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 Hemlock's eyes, which

still seemed to be able

you doing

he was trying to kill him. He

was the reason why Kevin would attempt to conceal their strength and only

benefit would such action

such a trivial

neck. Once again staring deeply into his eyes, his

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

Crack—!

hand as the sound of bones breaking reverberated throughout

conflicts against my interests, and for that, you have to

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

Thump—!

his limp trembled, and he

"Pffff."

spurt over his hand as his face began to

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

of his throat. He felt a sense of powerlessness wash

"Ugh…a

experiencing. Every single second seemed like

as though he was being burned

his shirt tightly, he rolled around

"Pffff."

completely limp. It took everything that he had in him to prevent himself from

himself

Not yet.

have much

***

Human Domain.

clattering of metal could be heard all along the derelict streets

Clank—! Clank—!

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

in severed limbs and blood, and one could faintly hear the screams of desperation coming

up above in the

Boom—!

die already, you old

who was covered in orange armor. The armor complimented her body perfectly and covered all areas

woman who was standing in the opposite direction from her, and

"Y-ou…"

angry look. Her white hair was all over her

did you

supposed to be

meant to be a trap set up for them in order to eliminate their forces. How was it possible for someone of Monica's stature to show up? She wasn't supposed

It didn't make sense!

would they take

'Did…did he betray us?'

faint memory of what happened a little

was the only explanation she could come up with at the moment, and her eyes grew startlingly large as she uttered

"Don't tell me…"

Beeep—! Beeep—! Beeep—!

an alarming beeping

Damn it!

what she was saying before her body began to

Booooooom—!

light, which was accompanied by a deafening boom that seemed

it, resulting in a mushroom cloud of ash, rubble, and smoke filling the sky, which in turn made

and heat rushed outward from the explosion site, igniting everything in its path and destroying it. A desolate landscape was left behind after the explosion as a result of the shockwave that traveled for miles

an eerie silence, followed by what was comparable to