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.

he making such a

was starting to grow curious. What exactly was he trying to say?...and why did it seem like

are you

the better of me in

"He..."

my sight.

demons is the only way for humanity to

of nonsense

blurt out loud these words, but as

numb when this

to have noticed my reaction and a

the seriousness of our situation. Your inability to refute my arguments suggests that you are aware that

hand started

it wasn't out of anger, but

His words…

regressions that my body underwent, I realized that the demon king was an entity that was simply

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

hundreds of different regressions occurred, it always

been anyone else but me, they would've perceived Hemlock as an absolute psychopath, but for someone like me, who understood the truth…his words...they didn't sound that

…and that was worrying.

was a sudden look of understanding on

to have met his majesty based on the expression on your face. You can't really grasp how hopeless the situation is until you actually meet him. It was from my short meeting with him that

that snapped me out of my

was still rambling about the demon king and how powerful he

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

you know that Smallsnake was

"Smallsnake?"

times. Seemingly

after I pointed at his tomb that he understood who I was

"Oh, you mean Brian?"

"Right…"

indeed his

Turning around

year. I was too busy trying to break through

hair to the side, he fixed

away from me? Especially from someone like you whom we have been keeping a close eye

stared back at

of precautions to ensure that they didn't know all of my movements, it was

behind it. It was so that I could find him as long as I was nearby. Just by feeling the mana, I would be

was far off from what I assumed was the

never did anything to him over the past couple of years because I hoped that he would slowly start

planning on meeting him up again soon, but as I was too busy with several problems that

words. From the way he was

was definitely referring to the 876 incident. Who would have imagined the incident

no matter how hard I looked for him, I was unable to

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

his hand to cover

Octavious when he sent me

a

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

sinister

not one to get angry easily...but...you...you've managed to anger me more times than I could've ever imagined. First, with