[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-villain-s-pov":3,"chapter-the-villain-s-pov-the-villain-s-pov-chapter-24":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},336811,598,"Chapter 24 24: Homecoming (2)","the-villain-s-pov-chapter-24",24,"\u003Cp>Oclas Mountains – Starlight Family Headquarters\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside an isolated chamber within the massive fortress, a gate that had remained sealed for an entire year suddenly lit up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, a young man emerged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His long black hair was longer than before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His body—stronger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His presence—sharper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His pitch-black eyes now resembled swirling voids, as if threatening to consume everything around them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then, he grinned and shouted loudly—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'M BACK!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My voice echoed through the chamber before fading into silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I found myself standing alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Huh? No one here to welcome me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I scratched my head. I had imagined making a dramatic entrance…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh well, doesn't matter.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I made my way toward the door ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside, a lone guard leaned on his spear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bored to death, he yawned, having been forced to guard a single room for an entire year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not once had anything happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This place was dead—so dead, in fact, that he had grown to despise his own job.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The door he had believed would never open creaked wide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From within, a young man with long hair and piercing eyes stepped out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The guard's body stiffened as his mind struggled to process what he was seeing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I flashed him a grin—one that bore a striking resemblance to my old friend, Smiley—and waved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hey there~\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The guard snapped out of his daze, gripped his spear tightly, and shouted—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"INTRUDER!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Intruder?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I watched as the spear lunged toward me, but thanks to my enhanced vision, it was practically moving in slow motion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I sidestepped easily and placed my hand on his shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A wave of darkness swallowed him whole.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The guard's vision turned to nothing but pitch-black emptiness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sweat dripped down his forehead. His body trembled as confusion overtook him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He tried to scream, to move—but no sound came out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All he saw was darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few seconds later, he collapsed, unconscious from sheer terror.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I sighed as I looked down at his motionless form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Man… pointing a spear at me the second I arrive? That's just rude.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hey, Tyler! I heard you shouting—everything alright?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another guard rounded the corner, then froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes darted between me and his unconscious friend on the floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still wearing my Smiley-like grin, I waved at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hey there~\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man immediately took a combat stance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Who are you?! How did you get in here?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Huh?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tilted my head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How did I get in? Through the gate. You know, the one behind me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I pointed toward the door behind me, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he wasn't listening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Intruder alert! I'm in the Sixth Wing—requesting backup!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…Wait.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did he just call me an intruder?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oi, you idiot. I'm Frey Starlight! Who the hell are you calling an intruder?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I casually walked toward him, but he didn't even acknowledge my words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment I stepped into his range, white energy surged around his fists.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A hand-to-hand fighter?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he relied on brute strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too bad for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I raised my right palm and effortlessly blocked his punch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Weak.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You—!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He reeled back for another strike, but before he could, a swift chop to his neck knocked him out cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He crumpled at my feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stood there for a moment, utterly bewildered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What the hell is going on? Why is everyone attacking me?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the end of the hallway, dozens of armed guards assembled in formation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some wielded guns, others held bows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They stepped forward, aiming straight at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Eliminate the intruder!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hah?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Expression blank, I stared at them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are we really doing this right now!?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fools fired.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dozens of bullets and arrows rushed toward me—slow, predictable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tch.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I reached into my ring and pulled out a sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn't use Balerion here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My mind calculated the perfect path through the incoming projectiles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With my enhanced speed, I weaved through most of them effortlessly, deflecting the rest with my blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I flipped the sword, using its dull side, and dashed toward the guards ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man standing at the front barely registered my movement before I appeared before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This won't kill you, but it'll hurt.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A swift strike to the head sent him straight to dreamland.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I moved like a ghost, slipping through their ranks at blinding speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each time I struck, another guard fell unconscious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Second, third, fifth, tenth…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A horror scene unfolded in the hallway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A black shadow darted between the soldiers, leaving only unconscious bodies in its wake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Last one.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stood silently, surrounded by fallen guards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not corpses—just people knocked out cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Exhale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Whether it's Nightmare Land or here… everyone just wants to kill me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Am I cursed or something?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stepped over the unconscious men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I need to find someone I know…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But… who?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ada? Maybe Carmen…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned a corner—and froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before me stood a giant of a man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His sheer size alone could easily block out four of me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>White hair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A massive scar running over one eye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He grinned menacingly as he looked at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So, you're the intruder they were talking about?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The giant took slow, deliberate steps toward me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I'd met this guy before… What did Ada call him back then? General Byron? Or something like that...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hey, Baryon, Byron—whatever your name is... It's me, Frey.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Pft. Impersonating a dead man? Ha! That's the worst survival attempt I've seen so far.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What the hell was this bastard talking about? We had met before—how could he not recognize me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There's only one similarity between you and Frey.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Byron smirked before continuing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You're both dead.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment he said that, Byron lunged at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You're the size of an elephant, but your brain is even smaller...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I instantly shifted to a serious stance—this guy wasn't playing around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I watched as veins twisted across his skin while his right fist swelled. A surge of blinding white energy coursed through his arm before he launched a punch at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was like watching a falling meteor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thanks to my Hawk's Eye, I could see his attack in slow motion, but even then, I could tell how devastating it was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pouring everything I had into my movement, I pushed Phantom Steps to its limits, barely managing to dodge his strike and reappear behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sheer force of his punch tore through the corridor, shaking the entire palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Damn it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I propelled myself forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This bastard was an A-rank. I couldn't take him on without Balerion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like a black arrow, I shot forward, putting as much distance as possible between me and the walking tank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then, his voice boomed behind me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Where do you think you're going?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Byron planted his feet firmly into the ground, taking a combat stance. Then, with a series of powerful thrusts, he unleashed four consecutive energy blasts shaped like massive fists.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tch.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I twisted my body midair, channeling all the aura I could muster into my sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ten Thousand Steps of Shadow : Black Cutter.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Four black arcs shot forward, colliding with Byron's attacks. They weren't strong enough to stop them entirely, but they managed to divert their trajectory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Byron's strikes crashed into the walls and floor, obliterating everything between us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Using the opening, I bolted away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was far stronger than me, but I had the speed advantage. He was still a tank, after all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as I thought I had escaped, a figure with white hair appeared in front of me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hah… Finally, some excitement in this damn place.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My heart sank the moment I saw her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Damn it, Carmen... It's me! Frey! Stop!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But battle instincts overpowered reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She moved so fast that even my enhanced Hawk's Eye struggled to track her. A surge of blazing white energy engulfed her arm—Stardust Fist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A single punch from her carried the power of an S+ rank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If that hit me, I was dead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Shit.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Come… Balerion.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a split second, I extended my left hand toward Carmen's incoming strike. A fragment of Balerion's form materialized—just enough to meet her fist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I poured every ounce of my remaining strength into him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A white inferno clashed against a dark storm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shock registered on Carmen's face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But she was simply too much for me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her flames engulfed my body, sending me flying dozens of meters before I crashed into a wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I clutched my left arm, lying amidst the rubble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...That hurt.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I hadn't used the hand with Balerion, I would've lost my entire arm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the next instant, Carmen appeared before me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My eyes widened as she reached toward me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But instead of attacking, her slender fingers grasped my chin, tilting my face toward her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She studied me closely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, after a long moment, she burst into laughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It really is you...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I let out a deep sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Spare me this bullshit...\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1470,"2026-05-30T03:41:22.067Z","2026-06-01T04:30:13.202Z",1,"novelbin.me","5e8884877dddb1506e5cefb6b69c17e80462496be54103ad383ec6881b4ce5b4","the-villain-s-pov-chapter-25","the-villain-s-pov-chapter-23",866,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-villain-s-pov-cover.jpg"]