When Viers woke up, he felt like all of his bones were broken. He also felt a taint, must've been the Fell Arte remnants. With a sample, thorough analyzing and countermeasures could start.

It was night and there was someone sleeping at his bedside, Ciel Valentine. The blonde beauty still looked elegant in her sleep.

“On your left,” Viers said softly with a light smile.

Ciel was overjoyed by his awakening, so much so that tears were building up. Viers supposed she felt responsible for his injury. It was in his favor that she thought so, it was all good. After the initial reaction had passed, she went out to call the healers.

He saw her severed arm had been reattached successfully.

“Alright Clarissa… Status report.”

Before he went under, he had given Clarissa the task of keeping watch and protecting him if necessary. Viers had supplied the soul energy necessary for her to stay awake, unlike Paina and Farley that went into hibernation.

Apparently, he was unconscious for two days. The Church had been giving him the best treatment. No hostile actions from them. The raid on the Bone Raven’s base was successful. However there was some sort of demonic infestation in the aftermath.

So, Lykin left a letter. It’s insinuating a mysterious savior although there’s no such thing… but it makes things easier for me. Quite the consideration she’d got. This might not be her first rodeo.

“Oh, Lykin left you a gift,” Clarissa said with a bit of a sour undertone.

“I know. I feel it.”

“You do?” The lamia was a little surprised.

“Yeah, there’s a Level 4 soul inside me… What’s wrong?”

It was the hidden bodyguard of Ciel that Lykin killed. She gave a female water Level 4 Pathseeker soul to Viers.

“...Nothing.”

Viers did not pry. He didn't feel the need or wanted to.

Heh, how cute.

How could Viers be oblivious to her feelings? He wasn't mentally challenged, zero self-awareness cliché Japanese MCs. However, he wasn't ready to accept or refuse her feelings. For now, power was his priority. Viers iced romantic subplots.

Though, I wonder what made her pout. Did Lykin do something to me?

“Kiiin!”

Dia jumped from Rose’s shoulder to land on Viers’ chest. There were a couple of other people with them. Healers and some familiar faces.

“Oouff. Hahaha. Careful of the injured person, girl. Glad you’re okay. All of you too. So, what did I miss?”

***

From Dia, Viers got a clearer picture of what'd happened in the raid. The base was real; many low-level cultists had been arrested but the higher-ups managed to escape. As a parting gift, they released demons.

They infected beasts and monsters inside a Biome with demonic energy and then let them loose on the world. A man-made Beast Tide. Left unchecked, the demonic monsters would catastrophically damage the region's stability, turning other monsters into demons.

According to his knowledge, demons in this world were not a race. Devils were a race, resident of Hell. Demons were beings corrupted by Hell’s energy. Therefore all devils were demons but not vice versa.

Set loose in the material world, demons would spread their taint on monsters, vegetation, nature, and people; turning them into more demons.

Monsters turned into demons were aggressive and feral. They became stronger and more dangerous. What’s more, they turned into undesirable opponents.

In this world, monster hunting was an economy. People risked their lives, spending precious Victa to kill monsters for their cores, selling monster parts for money, turning resource-rich environments into habitable zones or sources of wealth, and so on.

However, Hell energy corrupted everything.

Demonic monster cores were useless. Using them for learning Artes would make Pathseekers lose their minds. Using equipment made from demon body parts? A recipe for slowly turning into demons. An ecosystem altered by Hell energy was like cancer upon the world.

Hence, fighting demons did not bring any benefits but needed to be done else the contamination would spread and the world turned into a second Hell.

It’s like a tanker oil spill, only the oil is alive, malevolent, and wants to spread everywhere.

Since ages past, this heavy burden, which adventurers and the like avoided like a plague, fell upon the shoulders of the Silver Legion.

…Damn. Good guys have it tough. Perhaps it is possible to extract some value from demonic materials but not enough research and breakthroughs. It’s a taboo subject, after all… Or simply not enough power to cleanse them. Level 5, or higher might be required.

Using demonic outbreaks to squander the Legion’s human resources and power has always been the devil cults’ favorite trick.

Mita and the others, the entire Valkut abbey people actually, were busy working like ants. Even Ciel went to the battlefield.

Meanwhile, Viers was still in bed, recovering. The busy air was getting to him. He was like the lazy guy that lazed around while the people around him were frantically working. He felt bad not helping them but Viers kept his eye on his true objective and to that end, focused on getting better.

But, no matter how busy, humans still got to eat.

“Morning. You three came a bit late,” Damon greeted.

“Apologies,” June apologetically said. “Many morning prayers.”

“You all must be hungry. Take a seat,” Mita invited.

Rose, June, and Conn sat on the long chair matching the long table. The breakfast had been served and ready. Rose took a seat next to Viers, who had recently been able to walk without assistance. Rose greeted him and his little familiar that had been sneakily eating a cherry. Dia’s cheeks ballooned like a squirrel’s.

“Since we’re all here, let’s eat. We thank the Radiant Lady for providing us with sustenance. Please bless this table…”

Unem said grace before eating. Viers was used to it. When in Rome, do as the Romans do, they said.

The lively breakfast began. Viers was quite surprised by how positive they remained in the face of demonic adversity. To the masses, the demons might be a big deal but to these guys? Demons posed a danger to them like any other people but they were demon-killer specialists. Viers got the impression this was just another day in the office for them.

The Bone Ravens’ threat had also been uprooted.

Hats off to you, mates.

Viers’ seat was with the Silver Legionaries. Max was there too. The Church's people were quite chatty during the eating session so a lot of conversations were going on. Viers mostly kept his mouth shut and listened.

“Master Mita, can we expect House Chevry to send reinforcement?”

“Doubtful. They seem to be busy excavating some ruins. They didn't say it out loud but they blamed us for the demon outbreak. A resource point of theirs already got corrupted by the demons.”

Conn and Mita’s conversation got him piqued.

House Chevry… Isn't Candice, the stuck-up girl that asked for my help to deal with three bandits, a member of that house?

Wendy, Rachel, and June were talking about the Underbelly. Max and Bryan seemed to have become chums. Damon and Ciel were hashing out the details about supplies.

Viers had things going on in his mind, such as…

Why haven't they found out that I’m Tanael yet? I think the soul affinity thing is already a massive give away but none have asked me about so much as the T from Tanael. Is it to preserve the status quo?

“-is that your reason?”

“Yeah! To protect those important to me from evil and disasters.”

Max answered Bryan’s question with confidence.

“Pretty much the same reason as us. But some of us are more on point. Take Ciel for example. She focused on justice. Her Profound Codex is also related to justice,” Bryan showed approval.

“Our youngest sister is a justice girl,” Wendy joked.

“Hey! I don't like your way of saying that… although it’s true,” Ciel grumbled.

“There’re Rose, June, Conn, Max, and Viers now. She is not the youngest anymore. Ciel is the one happiest that you guys have joined us in this journey, you know? ” Rachel said.

Oh? She put my name there?

“So what about you?”

“Hm?”

Amidst the laughter, Bryan asked Viers.

“Why do you want to be strong?” Bryan clarified.

“...Come to think of it, since the Luxore days, I have seen you train like crazy every day but I don't know why,” Max’s eyes were fixated on Viers.

The mood was slowly changing.

“Bryan…”

“It’s just a question, Ciel.”

“You don't have to answer about your private matters if you don't want to, Viers,” Mita interjected.

“No, it’s okay,” Viers replied. “Bryan’s right. It’s just a question.”

Viers showed his intention to answer but he didn't do so right away. After basking in some silence, he turned to Rose on his right.

“What’s your guess?”

Viers didn't stop at Rose. Damon and Rose’s group members were asked. They gave their shot. Mainly Viers had a dark and tragic past.

Finally, Viers said: “I want to be special.”

“The holy book says that everyone is equal under the Goddess’ eyes,” Bryan said.

“Right… So how come your religion only has one Popess instead of millions? Or why did Rose here get chosen by an angel and you’re not?”

“Sacrilege! You-”

Viers raised his palm before Bryan’s mouth could spew fire.

“I’m just stating facts. I'm not here for a religious debate. I wasn't an orphan who grew up super poor. I wasn't abused or abandoned by my parents. My family didn't get eaten by a pack of marauding goblins while I hid in the cellar hearing them screaming. I was born in an ordinary middle-class family. No hidden inheritance or specialties, and no dark past. I want to become strong by choice.”

Viers pressed a finger against his temple. “Then the question is how to be strong.”

“Looking at your record, by killing and stealing?” Damon asked.

“To gain cultivation resources,” Viers didn't deny it. “What else is there for people not born in blessed circumstances? You seize the opportunities yourself. I don't want half-baked strength. I want to be the best there is.”

“Adventurers, joining a School, working under a big House, there are many options to gain cultivation resources. Many people have done so, without stooping down to evil,” June said.

“Yeah, that’s right!”

“Live virtuously!”

Viers turned to the people that said that, younger kids at another table. About fifteen, Level 0. Baby chicks that had just started walking the Path of Power. They shut up and winced when Viers simply looked at them.

“Do you know that most adventurers are stuck at Level 2 because they have no Profound Codex? Not to mention how many people your age become monsters’ dinner?”

Viers faced the legionaries sitting at his table again.

“In the Path of Power, cultivation resources are one of the main ingredients. Without them, even the greatest seed will grow up infirm… As for joining organizations, that also is not as easy as you might have thought. Without a special background, Pathseekers commonly become adventurers. Those that stand out early get recruited into organizations, schools, clans, vassals, what have you. Well, what about the untalented? Would these organizations want these bloodsuckers lessening their resources? Shouldn't they give their talented members priority? They would be a fool not to do so… Thus, the taverns and gutters of this city, or every city really, are filled with unwanted Pathseekers. Some genuinely lack the aptitude to rise, some are not able to because of the lack of resources. Ask Max if you don't believe me. He’d seen it first hand.”

Viers turned to Mita.

“Would the Legion accept every resource-starved Pathseeker in this city?”

“...No.”