THE VILLAIN'S POV Chapter 736: Prophecy and an Unending Conflict (1)

The demon plummeted from the highest reaches of the firmament.

Wesker’s descent was far from ordinary; his demonic form drifted slowly toward the abyss while his majestic wings disintegrated into something akin to ash.

A massive hole had been carved into Wesker’s chest by Gehrman’s concluding strike. The biting frostfire ravaged a significant portion of his demonic flesh, burrowing deeper and obliterating what little remained of his vitality.

From above, Gehrman looked down at Wesker with exhausted eyes. His face was now covered in cracks, resembling a statue that had been weathered by the unforgiving passage of centuries.

"Wesker... you were long considered one of the greatest masters of fate in this world—a man who played with destiny as if it were merely a tool to satisfy his own greed."

Gehrman lifted his hand as the temporal rings of the Ruler’s Hand fractured and vanished into nothingness.

"You were mistaken, Demon of the Fourth Rank. Fate is not something that beings like us can truly command. We possess enough strength to create ripples, certainly—but in the end, the tide of destiny will flow exactly as intended, regardless of our desires."

"The most we can manage... is to try and exploit that current for our own benefit. That is what the Demon King did to me in the ancient past...

and it is exactly what I have done to you today."

This time, the King’s Eye was unable to save Wesker. The colossal power bestowed upon him by the Demon King had failed to secure his victory.

Wesker’s fall—and his slow transformation into drifting ash—was a captivating sight. It held the attention of both Gehrman and Abraham Starlight, the latter of whom remained standing nearby after narrowly surviving the previous assault of the perfect domain.

Abraham watched Wesker for a brief moment... before turning his focus toward Gehrman.

Abraham was naturally sharp-witted, observant, and wary.

The conclusion of this battle had raised a multitude of questions in his mind concerning the Engineer.

"Just how far ahead did that man plan...?

How much of this outcome did he actually foresee?"

Despite their overwhelming triumph, Abraham decided to remain cautious of Gehrman. This man might be an even more treacherous manipulator than Wesker—and perhaps even more powerful.

Naturally, Gehrman was perfectly aware of the thoughts crossing Abraham's mind. Having observed him for a long time, he knew him well.

The father was significantly more perceptive than the son.

And speaking of the son...

Frey Starlight was still positioned below, witnessing Wesker’s fall with a face etched in pure disbelief.

"That cursed demon... Wesker—no, Aegon... actually fell?

Is it finally over? Is he dead?"

Cradling the unconscious Ada in his arms, Frey found it difficult to believe the scene unfolding before him.

Wesker had always stayed several steps ahead of them. Seeing his downfall felt completely surreal.

Without even realizing it, Frey had developed a profound fear of the Fourth-Rank Demon through their constant confrontations.

No matter his actions—no matter his effort—it had felt as though he would always be a mere pawn held in that monster’s hand.

Yet there he was... plummeting before Frey’s eyes, defeated by the blue-eyed Engineer... Gehrman.

"He claimed his name was Saint Gehrman...

What kind of man was he in the past?"

Frey wondered this as his gaze shifted toward Gehrman... whose image was reflected not only in Frey’s eyes, but also in those of Nameless, who was watching the same event.

"..."

Nameless remained silent.

His current state was hollow and incomplete... nothing more than data and memories preserved within the mask. These memories had assumed his present form, a version far removed from his original personality and true self.

However, even this fragmented version remembered Gehrman with perfect clarity... the most powerful man within the Shadow Sect, and the flawless vessel Nameless had once constructed.

Nameless had discovered Gehrman on Irethiel, a frozen world that had once endured a brutal demonic invasion.

The Fireborn of Irethiel were regarded as one of the most formidable races in existence, protecting one of the Seven Great Powers among their people, along with many legendary warriors.

But when the demons invaded in the distant past... led by Agaroth himself... it was not Fulgor, the Sixth of the Seven Great Powers, who stood against the Demon King.

Instead, it was someone entirely different.

A warrior without a noble lineage or heritage—simply a wandering fighter.

Yet his dignity and power were so immense that he was granted a title:

The Saint.

Gehrman battled Agaroth that day... and perished at the Demon King’s hand.

However, even in death, he fought with a ferocity that satisfied Agaroth... so much so that the Demon King recognized his strength. Gehrman had managed to inflict real damage upon him.

Because of that struggle, the demons failed to fully conquer Irethiel. The planet turned into an anomaly... partially occupied by demons, while the rest remained under Fireborn control.

As years passed, half the world died... while the other half survived.

All of it... was the result of one man’s defiance.

But what was never documented, and what was scrubbed from the records of history, occurred far from any witnesses... a secret no one ever mentioned.

On that battlefield where Gehrman and Agaroth fought... a third presence had been there.

Someone who saw everything... and stepped in at the very end.

That individual was none other than Nameless himself.

It was his first meeting... and his first battle... with Agaroth.

An encounter the world knew nothing about, as history believed their first clash happened much later.

Nameless fought Agaroth that day, becoming the true reason Irethiel survived.

These events were stored within the memories of the current Nameless... yet something was missing.

During that first encounter between Agaroth and Nameless...

On that day, the Demon King had spoken.

Something vital. Something final. Something of immense significance.

But the present Nameless found it impossible to reconstruct those specific memories. He could not recall Agaroth's words... and that bothered him immensely.

Why had those memories been sealed away?

He could clearly see the Demon King’s face from that day... his long black hair moving like living tendrils, his blood-red eyes, and his pale face hidden in swirling shadows... and that solemn, respectful smile.

Nameless sensed he had forgotten a crucial detail about that day—something he needed to remember.

Yet it appeared that now was not the moment for that memory to return.

Later, Nameless took Gehrman and included him in his private experiments.

Gehrman was incredibly powerful; his soul was difficult to manipulate, and it was no simple task to build a vessel capable of containing such overwhelming strength.

It became the ultimate test of Nameless’s philosophy regarding life and death—a test that produced the most perfect vessel ever made.

And that vessel... was the current Engineer: Gehrman.

A man of his caliber was never a simple subordinate; he was someone with his own thoughts... and his own hidden goals, unknown to all others.

So, what was it that Gehrman truly desired?

And what had pushed him to struggle for so many years, until time itself had broken him down?

Neither Frey nor the current Nameless had the answer.

It was a secret destined to stay hidden for a little longer.

But today... Wesker had been defeated.

Frey was watching that fall when a sudden, intense wave of dizziness hit him, forcing his eyes to partially close.

"Damn it... I still haven't fully mastered my current condition..." Frey muttered, still unable to exert full control over the new powers he had claimed.

He had triggered two more stages of Shadow Adaptation, yet he remained unfamiliar with the specific abilities those stages provided.

All of this was joined by an ominous feeling that had lingered since the start of the fight...

As if something was hiding in the very air surrounding him.

Something that could only be described as... death.

"Something is wrong... something I can't quite identify."

Frey scanned the area while holding Ada tighter... her safety was his top priority.

In another spot, Wesker’s body finally slammed into the earth, much of it already turning to ash.

The Fourth-Rank Greater Demon was in a state he had never known in all his life.

His monstrous face was covered in blood, and only the King’s Eye still flickered with a faint life; aside from that red glow, the light had left his other eyes.

At that moment, Abraham moved to Gehrman’s side.

"Shouldn't we finish him off with one more blow?" Abraham inquired.

Gehrman shook his head.

"No. He cannot survive my last strike. The eternal frost will finish his destruction shortly."

There was no room for doubt... Gehrman was certain Wesker was finished.

Yet Abraham remained skeptical. He raised his hand, manifesting a sword made of pure light.