The Author's POV

Booom—!

Large portions of the hall collapsed inwardly, crashing against the ground beneath them as the sound of a significant explosion reverberated through the air.

Boom—! Boom—!

The hall continued to shake, and dust continued to fly into the air, creating a veil that obscured what was taking place behind it.

In the midst of the veil, bright white lights flashed while muffled explosions accompanied them.

Each impact was felt throughout the entire headquarters, as buildings collapsed and the dome protecting the facility continuously flickered. Cracks soon started to form, and alarms started to ring.

This didn't last for long, however.

Silence soon returned to the headquarters in the aftermath of the short conflict.

A great number of figures were seen lying on the ground as they took their final breaths, and those that were still alive did not even dare to move an inch.

They were helpless in the face of the overwhelming power that radiated from the hall, and they dared not even consider the events that had transpired there. Whatever had taken place was beyond their comprehension.

Within the destroyed hall.

"Uakh…h-how is this possible?"

Hemlock had a difficult time catching his breath. He looked up at two crimson red eyes that shone menacingly against the dark backdrop of the hall as a hand clenched tightly around his throat.

"How are… you this s-strong?"

It made no sense. It was impossible!

'This can't be real. How is this possible!?'

He, who had just broken through rank was supposed to be the strongest human in existence.

Apart from Octavious, there shouldn't be anyone else that could pose a threat against him, so…

How?

How was this possible?

"I-t makes no sense!"

"Of course, it doesn't."

The mute sound of Kevin's voice gradually made its way to him. Shivers ran down Hemlock's spine as he noticed his calm gaze pause on him.

He continued.

"The sacrifice and pain I underwent to get to where I am isn't something that the likes of you can ever hope to understand."

His power wasn't something he had acquired over the course of a couple of decades.

Far from it.

It was a skill he had acquired through a million distinct regressions. Throughout the centuries, he died over and over again. Endlessly.

To the point where death was merely a number to him.

All of it was for this one moment.

"Be glad you got to live as long as you did. If not because I allowed it, you wouldn't have lived as long as you did."

Had he not recovered his memories and power this late, he would have long since killed him. What he was doing now was something he should've done a while back but didn't.

...It was the last thing that he needed to do.

"Ukh!"

tightened his grip on his neck, staring deeply into

still seemed to be able to get a few words

are you

was trying to kill him. He already

to comprehend was the reason why Kevin would

benefit would such action

such a

neck. Once again staring deeply into his eyes,

approach wasn't crazy... Had it been another time, maybe you would've been able to accomplish what you set out to do. Perhaps humanity wouldn't really

Crack—!

limped over Kevin's hand as the sound of

against my interests, and for that,

that, the leader of the Monolith, and an

Thump—!

his limp trembled, and he quickly brought his hand up to cover his

"Pffff."

to spurt over his hand as his face began to turn pale, and he

Bu..thump! Bu..thump! Bu..thump!

and move, he was almost able to feel his heart thumping against the back of his throat. He felt a sense of powerlessness wash over his body, and he fell to the ground while

"Ugh…a

single second seemed like an

though he was

his shirt tightly, he rolled around

"Pffff."

It took everything that he had in him

allow himself to

Not yet.

don't have much

***

Human Domain.

along the derelict

Clank—! Clank—!

the members of the Monolith. There was blood everywhere on the ground, and

and one could faintly hear the screams of desperation coming

above in the

Boom—!

already, you old

voice echoed through the air. It belonged to a girl with orange hair who was covered in orange armor. The armor complimented her

the opposite direction from her, and as she did

"Y-ou…"

was all over her face,

did you

wasn't supposed to be

eliminate their forces. How was it possible for someone of Monica's stature to show up? She wasn't supposed to

It didn't make sense!

take such

'Did…did he betray us?'

faint memory of what happened a little while back

It was the only explanation she could come up

"Don't tell me…"

Beeep—! Beeep—! Beeep—!

an alarming beeping

it! Damn

what she was saying before her body began to

Booooooom—!

suddenly illuminated by a blinding light, which was accompanied by a deafening boom that seemed to travel in waves and shook

it, resulting in a mushroom cloud

desolate landscape was

followed by an eerie silence, followed by what was comparable to the cracking sound of a