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!"

grip on his neck, staring deeply into Hemlock's eyes, which

able to get a

you

he was trying to kill

Kevin would

would such

such

his grip on his neck. Once again staring deeply

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

Crack—!

over Kevin's hand as the sound of bones breaking

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

like that, the leader of the Monolith, and an

Thump—!

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

"Pffff."

as his face began

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

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 in excruciating

"Ugh…a

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

as though he was being

tightly, he rolled around

"Pffff."

arm was nearly rendered completely limp. It took everything that he had

couldn't allow himself to pass

Not yet.

have much

***

Human Domain.

heard all along the derelict streets and buildings that were falling

Clank—! Clank—!

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

limbs and blood, and one could faintly hear the screams of desperation coming from those who had managed

up above in

Boom—!

already, you old

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

her, and as she did so, a soft hue floated

"Y-ou…"

white hair was all over

did

supposed to be

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

It didn't make sense!

take

'Did…did he betray us?'

faint memory of what happened a

It was the only explanation

"Don't tell me…"

Beeep—! Beeep—! Beeep—!

woman's expression morphed dramatically as an alarming

Damn it!

was saying before her

Booooooom—!

by a blinding light, which was accompanied by a deafening

force of the explosion 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

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

followed by an eerie silence, followed by what was