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?

they wouldn't be experiencing nearly as much suffering

the contrary, their quality of life for them would

a burden, and Kevin wouldn't really think anything of it if they got rid of

it was

take

fleeting glimpse of his mother looking at him with a friendly grin on

she kneeled down slightly and

wouldn't I

I not a

his face

listened to his words, and then she

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

soft and warm embrace of his mother, Kevin

was more

what broke him out of

a rare occasion that I didn't even notice

excitement once

showing such a reaction for such

Humans…

more confusing than he

***

Ding—!

System configured

100%

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

of his mother while he prodded her

"Why?"

place in the subsequent minutes and seconds, he

"Kevin, move!"

to the side in an effort to

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

didn't have to take care of me. Why

asked, poking at the

who was not too far away from where he

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

his heart felt

this, but for

'Why is that?'

whisked away from the area and placed in

point, life returned to how it had been before, and Kevin's progress in strength continued at a steady pace as

*

Twenty five years later.

Kevin found himself

was the same as it

life, Kevin was much more powerful

bit; it

more powerful than he had been in his previous life by

from the most skilled instructors, which

former self in just a couple of

eerily

eyes glossing over his body. With a

"…You couldn't possibl—"

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

not long after that, and a powerful wave of energy

"Akashic laws…"

face didn't last for very long. Instead, he appeared to have realized something, as evidenced by the appearance of

I need in order to get to the