[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-villain-s-pov":3,"chapter-the-villain-s-pov-the-villain-s-pov-chapter-204":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},336641,598,"Chapter 204: When Light Shatters Shadow (1)","the-villain-s-pov-chapter-204",204,"\u003Cp>First-Year Semifinal Match:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snow Lionheart vs. Ghost Umbra.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The silent assassin who had never shown his full strength before—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Against the chosen Hero.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ghost slowly opened his palm, staring at it. Thick gloves covered his skin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beneath them lay scorched, hardened flesh—toughened over years of gripping daggers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The finest product of the Shadow Court.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The son of its greatest assassin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"An assassin always fights from the shadows.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An assassin never reveals his trump cards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the creed he had lived by.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And among the roaring crowd, he knew—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those eyes were on him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mist Umbra stood hidden in the shadows, silently watching his son.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since Ghost's birth, his father's words had been engraved deep within his soul.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fighting with all your strength in front of the world—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Revealing everything—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was a grave sin to the Shadow Court.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I want to know…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ghost muttered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He remembered the first time he held a dagger, how he had trained relentlessly, how many had died while he survived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew full well the consequences of what he was about to do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he didn't hesitate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slowly, he drew his daggers, locking eyes with his opponent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I want to know the distance between us… How far ahead he really is.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How blinding was his light?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had the man standing before him truly surpassed him—after a lifetime spent forging himself in darkness?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ghost, who had seen more blood than sunlight ...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man who had always yearned for a glimpse of the light—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was that light… Snow Lionheart?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How strong is this man when he gives everything he has?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snow Lionheart heard Ghost Umbra's quiet voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don't know what you're trying to find in this fight,\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snow said, slowly drawing his sword,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"but I can't guarantee you'll see everything. If you want answers… you'll have to force them out of me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You will.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I'll force you to show your full strength in this battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if it means exposing myself to the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ivar had long since signaled the start of the match.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd roared, shaking the arena.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Snow and Ghost heard nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their entire focus was locked on each other.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The nobles, the veteran warriors—all of them understood what was unfolding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A battle of the highest caliber…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The oppressive tension—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The way their senses erased everything but their opponent—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In their eyes, both fighters had already crossed a threshold few could reach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The long-awaited beginning finally arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ghost merged his daggers together, pouring a monstrous amount of shadow aura into them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All eyes turned toward him as the power built.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Frey Starlight, watching from afar, couldn't help but be surprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He's using it right away?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the stunned audience—and especially under Mist Umbra's sharp gaze—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ghost unleashed his full strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Reaper's Form.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shadows coiled and twisted around him, forming a cloak of pure darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His daggers vanished—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Replaced by a colossal scythe, blazing with dark aura.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snow immediately shifted into full focus, surrounding himself with a radiant aura of star .\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His opponent's strength had far exceeded his expectations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ghost, cloaked in shadows with only his black hair and piercing eyes visible—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Drove his foot into the ground with force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Bring it all out!!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOOOOOM!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ghost appeared before Snow in an instant—like a phantom tearing through reality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even with his heightened senses—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snow barely managed to catch a glimpse of him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a single swing of that scythe, Snow Lionheart was sent flying—crashing violently into the wall, shattering it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ghost spun the scythe with terrifying speed, leaving only afterimages in its wake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The weapon's size continued to grow as he swung, unleashing wave after wave of dark aura and shadow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each brutal strike rained down upon Snow's head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But from within the encroaching darkness, Snow retaliated—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unleashing a dazzling surge of starlight aura that illuminated the suffocating void.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Empire's Hero answered Ghost's attacks head-on, locking himself into a fierce power struggle with the silent assassin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snow's eyes gleamed fiercely as he conjured dozens of ice spears behind Ghost's back, taking advantage of his opponent's focus being locked on the frontal assault.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the same tactic that had helped him gain the upper hand against Daemon Valerion in the past.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without hesitation, Snow launched the massive spears, expecting Ghost to dodge them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Ghost didn't move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snow's eyes narrowed in confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ghost didn't have the kind of body that could withstand such strikes—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So why wasn't he moving?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the silent assassin had no need to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment the icy aura spears touched Ghost's dark cloak—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if they had been swallowed by another world entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shock rippled through Snow—and everyone watching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What just happened?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The question was on everyone's lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tricks like that won't work on me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ghost pressed forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gripped the scythe with one hand—and conjured a second scythe in the other.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The silent assassin doubled his speed, pushing Snow into a corner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Bring it all out!!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Darkness overwhelmed the light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Void Step!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snow disappeared, attempting to escape the tightening noose Ghost had set around him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He reappeared on the far side of the arena—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But his face darkened instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ghost was already there—right behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The assassin clamped both scythes around Snow's neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snow spun violently like a tornado, forcefully knocking the scythes away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flames erupted around his sword, combining with his starlight aura as he roared and counterattacked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two clashed at close range, savagely battering each other.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ghost's colossal scythe cut into Snow repeatedly—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While Snow's strikes couldn't reach the assassin at all—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His black cloak absorbed everything thrown at it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From this close, Snow finally understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That wasn't a simple cloak—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was shadow, wrapped around Ghost's body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A living shield that absorbed any damage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gritting his teeth, Snow poured even more aura into his blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had to break through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had to pierce through the darkness that bound him so tightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"More!!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ghost roared too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Merging both scythes into a double-bladed weapon, he spun it like a pitch-black fan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The massive weapon clashed against Snow's sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snow, now fully ignited with aura, unleashed everything he had.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He conjured lightning, struck with fire, and reinforced his body with starlight aura—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Occasionally, he unleashed sonic waves to disorient Ghost's senses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it still wasn't enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is that all you've got???\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOOOOOOMMM!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snow Lionheart was pushed back, overwhelmed by Ghost's relentless assault.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ghost expanded his shadow, weaving tendrils of dark aura around Snow, trying to bind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All the while, he hammered down blow after blow without pause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The clash of sword and scythe sent out shockwaves so fierce that the audience had to cover their ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They could barely keep up with the battle—it was moving at blinding speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ghost in particular—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moved at a pace that defied belief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is this really… how an assassin fights?\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1140,"2026-05-30T03:41:22.346Z","2026-06-01T04:30:12.387Z",1,"novelbin.me","b127dd50f08a1789b622725bbcbe4439a9b460f5f724cc42fc7702a5acc50224","the-villain-s-pov-chapter-205","the-villain-s-pov-chapter-203",866,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-villain-s-pov-cover.jpg"]