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

What exactly was he trying to say?...and why did it seem like he genuinely felt that his actions

reality are you speaking

of

"He..."

his head and met my sight. He

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

sort of nonsense is

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

mind grew numb when this realization dawned on

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

my arguments suggests that you are aware that

started to

it wasn't out of anger, but rather,

His words…

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

demon king would be possible, but it didn't seem

different regressions occurred, it always ended with

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

…and that was worrying.

look of understanding on Hemlock's

appear 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

Hemlock's words that snapped

about the demon king and

this much. I already knew and experienced the helplessness that came with

know

"Smallsnake?"

eyes a couple of times. Seemingly

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

"Oh, you mean Brian?"

"Right…"

indeed his

around to look at Smallsnake's tomb,

didn't know until last year. I was too busy

his hair to the side, he fixed his eyes on

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

at

know my movements. Although I took a series of precautions to ensure that they didn't know all of my movements, it was inevitable

before we parted 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 was...It was also because of this that I knew that he was working in

I received was far off from what I assumed was

never did anything to him over the past couple of years because I hoped that

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

words. From the way he was looking at me, I knew about what

to the 876 incident. Who would have imagined the

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 had left

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

cover his face, Hemlock suddenly

by Octavious when he sent me a fake corpse of what was supposed to

a little

out of his body became extremely overbearing, sealing all

deep and sinister voice reached for

angry easily...but...you...you've managed to anger me more times than I could've ever imagined. First, with all the