“Apologies, young lord. There’s no change today either.”

“Mm.”

There were two men, hiding among the traveling merchants. They were wearing civilian clothes and hiding their faces.

One was an adult Level 4 male with the appearance of thirty years of age, while the other was a young boy, about 13 to 15 years old. Despite the age difference, the adult was submissive to the boy.

“...I miss home,” the boy softly said.

“Young lord,” the protector knelt in front of the boy to speak without looking down. “The capital is not as it once was. Everyone is wearing masks of deception. Please, sire.”

To the man’s plea, the boy nodded. He then looked at the border guarded by a garrison of soldiers. They had been stopped here for two days.

“Alfred, you can defeat them with no problem, right? Why don't you?”

“If I act, I will also blow our cover, sire. They are specifically looking for us. Unfortunately, we have to wait for a chanc-”

The two and everyone else were startled by a blue dragon that came out of nowhere and wreaked havoc.

“Sire, the heavens have blessed us. We must go while we still can!”

“Yes!”

The duo and many other people managed to cross the breached blockade. On the way, they had crossed paths with people from the other side. One was a couple riding a cart where a kid lay unconscious.

“...We should be safe after coming this far. Sire?”

Alfred saw the boy was fascinated by the rampaging dragon. It wasn't the strongest dragon but it was a fantastic display nonetheless. After twenty minutes of fighting, the fortifications of the border had been reduced to pebbles. Even ten Level 3s were unable to contain the dragon’s fury.

The boy took out something from his satchel and cradled it in his arms as he watched. When the white cloth that covered it slid away, something red could be seen.

“Will you be as strong as that dragon?” He whispered to the red egg.

“Stronger, sire. Without a doubt,” the man said decisively.

But it caused the boy to worry instead. After all, the blue dragon that was currently gnashing a man to pieces was very scary. As it flew, three rings of water protected its long body from attacks.

“How in the Goddess’ name am I to control such a fearsome beast?”

“From your ancestors to your father, they are called the Master of Dragons, Prince Croix. I have faith in you.”

***

Broderick didn't think he would encounter a juvenile lone dragon on its own. Based on its aura and appearance it must be a dragon with a high pedigree, a descendant of a powerful draconic. It might even be capable of speech.

Which was more good news for Broderick.

His mood turned for the better after finding the blue dragon after failing to find anything about the explosion of energy a few days ago. The sentimental woman had to lash out. Couldn't she take a joke?

I should go before the parents turn this whole region into an inferno. No, wait. Since this is a water dragon, perhaps they’ll send a tsunami… What the hell?

The dragon’s body started emitting smoke and began dissipating as if made by mist.

“Nononono!”

Broderick invoked his Level 5 methods but it was no use. Nothing remained of the dragon, not even a single scale.

Meanwhile…

“Hm?” Viers perked his ears. “Oh, Arsène just died.”

At a place separated by the concept of distance itself, Viers sensed Arsène’s demise. Without his other self returning, Viers didn't know how and why he died, only the result.

He only knew there were Level 5s nearby and he shouldn't stick his neck out. His real neck. Even for Jessica or anyone else for that matter.

Probably field-testing dragon form though.

The heat was too high after the Aldebaran Shadow Arte. How often the trace of the divine level of power appeared? Very rare. The Arte was very effective against monsters as shown during the dragon’s fight but Viers never used it outside of his virtual simulation training precisely because of this reason.

Except that one time in Aletro's Book World.

But sometimes, he just had to take the chance that was right in front of his eyes. He did get a dragon form.

Viers couldn't directly absorb the Rank 4 dragon as he was only a Level 3 himself so he evolved his Tomalica Carp form to the draconic direction. He had the supplementary genetic materials to do so while the blue dragon served as the main.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

Undergoing evolution came with benefits of its own. Viers could focus on strengthening desirable traits with evolutionary energy, even appearance. That was why his dragon form was slightly different from the blue dragon he fought and defeated.

By the way, what should I call my dragon form?

Viers knew some backstory about the dragon by soul searching the dead siblings and the men in their retinue but he preferred not to use the old name.

A thought for another time.

Currently, Viers had slime, frog, spider, orca, and dragon forms. As he suspected, the destruction of the Gigadia Crab resulted in a permanent loss. He could no longer morph into it.

The loss stung, especially after how much Viers had invested in the crab, but his gains offset his loss. There was also new information on how his forms represented extra lives.

I have five but what’s my current limit? More in-depth testing is necessary.

Viers was not done with the Carfax Peninsula, which was why he didn't go along with Jessica even though visiting the elves sounded interesting.

It sounded like a major development and Viers hadn't finished grinding his levels. There were still many improvements to be done in the months to come.

There was also the unexpected bumper harvest from the people in the botched Incursion. Their material and intellectual wealth was quite substantial.

What Viers considered his greatest loot, even more so than obtaining the water dragon, was the food-based strengthening method from the fat Suman Siffo.

His Pathseeker ability to eat and grow, to multiply the food’s nutrients eaten, to be full with less, and other things, were some things Viers heavily sought because it complemented his need to eat a gargantuan amount of food.

After evolution, the dragon form was hungry. His other monster form too. There was no such thing as too much food for monsters after all.

However, Suman Siffo’s special ability stemmed from his Profound Codex, complemented by his family’s bloodline. Which meant it was unusable for Viers, not unless he changed his cultivation method.

That was why deciphering the Profound Codex and creating an Arte or Artes with a similar effect was Viers’ priority right now.

This was body Pathseekers’ department but even if it was not something they specialized in, other Pathseekers could use it. For example, Viers’ use of the assassin cult’s Fade in Shadow Arte. He was so skilled in that signature Arte that it could be mistaken he was a special disciple of the cult.

In the end, all depended on the person wielding the Arte

The effectiveness might have decreased by 30 to 70 percent depending on how skillful he could make them but even so it was better than nothing.

If it goes well, I might finally be able to slim down.

In the months since Valkut, Viers’ weight rebounded. When the calories you gain exceed the calories you spend, you gain weight. Viers’ physical training failed to burn all the things he’d eaten.

That was before factoring in how his healing factor also regenerated his fat, or other ways. He still hadn't fully understood how his regenerating-monster morphing capable body really worked yet.

Considering how much he ate in his human form to replenish his life force, it was a no-brainer. It was a necessity but as a side effect, his calories turned into fat in his body.

Viers was able to convert life force into energy but not fat into energy, thus his body was packing in more meat as he went on an eating spree during his recovery period.

He currently had the figure of a man 20 kilos above his ideal weight. Not a pretty figure. While Viers didn't care much about the opinions of others of his, too much weight would hamper him in battle, which was a matter of life and death.

It was simply unacceptable.

He’d tried to mitigate this by changing the quantity for quality, by eating more high-vitality monster meat or vegetable produce in Dia’s Biome. But acquiring those strained his abilities and was not permanently sustainable. The most accessible thing for him was still the monsters weaker than him that he could hunt in bulk.

Viers had temporarily solved his Victa problem thanks to Vigor of Responsibility Arte. His soul cultivation had also recovered during his heyday in Aletro’s trial, to Grand Soul. Yet the Path of Power was long, and new problems arose. Viers had a calorie problem and became aware of his Horizon’s soft cap, which wasn't a problem for now but who knew about the future?

What he needed most was time.

Galavanting to help a friend or a clan or a sect and whatnot then becoming entrapped in a major event out of their league sounded like what those xianxia MC would do.

Therefore Viers chose to sit tight for now. Sending Arsène to assist Jessica a little bit was the most he could do. If he was imprudent, it could result in a catastrophic outcome. Something that he felt vindicated, considering Arsène’s demise.

Then again, if he could die knowing he would be reborn from his other self, he might be a bit reckless. Arsène’s decision was not necessarily Viers’.

Like a whale making a splash while surfacing to take a breath and then diving back into the deep, Viers planned to stay hidden after the recent events at Ebon Wall City.

Until Paina and the others woke up from their slumber after getting bodies, Viers planned to stay low-key. He had all that he needed. Resources, souls, Nutra, and so on.

Still a few months yet, I suppose… No worries. Oh yeah, some of the new info I got is useful. I should make use of them.

“Dia dear, open a portal out would you?”

“Okie dokie~”

While Viers stayed in the Biome, a portal was created, like an oval window to the main world. It showed a dusty room in an empty house. After Jessica’s departure, Viers no longer stayed in the Heaven Is Cruel Tavern. His reason to be there was gone.

Instead, he moved to the house that he bought cheaply from a man that wanted to leave Ebon Wall sometime earlier. He planted Dia’s Plant Gate there after covering it with his barrier Arte. He had a great need to become adept in barrier techniques, for protecting his teleportation points scattered around the continent. Still a few for now, but in the future…

Viers’ musing was interrupted by a magic item’s chim. It had established a connection.

“Tanael, what do you want?”

“Jito, my man. I got some gig for you, interested?”

“Make it short, if anyone catches me knowing you, I’ll get my brain extracted.”

Viers contacted Jito, a middle-low member of the assassin cult that Arsène made acquaintance of during his soul sending service tour. He then gave Jito some instructions. It was nothing big, just some benefits that he became aware of after soul searching people. It wasn't important enough for him to personally make a move so he delegated.

After hearing how much he would gain, Jito agreed and ended the communication.

Mmm. Having minions that can do things for you is convenient. I should create more.

With how often he was forced into hiding recently, Viers needed eyes and ears in the outside world.

After all, didn’t those evil bosses usually have a long reach, with a multitude of strings to pull?

Thinking about connections, Viers conjured white cards that were floating around him. These represented people with greater significance to Viers: Boram, Sakuya, Izabella, and lastly, Jessica.

The card’s both sides were blank white but Viers knew which was which for it was created using a special soul method.

They aren't minions per se, they are greater than that.

Viers had big plans for them.

Several months passed in an instant. In the middle of a hot summer, Farley’s eyes slowly opened.