The Author's POV

"Haa… haa…"

I could barely hold my breath at the moment. Something seared through my chest as what remained of the core crumbled from my hands and reached the floor beneath me.

Pain gulfed my entire being as I stretched my hand which was flickering in and out of existence.

The toll that the laws had taken on this body was quite large, and each second felt more agonizing than the other.

"I… haa… haa… I need to go…"

There wasn't much time left. I could tell with just a glance that my time in this body was almost up, and that it would soon shatter.

But that was fine.

There were only two remaining Pillar Masters.

Just two more…

All I needed to do was get rid of them. So long as I did, my goal was accomplished.

'No… there's still one more thing left.'

"Huuu."

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. Indeed, there was still something else that I needed to do after getting rid of the Pillar Masters.

Something far more important, and more meaningful to me.

…and for that.

C… Crack!

A crack formed on the space in front of me as the Pillar started to shake simultaneously.

Rumble—! Rumble—!

Using all of my power, the very air inside of the Pillar started to twist, and the shaking grew more intense. At the same time, the crack in front of me started to expand, and I turned my head.

It was there that my gaze met with Ryan's. The two of us looked at each other for a couple of seconds before I nodded at him, and mouthed.

'Take care of what happens next.'

"Wh… where do you think you're going!?"

I felt something grasp at my arm just as I was about to leave. When I turned my head, I found myself staring at Emma.

Her eyes were burning with a certain something that forced me to stay rooted on the spot.

"Tell… me…"

Every word that came out of her mouth seemed to be a struggle for her. She had a pale complexion and appeared to be on the verge of passing out, but even as she was clinging to me, her bloodshot eyes were focused intently on me.

"I know you know…"

She started, her voice hoarse.

"Y…you've been keeping a lot of things from me, and while I never asked you because I respected you, and what you've been trying to do… I… I can't take it anymore. I'm losing my mind, and…" Emma ruffled her hair, her voice turning feeble, "I…I need answers. I can't take it anymore."

"…"

I stared at her without saying anything. I couldn't do it, and just as I was about to say something, she interrupted me with a question that stopped me in my tracks.

"Who… who is Kevin?"

She ruffled her hair once more.

"I… he keeps appearing inside of my head, and I… I just can't take it anymore. It feels like I know him… It feels like he should be someone important to me, but why… why can't I remember him?"

Her voice was laced with desperation, and when she looked up at me, she bit her lips until they bled.

"You know… don't you? Not only that… you also know what happened to my father, don't you? Why won't you tell me? P… Please tell me."

Rumble—! Rumble—!

continued to shake, and everything around us was crumbling. Even so, despite everything that was happening, I continued to stare at Emma, and I eventually let

out of the

do this. Not now, and not in this situation. I wanted to tell her after everything was done and the situation wasn't precarious, but seeing the state in which she was,

"Stay still."

forward and pressed it against her brows, I could feel the strength leaving my body. But I bore through it

'Done.'

and I didn't linger to see her reaction. Stepping into the crack beside me,

I didn't make a

***

of

were the words that Ryan managed to interpret from Ren before he left. His mind was still in a mess,

Rumble—! Rumble—!

everything around him started

his head, and his gaze paused on two figures on the ground. They were Emma—who passed

was covered in a pool of red. The blood had since

Boom—!

went into panic. Without saying much else, Ryan picked up Emma and then walked to

each step he took, his heart

him. The pain that he once thought he wouldn't experience again started to resurface,

his lips, he moved next to Leopold and pressed

Bang—! Bang—!

barrier formed around the three of them, and right as the shield formed, the cave's ceiling crumbled, burying the three

the Pillar collapsed after

***

[Earth.]

may have the upper hand, but I'm not sure for how

at her horizon where thousands upon thousand of demons were. Alongside them were a

tingling with fear, and had the scene happened in the past, then perhaps so.

the fall of several Pillars, and morale couldn't

Clank—! Clank—!

the land crumbled, and blood spilled in the air. Leading the charge

Xiu! Xiu! Xiu! Xiu!

It's the harbinger

"The harbinger of rain!"

"Kill her!"

greatest impact within the battlefield, it was none other than Amanda. She wasn't as strong as Gervis, Brutus, and Monica, but her every

rained down from the sky like a storm, killing hundreds of demons at once. Her pinpoint accuracy, and power left the demons in despair, and thus

'The harbinger of rain.'

that perfectly suited her

The bringer of rain…

Xiu!

"Argh!"

"Akhhh!"

"S..Stop her!"

sky, killing many of the weaker demons ahead. Many demons tried to

the wrong target. You're supposed

yes, I,

Spurt—!

"Argh! Traitor!"

appear within the area around Amanda as a purplish hue swept the

you! He's trying to backstab

"Ah!? How dare you!"

"Wh…Wha—"

Spurt—!

could get me you

Boom—!

Amanda. Pressing his foot against the ground, black threads burst from the point where the foot pressed, and shot in every direction, impaling

Spurt—! Spurt—!

from the sky, and Jin's figure blended against the ground, reappearing on the other side of the field, dagger in hand

"Argh!"

Spurt—!

away from the demon's

we