THE VILLAIN'S POV Chapter 833 Beyond Despair (1)

"You will all learn…"

"What fear truly means."

Beneath a sky that had darkened as if by his sheer presence…

And upon ground that convulsed the instant his feet made contact—

The formidable Demon King pronounced those very words.

His voice resonated, deep and heavy.

It carried an immense pressure.

A profound weight that caused every human soul within earshot to tremble—

Even though the majority had not directly perceived the sound.

They were distant, yet they felt his oppressive aura.

They felt the chilling touch of death approaching their homes.

And among them all, the most unfortunate soul…

Was the one standing directly before him.

Frey found himself locked in a confrontation—

Face to face with the entity that consumed everything.

"You… why?" Frey stammered, his voice quivering uncontrollably.

"Why are you here…? Why are you standing right in front of me?"

He found it impossible to accept the reality before him.

For deep within his being…

He possessed the chilling certainty of what Agaroth's presence signified.

With every fiber of his being…

Frey desperately wished.

He pleaded—

Praying this was merely an illusion.

A deceptive trick orchestrated by Amon to destabilize him.

He yearned for such a simple explanation.

But his heightened senses…

His extraordinary perception…

Shouted the undeniable truth.

It was undeniably real.

This…

Was the Demon King.

Manifested in corporeal form.

Radiating his overwhelming, terrifying power.

"Frey… oh, Frey… how truly pathetic you are."

Agaroth's voice echoed, his long, dark hair cascading around him, giving the appearance of independent movement.

"You exerted yourself so greatly… didn't you?"

His smile broadened ominously—

As he initiated a slow advance towards Frey.

"You have indeed grown stronger."

"But you must come to understand…"

"Fate is an unforgiving mistress."

"And time stops for no one."

"I acknowledge… it may seem somewhat premature."

"But there is no alternative."

Agaroth extended his hand towards Frey—

His smile unwavering.

A smile…

Possessing the lethal potential to extinguish any life.

"Shall we commence?"

"The final confrontation."

Those chilling words reverberated within Frey's mind…

As he found himself immobilized, frozen by fear.

Even with the stabilizing presence of Nameless' mask protecting his psyche…

It proved insufficient.

Entirely inadequate against the sheer magnitude of this pressure.

At one point in time…

He had faced Agaroth when the latter had manifested through Ada.

However, that encounter represented less than one percent of the Demon King's actual might and presence.

Now… at this precise moment…

Frey finally grasped the true meaning.

The profound significance of standing directly before Agaroth.

Clenching his jaw tightly… Frey unleashed his entire arsenal.

Black-hole aura.

Soulfire.

Pushing both to their absolute limits.

A vast expanse of dark aura erupted from his being.

It surged upwards…

Reaching towards the heavens…

And caused the very earth beneath him to tremble.

He released his full power… not with the intent to fight…

But solely for the purpose of enduring.

To withstand the onslaught.

To push back against the overwhelming, crushing pressure.

In response to this display…

The Demon King remained utterly still.

He merely observed.

His gaze fixed intently upon Frey and the immense aura emanating from him.

A subtle smile played upon his lips.

"Adequate."

A simple, almost dismissive compliment.

Yet Frey was oblivious to it.

Because a tempest of sheer terror had already consumed him.

Despite possessing formidable power…

Despite the countless battles that had tempered and forged him…

He found himself failing.

He could not maintain his composure.

Not in the face of this monstrous entity.

"What should I do…?"

"What am I supposed to do now?!"

Frey's mind screamed internally—

Yet he was incapable of uttering a single sound aloud.

"Engage him? No… that's utterly impossible."

"I cannot possibly contend with something of this magnitude."

He involuntarily took a step backward.

Unconsciously.

"Flee? Teleport…?"

For a fleeting moment…

Frey considered taking flight.

To instantly teleport to the most remote corner of this expansive universe—

Anywhere as far as possible from Agaroth's terrifying presence.

This seemed, at first glance, to be the most logical solution.

However, a single glance at the Demon King's composed expression…

Was sufficient to shatter that hope.

The monster would pursue him relentlessly.

No matter the distance.

Effortlessly.

Teleportation would offer no sanctuary.

Direct combat was impossible.

Flight was rendered meaningless.

"Then what…?"

"What choices do I even possess?!"

Frey clenched his hands into fists.

He bit his lower lip until it stung.

His eyes blazed with the sheer intensity of the dire situation.

And then… the horrifying realization dawned upon him.

Merely by standing there… doing absolutely nothing…

Agaroth had already systematically eliminated every conceivable path forward.

Every potential choice.

Every avenue of escape.

Leaving behind him… only an abyss of utter despair.

Frey's mind went completely blank.

He reached an insurmountable dead end.

An unbreakable, impenetrable wall.

And ceased all thought processes entirely.

That momentary detachment… that complete loss of awareness… proved fatal.

Especially when facing the Demon King.

And there was one individual who understood this peril acutely.

Nameless.

The sole entity capable of resisting that overwhelming presence.

"Switch with me! Now!"

Nameless's urgent shout pierced the air—

Marking the first time in his existence that he had raised his voice in such a manner.

The sudden shock jolted Frey back to awareness.

He nodded immediately.

Without a millisecond of hesitation.

Prioritizing immediate escape over confronting the terrifying entity.

Nameless was prepared.

Ready to seize control.

Ready to do whatever it took—

To salvage any remaining hope.

But at that precise, critical moment—

Agaroth casually raised his hand.

"No."

"You will not."

From that outstretched hand…

A dark, insidious mist erupted instantaneously.

It aggressively invaded Frey's body…

Seeping into his very essence.

The Demon King's crimson eyes flared with malevolent intensity…

Resembling pools of fresh blood…

His expression shifted to one of gloom.

"It is not your turn yet..."

"My ancient companion."

The instant those foreboding words were uttered—

A transformation occurred.

Something that caused Nameless's eyes to widen in sheer astonishment.

That very same shadow mist...

Had ensnared him as well.

Contemporaneously.

Agaroth had not merely breached Frey's physical form...

But had also penetrated his mind.

His deepest subconscious.

With chilling facility...

He utterly subdued Nameless.

Severing the link connecting him and Frey... rendering him incapable of seizing control.

For the present moment, resistance was futile.

Within the spiritual plane, Nameless's embodiment disintegrated at that precise instant.

A torrent of dark aura burst forth from him, violently assaulting the bonds as he fought to liberate himself.

Yet, it was abundantly clear...

Escape would not be immediate.

"This resistance will not contain you indefinitely..."

"...but it will grant me ample opportunity to toy with Frey."

Agaroth declared with composure...

Subsequently, he amplified his aura.

A silent wave propagated throughout the entire planet.

"Ye demons of Hellmond... and beasts of the Seeds..."

"Heed my proclamation."

"And respond to my command."

"In my name—Agaroth, the Sovereign of Demons—"

"I decree an cessation of all combat activities from this moment forward."

"For as long as my presence graces this realm..."

"The sole prerogative to extinguish human lives... and their associates... rests with me exclusively."

A darker curve touched Agaroth's lips...

Particularly upon uttering those concluding stipulations.

His decree resonated across the globe.

And in that very second—

Understanding dawned upon all.

The Demon King had made his arrival.

Universally... every demon prostrated themselves.

Even the instinct-driven beasts shuddered in apprehension... finding themselves unable to defy his mandate.

The demonic forces retreated.

Likewise, the transformed Ultras did the same.

Wesker, still inhabiting Vayne's corporeal form, also knelt...

Before melting back into the darkness, creating distance from Fulghor.

Even the Duke of Hell—

The formidable assassin Vex—

Withdrew, abandoning his vigil for the opportune moment to eliminate Abraham.

Each and every one of them, without exception...

Complied.

As for the human contingent—

Not a soul dared pursue the retreating demons.

For every single being had turned their gaze toward him.