Chapter 435 (Patreon)

While Farley was showing off, regardless if the person herself was doing it on purpose or not, Clarissa was similarly going toe-to-toe with the Devaya Cobra in a blazing hot display. The monster moved unbelievably fast despite its size, yet Clarissa wasn't on the back foot despite being at the lower end of the cultivation ladder.

“Who are those girls?” A spectator was impressed.

“Prince Cassian’s team with two Rank 4 Deva monsters are being held back!?”

“Their Artes are so powerful!”

“Are they really under 25? They really aren't cheating?”

“...What have I been doing for 50 years in my life?” A man said with regret.

But being able to defeat the monster was yet another matter. Monsters’ vitality was just greater than humans’. Simply put, their HP was very high. That was why to truly kill a monster, a party of several Pathseekers of similar strength was needed.

While countless eyes were expecting the conclusion of this clash, a new development arose.

Stars were raining down from above. Each one was the size of a pebble but their numbers were great and each covered a wide area, both Farley and Cassian’s team were inside the AoE.

The combatants backed away from their respective opponents to identify the new element in the mix.

“You…” Prince Cassion squinted his eyes slightly.

“Yes, me. Hello, big brother. Having trouble with these no-names? How embarrassing, hehehe~.”

Prince Vadym, a handsome youth with dark blue hair wearing blue battle attire snickered.

“I’ll send you to the graveyard that you like so much, death-loving scum!”

Prince Cassian’s attention shifted to his younger half-brother. The Devaze Vulture and Devaya Cobra moved towards Vadym following the direction of their master.

“Witness my glorious splendor, O brother mine! Unlike you, I don't cower behind beasts and pets! Arte - Starry Menace!”

A series of little lights appeared in front of Vadym, each a star. When the two Rank 4 monsters got close, the stars exploded in a grand chain reaction. Their huge bodies became a disadvantage. The monsters suffered some damage but they kept moving forward. The Level 3 Vadym lacked the power to halt two Rank 4 masters in their tracks.

“Tsk, still not there yet huh? Figures. But how about this?”

Vadym evaded the cobra’s opened mouth that could gobble him in one gulp. He conjured an eerie black sword with his Victa and let out a flying black slash from it. The cobra’s scales were cut and black mist-like residue remained on the wound. Considering the Devaya Cobra’s size the wound was a minor one but the Rank 4’s monster got injured was huge.

“Hahaha! Looks like this thing works just fine,” Vadym laughed.

Prince Vadym was blessed with two rare affinities, Star and Death. Furthermore, this prodigy mastered both of his elements to a high degree.

“All these deaths around me… I should send Duke Crowe an official gift,” Vadym looked elated.

“I would relish the look on your face when I step on it!” Feeling humiliated, Cassian rode on the vulture and ordered his familiars to intensify attacks. He also used Arte to make them stronger.

While the two princes with bad history were busy with each other, Farley and the group took this chance to retreat. Paina went above and beyond. She broke the two cages containing two groups that Prince Cassian previously defeated.

“Time to go,” Paina said to the Rising Fortune group.

“I don't know why you’re doing this, but thanks,” Sandra said. She and Irene helped carry the other two unconscious male teammates.

“Don't mind, don't mind,” Paina lightly replied while protecting them from attacks. Prince Cassian’s teammates didn't like what she was doing one bit.

Paina recognized the Rising Fortune group. She didn't know why they were here but she figured she should lend the familiar faces a hand. She didn’t know the members of the other captured group but freed them all the same.

Paina’s Profound Codex, Give And You Shall Receive warmly thrummed with approval.

“This way,” Sakuya led them toward the biggest concentration of the remaining swarm. Her familiar swarm had been scattered. Before the clones disappeared, she wanted to merge them as much as possible with her familiar true body so the food they had eaten wouldn't be wasted.

Thanks to the team's high individual stats and Vadym’s intercession, Farley’s group retreat went off smoothly, even with two extra groups.

***

A team of four were standing near a vantage point. Some sort of mighty battle was clearly occurring but it was too far. Two males were wearing knight armor, one female with black and gold hair, and the last were wearing princely garb.

“What do you sense?”

“Your brothers are fighting, My Prince. Cassian and Vadym, I believe,” the woman said.

“They are always at each other’s throats,” Prince Lutz the 11th prince sighed. “Where to now, Paula?”

“I sense a super Power Spot to the west. It’s not far from here.”

The prince touched the big burn scar on his face. Then he looked at the clouds.

“...I don't like the shape of those clouds. It’s a bad omen. We’ll pass on that.”

“I… see… As you wish.” Paula said after a bit of hesitation. It was a very good Power Spot too.

Many called Prince Lutz superstitious, but where there’s smoke, there’s fire.

***

After Prince Lutz’s group went the other way, a group in hiding was thankful for the prince’s cowardice.

The group was aiming for the Power Spot too but the prince’s group was closer. Since they had no confidence in getting the Power Spot from the stronger group, they were about to give up.

With the prince going another way, they could now cleanse the Power Spot from the cockroaches and then get to harvest the benefit of the Power Spot. Luckily, the cockroaches near the site were not strong.

Five minutes later, four white fireworks went up to the sky.

Three Rank 4 cockroaches had lain in ambush. The observer of the group had to step in.

***

Lutz’s group didn't miss the signals of disqualification. Paula suddenly gasped.

“What is it, Seer, enemies?” One of the knights readied his sword.

“Bad luck?” The other knight asked.

“No, sir knight. On the contrary, I felt the rise in our fortune. Must be because of Prince Lutz’s earlier call.”

“Truly? Good to hear it.”

“Yes, but don't get complacent,” said the prince. “Keep your vigilance.”

The prince walked while touching his burn mark. A constant reminder of his past failure. His walk was somewhat sullen.

Pulamela, or Paula as the prince called her, felt her heartache. In the past, she remembered her childhood friend used to smile easily. Warm and bright like the sun.

Since he got burned and scarred, she had never seen him smile even once. His shoulders always seemed to slouch from a heavy burden.

Lutz… I’ll do anything to see you smile once again. As a Fortune Pathseeker, I’ll give you all the luck in the world.

“This way, Lu. The luck’s pull is the strongest this way,” Pulamela slightly pulled Lutz's hand.

***

The environment in the Biome had several varieties but around 40% of them were woodland. During the night, the woods were unnaturally silent. Croix’s group was resting at a grassland just outside some woods. Before resting, they thoroughly killed the surrounding cockroaches. The cockroaches had wiped out all the animals and other monsters. With the arrival of the 93 groups, they were getting exterminated in turn.

The relatively silent and dark Biome compared to the real night outside made nighttime quite scary.

“...I’m getting used to the cockroaches… Yuck! This shouldn't happen. It shouldn't ever happen! Ahhh!”

Ciel didn't seem to be much affected by the horror-like environment but the pest control job was bothering her.

“It’s just one more day, Miss Valentine,” Croix soothed. “Let’s do our best.”

“Unn…”

Ciel sat next to the fireside and bathed herself with light. At first, Viers didn't understand but then it clicked, Ciel was using UV rays to rid herself of bacteria and other microorganisms. That was on top of her getting a bath.

Viers wondered if she would get skin cancer or something. If she was immune to the harmful side effects, the idea was quite novel.

“Priest Breiz, please have some,” Boram gave the observer some food. He probably didn't need it but it was common courtesy. The priest accepted with good grace.

Viers didn't do a solo killing session tonight. He suspected the third and final day of round 1 would be… blowing up. It was best he stayed in tip- top condition.

“Everyone, great work today. Thanks to your efforts we have passed the minimum score to pass this round!” Croix happily announced.

The group replied with hand claps.

Viers and company’s kill count of the cockroaches had been high. However, for them, it wasn't enough to pass.

“Luckily or unluckily, we haven't encountered a Rank 4 roach,” Viers said while maintaining his shoes.

“And driven by greed or desperation, other rivals will attack us,” Ciel added. “If Prince’s badge is taken or you yourself taken out of commission, that’s it for us.”

“Right, you too, don't let your guard… down…”

Croix looked at Viers, who smiled confidently, Ciel, who smiled warmly, and Boram, who looked confused as if asking why said something so obvious.

Falmerion yawned on the side, curling his body in preparation for sleep.

Croix scratched his head. He was the only one who needed that reminder. “I’ll do my best to catch up, my comrades.”

And that was good enough for Viers. Admitting your shortcomings and striving to improve yourself was much nobler than mere parentage in the villain’s opinion.

While Croix asked Boram about some fighting tips, Viers and Ciel watched the two teens. Croix was a high-schooler equivalent, and Boram was a middle-schooler. They looked like brothers.

“You know,” Ciel said in a way so the observer wouldn't overhear. “Your base? The club? I think you have a few cultists in there. It makes me suspicious you are actually a branch leader of one and spreading your roots.”

“Is that so? After all the info I gave you about cultists and their plots the other day?”

Viers’ Level Up to 4 meant a major upgrade to his abilities as a whole, including soul.

Before the Grand Prix, he had created an A.I. made from a fragment of his soul, like Futon and Faiya but not as complex and cost way less, after all, this A.I. only had simple tasks, mainly, soul-searching other souls.

The menial job that Viers and Tanael usually did now was delegated to the A.I., which would then input those memories and knowledge to Recordkeeper Mirror, a memory hard drive magic item.

Information about cults was plentiful. The hidden members, their bases, their plots, their battle data, Viers was swimming in a sea of data, befitting of one that had lived in the Information Age. By sharing this information with Ciel, Viers managed to convince her that the Arcanum Club might be a bit shady but it brought benefits too for the do-gooders.

Or so he thought. It seemed the justice girl needed more convincing.

“Remember, I’m watching you,” Ciel brought her face closer. “If you're an evil person, I’ll incarcerate you to the Tower of Remorse myself.”

Ciel’s irises briefly glowed.

“First, you need to prove I’m evil, don't you?” Viers replied with an amused expression.

“I’m a good judge of a person’s character, Mr. Avel,” Ciel challenged with a similar smile.

Oho?

Viers leaned back, crossed his legs, sharpened his gaze, and mustered all of his wit and daring for his next sentence. In the words of Professor Moriarty himself—

“Catch me if you can, Ms. Valentine.”

The face of Ciel showed she was enjoying this as much as Viers did.

“Would you be satisfied if I said that, Ms. Justice? Don't worry, our club is no pit of devilry. It is a platform where each member helps each other to greater heights and greater good.”

Me, most of all. The greater good of me!

“Fufufu. I’ll believe you, for now.”

Satisfied, Ciel backed away.

“Well, then shall we get some sleep?” Viers said to Croix and Boram who were stealing glances. From their point of view, Viers and Ciel might as well be flirting. “I’ll take the first watch.”

“Err, yes. Thank you, as always. Yep. Sleep time.”

“Good night, Master.”

“...Wait.”

Their sleep was delayed, however, since Viers alerted them of people approaching.

From the darkness, a person covered in blood slowly walked closer.

Elvina Cinder Latias, the half-elf 38th Princess.

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Chapter 435 - Catch Me If You Can