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 as they were right

of life for them

wouldn't really think anything of it if they

was

take

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

he was, she kneeled down

why wouldn't I take care of

not

asked, his

she listened to his words, and then she smiled broadly and pulled him

be a burden. My life has never been more fulfilled now that

the soft and warm embrace of his mother, Kevin

was more confused

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

rare occasion that

of excitement once again

a reaction for such a trivial

Humans…

creatures far more confusing than he

***

Ding—!

System configured

100%

life repeated themselves. The demons came, and his parents died trying to protect

at the lifeless body of his

"Why?"

Kevin's mind replayed the events that had taken place in the subsequent minutes and seconds, he became

"Kevin, move!"

the side in an effort to protect

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

take care of me. Why did you

at the dead

father, who was not too far away from where he stood, was completely mangled, and he was

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

felt emptier than

for some strange reason,

'Why is that?'

and placed in an orphanage before he even had

had been before, and Kevin's progress in strength continued at a steady pace as

*

Twenty five years later.

again, Kevin found himself standing in

as it had been in the

previous life, Kevin was much more powerful in

a little bit;

this life, he was able to become even more powerful than he had been in his previous life by combining the knowledge he gained from his previous life with the system given to him by the

the most skilled instructors,

former self in just a

look eerily familiar, don't

the world, his eyes glossing over his body.

"…You couldn't possibl—"

white hue began to emerge from it. It covered

not long after that, and

"Akashic laws…"

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

the missing piece that I need in order to get