THE VILLAIN'S POV
Chapter 319 - 319: The hammer and the anvil (1)

– Frey Starlight's POV –

"Frey! Want some?"

Danzo called out to me, inviting me to join everyone for food.

"No thanks… I'm fine."

I declined, stepping away from the group and ignoring Danzo's persistent gaze.

"You're not going to last like this, man…"

"…"

I understood where Danzo was coming from.

It had been several hours since we arrived in this barren, lifeless land—a place that reminded me all too much of Londor.

If anything, it confirmed one thing: this planet was already starting to bleed.

Night had fallen, and darkness loomed above our heads.

Despite hours of travel through the wastelands, we had found nothing ...no shelter, no signs of life.

It wasn't in our best interest to remain like this for long. After all, we had stepped through those gates intending to take a test. That meant none of us had brought any real provisions or supply rings.

The only food we had was what happened to be inside Professor Phoenix's ring when he followed us through.

But from what I saw… the amount he had would barely last a few days, especially considering how many of us there were.

And once that food ran out… most people here wouldn't survive. Especially not in this land, devoid of any life.

My body was different—able to go on without eating. That's why I chose to refrain from joining the others. It might help, even a little. And it seemed I wasn't the only one who thought that way.

"You two shouldn't cling to me like that."

I addressed both Snow and Sansa, who had also chosen not to eat.

"You think you're the only special one here, Frey? I can go weeks with just water," Snow said with a smile, while Sansa didn't comment at all.

I figured she didn't want to talk about her demonic body—that body that could survive on aura alone.

"At least we've got Seris with us…"

Sansa muttered, glancing over at Seris Moonlight, who was effortlessly conjuring water from thin air, manipulating the element without limits.

Snow nodded.

"I can use water too, but Seris is on a whole other level. She can produce large quantities with minimal aura… Her control is insane."

Most of the elite class gathered around Seris every time they needed water, doing what they could to avoid dehydration.

That put Seris at the top of the priority list. If she lost her ability to continue, dehydration would hit everyone hard. Fortunately, only a few hours had passed since our arrival, so that threat still felt distant—for now.

But I couldn't help but wonder… is this really enough?

Even if no one died from hunger or thirst, would we really be in a condition to fight if the time came?

Every minute we spent on this land drained us bit by bit .. not to mention that most of those here had no experience surviving in the wild.

No matter how I tried to think about it… my mind kept drifting toward the worst-case scenarios.

But I quickly abandoned those thoughts when Sansa tapped me lightly on the forehead.

"Could you stop? Every time I look at your face, I feel like your cursed thoughts are seeping into me."

Hearing her comment, I unconsciously touched my face and gave a half-smile.

"Sorry… Was it that obvious?"

"Yeah. So obvious I don't want to look at you anymore."

"Hehe… My bad."

It was a game we had been playing lately—Sansa trying to read my thoughts through my expressions, and me trying to hide them behind a blank face.

"I guess there's no point in overthinking it."

Better to worry about things when they actually happen rather than drive myself into a corner trying to anticipate every disaster.

If you asked me whether I could survive… I'd say yes. I'll make it somehow, even if the odds are against me.

But…

I lifted my head and glanced at the others.

I scanned their faces one by one—twenty elite students, and Professor Phoenix.

By the end of this ordeal… how many of them will still be standing?

That was the thought that haunted me most.

"Just to be sure… Let me ask you this, Frey."

Snow suddenly said beside me.

"What?"

"You don't have anything? A plan? A lead of some sort? Y'know… like last time?"

"Oh…"

I understood what he meant.

He was probably talking about our time in Londor—how I always seemed to know the way forward.

Which, in this case, meant… system advice.

I gave him a strained smile and answered with the bitter truth from the very start.

"Sorry. I'm completely in the dark this time. I have no idea where we could find any teleportation gates…"

I saw a flicker of surprise cross Snow's face.

But he quickly accepted it with a serious nod.

Unfortunately, system advice required Achievement Points.

Not many… but a significant amount nonetheless.

But my current number of Achievement Points… was quite simply:

— Current Achievement Points: 0 —

This was the first time ever that I had reached zero.

Diverting the teleportation process earlier and saving everyone had burned through all of my points—leaving me without my greatest weapon this time… the System.

In other words… I had no cheat left. If I wanted to survive, I'd have to rely solely on my own abilities.

And it all starts… with finding those teleportation gates.

"In the first place, how would we even activate one of them? Aren't they insanely complex?"

As if reading my thoughts, Sansa posed the obvious question.

"She's got a point," Snow said as a new variable entered the equation.

"We'll have to figure that out once we actually find one."

If the system were available, I could've activated them easily...

"Excuse me."

Our quiet conversation was interrupted by a fourth voice approaching from the distance.

The two approaching figures were the mages—Selena and her quiet companion, Xevier Adams.

They exchanged a glance, and then Selena stepped forward to speak.

"We overheard your conversation, and we think we might have a solution to the current issue."

"What do you mean?" Snow asked, and Selena replied without hesitation.

"We already discussed it with Professor Phoenix. All you have to do is find the gate—we'll handle the rest. I'm confident we can activate any teleportation gate on this planet."

Selena spoke with conviction ... and her words didn't sound like empty boasts.

"I see… That's reassuring to hear."

Snow nodded with a smile. At the very least, we no longer had to worry about how to activate the gate.

The conversation continued for a while longer as we naturally split into small groups that stayed close to one another.

Danzo, Dawn, Ghost, and Ragna joined us shortly after.

Most of the remaining students clung to Phoenix, following him wherever he went.

And then there was that damned prince—the one I couldn't let my guard down around for a second.

Overall, the atmosphere was incredibly somber.

And it stayed that way for a few more minutes.

Alone in the wasteland, surrounded by nothing but lifeless sand and freezing winds that threatened to freeze our blood solid…

All of that, accompanied by silence.

A silence that had lasted far too long.

But nothing lasts forever.

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