“How do you feel about birthing? I mean, do you feel anything… unnatural?” Viers asked.

“What a strange thing to say, Overlord. How do you feel about breathing?”

“Your soul is human, scrubbed clean of all memories and ego, but still human. Then you have the basic knowledge about the world as Kaari. You know that humans don't give birth to hundreds or thousands of eggs each day. Also, don't you hate me for turning your children into instruments of war?”

“I see your point,” the Xerg Queen said in realization. “Humans value their offspring much more. I lack… empathy towards my children individually. I feel them as an extension of my body. The Xerg is one but also many. It is hard to explain.”

“Hive mind is a foreign concept to me. As the Tyra Xerg grow more numerous and more sophisticated, they will drift further from my understanding. In a certain Fable, people go crazy from merely peering into the Tyranid’s hive mind, one of the races that serve as an inspiration for your body. What I fear is you becoming a being that only knows how to kill and consume.”

“Is that… bad? Am I not a living weapon, Overlord?”

“You’re so much more than that. As your parent, of sorts, let us live with more than war and destruction in our future, okay? The world is beautiful and full of wonders.”

“...I would love to.”

“Good. Look, that one is hatching.”

The mass murderer instilled a life lesson to a nascent galaxies-devouring disaster in the egg chamber. Viers wanted to witness the first hatching of the Tyra Xerg ever and Zerrigan accompanied him with her main body. While the first one was breaking free of its fleshy eggshell, the other eggs also showed signs of breaking.

The birth cries sounded lovely.

“Aww, little babies with sharp teeth the moment they are born. How cute.”

The hatchlings were cute in a frightening way. Their basic form was that of the Shredders, only smaller and white-skinned.

“If you think they are cute, why not pet them?” Clarissa said, sounding a bit abhorrent.

“Kheh! Are you kidding me? Do you know how many idiots get killed by a harmless-looking creature in every monster Fable(movies) ever? Too many to count. I’m not like those brain-dead people.”

Viers retorted the stupid question within his mind. He didn't want to offend the monster babies’ mother. Still, he was a syllable away from erecting a soul shield, just in case the babies jumped at him and wanted to implant other babies through his throat.

The worker drones, a different type of Xerg than the combat-type Shredder, started tending to the newborns. Helping them out of their shells, cleaning them, and giving them something to eat.

So this is how Anthony felt when watching his Colony grow. Not a bad feeling.

“We’ve got plenty of food so they’ll grow just fine. Do they speak to you, Zerri? …Zerri?”

“Lord Tanael, there’s something different about them. I can't quite determine what. Do you feel it?”

“Oh?”

Viers invoked Euryale Sight and examined the hatchlings closely but there didn't seem to be anything wrong with their bodies. Then, he opened his senses, including the sixth.

“Interesting… Zerrigan, I feel your children have souls. Human souls.”

“What does it mean, Lord?”

“I’m not sure. But this is big. Really big,” Viers assumed a thinking pose. “The original Shredders that Aletro conjured didn’t have souls but these ones do. Because you gave birth to them? Animals have souls, so too monsters. This means the Tyra Xerg are truly a new race of living beings.”

“What should we do?”

“...Nothing. Let them grow naturally and tell me if there’s anything concerning.”

A certain Arte came to Viers’ mind almost immediately.

Myriad Souls in One.

***

Viers entered Jaime's room in the fleshy citadel of monsters. He found the white-haired guy meditating, eyes closed. After sensing Viers’ presence, Jaime opened his eyes; his gaze confident.

“I know kung fu.”

Viers leaned his body forward slightly.

“Show me.”

What Jaime said was a phrase that Viers told him to utter when he was ready for a spar against him. It would be their first ‘real’ spar.

Seconds later, Viers and Jaime stood in opposition in a tatami-matted dojo. Viers was wearing a black martial arts robe and Jaime’s was white. The limb that Viers lost was whole again at this moment.

“This is a sparring system, similar to the reality of the real world,” Viers explained sagely. A hand behind his back. “It has the same basic rules. Like gravity, skills, and Levels. Here, we can fight without the risk of injuries. Understand?”

“I know that. I’ve fought other people in this place. Why are you telling me this again?” Jaime said.

Cause it’s not for you, it’s for my Horizon.

“Then hit me… If you can,” Viers’ voice carried the composure of a mountain.

The two made a stance. Jaime held his black heirloom sword while Viers was empty handed. Both invoking their bodily enhancement Artes. Jaime attacked first.

Swish swish! Pow pow! Punch punch kick!

Jaime was on the ground.

“How did I beat you?” Viers said.

“You’re too fast… and strong.”

“My specs are indeed higher than yours, more speed and power. You must learn to win despite the differences because you'll be fighting Aravin under the same condition. Last time you bridged it by burning your lifespan. Learn to cope with it now. Burning the rest of your life can start when Aravin shows his hidden strength.”

Viers showed Jaime his back.

“Again!”

Dodge, counter, light punch, heavy attack, duck, leg sweep, shoulder throw.

Jaime was on the ground.

“What are you waiting for? You’re faster than this,” Viers made a different stance. “Don't think you are. Know you are.”

Square square, triangle triangle, circle. Left right square circle. Cross down triangle.

Viers discerned Jaime was getting faster.

“Come on! Stop trying to hit me, and hit me!” Viers shouted.

Viers caught Jaime’s sword but Jaime let it go and gave him an uppercut. Jaime got a clean hit on Viers for the first time. Viers smiled despite his hurting chin.

“How does it feel, Super Synapse Arte?”

“It feels incredible,” Jaime moved his body, lightly shadowboxing. “In the end, everything seems to be slowing down. Amazing!”

“I’m trying to free your potential, Jaime,” Viers said. “But I can only show you the door. You’re the one who has to walk through it.”

This Arte was something Viers gave Jaime. From the many souls he soul-searched, many great Artes worth learning were harvested.

“The enhanced reaction time and impulse of Super Synapse Arte will be very useful during combat but you’re still far from mastering it. This is an Arte that can only be trained in the thick of battle so you better get ready for fighting a sea of opponents in the months to come.”

“Just like I wanted!” Jaime replied strongly.

“But not today. Iz and Sakuya are here, time for some group bonding. Then you’re gonna sleep.”

“But-”

“Leader’s orders.”

***

“My guess is a snake.” Iz said.

“No, elephant.” Jaime took one of the cooked skewers.

“Bird?” Sakuya touched her chin.

“Bzzzt! Zebra,” Viers chomped at the meat on a skewer.

It became customary when the Gloomsiders had their little gathering to guess what monster meat their leader was eating. They were not in the Nest and put down a campfire nearby. Just like how they did it during the month-long Stage 4.

Usually, Viers ate a lot. Today, Viers’ ‘usual’ portion became extra large.

He had to eat a lot of vitality-rich food to replenish his lifespan.

Haahhh, Viers sighed in his mind. How the hell am I going to be thin if I keep eating five people’s worth of food? I envy those shonen manga protagonists that eat a lot but never get fat.

The girls could eat monster meat but didn't like it very much. Too gamey for their tastes. So they made their own food. Izabella and Sakuya liked exchanging cooking recipes between this world’s western and eastern cooking.

“By the way, this place has changed a lot since the last time we were here.” Izabella looked at the surroundings. In the crater, which was pretty empty on the first day, now stood biological structures with designs befitting of the Tyra Xerg.

“Need to raise the army aggressively. There are only four of us. The other side has seventeen. We need to have the might to contend with the aberrants and the white spark holders on two fronts if necessary. Zerri and I have already put the irons in the fire. Iz, Sakuya, follow my lead.”

The female members of the Gloomsiders nodded.

“But I don't think my units can contend with your units, Tanael-sama. Too different in individual strength. Your sacrifice is too high,” Sakuya’s eyes fixed on Tanael’s missing left arm. “But will you be okay? Harsh battles lie ahead, do they not?”

“Oh, don't worry. It’s fine.”

It will grow back, Viers didn't say the rest.

“I can just help from the back while you guys battle at the front line, hahaha!”

Laughter filled the air.

“Tanael-sama also used sword skills in Stage 2. He used three swords. Can you believe that? One in each hand and one in his mouth.”

Sakuya took the meat skewers and mimed Viers’, or rather, Zoro’s santoryu.

“Nice acrobatics, wasn't it? After all, I’m no swordsman.” Viers blushed.

“You still think that sells? I know you’re not as unlearned in the ways of the sword as you pretend to be,” Jaime drank his wine.

At the accusation, Viers only smiled.

When he cosplayed as Zoro, Viers made spectral swords using his soul affinity. When Viers invited Jaime to the Dark Side, he conjured a red lightsaber using the same method. Both times were for show rather than practical. The conjured swords only lasted a minute; they were hollow and had no substance.

Viers needed to be better as a Soul Pathseeker before he could create the coolest weapon from a galaxy far, far away in all its glory.

“Anyway, I have a job for you,” Viers gave Izabella about ten inventory items. They were looted from the people he killed. “When you have the time, start unlocking them from the smallest numbering. They contain useful items for us.”

Viers knew this from his healthy habit of soul-searching his kills.

“Got it,” the enchanter replied.

“Well, I’m not calling you all here just to hang out and have a good time. Let’s train. Compared to the white spark holders, we are united but they are more numerous. Don't let down your guard.”

“I wonder how the other side is doing,” Sakuya muttered while looking to the west, to the Whitelands’ direction.

“I feel the same. That’s why I’m gonna send scouts today. Let us assess their battle readiness and threat level. Knowing is half the battle.”