Finished watching the battle between the Canine and Ink Devils, Liora didn't choose to spectate or fight any further, but instead returned to reality.
Sitting beside the blood pool, she closed her eyes, and her thoughts drifted to what she had previously seen.
She silently analyzed everything she encountered—from her Life and Death battle with the Horned Devil to the Demon World's cruel punishment.
Before long, she opened her eyes, having arrived at the simplest but also most logical conclusion stemming from these events.
"I should improve my strength.", she thought, and immediately summoned the System with her mind.
--
[True Name: Liora Veythalis Dranthera Vexira...]
[Rank: Young Devil]
[Race: Unknown(Prototype)]
[Strength: 45], [Agility: 60], [Vitality: 40], [Mana: 50]
[Abilities: Shadow Assimilation, Soul Tear, Void Instinct, Shadow Claws, Combat Instinct, Soul Devouring, Low-Level Regeneration]
[Evolution Points: 578]
[Current Absorption Efficiency: 15x (Normal Devil = 1x)]
--
Since she had not spent any of her Evolution Points throughout this time, most of the displayed information remained the same.
The only thing that differed was the amount of Evolution Points, which had now soared to nearly six hundred.
"Considering that as my strength increases, the Evolution Points I receive for devouring the same soul decrease, I was originally planning to save them up."
Unfortunately, plans cannot keep up with changes.
Both the Life and Death Arena and the punishment reminded her of the Demon World's cruel nature.
In such a place, one should never show hesitation. Faced with an opportunity to improve their strength, Devils had to do everything in their power to grasp it.
Having made a decision, though, Liora was soon faced with a second dilemma: what ability should she create?
As for using points to enhance her base stats? She had already determined that it was not worth the cost.
"Looking back at my current abilities, they are focused on killing fast and precisely."
"Shadow Assimilation lets me close in or catch the opponent off guard, while Shadow Claws and Soul Tear working together can break through their defense and end the fight in one strike."
If Liora had to define her combat role, she'd say that she was like an assassin.
Her battle with the Horned Devil proved that this method could indeed work, yet she was not satisfied.
"Since I have a System and my soul absorption rate is higher, I should make full use of it."
Any other Devil in her position would have been content and chosen to fully embrace the assassin "playstyle", but Liora didn't.
"Although both the Canine and Ink Devils were punished by the Demon World, one survived while the other one turned into ashes. Why is that?"
She didn't need anyone to answer that question—she already knew. It was because of defense, which also happened to be her greatest weakness.
Thinking of this, she opened the Creation Ability panel, and immediately, a shimmering window flashed before her.
This time, she ignored the short list of Suggested abilities and turned her focus to the last option.
--
[... Create your own ability.] Cost: ?? EP.
[Confirm Ability Creation? Yes/No]
--
"I need a defensive ability capable of protecting me from both physical and soul-based attacks." Liora thought.
"After all, just like I possess Soul Tear, other Devils might also have the means to strike directly at the soul."
She paused, refining her thoughts.
"It must not hinder my speed or reflexes. Ideally, it should even enhance my strength and recovery. Transformation, disguise, and flight would be convenient too."
As her idea took shape, the Creation Ability panel flickered. Before long, an ability manifested before her.
...
[Godfiend Aegis: A fusion of Demonic and Divine. Upon Activation, this armor manifests into a golden exoskeleton containing demonic and divine energy. Under its effect, the wearer's strength, reflexes, agility, and recovery are dramatically enhanced.] Cost: 9,0000,000 EP.
[Effects:]
[Soul Barrier:...]
[Divine Transformation:...]
...
Row after row of powerful effects filled the panel, as if the System was tempting her to redeem it.
Liora, however, remained unmoved.
Her eyes lingered on the many zeroes that followed the number in its cost, and a hint of emotion flashed in her eyes.
However, she had already expected the high cost and quickly recovered.
"Too excessive. The main focus of this ability should be on defense."
With that thought, half of the effects of the Godfiend Aegis collapsed.
The cost fell sharply, but Liora could still not afford it.
She continued adjusting, stripping away enhancement after enhancement, until the ability slowly got closer to what she wished for.
Finally, she exhaled slowly and concluded:
"Without compromising on my current advantages, it should strengthen both my body and soul defense. It can start out weak, but must have room to grow."
The moment she put forward these conditions, the Godhead Aegis shattered like glass, replaced by a new, far simpler entry.
--
[Myriad Devils Armor] Cost: 550 EP.
[Effects:]
[Absorbs the blood and flesh of slain Devils to improve its structure and enhance physical and soul defense. The armor can evolve over time, depending on the material it consumes.]
[Current Potential: Young Devil (Further upgrades require Evolution Points)]
--
Liora stared at this short description, and her crimson eyes lit up.
"Myriad Devils Armor; it's strangely fitting...", she muttered, satisfied with the final result.
If anything, she was more than simply satisfied.
Although this ability only cost five hundred Evolution Points more than Shadow Claws, its potential was many times greater, and it could play a far more critical role.
Of course, this was within her expectations.
Unlike Shadow Claws, which could be used immediately, the Myriad Devils Armor began weak and had to grow to truly be useful.
Moreover, its current potential was limited, capped within the Young Devil stage.
Liora was decisive. Seeing this ability, she didn't waste any more time and confirmed its creation.
The System flickered, and the next moment, a faint vibration ran through her body.
Her vision dimmed for an instant before countless thin black veins emerged from within her, attaching to her skin like spider webs.
Her shadow trembled—then rose.
Dark tendrils crawled out of it and coiled around her limbs like living smoke, before wrapping the rest of her body.
They wove together into a pitch-black, thin exoskeleton layer that protected her vitals, with crimson lines streaking across its surface.
The process of awakening the Myriad Devils Armor was silent yet eerily strange.
Rather than calling it armor, it'd be more accurate to say that it was part of her body, growing from within her and merging with her flesh.
When the final layer settled across her chest, a low hum filled the air, followed by a whisper.
"Devour... grow... evolve... devour... grow... evolve...", it repeated, before fading away as quickly as it came.
The next moment, Liora opened her eyes. A black hue flashed within them, reflecting off the armor's rough surface.
Glancing at the armor covering her, she decided to conduct an experiment.
She flexed her hands, expecting to see the armguards rattle, only to find that they moved fluidly, as if they were part of her skin.
Obviously, the effect of preserving her agility was still there.
Liora could sense that the defense provided by the armor was much, almost negligible, but she felt no disappointment.
"It might not be strong at the moment, but given enough time and 'materials', it will surely shine in the future..", she whispered, her voice cold enough to freeze the room.