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!"

into Hemlock's eyes, which shook with what appeared to

able

you doing

was trying to kill

was the reason why Kevin

benefit would such

worry about such

manner, further tightening his grip on his neck. Once

would've been able to accomplish what you set out to do. Perhaps humanity wouldn't really go into extinction like you

Crack—!

Kevin's hand as the sound of bones breaking reverberated throughout

and for that, you

that, the leader of the Monolith, and an ranked entity,

Thump—!

the side, and as he did so, his limp trembled, and he quickly brought his hand up to

"Pffff."

began to turn pale, and he fell to

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

was almost able to feel his heart thumping against the back of his throat. He felt

"Ugh…a

to overcome the pain that he was experiencing. Every single second seemed like an eternity to him, and the pain in his chest increased with every breath

felt as though he was being burned

he rolled around

"Pffff."

It took everything that he had in him to prevent himself from passing

himself to

Not yet.

have

***

Human Domain.

all along the derelict

Clank—! Clank—!

on between the members of the alliance and the members of the Monolith. There

could faintly hear the screams of desperation coming

up above

Boom—!

die already, you old witch

in orange armor. The armor complimented her

was standing in the opposite direction from her, and as she did

"Y-ou…"

was all over her face, and her clothes were in pretty

How did you

supposed to be

eliminate their forces. How was it possible for someone

It didn't make sense!

take

'Did…did he betray us?'

what happened a little while back resurfaced in her

had an abrupt realization about something. It was the only

"Don't tell me…"

Beeep—! Beeep—! Beeep—!

morphed dramatically as an alarming beeping sound suddenly reverberated

it! Damn it!

what she was saying before her body began

Booooooom—!

which was accompanied by a deafening boom

resulting in a mushroom cloud of ash, rubble, and smoke filling the sky,

A desolate landscape was left behind after the explosion as a result of the

followed by what was comparable to the cracking sound of a