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 their lives miserable and make

The funny thing was…

never done anything wrong

on their faces and soon became addicted

as they were nothing but his

and it was precisely so that

he did get that

as he gazed at the young boy who showed such

I

brief instance was enough to make the Prince want to

"Indeed…"

Bang—!

figure materialized in front of the

Bang—!

felt his head crash against something hard, and

"Euakh!"

pay for

figure spoke, their voice cold

as he realized he was at the mercy of an unknown assailant, and he tried

"You fu—ahk!"

Bang—!

the solid rock of the cave once more, the pain

rock was extremely dense, and the force of the

raced as 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

"I-impossible!"

his

this bastard possess such power? Did

foreign energy within his body dissipating

"N,n..no!"

Bang—!

wall and the Prince's panic

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

Bang—!

time, the grip on his face loosened, and he stumbled to the hard

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

presence loomed over him, and he raised

haaa... haaaa...

became more labored, and he felt a sense of helplessness washing over him. It was the first time he had experienced such vulnerability,

trembling as he tried to push himself away from the

situation. He was defenseless, stripped of

Tap. Tap. Tap.

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

this is how it

thought, his mind a whirlwind

he was reduced to such a sorry state by this unknown

Helplessness...

had never thought he'd feel engulfed him,

who are

and his body weakened. He was at the mercy of the unknown assailant,

"..."

the Prince. The tension in the air was palpable, and the Prince's thoughts

mind was blank, and his body felt

"Ha.. ha.."

his vision blurred. He tried to summon his inner strength, to fight back against the overwhelming sense of helplessness

was right at that

muttered to himself as he recalled the true

Power...

of collecting them was so that he could fuel his

from what had happened moments before, he had still managed to collect

Vooom—!

pressed his hands against the