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?

experiencing nearly as much suffering as they were right

quality of life

they got rid of him. He knew that

it was the most logical

I take

him with a friendly grin on her face as she turned

she kneeled down slightly and

mother; why wouldn't I take

not

asked, his

his words, and then

be a burden. My life has never been more fulfilled now that you're with me. I'm sure your father thinks

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

was more confused

of his reverie as she suddenly squeezed him more tightly in

a rare occasion that

excitement once

is she showing such a reaction

Humans…

more confusing

***

Ding—!

System configured

100%

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

and stared at the lifeless body of his mother while he prodded her flesh with his

"Why?"

taken place in

"Kevin, move!"

an effort to protect him from a demon, but she ended up

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

to take care of me. Why did you do something so

asked, poking at the dead carcass

not too far away from where he stood, was completely mangled, and he was no

at his mother and father for

felt emptier

for some strange reason, he

'Why is that?'

additional support arrived, he was whisked away from the area and placed in an orphanage before he even

it had been before, and Kevin's

*

Twenty five years later.

himself standing in front of

face was the same as it had been in

previous life, Kevin was much more powerful in this

by a little bit; it was

had been in his previous life

skilled instructors, which contributed

put, he could swat his former self in just a couple of moves. He had improved that

eerily

world, his eyes glossing over his body.

"…You couldn't possibl—"

already raised, and a white hue began to emerge from it. It covered the entire world around him,

long after that, and a

"Akashic laws…"

long. Instead, he appeared to have realized something, as evidenced by the appearance of a

piece that I need in order to get to