THE VILLAIN'S POV Chapter 790 The Forgotten Self (1)

In the shadowy woods encircling the Shadow Sect, two men rested by a subdued campfire, its dim glow cutting through the expansive shroud of night.

The terrain nearby lay in total devastation, resembling the aftermath of a savage battle with thousands engaged.

In reality, this ruin resulted from a fierce confrontation between a father and his son—

an unusual family of real monsters able to unleash devastation beyond comprehension.

Clearly, after countless grueling hours of nonstop training, Frey and Abraham had hit a wall, compelling them to pause for a long break.

Between the pair, Frey wore a profound frown carved deeply into his features.

"I feel stupid…" he grumbled, letting out a hot sigh.

Meanwhile, Abraham chuckled softly.

"And why would you feel that way?"

"Despite all the hours we spent training, I don't feel like I've made any real progress," Frey grumbled, balling up a mighty fist cloaked in dark aura.

"I still don't understand how it's even possible to turn an entire body into pure aura."

Even lacking Absolute Manipulation, Frey wielded immense might from his array of powers.

Nevertheless, he yearned for Absolute Manipulation no matter the price... since even a minor power gain might prove decisive in the future.

However... it remained far from simple. Not in the slightest.

Unlike Frey, Abraham displayed no worry.

"You'll get there eventually," he stated calmly. "A few more sessions of severe beatings should do the trick."

Frey's expression soured at once.

"I didn't know you were this cruel, Father. You never hit me like this before. Where are children's rights?" Frey remarked, gesturing theatrically with his hand.

Abraham raised his head and gave him a teasing look.

"If you're going to complain that much, you'd better master Absolute Manipulation quickly. Because we're not leaving this place until you do."

"I know that already," Frey responded.

He stretched again, striving to disregard the deep fatigue burdening his frame.

Abraham's strikes were ferocious—heavy and ruinous. Withstanding them without regeneration proved utterly draining.

Bruises still lingered even now, despite Frey permitting his regeneration to engage.

Abraham Starlight's power was genuinely horrifying.

Though labeled a Duelist, he fought like an unbreakable tank with alarming effectiveness... unlike Frey, who could scarcely match him without his limit-transcending skills.

A hush settled between them for a moment.

Then Frey offered a subtle smile.

"It's a strange life we're living… Who would've thought that after all these years, I'd be sitting with you by a warm fire like this?"

Abraham nodded, his eyes mirroring the same nostalgia and yearning.

"Fate's current plays with us as it pleases," he murmured softly.

"At times it makes us cry and suffer… and at other times, it grants us laughter and fleeting happiness."

He directed his sight upward to the stars.

"I spent over thirty years chasing the ghost of my old family… only to find it through my new one."

Upon hearing that, Frey gazed at his father momentarily before dropping his gaze.

"In your opinion… what happened to the rest of our family?"

This was a matter Frey had long shied away from contemplating.

Abraham had pondered that question endlessly himself.

"I don't know," he confessed.

"All I can do is hope and pray that they're in a better place than the one we're standing in now."

Quietness trailed his statement, with father and son lost in their private reflections.

Moments later, Frey shattered the silence anew.

"My mother in this world… Anna Starlight."

As soon as Frey uttered her name, Abraham shifted his gaze to his son, their eyes locking.

"What kind of person was she?" Frey inquired. "And how did she manage to win your heart, Father?"

Abraham paused briefly.

Evidently, it was a delicate subject—particularly given Frey's ongoing struggle to embrace this new mother while clinging tightly to his previous family.

After a measured pause, Abraham began to speak.

"Anna Starlight… was a mystery in human form."

Flashes of memories surfaced in his thoughts.

"I won't say much, since you've already seen everything through the memories I once left to you," he went on.

"But you could say she was the safe haven I fled to ... after despair and pain consumed me, after failing to find you for all those years."

"She was fragile… unable to walk or even move freely.

It felt as though she was suffering far more than I ever had. Her life ended before it truly began, due to her illness."

"She knew nothing of the outside world.

Her entire existence was confined within the walls of the garden her overly protective father had built for her."

With each phrase, Abraham's eyes glistened—testimony to his profound love for Anna Starlight.

"Despite everything she endured, her smile never faded," he whispered gently.

"She never gave up on life ... even after life itself had abandoned her.

When I saw her… I realized that I, too, could smile again."

Under the veil of darkness, Abraham continued recounting the tale of his second great love.

"She was the one who saved me from the darkness," he murmured deeply.

"She gave me hope again."

He then fell silent, redirecting his focus to Frey, aware he had rambled on.

"Ah .. sorry, my son. I know this topic is sensitive for you. I talked too much," Abraham said earnestly.

Frey shook his head, a tender smile gracing his lips.

"You don't need to apologize, Father. I don't blame you.

I was the one who asked."

His words carried unmistakable maturity.

"Each of us chooses how to live.

Some cling to the past and never manage to move on, even until their final days.

Others move forward and live their lives to the fullest.

And some remain trapped in between."

"In all cases… no one has the right to judge or condemn another.

We're all free to live the way we choose."

Frey smiled warmly at Abraham.

"I truly respect you, Father. You're the strongest person I've ever known—the greatest role model in my life.

The proof is simple: across two lifetimes, I've never had another father but you."

"You were—and still are—the beacon that lights the darkness within me.

You and Ada are my family… and I'm grateful that you're still by my side."

This marked a rare instant... one where Frey bared his genuine emotions... leaving his father utterly surprised.

"Frey…"

Unbeknownst to himself, Abraham gripped his fist tightly as his eyes grew red, seeming ready to burst into tears.

Yet he rapidly regained composure, dropping his head toward the earth below—

He nearly buckled.

But Frey grasped his hand swiftly, clasping it with care.

Abraham's hand quivered as he bit his lip harshly, a torrent of feelings surging wildly in his heart.

"My son… thank you. Truly… truly, thank you."

Abraham expressed his gratitude over and over.

Frey's statement had at last delivered him solace—freedom—from the guilt he had silently borne for years.

Frey had observed his father's hidden torment ages ago and had patiently awaited the ideal moment to alleviate it.

"Lift your head, Father," Frey murmured gently while aiding him to rise.

"You are a true hero."