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.

did everything within his power to make their lives miserable and make

The funny thing was…

done

simply delighted in seeing the various expressions on their faces and soon became addicted to receiving such reactions from his

prey, as they were nothing but his

he didn't kill the human child immediately, and it was precisely so that he could see that very expression on

and he did get

spine as he gazed at the

I want

one brief instance was enough to make the Prince want to kill the

"Indeed…"

Bang—!

nowhere, a dark figure materialized in front of the Prince, their extended

Bang—!

crash against something hard, and he

"Euakh!"

indeed pay

spoke, their voice cold and

he was at the mercy

"You fu—ahk!"

Bang—!

head was slammed against the solid rock of the cave once more, the pain

dense, and the force of the

tightened, and he felt a strange suction force drawing the energy from his body, draining the power that his majesty had bestowed

"I-impossible!"

gasped, his mind racing

this bastard possess such power? Did His Majesty bestow similar

the foreign energy

"N,n..no!"

Bang—!

against the cave wall and the Prince's

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

Bang—!

this time, the grip on his

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

over him, and he raised his head slowly,

haaa...

was the first time he had experienced such vulnerability, unable to do anything as someone stood above him, looking down on him with a

back, his body trembling as he tried to

situation. He was defenseless, stripped of his powers, and at the mercy

Tap. Tap. Tap.

figure's shadow cast over the Prince. He swallowed hard, his eyes fixed on the figure's cold gaze. His breathing grew shallower, and

this is

Prince thought, his mind a whirlwind

to such a sorry state by

Helplessness...

never thought he'd feel engulfed him, and the

who

his mind was foggy and his body weakened. He was at the mercy of the unknown assailant, and the reality of his vulnerability

"..."

figure remained silent, their cold gaze never leaving the Prince. The tension in the air was palpable, and

his mind was blank, and his body

"Ha.. ha.."

grew shallower, and his vision blurred. He tried to summon his inner strength, to fight back against

at that moment that he

Why didn't I think of that?" Prince Solbaken muttered to himself as he recalled the true purpose of collecting

Power...

collecting them was so that

the setback from what had happened moments

Vooom—!

against the ground,