The Author's POV

[Agh! Someone help me!]

[M, monster!]

[Help me!]

The room was filled with the sound of people screaming in anguish. They originated from a specific video that was projected onto a screen, and showed an image of a young man with glossy black hair and deep blue eyes taking care of a series of guards in an effortless manner.

The expression on Octavious' face remained the same as he sat in front of the holographic projection. His eyes were as listless and hazy as they had always been.

It was as if the happenings in the projection were of no interest to him.

[Would you like to replay the video?]

The video soon came to an end, and silence filtered across the dimly lit room.

The next couple of minutes were spent with Octavious's gaze intently fixed on the projection. It wasn't until a subtle shaking began in the room that he finally showed any kind of reaction, and he got up out of his chair.

Swoosh―!

The entire room became tinged with white, and all of a sudden, a tremendous amount of pressure filled the space. The pressure began to have an effect on Octavious's face, and for the first time in a while, his eyes began to show visible signs of change.

He slightly lowered his head.

"How may I be of service?"

His tone was composed, but there was a hint of fear hidden deeply within his words.

[I trusted that you would've accomplished the mission without a problem. What has happened?]

An ancient, and deep voice reverberated throughout the room.

[There is a purpose behind why I have bestowed upon you the power that you currently possess. Because you haven't let me down in any way up to this point, you are still alive. That, however... is being tested at the moment...]

As Octavious listened to the voice, he could feel sweat running down the side of his face.

He hurriedly lowered his head further.

"I apologize for the situation."

[…Find the culprit behind the incident and make sure to eliminate them. I do not wish to expose myself.]

"I understand."

Octavious nodded his head, and knelt down on one knee. He then placed his hand over his chest.

"I will carry out the task to the utmost, Protector of the Seat of Diligence."

[I really hope that you won't let me down. There is no "next time" in this scenario.]

until it was gone completely, leaving Octavious alone in the room. While he rested both arms against the table, a trickle of sweat continued to run down the sides of his cheeks.

find the

his grip on his fist, his eyes clouded once more, and his face went back to its

to his suit, he turned

to

***

"It's as I expected…"

to compose myself by drawing a deep breath, and then I sat myself down on the sofa. As I tried to organize the

'Fuck.'

combining them with what I already knew, I was able to

raised my head to stare at the three

the main reason why they're being targeted is because they

absolutely certain of this hypothesis at the time, I had a strong intuition that this was almost certainly the case. From what I gleaned from their recollections, I

my world, he was the strongest person in the

was the fact that he still learned the martial manual or

memories that I saw from Melissa and seeing that they were practically the same as the ones

I can't be too

quickly shook my head and

to be correct, then I

It was too much…

"Huuuu…"

took another deep

was then that I

"…Did you find anything?"

head, I looked at him

I have an idea of what's going on. I just am not one hundred percent sure yet. However, from what I've gathered, you have indeed been targeted, and the reason is possibly because you are all

Octavious! Power has

out loud while gnashing his teeth in

us. I knew that something was wrong from the very

necessarily

drummed over the armrest of the chair I was

happened to you guys, the motive behind

He was a man of great pragmatism

in my world. However, I knew that wasn't possible considering that he wasn't yet powerful enough to deal with them

was thus aware of the fact that there was something

the deaths of the three grandmasters in my world were really not due to the demons, then I'm afraid

only think of one such

still don't have enough

the couch as I

to ask the three

straightened their backs.

something that we can do, then we will

looks in their eyes, I knew that they

It was just that…

scratched the side