“Greetings, Aletro,” Viers gave a respectful bow. He didn't like bowing and loathed kneeling but he understood that Aletro had given him so many opportunities and he was much stronger now because of it. Villain he might be, Viers knew gratitude. “I’ve been thinking about our first conversation.”

Viers implied about the time Aletro told him he was not the candidate for number one and that he would prove him wrong.

“So Anne is the most likely champion in this competition, isn't she?” He said dryly. “The magnificent Child of the Holy Phoenix.”

Viers had defeated Troy, although it was by no means an easy fight. Troy represented the leading prowess of this place's participants and Viers had confidence he could defeat the others such as Oscar, Airmaster, even Aravin Daystar, the Harem MC.

However, Anne’s strength was off the charts. Viers, with a complete understanding of his abilities, didn't have the assurance he could defeat her even should he use all of his power and trump cards.

Anne’s threat was that massive.

“Mmm,” Aletro hummed. “Her destiny is beyond your imagination. Fate has grand plans for her. So, do you still have the confidence to surpass her as you did back then?” His eyes were looking down on Viers.

Viers had been walking smoothly in his Path of Power for quite some time. The last major obstacle he faced was Freya. After realizing Anne’s true form, Viers branded her as a threat on par with the Church’s golden child.

“Heh,” Viers scoffed. “Mister Sage, you will know soon enough. My actions will be the answer to that question. So, factions,” he changed the topic.

“No spoilers will be given,” Aletro lightly laughed. “Just the way you like it.”

“Yes for games, movies, and stories but for investment? Seems a bad idea to invest in something without an informed decision,” Viers replied.

“All the others are in the same boat. You’ll know your kingdom when you get there. I made sure it is all balanced.”

“And yet we can make sacrifices to unbalance it,” Viers pointed out the contradiction.

“Too much ‘pay-to-win’ for your tastes?” the shadow of the mysterious man said.

Viers looked upwards to the ceiling of white nothingness and took a couple of breaths before meeting Aletro’s gaze and answering.

“In life, to gain something you must sacrifice something. I have no complaints. How many ideas have you taken from my head to construct this trial anyway? There is too much familiarity for it to be a coincidence.”

“Just enough,” Aletro devilishly smiled. “Are you not entertained?” He said with the right intonation.

They digressed, talking like fellow people with the same hobbies. Viers never had the chance to talk with someone who understood so the conversation branched into small talk. Aletro could manipulate time, a little delay wouldn't inconvenience him.

“I suppose there’s no way to know what other people sacrificed and how strong their troops are?” Viers asked.

“None. Sacrifice too little and it won’t make any impact. Sacrifice too much and perhaps it will weaken you instead.”

“Other than the value of the thing sacrificed, the more precious it is to the individual, the more the sacrifices’ worth, was it?” Viers put two fingers on his beardless chin. “Sounds like a devil’s bargain, Aletro.”

“Think of it as you will,” the black-clothed man shrugged. “You’ve taken enough time. What are you willing to sacrifice, trial taker?”

“Fine. Here comes the villain’s bargain with some dark god for power,” Viers’ face was solemn. “I sacrifice… most of the treasures I got from the previous four stages.”

From the Thousand Treasures Casket Viers pulled out a small hill of natural treasures.

***

Boram had thought long and hard about what he was going to sacrifice. The problem was, everything he had gained was Master Avel’s. He felt bad selling off his master’s things. Then again, his master made it clear he wanted Boram to be as strong as possible, that meant survive and, if possible, thrive during Stage 5. The boy realized his powers were lacking, so he must find ways to even the odds against the other people.

Except for the important ones, I’ll give uncle Aletro the treasures I gathered from the worlds before.

Boram sacrificed his material wealth, the same choice as his master. Naturally, many others too. People gathered what they needed in the previous stages and kept what they found precious. Sacrificing these items was the most common course of action.

Some sacrificed different things.

Max the Ivory Flame and Jaime “Backlasher” Sigley the Horsemen of War outright sacrificed a portion of their spark shards.

Spark shards were precious and they knew it. The two of them willingly made the choice.

Oscar Regisea drew water from his blessed origin. He gave away his loads of money and the belongings of his family. Especially the life-saving treasures that could not work inside the Book World because their power was above the permissible limits.

Airmaster Monus, the foreigner Pathseeker sacrificed his Artes.

Heh, compared to the backwater monkeys in the Coalition, I have too many Artes from the Zetel Kingdom. I can’t use them anymore because the memory of them has been erased from my head but I still have my core Artes. My fighting strength is not affected.

Stage 5 was where the battle would be the fiercest. Most didn't want to sacrifice their direct battle strength but not all share that sentiment.

Khalmar sacrificed a third of his beast brand, lowering his battle strength significantly.

With stronger soldiery to call upon, I can protect my brethren better. For everyone in the Alliance!

And then there were people who made the most unique choices.

Green Scorpion Fajrin wished to sacrifice the life of his friend then got struck by a lightning bolt by Aletro.

“The life of your friend is not yours, jackass!”

Dark Zero wanted to sacrifice his future firstborn son.

“...Are you an idiot?” Aletro said with an amazed expression at the smoking, twitching husk of Dark Zero after the lightning. “You think this is a bargain with the devil? Do this properly you little shit!”

Troy didn't sacrifice anything, he wanted to beat Tanael using his own strength.

In Aravin’s private space, besides the handsome youth himself, there was white-clothed Aletro and a small girl with heavenly countenance wearing a golden robe. The girl gave some sort of shining orb to Aletro despite Aravin’s protest.

“The sacrifice is accepted,” Aletro replied.

Anne’s offering was three drops of Phoenix Source Blood.

***

“The sacrifice is accepted,” Aletro said without expression. He felt disappointed by Viers’ mundane -yet worth quite a bit- sacrifice but kept a straight face. The otherworlder might think he could rely on his guile to obtain first place but Aletro very much doubted he could succeed.

Viers sacrificed most of the material gains that he got in the Aletro’s trial save for a few of the truly important.

“I wish you go-”

Aletro was about to teleport him away but Viers cut him off.

“And one tier of my water affinity,” Viers spoke.

“Hoh,” a mite of interest returned to Aletro. “Lowering your battle strength? Are you sure?”

“I won't fight using my water side during the trial anyway. Cut it down,” Viers replied.

His water affinity was 4 but it was only temporary. His original affinity was 2 but Viers decided to sacrifice one tier of it anyway.

“Accepted,” Aletro’s voice entered Viers' ears, almost inaudible because of the girls’ inside his head. “Then I wish-”

“And take my left arm.”

“Alright!” Aletro replied almost giddily. “Don't regret this. Is there any more?”

Viers grasped his soon-to-be-gone left arm with his right hand. Before giving away his limb, he was thinking of sacrificing his Soul Power, at least half of it. Soul Power was the strengthening that he possessed because of the Myriad Souls in One Arte. Viers had 20,000 Soul Power, the equivalent of 20 Level 3 Pathseekers or 2 Level 4 Pathseekers’ souls.

Viers needed 1,000,000 Soul Power to evolve his Mortal Soul into Grand Soul.

It would set his soul cultivation back significantly and his soul Artes would be weaker. It was undoubtedly a major sacrifice on his part.

That was why the sacrifice had meaning.

But considering the difficult battles ahead, weakening his soul skills might prove fatal. He’d given up his arm instead.

Unbeknownst to Viers, his sacrifices at this point were equal to Anne’s three drops of blood.

“And I sacrifice my right of possession. Any gains I make in Stage 5, I will forgo it all if I am not ranked 1 by the end of this trial! My shards, my cultivation progress, everything. If I’m not rank 1 at the end of the trial it would be as if I never entered Stage 5 at all!”

Viers was giving his sacrifice with the same resolution as a man named Griffith.

“Unusual sacrifice… Like a restriction rather than a sacrifice. You mean to make this an all or nothing, eh? I’ll allow it! What’s next, struggler?!”

“Lastly, one hundred years of my lifespan!” Viers shouted with unwavering eyes.

“HAHAHAHAHA DAHAHAHAHAH!!” Aletro was consumed with manic euphoria. “A greedy revenant trying to devour a golden phoenix! Do it if you can. You have been most entertaining, Viers Isuel!”

Aletro extracted Viers’ sacrifice and the trial taker screamed his heart out from the pain.

“Lord Viers!” Farley worriedly said. “Why did you do that? There’s no need for all of this. You could have finished in second place easily. Why must you be so stubborn chasing her?”

Viers answered amidst the pain. “Farley…khhhh… second place… is the first loser! Aaaaarrrrggghhh!!” Aletro resumed taking Viers’ lifeforce.

“I don't understand… I don't understand!” Paina said in tears. She’d never seen Viers reduced to such a terrible state. Aletro was not gentle in taking his offerings.

“You’re going to kill her, aren’t you? At least you’ll try. What did she ever do to you? It’s just so sad… not only for her but for you also! So much pain… and for what? For having the power to kill her? Is this what being a Pathseeker is to you?”

“Yes.”

Pure and simple. Paina’s honest plea touched Viers’ heart but it didn't make a single ripple.

Viers’ Dao Heart was as strong as Vibranium.

“Such is a Pathseeker,” Clarissa hugged the crying Paina. “Viers has forged his path. It isn't for everyone, Paina.”

How long had the life-drain continued, even Viers did not know. Intense pain obscured his sense of time. At some point, his left arm was gone. Not a single drop of blood fell.

But pain was only pain. He made friends with pain a long time ago.

With my sacrifices, if I lose, my cultivation momentum will be lost with it. My growth from then on will suffer severe setbacks. It would take years to mend. My cultivation is smooth thus far because I ride the wave of progress. Even if I don't lose my life, no doubt I have put my future on the line.

In a little solace in his heart, Viers knew that his prime role model, Fang Yuan, would approve of his choice.

The man’s way of life was very simple, either Eternal Life or shit!

How could Viers not show the same commitment?

“Reciprocity has been achieved and balance is maintained. Beware the Terminus,” Aletro grinned a devil’s smile. “War awaits you. Go, my champion of darkness.”

Viers felt his body wrapped by the sensation of teleportation.

Heh, imitating the System, huh? Then you better not short-change me or I’ll become a Defier!

He had done all that he could. Viers didn't feel he paid too great of a price. In fact, he was afraid the sacrifice wasn't enough to bridge the gap between Anne and him.

For he was pitting his destiny against a Mary Sue.