The Author's POV

Calm.

When Malik's eyes stopped on me and our eyes met, I felt completely at ease.

His pressure…

It was terrifying. More than I could've bargained for. Enough to make me feel suffocated with just a single breath.

' rank.'

Although it was unclear to those watching, I, who was close to achieving rank, could discern from a quick glance what level he had attained.

The way the mana around him bent to his will…

The way the world seemed so focused on him…

And the pressure that closely resembled a couple of figures I had met in the past…

Without a single doubt, he had broken through to rank.

"Hm?"

Before I knew it, he was a couple of steps away from me.

"You must be Ren Dover…or should I say, 876?"

His voice echoed out. It sounded crisp and pleasant to the ear, yet, at the same time, felt extremely chilly.

Nevertheless, I didn't get shaken up by his voice or pressure. At this moment, it seemed as though the emotion known as 'fear' had completely dissipated from my body.

My head tilted slightly as I asked in a rather monotonous tone.

At this point, I was starting to doubt whether the one speaking was me or the other me.

"What are you doing here?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

As he said, Malik Alshayatin, or lesser known as Hemlock, took a step to the side and gestured in the direction of Smallsnake's grave.

"...I'm here to pay a visit to my friend."

His remarks would've normally have made me angry, but as I've said before, the emotion known as "anger" vanished from my body. His reply aroused no emotion from within me.

At this point, I realized that something was wrong, yet at the same time, had no time to understand what was going on.

"Friend? Last time I heard, you were the one responsible for killing his own mother? I'm sure no friend would actually do that."

"…So he's still hung up on that."

Hemlock quietly whispered to himself.

The whisper was low, but it was audible enough for me to hear. He then repeatedly pointed toward his chest.

"You see, it was only because I was his friend that I did what I did. I did it to make sure he understood...understood just how serious the situation is. In the end, I did everything for his benefit. I wished to show him the reality of the world!...and the death of his mother was the only way that I could open up his eyes. I wanted him to understand just how feeble human life is."

Without realizing it, my brows knit as I noticed signs of agony on his face.

making such a

exactly was he trying to say?...and

reality are you speaking

the better of

"He..."

my sight. He let out a tired

only way for humanity to avoid extinction. We won't be able to protect

of nonsense

loud these words, but as soon as

mind grew numb when this realization dawned on

other hand seemed to have noticed my reaction

refute my arguments suggests that you are aware that they are not mere heresy from a psychopath, as the others appear to

started to

of anger, but

His words…

the various regressions that my body underwent, I realized that

after multiple regressions defeating the demon king would be possible, but it didn't seem to be the case as both

hundreds of different regressions occurred,

but for someone like me, who understood the truth…his words...they didn't sound that wrong. Rather,

…and that was worrying.

was a sudden look of understanding on

how hopeless the situation is until you actually meet him. It was from my short meeting with him that

was Hemlock's words that snapped me out

demon king and

much. I already knew and experienced the helplessness that came with meeting him. Hence why I shifted the

you know that Smallsnake was

"Smallsnake?"

blinked his eyes a couple of times. Seemingly unable to understand

his tomb that he understood who I

"Oh, you mean Brian?"

"Right…"

indeed his

slowly nodded his head. Turning around to look

last year. I was too busy trying to break through to notice that anything happened

the side, he fixed

actually hide away from me? Especially from someone like you whom we

at him without

of precautions to ensure that they didn't know all of my movements, it was inevitable for them to hold some information about

behind it. It was so that I could find him as long as I was nearby. Just by feeling

the answer I received was far off from what I assumed was the

years because I hoped that

was too busy with several

said those last words. From the way he was looking

referring to the 876 incident. Who would have imagined the incident would have, in

approach him again after solving all the issues that you caused, but no matter how hard I looked for him, I was unable to locate him. How astonished was

realized that he was outside of the human domain, and waited. Waited for him to

cover his face,

problems came up. I got totally played by Octavious when he sent me a fake corpse of what was supposed to be

a

pressure that came out of his body became extremely overbearing, sealing all my

sinister voice

imagined. First, with all the troubles, you caused at our headquarters, then when you sent