[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-villain-s-pov":3,"chapter-the-villain-s-pov-the-villain-s-pov-chapter-221":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},336658,598,"Chapter 221: To Live or to Die (1)","the-villain-s-pov-chapter-221",221,"\u003Cp>A.N: 3 extra chapters for the recent gifts... These will be the last bonus chapters before we return to the regular release schedule unless, of course, more gifts arrive :)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thank you all for your support!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The days passed...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, that young man remained locked away in his dark cell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From time to time, many came to see him ... his sister, his comrades.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Frey Starlight never responded to anyone. He simply sat there, lost in a daze, occasionally falling into fits of hysterical madness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had been like this for days now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His body, strangely enough, continued to heal on its own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He refused food, refused water ...rejected them all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, his body still functioned perfectly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every day, Frey Starlight became more of an enigma to those who watched him, as the empire prepared itself for his trial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The victor of the Victoriad ...once hailed as one of the greatest talents, the boy who defeated the chosen hero ... was now a prisoner, chained atop cold stone, awaiting the judgment of others to decide his fate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Events unfolded quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet far away from Frey, and the endless uproar within the empire ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back at the hospital that had witnessed Frey's madness and his suicidal outburst ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That facility now lay in ruins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the wreckage and the crumbling building,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>you could still see broken medical equipment and a few lingering stains of blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hidden among the debris was something no one had noticed:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A laptop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A black laptop, still running, its screen illuminated with a simple, unwavering message.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unseen by anyone, it remained like that for days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On its glowing screen, a set of words gleamed:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>> Final Mission: Completed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>– Phase One: Complete.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>– Upgrading Author's Tools to the Next Level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>– Author's Tools Level 1 >>> Level 2.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>– Progress: 91%\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slowly, that number inched toward the perfect 100% ...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>marking the beginning of an entirely new chapter in the story of Frey Starlight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>---\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>---\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Belgrad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The day had come ...the day that would determine his fate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fate of Frey Starlight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the Court of Light ...the place where the empire's most critical trials had been held throughout its history ...the doors opened once more, this time for a boy who had only just turned eighteen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The trial was made public. Every seat inside the grand courtroom was filled to the brim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was almost laughable ..this was the same court that once sentenced the former temple head, Raphael Bloodmader.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, it was about to do the same to a mere student.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Special seats were reserved for the heads of noble houses, behind them the guild leaders, and the strongest awakened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The courtroom was built in a circular fashion, with the accused standing in the center, surrounded by countless watching eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seated at the highest position, Emperor Maekar Valerion himself presided over the proceedings ...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the man who would ultimately decide whether Frey Starlight would live... or die.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All of Frey's acquaintances were present his family, his peers... everyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You could even see that strange alliance forming:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the Starlight and Sunlight families sitting together, side by side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aegon and Sansa sat near their father, while, strangely enough, Oliver Khan sat closer to Princess Sansa than to the emperor this time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound of murmurs filled the courtroom as people whispered about the situation, but the entire hall fell silent the moment the great doors opened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Through them entered Ivar Valerion, followed by two guards dragging a young man behind them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frey Starlight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chained, barefoot, he staggered toward the center of the court ...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>his white hair disheveled, falling messily across his face and body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wore nothing but a dirty white shirt and black trousers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet despite everything, his body looked... flawless. Perfectly healed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It made no sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who could believe that this was the same boy who had once stood as the champion of the Victoriad?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hero who had turned into a criminal overnight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They tied him in place under hundreds of watching eyes,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>and the guards stepped back ..leaving Ivar alone standing there, facing Frey.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ivar inspected him closely...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don't bother resisting. The more you struggle, the tighter these chains will bind you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frey said nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chains wrapped around him were a special tool, crafted to imprison even the most dangerous criminals ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>tightening their grip with every attempt to resist, to the point where they could literally crush the victim's body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seated upon a wooden chair, bound in place,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frey silently waited for the trial to begin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And it was Maekar who finally announced it:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let the trial of the former Lord of House Starlight... Frey Starlight... begin.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The courtroom fell into complete silence for a moment, until Maekar continued:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"First... let us present the defendant's crimes one final time for all to hear.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Responding to the Emperor's words, Ivar stepped forward and began.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The crimes committed by Frey Starlight are as follows ...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He listed the charges:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He murdered thirty-eight individuals ...both men and women during his rampage at the Temple Hospital.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All his victims were killed barehanded, without the use of any weapon.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rumble...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That first charge alone was enough to ignite a wave of indignation toward Frey.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The courtroom stirred with anger as murmurs and shouts for his execution filled the hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But all noise ceased the moment Maekar Valerion released his oppressive aura,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>forcing everyone to submit under its overwhelming weight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without even glancing at them, the Emperor motioned to Ivar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Continue.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a nod, the current Headmaster of the Temple proceeded:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Second... the defendant unleashed a devastating attack that could have annihilated the entire Temple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, it resulted only in material damage.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ivar paused briefly before adding:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Although further casualties were avoided, it is crucial to recognize that the defendant possesses powers capable of killing not just thirty-eight people... but potentially thousands, if not more.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, Frey Starlight could not be treated as an ordinary criminal ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>he had the potential to cause a catastrophe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The defendant also wields an SS ranked flaming weapon,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>one of the rarest in existence .. classified in the same league as the Sacred Sword, Vermithor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We still don't know how he acquired it, but it is suspected that it originated from the Eastern Nightmare Lands, where the defendant spent an entire year.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With each revelation about Frey, the murmuring slowly began to return.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A boy who lived among monsters... and became a monster himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That, most likely, was what everyone thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Ivar wasn't finished yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And finally... although we have yet to confirm it completely ..\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Headmaster hesitated seriously before uttering the final bombshell:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The defendant appears capable of breaking the limits of his talent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His innate potential, initially ranked as A, has recently risen to S.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was as if someone had lit a fuse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The courtroom erupted into chaos,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>an explosion of gasps, cries, and disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many could not accept what they had just heard ...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>some gasped in horror, others flatly denied it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Breaking the limit of one's innate potential was deemed impossible ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>a miracle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A miracle achieved by this boy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, Ivar was telling them:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the boy standing before them was a monster whose bounds were unknown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A monster whose path was unpredictable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the worst-case scenario...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>he could grow into the greatest threat they had ever faced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That thought alone was enough to drive the masses into hysteria.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Calls for his immediate execution roared through the courtroom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn't just the spectators ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>even some of the powerful ranked individuals seated in the special sections demanded his death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amidst the escalating chaos, as the public sentiment heavily tilted toward one side ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An old man rose from his seat and walked slowly toward the center.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every gaze fell upon him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Iris Sunlight.\u003C\u002Fp>",1314,"2026-05-30T03:41:22.346Z","2026-06-01T04:30:12.387Z",1,"novelbin.me","a28fdfed543e6ecc9653eded4c358c97da5767b47e1c8b5f2c94db5fb4f0a272","the-villain-s-pov-chapter-222","the-villain-s-pov-chapter-220",866,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-villain-s-pov-cover.jpg"]