After he swam back and the Frozen Siren was in his sight, only then did Viers’ adrenaline level start to return to normal.

The Bull Shadow Intimidation was a paper tiger technique but it was very convincing. How could such an illusion give off an aura of a high-level monster? It was the same reason why a fake painting could be mistaken for a real one, because the fake had been given a soul.

But at the end of the day, a fake was still fake. If the Devadom Orca saw through it or if Viers did it multiple times, the shock and awe effect would be lost. That was the reason Viers didn't hesitate to burn 10 years worth of lifespan to make sure a lethal blow was dealt.

“My glorious return!”

Viers declared so when he was back to the ship, amidst the ghost crew’s cheer.

He covered himself with a tunic made of water magic. He couldn't make a permanent one so it was only temporary. He couldn't walk around butt naked after all. He would change into real clothes in his cabin.

I need to have my clothes enchanted like Izabella’s. I’m starting to get low on clothes.

Monster transformation wasn't good for shirts or robes in general.

“So,” Viers leaned on the mast where Crazy Pete was bound. “Here’s Favor of the Sky. Where’s the other key item?”

“The other is called Favor of the Sea and it lies to the east from here,” the NPC gave another quest. “We should be quick. It will take a day to get there and the Sea Temple will open in three days.”

“Let’s get to it then.”

Before he left the island that spat him out with a hurricane, as the first player to return back, Viers tried to sink the other player’s ships to cement his advantage but Aletro did not allow that. The ships were impervious to the Frozen Siren’s cannons.

Viers shrugged then set sail according to Crazy Pete’s heading. He wanted to reach that place as fast as possible. No stops for side-quests because he was on an eating spree for the whole trip.

Viers carved the Devedom Orca to pieces. Eating some of its meat in human form to get back some of the lifespan that he’d used. The rest of the five tons of orca meat got eaten by Viers’ various monster forms. The meat he ate as a monster did not contribute to his lifespan but to the monster’s strength and evolutionary energy.

The Siren was faster than normal ships so by tomorrow’s first light the destination was in sight; It was a big island just like before. Instead of mountains in the center of the island, this island had the shape of a donut. The center lake was so big it might as well be an inland sea; the Sea Temple was submerged there.

When Viers set foot on the island, he found out that it was infested with plant monsters.

In the water world of Stage 2, the players were mostly water Pathseeker so they would have a hard time fighting these plant monsters.

“BURN BABY, BURN!”

Viers was having a jolly good time burning weeds using a flamethrower that he got from Marakkus’ vault.

So how could he not have the song ‘Make It Bun Dem’ playing in his head?

We mash up the place, turn up the bass, and make them all have fun. A-we a blaze the fire, make it bun dem~

“I’ve got it!” Viers raised the flamethrower to the sky. “Your name is Fire Cry 3! Bwahahahahaha!”

The plant genocide continued. The girls were looking at each other as Viers lost himself in the fun.

Viers reached the inland sea quickly enough. Thinking he still had time, he sent the girls out to search for some treasure that they could find. With some luck, he might find something good enough to keep and not to turn to shards.

A few hours later, the result was in. The island was too big so they only searched the nearby area. Other than some shards, Paina told him she found a river of silver so Viers went there.

“It truly is a river of silver…” Viers awed.

The color wasn't because of silver-colored water but because it was filled with hundreds of silver-scaled fish.

Silver-pink Salmon, a highly sought-after gourmet food. Farley informed that not only was the salmon very delicious and worth their weight in gold, it was also very nutritious. Many confirmed that children who ate a lot of this salmon grew healthy and became smart.

You mean it’s rich in protein and omega-3, lampooned Viers in his mind.

“Mmm, shame I can't put live animals into the Casket. Perhaps I can grow them in Dia’s Biome… Wait a minute!”

Viers caught a bunch of salmon for eating in the near future and stored the thousands of eggs hidden in the crevasses of the riverbed into his storage item.

The salmon were in the middle of the egg-laying period.

When he saw ships of other players on the horizon, Viers went on to the main quest. Viers recognized the leading ship; he’d seen it before. It was Fithel’s. As the elf was also in the top ten, he also got a ship on par with Viers Frozen Siren.

Viers dived and found the submerged Sea Temple. It was not too complicated to find the temple as Orca-Viers but other players might have a hard time reaching the temple three hundred meters below the sea.

Unlike the previous temple, the gate was already open. Viers, fearing another player already took the lead, charged right in.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

For a submerged building, there was an unnaturally ample amount of air inside. Viers walked around the ruins with his feet. There were no mazes, no monsters, no obstructions. Viers reached the deepest part of the temple smoothly.

It was a room with a dome as a ceiling. There was a circular arena surrounded by water creating a ceremonial feeling. Viers walked into the circular arena and got the Favor of the Sea mark on his right hand. Just like the Favor of the Sky’s mark on his left, there was a number of 1.

First place in both. Perhaps this will factor during the event in the City of Pearl?

Viers tried to leave but couldn't so he waited.

It took hours but the players finally finished trickling in.

There’s less than before.

56 people contested for the Favor of the Sky but only 49 people reached here. Viers assumed they encountered mishaps from the goodbye hurricane.

Now that we’re all here, the reveal.

Viers, and the rest of them, were already in battle mode.

“Wuahahaha!” Pyke’s head hologram laughed. “Foolish treasure hunters seeking my Trident, you all will die here!”

It was clear to anyone with a brain that Dread Pirate Pyke would lie in wait at the other temple so when the skeletons rose from the water, Artes were flying and steel brandished to meet them.

Tsk, they are still unbeatable, seeing the skeletons he crushed raised back up, Viers knew it wasn't the time to fight yet.

“Hohoh,” Pyke’s half bone and half flesh head mocked. “You all hold up quite well. Very brave… Let’s put some fear in you, KHHIEEEEKKK!”

With the inhuman scream, the fear flood washed all the players just like the first time. What was different was the players themselves.

“I must not fear,” Viers whispered.

“Fear is the mind-killer,” he found his center.

“Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration,” Viers’ faint trembling on his fingers stopped and he made a firm fist with both hands.

“I will face my fear!”

Using the method that Charles the ghost taught him, Pyke’s fear ability could no longer affect him.

Viers custom-named this method, the Bravery of Dune!

Viers’ mind was as clear as a still pond. No abnormal emotion clouded his judgment. He glimpsed his surroundings, of the other players’ situation.

Ah, the tattoo, the Ta Moko is the top 100’s reward. This is the version available for them while I got a stronger and better vision tailored to me ‘cause I’m in the top 10.

While the majority held firm from the terror, their enemies were immortals. Fighting was useless so they must flee. The problem was they must break through the skeleton’s encirclement.

Even worse, Pyke’s pelagic lieutenants had joined the fray.

Binve, Phic, and Noban.

They had marine life fused into their bodies, impressive visuals. They would have a place in the octopus headed Davy Jones’ crew for sure.

Still, their powers were no joke, far above the normal skeletons. Even Viers didn't want to fight them so they all ran back to the entrance. Fithel the elf led the charge, Viers happily let him. The Sea Temple was not a maze but it was not a straight path to the entrance. Combined with the pursuit from hostiles, many got separated or left behind from the group.

Tsk!

Whether it was by bad luck or design, Viers got obstructed more than normal so he was lagging behind. When he reached the entrance of the Sea Temple, they had to swim to the surface.

There were two big gondola-like bubbles waiting there. Viers saw the other three bubbles were already floating to the surface. Each bubble had ten people and were being attacked by the Crew of the Damned. Out of the two remaining bubbles, one had nine people while the other was still empty. Thinking that only after ten people inside the bubble would launch, Viers chose the occupied one.

“Gheh!?”

“You!”

“We don't want you here!”

They were a small fry group with Big Boss 69 as the leader.

“Shut the hell up and get ready to fight.”

The bubbles went to the surface. It wasn't slow but the ones inside felt it went at a turtle's pace. Meanwhile, skeletons by the hundreds and undead fishes tried to burst their bubble. Viers and the other nine attacked the undead from inside the bubble without a problem. Their Artes did not damage their ride.

Amidst the furious attacks, the three pelagic ones joined too. Fitting to their pelagic nature, they seemed stronger underwater. Four bubble gondolas were under siege. Fithel and Sakuya were on the first while Viers was on the fourth ride.

The second bubble gondola was destroyed, unable to withstand the frenzy. The ones inside tried to make it to the surface on their own but only a couple succeeded.

Then ten giant tentacles crept in from the depths.

I didn't see any sign of it earlier. How could I miss a frickin’ Kraken?

Suddenly, Viers got a push. Viers managed to react by grabbing the arm and turning to his pusher.

“This is the fate of villains. You get what you deserve.”

The rest of Big Boss 69’s group also shoved Viers out of the bubble and the Kraken tentacle grabbed his ankle. With a stone-like expression, Viers saw the group's sneering faces rising upward while he was pulled downward. Viers had involuntarily drawn some attacks away from them.

If this is a movie, this is the part where I have a Disney Villain Death scene. A villain that got his comeuppance upon his wrongdoings…

Viers was as calm as a statue of ice, falling deeper by the second.

But this is not.

“That’s what you get, dogwad! Your oh-so-great soul affinity can't save you now, huh?” Big Boss 69 gloated. “That’s what you get for being a mountain-sized bastard!”

Big Boss 69 had been at the end of Viers’ blackmail multiple times, in Stage 1 and Stage 2. He had quite a grudge against Tanael. The rest of his group also had no love for Tanael.

With a face twisted by emotion, Big Boss 69 gave Tanael the middle finger as the tentacle covered his body entirely.

“Suck it, shit-”

BOOOOOOM!!

Big Boss 69 and the other eight experienced a closed room explosion. Sensing the vibration, Viers smiled under the tentacle's wrap.

Earlier, Viers slipped a live bomb bead into Big Boss 69’s pocket while Viers tangled with him.

Did you know that a certain AI possessing six infinity stones, a robot that had erased all life in the universe, got defeated by a bunch of misfits because of a space thief’s sticky fingers? Pfft. Let alone you.

Viers opened his eyes, shining vicious green and grinning like a viper.

Orca-Viers easily escaped the krakens' hold and Blinked away.

The tentacles that lost their prey soon found new ones: Big Boss 69 and the other eight people in his group. Their bubble was broken because of Viers and now they became fish food.

Viers offered an ‘Amitabha’ in his mind to them and moved his tail. After making sure there was no witness, Orca-Viers moved with speed underwater by using water manipulation.

As he made his way to safety, Viers shook his head at the robot’s ultimate fate.

All that power at his fingertips and he still lost… Mister robot certainly did not read Evil Overlord List number 5. If I got a source of power which is also my weakness, I definitely will not plaster them to my chest! If I really, really have to, the first thing I will do is to take every precaution so it cannot be STOLEN! You have control over space, power, reality and three others for God’s sake. Have some imagination, man!

Viers had both Favor of the Sky and Favor of the Sea. The way to the City of Pearl was now open.

Stage 2 will soon be concluded.