The Author's POV

"Why are you still struggling?"

A soft voice echoed, and a fist appeared before Ren. Cocking his head, he just barely dodged the fist and pressed his finger against Jezebeth's abdomen.

It only touched him, but the moment it did so, it sent Jezebeth hurling back and plummeting against the sea beneath.

Splash—!

Calmness returned to the world, and Ren looked around him. He was in the middle of the ocean, and the sun hung in the cloudless blue sky.

He could feel the sunlight gently envelope his body and bathe it in a warm light. He could smell a rather stale, sulfurous smell coming from the sea.

Such vivid sensation made him wonder if he was back on earth or if this was a separate space.

The answer was very hard to find. He couldn't quite tell anymore.

Everything just seemed so realistic, and if not for the fact that he couldn't see any pillars near him, he'd be inclined to believe that he was back on Earth.

"Have you seen enough?"

A soft voice whispered behind him, and Ren turned his head.

There he saw Jezebeth standing not far from him, his gaze focused on a small projection that appeared before him.

His expression was anything but good at the moment.

"You really…"

As a matter of fact, it was getting worse with each second that he spent staring at the projection, and tearing his gaze away from it, he looked at Ren while sweeping his hand through the air.

His gaze was a mix of complicated emotions.

"…didn't hold back, huh?"

"What do you mean?"

"Don't pretend like you don't understand."

Frowning, Jezebeth clenched his fist. The water beneath him broke apart, and a significant wave rose high into the air.

"I bet… Everything that has happened to him is not a coincidence. The death of his-no, your dad, was on purpose… it was, wasn't it?"

The water that was surrounding Jezebeth began to wriggle and move around his body as if it were a serpent with its own independent will. A strange power fluctuated inside of the water, and Ren couldn't help but look at it.

At the same time, his mouth parted open, and he spoke.

"What makes you think that I would purposely kill my own father? What reason would I have for doing that?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

of projections

Jezebeth pointed at them.

and even now, as broken as his body is, he's still trying to kill the last two… It's as if in his mind,

to pause mid-sentence and tear his gaze away

In fact, the realization hit him more than he had

"Haa..."

breath was all that was necessary for him to rid himself of any

the very air around

the thought of his comrades dying, he was quick to cut

sure of it

had happened was

person who would stoop to anything to achieve his goal. I'm sure

moment that the fight between the two of them

had gotten an idea before, but the more he watched, the more confused

planning? What was he waiting

point in order to achieve your

he displayed the projections for the two of them to see, Ren never showed any care or concern for what was

was as if he was waiting for something… and when Jezebeth watched again and

Jezebeth corrected himself, "You are driving him to his death,

met at

Jezebeth continued.

still not quite there yet… and in order to perfect it, you chose to sacrifice one of the people he was close with. I don't know how, but I have a feeling

It had to be.

did in order to make his goal clearer and rid

thought about it, the

other

was someone who tended

with his father hadn't happened, it's likely that he would have started fighting against one of the Patriarchs after getting a better idea of their power and attempting to stabilize

indeed good, but it consumed a lot of

was the fact that Ren could absorb the

to the Protectors, and it was at that moment that everything clicked

kill all of the Seven Patriarchs unless he was this way… Your goal is to

"That's enough."

Jezebeth off in the middle

him, Ren quietly stared at him for a good couple of seconds and eventually nodded

you nodding for?

"Partially."

Ren didn't deny it.

out were indeed true. That being said, not all of them were true, and he didn't bother correcting

was no point in

bit disappointed that you figured it out a bit later than I thought

"Haha."

Jezebeth laughed lightly.

used to piss me off a lot in the past. Funny thing is…

"That's a pity."

"Mhm. Indeed…"

his hand and pointed at Ren. After that, the water snake that had been winding itself around