THE VILLAIN'S POV

Chapter 542: A Predator’s Smile (2)

”Ah, damn it! These are the moments that make me miss my damn body!”

Unlike me, Snow didn’t have the insane regeneration that patched up everything on its own.

I guess that’s a gift the so-called ’chosen hero’ wasn’t granted—so that’s a 1–0 in my favor, right? ...

Well, technically, he has dozens of other talents, so let’s call it 1–100 or something.

As my thoughts drifted while I ran for my life, blood began pouring endlessly from my mouth—a clear sign I had pushed too far.

”Damn it, man...”

I laughed foolishly when I saw Smogh suddenly materialize in front of me, a terrifying black aura swirling around him.

I noticed the massive wound on his chest, but it wasn’t enough to slow him down in the slightest.

Closing the distance in a single step, he reached out and seized me by the neck.

I tried to break free, but he caught my sword arm effortlessly with his other hand.

Lifting me high, I saw raw anger twist his features.

”Looks like I’ve been far too lenient with you.”

With those words, I heard the sickening crack of bone as the bastard snapped my sword arm.

Vermithor clattered to the ground, the strength in my shattered arm fading away.

Smogh didn’t stop—he broke the other arm just as easily.

”Let’s make sure you can’t try any more stupid tricks.”

Smogh’s hands were like weapons of mass destruction. Just as he’d done to Snow’s arms, he crushed his legs as well.

”I see you’re not screaming. Have you finally lost your grip on reality?”

Hoisting me like a corpse, Smogh grinned with a sinister smile—only for me to laugh in his face in return.

”Not at all. It’s just that this doesn’t even tickle. You really should rethink your torture methods.” My taunt only made Smogh chuckle harder.

”Then let’s break that annoying mouth of yours too.”

One punch to the jaw—so heavy it felt like a mountain had smashed into my face.

He shattered my jaw, tearing my throat, forcing me into silence.

It hadn’t even been five minutes since I possessed Snow, yet all this crap had already happened in that short time.

At this rate, I was making Snow’s condition worse instead of helping him.

Throwing Snow’s broken body over his shoulder, Smogh turned to leave.

If this continued, we were headed straight for a disaster that would mean the death of the Empire’s so-called hero.

Return, Vermithor.

Focusing one last time, I did the only thing I could—calling the sacred sword back into Snow’s body.

It would reduce some of the damage done to him... but it wouldn’t change the outcome.

I couldn’t save Snow in this state. The only one who could save him now... was himself.

How long do you plan to keep sleeping, Snow?

It felt like I was talking to myself—but I didn’t stop. I knew he could hear me.

If Smogh gets any farther, there’ll be nothing we can do. If you don’t break this damn silence and do something, you’ll end up eaten by the one person you hate most in this world.

Is this really how you want to go out? Answer me, Snow! I pushed harder and harder, resisting the hands that tried to eject me from Snow’s body... until I finally touched his presence.

I couldn’t put it into words—but it was a warm, gentle soul, unlike any other human.

Say something, you bastard. I sighed in irritation—then, for the first time, I heard his voice.

”I can’t, Frey.”

That was all he said.

”Can’t? What the hell do you mean you can’t?! Then who will?! Are you giving up before you even try?!” I barked back in anger, only for Snow to reply in a tone just as sharp.

”Before I try? I already did!”

”I fought with everything I had, but I was brought down with a single blow! I know I was born with talents far beyond my peers, but no matter how much I trained, I could never surpass my current level! I could never break the shackles wrapped around me!”

Snow let out a bitter, self-mocking laugh.

”Compared to me... look at you. With far less talent than I was born with, you’ve achieved power and greatness beyond anything I imagined. And now here you are, possessing my body somehow... there’s nothing in this world you can’t do, Frey.”

Inside the corpse Smogh carried over his shoulder, a strange quarrel unfolded—one only the two of us could hear.

”Unlike me, you’re used to breaking your limits. There’s no chain in this world that can bind you. But me? I failed before the very first wall placed in front of me. So what’s the point in trying?” Snow’s voice dripped with bitter sarcasm.

”You are Frey Starlight, the great one. So just move forward and save me, isn’t that why you came here and took my body in the first place?”

His words left a silence between us for a moment.

That was when I finally understood what Snow had been carrying inside.

Just as I had trained relentlessly over the past eight months... so had he.

But while my power had soared, his had remained stagnant, no matter what he did.

He had the talent. He had the potential. He had everything... but he could never grow stronger.

It must have eaten away at him, watching me fight in this war—someone with far less talent—while I left him miles behind.

His weakness, his helplessness, had driven him into this pitiful state I’d never seen him in before.

I stayed quiet for a while, then finally opened my mouth.

”You’re right, Snow. I came here with the intention of saving you.”

That had been my purpose when I possessed his body.

”But as you’ve seen with your own eyes... I failed miserably.”

”I’m not the great, unstoppable force you think I am. Just like you, I’m struggling to shake off shackles and chains that have been gnawing at my soul for a long time. And no matter what I do... I keep failing.”

Maybe that was why I understood Snow’s desire to give up—because I was the same.

We had both suffered in different ways, but in ways that were eerily similar.

The only difference was that I had the System constantly feeding me hints... but Snow didn’t. So I had to take on that role myself.

”Snow... those shackles that have kept you from moving forward—they’re just barriers placed before you because you don’t know your true self. You don’t know your origin. You don’t know what you really are.”

As my soul began to glow, preparing to end the possession, I gave him one last push.

”What the hell... are you talking about?” He couldn’t understand, but I understood him.