THE VILLAIN'S POV Chapter 696: The True Star Descends

"You claim your King is our sole salvation against Agaroth... yet he suffered defeat, did he not?"

Snow questioned him with a calm, analytical tone.

"Nameless fell to Agaroth in the distant past. Based on my knowledge of the Demon King... his most formidable trait, the Devourer that consumes all existence, grants him limitless strength that grows without end."

In his past as the Pure Vessel, Snow had once stood against Agaroth...

And he had been crushed completely.

Through that harrowing conflict, a single, chilling reality had become clear to him:

Agaroth wielded a power capable of shattering the world...

The terrifying strength of a Devouring monster.

A creature that evolves by feasting upon others and usurping their innate talents.

"I am certain that the Demon King has surpassed the power he held during his clash with Nameless... even a marginal increase would be more than enough to tip the scales."

Snow’s voice was heavy with conviction.

Adyr offered no rebuttal; he simply couldn't.

While Nameless had succeeded in sealing Agaroth within Helmund...

He had only restricted his physical presence, not his growing power.

Since that era, Agaroth had engaged in countless skirmishes with the First Upper One, Crimson.

This meant Agaroth had never been truly stagnant; he had continued to evolve.

Essentially, the Agaroth of the present day was far more potent than the version Nameless had once battled.

"So, how can you expect victory by relying solely on the power of Nameless?"

Snow’s inquiry was sharp, fueled by the unsettling thought that his friend might be nothing more than a vessel intended to be consumed by another soul.

The surrounding listeners were left in stunned silence by the exchange.

Until this moment, they hadn't grasped even a fraction of the hidden truth.

In response, Adyr shifted his gaze toward Frey.

"Frey Starlight... is different."

"What are you implying?" Snow asked, his brow furrowing.

After a brief pause of hesitation, Adyr elaborated:

"What I’m about to tell you is merely my own speculation... for I do not fully comprehend the intricate designs of my Lord or Gehrman. However, of this I am certain: Frey Starlight is not who he was before."

"When Nameless makes his return this time, he won't be in the same state as when he was defeated by Agaroth. He shall return with even greater power."

Adyr spoke with a fierce, unwavering certainty.

It was faith.

Absolute, unyielding faith.

"Following his loss to the Demon King, my Lord crafted a sophisticated, long-term strategy... one that only he and Gehrman truly understood. If a path to triumph exists, it is found only through him."

Snow fell into a pensive silence.

Was Frey actually Nameless himself?

Or was he a separate entity entirely?

What did Adyr mean by labeling him as "different"?

What exactly was the nature of Frey Starlight?

"...Discussing the Demon King feels premature when we haven't even overcome the Fourth Seat and his subordinates," Snow eventually muttered, letting out a weary sigh.

He found the talk of "Nameless" deeply unsettling.

Nevertheless, he decided to wait...

To witness Frey’s own perspective first.

For now, the focus had to remain on the ongoing conflict.

"You claim to be our ally... is your Shadow Sect prepared to stand with humanity in this struggle?"

Adyr gave a firm nod.

"As long as my Lord remains among you... we shall fight by your side until the very end."

"Very well," Snow conceded.

"I doubt you'll be of much use in your current condition... but if your comrades possess the strength you previously displayed, that will suffice for me."

He then addressed the members of the elite class.

"Listen, everyone. I realize these revelations are overwhelming, but adaptation is mandatory. The trials ahead will be far more brutal than anything we have faced."

The period of preparation had ended.

The upcoming confrontations would be at the SSS-rank level and beyond.

Snow established a new immediate objective:

He had to reach the SSS-rank.

Only then could he begin the process of reclaiming the portion of the Light Soul that Agaroth had plundered.

That fragment was currently in the possession of Nito—who held the ninth rank among the Upper Demons despite not being a true demon.

Agaroth was capable of duplicating powers and bestowing them upon his servants...

But Snow was convinced that the Light Soul had not been "granted."

Simply because Agaroth was incapable of wielding it.

It was the one energy fundamentally designed to destroy demons.

In other words, if Geppetto had truly handed the Light Spirit to Nito, then it was the genuine Light Spirit Snow had been hunting for all this time.

The myths surrounding Nameless were indeed incredible, but Snow had no desire to depend on him or the secretive plots of the Shadow Sect.

Snow had already committed to his own path, and he intended to follow it to its conclusion.

Many mysteries remained unsolved.

Yet, the knowledge he possessed was enough for the moment.

It was enough to fuel his drive for greater power.

Such was the determination of the White Knight of Earth.

Meanwhile, Frey Starlight remained in a deep slumber... awaiting the instant his eyes would open so he could rejoin the fray.

...

...

...

Far from the headquarters of the Shadow Sect...

The Empire was descending into total turmoil.

Geppetto had launched an assault on the human realms, leading a legion of the undead and several formidable High Demons.

The onslaught was so swift and brutal that thousands of humans perished within the first hour.

However, the Empire soon witnessed a counter-attack as ancient legends emerged to repel the invaders... obliterating a massive portion of Geppetto’s corpse army in response.

"What is the meaning of this?"

Geppetto spat out a curse, feeling the mental backlash as dozens of his puppeted thralls were destroyed—the sensation pricking him like shards of ice.

This was the impact of the returning heroes.

From the Starlight Family, a peerless swordsman had appeared... a master of the Star-Dust Style, which he had elevated to a divine, celestial rank.

He darted across the field like a meteor... radiant and swift, single-handedly wiping out entire legions of the dead.

Similarly, a figure from the Sunlight Family had surfaced, possessing an even more savage temperament.

This warrior unleashed the Flames of Elyos upon the demonic ranks—a fire that surpassed the heat of the sun, vaporizing entire battalions.

His method of combat was chaotic and explosive... a literal inferno that left massive, scorched craters in its wake.

These two individuals wrought a level of destruction not seen since the Great War of the first age.

As for the Moonlight Family...

The massive doors of the Grand Library had swung open.

Thousands of refugees found sanctuary within its hallowed halls.

Inside, the sightless librarian Rem stood guard, accompanied by a young girl who was holding back the demonic tides entirely on her own.

No one could have predicted that the young Azura would possess power rivaling that of Semiramis, the legendary first Matriarch of the Moonlight line.

These three champions alone were sufficient to deal heavy blows to the demon army, stoking Geppetto’s mounting rage.

"After lurking in the shadows for so long, they finally decide to show their faces?

Fine. That’s perfectly fine."

Geppetto let out a soft, sinister chuckle before turning to the figure standing in his shadow.

"The one who shall butcher humanity this time will be one of their own kind!

Go. Let them taste true despair.

Wipe them out until not a single soul remains!"

The man wearing the mask stepped forward.

With a slow, deliberate motion, he pulled away the fabric hiding his features.

He appeared to be in his early forties, sporting a light beard and flowing black hair.

His eyes glowed with a brilliant white radiance... yet they were warped by a profound, all-consuming darkness.

"The True Star... Abraham Starlight.

The time has come for you to take the stage once more."

Geppetto laughed with manic glee, signaling for Abraham to go forth and decapitate the leadership of the Great Families.

"This particular corpse is the finest prize I have ever claimed...

It shall be my path into the Top Ten High Demons!"

Geppetto’s grin was wide, his eyes gleaming with a mixture of ambition and insanity.

The Thirteenth Rank intended to ascend the hierarchy... and he would use this war to do it.

The humans were still unaware...

That the most brilliant star they once worshipped...

Had returned not to save them...

But to act as their grim reaper.