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

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

are

the better of me

"He..."

lowered his head and met my sight. He

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

sort of

to blurt out loud these words, but as soon

grew numb when this

noticed my reaction and a thin smile

that you are aware of the seriousness of our situation. Your inability to refute my arguments suggests that you are aware that they are not mere heresy from

started to

it wasn't out of anger, but

His words…

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

after multiple regressions defeating the demon king would be possible, but

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

else but me, they would've perceived Hemlock as an absolute psychopath, but for someone

…and that was worrying.

was a sudden look of

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 I understood just how dire our

snapped me out

about the demon king and how powerful

this much. I already knew and experienced the helplessness that came with meeting him. Hence why I shifted the topic away to something

did you know that Smallsnake

"Smallsnake?"

times. Seemingly unable to

only after I pointed at his tomb that he understood who

"Oh, you mean Brian?"

"Right…"

was indeed

head. Turning around to look at Smallsnake's tomb, he

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

his hair to the side, he fixed

from me? Especially from someone like you whom we have been keeping a close eye on after it was revealed

stared back at

for them to know my movements. Although I took a series of precautions to ensure

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

off from what I

to him over the past couple of years because I hoped

was too busy with several problems that occurred

slight pause ensued after he said those last words. From the way he was looking at

incident. Who would have imagined the incident would have, in its own way, saved

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

I realized that he was outside of the human domain, and waited.

cover his face,

when he sent me a fake corpse of what was supposed

inched a

body

and sinister

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,