THE VILLAIN'S POV

Chapter 873 The Final Torch (1)

After the reunion between them, Abraham agreed to walk beside his son, no matter what path he chose. He still did not fully understand what had happened… nor what was yet to come.

He knew nothing of his son's true nature.

Nor of his own.

Completely unaware that both of them were Writers from an entirely different world.

Abraham remained ignorant of such a truth.

His powers had lain dormant all this time, surfacing only occasionally without his awareness.

And the final battle against Agaroth was the clearest proof of that.

Stacking Ignition multiple times was impossible.

Not merely difficult… utterly impossible.

A single Ignition was enough to kill an ordinary human.

Using two consecutively was suicide.

Using three belonged to the realm of madness itself.

Yet Abraham had used it multiple times and survived regardless.

Not only that… he had gained enough overwhelming power for his sword to actually reach Agaroth.

What he had accomplished made no sense whatsoever.

At least, not to anyone besides Frey, who understood the truth after reclaiming his complete self.

'At first, Absolute Manipulator was what saved him… but that only explains a single Ignition.'

'What happened afterward… his ability to withstand that power… came from the Aether he unconsciously used.'

Aether was divided into two halves.

Positive and negative.

One created life.

The other erased it.

Without realizing it, Abraham had poured positive Aether into himself.

That was what allowed him to remain alive even while Ignition destroyed his body.

The Aether rebuilt him faster than Ignition could destroy him.

And because of that… survival became possible.

Frey understood all of this perfectly.

Placing a hand upon his father's shoulder, he quietly promised him.

"There is still much we need to talk about."

"I promise I will answer every question you have, Father."

"I'll help you remember… remember who you truly are."

"And remember who our real family is… the family both of us forgot."

Abraham was the first.

The very first person Frey wished to keep beside him as he walked down his dark path.

His father had always been there for him.

Even after losing himself.

Even after forgetting everything.

His soul had still remained beside Frey, following him through every reincarnation and every return… always becoming his family.

Always becoming his father.

"I trust you, my son." Abraham said quietly.

"And I'll follow you wherever you go… just…"

He hesitated for a moment, struggling to keep up with everything happening around him.

"Protect Ada."

"Protect your sister… and don't let her slip from your hands."

In the end, he was simply a man worried about his family.

And hearing those words made Frey smile unconsciously.

For a brief moment, warmth filled him.

The warmth of family.

"I'll keep her with me forever." Frey answered softly.

"There is no safer place for her than where she is now."

Frey and Abraham walked side by side afterward, heading toward the other humans Frey had restored.

Standing atop a high hill overlooking the world below, the two of them gazed upon the surviving citizens of the Empire.

At least hundreds of thousands remained.

The final humans left upon Planet Earth.

Among them, Frey easily found the people he knew thanks to his heightened senses.

"They truly all came back to life…" Abraham muttered, still unable to believe the miracle before him.

Frey nodded calmly.

"They did."

"They all returned… after having their lives stolen from them so easily."

Frey extended his hand toward them, only to slowly lower it several seconds later.

"Their lives are fragile."

"So fragile that they can be erased and destroyed with absurd ease…"

"To the point that a part of me wishes to kill them all… and keep their souls in my possession, where they would remain safe forever."

"Perhaps that would be the better choice."

Frey spoke in a cold voice, his dark violet eyes radiating a strange and unsettling darkness that made Abraham immediately turn toward him in shock.

"Frey…"

"What did you just say?"

Seeing his father's reaction, Frey let out a quiet laugh, easing the atmosphere.

"Relax, Father. I won't do it."

"They possess the freedom to decide their own fates."

"And I have no intention of taking that freedom away from them."

As he spoke, Frey looked down at all of them once more.

"Yes…" he murmured quietly.

"I have no intention of doing such a thing."

Abraham stared at him silently for a few moments before turning his gaze toward the humans below as well.

"I can understand why you kept Ada with you."

"I'm her father… and you're her brother."

"Even if it may not be fair to her, it's still what both of us believe to be best."

"But Frey…" Abraham continued calmly.

"If you continue holding onto more souls… eventually they'll lose their value."

"And little by little… they'll become nothing more than toys in your hands, moved however you wish."

"Sometimes…" he said quietly,

"…you need to let them slip away."

"Let the current flow naturally instead of trying to change everything yourself."

"That is where the true value of life reveals itself."

Hearing those words, Frey slowly nodded.

"You're right."

"Listening to your wisdom reminds me that a son can always continue learning from his father… no matter how powerful or wise he becomes."

Abraham smiled faintly in response.

"You overestimate me."

"I can barely understand any of what's happening here."

"I don't understand how I came back to life."

"I don't understand what happened… or how you managed to drive away the Demon King."

"And I certainly don't understand what you're trying to accomplish."

"I'm simply…"

"…letting myself flow with the current."

"And that," Frey said quietly,

"…is exactly what makes you special."

He gestured for his father to follow him.

Toward the warriors of the Shadow Sect waiting nearby.

Alexander Rybak and Shiva stood there alongside Fulghor and Adir the Assassin.

And beside them… the statues.

The statues that were no longer statues.

Angry.

Smiley.

Sad.

And many others as well.

All of them stood there respectfully in the background, now possessing bodies of flesh and blood with life flowing through their veins once more.

A faint smile appeared on Frey's face the moment he saw them.

Ignoring everyone else for a moment, he addressed them directly.

"My apologies."

"I do not know your names… nor do I know what you originally looked like before your souls were trapped inside those cold statues."

"These new bodies are the best I could create for you."

"I only hope… that you are not displeased with them."

"We would never dare, my lord!" they all answered in unison, lined up behind Angry, who had taken command of them.