Everyone in Viers’ domain would feel their lives slipping away like beads of sands in an hourglass. The dripping grains symbolized the time they had lost; the hours, days, weeks, or even years depending on how strongly the subject could resist. What was life to a person? Many would argue it was their most important possession. Viers’ ability to deliver a direct strike at that was as cruel as it was terrifying.

  Then the question was how was this possible? How had Viers come to wield this power?

  The answer was 5 years in the making.

  Viers became a dual affinity Pathseeker at around 16 years old. It was also around that time he kidnapped Clarissa from her mother’s ghost who kept her prisoner and learned the Profound Codex Serpentes Renovamen. A cultivation manual from the mythical Age of the Gods.

  It went without saying that its quality was far above the standards of the current age’s Profound Codex. After many days of examinations and cross-examinations with the lamia princess, he was convinced of its authenticity and viability for him to use.

  The codex’s original name was Immortal Snake’s Death and Life Esoterica before Viers changed it to a shorter name. Although it had a big drawback, having the user experience ‘death’ as a Pathseeker during the night before regaining it when the day arrived thus having ‘life’ again.

  Viers went to great lengths to facilitate such risky Profound Training. He hid like a turtle when he lost his powers, sometimes for multiple days so his codex could grow faster. He didn't dare show up even in front of Farley and the rest, fearing for his life. Thankfully, at some point, Dia’s Biome became an excellent place of refuge.

  He endured it because the Profound Codex’s sweet fruit would mature at Level 4, in the form of the Imaginary Domain. It was this codex’s nature. While he didn't know what kind of Domain it would be, it would reflect his own character so he just needed to have faith in himself while training as best he could to reach the Apex of cultivation.

  He had all the ingredients he needed to make his Imaginary Domain great.

  His water and soul affinities were actually related closely to the life and death concept of his Profound Codex. Those unenlightened might struggle to see it but to someone who had seen uncountable anime superpowers, it was clear as day.

  Water was the element of life. Without water, vegetation would not grow and animals would die. Water also brought death to non-aquatic lifeforms. Tsunami, drowning, waterboarding, etc.

  Soul similarly had two faces. Without a soul could something be called truly alive? Then there were dead things that became ‘alive’ because they were given a soul. The latter’s example could be felt even in a non-magical Viers’ old world.

  Paintings, music or other artistic works, those genuine masterpieces that represented the greatness of human minds could move the hearts of those who beheld them because the creator gave those things a soul, breathing life into dead objects.

  With the synergy between his character, affinities, and Profound Codex clear to him, Viers walked his Path of Power with conviction.

  After attaining dual affinities and becoming Level 2, Viers roamed the world. After becoming Level 3, he soared higher, broadening his Horizon. Those two years of experiences were enriched by myriad soul searches, further nourishing his growth as a Pathseeker.

  When he reached the peak of Level 3, he reached it far earlier than the average measurement. A Level 4 at the age of 30 was already great but Viers wasn't even 20 at the time. His body was not ready to become Level 4.

  He had maxed out his stats and techniques as a Level 3. Any improvement he made further would be minimal. Therefore he opted to spend the next 3 years undergoing a special breakthrough tempering to elevate his quality as a Level 4.

  The Sea of Life and Death Imaginary Domain and its special effect was the crystallization of his endeavors.

  Viers did not know what form his Domain would take or what kind of special effect it would have. Now that he had it in his hand, he wouldn't trade it for anything else, except for maybe more power.

  One of Viers’ most feared opponents was the old Pathseekers. In some Fables, these old fossils made the life of the MCs truly miserable using their position as those who were born earlier. Usually, these stereotypes didn't lay a hand on the younger generation but if the person was shameless enough, or the world was at war and the MC was the key to everything, well, decency became not so important all of a sudden.

  A certain Duke Long from Reverend Insanity came to Viers’ mind. A character that became an iron great wall for Fang Yuan for hundreds of chapters spanning multiple story arcs.

  But what was the weakness of these residents of retirement homes? The key word was ‘old’.

  Their natural lifespan wasn’t that much.

  And so, Viers' Imaginary Domain would become their worst nightmare.

  It wasn't as if Viers was indifferent to old age. Very, very few could fight the tyranny of time. And Viers, even with his previous life included, was far from qualified to speak of this matter.

  He suspected that his lifespan was long and could be replenished but was it really the truth? What proof did he have? Had his life stood the test of time? No, and so he would not act as if he was immortal. Arrogance was the cause of many villains’ downfall and Viers didn't wish to become like them.

  Those ancient experts simply feared old age more than Viers and his Imaginary Domain made them burn their remaining life’s candle to fight him. Would they dare to pay the price? Even if someone still had a lot of lifespan left, would they want it to be reduced by 50 years by fighting Viers? What if it was 300 years? Viers’ Domain was far from its most powerful state.

  When he first understood his Domain, Viers had a dilemma about whether he should disclose his Domain’s effect publicly to serve as a lifespan nuclear deterrent or keep it a secret as a trump card. He hadn't come to a decision.

  All said, this was not an absolute sure-win gimmick. How long before the other side was affected by a Domain’s special effect after the opening of the Imaginary Domain depended on the user and the opposition’s skill.

  Also, no matter how fearsome the effect, there were ways to manage, mitigate, or even repel it. It took account of an individual’s strength, how resourceful they were, suitable items they possessed, and so on. No incompetent people became Level 4 Pathseekers. The unfit ones had been culled in the previous Levels.

  Viers would experience this firsthand.

  “Humph!”

  Tower Master Baharir brought his hands together. It looked like he was trying to crush an invisible ball. He looked like he was struggling but he forced it nonetheless.

  Viers’ Imaginary Domain crashed, crumbled like a dome of glass break opened by an earthquake. It was not the only one broken: Baharir’s Domain was breaking too.

  Realizing his very life was being shaved away every second he was inside, the Level 4 peak showed his decisiveness. He self-destructed his Domain to bring down Viers’ own.

  “Uaarghh...”

  “Ggrrrhhh...”

  The two men returned to the real world in pain, suffering from the backlash of Imaginary Domain’s destruction. While the damage seemed greater for the Tower Master, Viers had to give it to him. Baharir’s choice was probably the best move he had to play. As expected of a seasoned Level 4 peak.

  Under the shattered remains of two Domains, Baharir was the one who recovered first and attacked using an earth Arte. Unlike Jujutsu Kaisen, the aftermath of Imaginary Domain didn't make the user unable to use their technique. However, Viers’ water, Futon’s lightning, and Faiya’s fire were sealed by Baharir’s Domain. He couldn't use any water Arte at the moment, a lingering effect from the Domain perhaps.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  Having no time to think, Viers used his soul Arte in reflex. However, he masked it, manifesting a telekinesis effect. Viers had prepared for this eventuality when he was forced to use a soul Arte. With this method, those without a sufficiently keen insight of the soul wouldn't recognize it. Was it an item? Some kind of Arte? Protective charm? He’d keep them guessing.

  Arte - Soul Repel!

  Basically, Rinnegan’s Shinra Tensei in a different paint. Or was it Cursed Technique Reversal: Red? Force Push? Depulso? Too many similar techniques for Viers to decide.

  The clash of the two Artes sent both men flying back. As they were fighting at the top of the Magisterium Tower, hundreds of meters above ground, the terrain posed a deadly hazard, something that didn't exist while the two were locked in a Domain battle.

  The two fell, parachute-less air diving.

  “Futon, Faiya! Can you two do it!?”

  The answers from the two familiars inside his badges were weak. As elemental beings, having their element sealed by Baharir had a stronger effect on them than Viers.

  Seeing Viers’ primary option to fly was shot, Viers was in a bit of a bind. He didn't possess any flying items currently. Not since the familiars could cover that department. He made a bad call resulting in the two being out of commission at the same time.

  He had gliders and items that gave feather fall spell effect to prevent deadly fall damage but none that gave him aerial mobility.

  Just as Viers was about to use his soul Arte to break into the side of the tower, Baharir unexpectedly came closing in with great speed. He was riding a flying round rock!

  “What the Hell!?”

  “Zeeeeaaaahh!”

  With great force, Baharir tackled Viers back into the Tower, tearing the outside walls as if they were made of paper. He must have counted on someone like Viers wouldn't die simply by falling, thus he planned on doing the job that gravity couldn't.

  He had to kill him today!

  The two ended up in a room, making a mess of the place. Even though his head was spinning, Viers still made an effort to not lose awareness of his surroundings. A wonder his mask was still on after all that. In the broken room, beside them the sudden arrival there were two other people. One was a hooded man with the Tower Master as he went out of the lift, and the other was a man locked in a cell.

  The prisoner looked confused but seeing Baharir made him scared. The hooded man, on the other hand, wasn't surprised at all. He looked like someone who was caught being where he shouldn't be.

  “Trying to steal from me, cultist?” Baharir said to the hooded man.

  Cultists? But Viers was sure the hooded man wasn't among his raid party. Unless...

  “Just looking around,” the hooded man lifted both of his arms and walked out of the room. “I’ll leave you to your business.”

  “Hmph!” Baharir scoffed and coughed. The Tower Master had seen better days. His fight with Viers left substantial damage on him.

  The contents of this room had caught Viers’ attention. There was a fridge, half-assembled guns, an ancient typewriter, a sewing machine, a howitzer, and even a modern smartphone on the table. While only the smartphone was clearly a modern invention, the rest seemed to be created for the industrial age. Yet they were showing no signs of age. They were newly created.

  Viers’ eyes darted to the man in the cell. His otherworldly senses were tingling.

  It seemed he had found out how the Magisterium got their firearms idea.

  But dealing with yet another otherworlder would have to wait. There was a murderous Level 4 Tower Master in the room.

  Baharir grabbed a cylinder object in the room from a special pedestal as Viers readied himself for a new round, the final round based on their condition.

  “Yet another reason to kill you. No one is permitted to leave this room alive after seeing it.”

  “Mate, I don't work for... you...”

  Mid-sentence, Baharir turned on the object. It was actually a sword. More specifically, a laser sword. A very famous laser sword, with a blue plasma blade. No wonder he was lost for words.

  Baharir was using a frigging lightsaber!

  “H-How did you get that?” Viers asked.

  “You seem surprised. I’ll answer your last request. The idea came from that man over there,” Baharir pointed to the prisoner using his lightsaber.

  “After today, it’ll be mine,” Viers drew his Umikirimaru katana.

  “Ignorant cur! This sword will be the death of you!”

  Baharir struck. Viers swung his weapon to meet the laser blade. He infused the katana with his Victa and Unreality Field because he vividly knew how destructive lightsabers were.

  The swords of different styles and ages met exactly once and no more. Viers performed evasive actions. He felt that even with all the steps he had taken, if they clashed again, his katana would break.

  A new katana that he just received from Sakuya!

  Viers couldn't afford to lose his new sword. So he evaded Baharir’s attacks as he changed weapons. It wasn't easy, Baharir's attacks were unrelenting. He was not an amateur swordsman. Furthermore, the slightest touch from that insanely high-heat plasma was extremely dangerous. A direct stab wound would be lethal. Viers had no intention of testing his healing factor against that.

  Also, screw those two characters from Kenobi and Ahsoka that inexplicably survived a lightsaber stab. Force healing? Bacta? Where’s justice for Qui-Gon Jinn!? Lazy writing is what those are!

  Despite the fleeting thoughts that spontaneously came into being, Viers got into the next action. He only had two weapons with a higher grade than his katana. One was the Divine Weapon sword that he got from Prince Marvin, which the spirit of the greatsword only allowed him to use for one swing.

  He used the other.

  “What!?”

  Now it was Baharir’s turn to be surprised. He never thought there was anything that the laser sword in his hand couldn't cut. Yet it happened in front of his eyes!

  A short spear that Viers used like a short sword. A broken Divine Weapon which he named the Spear of Leonidas. This item he possessed far longer than the other Divine Weapon. He took it from one of the killers of the demigod bull, which he now surmised as Immortals from the eastern continent!

  The spear had been broken and lost its original ability, as was more than half of its shaft, but the metal tip remained sharp. Viers had used this spear a few times in the past against powerful opponents, like Phoenix Anne and the dungeon core otherworlder, Abby.

  It had been a long time since its earnest use. While the spear no longer held any special abilities the material was intact. The vessel was whole but empty.

  Which meant it could be filled.

  With a weapon capable of stopping the laser sword, Viers began a counterattack. In contrast to the showy, big-scale Arte battle from earlier, they exchanged a martial duel. But this didn't mean it was any less intense or lethal. Baharir, experienced as he was, recognized how special Viers’ spear was. He wouldn't want to get hit by it.

  With both sides wielding weapons with absurdly sky-high damage stats, it all came down to who landed the decisive blow first.

  Viers took the first plunge.

  He threw the short spear at Baharir.

  “Fool!”

  The Tower Master evaded it and pursued the weaponless Viers.

  But when the blue plasma blade almost skewered Viers, his body vanished.

  With confusion, Baharir’s instinct screamed of danger. He turned, just in time to stop Viers’ Spear of Leonidas from cutting his body in two with his lightsaber.

  “Heheheh. Behold!”

  This time Viers threw the spear above and used Soul Repel to knock Baharir back. Baharir guessed Viers meant to knock him just to the right position so the spear would fall on him from above so he stopped his momentum short. Glancing at the midair spear, he was certain the spear would now land behind him.

  Unexpectedly, he saw with his own eyes that Viers materialized in midair, grabbed the spear, and struck from above!

  “Short-range teleportation!?” Baharir desperately blocked the offense.

  Baharir was correct. Viers had found a suitable ability to pair with the Spear of Leonidas.

  When Izabella had grown enough in her enchantments, Viers commissioned a work on this spear from her. This was before his 3 years of seclusion training.

  What he put inside the spear was the teleportation rune that he got from Max during the Valkut arc. As Baharir experienced, this allowed Viers to teleport to the spear’s location and vice-versa.

  The inspiration came from FFXV, more specifically, the Kingsglaive movie. The Glaives' teleportations were super rad.

  Left and right, up and down, front and back, Viers drowned Baharir with attacks from all directions.

  “Don't! Underestimate me!”

  But Viers made a mistake. A Pathseeker of Baharir’s caliber had seen through such tricks and gave a counter a place where Viers would teleport in.

  Baharir struck the air, with only the spear entering his field of vision.

  From behind, Viers drove the katana into his lungs.

  Viers. Simply. Did not. Switch.

  Viers slashed diagonally without pulling his sword, cut the arm wielding the dangerous lightsaber, and then cut the crown of Baharir’s head with a downward slash. Viers was bathed in blood.

  “Aoi Todo sends his regards.”

  Even Sukuna fell victim to Boogie Woogie, let alone Baharir.

  “Curse... you...”

  Miraculously, Baharir was able to utter two last words before dying.

  With a new addition in his soul prison, Viers clenched his right fist and raised it to the sky.

  -

  -

  Chapter 450 - Viers Isuel: Rising

  Alrighty. Big chapter. Hope you enjoyed it. This fight contains a lot of references and unveils a lot of Viers’ accumulated tricks. He needed to go that far because his opponent was very tough.

  PS: Max was a character in the Valkut arc, killed in chapter 268. A reminder. Hope it helps. Even I've got to backtrack to find his name :p