked and

a lot like 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 him for a bit,

Clank. Clank.

was then that Kevin felt his

Clank. Clank.

sound, Kevin felt

"Red desolation."

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

of one of the ranked dungeons on

shockingly, Kevin watched as Ren chose that

the dungeon, Kevin watched as Ren fought against monsters and trained himself. It was only after a while that he

seemed to be a

them, Kevin watched their bodies eventually

'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 a demon inside

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

the eye of the storm. A massive castle appeared in the distance

'What is he doing?'

Kevin watched as Ren approached the

did he

"Good."

Kevin, he felt his mouth open as Ren's

'What good?'

Kevin to be

humanoid figure sitting on a throne. Staring at Ren with an amused look on his face, he began to

'This...make it stop.'

wanted to take his

the demon toyed with Ren till he died and the loop

same thing happen again. Training in the dungeon and dying right after,

as this was a memory, he only saw short glimpses

aren't you

the same scene of Ren getting tortured over and over

'Do something!'

once again about to die, Kevin finally

recuperate

black threads shot into the air

Kevin saw

his subjects. The key is to pretend you don't work anymore and attack his core right when he

the same scene unfolded. This time, however, he was shocked to see

pretended to no longer move, and exactly as the demon

exactly as

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

CLANK. CLANK. CLANK. CLANK.

chains that were binding him shake even more fiercely than

from beneath the ground, and clung

body, Ren was pulled away

what was even more stunning to Kevin was the

"I've succeeded."

feeling his eyelids close, darkness enveloped his

"Aaahhhhhh!"

a

'What's going on?'

found himself inside

is he

the ground before him was the same demon

"Ahhhhh!"

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

"Quiet."

that his words rang out, the demon that

his head, Kevin felt his eyes

'This demon...he feels familiar.'

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

any case, he didn't have much time to

"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.

most of the energy I had trying to get a

glow suddenly enveloped the

lucky that I

"Ahhhhh!"

let

'What did he do?'

wondered to himself as he watched the demon scream

him. 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