THE VILLAIN'S POV Chapter 849 Dark Devotion

Wesker was the first to react, conjuring a tremendous wave of shadows. They amassed, swelling into a massive torrent—a dark ocean intended to engulf Alexander in one swift attack. Yet, Alexander responded with a solitary punch. The torrent of shadows dissolved, vanishing as if it had never been, leaving Vayne's form completely exposed. "Impossible… he shattered the King's Shadow with a single strike…?!" Wesker's face darkened as he tried to summon the shadows once more. But Alexander was already before him. "Too slow." Wesker's reality inverted. Crimson erupted from his mouth, eyes, and nose as Alexander's fist impacted his core. The force reverberated through his back—everything behind him instantly fractured. As for Wesker— His midsection was utterly obliterated. The lower half of his body separated, falling one way… the upper half was propelled another, torn asunder before the enraged Alexander, whose metallic physique radiated intense heat. He prepared to strike again—to annihilate Wesker completely… But Vex intervened. Seizing the brief opportunity, the assassin struck… delivering a fatal blow aimed at ending Alexander instantly. Vex was an assassin. Fatal blows were his forte. His shadow strike carried explosive power—sufficient to eliminate any being in one hit. But as his strike landed… He froze. Before him, incandescent sparks flew—a dark, searing friction as his assault met the black metal of Rybak's body. The attack was repelled. It could not penetrate. It barely left a mark. Something that had never occurred to Vex before… As though he hadn't struck a living entity at all. Sensing the peril, Vex dissolved into shadows—seeking to escape. But a single sweep of Rybak's arm obliterated the darkness itself… And with it… Vex's upper torso. Still, Vex was not confined to flesh. He fled through the shadows… But Alexander grasped it immediately. "A depraved tactic… and a pitiful one at that! It only confirms your cowardice!!" Alexander gritted his teeth… then slammed the very space around him. A colossal sonic boom erupted, its shockwave radiating outwards… Erasing all shadows and gloom beneath a brilliant effulgence. And for the first time— Vex's true form was unveiled. An elderly man. Feeble, with white hair and dark skin. His eyes drooped… filled with dread. His disguise—completely undone. His terror intensified upon finding Alexander Rybak already standing before him. "Perish, you wretched vermin." BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!! A furious aura erupted anew… another nuclear-level punch, and one of history's most lethal assassins was expunged from existence. Rybak's form stood resolute within the void, unyielding, while Maskith remained suspended high above him. Wesker had retreated to a great distance, cloaking himself after barely managing to rejoin his fractured body… and in that moment, he comprehended a critical truth. 'That man… he's formidable. Immeasurably formidable.' Potently strong—so much so that merely a handful could possibly contend with him. And perhaps the sole individual capable of confronting him now… was Maskith. Alexander slowly lifted his gaze toward the elder, a profound, icy-blue aura encircling him. "Reveal yourself… minion of the Demon King." Alexander Rybak stood poised for combat, and even Maskith exhibited a hint of apprehension upon witnessing the might of this unleashed behemoth. 'This monster… how long? How many years did he dedicate to honing his fist to unleash this caliber of destructive energy with a singular blow?' One certainty remained— This was no longer the Alexander Rybak who had participated in the ancient conflict between the Shadow Sect and the demonic forces. He had transformed into something entirely different. Maskith's body began to emanate light, and the confrontation between him and the venerable warrior of the Shadow Sect loomed on the horizon. Meanwhile… Within the ancient necropolis… Gehrman had finally arrived. He stumbled onward through a lengthy, somber passage, clutching Frey's form tightly—compelling himself to persevere until the very end. A faint chuckle escaped him as he exhaled in relief. "Alexander… you damned monster. At this pace… heh… it won't be long before the day arrives when you surpass me…" Gehrman guffawed weakly, proceeding forward as he faltered along the way. Step by measured step, he advanced… tenderly cradling Frey's broken physique. "All this agony… all this strife… solely for this moment." In the final segment, Gehrman's chest constricted, and a dim luminescence flickered in his eyes—signifying profound weariness. As if all the preceding years had converged upon him at this most crucial juncture. Yet the engineer pressed onward unabated… until he reached an expansive chamber, fashioned like an ancient coliseum buried deep within the edifice.

Within that ancient, hallowed sanctuary, another set of footsteps broke the silence, distinct from his own.

Gehrman's head swiveled towards the sound—

revealing a woman standing before him.

Her hair cascaded in deep violet hues, her features etched with the profound marks of countless years. She was clad in worn, tattered black robes, a testament to a long-forgotten era.

Her gaze fell upon him… and then shifted to Frey, cradled in his arms.

An expression of profound sorrow and burgeoning fear crossed her visage.

Gehrman held her gaze for a fleeting moment… before breaking the heavy silence.

"He is alive, Shiva… he lives."

He uttered these words while staggering forward, prompting the woman, Shiva, to rush to his side and support his faltering frame.

"You have accomplished much, Gehrman… truly, you have. It is remarkable that you have come this far."

A flicker of a strained smile crossed Gehrman's lips as tears began to gather in Shiva's eyes.

"It is too soon for such empty accolades… our task is not yet complete."

Gently, Gehrman lowered Frey's precarious form to the ground.

The boy remained in a dire state—his chest brutally opened, his limbs dismembered, and half of his mask shattered.

Witnessing this, Shiva felt a surge of fury threaten to overwhelm her… but she managed to suppress it, heeding Gehrman's unspoken command.

"Bring forth the final components."

She inclined her head in affirmation.

Raising both her hands toward the heavens...

A potent aura began to coalesce around her, and in mere moments… relics from a bygone epoch materialized—artifacts meticulously preserved through the ages.

Shiva had been their steadfast guardian all this time, ensuring they remained in their pristine condition.

"The Armor of Zenith Night… and the Sword of Sovereign Shadows. The armaments of my king, entrusted to my care for millennia… I now return them to his rightful possession."

Between Shiva's outstretched arms, a fearsome suit of dark armor materialized—radiating a malevolent energy that caused the very fabric of space around it to tremble.

It was a complete set… excluding the head.

An unparalleled armor, unlike anything ever conceived.

Its gauntlets bore a colossal sword, nearly two meters in length, emanating an overwhelming power that Shiva struggled to contain.

With the utmost care… and profound reverence… she began to clad Frey’s body in the ancient armor.

Each piece was meticulously positioned, fitting precisely into its designated place.

And the sword… she placed it directly into his grasp.

Frey lay at the heart of the grand chamber, now adorned in magnificent ebony armor, his hand firmly gripping a colossal blade of destruction.

Shiva slowly retreated, positioning herself behind Gehrman.

"Master Gehrman… if you would, please commence."

He gave a slight nod.

His eyes closed… only to reopen with renewed intensity. He raised his hand high—causing a majestic azure rune to materialize upon his palm.

In that precise instant—

The entire chamber resonated with a powerful tremor.

Passageways creaked open, and from their depths flowed a dark, viscous liquid—resembling something born from the very essence of shadows.

This substance spread rapidly across the floor… enveloping the entire chamber.

It surged forward, engulfing Frey's body completely—consuming him entirely.

Gehrman remained immobile, his arm extended towards his king.

"You are the sovereign I chose to serve… until my very final breath."

His frame shuddered uncontrollably.

Even the act of speaking became an immense strain—his voice raspy, his strength rapidly diminishing—as the rune in his hand pulsed with ever-increasing brilliance.

"I have bestowed upon you my power. I have pledged to you my unwavering loyalty. And I have entrusted to you my most cherished dream."

Slowly, Gehrman sank to one knee, his body no longer capable of sustaining him upright.

His physical form finally gave way, and a solitary tear escaped Shiva's eye—she stifled her sob as she witnessed that great warrior finally succumb before her.

In stark contrast to her own tears… Gehrman wore a smile.

A broad smile… reflecting nothing but… profound relief.

"I have dedicated everything within me to you. I have offered you the years of my existence, tirelessly striving to fulfill the ancient pact you entrusted to my charge."

"I have succeeded, my lord… indeed, I have."

"However, my lord… in the end, a realization dawned upon me…"

"I had not yet given you everything. Not entirely."

Gehrman’s eyes gently closed, his features settling into an expression of serene dignity and quiet devotion.

"And thus… I now offer you the final possession I have left in this world."

"I offer you… my very life."

"The life I unequivocally devoted to you… right up to the ultimate conclusion."

As his final words faded into the echoing chamber...

Gehrman's mortal vessel completely disintegrated.

His body fractured into innumerable fragments, scattering throughout the chamber, while a luminous sphere ascended from the remnants of his form… piercing directly into the chest of Frey, who lay submerged in the encroaching darkness.

And thus…

The Engineer completed his sacred mission.

At long last, he found solace—after traversing the path of solitude for thousands of years…

Alone, yet steadfast in his pursuit of fulfilling his lord’s supreme will.

A will to which he remained unyieldingly faithful… until the world’s final end.