If their levels are the same, would the outcome of the battle simply be decided by the difference in their abilities?
In conclusion, that wasn’t the case.
This was because especially in a situation where the opponent was not a user, but a monster or even an NPC, their stats were not directly proportionate to their level.
For example, wasn’t that case seen even just by looking at the Familiars that Ian was raising?
Suppose there are two Familiars that are the same lv 100.
When one of the Familiars is a Rare-rank Blood-Red Maned Wolf, and the other Familiar is a Legendary-rank Sovereign Fenrir, even if a rough estimate was made, there would be over two times the difference in their stats.
And that was the same for devils as well.
Although they were also the same level, the higher the rank of the devil, the more exceptional the stats.
The devils that appeared as the opponents of Ian, were all the same at lv 188.
However, it wasn’t like that for their stats.
In the case of devils, because the difference in their stats was even greater the higher their rank, there was close to three times the stat difference between a Low-rank Devil and a High-rank Devil that were the same level.
As that was the case, the Low-rank Devils that Ian met when he first started the Devil’s Test were easy opponents to the point that even Ian was taken aback.
Since it was to the point that up to even almost the 5th one that appeared, he could defeat them within 10 seconds.
However, even amongst the same Low-rank Devils, stronger and stronger ones began to appear, and starting from when the Common Devils appeared, Ian couldn’t just remain relaxed either.
And right now, he was facing High-rank Devils.
Ian was seriously squeezing out all of the abilities he had.
‘The fact that their stats have gotten stronger is for certain, but the level of the AI is also improving the higher the rank they are.’
The AI of the monsters or NPCs in a VR game could be considered the ‘controlling ability’ of a user.
Simply put, it meant that the opponent’s stats and controlling ability got better and better as he moved on.
“Bbakbbak, Roar of the Turtle Dragon!”
Before the attack of the opposing devil drove into Ly’s back, he invoked Bbakbbak’s skill.
The Roar of the Turtle Dragon was a CC skill that temporarily provoked the opponent and slowed their movements by 40%.
Thanks to that, the movements of the devil instantly faltered, and Ly, who took that chance and leaped into the air, shoved the long claws on his foot into the lower abdomen of the devil.
Shooove-!
• Keu-eoook!
And Karceus charged towards the devil that collapsed while letting out a horrible shriek.
• Keu-rwa-rwa-rwa-rwa-!
Karceus spread open his mouth widely as he aggressively ripped through the shoulder of the devil.
• Familiar ‘Karceus’ has dealt critical damage to the ‘Spirit of the High-rank Devil’.
• The Vitality of the ‘Spirit of the High-rank Devil’ has been reduced by 39,877.
The spirit of the devil was unable to pull itself together due to the critical damages that burst out one after another as it began to collapse.
Ian’s Judgment of the Spirit King hit the spirit of the devil that had almost reached a defenseless state.
Kwa-reu-reung-!
• The ‘Lightning of Judgment’, the inherent ability of the ‘Judgment of the Spirit King’ item, has been invoked.
With the point that Ian had struck down on with his spear as the center, several bolts of lightning continuously came down in all directions.
Boom- Boo-boom-!
• The Vitality of the ‘Spirit of the High-rank Devil’ has been reduced by 9870.
• The Vitality of the ‘Spirit of the High-rank Devil’ has been reduced by 14,210.
With that as the last, the body of the devil began to be dyed a grey colour.
Ring-.
• You have successfully defeated the 25th devil.
Ian gasped for air.
“Huff, huff-.”
While looking at the corpse of the devil that faded after turning into a grey light, he thought to himself.
‘I think I’ve almost reached my limit now. Since I’ve even lost Pin in this battle as well.’
Of course, even Familiars that had gone into an unable-to-battle state were revived when the next devil appeared.
However, separate from that, Ian was certain that if a Noblesse-rank Devil appeared as his opponent, he wouldn’t be able to win.
‘If the buff effect was maintained when I moved onto the next phase, I would have been able to do something with the overlapping of the Sacrifice buff, but…’
Ian, who thought of such things that didn’t make sense, smirked.
Because the cooldown times of his skills were reset, and his Familiars were revived once the battles were over, he was able to use the ‘Sacrifice’ skill every time.
However, not only was the cooldown time reset, but because the duration of the buff effect was reset as well, he couldn’t overlap the buff effect.
‘Either way, I need to go as far as I can.’
The fact that he even came this far could be thanks to the buff effect of the Sacrifice skill.
Ian got into position and waited for the next opponent.
“I will proceed to the next battle.”
However, the system message that popped up following his response was a completely different message than what Ian was anticipating.
• You have completely passed the Devil’s Test.
• The ‘Examination Room’ has been closed.
• You have been moved to ‘Zone 100 of the Devildom’.
‘Huuuh…?’
At the same time that the messages popped up, Ian’s vision turned black again.
Ian felt strange.
‘What the hell? Was it impossible to obtain a Noblesse-rank or higher at once through the Pure Blood of the Devil?’
The feeling of satisfaction for having received a Devildom rank that was the greatest rank possible with the Pure Blood of the Devil, as well as the feeling of disappointment for not having been able to face a Noblesse-rank Devil both arose within him.
‘I’m a little disappointed, but still, fair is fair after all, I guess. Since the one that I faced last almost felt like my limit anyways.’
To be honest, Ian wouldn’t be able to know, but it wasn’t that Noblesse-rank Devils or higher didn’t appear at all in the Devil’s Test.
Depending on the case, the fact that it was even possible to meet the Devil King with the Pure Blood of the Devil was correct.
However, with the Pure Blood of the Devil that Ian had, it was impossible.
Since Ian’s Pure Blood of the Devil was made with the blood of Yankoun, who was a High-rank Devil, and the Pure Blood of the Devil that was made with the blood of a High-rank Devil couldn’t call over the spirit of a higher-ranking devil.
And it would be safe to say that the High-rank Devil ranking that Ian had received in one go was the limit for the highest Devildom rank that a user could first obtain.
This was because, not only was it even impossible for a normal user to defeat a Devildom spirit that was a Noblesse or Devil King-rank, from the beginning, it was impossible to obtain the blood of a devil that had a Noblesse-rank or higher at all.
The Pure Blood of the Devil that users could obtain through a normal route was one that was made with the blood of a Common Devil at best.
Anyhow, Ian’s vision, which was black, brightened up little by little again, and in front of his eyes, the view of the central plaza of the City of Rage was spread out again.
And in front of Ian’s eyes, new system messages began to pop up one after another.
• You have successfully carried out the Devil’s Test.
• The Final Breakthrough Phase: 25
• The Devildom Rank of User ‘Ian’ has been set as a ‘High-rank Devil’.
• You have been additionally given 15,000 ‘Devil Energy’, which is a new stat of the Devildom.
• You have been additionally given 3% ‘Devil Energy Activation Rate’, which is a new stat of the Devildom.
• You have succeeded in becoming ‘Half-Human, Half-Devil’.
• You are the first to have become ‘Half-Human, Half-Devil’.
• You have obtained 500 thousand Fame.
• Your Devil Energy Activation Rate has increased by 2%.
• Your Resistance Magic has increased by 5%.
“Keu…!”
An exclamation flowed out of Ian’s mouth before he even realized it.
He had obtained the rank of a ‘High-rank Devil’, which he had not yet seen anybody else ranked as besides Yankoun, at once.
On top of that, as expected, it was with the first achiever’s reward that was endlessly savoury.
‘But Yankoun said that he had close to 50 thousand Devil Energy…. But why was I only given 15 thousand?’
Ian wouldn’t have been able to know, but the value 15 thousand was the least amount of Devil Energy that he needed to have in order for a Common Devil to be promoted to a High-rank Devil.
“Alright.”
Ian, who stood up from his spot, moved his feet again.
‘Now, after I’ve met Seraphim, do I just need to go to Cervian and obtain the hidden class?’
Ian organized his future plans as he headed towards Heiska, who guarded the entrance of the City of Rage.
However, from the posterior view of Ian, who was walking, a red afterimage remained and was dizzily spreading out.
That was the same as some sort of sign that only appeared once one obtained a Devildom Rank that was a ‘High-rank Devil’ or higher.
“There’s no time to rest, no time at all!”
And in front of the eyes of all of the users that were logged on in the Devildom, one world message popped up.
Ring-.
• User ‘Ian’ is the first to have succeeded in becoming ‘Half-Human, Half-Devil’.
* * *
Heiska showed an even higher level of courtesy to Ian, who had met with Yankoun and returned.
Even if it wasn’t because of the pledge that he received from Yankoun, it was because Ian himself was now giving off the dignity of a High-rank Devil.
Ian now comfortably spoke in an informal manner towards Heiska.
“So, you’re saying that if I go up north from the east gate a little more, Seraphim’s mansion is there, right?”
Heiska nodded his head.
“That’s right, Ian. As it’s an interestingly-looking mansion with a pointy roof, it shouldn’t be that hard to find.”
“Okay, got it. Then I’ll see you again later.”
“Yes, sir.”
Ian, who had turned around and was about to go back into the City of Rage like that, seemed to have remembered something as he turned his head towards Heiska again.
“Oh, right, Heiska.”
“Yes, go ahead.”
“By any chance, my retainers… Can I still not bring them inside with me?”
Heiska nodded his head.
“That… I think will be difficult, Ian.”
Ian licked his lips.
“Tsk, it can’t be helped then, I guess.”
“My apologies.”
And there was something else that Ian remembered.
“And Heiska, by any chance, do you know anything about the item called the Slave Contract?”
At Ian’s words, the expression of Heiska, who was wearing a straight face, turned into a slightly surprised expression.
“Slave Contracts?”
Ian nodded his head as he replied.
“Yeah. I obtained one somehow, but I don’t really know how the item is supposed to be used, that is. Is it something where I need to go to the slave marketplace in the central plaza and just use?”
Heiska replied with an embarrassed expression.
“The Slave Contract is a privilege of the high-ranking devils that is only possible for use only if you have a Devildom rank of a High-rank Devil or higher. And that Slave Contract is a rare item that allows that privilege to use any slave once.”
Ian nodded his head.
“I know up to that much. But it’s that I don’t know where and how I’m supposed to use this. I looked around at the slave marketplace while passing by it earlier, but I don’t really know what kind of structure it’s built as.”
Heiska’s words continued.
“Hmm… Because I am a Common Devil, I don’t really know as I have not yet contracted a slave before. However, in my opinion, I don’t think it’s an item that you, a High-rank Devil, greatly need. If you sell it away in the auction house, you’ll be able to sell it at an incredibly high price, so I think you should consider even selling it…”
However, Ian didn’t have any intentions of selling the Slave Contract away yet.
‘Even if I was to sell it for a high price, how high would that price even be? As for money, even with just the stuff that comes out of the Domain and guild, it’s overflowing…’
It was a statement showed the relaxed state of a bourgeois lord.
“Well, either way, I got it, Heiska. Thanks.”
Heiska smiled lightly as he replied.
“No problem. If you ever need my help, just come find me. Oh, and… If you’re curious about information related to the Slave Contract, it might be a good idea to ask Seraphim while you’re visiting him anyways. Since if it is Seraphim, who has defended his Noblesse-rank for over a hundred years, he would have had at least a dozen slaves, that is.”
