Cipher observed the number. It was impossibly huge.
A C-rank typically had 4,000 to 7,900 HP. Even a B-rank only had 8,000 to 15,900 HP.
With his over 18,000 damage, didn’t this mean he could one-shot a B-rank?
Well, not necessarily. There were also things like defense and buffs to account for, so more precisely, his actual damage output would be closer to 10,000. It was still enough to one-shot regular C-ranks though.
As for why he didn’t think it was even enough to exchange some moves with B-ranks, it was because of other stat differences. Depending on the class, a B-rank would have higher stats than him in other aspects even if he could overwhelm them in pure physical damage, making the situation much harder.
But for C-rank, the difference between him and the top players in C-rank was high but not insurmountable, so he should be able to match them with some planning.
He navigated to the Owned section of his Cheat Shop. He had kept the Heavenly Demon waiting long enough. It was time to bring her back.
He activated the Merge card, merging the Soul and Blank cards. He then applied the resulting card to the unique skill instantly.
He watched as the 1/1 in his unique skill section changed to 1/2. The card had worked - the skill didn’t count towards the skill limit.
The question was, what about the Heavenly Demon?
Looking at the skill description, nothing seemed to have changed. Only an additional edition section had been added with "Negative" and "Alive" editions.
"Alive?" He wondered how to access the alive skill. The skill was passive, and the only way to bring out its effects was through using sword strikes. Did he need to use the sword for her to appear?
[You really did succeed...]
Suddenly, a voice appeared directly inside his head. It was similar to when Selene spoke using her skill, but this one felt much deeper. While Selene’s sounded as if it was entering into his head, this sounded as if it originated from his head.
"Heavenly Demon? Is that you?" he called out.
[Who else could it be?] she asked.
Cipher looked around him, wondering where the voice was coming from.
[What are you looking for? I’m in your head] she said.
"You mean I’m hearing things?" Cipher wondered if he had received some brain damage while trying to learn the skill.
[Of course not,] the Heavenly Demon spoke in an exasperated voice.
Then suddenly, Cipher felt the world around him shift, and he appeared in a different location.
He found himself floating in space with infinite dead worlds stretching endlessly around him, their fragments breaking apart and slowly drifting through the void.
It was then that he finally noticed the Heavenly Demon before him.
"What is this place? Did you make it?" he asked curiously.
The Heavenly Demon observed him. He really didn’t know anything about it, she thought.
[No, this is your spiritual sea] she said.
"Spiritual what?" he asked.
[Spiritual sea. Think of it like your inner world that exists inside your head] she explained.
To think that someone who just recently entered third-rate level could have such a huge spiritual sea - almost the size of her original spiritual sea. She thought.
[Anyway, you lied to me] she said.
"What? Didn’t I bring you out?" Cipher asked.
[What out? I’m clearly locked in here. I also lost my physical body. Not to mention that i cant even access my spiritual sea so I cant use qi to make another body] she said.
"Isn’t it just qi you need?" Cipher said. "I’ll use mine."
[That mana or whatever you call it? you expect me to create my body using that stupid energy?] she asked.
"No. I can transform my mana into demonic qi," he said. He then looked at her. "Can’t you see your description?" Since she was an alive skill connected to him, he expected her to be able to view the system, or at least her description.
[You mean this thing?] she asked, waving her hand and causing system screens to appear before her. One was Cipher’s status screen, and the other was her description - well, the unique skill she was within.
[Hmph, as expected of borrowed power, it didn’t capture even 10% of the heavenly demonic sword art. Just a 300% boost? With a single sword, I could split the heavens] she said.
Cipher just maintained his sweet smile. "Well yeah, because you’re so strong. With 10,000 in all stats, what does it matter what technique you use?" he thought, but he kept it to himself.
[Alright, try converting your mana to demonic qi and transfering it to me] she said.
Cipher concentrated on the unique skill. He then selected 300 mana and initiated the conversion.
He appeared back in the real world...
Below his mana stat, he noticed a new stat:
[Mana: 30/330]
[Qi: 30]
His eyes widened. "It’s not there..." he murmured.
[What isn’t?] the Heavenly Demon asked.
"The limit. It’s not there," Cipher repeated.
Did this mean he could infinitely save up demonic qi?
[What are you talking about, quickly transfer the qi to me] the Heavenly Demon spoke impatiently.
Cipher redirected all the qi he had made into the skill. Dark aura began gathering around him, and slowly, a figure materialized.
It was the Heavenly Demon in her full glory... well... more like a quarter glory.
He looked at her with a disapproving expression. She had turned into a tiny fox cub.
She looked down at her paws, then up at him.
"Why are you giving me such a look? With that tiny qi of yours, I can only make such a body."
She tried to take a step forward and wobbled.
"I used all the energy to make this body. I can’t even be considered third-rate in this state."
Her tail twitched in irritation.
"How long can you..." Cipher began, but before he could finish, her body began breaking apart.
"Wait..." she started, then shattered into strands of energy that dispersed in the air.
"Are you okay?" Cipher asked, his voice filled with concern.
[I’m alright, it’s just the body that got destroyed] she said.
Hearing this, Cipher sighed in relief. At least the Heavenly Demon wouldn’t disappear if she accidentally died when summoned.
He remained silent for a while, then suddenly spoke up.
"I’m sorry."
[What are you on about?] the Heavenly Demon asked.
"I’m sorry. I didn’t keep my promise. You don’t have a body to train, so you’re just wasting your time here," he said.
The Heavenly Demon remained silent for a few seconds before sighing.
[It’s fine. you can still keep your promise. You just need more qi. From what i can sense after using that thirty qi you gave me, to return to my peak, I’ll need about a hundred thousand qi]
Well, that was more like her qi without accounting for what she needed to recreate her extremely strong body. Well, there was no need to tell him that.
When Cipher heard this, his expression hardened. "Then I’ll save up enough qi for you to revive," he said.
[Now that’s what I like to hear] she said.
"But isn’t it too inconvenient?" Cipher asked. "While not being summoned, you’re just stuck in there. By the time I can make you a body, you’ll have already wasted time that you needed for training."
[No need to worry about that] she said.
[I just lost my body, my perfect soul is still here. As long as I continue refining my soul, I can advance, no time wasted at all. Besides, at my level, physical training is useless, all that matters is comprehension]
"Comprehension?" he asked.
[Don’t ask, you wouldn’t understand anyway]