“Here they come!” Croix said to the three standing beside him. “Brace yourselves!”

The four people plus a dragon were ready for the upcoming battle. Before them was an imposing manor gate. It was reverberating as if it couldn't take any more, the wooden gate blasted open on its own, regurgitating a bunch of arms-wielding men.

Croix’s team met them head-on. Croix strengthened Falmerion’s fire breath. Ciel swung a blade of light that cut the enemy down in droves. Boram created two levitating gigantic fists of stone and pummeled the approaching enemies. Avel’s lightning spread through the crowd to great effectiveness.

Many had fallen but there were no corpses. These men turned to magic particles the moment they were slain.

The first task that Croix chose for Round 3 was solving the trouble of the Hawk Fang School. It was a small Pathseeker organization in the local region. Their Power Spot, a manor that housed the illusory vestiges of their vaunted past members, was about to spill out.

The Hawk Fang School sends its members to the Power Spot to learn the techniques of their predecessors. Once in a while, an outbreak happens, becoming something of a seasonal disaster. To prevent damage to the Hawk Fang School, Croix and the others took the task to solve it this time.

The Level 3 head of the Hawk Fang and several of their senior members, were watching the team’s prowess from behind, along with Tinade, Croix team’s watcher. These older men were taken aback by how mighty these youngsters were.

Croix and the other three were no common Pathseekers. Those remaining in the Grand Prix were all the promising, talented Pathseekers who would carry the Latias Kingdom on their shoulders in the decades to come. Although, not all of them were from Latias. Some foreigners had mixed in. A sore point but tolerated by the higher-ups.

The illusory phantoms were not weak. They were all Level 3 with a few Level 4 mixed in. Furthermore, Croix saw familiar faces. Those that he already defeated earlier came out again from the manor. It was like trying to stop an endless current.

“Team, we’re making the push!” Croix gave the order. He was the captain. The burden of leadership fell to him.

“Roger that! I’ll open a path!”

With a beam of light two meters in diameter, Ciel removed most of the arms-swinging Arte-blasting phantoms in front of the group. The party entered the Power Spot manor whilst running.

The task was to solve the trouble of the Hawk Fang School. To keep mowing down the hostile phantoms like they had done was one way but Croix aimed for a better solution, to prevent future outbreaks or at least make it more manageable. And so it was agreed they would enter the Power Spot.

They found themselves in a long narrow corridor teeming with enemies. The manor gate was a portal of sorts.

“Enemies in front!” Boram smashed a charging phantom with his hammer.

“Enemies behind too!” Ciel clashed her shield with a full-armored knight phantom and cut him down to size in her next move.

“As expected,” Avel created bead-sized lightning balls and supported the front and back lines.

“Yes, forward!” Croix cut through the enemies with a red sword.

As they were fighting Croix glanced at Avel. This contracted vassal, who was also Ciel’s boyfriend, had been deeply injured during Round 1. Croix was worried he wasn't fully healed. Pathseekers injuries could be troublesome. In some cases, even decades wouldn't heal an injury. However, it seemed his worry was unwarranted. The man himself looked as if nothing was wrong and his lightning was as strong as ever.

Ciel must be thinking the same as him, Croix thought. He found the duke’s daughter had been stealing more worried glances at Avel’s back lately.

I also must be better. I’m depending on them too much. If I’m to be a true leader, I must be the one people depend on.

With such thoughts, Croix continued to fight alongside his companion dragon and friends.

***

Oh, you worrywarts...

Viers’ soul sense had only grown sharper since he became Level 4. Even though he was pretending to be a Level 3 at the moment, that fact didn't change. He felt Croix and Ciel’s concerns.

Yes, his water affinity was sealed, and thus unable to use any water Arte or Ixi Arte related to water at the moment but his battle prowess suffered little to none.

Level 3 enemies, even Level 3 peaks could be handled by Futon’s might alone. Viers let his three familiars grow by feeding them expensive things that were suitable for their growth. As a result Dia, Faiya, and Futon had become very powerful. With the latest gain from the Magisterium raid, they were close to becoming Level 4s. Futon’s lightning was even comparable to the Level 4 upper-tier because of how many high-quality treasures the elemental consumed. Futon’s siblings were the same.

As for the battle, Viers didn't even use a lick of Victa. Saving up would be good. The battle in Zetel had drained his reserves. Even though Viers had Soul Energon Arte, those souls could be used for other purposes.

Viers took a moment to observe his companions. Ciel was as strong as ever. She seemed to have sharpened herself during Round 2 and familiarized herself with her Level 4 powers. Croix had improved too. Boram, who was acting as the rearguard, was using the Ixi Arte Reactive Sand Defense; the phantom weapons were stopped by sand that floated around Boram.

Viers smiled at the drama involving the Arte. Apparently, after Boram used that Arte in Round 2, Croix was confronted by a noble family claiming it was their Arte. They demanded that Boram erase his memory of the Arte or enter their service, the absurdity of it all.

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Arte ownership was a difficult topic in this world. Boram’s case happened all the time. Reactive Sand Defense Arte was something that Viers made. He made it after getting inspired by Gaara’s ability.

Copyright and patents. Heh. Just like those games where one calls the monster ‘pal’, and the other ‘poké’.

Viers used a lot of inspiration from other fictions to create his Artes. In his mind, he didn't steal them. He created the Arte using this world’s magic structure from scratch. Reactive Sand Defense Arte didn't use chakras or hand seals. It was different, like two chairs with different designs.

With so much fiction in the world, some techniques were bound to look similar to another.

Since Boram was his vassal, Croix had to deal with the noble house’s complaint and Croix consulted Viers about the matter.

“What do you think?” Viers asked him back. This was before Round 3 started.

“I’d ignore them. What proof do they have? The Arte formula is different too,” answered Croix.

“Then leave it at that. Weak dogs bark the loudest. They just wanted something from you.”

So was Viers’ Arte all legit then? All self-made? Absolutely not. He stole a lot of Artes of this world. Tens of thousands, using his soul search or wanton looting. Sometimes he used them as is, sometimes he modified them to be better or merged them.

But so what?

Who was gonna do anything to him? Who could? Viers never really cared about rules that told him he couldn't do things.

If there was someone out there who could steal his technique Viers would say it was their ability.

He might still kill them though. Your things are my thing but my things are my things.

Hypocrite? Absolutely. He was a villain. A super villain!

Unknowing of his master’s thoughts, Boram consulted Viers.

“Pay it no mind, B. If they messed with you, I don't mind giving them a kick in the butt.”

It wouldn't be the first clan that Viers erased.

“But I hate it. How can they claim an Arte theirs just like that? They even show the certificate and stuff.”

“Pah, ink on paper,” Viers scoffed. “Then how about this? Fight them, using the Arte they claim is theirs. Whoever wins, their Arte is the authentic one. Problem solved.”

Boram looked enlightened and gave Viers a bow.

“A brilliant solution, Master!”

“Hahahaha! Of course it is! Sometimes I am surprised by my own genius!”

Ciel who had been hearing the exchange between master and disciple was speechless, she massaged her nasal bridge. That was such a barbaric logic.

Viers’ recollection ended when the party reached a branching path, exactly four. Just as the Hawk Fang School head said. To enter the next layer, the four trials must be conquered.

“This is it. May fortune be with you all,” Croix said.

“You too, Prince Croix.”

“Yes. Good luck.”

“Mh-hm.”

Croix, Ciel, Boram, and Viers took a different path each. Believing his comrades wouldn't fail, Viers concentrated on his own path. The phantom enemies became more sturdy and could no longer be one-hit by Futon’s lightning. In a narrow corridor, there was no room to maneuver either. The phantom swarm threatened to swallow Viers.

“Showtime.”

The villain materialized a katana, pulled from a high-grade inventory item, and used an iai to cleave the phantoms.

Ironically, only at the moment when there were no spectators, Viers tended to show off. He didn't want the masses to know his techniques or show clues that he might be an otherworlder to those in the know.

Tinade the observer was outside and the Power Spot manor was a pocket dimension, Viers could use his katana or Level 4 power without reservations.

“Futon, Faiya, attack.”

The elementals revealed themselves in the open and aided their creator and master. Faiya was a bit envious that his brother was used much more by Viers. He wanted to help too, so he worked extra hard in times when he got a turn.

After defeating the close to a hundred mooks, Viers arrived at a boss area. A lone formidable phantom, more formidable than the rest, waited for a challenger and a challenger had arrived.

“You two, return.”

Faiya and Futon went back into Viers’ badges. In this state, Viers could access their power more easily. He connected his soul to theirs.

Determining the special phantom was somewhat strong, he decided to try a new technique. With a sheathed katana, he approached the phantom’s range, who made an overhead stance with his greatsword. This was a vestige of a formidable Level 4 warrior in the past, Viers had no doubt.

Overcoming such an enemy would bring him to greater heights.

The two attacked at the same time. The phantom brought down his sword like a falling star. Viers, enamored by the style of the samurai depicted in games and movies, used another iai, a quickdraw slash.

Arte - Cut the Crap!

But there was something different this time. When he drew steel, there was electricity; when he slashed, it was with a blazing blade.

In a flash, the Level 4 phantom was cleaved in twain.

Viers used Futon’s lightning to quicken the speed of the draw and he imbued Umikirimaru with the destructive power of Faiya’s fire. The result was like a combined technique of Kimetsu’s Thunder Breathing and Flame Breathing: deadly and visually epic.

The exchange was over in a blink; Viers and the phantom had traded places. After decisively defeating the phantom, Viers sheathed his sword again without looking back.

Viers was a water and soul Pathseeker. Baharir had sealed his water side but this didn't mean Viers had lost half of his battle power. Even without his familiars and items, his swordsmanship had reached a high degree of mastery. His soul side, which should be more terrifying than his water side, was always ready to swallow the unsuspecting. There was also his Imaginary Domain that was the bane of all living things.

Like a motherboard connected to all, the almighty Horizon Aspect.

All that was his personal abilities, but he also had allies, like Dia who had confronted several Level 5 on his behalf.

Should he meet an enemy he could not defeat, when all else failed, his running away ability had improved significantly. He took the lesson of defeat very seriously, courtesy of Georgi, the Dumuzin Cult master. The Vanish in Abyss Arte was the newest addition to his elusiveness. He was an Elusive Not-Samurai.

Viers always hid his soul abilities from the public eye and used water as his front face. As Avel, he also used Futon to become a water-lightning Pathseeker. He could do the same with Faiya whenever he wanted, but he didn't see the need as Avel.

Even without the water affinity, Viers was as strong as ever. Correction, he kept getting stronger day by day. Even now, Arsène was doing some self-improvement inside Viers’ soul space.

Unfortunately for Baharir, a mighty Level 4 peak Magisterium Tower Master, his last act of defiance had minimal effect on Viers.

He even regarded this as a good opportunity to mix up his fighting style.

Kind of like a person changing the style of their hair.

A better man wouldn't humiliate the Tower Master’s helpless imprisoned soul even further by showing this scene to him but Viers was a bad man.

With his part done, Viers began to walk back. His footsteps echoed in the silent corridor. The phantoms no longer appeared to bar his path.