The Author's POV

In most cases, the protagonist of a story would appear right at the moment when something terrible was about to occur to their loved ones or friends. And just in the nick of time, he'd save them.

It always ended up like that…

So, why?

Bang—!

Why did that never happen to me?

Bang—!

Why was it that I always arrived a tad bit too late?

Bang—!

Just a fraction…

If only I had arrived a couple of seconds earlier…

just a few seconds…

Bang—!

"Why couldn't you wait a few more seconds?"

My hand moved on its own. I just pulled it back and repeatedly smashed it against the wall of the cave.

Debris and dust flew everywhere, but I didn't care and just continued to smash the demon's head against the side of the cave.

In the meantime, power started to flood my body as the laws within it started to increase. I started to use that very same power that was flooding my body.

I wasn't supposed to use them…

Every part of my body was tearing apart at the usage of the laws, but I didn't care…

It was because I kept holding back that such situations were happening, and I couldn't forgive myself for it.

At the same time, I couldn't forgive them.

They were just as guilty as I was, and they needed to die.

As a result, I made the decision to stop holding back and use everything that I had, even if it meant risking my body.

Everything…

Thump—!

Only when there were no more walls did I finally stop and throw the demon to the ground.

"You… why didn't you wait for a few more seconds?"

I stepped forward and lowered my head. Staring straight at the demon, my already numb mind became an even number, and whatever color was left of the world started to fade.

"Tell, me… why?"

***

Helplessness.

The feeling or state of being unable to do anything to help yourself or anyone else. It was a word and an expression that Prince Solbaken had heard many times in his life.

Over the course of his life, he had been exposed to a number of situations in which he had seen other people give in to the sensation of helplessness, and he had become accustomed to it.

To the point where he even found a peculiar sense of satisfaction in it.

within his power to make

The funny thing was…

never done anything wrong to

delighted in seeing the various expressions on their faces and soon

they were nothing

immediately, and it was precisely so that

he did

ran down the Prince's spine as he gazed at

I

was enough to make the Prince want to kill the

"Indeed…"

Bang—!

in front of the Prince, their extended hand lashing out and

Bang—!

crash against something

"Euakh!"

should indeed pay for

figure spoke, their

at the mercy of an unknown assailant, and

"You fu—ahk!"

Bang—!

head was slammed against the solid rock of the cave once

of the impact knocked the wind out

he tried to struggle, but the grip on his face only tightened, and he felt a strange suction force drawing the energy from his body, draining the power that his majesty had bestowed

"I-impossible!"

his mind racing

bastard possess such power? Did His Majesty bestow similar powers upon someone

energy within his body dissipating alarmingly with each

"N,n..no!"

Bang—!

the cave wall

the assailant's grip or prevent the loss of his powers. His head

Bang—!

this time, the grip on his

"Keugh... Cough.. kahh...!"

and he

haa... haaa...

more labored, and he felt a sense of helplessness washing over him. It was the first time he had experienced such vulnerability, unable to do anything as

as he tried to push himself away from

raced with fear and uncertainty, as he realized the gravity of the situation. He was defenseless, stripped of his powers, and at the mercy of

Tap. Tap. Tap.

soft sound of a footstep echoed through the cave, and the figure's shadow cast over the Prince. He swallowed hard, his eyes fixed on the figure's cold gaze.

is

his mind a

with power and authority. But now, he was reduced to such a sorry state by this unknown figure... unable to do

Helplessness...

feel engulfed

you.. who

mind was foggy and his body weakened. He was at the mercy of

"..."

The tension in the air was palpable, and the Prince's thoughts raced as he tried to devise a plan to

his mind was blank, and his body felt

"Ha.. ha.."

his inner strength, to fight back against the overwhelming sense

at that moment that

Prince Solbaken muttered to himself as he recalled

Power...

so that

happened moments before, he had still

Vooom—!

a sudden burst of energy, the Prince pressed his hands against the ground, and a darkish green