The Author's POV

"hmmm…"

Jezebeth scowled as he fixed his gaze on Ren, who appeared to have lost his soul.

'…Is this really how he used to be?'

Overlapping his image with the image of the man he knew, Jezebeth only felt disgust.

"To think that the death of someone so insignificant was all it took to reduce you into this state…"

In reality, it most likely wasn't just that. He was currently in this mental condition as a result of discovering the genuine facts about his existence and the death of one his comrades.

The man he knew was someone that closely resembled him. Someone that would do anything to achieve his goals.

It was exactly because he was like this that Jezebeth liked him.

Unfortunately, this version of him that was before him was a far cry from the figure he remembered.

In any case, this didn't concern Jezebeth.

'Should I just kill him?'

In that split moment, he had the sudden urge to end him right here and there. In the first place, the only reason he was keeping him alive was to save himself some trouble as well as time, but it wasn't really necessary.

He had already won. All he needed to do was just wait six years and the Akashic records would be his.

...Just six years.

'No, now is not a good idea.'

It took quite a bit of willpower to stop himself from killing him.

Calming himself down, Jezebeth suddenly noticed that Ren was now glaring in his direction. A powerful and chilling pressure started to expand from out of his body. One that even made Jezebeth's spine tingle.

"Oh?"

His head tilted a little as the edges of his lips curled a little.

"Someone looks a little displeased."

A little would be an exaggeration. Currently, it looked as though wanted to eat him alive. That look…it was not bad.

'Too bad now is not the right time.'

Jezebeth thought while he shook his head.

Focusing his attention toward the portal in the distance, he motioned in the air with his fingers and Ren's figure slowly floated in the air. The previous pressure that was coming out from his body disappeared just like that.

The current Ren was nothing but a bug in his eyes.

"Regrettably, I don't have time to entertain your rage."

Motioning with his finger, Ren's body slowly headed in his direction. Coming to a stop in front of him, Jezebeth scratched his neck a little before his eyes squinted.

"Don't forget the advice I gave you earlier. Everything will vanish if you kill "him." You will have the option of either dying or living, depending on which of you chooses."

He spoke with a hushed voice and an icy tone. One that sounded like a thousands snakes were hissing at the same time in Ren's ears.

Extending his hand, he pressed it against Ren's forehead. A gentle glow enveloped the room.

Feeling Ren's soul, he mumbled.

"Four years."

Removing the palm of his hand away from Ren, Jezebeth took a step back.

Then, staring straight into Ren's eyes, he began to mutter.

fuse with your current self. If by that time the current you has still not killed the Akashic holder,

as Jezebeth extended his hand and tapped Ren's

tattoo resembling a crown began to form on Ren's wrist. His face twisted in pain, but no sound escaped from

occur and 'he' refuses to take control of your body or you two come to an agreement. When four years have gone and you haven't passed away, the curse I set in

someone that believed all his plans

he understood just how much of a potential problem

he

in his nature to

him from achieving his

to part. Don't forget about what we've talked

on the cheek as Ren's body floated slowly towards the direction of the

merely smiled when he

have much time left. Whether you live or die, all will

Ren's body shot toward the portal that was

his body completely disappeared. The last thing that Jezebeth saw was his terrifying glare that was filled with bloodlust. After that, a deep silence enveloped

was only after a couple of seconds passed that the

have

started to have second

back at the glare, Jezebeth had an

a little. I mean, how could he not? He knew just how powerful

on an equal level with him. There was no way

in four years. If, however, he does not commit suicide, the curse I cast upon him should finish the job for me. Additionally, as the akashic holder is the only person capable

This feeling…

his fists

'I don't like this.'

his caliber to feel this type of emotion,

now even his backup

"I need something else.."

quietly murmured

he realized that he needed something else to completely feel in

of the events on the off-chance that something wrong happened, and his plan

"Hmm…"

middle of the room, while deeply contemplating the matter, Jezebeth scanned the room with his

in a certain direction. At that moment, a startling notion crossed his mind as his eyes shone a bright red hue. After a while, wearing a thin smile on his

"What if…"

***

taking him so

broken equipment, an immature, borderline childish voice

Ryan looked at

since he had left the planet

he discovered his mercenary headquarters in a deplorable state. Nearly everything was damaged, and Ryan believed that the entire warehouse would have been lost in the annals of history if it weren't for the training grounds'

only one who was back as everyone else was also back. Everyone apart from Kevin, Emma, and Melissa who seemed to have teleported somewhere

only that, Smallsnake, and Ren were also

Smallsnake was waiting at the

to face Amanda

I remember seeing Smallsnake. I told him

"I see…"

Angelica nodded her head.

of

were with Ren. Why didn't

when she heard the

a little, she softly

want to

help him get to the top level more quickly, but she soon realized that she

at the conversation she had with him, she couldn't stand to stay in that room

felt too suffocating to

"The portal is reacting!"

by Ryan's yell as ripples started to

to focus their attention on the

especially excited as he looked toward

like they've made