Viers was walking with an earring on the top of his open palm.

“It’s this way,” he said to his companion after getting a reaction from the item.

“...Just kill me,” Jaime said hopelessly.

“What are you talking about?” Viers controlled expression as much as he could so the amusement didn't surface on his face. “You’re gonna get revenge on Aravin aren't you? ‘Man up’ and endure some discomfort.”

Jaime, unable to move because of his injury, was being carried by Kaari. Princess-carry style.

No matter how petite Kaari might have looked like, she was a Level 2. Carrying one person’s weight was no biggie.

“...Kill me,” Jaime muttered more softly.

“Shouldn't be too far now. Do your best,” Viers let him be and went on pathfinding. He did feel a bit guilty but his amusement eclipsed the guilt.

A few days had passed since Viers took Jaime under his wing. Viers had been traveling in the direction that Izabella’s earring reacted to.

At too far of a distance the telepathy didn't work but it could still give a vague direction of the other earring's location. Just like how Viers could sense the soul pact between the two of them albeit with a more limited distance than the earrings.

‘Sides, Stage 3’s arena is shrinking. Making the settlements closer to each other. What is this, Fortnite?

The result was more clashes between the players. Viers and company witnessed a bunch as they trekked the treacherous wilderness. Less space meant more fighting or more cooperation between the players. By now a settlement usually consisted of two or even more mergers.

He foresaw a drastic decrease in players for Stage 4.

“Hm?” The earring blinked.

“Tanael,” Izabella’s voice resounded in Viers’ head. She sounded somewhat relieved. “It’s about time you arrived. Are you injured?”

Her voice hid a sense of excitement, a feeling shared by Viers.

“Our arrival place was too far from each other. Can't be helped.”

“Where’s your settlement? Is it close by?” The enchanter asked.

“Didn’t need them,” Viers said honestly. “I’m making my way to you now. I’m ready to go. What about your end?”

“We know Green Scorpion’s position,” she conveyed. “The plan is viable.”

“Good. Let’s get started, shall we?”

“I’ll tell Dorren and the others about your arrival,” Izabella said.

***

“...And so I introduce to you, Tanael. A surviving member of the Blood Church Marakkus branch.”

In front of the big settlement that the four Blood Church youth, Izabella said to the other three.

“Imagine my surprise,” Lord Ultimate, the self-installed leader of the four, said. “When Izabella said we have a hidden ally. To think it was you. Well met, Tanael.”

“Ultimate,” Viers gave a courtesy nod. “Black Cat should have informed you, yes? Have you considered my proposal?”

“I did,” the Blood Church’s young leader said. I and not we, Viers realized. “And a tempting offer. Not to mention our clashing ideology with them.”

“I can't defeat them on my own anyway,” Viers shrugged. “It was you guys that uncovered their hidden form. Impressive, considering I have no idea how you pulled that off. Since it was them who originally tried to steal the book, it is safe to assume letting them proceed further into the trial will not be wise. Since you have accepted, then let's exterminate these Teorph worshipers side by side.”

Green Scorpion and his group turned out to be the same group that kidnapped Harry and friends for the Book of Aletro. The Blood Church told Viers that their identity was one of the Seven Devils Cults, the same as the Blood Church.

“They called themselves the Gardeners of Perfection. Gardeners, can you believe it? Suffice to say, we do not wish to see their lot succeed in whatever they are planning. Having you with us will be a boon,” Lord Ultimate paused. “However, you surely didn't expect we would believe what you say solely based on your words, would you?”

The air between them changed for the worse, the tenseness of a storm brewing. Viers himself remained poised and composed.

“What do you have in mind?”

“First, let’s see the proof you are what you said you are.”

“Would this suffice?” Viers produced a ring with a gem-encrusted on it.

“That ring… A Purple Bloodstone?” One of Lord Ultimate’s followers gasped. “Only a direct descendant from a high-ranking house in the Blood Church has it.”

Viers put the ring on his finger and it reacted to him, proof that the ring was indeed keyed to his person.

“Good. I hope you don't take offense, Tanael. One must always be wary of strangers,” Lord Ultimate spoke more cordially. Tanael’s status was not lower than his own.

“As one should be.”

“Then you’ll forgive us for one last insurance,” he produced a scroll and unfurled it. “A binding pact of not harming or betraying each other. This kind of place can bring out the beast inside a man after all. Let us be… civilized.”

Viers looked at the scroll and read it line by line. It was essentially an agreement of alliance with the prohibition of harming each other. Viers saw four red signatures below.

The penalty for breaking the agreement was death. Very normal.

Viers glanced at Izabella and she nodded. After that, he cut his finger with a knife and added his signature to the scroll. ‘All’ five Blood Church members in the Book World had put their signature on the magical contract.

“Once again, I welcome you to our humble abode, brother from another land,” Lord Ultimate grinned widely.

“Welcome.”

“Glad to have you with us.”

The two Blood Church youth were also gladdened by Viers casting his loth with them.

“Glory to Yasterah,” Viers said, something he did not believe in. It was as if he was an Allied soldier saying Sieg Heil during WWII.

“And those two are? Isn't that Backlasher?”

Naturally, they asked about Kaari and Backlasher behind Viers. He allowed Jaime the dignity of standing with Kaari propping him up.

“They are with me. They will not participate in our matters and are my responsibility. No need to concern yourself with them.”

“If you say so,” Lord Ultimate conceded.

“When will we attack the Teorph cultists?”

“Soon. In two or three days I imagine.”

“I’ll be relying on your hospitality until then, my brothers,” Viers asked. “Extraordinary circumstances made me abandon my settlement.”

“And you shall have it. We have plenty of empty tents. If you prefer, my place is op-”

“I’ll stay with Black Cat,” Viers interrupted. “She and I go waaay back.”

A cramp showed on Lord Ultimate’s face for the first time. He didn't seem amused, but Viers was.

“Would that be okay with you, kitty?” Viers teased.

“...Of course. Right this way,” Izabella played along, taking Viers’ hand as she led him inside the compound.

And so Viers and his company entered the settlement of the Yasterah worshipers as one of their own.

The ring Viers used to prove his ties to the Blood Church was Irkun’s. Turfon, the old ghost enchanter that Veirs used, made the ring keyed to Viers. It wasn't hard once Izabella, a competent enchanter, told him the Blood Church’s security matrix.

Soon, two devil cults will clash with one another. A very common occurrence, considering the seven didn't like each other.

Each of the seven disagreed about how the world should be.

***

“Status report.”

Viers asked as soon as they were in private and sufficiently protected.

Viers didn't trust that he was in a safe environment and covered Izabella’s tent with another layer of defensive protection of his own after Izabella’s. The other three Blood Church members would not be able to see or hear anything from the outside, further stoking Lord Ultimate’s imagination and jealousy.

“Now?” Iz’s eyes moved to Jaime.

“Yes. Izabella, meet Jaime. Jaime, Izabella. We’re all friends now.”

Jaime and Izabella exchanged stares in silence before she broke eye contact first.

“At this point of time, the trial takers have more or less consolidated. People flocked to the strong, the top 10s in particular,” Iz took off her signature pointy hat and explained after they were all seated. “No doubt the ability to predict disasters in advance was a very useful ability. Of course, there are exceptions like you two who did not bind themselves to others.”

Iz moved on to explain the notable alliances in the surroundings.

In no particular order:

Team 1: Anne, Blade of Justice (Troy), Ivory Flame (Max)

Team 2: Daystar (Aravin), Silver Tail (Naya), Hays (Sabine)

Team 3: Boram, Squire, Fithel

Team 4: Noble Tiger (Khalmar), Ubah, Gunin

Team 5: Oscar Regisea, and the small fries

Team 6: Dark Zero (Volod), and the second-rate villains

Team 7: Airmaster, and his group

Team 8: Green Scorpion and his group

“And there’s us: the Blood Church Alliance.”

“Nobody knows where Divine Punishment is. Perhaps he’s like you, marauding without raising a settlement.”

“Team 1 is dangerous. They do not have the biggest settlement but the most prosperous. Noble Tiger united all the beastfolk under one banner. They have been quite successful. Their unity is strong. Oscar Regisea gathered the most underlings, mostly white spark small-timers. On the other hand, Dark Zero scooped up the black spark holders. Airmaster and their group are confirmed as people from Zetel...” Iz continued feeding Viers information.

“Boram is doing well, it seems,” Viers said.

“Squire has his origins in the Latias Kingdom. The two seemed to have struck a friendship as early as Stage 1. Fithel the elf is also formidable, though you seemed to understand him better than me.”

“I only met him twice and fought together once. Hardly a close relationship. However, I don't believe he would do anything sinister. Boram’s position seems stable for the time being. How many times have you supported him from the dark?”

“Two times.”

“Wooow. Chacha is a good cat,” Viers grinned.

“You asked me to keep an eye on him...” Iz pouted, tone sour-sweet.

“By the way, got medicine? As you can see, he’s injured,” Viers pointed a thumb over his shoulder to Jaime.

“I’ll see what I can do. Jules, would you please take a vial from the upper cabinet?”

Izabella’s NPC assistant came carrying an expensive-looking potion.

“That seems too precious to give to a person you’ve just met,” Viers commented. The medicine was above his expectations.

“It’s fine. I got a feeling we’ll be together as a team after this.”

Viers’ unbroken smile said it all.

“What is the plan for Scorpion?” He changed the topic.

“By now, every settlement has been strengthened considerably. Defensive towers, fortifications… Attacking from the front is very risky. If they’re holed up in their settlement then it would be a lot harder. However, as luck would have it, they seem to be brewing something outside of their settlement. Near a Rank 4 abhorrent monster, Putrepos Skunk. Perhaps it is Green Scorpion's Profound Practice? The cult is known for its rot and decay after all. At any rate. The next time he leaves, we will ambush him.”

“Mm,” Viers nodded firmly. “Until show time then.”

***

“What’s the call, leader?”

Dorren -Lord Ultimate- answered his underling’s question.

“After we take care of the worshiper of the false god, we take care of Tanael.”

He postponed the decision since Izabella informed him about the hidden ally but after seeing the real thing, Dorren was convinced Tanael had no place in their group.

The soul-user challenged his authority and infringed on his woman!

Dorren was the alpha of this pack of four, but now there was another alpha. How could Dorren accept this?

“But fighting him head-on will be costly,” the underling further said. “Not to mention our blood pact.”

“True,” he agreed. “That's why we’ll strike at his assistant. She's his last settler, I think. With her gone, Tanael would be out of the game. Though, sadly, we can’t gain his shards. No matter, we got Backlasher to slake our shard thirst.”

To not be listed in the top 10 was a serious blow to Dorren’s pride.

He didn't want to accept that the top 10 were all greater than him, he who was already supported by three others.