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

really think anything of it if they got rid of him. He knew that he was

in all, it was the

take care of

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

she kneeled down slightly

your mother; why wouldn't I take

not

asked, his face

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

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 the

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

was more

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

rare occasion that

sudden burst of excitement once again

a reaction for such a trivial

Humans…

were creatures far more

***

Ding—!

System configured

100%

life repeated themselves. The demons came, and his

of his mother while he prodded her flesh with his

"Why?"

that had taken place in

"Kevin, move!"

effort to protect him from a demon, but

mother, followed by his father dragging

take care of

at the dead carcass

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

his mother and father for an undetermined

felt emptier than

but for some strange reason, he felt even

'Why is that?'

away from the area and placed in an orphanage before he even

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

*

Twenty five years later.

found himself standing in

expressionless face was the same as it

previous life, Kevin was much

bit; it was by

life by combining the knowledge he gained from his previous life

received instruction from the most skilled

swat his former self in just a couple of moves. He had improved that

look eerily

rang throughout the world, his eyes glossing

"…You couldn't possibl—"

and a white hue began to emerge from it. It covered the

long after that, and a powerful wave of energy headed in Jezebeth's

"Akashic laws…"

last for very long. Instead, he appeared to have realized something, as evidenced by the

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