THE VILLAIN'S POV

Chapter 514: The Saint Who Bleeds

He held Frey in his arms for only a brief moment...

But in that fleeting instant, he concocted a plan—one born in mere seconds—and cast a shadow that would fall twenty years later.

He planted his shadow inside Frey, then hid it perfectly... until the right moment.

The Engineer turned to Frey, his expression grave.

”The awakening of that shadow inside you... You know what that means, don’t you?”

Frey wasn’t an idiot. He already understood where this conversation was heading.

”Whatever plan that Rank 4 Demon set into motion that day... It’s finally begun, hasn’t it?”

The future—the fate that Wesker wove through his King’s Eye on that day—was finally beginning to unfold.

”There are many forces on the verge of colliding... and the reappearance of high-ranking demons is proof enough.”

”Brace yourself, Frey Starlight. You will soon have to fight them—face to face.”

Upon hearing that, Frey let out a forced chuckle.

”I know. I’ve been thinking about it day and night, and I don’t expect any help from you, naturally...”

Staring at his open palm .. the same hand that had wielded the sword all this time .. Frey clenched his fist tightly.

”So? What exactly is Weskhar’s Shadow, and how can I deal with it?”

Fighting enemies was one thing. But facing himself... that was an entirely different battle.

Fortunately, the Engineer answered.

”Weskhar’s Shadow is more like a fragment of his being—a piece of his existence. A replica of himself that he plants inside his targets... in order to completely control them.”

”Sometimes, the shadow fuses entirely with the host’s soul, becoming something akin to a demon seed. Fortunately for you, your soul is fundamentally different from all other beings. It cannot merge with you... but it will try to take control of your body.”

”As a result, your powers will become unstable, and that instability could affect those around you...”

At the time, Frey wasn’t even aware of what had happened between him and a certain group of individuals who had already been affected .. people who were now seeing the future through him.

”That’s the shadow. As for how to get rid of it... let’s see.”

The Engineer paused for a few seconds before giving his answer.

”Let’s say... your saintly friend, Uriel Platini, is the one who’ll show you the way.”

Once again, Frey couldn’t hide his confusion upon hearing a name he hadn’t expected.

”There you go, speaking in riddles again...”

”Uriel? How exactly is she supposed to help me?”

’What, is she going to pour her holy power into me until the shadow suffocates or something?’ Frey thought, then sighed in defeat.

”I’ll find out when the time comes... won’t I?”

The Engineer nodded.

”Exactly,” he said, then added hesitantly,

”My ability to intervene is fading by the day... Frey Starlight, this appearance before you .. and this information I’ve just given you are likely the last pieces of help I can offer. There’s an unspoken pact between those of us who pull the strings from the shadows... a pact that prevents us from playing this game ourselves.”

”Until one of the sides breaks that rule, you’re on your own... Frey Starlight. You’ve no choice but to carve your path through blood and overcome whatever obstacles stand in your way.”

The Engineer spoke more than usual this time.

That had been the case even before Danzo’s death. Frey didn’t know what that blue-eyed seer had seen with his power to glimpse the future...

But the paths had entangled far too deeply with the Eye of the King, making the future something no longer predictable.

”The future you want, and the fate Wesker has designed...”

Frey chuckled lightly.

”Nothing’s changed. All I have to do is keep fighting until I shape my destiny with my own two hands.”

Big words for someone who stood no chance against the likes of Wesker and the Engineer.

But without a doubt, he had the potential.

Potential great enough to climb to the very top...

Yet the path before him was one paved in blood .. harsh, brutal, and not meant for the sane.

”I’ll endure it to the end... the Path of Blood,” Frey muttered, placing the Nameless mask back over his face, hiding his expression once again.

Standing beside him...

The Engineer stared at him for a while. This was the first time they’d ever spoken face to face.

He had witnessed Frey’s journey all along. He’d seen every rise and fall, every triumph and tragedy. In many ways, he understood Frey better than anyone in this world.

Though he appeared emotionless, the Engineer was not truly Nameless...

Somewhere behind those glassy blue eyes... something far greater resided.

Turning his back to Frey, the Engineer began to walk away.

”You asked me for my name earlier...” he said, drawing Frey’s attention one last time.

”The name is... Gehrman.”

With that, he vanished completely .. leaving Frey alone in the wastelands.

Frey etched the Engineer’s image deep into his mind... and engraved that name into his memory.

”Gehrman...”

That was his name.

A name he would never forget for the rest of his life.

Frey turned and made his way back to the camp, even as the road ahead grew darker and harder...

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Back at the camp ..just as Frey’s turmoil reached its peak ..

Inside her tent, sitting alone and reciting her prayers...

Uriel clutched her arms tightly, as if trying to hold onto something that was slipping away.

She had remained like that for hours.

Then, after what felt like an eternity...

She finally stood, preparing some cold water and setting up her bathing corner.

”Fate... I wonder, can we mortals ever escape a destiny written for us by our gods?”

As her mind pondered the answer to that question, she slowly began to undress.

Uriel was a girl who had revealed nothing but her face, her head, and her hands.

Everything else had always been hidden beneath the robes of a priestess.

Having now sealed off her surroundings with holy power, she was finally ready to unveil her body and take a proper bath.

Piece by piece, she stripped away her clothes, revealing her skin...

No one had ever laid eyes on her body—the body that so many men had dreamed of.

But the sight she revealed was nothing like what anyone might’ve imagined.

Uriel’s body was indeed mature ..seductive curves, a full chest, and a flawless figure.

But on top of that white skin... there was another color ..

Red.

As she poured cold water over herself, Uriel stared into the small mirror that had been gifted to her.

She looked at her body—the body of a saint.

With a sorrowful smile, she closed her eyes and finished her bath quickly.

”How ironic... that those who are most revered for their purity are often the filthiest of all.”

In the modest room, the sound of cold water splashing echoed faintly, revealing everything that had been hidden by those who served the Lord of Light.

Across her back, her arms, her neck...

Even on her thighs and legs...

Sins were carved into her flesh in ink that would never fade.

Strange letters that no one understood... they looked like ancient runes, etched deep into her skin, disfiguring her completely.

Those letters glowed with a crimson red light... and each time they did—

Uriel endured the pain in silence.

But her face didn’t show the slightest reaction.

Sitting there, soaked in cold water... she hugged herself tightly.

”Ah... this brings back memories...”

In her clear blue eyes, fleeting images flashed .. of a little girl who cried and cried until her tears had dried up completely... until the only thing left to shed was red.

”...We’re truly alike, Frey.”