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.

very same expression, he did everything within his power to make

The funny thing was…

never done anything wrong

various expressions on their faces and soon became addicted to receiving

prey, as they were nothing but

was a reason why 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 that

brief moment, shivers ran down the Prince's spine as he gazed at the young boy

I want

to make the Prince want to kill the young

"Indeed…"

Bang—!

front of the

Bang—!

felt his head crash against something hard, and he groaned

"Euakh!"

should indeed pay for their

their voice

was at the mercy of an unknown

"You fu—ahk!"

Bang—!

of the cave once more, the

the force of the impact knocked the wind

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 mind

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

he felt the foreign energy within his body dissipating alarmingly

"N,n..no!"

Bang—!

impact against the cave wall

helpless, unable to break free from the assailant's grip or prevent the loss of his powers. His head throbbed with pain, and he struggled

Bang—!

wall once more, but this time, the grip on his face loosened, and he stumbled to the hard

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

loomed over him, and he raised his head slowly, his gaze

haa... haaa...

the first time he had experienced

body trembling as he tried to push himself

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

Tap. Tap. Tap.

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. His breathing grew shallower, and his chest

is

mind a whirlwind of

reduced to such a sorry state

Helplessness...

thought he'd feel engulfed him, and the

you.. who

foggy and his body weakened. He was at the

"..."

remained silent, their cold gaze never leaving the Prince. The tension in the air was palpable, and the Prince's thoughts raced as he tried to devise a plan to regain

blank, and his body felt heavy with

"Ha.. ha.."

his vision blurred. He tried to summon his inner strength,

right at that

right… Why didn't I think of that?" Prince Solbaken muttered to himself as he recalled

Power...

purpose of collecting them was so

the setback from what had happened moments before, he had still managed to

Vooom—!

his hands against the ground, and a