[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-villain-s-pov":3,"chapter-the-villain-s-pov-the-villain-s-pov-chapter-17":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},336804,598,"Chapter 17 17: Shroud of the Dead","the-villain-s-pov-chapter-17",17,"\u003Cp>-Frey starlight POV -\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>---\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I need to leave this place.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>scythe-wielding creature wasn't going to let me go—especially after what I had done to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I now stood in the heart of a vast mountain range.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My destination was marked by its distinct black hue—a mountain so unique, it looked as if it had been carved from a precious obsidian gemstone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I glanced to my right, then to my left. Nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That meant I had no choice but to continue eastward. And heading east meant...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I lifted my gaze, only to find a towering mountain blocking my path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Nothing in this life comes easy, huh?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I wanted to reach what lay beyond, I had no choice but to climb.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I flexed my swollen fingers. Could I even scale something like this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a sigh, I pressed forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"From the womb of suffering, the strong are born.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was the one who had coined that phrase.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I repeated it whenever my novel's protagonist faced hardship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, fate had turned the tables—I was the one living it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, I needed to be cautious. If I kept relying on healing potions, their effects would diminish until my body became completely resistant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had to let my wounds heal naturally and use them only when necessary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With those thoughts in mind, I leapt, gripping the jagged cracks lining the mountainside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I pushed my body harder than ever before, my muscles straining as I pulled myself upward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An hour passed—an hour of relentless climbing. My lungs burned from inhaling the freezing air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At some point, I lost all feeling in my limbs. The only proof they still existed was the lingering pain coursing through them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I lifted my head, scanning the distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Still far...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The summit was much farther than I had anticipated. But I didn't need to reach the top—just find a path to cross the mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Until I did, I had no choice but to keep climbing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After what felt like an eternity, I finally reached solid ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Just how high did I climb, for God's sake?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bottom was no longer visible. I had ascended far beyond the earth's surface.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, Frey's body was strong enough to endure these extreme conditions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I sank into the thick snow covering the mountain, catching my breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I ate, restoring my strength before pushing myself to my feet, ready to move on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alright, let's see what we have here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed I no longer needed to climb—the path ahead curved around the mountain, allowing me to continue forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Finally.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I walked across the snowy expanse, relishing the sensation of solid ground beneath my feet after all that climbing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The journey was peaceful… until a sound shattered the silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What now?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A chittering noise—like a rat's squeak, but much louder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the shadows, a small creature emerged, standing on two legs. Its hands were nothing more than three oversized claws, and its head resembled that of a mole.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I recognized it immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Mountain vermin...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of the weakest creatures in the Nightmare. If not for its extraordinary resistance to the cold, allowing it to thrive in mountaintops, it would have gone extinct long ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A second one appeared. Then a third. They crept toward me slowly, their teeth clicking together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Perfect.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I reached into my dimensional ring and pulled out a single-edged sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No more guns.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My swordsmanship was rusty—I had no proper combat style to speak of.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But even my lack of skill was more than enough for creatures like these.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, they were at the very bottom… Rank G, to be precise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I took a deep breath, allowing energy to course through my veins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aura surged freely through my body, flowing into the blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At once, a violet shimmer enveloped the sword's edge, strengthening it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I assumed a battle stance, waiting for my foes to make their move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Come.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if responding to my call, two of the creatures leapt toward me at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thanks to my Hawk Eye, I tracked their movements with perfect clarity. My reaction was swift—one precise swing of my sword cleaved the first creature's head clean off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The second clamped its jaws onto my sword's edge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Idiot.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tightened my grip and pushed the blade forward, driving it straight through its mouth. With a single motion, I separated its head from its body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The third one lunged at me, hoping to catch me off guard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I had been watching it from the start.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as it thought it had me, I struck from a blind angle, my sword piercing straight through its body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like a skewered kebab, I lifted it high. It thrashed violently, trying to free itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blood gushed onto the snow before it finally went still.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I pulled the corpse from my sword and wiped the blade clean.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That was refreshing...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the first time since arriving in this cursed land, I didn't have to run.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the first time, everything went smoothly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned and continued forward. But just then, another creature appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"More?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I raised my sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then came another. And another. Then dozens more. Before I could even count them, the ground swarmed with them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stared at the endless horde, expressionless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are you kidding me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without hesitation, I turned and ran.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was running again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I mean, seriously? Did you expect me to fight an entire army?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ground trembled beneath me as a massive wave of vermin gave chase.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Individually, they were weak. But facing this many at once? Impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From time to time, I struck down a few that got too close. Yet their numbers never dwindled. If anything, they kept increasing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Panic set in when I realized the truth—if I hit a dead end, I was dead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luckily, the path stretched ahead. But now, the creatures weren't just behind me. They were scaling the cliffs, descending from the mountaintop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Damn it...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had no large-scale attack abilities—wiping them all out was impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My heart sank as the path came to an abrupt end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And beyond that end—a massive chasm, leading into the depths of the mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A cave?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Entering it was a gamble. But I had no choice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I pushed my speed to the limit, dashing into the cavern, relying on my Hawk Eye to navigate the darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I ran until I heard a crashing noise behind me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Turning back, I saw the creatures piling at the entrance, colliding into one another in a frenzy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But not a single one stepped inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What's going on...?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had completely blocked the entrance now. I stepped closer. Even though only a few meters separated us, they refused to move forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned my gaze to the cave's pitch-black depths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were afraid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the real question was—what were they so afraid of?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I swallowed hard and took a cautious step forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn't want to meet whatever was inside this cave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I had no choice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Either I ventured deeper…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or I became their next meal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silently, I crept forward, using Phantom Steps to suppress the sound of my movements.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The darkness consumed everything, limiting even my enhanced vision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And somewhere ahead, something was waiting for me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silence filled the air, making the atmosphere even more tense. The fact that I was alone didn't help.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After walking for a long time, my foot struck something solid. Glancing down, I immediately recognized what it was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Bones?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Human bones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With each step forward, I found more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Damn it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lighting a source of illumination here was like inviting death, but I had no choice. Besides, I was inside a cave, so I didn't have to worry about attracting creatures from outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I pulled a flashlight from my dimensional ring and illuminated the area around me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, I could see clearly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cave, now significantly narrower, was filled with human bones. I walked cautiously through the sea of skeletal remains, which seemed endless, stretching far into the darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What happened here?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lost in thought, I was startled by a sound behind me, spinning around instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But contrary to my expectations, there was nothing—only bones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I moved carefully, wary of an ambush.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, I felt something touch my foot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I instinctively threw myself backward. Looking down, I saw a skeletal hand lying there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I swear something just touched me...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>*Clatter.*\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sounds began to echo from all around me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What the hell is going on?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was too much for my nerves to handle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I swung the flashlight frantically, but all I saw were bones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wait... bones?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Realization dawned on me. I needed to get out of here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as I tried to flee, something lunged at me from the darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sharp pain pierced my shoulder. Looking up, I saw a skeleton, its hollow eyes glowing red, screaming in my face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I swung my sword, shattering the undead creature into pieces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Staggering to my feet, clutching my injured shoulder, I suddenly felt the entire cave tremble violently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What now?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Around me, bones began to assemble themselves. One after another, skeletons emerged from the ground. If I stayed, I'd be surrounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Seriously? Are you kidding me?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once again, I found myself running for my life as an army of skeletal creatures chased after me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How long? How long will these damned things keep hunting me?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter where I went, no matter how far I traveled, something was always trying to kill me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crab beast, the mist stalker, The Scythe Creature, the rodents—and now this!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did the whole world want to eat me? I was just a skinny guy! What the hell would they even gain from devouring me?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gritting my teeth, I kept running.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The skeletons attacked from all directions—front, back, sides. There was no end to them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Come at me, you sons of bitches!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I swung my sword wildly, shattering one skeleton after another as I forced my way forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Can't you just stay dead?! Why did you even rise up?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My body burned with exhaustion as the fight dragged on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The attacks came relentlessly, especially from skeletons wielding weapons. Even with my Hawk Eye skill, I couldn't dodge everything, and wounds began accumulating on my body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first, I didn't notice, fueled by adrenaline. But now, my body was covered in cuts—small, but far too many.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I kept fighting, striking them down as they struck me in return.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This went on for over an hour, but the skeletons never stopped coming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The wounds started to take their toll, slowing me down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I needed to do something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After what felt like an eternity, I finally emerged from the narrow cave and found myself standing before a massive rope bridge made of wood and twine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other side was far away, but in that moment, an idea struck me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I immediately pulled a gun from my dimensional ring and aimed at the bridge's edges with my Hawk Eye skill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few precise shots destroyed the bridge's support, sending it collapsing into the abyss below. At the same time, I leaped forward, grabbing onto one of the ropes as the bridge fell apart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind me, the skeletal army also jumped—but straight into the void.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I clung tightly, watching as the other side of the bridge rushed toward me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is going to hurt.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I crashed into the opposite ledge, pain exploding through my body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thankfully, I managed to hold onto the ropes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I think I broke something...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Glancing back, I saw the skeletons tumbling foolishly into the depths, still attempting to reach me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Idiots.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I let them fall and started climbing up the tattered bridge until I reached the other side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crawling onto solid ground, I struggled to catch my breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A burning pain filled my entire body. Just how many times had I been injured since stepping into this damned land?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Forcing myself up, I walked toward the exit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As my feet touched the snow-covered ground outside, I realized I had finally emerged from the mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moon now illuminated the sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ahead of me stretched a vast range of towering mountains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But my eyes were locked onto one in particular.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A black mountain, standing like a king among the rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tears welled in my eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Finally... finally...!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The goal was right in front of me. After all the suffering, I had finally arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I ran toward the black mountain, hoping for the end of this cursed journey.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But just as I took a few steps, I froze in place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was standing there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A faceless creature, its massive scythes extending from its arms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You've got to be kidding me...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Scythe Creature\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I clenched my teeth in frustration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Even now... even at the very end, you bastards won't leave me alone!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scythe-wielding creature seemed to notice me, unleashing a deafening shriek before charging forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Damn it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I drew my sword as my mind raced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What now?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The finish line was right in front of me, but that damned Reaper Fiend refused to let me pass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was it—the final battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was either me or him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let's end this.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",2183,"2026-05-30T03:41:22.067Z","2026-06-01T04:30:13.202Z",1,"novelbin.me","c6f6541e8242009f6fe544c025d391946101140e239710e01d8c4546847b590c","the-villain-s-pov-chapter-18","the-villain-s-pov-chapter-16",866,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-villain-s-pov-cover.jpg"]