[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-villain-s-pov":3,"chapter-the-villain-s-pov-the-villain-s-pov-chapter-85":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},336963,598,"Chapter 85 85: Perspectives (1)","the-villain-s-pov-chapter-85",85,"\u003Cp>It is said that when you're on the brink of death, your entire life flashes before your eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time slows down just enough to let you recall things you never thought you'd be able to in that moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lara Croft had abandoned her elegant bow, clutching Snow tightly as pitch-black spikes reflected in her pupils, expanding ever so slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Overwhelming attack.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Immense power.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That attack was the very definition of chaos—black spikes tearing through everything in their path at random.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elites, led by Ellen, desperately tried to salvage whatever they could. But no matter what, it seemed her story was fated to end here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The girl shut her eyes, bracing herself for the moment those shadowy spikes would pierce her frail body. Yet, no matter how long she waited, that moment never came.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, what she felt was an eerie cold that sent shivers down her spine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She opened her eyes to a surreal sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black spikes that had threatened to obliterate everything were now locked in a stalemate against crystalline ice formations, shaped like towering mountain peaks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Black and sky-blue clashed midair, neither yielding to the other.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slowly, Lara turned toward the source of this power. And who else could it be…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seris Moonlight stood with unwavering intensity, her glowing eyes radiating power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She looked even paler than usual, like a ghost in a white field.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Seris… you, how…?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seris remained silent in response to Lara's question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wasn't the only one shocked—every elite, every classmate in the Elite Division, wore the same expression of disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That girl… she stopped Gavardiol's attack?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ellen muttered under her breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had been moments away from using everything she had to save the others, but Seris beat her to it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Incredible.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Danzo tapped the ice before him, sensing its sheer solidity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This thing… it doesn't seem easy to break.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You're telling me that girl launched an attack like this?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ragna's gaze sharpened as he stared at Seris.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then why didn't she do something from the start?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His words spread through the crowd, drawing their attention to an undeniable fact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That's enough for now… We survived, and that's what matters.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The distant sound of Imperial soldiers approaching confirmed that this grueling battle had finally come to an end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's over…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ellen exhaled in relief. But another voice cut through the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No. It's not over.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yeah! If she could unleash an attack like that, why didn't she do it earlier? If she had, Atlas wouldn't have died!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Exactly!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why didn't you save him?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shouts erupted from the senior students of the Elite Division.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps everything had happened too fast, but losing someone like Atlas wasn't something they could simply accept.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was one of the strongest talents of the Temple, the star of the fourth year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who couldn't accept his death now turned their blame on Seris, as if she had been obligated to save him from the very beginning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her classmates said nothing, just as conflicted as the others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, Seris took all those accusing gazes—each filled with different emotions—with calm indifference.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The glow surrounding her faded as she spoke in an eerily composed tone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How odd… Are you seniors asking us first-years to save you now?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Did one person's death make you forget your own weakness, pushing the blame onto me instead?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She chuckled coldly before turning away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The ability I just used drains all my strength. I can only use it once. Against an opponent of that level, I never once entertained the delusion that I could defeat him with a single strike.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That's why I waited for the right moment… and it came.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her words were so brutally rational that those who had accused her found themselves at a loss for a response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But her condescending attitude did nothing to soothe them—especially after her final remark.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You shouldn't be asking me, 'Why didn't you save him?' You should be thanking me for saving your sorry ass.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You—!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The situation was about to escalate, but a deep voice echoed through the area, silencing everyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That's enough.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All heads turned toward the source of the voice, and a stranger appeared beside Atlas' lifeless body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ghost Umbra placed a hand on his older brother's chest, staring at him for a long moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Atlas' body was riddled with holes, completely torn apart—his form barely recognizable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hey, you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ghost called out, his eyes locking onto someone specific.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It took her a second to realize he was speaking to her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ghost nodded before asking,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How did he die?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing him interrogate her so directly, Ellen frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And who are you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The boy before her was absurdly blunt. He had appeared out of nowhere and immediately started questioning her. But his next words softened her expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ghost Umbra. His younger brother.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Oh.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ellen froze before answering hesitantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm sorry… I couldn't—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There's no need to apologize. Just answer my question.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite his harsh tone, Ellen White complied. She told him everything—how she had failed to stop Gavardiol, how Atlas had fallen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, Ghost simply nodded and lifted Atlas' body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"As an assassin… revealing yourself from the start, shoving your head into the beast's mouth… You used yourself as a shield for others, when they should have been shielding you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"As an assassin, you were a failure. A disgrace to the Umbra name.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silence fell as everyone watched Ghost carry the cold, lifeless body away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You killed yourself, brother… But don't worry.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A strange light flickered within Ghost's eyes as he whispered beside his fallen brother's ear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'll do what you failed to do. I'll finish the mission you couldn't.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That day, an assassin found a new purpose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>---\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Sansa Valerion Pov-\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are you alright, Your Highness?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm fine. There are plenty of others who need your attention more than I do. Instead of asking me the same question a hundred times, you should go help the other students.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At my sharp response, Oliver Khan let out a quiet sigh before turning toward the ruined temple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If only I had arrived a little earlier…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one could tell what kind of expression he was making.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beneath that white mask of his, only his blue eyes could be seen at times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With his long white hair and perfectly sculpted physique, he stood out wherever he went.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If only he had arrived sooner… No.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I had been more aware of my surroundings… If I hadn't underestimated the situation back then… If I had been a competent princess… maybe, just maybe, I could have minimized the damage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hugged myself under the cloak I'd been given, my mind replaying everything that had happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ghost had left me here not long ago before returning to battle. Frey had also gone off somewhere earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were all fighting. And yet, here I was, sitting uselessly, unable to do anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your Highness…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Just Sansa.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ahem… Lady Sansa, what exactly happened? Did you and Mist son defeat one of the High Contract Holders? Did you, by any chance, use that powe—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Stop, Oliver.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I sighed in frustration at his last question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I didn't. It wasn't just me and Ghost there. Frey Starlight helped us too. Somehow, we managed to win… by making it a three-on-one.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Frey Starlight?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I gave a silent nod, making it clear that I had no intention of discussing the matter further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oliver Khan's silence proved that my last words were difficult to believe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had seen Feyrith's corpse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A man like Oliver—someone at the level of a Guardian Master—could still gauge Feyrith's strength, even in death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That's why my words didn't make sense to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe he thought… that I had used that power to defeat Feyrith.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he hadn't seen what I saw.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Frey…\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1292,"2026-05-30T03:41:22.346Z","2026-06-01T04:30:13.202Z",1,"novelbin.me","e8f2eec1e2092de458f4c8a114e24440b95be6ee85360a58f0d7ce57112c72df","the-villain-s-pov-chapter-392","the-villain-s-pov-chapter-84",866,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-villain-s-pov-cover.jpg"]