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?

wouldn't be experiencing nearly as much suffering as they were right

the contrary, their quality of life for them would significantly

really think anything of it if they got rid

was

I take care

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

I not

asked, his

mother's expression changed to one of surprise as she listened to his words, and then she smiled broadly

has never been more fulfilled now that you're

the soft and warm embrace of

more confused

was what broke him out of his reverie as

It's such a rare

excitement

is she showing such a reaction for such a trivial

Humans…

far more confusing

***

Ding—!

System configured

100%

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

crouched down and stared at the lifeless body of his mother while he prodded her

"Why?"

place in the subsequent minutes

"Kevin, move!"

pushing him to the side in an effort to protect

by his father dragging him away and hiding him in the same place

didn't have to take care of me.

the dead carcass

he stood, was completely

father for an undetermined amount of time while they lay

his heart felt

usually felt like this, but for some strange reason,

'Why is that?'

placed in an orphanage before he even had

been before, and Kevin's progress in strength

*

Twenty five years later.

Kevin found himself

was the same as it had been in the

Kevin was much more

by a little bit; it was by

life by combining the knowledge he gained from his previous life with the system

instruction from the most skilled

put, he could swat his former self in just a couple of

look eerily

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

"…You couldn't possibl—"

hue began

that, and a powerful

"Akashic laws…"

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

the missing piece that I need in order to get to the