THE VILLAIN'S POV Chapter 685: Frey and Snow vs Wesker (3)

The conflict in Caelid raged on, but the tides of war had shifted. What once seemed like a guaranteed Imperial triumph had devolved into a desperate siege, threatening the total annihilation of their forces.

The Ultras had successfully seized the momentum through a sudden, overwhelming counter-offensive. This assault was spearheaded by Beatrice the Witch and the Hollow, Simon Manus, both of whom had remained in the shadows for the majority of the campaign.

This ambush proved catastrophic. Within the borders of Caelid, Imperial soldiers were being butchered in massive numbers.

Escape was rendered impossible by the sudden arrival of Wesker, who blocked their rear.

The Fourth Highest Demon possessed an absurd level of power—he was a monster capable of wiping out the entire army single-handedly, even without the assistance of the Ultras.

The battle only persisted because Frey Starlight and Snow Lionheart were desperately holding him at bay.

The two warriors were exhausting every ounce of their strength, pushing far past their natural breaking points. They understood clearly that if even one of them stumbled, the war would reach its bloody conclusion.

As the duel intensified, it transformed into a high-speed exchange where thought was a luxury; there was only the instinct to act.

Frey continued to wield his Black Hole Aura, though he was rapidly approaching his functional limit.

Despite his massive reserves of aura, the Black Hole Aura was not a resource that could be tapped into indefinitely.

Nevertheless, it remained the sole weapon in his arsenal capable of piercing Wesker’s defenses and dealing genuine harm.

On its own, the Black Hole Aura was a world-breaking power, so formidable that it stood as an equal to Snow’s Soul of Light.

This display was a testament to the terrifying nature of Shadow Adaptation...

It was the manifestation of seven world-shaking powers merged into a single entity.

Because of this—and the fact that Snow’s Soul of Light acted as the natural antithesis to demonic beings—

The pair managed to endure by maintaining a state of perfect synchronization, weaving their strengths together flawlessly.

However, even as they pressured Wesker, both Frey and Snow felt the same realization dawn upon them:

They were at the end of their ropes.

Frey was struggling to maintain his explosive combat tempo as his aura stores ran dry.

Snow, meanwhile, was channeling more of the Soul of Light than his physical vessel was designed to endure.

Both stood on the precipice of total collapse...

Yet, neither would allow themselves to fall.

Not while the other stood.

“If I fall... Snow will not survive on his own.”

“If I fall... Frey will be overwhelmed.”

These were the thoughts echoing in their minds at this pivotal juncture of the fight.

Somehow, they both disregarded their shattering bodies...

Choosing instead to focus entirely on the safety of the other.

Frey’s concern was for Snow.

Snow’s worry was for Frey.

And in that precise instant...

A miraculous change occurred.

The rhythm of their combat evolved.

They were no longer two separate entities fighting in tandem.

They moved as a single soul.

Snow moved to cover Frey’s openings completely...

While Frey compensated for Snow’s vulnerabilities with equal precision.

Typically, in a two-on-one scenario, coordination scales with mutual understanding.

But the level of unity between Frey and Snow had become something nonsensical.

It was as if...

“One man...”

Wesker muttered the words himself, acknowledging the reality unfolding before him.

This perfect synchronization enabled the pair to manifest power that far exceeded their individual maximums.

Even Wesker found himself forced to respect the magnitude of their combined might.

Wesker’s arms were encased in a dark substance forged from his aura, granting his limbs a density surpassing any metal found in the world.

Saturating himself in that predatory power, he committed to close-quarters combat...

Curiously setting aside his Wave Manipulation for the moment.

Yet, even as he deflected their strikes...

“Both of you are generating SSS-Rank output despite not having achieved that rank yet...”

“And you both command world-breaking abilities... one the natural scourge of my kind,”

“The other being the ultimate weapon ever held by Nameless.”

“Fighting in such harmony... the synergy is truly remarkable.”

Wesker let out a laugh.

“Had you been facing Zibar instead of me, he likely would have suffered defeat.”

“Truly... impressive.”

As they hemmed him in, Wesker’s third eye snapped open.

“I have walked among your kind.”

“I have witnessed everything with my own eyes, Heroes of Humanity...”

BOOOOOOM!!

Snow’s blade slammed into Wesker’s right arm, while Dark Sister descended upon his left.

From both flanks, they had him completely restrained.

“What you have achieved is commendable...”

“But this alone is insufficient to bring me down.”

The very fabric of space began to tremble.

Frey and Snow sensed the shift immediately.

“Gravity...?”

Wesker exerted control over gravity at such a profound level that the atmosphere itself turned heavy.

Under that immense load, Frey and Snow were forced downward, crashing into the earth with bone-shattering impact.

The crushing gravitational field pinned them deep into the soil.

The entire war zone went still under the suffocating pressure.

The only figure remaining in the sky was Wesker...

Standing alone...

The embodiment of an absolute, superior lifeform.

He spread his arms wide...

Revealing dozens of gashes and wounds inflicted by the blades of Frey and Snow.

With a single blink, those injuries vanished, fully healed.

Meanwhile, trapped beneath the weight of the world, Frey and Snow found it difficult to even draw breath.

“Do you see now? Did I not warn you?”

Wesker’s voice boomed, echoing across the scorched earth.

“This is all it takes for me to bury you both.”

“The moment I decide to employ Wave Manipulation... you crumble.”

He grinned, his composure as unshaken as it had been at the start.

“So, what happens next?”

“Tell me, Frey. Tell me, Snow.”

The air vibrated with his power.

“Should I discard my Wave Manipulation once more... and trade blows with you like a mindless beast—just to offer you a sliver of hope?”

“Or should I simply put an end to this right here?”

Wesker.

The Highest Fourth Seat Demon.

His true specialty was Wave Manipulation.

Wesker was ranked among the top five practitioners of Wave Manipulation in existence, with only four others capable of matching his expertise.

For him to unleash his full potential meant nothing less than the dawn of a catastrophe for the human race.

In those grim moments under the crushing weight, Wesker began to laugh with pure derision.

“Do you truly believe that by making a stand here, you will save those pathetic humans in the Empire? Is that your delusion?!” Wesker bellowed, his voice piercing the ears of every soldier on the field.

“Who do you think I am? Who do you think you are facing right now?!” he roared, gesturing toward the Imperial ranks.

“Allow me to cure your ignorance, soldiers and 'heroes' of the Empire... take this to heart: the fate of your kin is no different from your own. While you grovel here for survival, the Empire is consumed by flames!”

Wesker’s proclamation sent shockwaves through the battlefield.

From the moment of his arrival, the end had been set in motion—not just for the men here, but for the entire Empire.

“Geppetto is currently marching with his legion, and numerous High Demons have already breached Imperial territory... they are slaughtering the populace and painting the streets with blood! Your families, your lovers, your friends—they are being extinguished one by one, even as we speak!” Wesker shrieked with manic glee.

“Do you hear that, Frey?! Your family! Among them... your sister’s Soul is teetering on the edge!!”

Those words struck like a lightning bolt, a final, crushing blow to Frey’s spirit.

In a state of shock, he immediately accessed his system HUD, frantically checking Ada’s status.

Her name appeared among his contacts... glowing in a horrific, terminal crimson.

That specific hue only manifested when a person had met a terrible fate... it was the same blood-red that had appeared when Danzo and Sansa were hovering at death's door.

That color alone confirmed that Wesker was telling the truth.

Starlight’s mind raced through the horrific implications.

Beyond the demonic front, the Empire’s heartlands were being razed.

Every able-bodied Imperial soldier was gathered here in Ultras territory; there was no defense left for the people at home. It was a one-sided slaughter, a campaign of total extermination.

As the reality set in, Frey felt a searing heat in his skull, as if his mind were about to fracture.

He bit his lip with such ferocity that blood pooled on the dirt.

His eyes became bloodshot, veins bulging across his pupils.

Frey’s frame shuddered... and instinctively, he erupted with a massive surge of Black Hole Aura, shattering Wesker’s gravitational hold.

Wesker watched this outburst with visible delight.

He had been goading Frey to this breaking point; Frey was aware of it, but he could not suppress the rage boiling within him.

“I don’t know what your ultimate goal is, Wesker... but mark my words... you will find no joy in toy with me any longer. Either I take your life here... or I die trying!” Frey screamed, the ground beneath him vaporizing as he lunged at the demon.

“Frey!! Don’t let him provoke you... that’s exactly what he wants!!” Snow yelled, attempting to intervene, but his words fell on deaf ears.

Frey collided with Wesker without hesitation, unleashing a storm of murderous strikes that seemed to tear the very sky asunder.

As he watched, Snow realized that even in this state of desperate fury, Frey could not overcome Wesker.

The assault was thunderous and relentless, blow after blow... Snow looked on in shock... but the grim reality was that Wesker parried every single one of Frey’s attacks with ease.

Collapsing back to the ground, Snow took a moment to assess his own state.

He remained in his peak form—The Anointed War State—but his condition was dire.

The golden shield on his left arm was fractured and ruined.

His golden helmet had been shattered, leaving half of his face bared to the elements.