THE VILLAIN'S POV Chapter 695: The Empire’s Final Light

Eastern Nightmare Lands – Shadow Sect.

The Shadow Sect's domain had been transformed into a sanctuary for the scattered, directionless remnants of the Empire’s defeated military.

Though Frey Starlight had intervened to pull them back from the brink of annihilation, their spirit remained utterly crushed.

Among the few thousand survivors, a hollow despair reigned; most were mentally devastated by the horrors they had witnessed.

This exhaustion was visible in the way soldiers slumped against the sect’s freezing stone walls, their expressions vacant and silent.

They had watched countless brothers-in-arms fall, all while being forced to endure the suffocating presence of a Rank Four High Demon.

The mere arrival of Wesker had shattered their resolve, completely rewriting what they believed was possible in terms of raw power.

His strength was so incomprehensibly vast that simply looking at him was enough to drain a man of his will to resist.

They had come to the grim realization that any effort against him was futile. In his shadow, their lives felt utterly trivial.

Even SS+ powerhouses were reduced to nothing more than insects when measured against Wesker.

Faced with this reality, the drive to stand and fight vanished.

While many succumbed to hopelessness, others tried frantically to flee the sect, desperate to get back to the Empire and protect their kin...

however, their path was barred by obsidian statues at every gate.

Whether by choice or necessity, they were now captives within the Shadow Sect.

Amidst this gloom, Snow Lionheart moved through the sect’s paths with a heavy gait, taking in the surrounding misery.

The White Knight of the Earth... the Pure Vessel... had stood beside Frey Starlight in the grueling clash against Wesker. Though he bore the severe physical toll of that bitter struggle, he remained upright, a testament to his growth.

He had finally proven himself truly worthy of being called the Pure Vessel.

With Frey currently unconscious, Snow had stepped up as the de facto leader and representative of humanity.

After inspecting the traumatized imperial troops, Snow headed toward the sect's perimeter where the statues kept watch.

There was a statue that laughed.

One that shed tears.

And a third, familiar figure.

The statue of rage... Angry.

That particular statue stood at the vanguard, sealing the exit.

As Snow drew near, the statues pivoted toward him as one, shifting into a combat-ready stance with Angry at the lead.

Snow halted, and a tense silence fell between them.

His eyes shimmered with a brilliant, holy light as he scrutinized Angry’s state, allowing him to sense the true scale of the statue's Cultivation.

A genuine SSS-rank aura was bleeding from him.

"...So you were concealing your strength back then."

Snow whispered, realizing the depth of his own naivety during their previous encounter in Londor.

At that time, Snow hadn't even been able to grasp the ceiling of Angry’s power; he had simply charged forward in a blind rage, convinced he could win.

Now, however, the dynamic had shifted.

Snow remained composed and steady before the guardians. Both he and the statues understood the consequences should he choose to ignite his Qi.

If he fought with full intent, they would be unable to contain him.

Effectively, the restriction enforced by these statues applied to everyone else, but it could not hold Snow.

Despite this, he made no move to strike for two specific reasons:

1. He intended to wait for Frey to regain consciousness, and

2. He recognized that these entities were Frey’s companions, not his foes.

The actions of Adyr were more than enough to confirm that fact.

Adyr was currently among them, his life preserved only because Frey had intervened at the final second, though his physical state was gruesome. Anyone looking at him would find it a miracle that he was still breathing.

The Shadow Sect remained an enigma. Even with his heritage as the Pure Vessel, Snow knew little of it, as the sect had only emerged after his era.

Thus, he stayed vigilant, navigating the dark corridors with caution.

"I am ignorant of your goals or why you fight. But I make this request: protect the humans within these walls. At least until we have recovered enough to return to the fray."

Snow’s words were earnest, devoid of any malice.

Angry was incapable of speech, but the statue gave a slow nod.

It was a silent pact.

"...My thanks."

Snow offered a shallow bow and departed, making his way toward the central temple of the Shadow Sect, where Adyr had directed them to place Frey.

Inside the hall, familiar individuals were gathered: the elite class, with Phoenix being the sole high-ranking officer present.

Others, including Iris Sunlight and the survivors of House Valerion, had been denied entry.

It appeared that only those possessing a specific connection to Frey were allowed in his proximity.

The temple was vast; even with the group assembled, they occupied only a small corner of the space.

Frey was positioned on a stone altar at the far end of the chamber, resting under Adyr’s supervision.

Adyr was there as well, seemingly having just finished a conversation with Ghost.

Upon Snow’s arrival, Adyr turned his gaze toward him.

Previously, Adyr had been too broken to even speak. Now, despite a body that was mangled beyond belief, he managed to sit up, driven by a sheer, indomitable will.

"Warrior of the Shadow Sect... I trust you are now prepared to speak," Snow declared, his patience finally reaching its limit.

Adyr hesitated for a moment before nodding.

He hadn't expected to survive the ordeal. Since Frey had saved him and no contrary instructions had arrived from Gehrman, Adyr concluded that the Engineer did not mind him assisting the humans.

He would provide whatever help he could.

"I am aware you have many inquiries," Adyr spoke softly.

"However, it would be wiser to wait for Frey Starlight to wake. He has a right to hear this as well."

"No."

Snow interrupted him firmly.

"You will explain everything. Now."

A heavy silence filled the room.

The students of the elite class grew tense and anxious.

Adyr was a terrifying figure.

But Snow did not flinch.

Adyr let out a slow, raspy breath.

He was in no position to refuse. His physical form was nearly obliterated, with only half a face and a single arm remaining.

"...Very well."

Adyr had managed some self-repair, but he would never regain his full strength unless his master returned to restore him...

meaning Nameless himself.

"What is it you seek to know?" Adyr inquired.

Snow asked without missing a beat:

"Who are you? What connects you to Frey? And what exactly is the nature of this place?"

These were the mysteries that troubled Snow the most.

Adyr answered plainly.

"We are the combatants of the Shadow Sect. We serve only one King, one Master. He possesses no name, and his true countenance is unknown. The ancient records call him Nameless. And Frey Starlight, resting there... is his chosen vessel and incarnation."

"Simply put, we are Frey Starlight's allies. By extension, we are on your side... so you have no cause for alarm, Lightbearer."

As he spoke, Adyr slowly pulled himself to his feet.

His height was immense, forcing Snow to tilt his head back just to keep eye contact.

"My Lord Nameless was the solitary figure capable of opposing the Demon King in ages past... and he remains humanity's sole hope. The power Frey Starlight has displayed thus far is but a mere shadow of my King’s true potential. Once he reaches his peak... he will stand against the Demon King once again."

Adyr stepped closer to where Frey lay.

"In the old times, we made a pact with the human heroes to combine our forces and strike when the time was right... the moment Frey Starlight appeared and the King’s return was prepared. That moment has arrived."

"Even now, the Great Houses and the most powerful warriors of the previous era are battling within the Empire's borders to safeguard mankind. The struggle continues, and we have a genuine path to victory."

His concluding words sent a shockwave through the listeners.

Nobody could have guessed that the leaders of the Starlight, Moonlight, and Sunlight families were still alive and fighting on their behalf.

Snow, however, remained calm. He was already aware of the truth.