Boram was in the middle of a sea, a sea of fighting. Everywhere he looked, soldiers from the United Alliance were fighting the Tyra Xerg monstrosities.

The United Alliance was in fine form today.

Boram had fought the Xerg before. They were hardier than this, more coordinated, and much more aggressive. Compared to before, the Xerg were much more manageable.

“Hyaah!”

Boram smashed the face of a bipedal Xerg with four insect arms with his hammer.

This is a really good hammer.

This was a gift from his Master in Stage 3, Boram had grown familiar using the long-handled sledgehammer since then. The Skull Basher was a magical item that could stun the enemy if struck, perfect for Boram. The Xerg fell one after another before Boram’s mighty blow.

Boram did not fight alone. In the thick of war, where the Xerg defended their ground with tooth and nail, Boram was surrounded by a contingent of Gigantes, burly people three meters tall on average. A little kid like Boram stood out amongst them.

“Arte - Stone Snake!”

From around his feet, stones merged into a head with a protruding horn. Holding onto the horn with one hand, Boram rode the momentum as the big head of the snake moved forward as if the very earth was water, swinging his hammer upon any unlucky Xerg nearby.

The construct made by his Arte roared, wrecking everything on its path with its massive body and weight. From the tip to the tail, the snake made of stones was fifteen meters long.

This Arte was also something Master Avel had given Boram. The boy liked the Arte very much, it was becoming a favorite.

Even though the Alliance had defeated many Xerg in the previous war, the bio-soldiers of Soul Tyrant Tanael still outnumbered them by three to one. This was their chance to turn the tide against Tanael before he could bolster his armies anew. The Alliance was hammering the monstrous insects with the hammer of justice.

Fighting the Tyra Xerg now was not a walk in the park but at least it was more manageable than before.

“Warrior Boram, look!” A Gigante pointed his finger at the main gate of Tanael’s castle. It was opening.

A man walked out. He had short blond hair, a handsome face, and piercing eyes. The green robe he wore was definitely enchanted, the second most potent magical artifact Boram had ever seen. The first was the black sword in Tanael’s right hand. Just looking at the black sword from hundreds of meters away made Boram hear the ungodly sound of metal scraping against metal in his head, paining him greatly. Boram knew his limits and didn't look at it a single second more.

Burning with battle spirit, Tanael’s presence was like a sword pointed right at the neck of his enemies. A bead of cold sweat fell on the side of Boram’s face.

As if that wasn't enough shock, a humongous shadow, more gigantic than the Gigantes appeared in the sky. It was Aletro, the black clothed one.

“Against all the good that Heaven can conjure, all the righteousness that mankind can produce, I will send unto them... only you. Rip and tear, until it is done.”

Holy cow, Boram cursed. Never before he’d heard such a commanding order. Boram felt the winds change, things were about to get real. Aletro spoke about Tanael wasn't it? By all the gods, what manner of demon Tanael had become for the god-like Aletro to say something like that?

As Boram shuddered, he saw Tanael dive headfirst into the thick of battle with a smile on his face. No hesitation whatsoever, as if the scene of carnage was where he belonged.

“Haaahahahahaa! Blood and guts! Fire and blood! Blood for the Blood God! Skulls for the Skull Throne! Aahahahaha! Come one and all! Come to die!”

The Soul Tyrant joined the battle personally, he mowed down armies like a sickle through a field. His soul Artes defeated dozens with impunity. People slashed by his sword turned to ice while screaming in agony. The frozen figures were shattered with a light blow or shattered on their own.

“KRAAAAAAA!”

New kinds of Xerg never before seen flowed out like a tide from Tanael’s castle.

And Boram saw his troops were empowered by the return of their leader. The Xerg returned to their full strength, attacking with the same aggressiveness and savagery that had given pause to every trial taker and their armies for six months at the border of the Blacklands. Everywhere he looked, the Alliance soldiers were at a disadvantage. The situation had been reversed.

Boram witnessed a confluence of horrors. A sharp-tipped tentacle appeared from a burrow in the ground and pierced someone in the torso before dragging him back into the hole. A Xerg carrying a meat mushroom on its back spread skin-melting yellow spores to its surroundings without affecting the other Xerg. A flying bird-bat thing spat skin-burrowing insects that ate a soldier from inside and out. Those were just a few examples among many.

In this chaotic battlefield, something that Boram hoped never to happen, happened: The Soul Tyrant had taken notice of him, gazing straight at him. He was riding a big ass stone snake, it couldn't be helped.

From his experiecne of reading a person’s facial expression, which was a valuable skill for a slave to not ire their masters, Boram knew Tanael was irritated seeing him here.

Boram’s heart almost burst out of his chest when he saw Tanael take a step forward in his direction.

“Mister Aletro! I surrender! Pleasepleaseplease hurr-”

Relief. He was able to surrender. Bless the gods.

Tanael was still a hundred meters away from Boram and he was surrounded by twenty mighty Gigantes warriors but the boy felt it was not impossible for Tanael to kill him then and there.

No, worse than ‘not impossible’. It would be ‘easy’, Boram realized.

Boram couldn't afford to die. He remembered the instruction of his master to survive no matter what, so he retired.

Or so he tried to tell himself.

He was not some noble or loyal disciple that tried to uphold the words of his master: he was just afraid and simply didn't want to die. Master Avel’s words were a convenient excuse.

Damnitdamnitdamnit… I’m such a coward! Master must be disappointed. I hate my own weakness!

Eyes half-tearing up, Boram was filled with great self-loathing and disappointment toward himself. Almost immediately, Boram’s body was wrapped with light and his mind turned to white.

***

Well done, boy. Proud of you.

Viers was glad he didn't have to complicate matters with how to keep Boram alive without showing that it was his aim.

His objective was to kill or make every other trial taker retire. For that, he and Zerrigan would be aiming for the white spark holders.

It was good that Aletro wanted to play along. The guy seemed to be having enough fun to agree to give Viers the speech of the Doom Slayer. Perhaps he was bored being in the book for all this time?

Anguish in hand, Viers was like a hero character in a Musou game, utterly destroying the mooks.

The sword’s name was not Frostmourne, but Anguish.

Previously, Viers said ‘Frostmourne hungers’ for the feels… and Horizon.

‘Anguish hungers’ just doesn't have the same impact. Sorry sword. Mmm? Anne is fast approaching. Time is short. Let’s do this before she gets here.

Viers stabbed the sword to the ground and closed his eyes, concentrating, molding his Victa, constructing his Arte.

“Hmph!”

Viers unleashed his Haoushoku Haki with all of his might!

Like an invisible shockwave, it spread. The area it encompassed was huge, about a third of the whole battlefield, courtesy of his much stronger Grand Soul. When it passed, the troops of the Alliance started to fall down, eyes white and frothing from their mouths. Even the players were not immune to this. Only a select few of the elite troops and the exceptional trial takers managed to hold on to their consciousness while not a single Xerg went down.

The Alliance troops were soulless beings but as Viers was now, his soul suppression also affected their physical bodies. If anything, this Arte worked even better against the trial takers, people with souls.

“Zerrigan, how many people did I get?”

“50,098 people, Overlord.”

Viers clenched his fist in triumph. His ‘Haki’ had managed to achieve the same level as Luffy in Fish-Man Island, after the 3D2Y.

Beside his Grand Soul, there was also his Horizon.

At the start of Aletro’s Trial of Fire, Viers’ Horizon Aspect was around 127%.

One week in Stage 1, one month in Stage 2, one month in Stage 3, one month in Stage 4, and six months in Stage 5.

The Horizon Aspect of Viers gave him a damage boost based on the percentage. When Viers experienced new things, it grew. The more important, meaningful, or fresh that experience to Viers, the greater the growth.

In the Book World, after making sure there would be no repercussions from people too strong for him to deal with, Viers let loose his nature as a man of culture and a villain, something that he kept hidden behind a thick closet in the real world.

Cool sentences that he always wanted to say at least once in his life were coming out frequently. Re-enacting legendary scenes from movies and games left and right. The superb and wondrous environment of the Book World itself. All of this was like super fertilizer for Viers’ Horizon.

Out of respect for the Captain of the Straw Hat Pirates and the manga’s creator, Viers decided the Arte which he took inspiration from would remain nameless until he’d done a worthy deed to do the technique justice.

And now, with a Horizon of 363.42%, he had defeated more than fifty thousand people, just like that gomu-gomu man once did.

And so I name this Arte Spirit Supremacy. May I never disgrace it.

“Phoenix Pinions!”

Anne attacked with feathers of fire. Leaving Tanael unchecked would be a catastrophe for the Alliance.

Viers’ green soul shield tanked the damage with ease. Of course, Viers knew this was far from Anne's full strength.

“Tanael. This ends now,” Anne made a stance with her sword. Whoever saw her right now would not doubt that she was a heroic young woman.

The gauntlet had been thrown. A challenge between Champions on both sides was issued. The Alliance and the Xerg paused hostilities. The few still conscious trial takers were watching with bated breath. All awaited Tanael’s response.

“This is just a warm-up,” Viers smiled. “To fight me, you must first reach me in the throne room. I’ve prepared the most wonderful stage of them all. I’ll be waiting for you, Child of the Holy Phoenix.”

“Wha-? Hold it right there! You’re running away?” Max howled.

The Xerg already threw their bodies between Viers and Anne as Viers made his way back to the Nest.

“Running away? Incorrect. It depends on whether or not you folk are worthy enough to face me.”

With that last quip, the flesh gate closed.

Now, come to the Dark Lord’s lair, young Heroes of Light. This will be your grave.

Viers, with all of his new power, didn't get drunk with it. He was still very cautious of the Mary Sue and intended to use everything at his disposal to gain an advantage. A long time preparation for this moment.

For a villain was most dangerous in their lair.