By the morning of the second day, Viers had already taken two lives. Viers and his marauders found another settlement before noon. He aimed to hit five before nightfall.

The third settlement was a bit strange. This one was so much better. The buildings were nicer, the fighters were more numerous, they even had a farm set up.

How? They shouldn't have the time or resources to afford those. This means their starting goods were better than mine. I’m in the top 10, how is this possible?

Piqued, Viers determined to find the truth. He went in with more prudence than usual, sneaking in with his Water Ghost Spider form, a monster form specialized in stealth. He left the NPCs after ordering them to stay put and raised the safe zone.

There were so many holes in the defenses that Viers could sneak into without problem even in his human form. He found the other player in a chapel, the nicest building in the settlement.

I know him. He’s Choir Boy, from the Church.

Viers put special attention on those with roots in the Estellian Church, after all, they wanted his juicy brain and to put him in eternal torment.

The guy was in the middle of his morning prayer. So devout and dedicated was the youth that he didn't realize a transparent spider was hanging upside and down on the ceiling.

The Water Ghost Spider was a monster without a deadly attack but Spider-Viers was not a mere monster. As he freefell from the ceiling, Viers beheaded Choir Boy with Water Slash Arte, as smooth as drawing a line on an empty canvas.

The combination of Fade in Shadow Arte and stealth-specialized Water Ghost Spider was too good.

Two seconds after Viers’ eight legs landed on the ground, the head was also at ground level. Red spread on the floor.

You are pious, I’ll give you that. Perhaps Estelle will reward you once you reach Heaven.

The chapel was quiet and there was no other person here so Viers soul-searched him then and there.

Choir Boy, real name , was the most promising person in the Regidana’s branch. High hopes for becoming a Silver Legion candidate. Wind 4 affinity. Yadda-yadda, blah blah blah, skip skip skip… Ah, this is more interesting. White spark holders have a more advantageous start.

There’s more information that black spark holders like Viers didn't get told. According to what the White Aletro said to Choir Boy when he first reached his settlement, white spark holders will gain spark shards at the Stage 3’s end based on the number of survivors while the black spark holders will not.

Aletro also said that there were those that chose white spark at the start but it turned to black spark because they chose to do evil deeds such as attacking other people in Stage 1 and causing misery in Stage 2.

Ah, so that’s why my black spark got a bit of white glimmer. Must be because I didn’t take the Trident and ‘let the Deep Dweller God destroy the world’ at Stage 2. Doesn't matter though. My karma meter is too red.

Still, this is clearly a biased treatment that rewards white spark holders… On the other hand, they also had a lot less freedom than the black spark holders from the start. Those that stay true to their belief and live righteously get rewarded, huh?

The reason Choir Boy settlement’s was prosperous was because he mainly took on quests that helped people in Stage 1.

For example, according to the memories, Choir Boy had helped the sick son of a farmer in Stage 1. At Stage 3, the son had grown up and remembered him, joining his exodus group. The son had skills in farming and held Choir Boy in high esteem.

Viers remembered he mainly killed monsters and didn't bother helping NPCs.

Wait, is that why my initial area has many wild animals and few monsters compared to the other settlements? Cause I killed a bunch of them in Stage 1?

And the good people in the Church got a directive from the higher-ups to seek a certain Viers Isuel's tail, hmph!

After Viers had finished taking what he needed, he searched for the next prey. Choir Boy and the fighter NPCs from those Viers killed obeyed his orders without question.

Utilizing the fresh NPCs under his command, Viers spread them out for scouting. When they returned, Viers found a couple of settlements to attack. Rinse and repeat.

Viers’ spark shards rose sharply.

On the third day, At the eleventh settlement, Viers finally got stuck. The invasion went wrong and he got repulsed, suffering mild injuries.

Not only had the settlement raised good defensive measures, but the players were also tough. Yes, the settlement was a merger from two players and they had swallowed two others.

Viers only realized that after the attack and when things started to go south, Viers cut his losses and retreated.

From twenty-one NPCs before the fight, only six made it back.

Viers had to take a day off recuperating. He had no settlement but he brought his safe zone flag. Raising it as a temporary camp allowed them to spend the night in relative safety.

But just as Kaari said, it wasn't absolute.

That night, despite Kaari’s warning, the woods became alive. Branches and roots were chasing them on all sides. Viers sent two more NPCs to die so the rest could escape the disaster area. He had done this twice before already.

It was clear that Viers’ lifestyle wouldn't be sustainable in the long run.

In Stage 2, Viers treated the ghost crew of the Frozen Siren like a great Captain and they loved him back in turn. In Stage 3, Viers spent the lives of NPCs under him like water.

Including the NPCs that he’d left to fend for themselves in the wilds, the number of casualties was already close to four digits but Viers didn't have the slightest bit of guilt in doing so.

Why?

My heart is tempered by playing Darkest Dungeon, Viers thought calmly.

How many NPCs have I led to their death?

First Death: Unforgettably Tragic

Fifth Death: Unavoidable Consequences

Fifteenth Death: Acceptable Losses

Fiftieth Death: Necessary Sacrifices

How many have been kicked out of my service after getting inflicted by nasty diseases? Newbie heroes were not worth placing in the sanitarium. Simply letting them out to the world as broken men and women was more EFFICIENT.

Just like someone said about the game: You start having a much easier time the moment you stop thinking like a hero and start embracing the cold, calculated sociopathy of a would-be corporate CEO.

Viers doubted anyone would be able to finish playing the Bloodmoon difficulty of Darkest Dungeon with their empathy or even sanity intact.

Still, he made sure Kaari alone would survive, the rest were expendable. Not only for the condition that at least one settler must be alive at the end to pass, her ability of disaster precog was too useful.

I have recovered… Still, those two are quite the pair. They are in the top 50 rank, aren't they? If I went all out then I might yet prevail but the cost and risk are too high.

Viers’ marauding force had been reduced to him and four NPCs. He was clearly outmatched attacking the settlement that could detect his sneaking in and the various invader’s debuffs of the place.

Time to think up some strategy.

Viers knocked on the gates of another joint settlement in the area, led by someone that he knew.

“Goooooodmorning Viper Lady! Want to kill women-torturing scum together?”

It wasn't easy to make her listen to him but Viers could be very persuasive when he wanted to. He told her about the duo that made him retreat. Which was no small feat and Viers wanted payback.

“The first is Macho Hunk, a slaver. He possesses charm ability and uses that ability to enslave women to be his weapon, meatshield, and plaything. Not too shabby in a fight either.”

“The second is xXxGentlemanxXx, a deviant. Lightning is his thing. His hobby is hearing women scream. Paired with his Profound Codex that is about torturing people, you can imagine what he does everyday. Hint: it involves electrocution.”

“These two are friends in the real world; they hit it off like soulmates and have become best buddies. Two female trial takers have already become their victims. So, what say you, Strong Female Character? You're gonna let this injustice against womankind go unanswered?”

“...How do you know all of this?” Viper Lady's voice was full of doubt.

“I have my ways. And I brought proof.”

Viper Lady might be a Strong Female Character but there was a reason why she became one. It was her Profound Codex. A high-quality one but by using it she became compelled to raise her voice and sword to those who mistreat women. Combined with her personal past trauma caused by patriarchy, she became the person Viers met.

Before Viers talked face to face with Viper Lady he already knew she wouldn't refuse.

Because Viper Lady had a good female friend, that friend had a brother, the brother Viers killed and soul-searched. Thus Viers knew about Viper Lady’s background. Soul search OP.

After smoothing out the details, Viper Lady and her group were successfully roped in by Viers to attack the two degenerates.

“We’ll keep the two of them busy at the same time, that way they can't make use of the full capacity of the settlement’s defensive measures. The most dangerous among them is a lightning tower that can zap you anywhere inside the settlement. Top 50 perk, I suspect. You girls take care of Macho Hunk. I’ll take care of the other guy. His name offends me.”

Viers marked xXxGentlemanxXx for death. His sin was a bad name and a bunch of other things but the bad name was first on the list.

The day of the battle.

“Arrrgh!”

Viers groaned in pain after getting hit by lightning bolts. First from Gentleman and the follow-up attack from the lightning tower.

“Hahahaha! You got cocky, Tanael! So what if you sent people after my sworn brother? It will be a repeat of the last time where you tucked tail like a whipped dog. This time you won't escape. All of your shards will be mine!”

Gentleman said while wiping the blood on his chin. He was prepared for Tanael’s soul abilities and prepared himself accordingly. In the course of the battle, he suffered fairly serious injuries but Tanael was in worse shape than him. The deviant was sure of his victory and gloated.

Viers was thankful for his inanity.

Seven seconds, I was right! The tower zaps every seven seconds!

“Arte - Calatran Thunderbolt!!”

Viers responded by raising a soul barrier. Gentleman kept channeling the Arte continuously, forcing Viers to keep defending.

“This will be the same as the last time. Your shield is not strong enough for the next attack. Prepare to be charred to cinders!”

...five, six, now!

Viers jumped and reflexively pulled out a sword from his Casket, Guren Muramasa.

He brandished the steel to the sky and a lightning bolt struck the steel from the tall tower.

Lightning coursed through his body like blazing blood but Viers gritted his teeth and pulled off the next maneuver.

“Water Moon Fang!”

Full powered Horizon and lightning-imbued crescent water slash was sent flying toward the surprised Gentleman's face.

An executioner's blade of water crackling with yellow lighting was coming to take his life! Gentleman was still casting his Arte! Too late to raise a shield to defend himself. His mind raced, everything slowing down, his life flashing before him.

Gentleman drew a blank as there was nothing he could do, nothing but watch the melding of water and lighting extinguishing the life out of his body in a brilliant flash.

A magnificent explosion announced Viers’ victory.

Viers hit the ground with wobbly legs and fell to his knees, smoke coming out from his body. To catch and send back as much of the lightning’s power, Viers didn't put much resistance against it when he got struck midair.

Sekiro’s Lightning Reversal, I managed to pull it off! Hell yeah! Much room for improvement though. Too damaging to myself, too little got sent back. But it's freaking difficult! The guy makes it look easy!

Generally, lightning was water’s weakness. This was one of Viers’ answers to remedy that weakness.

Viers got back on his feet with a grunt then started absorbing the soul of the xXxGentlemanxXx. His atrocity of a name had been cleansed from this world.

Well, one step at a time, Viers. There are still tons of techniques to make, try, and master. By the way, no one seen me using water and Guren, right? Phew… I need another good sword. Oh? It seems Viper Lady has also finished on her end.

The living trial takers in Stage 3 continued to dwindle.