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

able to get a few words

are you doing

wasn't asking why he was trying

he wanted to comprehend was the reason why Kevin would attempt to

benefit would such action bring

worry about such a trivial

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 out

Crack—!

as the sound of

interests, and

leader of the Monolith, and an ranked entity,

Thump—!

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

"Pffff."

over his hand as his face began to turn pale, and he fell to the ground on both

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

he was almost able to feel his heart thumping against the back of his

"Ugh…a

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

felt as though he was being burned

rolled around and supported his

"Pffff."

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

allow himself to pass

Not yet.

have much

***

Human Domain.

be heard all along

Clank—! Clank—!

battle going on between the members of the alliance and the members of the Monolith. There was blood everywhere on the ground, and significant

and one could faintly hear the screams of desperation coming from those who had managed to

up above in

Boom—!

die already, you old witch

who was covered in orange armor. The armor complimented her body

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

"Y-ou…"

look. Her white hair was

did

wasn't supposed

for them in order to eliminate their forces. How was it possible for someone of Monica's stature to

It didn't make sense!

would they take

'Did…did he betray us?'

faint memory of what happened a little while back

had an abrupt realization about something. It was the only explanation

"Don't tell me…"

Beeep—! Beeep—! Beeep—!

as an alarming beeping sound suddenly

it! Damn

was saying before her body began to rapidly

Booooooom—!

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

was so strong that it lifted the ground from underneath it, resulting in a mushroom cloud of ash, rubble, and smoke filling the sky, which in turn

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

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