“There, how are you feeling?” Anne extinguished the fire in her hands.

“Much better,” Troy checked his body. “Incredible healing Arte. Not only extremely rare for fire elements, but it works wonders despite my space affinity.”

“It’s because it is my mother's fire,” Anne, the young girl around sixteen years old, became squeamish with the praise and changed the topic. “The talk with your friend isn't going well, right? Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Thanks for asking but this is something I must do myself,” Troy felt ashamed that he made a girl younger than him worry. “I’ll smack some sense back into his head, you’ll see.”

“But don't be reluctant to ask for help, okay?”

“Certainly, My Lady,” Troy made a grandiose formal bow and they both giggled.

“Is it done? Then if you would, Anne,” the newcomer spoke.

“Max,” Troy greeted the sullen youth. “Do you both really have to do this?”

“She promised,” he replied.

“Yes, I did. I’ll keep my promise,” Anne nodded, assuring Troy.

“...Very well. But if it gets out of hand, I’ll stop you both. No matter what it takes. I won't allow my friends to be severely injured.”

The three went to a clearing not far from their settlement. Max was facing Anne.

“As agreed, on the last day of Stage 3, we will fight. If I beat you, then you’ll give up the divine weapon you got in Stage 2,” the youth said.

“Un,” Anne nodded. “I remember.”

“Max, the weapon acknowledges her,” Troy said.

“It went to her on its own! That’s what I can't stomach, Troy. It’s like I lost before being given the chance to compete. My heart won’t settle down before she bested me,” Max said heatedly. His fighting spirit soared.

“I understand. That’s why I accepted. But it is important to me so I can't give it to you. I’m sorry but I have no intention of losing,” Anne had an apologetic expression but resolute to not lose.

“Then we fight. Ready yourself!” Max’s Victa was visible as a white aura. “Arte - White Air Burning!”

Anne was enveloped by the ivory-colored fire as the air around her combusted. Anne coated herself with orange-red fire and started to move around the battlefield, retaliating with fire arrows. Max dodged a few and swatted down the rest. Moving at high speed, he launched strike after strike, as if to not give Anne any chance to act. Max was using his Victa without holding back.

One was using regular fire while the other was white in color. In general, unusual-colored elements were the higher-tier ones but the two were currently equal.

At first they exchanged ranged attacks, then they crossed swords. Max’s swordsmanship was rough and wild, the result of his training in various battles as an adventurer while Anne’s was very structural and elegant.

Anne was like a dancing black-haired flame fairy. The sight of her was otherworldly.

To compensate for the difference in skill, Max attacked with greater intensity. They were together in the Stage 2 fire world so he realized he was the weaker one. Therefore Max aimed for a quick match from the start.

The two fire users were clashing splendidly. A confluence of skill and determination. Increasing wounds on both sides, hair-raising moments, every movement was critical, every Arte might be the last. The duel was a splendid work of art. Troy felt blessed he was able to witness it, picking up tricks for himself here and there.

But it wouldn't last forever. Anne was superior from the start and didn't make any mistakes for Max to exploit. Max himself understood he was on a track to his defeat.

“No… I won't lose! I can't!! Ivory Hell Inferno!”

Troy covered his eyes with a hand and jumped back. The flames’ brilliance and heat had affected him despite standing at a safe distance.

“Aaaarghhh!”

It was not Anne but Max, the Arte’s invoker who let out a scream of pain.

“Max, please stop. You can't control this degree of flames yet. You’re damaging your own body!” Anne worriedly said. Her form could not be seen in the blaze.

“So what? If I show my flames are stronger than yours then the divine weapon will surely see me as being worthy,” Max refused to back down.

“Mmmmrrrgh… You're too stubborn! Ha!!”

What followed the irritated sentence was a blast that tore open the white flames inferno. A clear path was created between the two fighters. The girl's clothes were singed and there was soot on her face but she still appeared regal and otherworldly. Anne dashed to close the distance, Max was unable to stop her.

“Wha-!” Max gasped.

Instead of an attack, Anne gave Max a gentle embrace.

“You are lost in the darkness,” Anne whispered to his ear. “Let me help you find your way back to the light.”

A power unlike any other rose into the sky. Anne enveloped Max with flames but Max wasn't hurt in the slightest. He felt as if he was finally able to see after being blinded.

A fan appeared above Anne’s head. It appeared from her body. It was a red feather fan. The feathers were splendid and beautiful as if they didn't belong in this world. Max recognized it; it was the divine weapon that he couldn't get in Stage 2. Anne’s and the fan’s power merged, infusing the flames around them with holiness.

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Max always wondered what manner of beautiful creature those feathers originated from.

The answer to that question was right above him.

A resplendent bird coated in flames displayed its magnificence to the world.

Its tails were of a colorful grandeur, its feathers were more bedazzling than any jewel, its fiery crown was splendorous beyond a mortal’s reach, and its eyes contained boundless wisdom and compassion.

The Phoenix's majestic cry that resounded was heard by every being in Book World.

Max fell to his knees in awe, unable to stand straight before the form of such a sacred being. Anne was still embracing him, keeping her flame alight.

“You carry a heavy regret Max, but you’re blaming yourself too much.”

Max constructed his words carefully before Anne’s statement.

“Since I lost everything, there’s this unquenchable fire inside me. Pushing me to find out why… Why my family, my friends, my home was destroyed. They said one man is responsible. I knew him. We were friends… If he really was the cause of it all, I’ll burn him to ash.”

Max put the festering feeling rotting inside him into words and let it out.

“I burn during every waking moment… Now, This revenge of mine is the sole purpose of my flames.”

And yet he felt at peace. The orange flames of Anne were melting, no, purifying his hatred.

“Would they be happy seeing you torturing yourself?” She asked with the gentleness of a mother.

Max felt as if he was being slapped.

“Anne, I-”

“Can you feel it? Your flame is crying. Your beautiful ivory fire is not meant for inflicting suffering and destruction. You’re feeding them the sadness and regret inside you… Remember for what you seek strength, Max. Mother told me that revenge is never the answer. Find out the truth before you decide to do something you regret.”

Max’s whole body was trembling, letting out tears of pure emotion.

“Thank you,” he said.

“What for? I’m just helping a friend.”

Her reply painted a smile on both their faces. Her flames receded, so too the image of the phoenix in the sky faded.

“...We’re drawing a bit of a crowd,” Max said. The other trial takers were watching.

“Awawawa! Are they angry that I disturbed their sleep? Ahhh! I have to apologize to them.”

To the flustering Anne, one man approached.

“Legend has it that in an era of turmoil, a bird wreathed in sacred fire will bring peace back to the land. Seeing you… I’m starting to believe it. I, Troy of the Righteous Brave School, pledge my sword to the Child of the Holy Phoenix. For an era of peace!”

Like a knight, Troy unsheathed his sword and knelt, offering his sword to the shocked Anne.

The others were watching with complete silence and solemnity, waiting for the answer.

“Uhhh ummm… Thank, you?” Anne gingerly accepted the sword.

“Child of the Holy Phoenix, hail!”

Someone in the crowd said that and the shout was repeated by many.

“Holy Child, I pledge my sword to you.”

“Me too. My skills and abilities are yours.”

A couple of others also raced to pledge their fealty to Anne. No doubt they thought Anne was divine in nature. It wasn't strange for them to think so. The phoenix’s appearance was at the level of an angel’s manifestation.

Such a sight was able to overturn a person’s faith entirely.

Yet not all people went towards Anne to offer their respect. Some were still unsure of the stance they should take, some turned and faded back into the darkness, as Viers did.

***

“Darkness rises and light to meet it…”

An apt quote. That whole trilogy might be a mess but the films were not without good quotes… But good quotes alone do not make a fine movie.”

Viers was brooding in his room. The sole illumination in the room was from the moonlight coming from the window.

Phoenix… is a mainstream, recurrent, customary appearance in Chinese novels. You know, like dragons. Xianxia novels without those two are like dishes without salt. I had a feeling Anne was unique but to think she wields the fire of the phoenix…”

Despite its over-regular emergence in the stories, underestimating the power of the mystical bird was only something a fool would do.

And Viers was not a fool.

Legend? In an era of turmoil? Every era is an era of turmoil! Just look at Earth for example. Even in the so-called era of peace, so many turbulent happenings. Human history is a history of conflict. ‘Peace’ is just a rest period before the next war starts.

“In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war… I can see that happening.”

It is freaking awesome though. Terrible for the people living there, of course, but awesome for everybody else.

“What are you mumbling about?” Clarissa asked. “Well, I’ve got what you asked.”

“Is it done? Thank you,” Viers’ consciousness went into his inner world, White Flowers Meadow. He spoke to Clarissa face to face after constructing a body there. “You have been most helpful.”

Viers had anticipated he would fight an epic battle in the final phase of the Book World ‘arc’. Therefore he started asking Clarissa for his first-ever Age of the Gods combat Arte in the Lamia Queen’s fragmented memories not long after Stage 2 began.

He didn't ask Clarissa for a lot of Artes because it was dangerous for her. Her soul was injured during the excavation of Insignificant Fate. It was already healed but Viers didn't want to risk losing her. The Artes that he made or amassed from the soul-searched victims were enough to satisfy his need so far. Only when there was an extraordinary need Viers would ask Clarissa to dive into her mother’s memories.

Aletro’s trial was one such time.

Viers had a feeling he would need a very special Arte to win Aletro’s trial. After seeing Anne’s display of power, that feeling was only reinforced.

In an important cultivation Trial of Fire, Viers would not let the greatest prize that belonged to the first place escape his grasp. For the sake of triumphing against others no matter who they are, Viers finally sought a combat Arte from the Age of the Gods.

After Euryale Sight, Insignificant Fate, and Mind Curtain, the new Arte would become the fourth link in the chain.

Viers asked Clarissa to get him the most vicious and the most potent soul affinity attack-type Arte that was in his current ability to cast.

Oh? Damnnnn… The Arte’s name is so badass!

“The you right now, can’t even invoke a hundredth of this Arte’s full power,” she informed.

“That’s why I will start training this Arte now and not a day before the final battle in Stage 5,” Viers replied.

“Final battle? You sure there’s going to be one?” Paina wondered why Viers’ mind always gravitated towards conflict.

“There’s always a final battle before the curtain falls on this kind of thing,” Viers said with certainty.

“I gave this Arte with a warning. Its power… is not meant for mortal men. Use it wisely.”

“Clarissa,” Viers spoke softly. “You should know by now that I am no ‘mere’ mortal man.”

The boast sent a shudder to the girls’ incorporeal spine.

Viers’ water ultimate was Vortex Nova. Now he gained a soul ultimate.

Soul Snake’s Disintegration Decree.