THE VILLAIN'S POV Chapter 934: One Step From Freedom (1)

The plan had been laid out. All that remained was to gather the people they needed and finally put it into motion.

Frey and Seth spent more time with Agaroth inside the Land of Survival, repeatedly going over every detail in an effort to eliminate even the slightest possibility of error.

What they were about to attempt had no precedent in history.

For the first time, a written being would escape his cage and step beyond the pages of his own book.

As the hour of truth drew closer, Agaroth grew increasingly tense. Frey could see it clearly, no matter how hard the red-eyed man tried to conceal it.

To break free from the shackles of being nothing more than a written character, to escape the world he had always regarded as a suffocating cage... Agaroth was reaching his limits after spending so long tormented by an existential crisis and a fate that reduced him to the slave of beings whose power far exceeded his own.

He had already failed once because of the Writers and their prophecy, which had resulted in his power being completely sealed.

And although he had discovered another unique method, although Frey and Seth were now helping him... Agaroth knew one thing with absolute certainty.

This was most likely his final chance.

If their plan to open a passage between the worlds failed, there would be no other path left to take.

Everything would collapse with it.

That realization alone placed an unbearable burden upon the monster who possessed the power of Devouring, turning the days leading up to the attempt into an agonizing ordeal.

The freedom he had yearned for was finally close.

Closer than it had ever been.

The time had come to reap the fruits of everything he had endured.

Once every detail had been confirmed, Frey and Seth departed to begin the preparations, leaving Agaroth behind to prepare himself as well.

Frey wanted to say something before leaving, something that might ease Agaroth’s mind and lessen the crushing pressure weighing upon him.

But this was a burden only Agaroth himself could overcome, and no words Frey offered now would make that struggle any easier.

So Frey chose silence.

The moment they left the Land of Survival, Frey and Seth returned to the Writers’ Library of Worlds, both of their hands still resting upon the black book containing the Land of Survival.

Almost simultaneously, they withdrew their hands and released long breaths.

"Looks like we’re going from fighters to negotiators now..." Seth remarked with a wry smile, casually sitting atop the table where the book rested.

"I’ll handle convincing Father. You should go to Audrey instead. She listens to you."

"I’ll try my luck with her, then. But I doubt carrying out our plan will be easy while the war is still raging."

Frey’s thoughts returned to the war against the Lords of Mist, and Seth made no attempt to deny his concern.

The war had grown exceedingly violent, reaching such an advanced stage that nearly all of the Council’s attention was now devoted to it.

"If the Council discovers we’re wasting time on something like this, I doubt we’ll walk away without punishment..." Seth’s irritation became obvious the moment he considered the possibility.

"Especially now that the name of the Pale Devastation has begun surfacing again. Everyone is worried he might actually return."

At the mention of Oden, Frey’s attention sharpened immediately.

"If Oden does return... how exactly does the Council intend to deal with him?"

It was an important question.

The legends described the Pale Devastation as possessing such absurd power that seven ancient heroes, every one of them qualified to bear the title of First Writer, had been forced to unite merely to stop him.

Only three of those seven survived the battle.

And two of those three later succumbed to the injuries Oden had inflicted upon them.

"If the Pale Devastation returns, the Council intends to simply have the First Writer... our mother, face him."

Seth’s answer came after a brief silence, and even Frey was slightly taken aback.

"Alone?"

Seth nodded.

"That should tell you everything about how powerful our mother truly is. She’s the strongest First Writer since the very first Writer of History appeared."

"Her strength alone probably rivals all seven of the heroes who fought Oden in the past."

Frey found himself agreeing.

He understood the depths of Clea’s strength better than almost anyone.

She was so powerful that not a single living being in the Aether World truly knew the full extent of her strength, for one simple reason.

She had never needed to use all of it.

No one had ever managed to push her that far, not even Frey despite the countless times he had faced her during his training.

Normally, Clea alone was enough to deal with virtually any threat.

But this time, her opponent might be a monster cut from the same cloth as her.

Perhaps something even worse.

After thinking for a moment, Frey returned his attention to Seth and asked about something equally important.

"What about it?"

"The Tool of Creation?"

The moment Frey mentioned the Tool of Creation, Seth’s expression gradually darkened into a frown.

"The Council has forbidden its use."

Frey released an irritated sigh, immediately reminded of the Council’s policies he had always despised.

The Tool of Creation was a weapon forged by the very first Writer and passed down through every generation to whoever inherited the title of First Writer.

It was an artifact of overwhelming power, one that grew stronger with every generation.

Before passing it to their successors, each First Writer left a portion of their aether within it. By the time the Tool of Creation finally reached Clea’s hands, the power accumulated inside it had already reached terrifying heights.

If Clea wielded the Tool of Creation, even Oden would struggle to do anything against her.

Yet one of the most important laws upheld by the Writers of History explicitly forbade using the Tool of Creation as a weapon against the Lords of Mist.

Because obtaining that very artifact was the goal of Oden and the other creatures of the Mist in the first place.

The reason remained unknown.

All anyone knew was that if the Tool of Creation ever fell into their hands...

A catastrophe would follow.

"In other words... the Council’s only plan for dealing with Oden is to send our mother against him."

"And that’s it?"

"Exactly."

Seth nodded, that familiar mocking smile returning to his face.

"Those old fossils cling to ancient traditions so desperately it’s sickening. But we have no choice except to obey them as long as Mother herself refuses to oppose them."

Then Seth changed the subject, his expression becoming considerably more serious as he looked at Frey.

"And let’s make one thing clear. If the Council discovers what we’re attempting, they will absolutely refuse to allow it."

"Tell me, Frey... are you really certain you want to go this far and take such a risk for Agaroth?"

"You know what Lea’s prophecy showed."

"Agaroth would’ve become a catastrophic threat if he hadn’t been stopped before."

Seth hated the idea of condemning someone based solely upon a prophecy.

Yet even he had to acknowledge the terrifying truth.

The Oracle’s visions were absolute.

They had never been wrong.

If she saw Agaroth becoming a threat, then that future truly would have come to pass.