Beginning with Levi, i was distracted by her fidgeting.
Her mouth was slightly open, a line of drool glistening as she watched me watching her.
In case you're not familiar with numbers:
That's six. million. Prime Value.
What am I even walking around with here?!
And how did I not die in our first encounter?!
{While Prime Value is the accumulation of one's entirety—magical energy, experience, and some more—it isn't absolute.}
(Huh? What do you mean by that?)
{I mean, Hachiman could still defeat Shizuka even with the PV difference... It's just logically predictable for Shizuka to win, since she has more magical power and better resource control in battle.}
(Ah, so the Prime Value kinda shows how much trouble we'd have if we fought each other?)
{That's... too layman. But to make your seedling brain understand—yes.}
(So are you saying someone like me could still survive—or maybe defeat—Levi? Who's FIVE TIMES my overall power?!)
{Heh. That's only possible in a dream, Master.}
I feel so insulted right now.
{But you're not just anyone, Master. A large portion of your PV comes from magical energy. And more than half of yours is always locked away in the Shadow Realm.
If you leveraged everything in your arsenal properly... Leviathan would not stand a chance anymore.}
Did Platform just console me??
...Why does that somehow make me more depressed?
(So when I fought Sarvest, my PV would've been higher than it is now, right? I mean—I burned a ton of magical energy in that fight.)
{When you left Gihon, your PV was merely 800,000.}
How the hell did I survive Sarvest then?!
{Mere luck that surpasses my comprehension.
But that was your human-wolf hybrid form. As the battle went on, you unlocked your Blonde Holy Form, raising your PV to 1,100,000.
And when you consumed the Black Lightning Sword, your Black Lightning Wolf Form hit a peak of 1,590,000 PV.}
(Eh?! That much power was circulating?!)
{Correct. We were all doing our utmost, else Sarvest would've... done something quite terrible to your existence.
His [Existence Jump] ability was truly fascinating—and dangerous.}
Now that I think back, most of my hits barely landed.
It was like trying to grab a wet soap with equally wet hands.
(Oh, what about that white-haired demigod form?!)
{That is your second most powerful form to date. It consumes such immense magical energy that your PV rises to 4,000,000.}
No wonder I never lasted long in that form!
Anyway, what I gathered from all this is:
I can go as far as 4,000,000 PV if I use everything I've got.
But that time limit? Yeah, it's a huge problem.
Guess I'll have to train harder down the line.
Now, the final entrant—Alicia!
When I looked at her... her PV showed:
(Professor Platform, explain.)
{Hm. As expected of her.}
(What does that mean? What the heck is Nil supposed to mean?)
Before I could squeeze an answer from the dusty library of mystery that is Platform... Alicia's PV glitched and turned into:
(Hmmmmm. Platform, isn't that suspicious?)
{So you caught on, Master?}
(...Well, it's a pain to think too hard, so let's just accept 77,777 PV.)
What? Was Platform disappointed in me again?
I can feel that mythical side-eye.
Look—I don't wanna use my head all the time, okay? It's distressing.
If someone's offering 77,777, just take it and move on.
Besides, against a high-level human with 50,000 PV? Alicia's still way stronger.
I told Levi and Alicia to wait for me—I was heading out for a meat run.
"I'll be taking some of you," I said, turning to the Specters.
Tamayo instantly raised her head like some queen expecting her crown.
Trigger? Already rising from the ground, eyes closed like it was obviously his turn.
I picked the Phantom Fangs.
Kukuku... (this is Ruben's evil laugh).
Trigger and Tamayo practically turned white.
Guess they didn't expect the Uno reverse card today.
Without another word, I turned to the side, willing the Ripple Gate to show.
Magic stuttered a little—but there it was.
Hehehe... you thought I wouldn't figure out your secrets, huh?
But of course, it was short-lived.
She smiled and nodded like, "Good job, you clever idiot."
Tsk. Praise me, dammit!
Tamayo was already yapping in the background about how she'd turn Coastelle into a second version of hell...
I ignored her, took the four red-eyed, bear-sized wolves, and left Coastelle.
As Master Raven departed from Coastelle, Trigger and that bratty fox—Tamayo—started arguing like disputing pigeons.
"I believe you are the cause of this, Tamayo," Trigger began, tone flat. "The Supreme Lord sensed we'd squabble and stress him out."
Tamayo blinked as if mildly amused. "What are you talking about?" she scoffed. "The Supreme Lord is clearly infatuated with me. So much so, he gets flustered and sometimes wants to run away."
"Eh?" Trigger flinched—visibly—as if her words punched his stomach.
Alicia, beside me, began to narrow her eyes. She did not seem very amused.
Tamayo, of course, continued without missing a beat. "My form and powers are simply too magnificent to ignore. That's why you also look at me with such jealousy and lust, yes?"
"Eh?" Another flinch from Trigger, as he staggered as though struck by wind.
"But perish the thought," Tamayo added, arrogantly raising her own head, as if pitying him. "My body belongs only to the Supreme Lord. You'll find a woman worthy of your affection someday."
Trigger walked away in silence, sat down on the ground, and started quietly eating fruit like a defeated warrior.
I turned from their foolery and looked upon Alicia.
Up close... her form really was breathtaking. Her emerald eyes, her smooth human skin... and her golden hair...
Being this near... I had an urge to reach and place a hand upon her head. But I dared not.
'I have little to no desire to lose my limb.'
For many centuries I wandered, content in solitude. I sought neither companionship nor affection.
I even rejected one of the Seven Powers of Darkness when she confessed her love to me.
She looked so sad then. I believe she wept.
At the time, I didn't understand what I had done to her. But now?
I would understand such sorrow.
If Master Raven had rejected me...
...I would've been so very sad too.
So in a way, I owe Alicia. She orchestrated the Pact. She brought us together.
That one act made me want to be closer to her, even if just a little.
"Tell me, Alicia... why are you so strong?"