THE VILLAIN'S POV

Chapter 268: The Devil’s Seed

I reached the sixth floor quickly, passing door after door until I reached the one I was looking for.

I couldnʼt stop myself ...I pounded on it hard enough to nearly break it.

It was bound to attract attention, but I didnʼt care. I was out of time.

All of this… because of the final twist in the Direct Advice.

Now, I finally understood why the system told me to visit Sansa every morning… except on the very last day.

Throughout these past days, Oliver Khan had been fending off the princess every night. And with each encounter, Sansaʼs power grew .. reaching closer to its peak. On the final day, she would be at her full strength… while Oliver would be at his limit.

That meant I would be forced to face her at the highest level of difficulty .. and that was the hidden trap laid by the Direct Advice I had followed blindly.

”I need to act before it comes to that.”

Uriel Platini flung the door open in a panic after my loud knocking. She stood there startled, wearing nothing but her nightgown .. which revealed quite a bit. But I didnʼt care. I stepped into the room without hesitation.

”F-Frey! What are you doing here at this hour?!”

She gasped, taken completely off guard.

After getting past the shock of my unannounced visit, Urielʼs eyes darted over the wounds scattered across my body.

”Youʼre injured ..what happened to you!?”

”That doesnʼt matter right now. Listen, Uriel, I need your help.”

I grabbed her by the shoulders, my face mere inches from hers.

Seeing the desperation in my expression and with a faint blush .. Uriel finally began to take things seriously.

”What happened?”

”I canʼt tell you everything… but soon, Iʼll be fighting a monster .. a terrifying one that uses demonic power on a massive scale.”

”Demonic power…?” she muttered, and I nodded.

”To deal with it, I need your help.”

She probably didnʼt realize it, but her powers were derived directly from the Lightbearers .. making her sacred aura the most effective weapon against demons.

”How exactly can I help?”

”Iʼm glad you asked.”

I extended my hand, and dark aura began to coalesce, slowly forming a black sword with a runed hilt. The moment it materialized, the pressure in the room spiked.

Urielʼs eyes widened in shock.

”Thatʼs—!”

”Itʼs the Dark Sister.”

”Another legendary sword…”

She began to realize the truth .. that I was wielding not one, but two blazing blades. But I cut her thoughts short and got straight to the point.

”I need you to imbue your sacred power into it.”

”What?!”

She looked at me as if Iʼd lost my mind. But I was dead serious.

”I want to give my sword the attributes of holy aura.”

The Dark Sister constantly amplifies aura. And with the systemʼs inscription function combined with Urielʼs power… I should be able to pull it off .. even if it would cost me every last Achievement Point I had left.

Uriel was still struggling to process what I was saying.

”A sword with sacred traits… like the Vermithor?”

I shook my head.

”Not quite.”

The Vermithor couldnʼt be replicated. That was impossible.

”I only need it to unleash sacred power once .. just once.”

All I needed was one strike. One single chance.

”Thatʼs all I ask from you. Please, Uriel. Just this once .. help me.”

I pleaded with the girl standing before me. She was my only option.

I couldnʼt drag Snow into this .. using the Vermithor openly would stir the powerful forces behind him. Which meant Uriel was the only one left.

She was destined to become the next Saintess after Yurasha. Her sacred power was strong enough to rival even the energy infused into the Vermithorʼs blade.

Uriel took a moment to process everything Iʼd just said .. and the weight of the request Iʼd made.

With a resigned sigh and a crooked smile, she finally responded.

”You sure ask for a lot, you know that? And I doubt what youʼre asking is even possible.”

Asking this of her without having built much of a relationship between us… it was unreasonable.

”I know what Iʼm asking is insane. But Iʼll do anything in return. I owe you.”

I couldnʼt afford to fail this mission. And Sansa was someone worth going this far for. I had decided .. I would live in this world, hadnʼt I?

This was the least I could do to make that happen.

”Anything, huh…”

Uriel shrugged in defeat.

”Remember your words well, Frey, because Iʼll drain you dry in the future.”

”Iʼm fine with that. I trust you enough to make that vow.”

”Hmmmm.”

She ignored my words and focused on the Dark Sister.

”Letʼs get started. I assume you have a plan?”

I nodded.

”Yeah. All I need is for you to place your aura here.”

Iʼd make it possible with the systemʼs support.

”Then letʼs begin.”

Uriel tied her hair back and placed her hands on the swordʼs cold edge while I gripped the hilt.

”Keep it steady while I connect my power into it. An SS rank sword wonʼt accept external aura that easily… so this is going to take a while.”

Time… It was the one thing I didnʼt have much of.

”How long exactly?”

Uriel smiled.

”A few days, at the very least.”

I couldnʼt hide the surprise on my face after hearing that .. especially knowing I didnʼt even have that much.

”What? Surprised? You shouldʼve expected to invest at least that much time for something this unrealistic.”

Only four days remained.

But I had no other choice.

”…Fine. Letʼs do it.”

Uriel nodded and began channeling her holy power into the sword.

The room lit up with her pure radiance as I focused as well, praying Iʼd make it in time… that this would be enough to finish the mission.

As her holy aura poured into the Dark Sister, the blade released a wave of dark aura .. resisting, rejecting the foreign force.

My job was to suppress its resistance and guide Urielʼs power inward.

We both concentrated intensely, sweat dripping down as the process dragged on.

The Dark Sister was a unique weapon .. its core trait being its ability to amplify aura, unleashing over 200% of the original power.

That was why I chose it over Balerion.

Once it absorbed Urielʼs holy aura, Iʼd be able to redirect it—magnified tenfold—against the demonic entity I was about to face.

Time passed quickly, both of us completely absorbed in the task.

Eventually, the resistance began to wane. Channeling the power became easier and smoother.

We could finally breathe again.

”Frey… What did you mean by demonic entity?”

With the pressure lifted, Uriel finally spoke, her hands still resting on my sword as she continued pouring her power in.

I couldnʼt tell her the truth about Sansa… so I gave her the best excuse I could manage.

”Iʼm about to fight someone wielding immense demonic power.”

”Like the Ultras and their demonic powers?” she asked.

I gave a weary smile.

”Exactly.”

Though in truth, Sansaʼs condition was far worse than most of them.

Thinking on my answer, Uriel sighed .. clearly frustrated.

”I just donʼt get it, Frey… If youʼre going to face something like that, why not just take me with you? I could lend you my holy power directly instead of going through all this chaos.”

”…Uriel.”

Was she really willing to go that far for me?

I knew. Iʼd always known how kind Uriel was .. so kind sheʼd risk herself for others without hesitation.

Which is exactly why I couldnʼt bring her along. Not against a foe that could very well kill her.

”…Iʼm sorry.”

It was all I could say.

No excuses, no lies. I just didnʼt want her involved.

”You really are selfish,” Uriel said with a small smile, her pure blue eyes meeting mine.

”But once this is over, make no mistake .. I will be selfish too when itʼs time for you to repay this debt.”

I nodded with a soft smile.

”Do whatever you want. Iʼm yours.”

Once I finish this cursed mission thatʼs been weighing on me… Iʼll be more than happy to play that role for you, Uriel.

And so, the two of us spent those long but fleeting hours together .. sharing our powers in pursuit of a nearly impossible goal.

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A.N : 4 extra chapters will be released for the castle received today . Thank you!