Shock!

Before the teleportation was complete, Bryan shoved Viers out and threw a cloud of monster-luring powder at him.

Viers was left behind at the center of the danger zone alone. Pinch!

This fat villain was too dangerous to be left alive. Because his friends didn't share his thoughts, it was up to him to make the sacrifice.

Even if he was branded as dishonorable, all was for the Church.

A few days later, Viers returned safely in order to face-slap him like the small fry he was.

…Or so Viers thought would happen.

Instead, the party teleported back to the abbey without a cinch.

Inconceivable!

Either Bryan was a better man than he thought or a greater coward.

The scheme was very idiotic with a lot of holes but small fry antagonists often did similar things and somehow, the supposedly ‘smart’ protagonists fell into such an obvious trap. No doubt the author was setting up for a face-slapping moment. After reading the twentieth occurrence across all the Chinese cultivation novels that Viers had read, he was already bored by then.

Still, Viers had found some use of them in this new world.

Viers was counting on the first hit coming from Bryan, the swamp was a perfect place for that. That was why Viers didn't ask Mita to renew her protection oath to last the duration of the swamp trip; instead only the area under the Church’s jurisdiction. After that, Viers would have had the moral high ground to demand more benefits from the Church.

Mita and the others, the good people they were, would give great things to Viers as an apology and Bryan would be sent to a Church’s post in this world’s equivalent of Antarctica.

Alas, Viers’ vision did not come to be. Viers watched Bryan’s back with great intensity when they arrived.

Damn it, he slipped the noose this time. Come on, Bryan… Give me a reason to cut you down.

***

Viers was holding a heavy training sword, making a high stance. There was only seriousness in his expression. Beads of sweat streamed down his face as new ones were formed.

“Ha!”

Viers made a downward slash. His form was the same as hundreds of his previous ones. He slowly raised the sword again overhead and repeated the motion.

“Hello hello. Need something, folks?” He said while wiping sweat with a towel.

“Just wondering where you went,” Rose said. Conn and June were with her.

“How’s Ciel?”

They returned from the swamp in the late afternoon. While the related personnel swiftly got to work on curing Ciel, Viers picked a place on the side lawn and trained his swordsmanship. A few hours had passed and the sky was colored with orange light.

“It went fine. She’s sleeping now but she should wake up fully recovered… Sooo, what are you doing?”

Viers didn't patronize her with an answer.

“Right, training. Silly me,” Rose nervously said.

She was like those people who wanted to have a conversation but didn’t know where to start one so they talked about the weather.

“That's very basic sword training,” June commented.

“I suppose,” Viers swung his training sword again.

“Is it useful?” Conn asked.

“Since when was training one’s fundamentals not useful?”

Conn was a bit embarrassed for asking the green question.

‘Sides, my defeat against Russ is still fresh in my mind. Next time I’ll win, Viers swung again. “Why don't you all join me?”

They came wearing training clothes so Viers invited them to be polite.

“No Victa spar?” Viers offered.

“I’m up first,” Conn, the only male out of the trio, volunteered.

“Good. Show me what you got!” Viers matched Conn’s strength in close-quarters combat. Conn was one or two years older than Viers. He was also a pugilist. To match Viers’ training sword, he used something similar to boxing gloves.

Viers won but it was more difficult than he expected. Next up was June. per her request, the archer used a bow in the spar. Even in a close ranged battle she still used her bow and arrow to fight.

Viers found her battle style similar to the Demon Hunter in Diablo. Though magic or not, she couldn't shoot her arrows like a machine gun with unlimited ammo.

Conn and June had the same cultivation level as Viers. He was pleasantly surprised that the spar was productive. The two’s skills were not bad by any means and they’d got some good stuff. What they lacked was experience. Viers might be younger but he’d accrued much more battle experience thanks to the Grid plus real battles.

Even when compared to Aletro trial’s participants, who are already better than common Pathseekers, they are above average. If a new member is at this level… The Silver Legion is truly a powerhouse of an organization.

Viers’ third opponent was Rose. As he remembered, she used a rapier.

“Why don't you tell me what you really came here for?” Viers asked her while locking swords.

“They ask what’s your aim after this. Yaah!”

Rose disengaged and swiftly stepped in with a series of stabs.

“I want to investigate House Wright and their connection to Paina. Other than that, there's the usual Pathseeker business: get stronger.”

Viers stepped back and changed the blunt rapier’s trajectory using his wooden sword.

“I want to help with Paina but we’ve got things on our plate.”

“What’s that?”

“Hunting the assassins. Abbess Unem found their base. We’re organizing a strike force.”

“Well. That sounds like the proper Silver Legion job. What level of danger are we looking at?”

“Including Masters Mita and Unem, we have two other Level 4 cooperators. According to our intel, the other side has Lykin, our previous attacker, and one other. According to the numbers, it is doable.”

In Luxore, Viers had temporarily joined a cult. The cult base from back then was Styra family’s compound, Farley’s house. Their underground base was as big as a shopping mall with tens of combatants. Though, Viers supposed the ones that really mattered were the strongest Level combatants.

“Beware the cultists, Rose. They’ll not go down without a fight,” Viers warned.

“You’re not coming? We were kind of hoping you would join.”

“I’m afraid I must decline. Got other things to do.”

I feel like cooperating too closely with the Church would make me get sucked into an unpleasant whirlpool.

“We thought you’d say that. Master Mita said she’s willing to open the Church’s coffers should you accept.”

“A tempting offer, but Paina is more important,” Viers replied firmly, as if he was choosing to become a martyr.

“Viers…”

Inside the White Flowers Meadow, Paina was touched.

Viers suddenly struck with a strong blow. Rose was surprised but she received it with her guard. Next up Viers infused the training sword with Water Slash Arte. Rose evaded it by ducking, the slash touching the edge of her hair, and then she countered with an Arte of her own. Viers smacked away the green energy bolt with his other hand.

“You’ve become strong, hero aspirant,” Viers honestly said.

“Thanks… So have you.”

“However, is that strength truly yours, Blessed?”

Viers’ question and his sharp gaze made Rose’s heart skip a beat. It was something unpleasant to hear.

“...I-”

“Be careful,” he whispered. “Borrowed strength is fragile.”

While Rose was stunned and the other two were similarly silent, someone called them from the window.

“Hey guys, dinner's ready,” Wendy said.

“That’s it for today then,” Viers grabbed his things. He didn't have much luggage in the first place. “I’ll be leaving now. Say my goodbye to the others for me.”

“You’re leaving? Already?” Conn was startled.

“I’ll be back soon. Conn, work on your footwork. June, upper body. See ya.”

Viers jumped over the two-meter-tall stone fence and disappeared from their sight.

The sun had set and darkness was coming fast. Rose clenched her chest.

“My strength…”

“Rose, you okay? Was it something he said?” June asked.

“Nothing. Thanks for asking. Come on. I’m starving.”

***

Viers took many twists and turns to throw off anyone who might be following his trail. After his paranoia was sufficiently satisfied, Viers sneaked into the Underbelly and used the Picture Room in a hidden place.

“Pheeew…” Viers relaxed a bit, sprawling out on the pocket dimension’s floor.

“Kin, tired?” Dia came out of his pocket and patted his cheek.

“Quite. Futon, Faiya, you two come out too.”

The red and white badges twinkled and Viers’ other two familiars came out from their subspace.

Like two mewlings, the cloud and the flame snuggled Viers.

“Awww… Sorry guys. Can't show the two of you to them. I've missed you two. Be good boys and endure it, ‘kay?”

“Fuu! Fu!”

“Ya! Ya!”

Viers took out a large amount of magical raw materials to placate his familiars.

“Dia has become Level 3. Eat up a lot and become strong like your older sister, yeah?”

Dia hugged a green gem the size of a mango and started absorbing the mana inside it. Although the dryad’s body had turned smaller for convenience purposes, Dia’s strength did not decrease in the slightest.

The three familiars were happily having a feast.

“Alright, gang. I’ll be counting on you to guard me.”

“Fuu!” Futon puffed himself up.

“Yaa!” Faiya glowed brighter so his master wouldn't worry.

“No baddies will hurt Dia’s kin!”

“Hahaha, how dependable. Angels, whose turn is it today?”

“Clarissa, Lord Viers,” Farley answered.

“Got it. For precaution, Paina, you come too.”

“Okay.”

Paina and Clarissa were conjured into the real world, carrying a portion of Viers’ Victa to fuel their Artes if the need arose.

“Ah! Paipai ghost and Snakefeet ghost, hello~” Dia greeted.

Futon happily swirled around Paina while Faiya sheepishly approached Clarissa. The two girls naturally welcomed the company of two elemental cuties and started molesting them.

Faiya is more attracted to Clarissa while Futon is more cordial to both Paina and Farley. I suppose it is related to their affinities.

Normally, the one standing guard would be the familiars plus one of the tenants. But because he was in a somewhat dangerous region, two were standing guard. It cost more Victa on Viers’ part but better the loss of Victa than his life.

After laying down his defenses, Viers started his Profound Practice and died as a Pathseeker for the night. Before something urgent came up, Viers wanted to reset the ‘died once every ten days’ weakness of his Profound Codex.

Time went on while Viers confined himself to his makeshift fortress. It was still too early to sleep.

“There’s something bothering me,” Clarissa suddenly said while throwing Faiya into the air for the tenth time. “Mita and the others, they didn't seem to connect the dots that you’re Tanael.”

“I am wondering about it myself. After exposing my soul affinity, I thought Tanael’s identity would naturally be exposed but they didn't touch that matter entirely, not even a probe. It is either on purpose, or I’m lucky. Since I don't think my luck is that godly, it’s the former.”

“Pointing it out might trigger a schism,” Paina said from the side, circulating Viers’ Victa as a form of training. “If they want to convert you as you guessed, pretending that they did not realize it is better.”

Paina got him thinking.

They want me close to further their agenda. I want them close to obtain intel. Hehe. This is two-way espionage.

***

The night passed without any trouble. At sunrise, Viers visited Skinny Dog, the information broker. Viers was surprised that the man wanted to meet. Viers was using the previous face that he used the last time they met.

“I didn’t think you’d still be awake. Isn't a man of your occupation usually nocturnal?” Viers asked.

“This is for a special guest, the man of the hour, the one who blew up the Wright mansion. So, to what do I owe the pleasure?”

“I want all the info you got on the Leslie region. I’m also willing to pay you to have men posted there for day-to-day surveillance.”

“Negotiable. Anything else?” The information broker eyed Viers like he was a big, fat sack of money.

“Tell me about the ruins in the area that still contain promising treasures.”

***

At noon, Viers returned to the abbey. Damon and Rachel were near the entrance so they caught sight of Viers first.

“You’re back?” There was a bit of reluctance in Damon's voice.

“I can have free lunch here. What can I say?” Viers shrugged with a slightly smug face.