Jarret was in a strange place. A dark place without any light.

“Where am I?”

“You’re an idiot.”

“Eh?”

He looked behind him and saw Franco. Without arms.

“Look at me! I became a cripple because of you, I am dead because of you!”

“No, no, I-” Jarret took a step back.

“Worthless brother. You can’t even catch a single criminal. Father would be ashamed to even look at you now.”

“Ah!?”

He turned again, this time he saw Kate. His sister was looking at him with unbridled hate.

“You failed to avenge Sigma. You failed to protect your men. You failed to uphold the law. You. Just. Keep. Failing!”

“Nonono! I-I did my best!”

“I told you not to do this, Jarret. Look at what you have done. You said this is for justice? What a joke, phuih!” Roger spat to his feet.

“Captain Heskins, I joined the town guard because I adored you, sir!” Tomburn said with a sword impaling his chest.

“Cap Heskins, I do not fall asleep on the job! Not at all sir, I was just resting my eyes,” a sleepy-looking man said. His head was twisted upside and down.

“Captain… You said you would protect us… You lied. Who’s gonna take care of my sick mother now?” Liam sadly said while blood flowed from the slit on his neck.

“You guys… no, no way. This isn't real!”

“Hey big shot. I’m from Motipa town. Now I’m dead because of you. Happy?” A man with a big helmet said.

Yuli, Arrey, Amari, Ben, the earth and thunder duo; people suddenly kept appearing from outside his field of vision, encircling him, each with their own deadly injury. The walking dead approached one step at a time.

Jarret fell to his knees. He had the expression of a frightened child. “I’m sorry. I’msorryI’msorry. Forgive me… I-I didn't mean any of this to happen…” He cupped his face with his hands, too afraid of looking at his mistakes.

“Son,” a gentle voice came from in front of him.

Jarret lifted his face up and saw his father.

“...What a disappointment you are.”

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!”

Flames.

Flames were burning the dark world. Enveloping Jarret and the others in an inferno.

Jarret screamed while his soul was set ablaze.

***

Kate put a wet towel on her brother’s forehead. Her brother’s right eye was covered with bandages. The healers said the eye was lost for good.

“Jarret...” she said worriedly.

After the battle, the guard brought Jarret back to Osemore. Except for the eye, Jarret seemed to suffer only minor injuries but he wouldn’t wake up; he flailed around in pain as if suffering from a nightmare. The best healers couldn't find anything wrong with him. They came to a conclusion that this must be the effect of Cain’s Arte.

“I’m sorry… It's because I said that. Please O Goddess, let my brother live. Don't take him away.”

Besides Kate, there were many people in the infirmary. They were all concerned about Jarret.

Suddenly, Jarret opened his one remaining eye, screaming.

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!”

“Brother! Are you okay?”

“It burns! It buuurns!! Aaaahh!” Jaret trashed around as if his body was on fire.

“Master healers, please!”

“Step aside missy,” a few healers examined Jarret immediately… but they still could not find anything wrong with him. Their healing Artes didn't seem to have any effect.

The sight of his brother in pain, the only family she had left, brought excruciating agony to her heart.

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Everyone in the room looked helpless, even the healers. Jarret was enduring something painful but there was nothing they could do to help.

“O Goddess, Radiant Lady, please help my brother. Someone, anyone, PLEASE SAVE HIM!” Kate prayed with all her heart.

Blam!

Someone entered the room after opening the door forcefully.

Everybody turned their heads. A girl dashed towards the screaming Jarret and bloomed with light.

“Angel’s Touch!”

The room was bathed in warm golden light. Soothing… sublime… holy. Some Pathseekers with sharp eyes saw the silhouette of a pair of angelic wings on the girl’s back.

Seconds later, Jarret started to calm down and lost consciousness again. This time, he looked calm and peaceful.

“Pheew… Master Gregory,” the young woman that just saved Jarret spoke to the old man who just entered the room with slow steps.

“Mmm,” he nodded. “A direct attack to the soul. Quite skillful.”

“A soul user… Finally we have a trail about Luxore’s destruction,” the black-haired girl looked excited.

“Good folk of Osemore town, apologies for the sudden intrusion. My name is Freya Marianus and this is my master, General Gregory Simon of the Silver Legion.”

“Silver Legion? They are members of the legion?”

“A general?”

“That girl saved Captain Jarret!”

The crowd was in awe because of the august presence in front of them.

“Girl, how many times I have to tell you to not introduce me like that? I’m retired.” The wizened Gregory berated his pupil.

“Apologies, master,” Freya bowed.

“Lady Freya... is my brother alright?” Kate demurely asked.

“...His soul is injured, badly. I’ve done all I can but the rest is up to him. I’m sorry I couldn't do more,” Freya sincerely apologized.

Kate looked disappointed but she wasn't blind. “Without you, my brother would have died. Thank you, Lady Freya,” Kate bowed. All the guards in the room bowed too.

“It was the guidance of the Radiant Lady. Now please, might I ask what happened here? Especially about the one who injured this man.”

***

Viers weakly leaned on a tree, panting. He looked very tired.

After his fight with Jarret, Viers kept going without regard to his injuries. The youth did not half-ass his breakaway effort. He used every trick at his disposal such as laying false trails to confuse the pursuers. Ultimately, he managed to escape.

And that is Evil Overlord List No. 58. When it is necessary to escape, you better damn well do so without being an idiot about it. It's just common sense when someone actually thinks about it.

Now that he had some leeway, he decided to rest a little.

While putting a food pill into his mouth, Viers looked at the photo in his hand.

Fatal Soulframe… As expected of an Arte of my creation. It didn't disappoint.

Fatal Soulframe was very versatile. It would sever a part of the soul of the target and turn it into a photo. How much of said soul got absorbed into the photo would depend on their strength and soul resistance. If Viers used the Arte on someone weaker without any resistance, they would become a soulless husk. Because the photo was a part of the original soul, Viers could use it to sense the original’s location or inflict curses upon them using the photo as a medium. Also, this Arte was very good for interrupting the enemy’s Arte. The pain from the soul splitting was not small.

Horror, the concept of the first form. Very fitting. And this Arte is not finished. I already have the blueprint to make it to form five. Each with different effects. I just need to raise my Level as a Pathseeker before creating the second form. Heh, Viers faintly smiled.

Viers took out his magma knife and burned the photo using it.

You are strong, Jarret of Osemore. Farewell. May we never meet again.

Viers watched as the fire turned the photo into ashes. When only a little of it remained, the fire flickered before the photo was completely burned.

His soul must be cinders by now. Pity, with this method of killing, I can’t obtain his soul.

For ten minutes, Viers rested. Deep breaths, healing his wounded body, reviewing his earlier fights.

Jarret was strong. My water techniques didn't affect him very much. In the end, I had to resort to one of my hidden moves. Fatal Soulframe First Form… a direct attack to the soul. Better that than exposing my ‘transformations’.

I'll have to change my identity again. Cain of Ur will be a criminal name. Sigh… this is slightly troublesome.

After ten minutes were up, Viers stood up. His body still ached as he wasn't completely healed from the battle with Jarret but well enough to travel.

The next town is at the other side of this valley, Viers thought while looking at the vast expanse in front of him. Ciref Valley… might take a few days to cross this place. Thankfully, it's not as dangerous as it is written.

Ciref Valley was a valley between two mountains with a rapidly flowing river in the center. Orange Zone, Rank 4 classification. Although the danger level was high, the valley was actually quite safe. Several villages were erected here. Almost 1000 people lived in the area.

Viers traveled the riverbank, he went downstream. He made multiple shortstops for a while but he was in a hurry overall. The farther he got from Osemore the better. He may have thrown the pursuers off his trail but they might pick it up again if they persist. Thankfully, the terrain in Ciref Valley would be hard to pass by horses. The terrain gave Viers an advantage since he could only use his feet.

It was at noon, when the sun was shining bright at the peak of the sky.

“Hm?”

Is it a bird? Viers saw something in the far off sky.

No, it's… people. They're flying? Powerful experts!

Viers didn't expect to meet flying people and they flew very fast too. In no time, they were already very close to Viers’ position.

Wreathed in the light of the sun on her back, they descended like heavenly beings. Carrying the poise and body-language of experts.

Viers frowned as the pair landed in front of him. He didn't want to deal, talk, or have any contact with people far stronger than him.

“Cain of Ur, I presume?” The girl said. She was young, a girl of his age. Raven black hair in bob haircut. A scholarly beauty, but Viers felt a cold gaze, her gaze of disapproval towards him.

“You are charged with the crime of mass murder in Osemore and we suspect you have connections to the massacre of Luxore. Please cooperate and come with us quietly.”