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.]

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. Heavy was his

find the

once more,

suit, he turned around and quickly exited

going to personally

***

"It's as I expected…"

sat myself down on the sofa. As I tried to organize the thoughts and images floating around in my head, I noticed that the noise that was occurring around me

'Fuck.'

very little from the memories, but by combining them with what I already knew, I was able to form a hypothesis, which left me in a state of complete

head to stare at the three grandmasters

wrong, the main reason why they're being

a strong intuition that this was almost certainly the case. From what I gleaned from

world, or my world, he was the

fact that he still learned the martial manual or skill that

that back when I saw him at the Union Tower, and thinking back at the memories that I saw from Melissa and seeing that they were practically the same as the ones from

I can't be too sure just

quickly shook my head and

proved to be correct, then I wouldn't know how

It was too much…

"Huuuu…"

another deep

that I

"…Did you find anything?"

I looked at him and

hundred percent sure yet. However, from what I've gathered, you have indeed

damn bastard, Octavious! Power has

while

changed, he's been eying the three of us. I knew that something was wrong from the very beginning. He

necessarily be the

of the chair I was leaning

the motive behind it is definitely

of person who strived for excellence in everything he did. He was a man of great pragmatism and was the type of person who enjoyed

of the three grandmasters who lived in my

aware of the fact that there

the demons, then I'm afraid there's

could only think

still don't have enough evidence

seat, bracing my hands against the edge of the couch as I

need to ask the

straightened their

do, then we will

in their eyes, I knew that

It was just that…

scratched the side