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?"

his hand, hundreds of projections appeared in

Jezebeth pointed at them.

seemed to care about himself or those around him. He's been going on a rampage ever since, and even now, as broken

had to pause mid-sentence and tear his

realizing that only two of his seven patriarchs were alive. In fact, the realization hit him more than he had

"Haa..."

was necessary for him to rid himself of any of the

his face turned expressionless, and the very air around him started to

he was quick to cut such emotions off and regain

was sure of it this

had happened was within Ren's

would stoop to anything to achieve his

of them started, Jezebeth had this unsettling feeling wash

before, but the more he watched, the more confused

was he planning? What was he waiting

at the fact that you're willing to drive your other self to this point in order to achieve your goals…

of them to see, Ren never showed any care or concern for what was happening in

watched again and

his death, no…" Jezebeth corrected himself, "You are driving him to his death, aren't

at that moment, and Ren's expression

Jezebeth continued.

very beginning that his mindset was still not quite there yet… and in order to perfect it, you chose to sacrifice one of the people he was close

It had to be.

clearer and rid

he thought about it, the

the other version

was someone who tended

the incident 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

consumed a lot of time,

fact that Ren could absorb the laws

the Protectors, and it was at that moment

that it was impossible for him to kill all of the Seven Patriarchs unless he was this way… Your goal is to absorb everything that he managed to collect? You drove him into a corner so that he'd reach this point,

"That's enough."

Jezebeth off in the middle of his

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

you nodding for?

"Partially."

Ren didn't deny it.

of the things that Jezebeth had pointed out were indeed true. That being said, not all of

point in correcting

figured it out a bit later than

"Haha."

Jezebeth laughed lightly.

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

"That's a pity."

"Mhm. Indeed…"

at Ren. After that, the water snake that had been winding itself around his body suddenly twisted