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.

completely fuse with your current self. If by that time the current you has still not killed the Akashic holder, the other part of you will

Jezebeth extended his

began to form on Ren's wrist. His face twisted in pain,

four years, something does occur and 'he' refuses to take control of your body or you two come to

wasn't someone that believed all his plans would

because he was setting Ren free, he understood just how much of a potential problem

he would always have a couple

was in his nature to be that

stop him

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

contented smile on his face, Jezebeth patted Ren on the cheek as Ren's body floated slowly towards the direction of the portal in the distance. Throughout the entire time, the only thing he could do was glare in his

merely smiled when he saw his

time left. Whether you live or die, all will depend on your next course of

forward, Ren's body shot toward the portal that was

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

a couple of seconds passed

have

again, Jezebeth started

at the glare,

mean, how could he not? He knew just how powerful Ren

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

cast upon him should finish the job for me. Additionally, as the akashic holder is the only person capable of killing me, there is no need to worry about him harming me in any way after he kills

This feeling…

his fists

'I don't like this.'

pleasant for Jezebeth. For someone of his caliber to feel this type of emotion, it felt nothing

unnoticed was unsettling, and right now even his backup plan didn't seem

"I need something else.."

quietly murmured

then that he realized that he needed something

the events on the off-chance

"Hmm…"

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

a certain direction. At that moment, a startling notion crossed his mind as his eyes shone a

"What if…"

***

taking him so

broken equipment, an immature, borderline childish voice

around the room, Ryan looked at the portal with

had

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'

note, he wasn't the only one who was back as everyone else was also back.

Smallsnake, and Ren were also still

waiting at the portal when

speaking, turned to face Amanda who nodded in response to her query. She seemed rather uncomfortable

Before I left, I remember seeing Smallsnake. I told him to keep

"I see…"

Angelica nodded her head.

after a couple of seconds,

you were with Ren. Why didn't

when she heard the

a little,

want to hold

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

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

felt too

"The portal is reacting!"

her thoughts by Ryan's yell as ripples started to develop on the portal across from

turned to focus their

was especially excited as

made it