THE VILLAIN'S POV Chapter 788 The Path to Absolute Manipulation (1)

"Frey? What's wrong?"

Noticing Frey's disturbed state, Ada moved toward him cautiously.

She recalled nothing of the events that transpired moments ago.

Each time Agaroth seized control of her, every memory from that period vanished completely.

From Ada's perspective, the recent happenings felt profoundly disturbing.

Just an instant earlier, she sat calmly alongside her brother…

Then her mind went blank for a split second, and suddenly Frey loomed before her, blade unsheathed, killing aura still radiating from him.

The very atmosphere weighed down heavily, choking—

like a brutal fight had erupted right there.

Frey held onto that horrifying glare a bit longer before easing up gradually. He sheathed his sword partially and offered her a smile.

"Nothing… nothing at all, Ada."

His hand rested softly atop her head, even as his eyes sharpened intensely.

"Everything is fine. I promise nothing will ever harm you."

This only deepened Ada's bewilderment and discomfort, yet she nodded while concealing her real emotions.

The confrontation between Frey and Agaroth had dragged on for scarcely five minutes.

Shortly after, Frey resumed his seat as though no incident occurred.

Abraham lingered outdoors, while their kin alone occupied this section of the Shadow Sect. Frey had barred all others from nearing.

He conversed with Ada a little more.

Soon, the half-hour elapsed, signaling the moment to head out and meet Abraham.

Prior to rising, Frey grasped Ada's hands tightly all of a sudden.

"Ada… from now on, I don't want you to take part in the coming war in any way. You're no longer our family's lord, and you don't have to fight. There's no need for you to put yourself in danger."

Pain twisted Ada's features.

"You want me to stay here… while you and Father bear everything alone?"

Helplessness quivered in her tone.

Frey nodded firmly without pause.

"Yes. Leave everything to me and Father. All we want is for you to stay safe. In return, trust us. I promise we will come back alive—no matter what it takes."

"You're selfish…"

Ada bowed her head to mask her face from him.

Frey stayed quiet.

He recognized the selfishness in his demand.

Forcing Ada to remain sheltered here as he and Abraham plunged into battle could shatter her spirit if misfortune struck them out of her view.

Ada was born amid a lineage of titans—

Abraham, the legend of eras past, and Frey, the prodigy of today.

Beside them, she bore her mother's frailty.

Amid the impending war's chaos, her sharp mind and leadership skills would prove useless.

Put simply… she'd merely drag them down.

Frey held back those harsh words, though his plea implied them clearly.

Ada could do nothing but yield.

"…Alright, Frey. I promise I won't take part in the coming conflict."

A soft smile lit Frey's face.

"Thank you."

He let go of her hands and rose to his feet.

"Come outside with me. You can watch while I train."

Ada gave a nod.

"I'll join you in a moment."

"Alright."

Frey slipped out of the cabin in silence.

Instantly upon exiting, his face reverted to icy composure.

"This will be enough… The Shadow Sect is the safest place on Earth right now. And Gehrman's artifact is still protecting it."

That sufficed for the present.

Frey ventured toward the woods but halted upon detecting a presence close by.

A few strides later, Abraham appeared, casually propped against a trunk.

"Father…"

A single look revealed to Frey that Abraham had waited there awhile.

"…Were you listening?" Frey inquired.

Abraham faced him, face grave.

"I won't ask anything right now, Frey. But I expect you to speak when you're ready."

A subtle smile crossed Frey's lips as he nodded.

"Yes. I promise I'll tell you everything."

He spoke with full sincerity.

Nothing from his father did he wish to conceal.

Abraham usually addressed him as "my son."

This occasion, he used Frey's given name.

That detail revealed it all to Frey.

Abraham felt rattled.

Witnessing his daughter overtaken by the universe's mightiest entity had shaken him.

Yet Frey's vow held for the moment.

"Good. Follow me."

Abraham pivoted and strode further into the woods bordering the Shadow Sect.

"Where are we going?" Frey questioned.

"Far enough away from the cabin and the sect. I don't want anyone else getting hurt during your training."

"I see."

Frey grasped it at once—

this session would be merciless.

While advancing, Abraham looked over his shoulder.

"From what you told me… you've reached the final stage of that ability of yours, haven't you?"

Frey inclined his head.

"That's right."

He'd already shared with Abraham details on Shadow Adaptation, its seven phases, and each as a distinct force unto itself.

Terrifying indeed…

Each of Frey's seven powers rivaled Abraham's Absolute Manipulator in might.

"Have you figured out what the seventh ability truly is?" Abraham inquired.

Frey shook his head.

"No. From what I understand, the seventh ability won't fully awaken unless I reach the very peak of SSS… or fight someone vastly stronger than me."

A slight furrow creased Abraham's brow.

"Did Gehrman tell you that?"

Frey paused briefly before replying.

"You could say that…"

Truthfully, Gehrman wasn't the source—it was Nameless.

Still, Frey hadn't disclosed his ongoing link to that entity or their budding alliance.

To everyone else, Frey remained merely Nameless's host.

According to Nameless, the seventh power reigned supreme—

capable of surging Frey's strength to insane heights upon fulfilling its triggers.

Frey couldn't wield it as yet.

Thus, honing the initial six powers made more sense now.

Shadow Adaptation's stages amplified with each unlock, and having all seven active pushed Frey's potential to its utmost limit.

Meaning, upon hitting SSS, Frey's actual might would become… boundless.

They pressed on until arriving at a sprawling clearing resembling a primal arena.

"We're here," Abraham declared. "This is far enough that we can go all out without worrying about the consequences."

Frey scanned the surroundings.

"So what exactly are we going to do here?"

Abraham stretched lightly, a brilliant aura surging through him.

"I'm sure you already know. The only thing in my arsenal that has any real value for you right now is my world-breaking ability—nothing else."

With those words, Abraham triggered it.

Frey's Void Eyes pierced the truth plainly.

No longer bound by mortal form, Abraham's frame consisted purely of aura, devoid of innards or solidity.

His reflexes, power, and aura mastery soared to otherworldly heights.

"I'm certain this ability will be extremely useful to you."

Right then, a voice whispered near Frey's ear.

Nameless.

"Abraham Starlight is right. That ability would be an enormous gain. Even I never thought of doing something like this…"

Absolute Manipulator had forged Abraham a physique beyond compare.

It mirrored most closely the Demon King's own form.

"Agaroth has something similar. His body is made of a strange power different from aura—but the effect is the same. Acquiring this would be a massive advantage."

Abraham's chaos-born power even impressed Nameless.

It stood to reason.

Shadow Adaptation and Absolute Manipulator stemmed from one origin—

the Law of Chaos.

Frey concurred.

Claiming this strength would propel him tremendously.

However…

A critical flaw loomed.