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!"

his neck, staring deeply into Hemlock's eyes, which shook with what appeared to

still seemed to be able to get

you doing

trying

he wanted to comprehend was the reason why Kevin would

such

worry about such a

tightening his grip on his neck. Once again staring deeply into his eyes, his gaze softened for a

crazy... Had it been another time, maybe you would've been able to accomplish what you set

Crack—!

as the

directly conflicts against my interests, and for that, you

the leader of the Monolith,

Thump—!

did so, his limp

"Pffff."

began to turn pale, and he fell to the ground on

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

his throat. He felt a sense of powerlessness wash

"Ugh…a

moaned out in agony, unable to overcome the pain that he was experiencing. Every single second seemed like an eternity

as though he

shirt tightly, he rolled around and supported his body

"Pffff."

more blood came up in his vomit, and his arm was nearly rendered completely limp. It took everything that he had in

himself to

Not yet.

don't have much time

***

Human Domain.

clattering of metal could be heard all along the derelict

Clank—! Clank—!

fierce battle going on between the members of the alliance and the members of the Monolith.

faintly hear the

above

Boom—!

already, you

It belonged to a girl with orange hair who was covered in orange armor. The armor complimented her body perfectly and covered all areas of her body. Not leaving a

at the elderly woman who was standing in the opposite direction from her, and as she did so,

"Y-ou…"

shot Monica an angry look. Her white hair was all over her face, and her clothes were in

How did you

wasn't supposed

was it possible for someone of Monica's stature to show up? She wasn't supposed to

It didn't make sense!

take

'Did…did he betray us?'

a little while back resurfaced

the only explanation she could come up with at the moment, and

"Don't tell me…"

Beeep—! Beeep—! Beeep—!

morphed dramatically as an alarming beeping sound suddenly reverberated

it! Damn it!

had time to finish what she was saying before

Booooooom—!

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

ground from underneath it, resulting in a mushroom cloud of ash,

rushed outward from the explosion site, igniting everything in its path and destroying it. A desolate landscape was left behind

by an eerie silence, followed by what