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.

for your other self to completely fuse with your current self. If by that time the current you has still not killed the Akashic

vicinity as Jezebeth extended his hand and tapped

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

small quantity of my blood into your bloodstream just in case, in four years, something does occur and 'he' refuses to take control of your body or you two come to an agreement. When four years

someone that believed all his plans would

just how much of a potential problem he could pose to

his plan didn't work out, then he would

in his nature to be

him from achieving his

Don't forget about

the portal in the distance. Throughout the entire time, the only thing he could do

smiled when he saw his

don't have much time left. Whether you live or die, all will depend on your

body shot toward the portal that was already

that, his body completely disappeared. The last thing that Jezebeth saw was his terrifying

a couple of seconds passed

I have just

again, Jezebeth started to have

glare,

was starting to doubt himself a little. I mean, how could he not?

who could stand on an equal level with him. There was no way he would treat him the

finish the job for me. Additionally, as the akashic holder is the only person capable of killing me, there is no

This feeling…

clenched his

'I don't like this.'

was anything but pleasant for Jezebeth. For someone of his caliber to

even his backup plan didn't seem as secure as he had believed it to

"I need something else.."

murmured to

that he needed something else to completely feel in control of

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

"Hmm…"

of the room, while deeply contemplating the matter,

long before they paused in a certain direction. At that moment, a startling notion crossed his mind as his eyes shone a bright red

"What if…"

***

taking him so

vast room full of scars and broken equipment, an immature, borderline

around the room, Ryan looked at the portal with worry in

a while since he had

mercenary headquarters in a deplorable state. Nearly everything was damaged, and Ryan believed that the entire warehouse would have

the only one who was back as everyone else was also back. Everyone apart from Kevin,

only that, Smallsnake, and Ren were also still

Smallsnake was waiting at the portal

across the space. Angelica, who was speaking, turned to face Amanda who nodded in response to her query. She seemed rather uncomfortable talking to her, but she still

I left, I remember seeing Smallsnake. I told him to keep the portal open for when

"I see…"

Angelica nodded her head.

after a couple of seconds,

Ren.

when she heard the

a little, she softly

didn't want to hold

more quickly, but she soon realized that she would only be getting in the way from that point on and chose to

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 develop on the portal across

room instantly turned to focus their attention on

face was especially excited as he looked toward the

made