Viers, Fithel, and Sakuya, the three survivors, were putting black bones into their sacks.

Hm, I’ve gained 3,333 shards. Since we split Pyke’s remains into three, Pyke’s full worth is 10,000 spark shards then. Now there’s only one thing left.

Viers didn't do the logical thing to maximize his chances of getting into the next top 10 rankings: taking the whole remains of Pyke for himself.

He reckoned he had a fair chance to begin with. Fithel and Sakuya might be somewhat hard to deal with but Viers was confident he could get 10,000 spark shards if he went all out.

But he didn't!

Heh. I really can't win against Fang Yuan… Still too soft-hearted. Sighhh… Viers thought in mockery of himself.

He let that train of thought choo-choo away and moved on to other matters.

Whilst in deep thought, Viers stood at the lake’s edge, looking at the shining trident embedded in the kraken’s head. The lake was no longer filled with skeletons. The Crew of the Damned had turned to dust the moment Pyke was defeated.

“You wish to take it?” Fithel asked from behind.

“What would happen to us if we did?” Viers asked back. “Isn’t it sealing a god? I don't fancy being eaten the second I take the trident.”

“I won't.”

That wasn't Fithel’s voice. Viers suddenly turned his body around in haste.

A child, looking no older than four or five years old was there. Viers found that Fithel and Sakuya were no longer moving, so too the waterfall in the distance. All was frozen in time.

“Mister Deep Dweller, I presume?”

“‘Tis I.”

“Let me guess. You want me to be Pyke’s replacement,” Viers said.

“All I asked is that you pull the trident. You can keep the trident afterward. It is useless to me. As an additional boon, I can fulfill your heart’s every desire.”

“What about my safety? The actions of your chosen person didn't inspire confidence. So too was your treatment of him.” Viers was talking about Pyke, of course.

“A mere sham,” the boy dismissed. “None of this is real, except for myself. What you call Pyke is an empty puppet that person crammed my power into. I had no choice in the matter. Everything is directed by that person.”

“Speaking of ‘that person’, this is inside Aletro’s book. You think you can still get away?”

“Aletro,” voice laced with annoyance. “For a weakling, he has a lot of tricks. There’s no need to worry about that. My bargain with you, Higher Being, is simply to remove the trident. If it is safety you are worried about, this one shall make an Absolute Vow to never harm you.”

Higher Being, Viers thought. The Rank 7 monster bull told me I had a gift from a Higher Being, the flower, I suppose.

“Don't I only have a gift from them?“

“Not yet... but we are kindred, thou and I. Young one, you seek power. Free me and I can show you the path to godhood.”

The little boy spoke like an old man. Viers didn't answer. He put it into thought for three seconds and he smiled.

“...Very well. You’ve made up your mind. Beware of the one you know as Aletro. He serves his own agenda,” the child warned. “And he cares nothing for your well-being.”

The world returned to normal.

“...What’s wrong, Tanael-san?”

“...Did you two got a visit from the Deep Dweller God as well?” Viers said in a serious tone.

“What? N-No. Are you okay?” Sakuya looked worried.

“I also did not. What did you see?” Fithel asked.

“He tempted me to release him, promising whatever I wished for and the Trident,” Viers laid it out.

“Congratulations, for reaching the end.”

Both Aletro appeared, two people with similar faces like a mirror of another. The only difference between them was their clothes’ color: one wearing all white and all black on the other.

“You’ve defeated a powerful adversary and the greatest treasure lies before you. Now you three have to make a choice. To take the trident and let the sealed entity free or to give it up and purify the trident from impurities to strengthen the seal.”

A ball of light appeared on the trio’s hand.

“Put the ball of light into the water if you choose to purify the trident,” Aletro in white said.

Viers wanted to ask a glaring question. “Aletro, is-”

“Is the entity that called himself Deep Dweller God real?” Black-clothed Aletro cut in. “I’ll leave that to your imagination.”

“What will we gain if we choose to purify?” Viers changed the question.

“Nothing,” they both spoke as one.

“If we three decided to take the trident? Who will get it?”

“You will decide that among yourself.”

“...Well, guess it’s up to us then,” Viers shrugged. “Thoughts?”

Fithel and Sakuya stepped forward and ready to put their light on the water. They looked at Viers as if waiting for him.

Yeah, my thoughts exactly.

Viers smiled and also crouched down.

“Are you all sure?” Black Aletro goaded. “The Crystal Trident is not a real divine weapon but it has been genuinely blessed by a Sea God. After being used to seal the kraken, a part of the evil god’s strength is also mixed into the Trident, making the weapon more powerful and weakening the kraken permanently. A rare blessed and cursed item. Most Level 5 don’t even have a stronger weapon.” He looked at Viers. “It is even better than your broken spear.”

I see. So that’s why the city feels somewhat sacred. But-

Viers was the first that let the light on his hands fall to the lake, Fithel and Sakuya soon followed.

Sigh… Bye, divine weapon.

Viers concluded the Deep Dweller God is a real existence. The god put on a good show. Viers doubted if he was really an evil god and enlarged Viers’ distrust of Aletro. Either way, if the kraken was freed, Viers path would definitely be entangled with the being once more.

Viers smelled trouble from that.

In the future, he would fall into a predicament because of the Deep Dweller God, malevolent god or not. He had read too many xianxias with similar enough plot. Viers could see the cliche development from one light-year away.

Viers did not let the glimmer of the Crystal Trident blind him and he erased that particular alternate timeline from existence.

Even if it turned out that the kraken was a righteous god and Aletro was revealed to be a bad guy that captured him to suck his power, it was not Viers’ problem.

He had enough problems of his own.

The lake’s water turned into the color of a rainbow. The three marveled at its beauty. Meanwhile, the Deep Dweller God’s enormous body turned into stone.

“The choice has been made. At midnight, you all will be teleported out as Stage 2 ends. Feel free to roam the City of Pearl to gain any treasure you can find,” White Aletro looked pleased. “Before that, all of you gained marks on your hands during the visit to the Sky Temple and Sea Temple. Combined with your result in the final battle, you’ll gain an appropriate reward. First place, Tanael. Second place, Fithel. Third place, Night Bloom.”

“The reward is placed somewhere in the city. The mark on your hands will guide you,” Black Aletro added. “The other trial takers cannot return to the City of Pearl so there are only you three. Use your time wisely.”

Without further ado, Both Aletros left, leaving the three to their own devices.

“Excuse me, you two. I have to find some treasures.” Viers moved first, giving a nod to the others before running out.

Fithel and Sakuya exchanged glances before saying farewell and separated, much more polite than Viers.

“It should be here.”

The city was pretty wide. The previous black mist was actually Deep Dweller God’s tentacles that coiled all around the city. They were now stones and no longer prevented travel. Viers finally reached the gate of a ruined building where he felt a call.

The marks on his both hands disappeared as he pushed the gate open.

It was an empty hall with murals on the walls.

“...Martial art’s kata?”

The murals were showing pictures of a man doing a sword technique. Viers found the title written on the upper part.

“Sea Universe sword style, first stance… Big words. Where’s the second stance?”

Viers looked around.

“Looks like there’s only the first stance, Lord Viers.”

“Shame. Mmh!?”

Viers was startled by the sudden emergence of a swordsman-phantom. Like a hologram, the swordsman was displaying his sword technique. He was only using one stance, showing how he used that stance to deal with many situations in various conditions.

“It seems this is the reward, a water element centric sword technique,” Farley’s eyes were glued to the phantom’s movements.

“And this phantom is an impartment, like a master showing how it's done to a disciple,” Clarissa clarified. “Well, better get observing, Viers. Profound techniques won't be easy to learn. You have about… 22 hours till midnight? Even that might not be enough. Without the impartment, it will be significantly harder, might take weeks or months. Let's hope 22 hours is enough.”

Yeah, learning xianxia's tech can take years. If the author wants to make it so… or just minutes if the MC is the one doing it. MCs are such an unfair creature after all.

Viers watched the holo-video for one hour before all the ‘kata’ was finished showing and started to play again from the beginning.

Hmn…

Viers was studying it diligently.

After watching it for the second time, Viers got an idea.

There’s no supernatural impartment at play here. No mystic understanding digging its way into my head. The holo might be a magic trick but it is no different from a recording. A very REAL recording but I must learn by my own comprehension… Let me watch one more to be sure.

Viers watched the first stance of the Sea Universe sword style for the third time.

“All right, I’ve got it. Let's leave,” Viers happily said.

“Oh, you’ve learned it? Took you long enough. Show me,” Paina said.

“Impossible!” Clarissa raised her voice. She was the one with the most understanding about the subject. “Even with constant Euryale Sight, you would need at least fifteen hours to pull it off! And this is assuming you are a talented genius! Normal people would be lucky to grasp it under seventy-two!”

“Ha-ha-hah! Of course not. But cooped up here is a waste of time, isn't it? I’ll bring the recording with me,” Viers made a shady smile.

“B-Bring it with you?” Clarissa stuttered.

“...Ah, so that’s how it is. As expected of Lord Viers,” Farley nodded in understanding.

Clarissa watched the exact copy of the recording in the Grid with her mouth open.

The Grid was a virtual space capable of replicating Viers’ past enemies, salvaged from the system cheat of an MC. It was not a common thing.

From the most miniscule muscle twitch or the one-millimeter difference in footing, Viers recorded them all and could rewatch the sword stance impartment anytime he wanted.

Viers and the other two left Clarissa standing in disbelief, shaken by Viers’ resourcefulness.

Linking benefits to gain more benefits, creating a snowball effect. Every power fantasy MC's style of cultivation…

This is the Way.

“What are your plans now, Lord Viers?” Farley asked. “We have about nineteen hours left.”

Paina answered. “Treasure hunting, obviously. Do you need to ask?”

“Bzzt! Wrong answer, Angels! I’m going skinny dipping!” Viers declared proudly as if he had uttered the most brilliant thing ever.