Experimentation on human, beastfolk, and other intelligent races, organ harvesting, child trafficking, monster grafting, chimera making, slavery, drugs, clones, weapons, and all the atrocities Doctor Reseh did, he did so under the consent of Baharir.

  In JRPGs, those who defeat people with that kind of setting are called heroes. Therefore Viers was doing some kind of hero-ing in this greed-driven raid of his.

  From his soul searches Viers found out that Tower Master Baharir was greedy, ambitious, had no morals, and old. Although he should have been able to live for at least a century longer, death was approaching. The notion frightened him. This made him seek things to combat old age.

  Experiments on Princess Elvina’s mother, a High Elf, were one example.

  Besides, he was not the only Pathseeker who wanted to prolong his life. Everyone and their dog wanted to live longer, let alone the bigwigs heartless businessmen of the Magisterium HQ. They were more than happy to let Baharir experiment away. They would get a slice of the pie should he succeed.

  There were natural treasures for prolonging one’s life in this magical world but the demand extremely outweighed the miniscule supply.

  Whether it was karma, coincidence, or some quirk of fate, Viers came knocking on his Tower.

  And so Viers’ ‘Stand’, Mercury Platinum, was doing the Ora-ora barrage, destroying Baharir’s quad elemental meteor.

  “ORA!”

  Mercury Platinum threw the last chunk back to the Tower Master after whittling it down to size. At the same time, Viers was attacked from left and right. Hurricane winds from the left and tidal waves from the right. Having more resistance to the water element, Viers charged through the right.

  Emerging from the other side with minimal damage, Viers was greeted by Baharir, charging from dead ahead with a flaming spear. Viers expertly guided the tip of the spear with a defensive Arte, both hands coated by water protection magic.

  The Tower Master might have missed his target but like a passing jet, the afterburner hit Viers with smoldering air. Viers didn't know by what method Baharir used to fly but that aerial mobility was troublesome. Baharir didn't get far before Mercury Platinum's rain of punches forced him underwater. His rock shell held but now he was under the Domain of his enemy. It didn't take a genius to think he shouldn't be there. He made no small effort to resurface. The cause was easily seen: a dozen spectral skeletons were clinging to him, trying to make him drown.

  In a short amount of time, these two had exchanged several moves. None landed a clean hit yet but it was just the start.

  On another note, Viers sensed that multiple Domains were opening in the Tower. While the inside of the Imaginary Domain was an isolated space, those with extraordinary senses could pick up things from the outside, especially through their own Domain.

  The Magisterium Tower was huge so he couldn't sense those far from him. However, because Jessica and Izabella possessed his arcana card containing a shard of his soul, he could sense their Domain activations. Viers wished good fortune in their own battles.

  While he felt something was different about Izabella after meeting her again face to face, he hardly had the luxury to delve deep into it right now. Viers focused his attention on the fight. His opponent was not someone he could underestimate.

  “...It appears, you have some skill, but-”

  Viers made use of a villain’s tendency to yap their mouth and close the distance in one go. Quick-drawing a ready blade.

  Arte - Cut the Crap!

  Baharir evaded but there was a little cut on his collar.

  “YOU LITTLE BRAT!!”

  Baharir’s face went red and his anger went up for making him feel a chill running down his spine even for a second. Combining fire and earth magic, he created an eruption of magma to swallow Viers. On the other hand, having expected his sneak attack to not take a life knowing his opponent’s cultivation and experience, Viers already primed his follow-up attack.

  Arte - Slash the Sky!

  If Cut the Crap was close-ranged Arte, Slash the Sky was the opposite. Like its older brother of a technique, this Arte principle was very simple: using sword-light to send a flying slash. Its range wasn't quite across the horizon yet but one day, Viers would make it so.

  Boosted by his absurd passive and with swordsmanship that was cultivated diligently from the ground up, these two original sword Artes of his own creation were very deadly. On the visual side they were simple, but that reflected the purity of their purpose. To cut, sharp and true.

  For his first real combat using Imaginary Domain, Viers gained a lot.

  Unreality Field was already a passive ability for Level 4s. Imaginary Domain could overwrite greater reality compared to its Level 3’s Unreality Field but it required much more skill and energy to activate. Sometimes it wasn't possible for a Level 4 to use their Domain in an intense fight because there was no chance to activate it; this case was especially true for new and immature Level 4s. The Domain combat was a different story entirely. Viers was learning from the experience, soaking it in, for there was no better teacher than experience.

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  The magma eruption and the flying sword slash were equal, canceling each other out. For a Level 4 low to equally match a Level 4 peak’s Arte was a monumental feat. But Viers was not satisfied with being equal, he wanted to beat Baharir.

  He admitted the Tower Master was not an easy opponent. Character aside, Baharir's competence as a Pathseeker was without question. Viers already used his max buffs from the start of the fight. To go further would mean treading on forbidden techniques.

  Should it come to that, Viers was prepared. But he still had some trump cards he could use before resorting to burning life-force. He still hadn't stocked up his vitality reserves that much after spending almost all of it for healing during his three-year breakthrough.

  Even though he was prepared, Baharir’s recovery time was faster and from beyond the remains of the Artes, a purple fire beam pierced through. Viers was not able to dodge in time.

  “Mercury Platinum!”

  The macho silver-humanoid shielded Viers with his body. The fire beam got through the melted metal in less than a second. It couldn't be helped. The third Arte of the Jojo series was not made with toughness in mind. But it bought Viers enough time to cast a specialized defensive Arte: Water Is Unbreakable!

  The waters of the Sea of Life and Death contributed to the Arte, strengthening it. Some Imaginary Domains would give terrain advantage to its user, such was the case with Viers and Baharir that depicted the four elemental landscapes. It wasn't always the case, since Domains were highly personal.

  A beam of fire met a sphere of water. Inside it, Viers’ was assaulted by a high temperature and blinding brightness. The moment Viers tanked it, to his surprise, his instincts told him his shield wouldn't hold. What to do? Viers panicked for a flash. Taking this attack was bad news. With a roar, he shifted his body and altered the trajectory a little. The purple beam of death kept going until it made a hole through Viers’ Domain!

  Viers grunted. He was enduring the backlash. That did damage, like ten hits to the pit of the stomach and then uppercuts to the chin. But thanks to Arsène inside him that served as a second brain working in overclock mode, Viers was able to prevent his Imaginary Domain from collapsing. The hole in the Domain was closing.

  Viers was panting heavily. And yet Baharir didn't look happy in the slightest. His left index finger which he used to cast the Arte, was now black and burned. It broke off shortly, like overburnt cookie. That was not all. Unknown to Viers, Baharir used a third of his entire Victa to cast that purple fire Arte. Although he’d paid a high price, his opponent’s damage was disappointingly light. It puzzled the Tower Master to no end how it was possible the sea Domain was still standing. If he successfully brought the opponent’s Domain down, at least he had something to show for it.

  He’d never thought his enemy was to this degree. Worryingly, he was just a Level 4 low.

  If he didn't kill him now, he might never be able to win in the future. He would live every day fearing the assassin would come back and finish the job!

  Unacceptable.

  Simply unacceptable!

  Baharir’s Victa rose. He wasn't playing around before but now there was a steely sort of determination within him.

  Viers was showing a fighting spirit no less than the opposition. The air changed, and the tension between them was thick.

  Before either side made a move, Viers felt an oddity. His strength seemed to have dried up.

  “It has begun. Your end,” Baharir said.

  Viers put forward his hand... No Arte came out.

  “My Imaginary Domain’s special ability allows me to seal an element of those inside it. I removed water from reality. Now you and I cannot use the water element.”

  “...What?”

  “Believe it or not, do as you wish. It took some time but it has finally taken effect.”

  If what Baharir said is true, then it was truly a dangerous ability. If a Pathseeker with a single affinity got hit by this Domain effect wouldn't it mean instant kill? The other party would be powerless. Whatever Viers did, he couldn't use his Victa to create a water Arte. However, his sea Domain was unchanged and remained active.

  “When I deny an element from existence, I also can't use it,” Baharir added with orbs of fire, earth, and wind above his hand. “I can't use water but I have another three. Even if your affinity is not that of the four elements, for example, lightning, I can adapt. It will take more time, but by removing my closest element, wind, I can vanquish your lightning.”

  Viers got hit by pillars of rock from the ground, sending him to the ground.

  “If you have two affinities, I can stroke another one out of my four. Your fate is sealed when fighting me in my Imaginary Domain, Four Seasons Sovereignty!”

  But what if it was something like soul affinity? Which of the four elements was related to that? Viers had many questions but he had no luxury of entertaining that train of thought. Baharir's attacks were pummeling him. His Unreality Field was close to breaking.

  “Arte - Wind Erasure.”

  “Futon!”

  Without his water Arte the wind Arte would be his death. Viers summoned the cloud elemental. Futon put Viers above him and flew away with his master on top.

  “A familiar? Interesting. But futile.”

  Viers refrained from using his soul Artes, keeping it hidden. A risky move to say the least. Futon was only Rank 3, and although Viers used his lightning to fight back from the air, his Domain didn't empower Futon’s elements. The air chase went on but Viers was holding on like a raft in a hurricane.

  “Enough!”

  Viers felt something changed again. Futon became weaker. Sure enough, his lightning couldn't be used any longer. Baharir erased a second element.

  “Faiya!”

  Viers changed familiars, a fire one this time. Although Faiya was more hot-headed than his brother and battled Baharir more directly along with Viers, ultimately, he was still no match for a Rank 4. Before long, Faiya’s fire was winked out too. Baharir affected the two familiar faster than Viers because they were weaker.

  “Run out of tricks yet?” Baharir asked as he brandished a stone spear.

  More than you know, Viers replied in his mind.

  “But this one is enough,” said Viers with a devil’s grin.

  “Hugh...” Baharir clutched his chest then he was angered beyond belief. “My... My lifespan!? You SWINE!!”

  “Hahahaha!” Viers spread his arms wide. “Behold! My Imaginary Domain’s special ability! Those who are alive will become closer to death!”

  Viers’ Domain attacked directly at an opponent’s lifespan! Their precious, priceless life itself!

  What a horrifying Domain to go against.