THE VILLAIN'S POV Chapter 801 A Smile in the Snow (1)

Emperor Kalameet claimed swift victory in the duel pitting the Pantheon against the Light Bearer.

Snow departed in silence by contrast, conceding defeat without any objection.

Beneath the stares of all present, he slowly vanished amid the Dark Forest's trees.

"He resembles him…" Kalameet remarked, causing his silver armor and spear to fade away.

Fulghor stood beside him, arms crossed over his chest, as he turned to face the Dragon Emperor.

"Resembles who?"

"The current Lord of Light…" Kalameet replied, his fist clenching gradually.

Numbness persisted in his body after withstanding the immense power from Snow's merging of two world-breaking abilities.

Snow's accomplishment stood as no minor deed—a triumph exceeding even those of numerous supreme tyrants. And he achieved it at the initial stage of the SSS rank.

"…Orsted."

After voicing the name of the second Lord of Light, Kalameet sank into contemplation, his fervor cooling as he set aside deeper musings.

Having forged an alliance with the Shadow Sect for the impending war, the Pantheon's warriors chose not to leave. They would stay inside the Sect.

"The coming war will not be long," Fulghor declared while approaching Gehrman. "It will be decided in a single, large-scale battle."

Gehrman agreed with that assessment.

"We hold the advantage for now. But victory is not guaranteed. We do not know who the Duchy of Hell will send… and Amon's full strength—especially the world-breaking ability he keeps hidden—remains unknown."

Fulghor eyed Gehrman briefly before raising his eyes skyward.

"Under normal circumstances, I would advise you to reconsider waging a battle whose outcome we cannot foresee. But I understand this war is necessary for what you seek to achieve… is it not?"

Gehrman gave a nod.

"That is correct."

Fulghor reached his conclusion upon hearing those words.

"Very well. Then we will wage this war with everything we have."

Silence fell between the Shadow Sect's War General and Gehrman after he spoke.

They ranked among the most formidable warriors in history... battle-hardened men forged over endless years of combat.

Even they sensed unease about the looming clash.

No battle of such colossal scale had ever graced Earth's history.

The demons would bring their genuine primary forces this time. It wouldn't resemble the trivial skirmishes of before.

The Shadow Sect had assembled every fighter at their disposal in retaliation.

Unpredictability shrouded the result.

Yet the conclusion loomed inescapably close.

…

…

Away from the spot where Gehrman and his allies gathered—

Snow Lionheart advanced at a sluggish pace, his steps growing ever more burdensome.

He had entered the Sect already and now traversed its areas teeming with human survivors.

Suddenly, balance escaped him; he braced against a wall to regulate his breath.

His features betrayed utter fatigue and drain as a weak chuckle escaped his lips.

"I still have a long way to go…"

Despite mimicking Agaroth's ancient feat from long ago… defeat still claimed him.

Snow regained his composure and pressed onward.

"Reaching fusion is not enough… I must attain a level of power beyond what I once possessed."

Fierce resolve ignited inside him—a true yearning to advance and shatter his former boundaries.

"Even at the peak of the SSS rank, I barely endured against the Demon King… and now that bastard has grown far stronger than when I faced him."

Recollections of his Pure Vessel days sharpened Snow's stare.

During that era… Audrey's aid alone had spared him certain death.

To seize even a slim shot at success, surpassing his prior zenith became essential.

Merging world-breaking abilities marked merely the start.

However, it fell short.

"I need more… more power."

A subtle glow lit his eyes.

He knew precisely his shortcomings—and he refused to linger inferior to any soul.

For a stretch, Snow kept moving, his mind fixated on that lone fixation.

Yet rhythmic cries nearby shattered his reverie.

Curiosity drew him toward the noise, leading to a training area.

Survivors of the last war filled it, joined by bold souls gearing up for the next.

Few in count, their personal might seemed average at most.

Still, identical fervor blazed in their gazes—a steadfast, odd willpower that caught Snow off guard.

He drew closer while maintaining a safe gap to evade detection.

From a distance, he watched them intently for some time.

Men and women trained relentlessly till blood stained their hands. Others drove themselves to utter exhaustion.

"Their resolve is unusual… who is leading them?"

Snow pondered.

His musings halted as a figure neared from the rear.

"Ah! You!"

Calmly, Snow pivoted toward the interrupter—fully aware of their approach from the beginning.

A young man he recognized appeared—a sword sheathed at his side, raven-black hair, blood-red eyes… and a frame unscathed through the fiercest battles.

"It's been a while… Dawn."

A faint smile touched Snow's lips in greeting. Dawn, however, dashed right up to him at once.

"Where the hell did you disappear to? I heard you suddenly left the Sect…"

"Yes. I had to leave to reclaim what was mine… and Frey needed my help."

The first half of Snow's statement puzzled Dawn, though he furrowed his brow at the mention of Frey.

"I'm glad you came back safe. A lot of people were worried about your disappearance."

Dawn's words revealed to Snow that no one had known his whereabouts since departing the Sect.

That didn't add up for him.

Snow distinctly recalled Frey's visit during his breakthrough effort, witnessing him firsthand.

He'd figured Frey would tell the others… yet it seemed he'd stayed silent.

"Where is Frey?" Snow inquired, curiosity piqued.

Dawn shook his head.

"No idea. I haven't seen him in a long time."

Together, they strolled amid the ranks of soldiers, conversing softly to avoid notice.

"Hasn't he met any of you recently?"

"No… he doesn't appear in public at all. It's like he's… avoiding us."

Snow offered little response upon hearing this.

It wasn't unexpected.

Yet it felt a bit off.