Viers was hungry.

He had not eaten since yesterday morning. He fought a war then got captured by the enemy. His back, where they carved the magical circuit to enslave him, still bled... Now he must fight at the front line again against his former allies. In other words, the situation sucked to high heaven.

Meanwhile, he had an inexhaustible bread supply at his home. A truly sad circumstance. He realized the irony of yesterday's battle cry now.

Viers could whine injustice about the Level 5 involvement that created his current plight but that was only the reality of war. So what if it was unfair? Viers was never an adherent of fair fights when he fought his battles in the first place. He had to deal with this, whether he liked it or not, and deal with it he shall.

It was his fault that he was weak enough to be captured by the Level 5. After the shock and denial, Viers shifted to acceptance and resolve to get out of this pit.

Not an ideal start, though. With only a rusted sword in hand and rags, Viers was the first wave of the defence. His forewoman, Visla, loosened Viers' Victa binding, so as to kill the Latias attackers or die trying.

The Kingdom's side obviously realized Viers and other prisoners were brought here against their will but they still attacked. Viers didn't blame them. The Grandia Castle was too important. Compared to the fate of Latias, what were the lives of a hundred people or so?

At the battle's beginning, the knights of Latias in all their shining armored glory came closer and closer. Tensions were high in the defensive line, regular soldiers or not.

"S-stop! I'm innocent! Save me!"

A man in similar circumstances to Viers pleaded to the attacking armies and allies. He splendidly ate a fire Arte to the body.

"Sorry."

The attacker said with regret before engaging his true enemies beyond the front lines. Viers couldn't fault that. In war, hesitation led to death. Viers' turn came soon enough.

"Forgive me!" The guy said while swinging his warhammer from overhead.

Schwiing!

"I forgive you."

Viers replied after disarming the man.

"Aaaargh! My arm!"

One of his arms fell to the ground along with his weapon. Viers took the word 'disarm' more literally than most.

Yeah, Latias Kingdom gotta win and all that, but that doesn't mean I'm willing to die, you fools! Be grateful all I did was disarm you.

"Hurry up and retreat. Get that treated fast so it can be reattached."

"Y-you bastard!"

Blinded with rage, the young man, most likely a young master of some noble house, attacked Viers.

Viers evaded and 'dislegged' him next.

God damnit. I'm so damn kind.

Leaving the idiot young man writhing from the loss of two limbs, Viers engaged with another knight. Like before, he disarmed him. The second guy was smarter; he took his severed hand and retreated immediately.

Viers exchanged his inferior and dull sword with a better one that his second opponent left behind. An easy enough task, something he wondered why a certain Teyvat Traveller took so long to do such a simple thing.

After taking the sword, Viers kept on fighting, urged by the command from the slave seal. While fighting, Viers split his attention to examine the slave seal's effect on his mind and what he could and couldn't do.

It was like mind magic, in the sense that he felt compelled to do the master's command. It wasn't absolute, so there was a little wiggle room.

Who is this 'master', by the way? Rostov or Visla?

...It is Rostov. Visla is just Rostov's proxy.

When he entertained the idea of escaping or defying the master, he felt extreme pain from the slave seal on his back.

Oops! That was close.

The pain caused a momentary lapse. He almost got hit by his opponent. With a counter, Viers defeated yet another opponent. He did not kill any of them. He was still on the Kingdom's side at heart.

Viers might be fighting but he was ultimately just one man. The battle did not centered around him. He was just on a tiny section of the battlefront and a lot was going on in the war.

Most of the enslaved knights had fallen. Their condition was bad after all that had happened. Some people tried to help them but Visla would rather order them to die along with the would-be rescuer in a double suicide.

Again, it looks like something I would do. Is this karma? Probably is.

Under the slave seal's effect, Viers was unable to hold back his cultivation and fought as a Level 4. That meant he was too much of an opponent for the majority of the Kingdom's knights.

Because of the firm resistance, the Kingdom started to concentrate their push on other battlefronts, which suited Viers just fine but eventually he attracted the attention of his 'boss'.

"You! Stop pulling your punches. I order you to fight seriously and kill!"

It disgusted Viers having to obey. Viers shifted his aim from dismembering to the opponent's neck. His sword was stopped. A red sword and a metal shaft of a hammer blocked his blade together.

"I never thought our fight would happen in this form," Croix said with a nervous smile.

"Master, I'll be using all of my strength to stop you," Boram said in a small voice but full of determination.

"Praiseworthy sentiment. But are you sure the two of you can stop me?" Viers smiled.

"I'm here too."

A knight removed her helmet, showing Ciel's face. Seeing she had to put up a disguise, Viers deduced she must have sneaked out from under her father's watchful eyes to confront Viers.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

"After we beat you down, we'll dispel your controlling curse," Ciel declared with a battle-ready aura. "Hold on a bit longer."

Viers slightly lowered his head and smiled with both eyes closed.

"Appreciate the thought. Come on then, young warriors."

A grand battle erupted in an instant. For the mainly Level 3 combatants, all four fighters were exceptional. Absurdly powerful and blinding fast Artes were exchanged. The combatants displayed incredible martial and magical performance.

Boram was in front, with his rock skin defense and giant's bloodline, his defense was off the charts. His physical prowess was no joke either. Taking the blow of Boram's head-on was ill-advised, even for a Level 4 like Viers. But there was something fundamentally different here, this wasn't their usual spar.

"You're moving much better compared to our previous bouts. What you're missing, Boram, is deep in your heart you feel you'll never surpass me and so you're content being below me in skill and power. You lack the drive to truly excel, to become number one. Remember what you're feeling right now, disciple."

"Yes, Master! Yaaaaaah!"

Viers parried Boram's hammer strike and cut the Geo Monolith Arte behind him. It caused Viers' body to slow down. But it was a trap. Boram's giant snake construct rose from the ground, taking Viers into its belly. Viers exited the Onix-inspired Arte in a spectacular fashion.

Clang!

Viers blocked Croix's sword.

"You've improved again, Highness."

"Still not good enough!" Croix engulfed himself and Viers with fire.

Croix was a beast in his own way. The heat of his fire was far above the norm because of his bond with a True Fire Dragon. Just like Boram, Viers gave him some pointers during the fight but not concrete advice. It wasn't because he was playing favorites but because he felt the prince had his own way to greatness. By meddling, it might result in a demerit for the prince. Sometimes, staying your hand was also a form of guidance.

What did he know about training dragons and princes, anyway?

Actually, Viers knew a lot, but that was that and this was this.

While fighting, Viers took note that Falmerion was maintaining the perimeter so the four could fight without interruption.

Despite Boram and Croix doing their best, spec-wise, they were inferior to the Level 4 Viers. It was because of Ciel Valentine that they hadn't been cut down by Viers' blade.

Ciel Valentine exchanged blows with Viers twenty-four times in the span of six seconds, each strike was able to instantly kill an average Level 3. Her light Artes were powerful and dizzyingly fast. Viers was having trouble keeping up, especially with Boram and Croix added to the equation.

He once sparred with Ciel in the Valkut arc. The Ciel right now was day and night to her back then. After becoming a Level 4, her talent that she had repressed was blossoming beautifully. The fight continued on without the Level 4s using their Domains.

There was a reason for that. Both Ciel and Viers feared the invocation of Imaginary Domain would be too powerful, too dangerous. Neither side wanted to kill each other for real. Viers withholding his Domain despite the urge to fight seriously from his 'master' was the wiggle room created by his resistance. So the two Level 4 silently agreed that they would defeat Viers without escalating to Domain.

Viers' three allies were pressuring him; it might have really worked if Visla hadn't interjected.

The Empire Level 4 ambushed Ciel from the side, breaking the delicate balance that the four had created.

"What are you playing at?" Visla scowled at Viers. "No more messing around, kill them using all of your strength! I command you!"

The magical command pounded Viers' psyche like a brand of fire. Despite his reluctance, Viers' Victa rose to an unprecedented degree from so far and he put that Victa into his sword. Half-willing-half-not, but it happened.

So this is how the Servants felt when commanded by a Command Seal... Never thought it would happen to me.

With the full power of a Level 4 middle packed into the sword, Viers was about to unleash a massive Slash the Sky Arte on his three friends, with Ciel being the main target.

The duke's daughter was ready to receive it with the determination of a martyr. If she dodged, Viers' Arte would hit the Latias forces behind her, so she must stop it here!

While Ciel's kite shield shone with a golden glow, Viers frowned, realizing Ciel's choice. He didn't want it to be this way. It was the wrong choice. He gave a glare at Boram. Conveying his will with an eye contact.

With a delay of a tenth of a second, Viers' disciple moved.

"Come on!" Boram shouted.

Viers gave a savage smile.

A hundred million points, disciple!

A huge energy slash of destruction was unleashed by Viers at Boram. It was as if the air and sound were cut by the sharpness of the technique. Boram felt a shiver coming from his spine. The boy knew in his bones that if he took his Master's Arte, he would die without a shred of doubt.

Using Soil Liquefaction Arte, Boram managed to dive into the earth before the energy slash hit him. It missed by the skin of his teeth.

Visla was the first one to welcome the light of death.

Boram positioned himself so Visla was behind him. He moved on instinct after the eye contact.

Because of the absolute confidence that the slaves weren't able to cause her harm, Visla was caught off guard and unable to evacuate in time. The light of Slash the Sky carried the fullness of Viers' bitter wroth and it landed on the rightful recipient.

Visla's scream got drowned by the attack and continued on to the Harkelan soldiers behind her. The slash cut through the weaker Pathseekers like a scythe through a wheatfield. After leaving a trail of destruction in its wake, the slash was stopped by the Grandia Castle's outer wall. The magical barrier of the castle came to life, shimmering with light as the defenders on the walls ducked their heads in fear.

When the dust settled, there were at least a hundred dead soldiers and that doubled for the wounded. In a battlefield with Level 5s combatants, Viers' Arte wasn't the most impressive they had ever seen but it was jaw-droppingly powerful nonetheless.

Viers was breathing heavily. The full-powered Slash the Sky took a lot out of him. At a certain person, he smiled.

"Y-you... bastard..."

Visla was still alive. Her hair was half gone, along with the scalp. Her pretty face only had a fifth part covered with skin. Her right breast was pulverized and her right arm was gone from the shoulder. She was holding her innards from spilling out. The cuts on her body were too numerous to count.

Visla was a true Level 4, after all. She was able to cling to life.

Looking at her wretched state, Viers couldn't be happier. Even with healing magic, it wouldn't be so easily healed thanks to Viers' hostile intent.

She was a pretty woman, but so what? She hurt him and Viers wanted her to pay. If he were a softer Harem MC type of guy, he wouldn't harm a pretty woman like Visla and instead woo her to his side using guile and plot armor.

After their first interaction, Viers simply wanted her to suffer and die.

Visla ran for her life. While on the run, she looked at Viers with an undiluted hatred. "By my authority, I order you to di-"

Sakuya stabbed her in the heart, emerging from the shadow of an Empire's soldier close by.

"How dare you do that to Viers-sama..." Sakuya twisted her blade with the cold eyes of a true assassin. "Die in agony without salvation."

Sakuya coated her kunai with a compound of sixty-six types of poison. The poison even corroded her soul. Visla was very, very dead.

"Vi-"

Ciel hesitated. She almost called him that name because the face was that of Viers.

"Av-"

Ciel hesitated again. Viers used the name of Avel for a reason but...

"Aaah, whatever! Come quick, you rouge! I'll perform the dispel!"

Viers let go of the sword hilt in his hand. It was all that remained of his new sword. It wasn't strong enough for the powerful Slash the Sky earlier. Just after the first step towards his friends, a spectral chain appeared around his neck and he was fiercely pulled in the direction of Grandia Castle.

He felt Rostov was pulling his leash. Like he was being pulled by a winch, the drag was too strong to resist.

Fuck! Now I'm just like the Tailed Beasts under Madara's yoke. It's just one unpleasant experience after another!

"VIERS!" Ciel shouted, full of worry toward her spouse. "I'll end this!"

A terrifying pressure came from Ciel. Just as she was about to pull the Divine Sword from the jewel in her chest, Viers told her to stop.

He was using the Superman's dad's stop pose from Zack Snyder's movie. His expression and strength of will gave Ciel pause.

If it was enough to stop Superman, it was definitely enough to stop Ciel.

As he was dragged on the ground, the visage of the three became smaller and smaller, back to the Empire's embrace.

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