THE VILLAIN'S POV Chapter 754: The Path Toward the End (1)

During the height of the confrontation between the Shadow Sect and the High Demons, Frey Starlight faced off directly against his rival—Amon.

The overwhelming disparity in their strengths was vast.

Still, Frey Starlight held his ground by layering six world-breaking abilities all at once.

The real shock of this encounter went beyond just Frey’s defiance... it lay in how he wasn’t holding back his foe in the least.

He was truly striving to take his life.

That’s exactly why he refused to fall back.

He had no interest in dragging out the conflict.

With full commitment, he unleashed all his might... without a second thought.

Fused with Balerion, the Dark Sister absorbed Amon’s assaults directly, bearing the merged might of Soulfire and Black Hole Aura.

Through blending these forces, Frey achieved a devastating potency—one that left even Amon unable to emerge unharmed.

The Rank 11 Demon sought to finish Frey quickly with his rapid strikes, his punches bolstered by the higher tiers of SSS-class aura.

However, The Void allowed Frey to counter effectively.

Absolute precision filled his gaze, capturing every detail regardless of how swift Amon grew.

Linking that sight to immediate teleportation let Frey dodge the majority of Amon’s onslaughts... a feat that had eluded even Gehrman.

Regarding the blows he couldn’t evade quickly enough...

His remarkable regeneration worked without flaw.

Whether attacking or defending.

Whether lasting or swift.

Control over aura.

Frey commanded it all.

Everything originated straight from Shadow Adaptation.

This explained why it ranked among the top three world-breaking powers known.

"Truly frightening... and it's not even at full strength yet," Amon commented, a strained grin crossing his features.

A torrent of dark aura blazed along his arms, his velocity surging moment by moment.

In contrast to Frey Starlight, Amon wielded just a single world-breaking ability...

And oddly, he hadn’t deployed it so far.

Thus, he depended solely on his brute force and polished fighting skills to claim triumph.

As a result, their duel turned into a furious, up-close frenzy, intense and unyielding.

Typically, foes avoided closing in on Amon so near because of his blistering strike speed.

Yet the core prowess of the Rank 11 Demon had been fully countered by The Void.

"To push this hard against someone who isn't Nameless in the flesh... haha, such irony," Amon remarked.

Even amid the peril, he kept his odd composure... clearly relishing the combat.

Meanwhile, Frey Starlight stayed utterly composed.

Not a word escaped his lips.

His expression revealed nothing... just total concentration on the fray.

His blade shifted in its motions from earlier.

He’d abandoned his standard approach to fighting.

This change came from Nameless’s instructions, whispering right by Frey’s ear during the heat of battle.

"Pay close attention, Frey Starlight.

To rise above your enemies in combat, you need to forsake the basic form of Ten Thousand Steps of Shadow."

Only Frey could hear Nameless’s voice.

From the start, he’d watched the entire scene inside Frey’s thoughts.

"Sticking to one fighting method is completely ineffective.

It won’t always help you in fights... particularly against rivals with better techniques."

Ten Thousand Steps of Shadow stood as a formidable battle art, crafted by a legendary human powerhouse.

However, against the pinnacle of the realm’s top entities...

It fell woefully short.

"Now’s the moment to drop that approach entirely and battle properly... by tapping into the First Stage of Shadow Adaptation that you’ve overlooked so far," Nameless instructed, directing Frey with sincerity.

"The First Stage forms the core base for all these strengths.

You couldn’t harness it right because you clung to your old way."

"The First Stage counters every battle form and skill.

It serves as a substitute for styles... one that I devised personally."

As Frey’s sword met Amon’s fist and their auras burst out wildly from the impact, Nameless kept advising him.

"Allow the shadows to guide your path.

Follow your enemy’s tempo—then flip the momentum back at him."

"Don’t fear him at all.

No matter how mighty he seems, his method isn’t beyond my reach.

In tight quarters, I outmatch him vastly... and my power does too."

"You hold every tool you need.

Don’t fail."

"..."

Frey’s gaze sharpened as each phrase etched deep into his being.

Perfectly, his sword now reacted to every one of Amon’s moves.

No remnants remained of Ten Thousand Steps of Shadow.

Nameless allowed Frey to keep just the mightiest attacks he’d forged... like Nameless Judgment.

All the rest got cast aside.

The outcome proved invaluable.

Despite the huge chasm in their levels, Frey sensed no weakness against his foe anymore.

As peers, he battled Amon.

Handling numerous world-breaking abilities together strained Frey to his limits... to the point where his mind felt ready to shatter.

But he bore the burden steadily, his face betraying no hint of distress.

This marked huge progress... in strength and mental fortitude alike.

"Vessel of Nameless... that stolen might has surely boosted you.

But can you last all the way through?" Amon questioned, launching a weightier blow.

His form brimmed with fearsome vigor... as if the skirmish had barely started.

"As you see... the Third Stage of SSS-class—Origin Revelation—bestows me with demons' core qualities: endless stamina and life force."

"In short... exhaustion can’t touch me, no matter the fight’s length."

BOOOOM!!

Once again, their auras smashed together...

And Amon blocked the Black Hole Aura, empowered by Soulfire.

"On top of that, the Fourth Stage... Aura Boil gives me an aura type that surpasses the usual kind.

That’s how I match the horrifying powers you wield."

Amon’s grin broadened as his blood-red eyes flared with a stormy light.

"The Fifth Stage... Curse of Immortality keeps me at maximum always.

I don’t grow old, and normally, death won’t claim me."

BOOOOM!!

"The Second Stage let me break past demon limits themselves...

not forgetting the huge raw power boosts from every advancing stage."

Amon closed the distance, his face nearly touching Frey’s.

"And finally, the Sixth Stage, tied to me since ancient days...

the Domain of Life and Death."

"Via it, I claimed a world-breaking power of vast might from the Great King,

and earned the liberty to craft and develop my own skills and strengths."

"To put it simply...

Six SSS-class stages against six world-breaking abilities handmade by Nameless."

"I’m eager to witness how this clash ends..."

When pitting sheer might against ability-granted power...

Figuring out the edge was no easy task.

But the oddest aspect of the fight was Amon.

The Rank 11 High Demon owned a world-breaking ability too,

yet his choice to withhold it thus far troubled Frey deeply.

Amon kept pressing on, with no sign of unleashing that force soon.

Forced into it, Frey battled at full throttle... ready to handle that power if it surfaced.

"Your eyes stand out. They track my flash strikes perfectly," Amon stated evenly.

"But tell me... what if the blows strike from all sides?"

For a split second...

Time seemed to freeze in place.

Amon extended his arms...

And punches burst forth from all around.

From his very frame.

From every spot on the field.

Observing from a distance, both Gehrman and Abraham instantly recognized...

It matched the exact move Amon had used to overpower them.

"A barrage of ultra-fast strikes from every direction...

rendering any guard pointless," Gehrman whispered, his hand tightening,

uncertain if the present Frey could withstand such an onslaught.

Amon released his bolt-quick barrage, enveloping Frey Starlight entirely.

In that pivotal instant...

Frey’s Void Eyes blazed to life,

and time’s pace dragged to an all-time low.