The Author's POV

Bang—!

A figure crashed against a series of buildings, sending them crumbling to the ground.

With another muffled blast, the figure crashed against the ground, and a crater formed around the area around him.

Following the dispersal of the debris and subsequent clearing of the area, Kevin's haggard figure appeared to be seen standing in the midst of the debris.

His clothing was ripped, and he appeared to have a gaping wound in his chest.

His red eyes gleamed under the red, apocalyptic sun that hung in the sky, matching its intensity.

"How pitifully weak..."

A figure with white hair descended from the sky above him in a slow and collected manner. His presence loomed over the world, and his towering figure oppressed anything within its sights.

He looked no different than a god that had descended upon the mortal world, as his every movement caused the world to shake.

"I'm rather disappointed."

Jezebeth spoke while maintaining eye contact with Kevin, who was standing below him.

His icy stare was filled with what could only be described as disappointment, and he raised his hand.

Palm facing Kevin, he mumbled.

"…If you're really all the records have planned in order to stop me, then I really am disappointed."

Booom—!

The world tore apart, and Kevin's vision grew black.

***

"Come, eat your soup, Kevin."

Kevin's ears rang with the sound of a familiar voice as he looked down and took a quick glance at the meal that was in front of him.

It was a straightforward yellow clear soup mixed with a few different vegetables ranging from carrots, broccoli, and the like.

'It's bland, and the nutritional value is low…'

Kevin thought as he brought the soup to his mouth.

The taste of the soup was extremely bland, and it never seemed to fill him, even though he was once again five years old.

The only reason he never grumbled was because he understood that this was the best his caretakers had to offer.

A simple vegetable soup.

Kevin, in all candor, did not comprehend why the records would assign him to such inept caretakers; however, he was not programmed to question the system's decision-making.

The only thing he needed to do was follow orders.

But…

"Why do you take care of me?"

There was still a lingering sense of curiosity in his heart, and he just couldn't help but bring himself to ask his caretaker the one question that had been in his mind ever since his first life.

Why would such a creature risk so much in taking care of him when they couldn't even take care of themselves?

Wouldn't it be more appropriate for them if they just abandoned him and lived for themselves?

be experiencing nearly as much suffering as they were right

quality of

Kevin wouldn't really think anything of it if they got rid of him.

all, it was the most

do I take care

glimpse of his mother looking at him with a friendly grin on her face as she turned her head and lightly winked her

where he was, she kneeled down slightly and caressed

why wouldn't I

I not a

his

surprise as she listened to his words, and then she smiled broadly and

life has never been more fulfilled now that you're with me.

soft and warm embrace of his mother, Kevin didn't say

was more confused

sound of his mother's voice was what broke him out of his reverie as she suddenly squeezed him more tightly in

spoke! It's such a rare occasion that I didn't

sudden burst of excitement once

such a reaction for such

Humans…

were creatures far more confusing than

***

Ding—!

System configured

100%

passed, and the same scenes from the first life repeated themselves. The demons came, and his parents

body of his mother while he prodded her

"Why?"

in the subsequent minutes and seconds, he became even

"Kevin, move!"

to protect him from

the dismemberment of his mother, followed by his father dragging him away and hiding him in the same place as his

didn't have to take care of me. Why did you do

the

from where he stood, was completely mangled, and he was

stared at his mother and father for an undetermined amount of time while they lay dead on the

his heart felt emptier than

felt like this, but for some strange

'Why is that?'

placed in an orphanage before he

how it had been before, and Kevin's progress in strength continued

*

Twenty five years later.

found himself standing in front of

as it

compared to his previous life, Kevin was much more powerful in this

bit; it was by quite

life by combining the knowledge he gained from his previous life with the system given to

also received instruction from the most skilled instructors, which contributed to

former self in just a couple

look eerily familiar, don't

voice rang throughout the world, his eyes glossing over his

"…You couldn't possibl—"

white hue began to emerge from it. It covered the entire world around him, and Jezebeths'

after that, and a powerful

"Akashic laws…"

very long. Instead, he appeared to

I need in order to get to