The Author's POV

'He's changed a lot since the last time I saw him.'

Donna quietly thought to herself as her gaze fixed on Ren who was seated a few tables ahead of her.

Even she felt pressured at the time he revealed his strength in front of everyone.

The power he displayed...

It was frightening.

'I knew he was talented, but I didn't think it was to this point.'

One could not come close to describing the rate of his progress. It was simply, frightening. To the point where both Monica and Kevin were left behind.

She was more shocked to find that not much time had elapsed since she had taught him at the Lock.

About six years.

In about that period of time, he had transformed from a typical ranking student to someone whose strength had surpassed hers.

'How monstrous.'

She mumbled to herself once more.

In the past, she thought that Monica was the most talented human she knew, but it was clear to her that there was someone else that was above her.

It was none other than Ren.

'His strength isn't the only thing that changed about him, his demenour also seemed to have changed.'

When Donna looked at him more closely, she saw that he was different from how he had been in the past.

Around him, there was a somewhat melancholy vibe. One that left Donna feeling uneasy. It was sufficient to make her face turn grave.

'...Just what happened during the few years that I haven't seen him?'

He wasn't exactly cheerful, but he sure as heck wasn't like how he was now.

It kind of worried her a little.

'I should probably talk to him after this is over.'

Thus, she made her mind up to talk to him after the meeting was over. It had been a couple of years since they had come to contact with each other, might as well catch up a little.

***

Bang—!

My fist smashed against the side of the bathroom wall, and fine miniature crevices extended all the way toward the ceiling of the bathroom.

The meeting had ended a couple of minutes ago. As expected, Octavious ranked first, and Maximus who was previously ranked third was now ranked second.

But that wasn't what resulted in my rage.

"Rank 18? Seriously?! ...After all that hard work?"

I gritted my teeth as a burst of rage erupted from deep within my body.

I was upset with my slow improvement rather than my poor ranking. I had been working hard for the past two years. Really hard.

During that period, I went through a phase of relative strength increase, helped by the air's increasing mana density and the merging with the strength of my former self.

My efforts paid off, and I was able to advance to level in just two years. I was just a little shy of reaching rank.

But...

"Too slow!"

I muttered through my clenched teeth.

Two years.

That was how much time I had left before my other self would take over or the curse that was in me would activate.

Two fucking years. That was how long I had to live.

The rate at which I was progressing was slow. Too fucking slow.

"...I miscalculated."

the meeting and exposed my strength on a whim. Rather, I did it with a goal

important to me for

would only have a chance to influence the situation and participate if I had

previously anticipated that I would already be rank by the time the meeting started, however, I had severely underestimated just how hard it was to break through

the end, I only ended up ranking 18th, which was far beneath the rank

Bang—!

"Damn it."

sent me into

sensation running down my nose. I saw

'Blood...'

little and my vision blurred. This

"Not again..."

my head and stared at my trembling

"Fuck."

my mouth while more blood dropped

the blood with my arm, I raised my head to

"What's wrong, nervous?"

picked up a recognizable voice

Slowly, my face sank.

"Huuuu…"

calm myself down and

sudden outburst came as a result of

to be increasingly difficult for

going to say

Slowly raising my head, I glared at

Our eyes met.

on what happened to Smallsnake? Two years

the valve without saying anything. Only then did I

you expect me to give you my body after what you've done,

"Oh?"

eyebrows of my

years? The seal Jezebeth placed on you will put an end to things even if I don't take control of your body and do it myself. You've lost

"Right..."

of the sink with all my

Cra..crack…

slowly started to form on the

the one behind

his words, my head

"You think I'm stupid?"

asked while calmly

icier as I drew nearer

that I wouldn't know this was something you devised? I may be stupid at times, but I'm not mentally

sink as I recalled the

at the time...Jezebeth sustained damage. He may have not

tell. I may have not been

now, the events that transpired back then

things I could've done to

have overlooked Jezebeth's unexpected appearance. You aren't this negligent. His appearance was unquestionably something you

safety because you also knew that he was hurt. This shows that

not have known that this was the last loop, but I sure as heck knew that he had enough power

from the enigmatic words he said after his memories stopped playing, I knew that he wasn't planning to end the loop just

raised my head to glare at the

particular, but without a doubt, you wanted someone

anything, he just looked at

bit before he opened

death. In a way, you can say that I did plan

when

'I knew it.'

conceal it in the first place, there is no use in lying about it now. Jezebeth's imminent presence and everyone's appearance on the planet were things that I was aware

that can be predicted, and from there, changing little things to make them go your way isn't exactly too hard. Why do you think you were able to

you know exactly why I did what I did,

I ground my teeth.

Nonetheless, he continued speaking.

that you would

Bam—!

the mirror with all my force. The glass shattered

reflection in

the room my

don't have time