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."

didn't come to the meeting and exposed my strength on a whim.

meeting today was important to me for

the following month, and I would only have a chance to influence the situation and participate if I

meeting started, however, I had severely underestimated just how hard it was to break through to the

ranking 18th, which was far beneath the

Bang—!

"Damn it."

into another fit of

running down my nose. I saw a noticeable red stain on my hand when I

'Blood...'

a little and my vision blurred. This lasted for a

"Not again..."

head and

"Fuck."

while more

my arm, I raised my head to stare at my

"What's wrong, nervous?"

ears picked up a recognizable voice as my

Slowly, my face sank.

"Huuuu…"

calm

as a result

be increasingly difficult for me to contain my

going to say

hands paused on my face while water dripped down toward the sink. Slowly raising my

Our eyes met.

happened to Smallsnake? Two years have already

closed the valve without saying anything. Only then did

expect me to give you my body after what

"Oh?"

of

placed on you will put an end to things

"Right..."

the sink with all

Cra..crack…

started to form on the

makes you so sure that I was the one behind

his words, my head slowly

"You think I'm stupid?"

calmly staring

voice became icier as I drew nearer to the

fault in his death, but do you seriously think that I wouldn't know

grip on the sink as

sense it at the time...Jezebeth sustained damage. He may have not been a clone,

have not been able to defeat him, but I sure as heck would have been able to

the events that transpired back then haunted

all the things I could've done to prevent such a situation

appearance. You aren't this

despite this, you weren't concerned for my safety because you also knew that he was hurt. This shows that you had something planned and that something

I

said after his memories stopped playing, I knew that he wasn't

my head to glare at

your targets on Smallsnake in particular, but without a doubt, you wanted someone

he just

silence persisted for a little bit before he opened his

could've helped you and avoided his death. In a way, you can say

heart tightened when I

'I knew it.'

it in the first place, there is no use in lying about it now. Jezebeth's imminent presence and everyone's appearance

something 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 see the memories for as long as

know exactly why I did what

I ground my teeth.

Nonetheless, he continued speaking.

way for you to defeat Jezebeth. Quite plainly, the likelihood that you would succeed in fighting him was dwindling as you began to stand still. My decisions were driven by need. Smallsnake had to perish in order to enhance

Bam—!

my force. The

reflection in the

the room my

don't have time