The news that the war with the merfolk had ended spread throughout the ranks. The officials said that an accord had been reached with the underwater kingdom. The end of conflict after the assault on the tenth day was welcomed with tremendous jubilation.

After laying the injured members of the Rising Fortune at the infirmary and not finding Boram there, Arsène once again went to gaze at the sea. It was the same spot where he talked with Boram yesterday at sunset. The sea and sky were dark because it was before dawn, although the time was not far away.

The scars of battle were still fresh but there were no signs of the three-eyed wolves anymore. It was safe to assume that the army of Rank 3 monsters was the hidden force of Regidana.

Perhaps one of them went rogue and ended up killing Irene's family? But Irene’s home is so far away. I wonder what she will do now… A one-woman crusade against the whole city? She would die.

While Arsène had past relation with Irene, he didn't have the desire to accompany her in a lengthy -possibly suicidal- revenge side-quest. He stopped his musings after hearing Boram’s approaching steps. He turned to look at his disciple. Boram wasn't maimed or severely injured, which was good.

“You seem well. How was the battle after we separated?”

“Half of us died. I had to use the life-saving item that you’d just given me to survive… Sorry, Master.”

Viers gave one of the better life-saving items to Boram just in case. What Boram did not speak of was how intense the fight was and how much he'd been able to push himself without using said item. Arsène had vaguely sensed it but didn't comment on it. Nevertheless, the mission was a success and the wolves came.

“Mmm,” Arsène nodded. “Adding your experience in the Book World, it seems you’ve become adept in surviving in battle. Well done, boy. And don't be sorry. I gave it to you for that very reason.”

“...Thanks, Master. U-um…”

Boram didn't look happy from the praise. He looked troubled instead.

“What is it?” Arsène said. “Just speak freely.”

Boram resolved himself. “Why weren't you willing to go, Master?”

“Why do you think?” Arsène said calmly.

“People talked. Many thought you were a coward. The one whose order you refused seems to have asked for your adventurer license to be revoked. The way they talked about you… It’s looking bad, Master.”

Boram spoke with worry for his master.

“Lions don't concern themselves with the opinion of sheep… Be who you are and say what you mean. Because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.”

Arsène spoke the words of a Tywin Lannister -who got shot to death in the latrine by his own son because of such thinking- and he added the words of a visionary, Dr. Seuss.

Boram carved the words to his memory but by the look on his face, it seemed the words were too heavy for a twelve-year-old, especially the last part.

“...But why, sir? Did you… really escape out of fear?”

Boram said what he was really thinking. He knew his master was strong but the words of others were getting to him. What was the reason for all the reluctance to act? Was he just a meat shield for his master? He was a slave after all. Boram kept the doubt bottled up inside him but what Master Avel said had opened the cork.

Arsène didn't immediately answer. The silence between them scared the hell out of Boram. He thought his master was really angry this time. He imagined himself being sold back to a slave house.

Meanwhile, Arsène judged it was the appropriate time.

He took out a small marble and dropped it to the sandy ground. Boram felt some kind of magic in the area.

“A privacy array,” Arsène said while taking off his helmet and the bandages on his face. “It prevents sound from going too far and obfuscates sight. You have one too in your storage pouch so use it for important conversations. You never know who might be watching. It is not absolute but better than nothing.”

Boram gulped nervously.

Arsène bared his face and looked Boram straight in the eye. He also turned off another magic item in the form of a belt. Simply put, it was an anti-identify magic item.

“Now, use all of your observation skills. What do you sense about me?”

Boram did as he was told. He didn't have something on the level of Euryale Sight but Viers made sure he wasn’t a dumb brute who could only smash things. What Boram found puzzled him.

“Master… You- you’re… powerless? No Victa or aura whatsoever, as if you’re not a Pathseeker. How can it be?”

“My Profound Codex is called Serpentes Renovamen. It is a powerful and ancient thing but just like every Profound Codex out there, it has a weakness.”

Arsène pointed to the sky.

“Every time I'm doing my Profound Practice, from sundown to sunrise, I’m dead as a Pathseeker.”

Arsène dropped the bomb on Boram.

Serpentes Renovamen's former name was Immortal Snake’s Death and Life Esoterica. The Profound Codex had a dual concept of death and life, which Viers found really fitting for his cultivation. It was a pretty common and clichéd power for MCs but Viers didn't mind as long as it was powerful.

The Profound Codex was well-suited to a dual affinity Pathseeker like him. It was Clarissa’s own which she taught Viers. This was after Viers had awakened his soul affinity.

With water and soul abilities, Viers planned to infuse his water side with life profundities and his soul side with death.

But unique to Viers’ affinities, they were intermingled.

Living beings couldn't survive without water but water could also take life. Living beings had souls, without souls, they were not living.

Viers foresaw the synergy between him and the Profound Codex, even more so than Clarissa who had fire affinity.

Therefore the Profound Codex was too good for Viers to refuse. It wasn't like there was any other Profound Codex from the Age of the Gods lying around on the side of the road. The chance to find another as powerful and as fitting as Serpentes Renovamen in the near future was next to none so Viers accepted the Profound Codex and cultivated it.

Despite the major weakness of the Profound Codex.

The particular point was the ‘death and life’ part, not ‘life and death’. The ‘death’ came first.

“To progress in our Profound Codex, we do Profound Practice,” Arsène reminded Boram. “It is different for every Codex, just like you have to absorb rocks and gems for yours. Mine is simple, to invoke the Codex and experience death every night and be reborn at sunrise.”

On the horizon, the sun showed its face. As the light of the new day bathed Arsène -specifically, Viers who was on Regidana- he returned to life. His powers returned completely.

“B-but, I have seen you battle and use Victa at night before!” Boram stuttered.

“True,” Arsène confirmed. “If I don't invoke the Codex, I can operate in the night just fine. Unfortunately, Serpentes Renovamen is like a clingy, pampered girl. It will invoke on its own if I leave it alone for too long. When I was Level 0, if I didn't use the Codex for six nights in a row, on the seventh night I would be powerless whether I wanted to or not. At Level 1, the grace period is extended by one. Level 2, plus one more night.”

“...Since this is the tenth night-” Boram counted.

“Yes. I’ve become a Level 3.”

“Ah! I’m happy for you, Master. Congratulations.”

“Mm-hm,” Arsène gave a light bob with his head. “So you see, last night I was unable to do anything. Since I couldn't exactly expose my weakness to the world, I would have to remain in the background. Yesterday coincided with the merfolk's big push. It was very bad luck on my part…”

“So once every ten days… Wait a second! If the death part is the Practice-”

“Yes, you realized another important fact. If I want to, every night I can experience death. For an entire month or year or decade, I’m only a Pathseeker when the sun is out. But as you surely realized, doing so can cause me to die for real if I get attacked after sundown. That is why I only do the Profound Practice where I can safely spend the night.”

The fact I must stave off the Practice unless I’m safe makes my Codex’s growth proceed slowly like a caterpillar. Thankfully I was able to catch up during my time in the Book World.

“I, more than anyone, realize the risk of this Profound Codex… That is why I have you. To become my hammer and shield if it comes to that. I learned this by watching someone I called Shieldbro. His Profound Codex made him only able to use shields and unable to attack. To remedy his situation, he travelled with a slave, a raccoon beastfolk girl who became his most loyal sword… I hope you can be like that to me just as she is to him.”

Viers hoped that forging Arsène would also help his condition. It was the ideal situation if at his powerless state Arsène could still fight but unfortunately, Arsène also lost power when Viers did.

“Oh… What happened to them?” Boram asked.

“Well, they become gods,” Arsène lightly said.

“M-Master… You know g-gods?”

“Heheheh. No need to be so flustered, boy. It is a Fable. A story.”

A damn popular one.

“Ah, okay… Master wouldn't use the Codex if the benefits are less than the price. So what is your gain, Master?” Boram was eager to know.

“For starters, I became stronger after each death and rebirth, meaning every session. It makes me just a tiny bit stronger, faster, tougher, basically better in every way. It’s only about half a year since I got it though, and the completed Practices are even less, so the effect isn't really apparent. When it really shines is further down the road, when I'm at least Level 4. I should achieve pseudo-immortality in battle at that point. Also, the Codex fits my cultivation Path. Abilities from the Codex aren't everything, Boram, it must also be in line with your Path else it will cause trouble the higher you go.”

“I see…” Boram contemplated what he’d just heard. His master just gave a lot to think about. “So what happens now?”

“If the merfolk attacks are really over, it won't be long until we can go back to the city. We’ll stay for a while to digest our gains from the Book World, which you have more than I do, and keep improving ourselves. Hopefully, we have some peace and quiet for a change. The Path of Power is never-ending… Ah, I also got a lawsuit to take care of. But right now, we’re going to the infirmary.”

“Oh… I heard some of the Rising Fortune was injured?”

“Well, we’re not going there with the main objective of visiting them. It’s to get you emergency healing.”

“...Eh?”

Boram’s eyes were as round as the moon.

“You’ve been poisoned. Slow acting but it’s there,” Arsène stopped his Euryale Sight Arte. “Just because you don't feel hurt, never forget to do a full-body check-up for hidden effects after a fight. Your strong constitution saved you for the time being.”

Arsène put on his helmet and shooed with his hand.

“Run along, before the poison reaches your heart and rots it from the inside.”

“Hiiiikh– Y-yes Master!”

Boram cringed and ran away in a panic. His face was as white as a sheet. It wasn't actually that immediate but it was a good lesson for him.

Hehe. The boy might be able to bend steel with his hands now but he’s still a kid.