[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-villain-s-pov":3,"chapter-the-villain-s-pov-the-villain-s-pov-chapter-179":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},336866,598,"Chapter 179 179: Pride of a Warrior","the-villain-s-pov-chapter-179",179,"\u003Cp>–Frey Starlight's Pov–\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This can't be real.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn't believe what my eyes were seeing…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, what my ears were hearing—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The terrifying wail of that eight-limbed monstrosity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lady of Eight Legs had entered a frenzy, trampling everything around her in a fit of madness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her size was colossal—almost mountain-like. I could see her even from a great distance…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And even from here, that cursed aura reached me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No… that's not the real one.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It's impossible for the Empire to have subdued the real Lady of Eight Legs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She is one of the Three Nightmare Lords, alongside cosmos and the Abyss Watcher.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words—she belongs to the SS+ class.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what I was seeing now… was much weaker.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once I calmed down and properly assessed the situation, I began to notice the differences.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The real Lady's size is supposed to be far greater than this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Based on those facts, this must be one of her offspring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She looked like she had just been born recently…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the Empire to venture deep into the Southern Nightmare Lands and return with this—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right from under her mother's nose…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Emperor and his family are completely insane.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still… this false Lady was massive in her own right. Just her landing on the island had already wiped out dozens of participants.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they weren't careful, they'd die. Her venom alone was instantly lethal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I glanced at my wristwatch before stepping away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm not crazy enough to take that thing on.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They didn't even assign it a point value—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which meant: it couldn't be killed by us. The Lady of Eight Legs had absurd regeneration, regenerating instantly no matter how many times she was cut down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So the purpose of unleashing this thing…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was likely to teach us how to run—how to deal with entities far beyond our strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whatever the reason…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn't matter to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Survive until the end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pass the exam.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That's all it came down to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>---\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frey Starlight was far enough away—he didn't suffer from the wrath of the Lady of Eight Legs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But for those nearby…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everything changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among them—Snow Lionheart and Daemon Valerion were buried beneath the ground after the Lady's last rampage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of her legs struck close by, and it flipped the land above their heads—though she hadn't even hit them directly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You could say the whole world held its breath after that scene.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The battle between Daemon and Snow had been so incredible, it made the citizens of the Empire leap to their feet in excitement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then came the shock—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Snow wield multiple elements as if it were nothing… left everyone stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the most gifted individuals were only ever born with two elements at most.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His use of all six triggered a violent reaction from the Church, especially from Bishop Plattier, who trembled as he watched Snow fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A blessed one… with such talent and presence…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rest of his clergy agreed—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This must be a blessing from their god.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one they revered and worshiped:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lord of light .\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were fully convinced that all divine gifts bestowed upon mankind came from the great Light Sovereign.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Snow's overwhelming talent was the ultimate proof—the perfect example.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Yurasha—the silent saintess—was visibly stunned by Snow's presence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the blind could see it now—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the one they had been waiting for.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their prophesied hero.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But their hopes…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Were about to be swallowed by despair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the Lady of Eight Legs' devastating attack, both Snow and Daemon were swallowed by the earth—gone without a trace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who knew…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe their hero was buried before he could even rise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tension had reached its peak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A monstrous Nightmare creature had invaded the trial—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And their favorite heroes were now missing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The spectators' emotions were in absolute chaos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>---\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>---\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>---\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>–Snow Lionheart POV–\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A splitting headache… unbearable pain…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My face was drenched in blood, grime, and dust—to the point where I'd accidentally swallowed some of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a struggle just to open my eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was still gripping my sword… but my body felt wrecked—like a giant had stomped on it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The last thing I remembered was fighting Daemon… then that thing attacking us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You could say we'd been buried deep underground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I was still alive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How long are you planning to stay unconscious, you bastard?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My senses slowly started coming back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I heard Daemon's voice nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When my blurred vision finally cleared, I saw something strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The space was extremely narrow—a massive chunk of rock hovered above us, threatening to crush us under its terrifying weight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only thing holding it back…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was that guy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Daemon stood over me, holding up the monstrous slab of stone, keeping it from collapsing on us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And when I looked closer—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There's no way someone like Daemon should be able to withstand something like that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he wasn't in his usual state.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was stunned by what I saw.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only his hair and the top half of his face were visible…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rest of his body was wrapped in a terrifying armor unlike anything I'd ever seen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A jet-black suit with golden, scale-like engravings woven in intricate patterns, as if the armor had been ornately crafted just for this moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From above, the armor even covered his mouth and nose, making him look like a raging dragon ready to devour its prey.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pressure he was releasing wasn't a joke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But thanks to it, Daemon endured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Daemon… you…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don't look at me like that… Huff... Do something—I'm at my limit!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn't know how long we'd been stuck like that…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Daemon's condition was clearly bad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even with the borrowed power of that strange armor, his body had taken a beating from our fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hold on!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I took a deep breath, summoning every bit of aura I had left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Mass Reduction.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With my right hand, I touched the massive slab above us, manipulating its nature—trying to reduce its weight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With my other hand, I tossed my sword aside and summoned ice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ice Formation.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Little by little, I kept lightening the stone above us while simultaneously building up pillars of ice beneath it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Daemon kept it steady, giving me the time I needed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And only after I took on part of the weight did I realize how utterly insane it was that he had held it up alone…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mass was no joke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It took nearly an hour of effort to finally reduce the weight enough for us to push it away and catch our breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Surrounded by my ice supports, I stood to my feet with difficulty, while Daemon collapsed to the ground—gasping for air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That strange armor of his began fading away, visibly retracting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a bizarre process, it withdrew into his skin, re-forming as a tattoo—a massive dragon emblazoned across his right arm and part of his back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I pointed to the tattoo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Daemon, panting heavily, raised a finger to his lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I just saved your damned life… so don't say a word.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I got the message loud and clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If anyone found out he used armor like that, he'd be disqualified on the spot. That thing had to be at least S-rank…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why did you save me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That question bothered me even more than the armor itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Daemon could've saved himself with that power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I, on the other hand, would've been teleported out—disqualified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, he didn't save my life…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He kept me in the exam.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Daemon, sweating heavily, barely sitting upright, took a moment before answering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His body released steam with every breath—he didn't look human anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked like a machine pushed to its limit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's not over yet…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He spoke with difficulty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Our fight… it's not finished. I'm not letting you run away now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I'd been disqualified halfway through, I might not have made it into the elimination rounds—only the top eight qualify. Even with my current points…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We'll both make it through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then I'll crush you in the next round.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, I was genuinely impressed…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By how proud he was of himself—even in this condition, he still wanted to prove he was the strongest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not through tricks or schemes… but through his own strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his eyes, he was the strongest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That passion of his…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Earned my respect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You can't beat me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tch… Empty words.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stepped forward, grabbing his arm and helping support his weight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What are you doing?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Daemon clearly didn't like what I was doing—but in his current state, he couldn't stop me either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You said you'd beat me, right?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then let's get out of here first—your dumb body's already sucked all the air out of this place.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tch… This is nothing. I'll make my own path out.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sure. I'd love to see that.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I ignored him and began digging a tunnel upward. We needed to get out of here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though it seemed simple—it wasn't.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We were in a sealed space.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The air we were breathing wouldn't last much longer unless we found a way out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially with our current physical states…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We might get eliminated in the dumbest way possible—suffocation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that thought in mind, I began carving a tunnel upward—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Carrying a gorilla-sized Daemon on my back.\u003C\u002Fp>",1544,"2026-05-30T03:41:22.346Z","2026-06-01T04:30:13.202Z",1,"novelbin.me","ae30082c3c5a2d7acdbd922abf6b20cab00ddcaf38ba42dd96d8e3b57dab6df9","the-villain-s-pov-chapter-180","the-villain-s-pov-chapter-178",866,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-villain-s-pov-cover.jpg"]