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.

is he making such a

was he trying to say?...and why did it

are you speaking

of me in

"He..."

my sight. He let out a tired

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

of nonsense is

words, but as soon as my mouth opened, I realized that

grew numb when

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

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

hand started

out of anger, but

His words…

underwent, I realized that the demon king was an entity that

demon king would be possible, but it didn't seem to be the case as

of different regressions occurred, it always ended with the

psychopath, but for someone like me, who

…and that was worrying.

was a sudden look

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

Hemlock's words that snapped me out of

about the demon king and how powerful he

and experienced the

did you know that Smallsnake was

"Smallsnake?"

couple of times. Seemingly unable to understand

only after I pointed at his tomb that he understood

"Oh, you mean Brian?"

"Right…"

indeed

around to

I was too busy

hair to the side, he fixed his eyes

Especially from someone like you whom we have been keeping a close eye on after it was revealed to us that

at him

series of precautions to ensure

ways. There was no grand purpose behind it. It was so that I could find him as long as I was nearby. Just by feeling the mana, I would be able to get a general idea of where he

answer I received was far off from what I assumed

past couple of years

soon, but as I was too busy with several problems that occurred

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

would have imagined the incident would have, in its

soon as I was preparing to 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 I, do you know? I briefly believed that he had passed away before realizing that I was still connected to the mana I

outside of the human domain, and

cover his face, Hemlock suddenly

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

inched a

of his body became

sinister voice reached

one to get 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 when you sent us the fake corpse in