[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-villain-s-pov":3,"chapter-the-villain-s-pov-the-villain-s-pov-chapter-495":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},336582,598,"Chapter 495: The Distance Between Us","the-villain-s-pov-chapter-495",495,"\u003Cp>\"Let’s begin,\" Frey said bluntly, summoning the Demon-Slayer—Dark Sister—and assuming his usual relaxed stance, one riddled with openings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, despite Frey declaring the start of the duel, Frost didn’t move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stood there, still as ice, almost as if he were waiting for something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Aren’t you going to use your other sword? If I’m not mistaken... you fight with two.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frost asked calmly, noting the absence of the sword Frey had used against him in the past.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah... you mean Balerion.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frey scratched his hair with his free hand, then leaned lazily on his blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Apologies, Frost. It’s not that I’m underestimating you, truly ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I just don’t see a need to use it against you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He paused for a second, as the two locked eyes ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>cold mist beginning to spread between them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Dark Sister will be enough.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As those words left his lips, the air around them grew tenser.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soldiers surrounding the field stared in silence, sensing a strange, suffocating pressure taking hold of the arena.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frost showed no emotion. He simply nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Understood.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s what he said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the sharp glint in his eyes told a completely different story.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how much Frey denied it,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>he had clearly just looked down on him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fighting with one sword instead of two ..it was like saying he could defeat Frost using only half of his strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And his casual, lazy stance?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It looked like he wasn’t even taking the fight seriously at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His posture was full of weak points, as if he were begging Frost to strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the Lord of House Moonlight wasn’t a fool.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew better—he knew it was a trap. Appearances could be deceiving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’What I want to know is... how big is the gap between us?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was what Frost was thinking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had survived by sheer luck when he was once imprisoned inside the prison Cube alongside Maekar Valerion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That experience had stolen more than two years of his life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before that, he had devoted himself to training ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially since the incident involving his father ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since that day, Frost had worked relentlessly to grow stronger ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>day and night, without rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That drive had allowed him to leap two entire ranks in a relatively short time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He truly was talented.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the one standing before him now wasn’t merely talented ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was a monster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A prodigy beyond comprehension.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A miracle that appears only once in a century.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frost wanted to measure that distance ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the distance between himself... and the man called Frey Starlight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so—without warning—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frost launched forward, shattering the ground beneath his feet as he surged ahead faster than the speed of sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sheer force of his movement created a sonic boom that exploded through the air ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>and in less than a second, he was in front of Frey.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wielding his great spear, Reimshard,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>he thrust with blinding speed, aiming straight for Frey’s face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Frey bent backward at the last moment.. dodging the strike by a hair’s breadth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frost immediately vanished from sight .. reappearing behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, he didn’t stop at a single attack ,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>he unleashed a torrent of spear strikes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So fast, it looked like he was wielding dozens of spears instead of just one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the other side, Frey dodged everything with terrifying precision,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>his body glowing with a deep, violet aura.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"All you’re doing is running from my spear.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frost said coldly as he channeled his aura into the weapon, Causing the air around it to freeze over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Fight me seriously!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He thrust again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this time... the spear unleashed a monstrous blast of frost,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>a massive attack that threatened to engulf Frey entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frey stared at the incoming wave ..then at the soldiers standing behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had gathered around the arena to spectate ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>which meant that if he dodged, they would be caught in the blast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’I can evade this... but if I do, they’ll get hit.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a bitter smile, Frey realized what was happening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’So you did it on purpose, huh...’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fully aware of Frost’s intent,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frey’s blade ignited with a surge of shadowy aura.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then without warning .. his hand moved like a living creature, with intelligence of its own, slashing dozens—no, hundreds—of times in less than a second.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He intercepted the icy blast with ease ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>shattering it into harmless shards of frost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But just as he neutralized the attack ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frost appeared right in front of him again, using the previous explosion as cover.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His spear .. now massively enlarged by his freezing aura looked less like a weapon and more like a missile made of ice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frey raised Dark Sister and blocked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Metal struck metal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The resulting clash created a high-pitched shockwave so intense\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>it made the surrounding soldiers clutch their ears in pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frost didn’t relent .. he continued attacking without pause, While Frey remained on the defensive, parrying each strike effortlessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both of them became streaks of light, dashing across the arena.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their battle was so fast and brutal\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>that the sparks from every weapon clash erupted like wildfire across the field.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frost was giving it everything he had—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>it was safe to say he was fighting at full power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Frey...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He remained on the defensive, calmly deflecting the relentless onslaught of spear strikes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a few brief seconds ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frey’s face showed something rare:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside those abyss-like black eyes of his,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>everything was moving in slow motion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What the soldiers couldn’t see... what they couldn’t even feel... Frey saw clearly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His enhanced senses could pick up on the subtlest details ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>they had been sharpened long ago to exceed all natural limits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still watching Frost’s spear, Frey continued to block his attacks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Heavy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was Frey’s thought as he took on the full force behind the current Lord of House Moonlight’s strikes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frost’s spear was heavy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Powerful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young lord had nearly perfected his spear style.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were no wasted movements.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His control was impeccable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Frey had parried every strike, he could feel the weight behind them with perfect clarity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While Frost panted, fatigue beginning to creep in, Frey kept watching him a little longer ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>then stepped back lightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He glanced down at his sword, then toward the opponent standing across from him on the battlefield...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And finally spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Frost Moonlight... I’ll admit this much:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was a time in your life where you gave more effort than anyone else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I can’t begin to imagine how many hours you poured into refining your spear.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The level Frost had achieved was one many warriors would willingly give their lives to attain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Frost had reached it in barely two years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His talent was undeniable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frey’s sincere words made Frost’s eyes widen for a moment ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>before he gripped his spear tighter and scowled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are you praising me now, Lord Starlight?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or insulting me? I honestly can’t tell.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He asked through gritted teeth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frey answered instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The first one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I truly admire the distance you’ve traveled, and the level you’ve reached.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frey was being genuine ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>but Frost didn’t like what he heard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don’t want praise from you, Frey Starlight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially not from you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You’re the very monster who makes all this effort I’ve put in... all this progress I’ve made... feel meaningless.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who was he lying to, really?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After everything he had done ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>all the training, the sacrifices, the progress...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He still hadn’t touched Frey once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While Frost gasped for air,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frey hadn’t shown the slightest change since the duel began.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had blocked everything ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>making all of Frost’s efforts seem like a child’s attempt to scratch a wall of steel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now here he was...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>praising him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Praising what, exactly?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is the level I’ve reached after doing nothing but train since the last time we fought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I... the one they called a prodigy...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frost’s voice grew bitter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But compared to you... I’m starting to wonder if I even deserve that title.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had trained in the best environment possible, received the finest resources the Empire had to offer, and been mentored by the greatest warriors from every corner of the land.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was the Lord of House Moonlight—blessed with status, privilege, and opportunity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had spared no effort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet the man before him had already surpassed him .. by a terrifying margin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Frost was talented...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>then what was Frey Starlight?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While Frost mocked himself, Frey’s expression darkened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And for the first time since the duel began...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frey took his first step toward his opponent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Up until now, he had only defended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’ve misunderstood, Frost Moonlight.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment Frey moved, A sinister pressure exploded from him ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The full weight of his SSS-rank aura.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An overwhelming force crushed down on the entire battlefield ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>soldiers all around collapsed to their knees, unable to withstand it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Frost could barely stay standing, his face frozen in horror as he stared at Frey.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frey Starlight looked like a completely different person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This power you see before you...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>is not something I attained through training alone.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1520,"2026-05-30T03:41:22.347Z","2026-06-01T04:30:12.387Z",1,"novelbin.me","5a5bc1314780263adb9562e06ebdc69cd5d364e8965f2e0cc4a03e267b784c8e","the-villain-s-pov-chapter-496","the-villain-s-pov-chapter-494",866,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-villain-s-pov-cover.jpg"]