[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-villain-s-pov":3,"chapter-the-villain-s-pov-the-villain-s-pov-chapter-152":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","THE VILLAIN'S POV",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},336839,598,"Chapter 152 152: The Hollow","the-villain-s-pov-chapter-152",152,"\u003Cp>\"Mergo! You damn bastard, do something about your Empyrean!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After what had just happened, Ramiel Callistes was forced to act immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The battlefield was in complete chaos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, the old man Mergo was utterly delighted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why should I? Isn't it magnificent? Look at that purity, that body...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mergo's grin was truly terrifying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is the true exalted form.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ramiel Callistes was now completely serious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Around his fists, a radiant holy power surged, stronger than ever before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Aura Mass.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each hand carried the weight of a ton of raw force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah, this is wonderful...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mergo seemed entirely pleased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But it's enough.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, Mergo vanished from in front of Melina and reappeared beside the raging white-haired Empyrean.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ramiel Callistes stopped immediately the moment he saw him appear there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mergo truly was a master of spatial transportation, and now, he was standing next to his Empyrean.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slowly, he placed one hand atop the young man's head, completely unfazed by his rampage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That's enough, Laurence... Return now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Simple words, yet they acted like a sedative to the white-haired youth—Laurence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gradually, the light returned to his eyes, and a strange expression appeared on his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Master Mergo...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man gently patted the young man's head, turning his back to everyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Melina had already appeared behind them, aiming to strike both the old man and the youth alike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But suddenly, Mergo's expression shifted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOM!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both Melina and Ramiel Callistes froze the moment they felt the pressure that shattered the very ground beneath them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hey...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The source of it was Mergo himself. In his current state, Melina could see it clearly—the horn protruding from the back of his head...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sorry, girl... but if you decide to lay a finger on this boy, then I might just get serious.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mergo's words were no joke—the pressure he was exerting was overwhelming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Melina was just as insane, unleashing her full power as her claymore sword erupted with divine light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Hey, hey, hey… does she really plan to attack?!'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Callistes was bewildered by Melina's stance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That woman was utterly reckless. They were supposed to be defending until Luc Valerion finished his preparation, yet she was plunging deeper into the fight than ever before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hahaha… Come at me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two were about to clash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the other hand, Luc Valerion let out a sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm almost done...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He would soon be able to teleport them all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But his expression suddenly changed as he sensed something wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A strange aura began to interfere with his magic, spreading throughout the entire area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What is this...?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, everyone had already felt it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A primal aura… a chill that gripped their hearts with unease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sensation they would only feel in the Nightmare Lands—the land where the strong devoured the weak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the Ultras were caught off guard by what was happening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the heart of the ruined city of Yharnam, amidst all the blood and shattered remains...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Footsteps echoed through the silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A figure emerged slowly from the distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He carried an enormous weapon—a scythe that was also an axe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Draped entirely in black from head to toe, his face was hidden beneath a mask reminiscent of those worn during the plagues of old.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An ancient hat rested atop his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pressure of an SS-class entity that rivaled even the Lords themselves filled the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mergo laughed foolishly, while Lindman frowned deeply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What is one of the Hollow doing here?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And not just any Hollow…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I never expected this chaos to lure him in… That beast, rarely seen and indifferent even to demons...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ludwig… Son of the Cosmos.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Hollow—a term given to an extremely rare few. Simply put, they were individuals or entities once offered the title of Lord… yet chose to reject it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were incredibly powerful, yet they moved alone…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was one of them…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ludwig the Cursed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wielding that massive scythe…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a single swing—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Terrifying arcs materialized, spinning like razor-sharp blades.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These blades tore through the very ground, targeting everyone indiscriminately—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both the Ultras and the Empire's forces alike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh, dear god…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These slashes were no joke—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Strong enough to sever SS-rank Awakened in a single strike. Everyone had to block them with everything they had.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After parrying them with brute force, Mergo burst into laughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is getting out of hand…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ludwig the Cursed remained silent. It was said that he never spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rumors claimed he was raised in the Nightmare Lands—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That he lived there, surviving and growing stronger in that merciless realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They whispered that his father… was one of the most grotesque and powerful creatures of the Nightmare Lands..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were many stories.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But one thing was certain—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This beast had come to hunt, indifferent to friend or foe alike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some believed that all were equal at birth—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That life began at the same starting point for everyone, only for disparities to emerge later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Others, however, believed that true equality only came in death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But between these two beliefs, there were souls—souls of immeasurable worth—now standing on the brink of peril.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the desolate city of Yharnam, the Empire's squad had already lost one of their own to the Ultras.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now, Ludwig the Cursed had entered the battlefield—an enemy to all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He remained silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only his scythe spoke, carving through the air with merciless arcs, each swing birthing monstrous blades that sought to end lives without distinction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some blocked. Others dodged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That bastard…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Melina moved, her sword glowing with divine light, aimed straight for Ludwig's neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, at the last moment, she altered her strike—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sensing Mergo closing in from behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Where do you think you're going?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They clashed—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Melina, scowling. Mergo, grinning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your opponent is right here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their battle intensified, both pressing in against each other—until Ludwig attacked them both, utterly indifferent to alliances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His scythe's reach rivaled Melina claymore—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A single sweeping arc sent her and Mergo crashing through multiple buildings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Haha… He really doesn't care who he cuts down.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mergo emerged from the debris, dusting himself off, his expression shifting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Should I just kill him?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slash!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More razor-sharp waves came for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a flicker, Mergo vanished—his teleportation making evasion effortless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Ugh… just another mess for me to deal with.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The battlefield descended into further chaos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mist Umbra was barely holding off Gavid Lindman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The assassin had sacrificed his greatest strength the moment he revealed himself—yet even so, he remained a lethal force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given the right opportunity, Mist Umbra could assassinate anyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But today, that opportunity was out of reach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There is no point in struggling, assassin.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gavid's phantom blade was swift—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several fresh cuts marred Mist's body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You're all dead today.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We'll see about that.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mist retaliated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His wounds sealed as fast as they were inflicted—his body mending itself instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All thanks to Archbishop Ramiel Callistes, who kept healing his allies while simultaneously obstructing those wielding demonic power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn't the backbone of the team for nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hey, mage! How long are we waiting?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Callistes' irritation was growing—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something about this whole situation felt wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luc Valerion was equally displeased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That damned Hollow ruined everything… just what is this cursed aura?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He tried analyzing Ludwig's energy—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was neither human nor demonic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was something else entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something he couldn't suppress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luc's expression darkened as intricate magic circles formed around him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hey, you…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Callistes was startled to see him readying battle magic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luc didn't waste words—his voice resonated in everyone's minds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Listen up—things have changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We're not escaping as long as that bastard is here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There's no time to explain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We either take him down—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or drive him away!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His words struck like a hammer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The others grimaced—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were already engaged in brutal combat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, they had to contend with a Hollow on top of it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>High above, Luc Valerion spread his arms wide—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And unleashed a roaring inferno.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Flame Magic: Titan's Inferno.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sky blazed—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An ocean of fire surged, rushing downward in a catastrophic torrent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ludwig slowly lifted his gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Hollow did not move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He merely swung his scythe—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A single arc cleaved through the flames, splitting the inferno in two.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, in a single leap, he was behind Luc.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too fast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And with one clean stroke—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He cut the mage in half.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Luc's body shattered into lightning—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A blinding flash striking Ludwig as a legion of identical figures appeared, surrounding him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Supreme Art: Elements Festival.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each clone unleashed a different elemental attack, striking Ludwig from all sides with a barrage of destructive forces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Explosions erupted across the battlefield, illuminating the dark sky with bursts of chaotic energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Looks like he's finally taking this seriously.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luc Valerion's assault was no joke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, for some reason, it had no effect on Ludwig.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cursed Hollow seemed visibly annoyed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had plenty of targets to kill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In that moment, everyone heard it—a distinct grinding of teeth beneath Ludwig's mask, followed by a surge of aura so overwhelming that the entire battlefield felt like it had been swallowed by its weight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their faces turned grim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No way... Is he actually going to do it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ludwig's aura continued to swell, forming an eerie, ancient clockwork sigil around him, its design reminiscent of an old Roman timepiece.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slowly, its hands began to turn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ha... Hollows really are insane.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mergo braced himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were all elites, yet they couldn't fight freely with their allies so close by.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unleashing an ultimate attack in this situation was reckless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Ludwig didn't care.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now, that ominous clock covered all of Yharnam.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luc Valerion's voice rang out in desperation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Everyone, move! NOW!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hovering in the sky, Ludwig swung his scythe, unleashing his attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Jacob's Ladder.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From afar, one could witness the sheer terror of the descending force—a devastating pillar of annihilation pouring from above.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It spread over kilometers, quaking the land, leveling mountains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ancient Yharnam... was erased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For minutes, Jacob's Ladder continued its descent, its celestial clock turning in eerie synchrony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That immense, ruinous energy reduced everything to ashes, ending the city's long-standing history in a single stroke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the clock stopped, so did the destruction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Where Yharnam once stood, only a vast, gaping crater remained, as if a meteor had struck the land.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suspended in the sky, Ludwig's hollow, soulless eyes surveyed the aftermath.\u003C\u002Fp>",1713,"2026-05-30T03:41:22.346Z","2026-06-01T04:30:13.202Z",1,"novelbin.me","3944f41c4ccc6e78abc4f752b005773138d968a36998f7cee410c59ceb637f51","the-villain-s-pov-chapter-153","the-villain-s-pov-chapter-151",866,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-villain-s-pov-cover.jpg"]