[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-villain-s-story":3,"chapter-the-villain-s-story-the-villain-s-story-chapter-360":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","The Villain's Story",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},747035,986,"Chapter 360 [360] What We Want To Be.","the-villain-s-story-chapter-360",360,"\u003Cp>No matter how many times he lost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how many times he died.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how many times he lost everyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how many times he lost himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how many times his blade shattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how many times he despaired.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how many times he saw them all die.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how many times he faced that monster…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how many times he fell down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He always got back up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Was it worth it?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sea of blood became restless, something…someone was rising.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Was it worth it?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blood turned into steam, hot steam that rose high up, tsunamis raged forth as the tranquility of blood was interrupted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don't know yet!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The answer finally came, accompanied by a column of fire. A beacon of hope.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elijah soared up high, his vibrant flames dyed the world an orange hue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don't know…yet!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He answered the tower. He didn't know it's worth…yet. BUT!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He would find it, no matter what.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Yes.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The voice echoed, and the blood sea changed into the endless, beautiful plains once again, filled with grass, flowers, and all things beautiful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sky turned blue once again, with only a small amount of clouds. The sun shined its Impartial light on all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[No matter what happened…]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The voice filled his head. Elijah readied himself for what would come next.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You always stood, as a bastion.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed to be praising him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You stood as a beacon of hope, shining its light brightly in an eternal darkness.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amidst an expanse of unending darkness, a solitary beacon of light, standing as a defiant symbol of hope and illumination. A lone source of radiance, piercing through the abyss, casting its glow in all directions, like a lighthouse guiding lost souls through the inky sea of night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You were just like that.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Taking the form of a towering structure, slender and majestic, with intricate patterns of light woven into its very essence. Its core emits a brilliance that seems almost tangible, a pure and ethereal energy that seems to push back against the encroaching shadows. Was that not him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Your story is…]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it pitiable?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it tragic?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it pitiful?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it idiotic?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it Pathetic?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it laughable?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Admirable.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was admirable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was worthy of respect, it was worthy of even the highest honor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To stand, again and again against hopeless odds…even when you knew you would lose miserably?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it not worthy? Was it not admirable?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To lose again and again and again…but never give up?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To die, to see death, to face despair but still get up?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To know your hopeless odds…but even then face them with a bright smile? A smile that encouraged others to believe again?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it not admirable?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You are judged as worthy.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tower's voice changed, and the voice of a gentle mother returned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Climb the tower.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elijah's figure began to disappear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Let's see if you will know if it was worth it, on floor 50.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The world beneath him disappeared, and Elijah cleared the 10th floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You have cleared the tenth floor!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His figure was almost gone. But before he departed for the Eleventh floor…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He remembered the words of the Tower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Let's see whether you can change your miserable defeat…On floor 50.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His figure disappeared completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***********\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Alan Peccator POV.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'What is this eternal darkness?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I thought as I continued my stride in this never ending corridor filled with Darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tenth floor was truly…odd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The previous floors provided one with at least a hint of what they were but this floor didn't…or at least I didn't get anything from it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Trial of Faith.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Faith? Am I supposed to pray here or something?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It can't be that…right? I don't think I have to pray to the tower…hopefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The previous trials at least gave you a gist of what the floor was gonna be…but I have no Idea with this one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How much longer?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I muttered to myself…How much longer do I have to walk in this endless corridor? What else am I supposed to do here?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What Faith?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How long has it been? Half an Hour? An Hour?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should I just use Teleportation, or other skills to increase my pace?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Will it affect the rules..?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I thought. Will activating such skills affect the tower's rules? Like |Dragon Eyes | had done?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, I decided to wing it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I guess I'll just check it o-\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stopped all of a sudden…something had changed. The darkness…was still the same but something had definitely changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My instincts told me, nothing here was the same anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looked around but found only an endless void.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wasn't even walking anymore…I was floating. Whatever was happening…I didn't like it. Not at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[What is the extent of your faith?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, I heard a metallic voice coming from all directions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I questioned, and the question was repeated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[What is the extent of your faith?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once again, I was confused. I failed to grasp what it meant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Extent of my faith? Faith in what?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Faith in yourself.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I fell silent. It was as if this…voice could read my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Faith in myself…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I muttered to myself, pondering over the question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[What do you wish to become?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The question changed before I could even answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What do I wish to become… that's hard to question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After pondering for a while, I answered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I want to be free.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I want to become free from the fear of the abyss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I want to become free from the control of James.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I want to use everything at my disposal, freely, never worrying about anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Is that what you seek?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The voice asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I fell silent. But I knew I shouldn't have kept quiet. Why must I ponder about this? I know this is the right answer…so why hesitate?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I answered, firmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A moment of silence came, which was broken by the mechanical voice pretty soon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You are worthy.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You have cleared the 10th floor!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And just like that, I cleared the tenth floor.\u003C\u002Fp>",1017,"2026-06-02T11:57:26.352Z",1,"novelbin.me","ddb7aa67bea54db7744d287317801ea08d016e79fa815aa9224a783a7627920b","the-villain-s-story-chapter-361","the-villain-s-story-chapter-359",910,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-villain-s-story-cover.jpg"]