“Hellooo, it’s still night but rise and shine”

“Mnn…”

Kala started to wake up from her most recent slumber.

“Viers…” she tried to move but found that she couldn’t. She was bound in chains in a place of endless blackness and darkness as far as the eyes could see. “What have you done?” She asked with tired eyes.

“Taking a lamian treasure. Forcefully, like a bandit, if I say so myself. And fulfilling my promise to a friend,” Viers nonchalantly said.

“…Where’s the Queen?”

“Inside her lair, most likely. We’re not going back there until I have the necessary strength to go toe to toe with her in her domain. That means for quite a while, I think.”

“I see,” she replied curtly.

“Hnn, don’t want to talk about it, huh? I was hoping to ask you about the queen but I’m not going to force you. I already have a guess about the relationship between you both. First, you two didn’t get along. Second, she used you like parasite used a host. Third, the circumstances force you to be trapped in that trial grounds. Fourth, you didn’t like your situation.”

Viers started to talk to himself, fishing a reaction from the lamia.

“…How am I still alive?” Kala changed the topic.

“Alive is not an accurate word but not wrong either. A soul could stay in this world if anchored. Just like you previously anchored to the Biome, you’re currently anchored to me.”

“…”

She didn’t answer.

“Are you sulking? I thought you’re gonna be happier released from that place.”

“Why should I? I’m still a prisoner,” she bitterly said.

“Ah… Well, I… I don’t plan to treat you badly.”

“You have made me do things against my will.”

“Right… Oh, fuck this crap.”

Viers was fed up with her mewling and sulking attitude. He put his hand on her shoulder and injected something into her.

“Eh? MMmmm!!”

Her body rattled the chains binding her. It was not a cry of pain. Hers was the sound of the opposite.

“Haah, haah, haah… What was that?” Kala asked while panting.

“Oh, I didn’t expect that. Is it that good? Well, I call it Vitamin Soul. Even if your soul anchored to me, without something replenishing your soul, your condition will deteriorate. So I brewed something using the things I have. It’s still experiential mind you, but I’m confident this is good for you people in soul-only state. Here, have some more.”

“Nonono! W-wait— Aaaaaahhhh! Stthooppp!!”

Viers saw she arched her back and his brain short-circuited. He needed a few seconds to process what happened.

“…Eh? It’s that kind of good? Uuuhhh… my bad.”

“You! What did you do to me? You, you, reprobate!!”

She lashed out to Viers with a beet-red face.

“I’ll… improve the formula,” he said embarrassedly.

“Improve!? If you inject me more with that thing, I’ll take my own life!” Kala said in genuine anger.

“No, you’ve got the wrong idea! That’s not what I meant!” Viers desperately tried to defend any honor he had left.

The banter continued for a few minutes. Despite what she said Kala was no longer maintained her sullen demeanor and appeared more energized. Like a malnourished man had a healthy meal, Kala’s soul revitalized a bit. Viers could feel and see his Vitamin Soul working but he wisely didn’t make any comment about that.

“—and why you brought me out in the first place? Do you think I believe you do this out of pure kindness?” Kala fumingly spoke.

“No, but you also lied to me, right?” Viers steered the conversation to a more serious topic.

“…Huh?”

“I know you were watching the third trial. You know exactly what kind of human I am.”

“…”

Kala didn’t refute.

“And you still helped me with the snake sculpture magic item. Quite bold, if I say so myself.”

“I…”

Hah, so I was right. Viers made a victory pose inside his mind.

Viers cut her off. “Because of pity, because it was the last trial, because we’re friends, or whatever the reason was, you helped me. From that kindness, I got soul power, which in turn I used it to save you. The circle is complete.”

“…You only want the Aspect,” she grumbled.

“I don’t deny I desire the Aspect, but I also saved you. Stop complaining about such trivial things. The important question is, what do you want to do now?”

“Does it matter?” Kala rattled the chains binding her hand.

“You’re either possessed by the Lamia Queen, or you’re part of her consciousness that she cast away, or you’re one and the same. I also forcibly lamia-napped you. Until I can be sure you're completely okay and won't do any harm to me, you’ll be under supervision. Nothing personal,” Viers explained.

A period of heavy silence dropped on the two of them. Viers didn’t force Kala to answer and patiently waited for her to decide.

“I want to see the world. All my life, I’ve never gone far from the lamia capital city. Fires of war engulfed the world. Now, with the world is at peace? I want to see the outside world, with my own eyes!” Kala said with firm determination.

“I don't know about the peace thing, cause war never changes. And when there're people, there's conflict. Other than that, no prob. I am already on a quest to make three new bodies for three souls. Adding one more won’t make too much of a difference,” Viers nodded.

“Three others?” Kala seemed surprised.

“Yup. They’re your roommates. I hope you’ll get along. I accept your request and will give you a new body. In return, I want to acquire your assistance.”

“You want to break into the lamia treasury? With the Queen there, you won’t succeed. And it won’t be long before the Biome disintegrates to void dust.”

“It a shame about the treasures but the Aspect is more than enough harvest for me. About your assistance, I hope you to share your knowledge. What you know about the Era of the Gods, the Artes from that era, uncommon knowledge, things like that. And perhaps give some advice to your friend so he won’t die an untimely death in the Path of Power.”

“…And if I refuse?”

I’ll mine your mind like oil. Your memories are far too valuable to let go. Though I would rather it didn’t come to that.

“You know me well enough to know the answer to that question. You have treated me with kindness so I won’t split open your mind and extract your brain unless it was really, really crucial… Actually, I might be able to force you to tell me what I want just like how you took the ruby heart earlier. Mmm, yes. We can all relax now,” Viers said with a smile.

What a monster… If I help him, will I help sculpting an unstoppable dreadful tyrant? Kala struggled with the choices in her mind.

“…I’ll help you… Just, just don’t destroy the world, please?” She pleaded sincerely.

“Hey, I live in this world too. Where would I live if the world is gone? Destroying the world was never my goal. As for world domination…”

Because of my Aspect, perhaps being a World-King for some time would be beneficial. Food for thought in the future, hur hur hur.

“World domination is still too far of a goal for now. Currently, I have my hands full trying to stay alive in the coming weeks. So, do we have an accord?”

The beautiful lamia princess nodded.

“Good, I need to go now. We’ll talk more later.”

“Wait,” Kala stopped him.

“Is there anything else?”

“I need you to give me a new name,” she asked.

“Mm? Why?”

“In my culture, when a lamia started a new life… she would be granted a new name. It symbolizes a break from the past and devotion to the future.”

The fact this usually was the role of a lamia’s husband, was something Kala didn’t say.

“Heehh… Well, fine, I guess. Mmm, name…” Viers took the matter seriously.

“Okay, Kala’risyah, from now on your name is Clarissa.”

Viers gave her a name he felt beautiful.

“Clarissa… I humbly accept.”

The lamia felt a warm feeling in her heart. It was a tender feeling, something she almost forgot how it tasted like.

Viers created a big golden birdcage around her and released her binding chains.

“You should say hello to you the other girls. The cage is just for safety measure so no hard feelings yeah? Bye Clarissa.”

Viers disappeared and a few minutes later, her scenery changed. Her cage was transported to a meadow of white flowers with a magnificent star ocean in the night sky.

“H-Hello, you must be the new girl... N-nice to meet you. I’m Paina,” the long black haired girl said timidly. She was a bit nervous meeting her first demi-human.

“Hi, roomie. My name is Farley. So, what’s your story?” The brown-haired girl with neck length hair and smiling face talked to her brazenly.

“Greetings, my recently bestowed name is Clarissa. It appears the three of us have a common destiny together. I hope we get along,” the lamia warmly smiled to the two of them.

***

“Phewww, what a day…”

Viers saw dawn was upon him, the part of the sky that touched the earth become purple-colored because of the approaching sun.

He had been walking through the night. He didn’t get any sleep but he rested his body while dealing with the new residents in his mind.

Viers used the main road, there was a bit of frost and he had white breath. If he was not using a bit of his Victa, it would be an extremely arduous journey. Thankfully, Viers was no longer an ordinary human.

Come to think of it, wasn’t something similar happened in the past? When I got the mysterious flower? Heh… I once again welcomed the breaking dawn signifying the start of something new.

Viers put on the hood of his coat and corrected the rucksack’s position on his back. His trusty water-container sword sheathed on his waist. He was still fat but no longer overly so. Months of training slimed his body slightly to a somewhat plump physique.

A reincarnator… or a transmigator, whatever. I have quite a bit of cheat now. The mysterious flower, healing factor, super senses, life-force gain, monster transformations, tier 5 soul power, and the Aspect. Where would I go from here?

Leaving a destroyed town behind him, Viers journeyed to the east, to the direction of the rising sun.

In those power fantasy Chinese novels, this should be the part where book 1 ends. Fitting, I suppose.

Viers grinned.

“Now, what adventure I will have next?”

Viers continued walking forward.