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

able to get

you

asking why he was trying to

he wanted to comprehend was the reason why Kevin would attempt

such action bring

such a trivial

manner, further tightening his grip on his neck. Once

been able to accomplish what you set out to do. Perhaps humanity wouldn't really

Crack—!

over Kevin's hand as the

against my interests, and for that, you

the leader of the Monolith, and an

Thump—!

body to the side, and as he did so, his limp trembled,

"Pffff."

his hand as his face began to

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

to breathe and move, he was almost able to feel his heart thumping against the back of his throat. He felt a sense

"Ugh…a

second seemed like an eternity to him, and the pain in his chest increased with every

as though he was being burned

his shirt tightly, he rolled around and supported his body

"Pffff."

up in his vomit, and his arm was nearly rendered completely limp. It took everything that he had in him to prevent himself from passing out

couldn't allow himself

Not yet.

don't have

***

Human Domain.

could be heard all along the derelict streets and buildings that were falling

Clank—! Clank—!

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

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

above in the

Boom—!

die already, you old

echoed through the air. It belonged to a girl with orange hair who was covered in orange armor. The armor

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

"Y-ou…"

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

How did

supposed

eliminate their forces. How was it possible for

It didn't make sense!

would they take such a

'Did…did he betray us?'

memory of what happened a little while back resurfaced in her

an abrupt realization about something. It was the only explanation she could come up with at the moment, and her eyes grew startlingly large as

"Don't tell me…"

Beeep—! Beeep—! Beeep—!

dramatically as an alarming beeping sound suddenly reverberated throughout the

it! Damn

had time to finish what she was saying before her

Booooooom—!

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

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 made

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

silence, followed by what was comparable