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

was he trying to say?...and why did it seem like he genuinely

are you speaking

better of

"He..."

and met my sight. He let out a tired

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

of nonsense is

out loud these words, but as soon as

mind grew numb when this

seemed to have noticed my reaction and a thin smile formed on

our situation. Your inability to refute my arguments suggests that you are aware that they are not mere heresy from a psychopath, as the others appear to make it out to

started

out of anger, but rather,

His words…

observing the various regressions that my body underwent, I realized that the demon king was

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

after hundreds of different regressions occurred, it always ended with the timeline

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

…and that was worrying.

look of

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

Hemlock's words that snapped me out

about the demon

knew and experienced the

did you know that

"Smallsnake?"

a couple of times. Seemingly unable to understand who Smallsnake

at his tomb that he understood who I was talking

"Oh, you mean Brian?"

"Right…"

was indeed his

around to look at Smallsnake's

was too busy trying to

to the side, he fixed his

do you seriously think that Brian could actually hide away from me? Especially from someone like you whom we have been keeping a close eye on after it was

stared back at him without

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

him as long as I was nearby. Just by feeling the mana, I would be able to get a general idea of where he was...It was also because

off from what

to him over the past couple of years because I hoped that

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

those last words. From the way he was looking at me, I knew

incident. Who would have imagined the incident

but no matter how hard I looked for him, I was unable to locate him. How astonished was I, do you know? I briefly believed that he had passed away before realizing that I was still connected to the mana I had left

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

hand to cover

Octavious when he sent me a fake corpse of what was

a little

out of his body became

low, deep and sinister voice

angry easily...but...you...you've managed to anger me more times than I could've ever imagined. First, with all the troubles, you caused at our headquarters, then