Ciel approached Viers who was sitting cross-legged surrounded by flickering green spheres of light from behind. It was as if ominous fiery fireflies were dancing around him.

With the exception of Mita who stayed in the center, the others were placed in the eight directions to detect the incoming enemies while giving each other some space.

She gritted her teeth. Viers was in the middle of invoking his soul-consuming Arte to boost his power, the one that he used before the confrontation with Lykin.

If I’m not wrong, it’s called Soulmight Celebration? Calling such an act a celebration… truly a detestable guy.

The silver lining was Viers was using monster souls; and complaining about his soul Arte was not why she came.

“So it’s you this time? Please, speak your mind freely, like the others,” Viers said without turning around.

“The others?” Ciel frowned.

“Earlier, after Mita called me, there were Max, Wendy, Damon, June, Conn, and now you. They all said pretty similar things, mainly about my villainy. Some used harsh words but it was fair.”

“Then I’ll waste my breath no more about it,” Ciel scoffed. “About Pinaca being not human, is that true?”

“Yes. At least her soul is not that of a human’s,” Viers replied immediately.

“What does that mean? Demonic possession?”

“I’m not sure yet but there are no signs of demonic corruption in her soul like the demons I met before. I don't have time to find out more ‘cause preparing to survive the next encounter takes precedence.”

While digesting the info, Ciel walked to his front. Since he was sitting on the grass, Ciel was looking down on him.

“...Did you and Rose have a talk, since that night?”

Ciel meant that time when Viers admitted to the murder of Rose’s friend and the incredible outburst of power that followed. Ciel found out what transpired afterward.

“...No.”

“Rose is deeply hurt because of you.”

“...I realized.”

“I won't say I sympathize. This is the result of your gratuitous actions.”

Viers didn't reply but he hardly felt his killings were needless. They were all necessary for his path to supremacy.

“You never had any intention of repenting and joining the Church, did you?” Ciel said sternly.

Viers finally opened his eyes to meet Ciel’s gaze.

“The path I walk is different.”

“Oh, sure, the path of blood and carnage. Those who pick that kind of path are idiots.”

“Heh,” Viers only gave a light laugh as a reply. His expressions were the same as always.

“...Your smiles, expressions, considerations during battles when you were with us… Was any of it even real?”

Viers absorbed the souls floating around him and stood up, watching the horizon that started to have a rosy color as dawn approached. Feeling the weight of emotions behind her words spoken in sadness, Viers replied with the same sincerity.

He simply felt it was appropriate.

“I wonder… If there’s any, it was as transient as a haze in the desert.”

Ciel closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She buried her emotions and resolution took their place.

“I see… Then we are destined to be enemies. We’ll work together for now but should we meet as enemies in the future, I’ll show you no mercy. Farewell.”

Ciel’s untied, long, golden hair swayed as she turned and left Viers be. Her steps had no hesitation.

“Unless-”

Unless? Is he trying to put a condition? Is he aiming to trade his service for something? What foolishness. The Silver Legion is not such a cheap organization! But I’ll hear it, just in case.

“-you want to come to this side?”

“Wha-!?”

The offer was so absurd that words were lost to her. Before she could think her body had already turned to face Viers. He was looking at her with amusement in his eyes and a daring smirk on his lips.

“This side? Become an outlaw like you? I will never!” Ciel replied, furious.

“All this time you tried to turn me to your side. It’s only polite to return the favor,” Viers said. “Come with me, and I’ll free you from the chains you put onto yourself.”

“Hmph! This is stupid. Keep your sleep-talking to yourself. I’ll never become a villain. Never!”

Naturally, Ciel rejected Viers’ offer. Not that Viers had any delusions that it might succeed in the first place.

“...Why, that sounds like a challenge. I accept. Heheh.”

That confident smirk of his. It really irks me!

“Viers, you-”

Ciel didn't finish. She and Viers looked in a single direction at the same time.

“…Here they come.”

“Everyone, the enemies are coming from the northeast. More than twenty signatures. Two Level 4s. ETA, four, no, three minutes!” Ciel touched her ears immediately to convey a message to the other legionaries. The message was sent with snap professionalism.

“...Uh-huh… Okay,” Ciel seemed to have received instructions back. “Viers, we’re meeting up with the others. On the double!” She shouted, the previous topic already gone from her mind.

“Roger.”

Viers was burning with fighting spirit.

***

In the open fields of orange grasslands, the two forces confronted each other.

On the Church side, there was Mita, the only Level 4. There was Damon's five-man group and Rose’s three-man group. With the addition of Max and Viers, they were eleven people strong.

The Valkut side was led by two Level 4s, Jerrold and Unem. The former was Level 4 peak while the latter was Level 4 mid. Furthermore, the superior Level 3s were two priests, two captains, and two prodigies, Enzo Wright and Russ Sullivan. They were bolstered by another thirty men.

The two glared at each other with twenty meters of space between them.

“The Road of Silver…” Jerrold looked at the array behind the Church’s forces. “It’s useless. You can't teleport out of the Valkut barrier even with that. There is much that you youngsters can’t possibly know.”

“Don't waver,” Mita rebutted. “Even if that’s true, we can go and hide somewhere else where they can't find us. This is different from my Evacuation Alarm Arte earlier.”

“Jerrold, the array is already completed but needs time to charge up and activate. We have five minutes. Mita and you lost lambs, struggling even in the face of oblivion, the Silver Legion never changes… Hold on, we’ll give you salvation.” Unem said while giving them a pitying look.

“Abess Unem, that is our line,” Wendy replied resolutely.

“You!” Russ pointed his finger at Viers. “Viers Isuel!”

“The one and only,” Viers said. “Want my sign?”

His tomfoolery only angered Russ even more.

“I’ll slice you to pieces and smash every bone. Don't think you’ll have an easy death!” Russ threatened.

“You’re right. I never even thought I’ll have a death,” Viers grinned.

“I’ll silence your mouth soon enough. Ciel! Rose! I’ve misjudged you both… To think you’re an accomplice of this… atrocity. Even now you take the side of the one who killed the love of my life!”

The two young women made ugly expressions. They were being accused of something vile without actually doing it.

“Lord Russ, your anger is understandable but we-”

Jerrold cut Rose’s sentence. “Russ, enough. Destroy the array before it can activate.”

The head of House Wright then looked at Mita. “Shall we?”

“Imaginary Domain, activate!”

Mita manifested her Domain entirely. The terrain itself changed, molded by the image of the Domain’s caster. Viers briefly saw a place with intricate stained glass, statues, and frescos. It resembled the insides of a cathedral, most importantly, the grand hymns that entered his ears.

It made his soul tremble.

Mita is a sound Pathseeker. The choir music must be a core part of her Domain.

The next moment, Viers was himself back in the orange grasslands. Save for the Level 4s, the two forces were intact. Not far away was a dome of black, a distortion in reality. It was how Mita’s Domain looked from the outside.

Inside the Domain, Mita was invoking another Arte that emitted a silver aura.

“Jerrold, Unem. It is not only my and the young one’s life at stake here but also of the people in Valkut. Therefore, I can't afford to lose.”

“…The vaunted Silver Will Arte of the Legion,” Jerrold emitted a similarly powerful aura. “Let me witness it!”

***

“Vestal Mita has done her part. We must not fail to answer her expectations!” Damon roared. “Everyone, may the Goddess be with you!”

The leader made the first move. He stabbed his big sword into the ground and eight pillars of metal emerged from the earth. Damon surrounded the magical array, ten meters in diameter, with the best protection he could provide right from the start. The barrier’s sturdiness astonished even Viers.

However, it seems Damon has become immobile as a trade-off.

“We do as planned. We’ll separate the commanders from the rest. Ciel, you and I will take on captain Archie and Hubert,” Wendy said.

“Un,” Ciel nodded.

The two of them had seen the captains in action before while they were fighting demons together.

“Leave the two priests to us.”

Bryan and Max were up against their allies-turned-enemies, priest Baker and Moloney.

“Russ will be gunning for Viers, so that leaves Enzo… Pinaca’s younger brother, the young genius.” Rachel said. “I see… he’s truly bad news. We need someone to keep him occupied, but who?”

“I’ll go,” Conn volunteered.

“No, please let me.”

Paina materialized beside Viers. It was she who spoke earlier.

“Pinaca!” Russ mistook her for his wife.

“Are you certain?” Viers asked Paina, ignoring the noisy husband.

“Yes. Please let me do this,” Paina replied.

“Very well,” Viers respected her choice. Most importantly, he knew her ability. If he didn't believe she was capable of holding Enzo at bay, he wouldn't let her.

“Pinaca, it’s me! You, is that your soul? Just wait a minute. I’ll rescue you soon!”

Paina turned at Russ with a regretful face.

“Russ, I am Paina, not Pinaca… I think I’m Pinaca’s twin sister but I'm not sure. I’m sorry we first met in these circumstances.”

Rose gave her friend a complicated look.

“Pai…na? Wh-what are you saying,” Russ was confused. “No, there’s no way such a convenient thing exists. I’ll-”

“Shut your trap! You’re freaking noisy!!”

Arte - Raging River Steps!

Other than a burst of speed, this movement-type Arte had a secondary effect. It could create a burst of water when the user stopped after the dash, blasting its surroundings. Viers used the knockback effect on the crowd and dragged Russ away by yanking him in the arm. Russ tried to hit back but Viers managed to put some distance away from the others before he was forced to let him go.

“We will change locations too,” Wendy said.

“Do as you like,” Archie didn't look worried.

The Wendy-Ciel pair and the Bryan-Max pair went away with their respective opponents.

“Not going?” Rachel asked Paina.

“I’ll be better to support the rest of you if I stay close. Don't worry, Enzo will be my responsibility,” Paina replied.

“How reliable. If you say so, I’ll take it. We need all the help we can get.”

Those who remained from the Church's side were the immobile Damon, Rachel, June, Conn, Rose, and Paina.

Six people against thirty people led by Enzo.

“Ahaha,” June laughed weakly while pulling the string on her bow. “Even though I resolved for this, our odds don't look good.”

Something landed on her head. She almost loosened the arrow because of the surprise, but didn't because she heard a familiar voice.

“I am Dia!”

The Chibi-Dia proudly stood on top of June’s head with her hands on her waist.

“Dia?” Rose gasped before she sensed another presence in their midst.

“As Lord Viers commands, the two of us will back you up.”

Farley materialized in her battle armor, blue spear in hand.