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

quality of life for them

if they got rid of him. He knew that he was nothing but

in all, it was the most

do I take care of

caught a fleeting glimpse of his mother looking at him with a friendly grin on her face as she

where he was, she kneeled down slightly

your mother; why wouldn't I take care

not

his

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

burden. My life has never been more

of his mother,

was more confused

of his mother's voice was what broke him out of his reverie as she

a rare occasion that

excitement

is she showing such a

Humans…

far more confusing than he

***

Ding—!

System configured

100%

the first life repeated themselves.

of his mother while he prodded

"Why?"

replayed the events that had taken place in

"Kevin, move!"

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

he witnessed the dismemberment of his mother, followed by his father dragging him away and hiding

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

poking at the dead carcass of his

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

the ground and stared at his mother and father for an undetermined amount of

heart felt emptier

but for some strange reason, he felt even

'Why is that?'

in an orphanage before he even had a

that point, life returned to how it had been before, and Kevin's progress in

*

Twenty five years later.

again, Kevin found himself

the same as it had been in

when compared to his previous life, Kevin was much

wasn't just by a little bit; it

previous life by combining the

instruction from the most skilled instructors, which contributed to his increased

self in just a couple of moves.

look eerily familiar, don't

rang throughout the world, his eyes glossing over his body. With a raised eyebrow, he

"…You couldn't possibl—"

already raised, and a white hue began to emerge from

after that, and a powerful

"Akashic laws…"

to have realized something, as evidenced by the appearance of a faint smile on

see...so you're the missing piece that I need