Cipher watched as the Nightmare slowly disintegrated, its grotesque form turning to dust.
"Finally, I don't have to look at that thing's face anymore." He paused, a shudder running down his spine. "God, that thing was ugly... No, wait—Goddess. I keep forgetting that's the proper phrasing here. Either way, good riddance."
With the battle over, Cipher turned his focus to his promise. He had sworn to take that woman out of here, dead or alive. He owed her that much.
Steeling himself, he walked down the hallway until he reached what remained of her body—split apart at the waist, the floor beneath her a crimson pool. Cipher clenched his jaw.
"This is nauseating… I can't recall either of my lives ever putting me this close to the… inner workings of human anatomy."
{DEM ~ Cipher, you do realize you're talking like someone else is here? You're alone.}
"Yes, DEM, I know. Talking to myself helps me process things."
{DEM ~ Understood. Just checking.}
A brief silence followed before DEM spoke again.
{DEM ~ Cipher, while you were searching the rooms earlier, I noticed a storage unit nearby. There's a chance you'll find lab coats there. You could use them to wrap the body—it would make transport easier and far more sanitary than carrying two halves with your bare hands.}
Cipher exhaled sharply. "That's… a great idea. Mark the location."
A glowing arrow appeared in his vision, and he followed it to the storage room. Just as DEM had said, a stack of lab coats sat neatly on the shelves, still sealed with purchasing labels. Freshly delivered.
Grabbing six of them, Cipher returned to the woman's remains. He laid three coats down, tying them together into a makeshift body sling. Carefully, he lifted her upper half first, placing it on the coats before repeating the process with her lower half. Once secured, he wrapped the remaining lab coats around her, concealing the grisly sight as best he could.
With the body bundled, he carried her down the stairs, leaving a faint trail of blood in his wake.
As he reached the first floor, a familiar voice shouted from ahead.
"Holy shit, man! You're freaking alive!"
Tank sprinted toward him, his expression a mix of shock and relief.
"Knew it," Cipher thought. "In this world, people say 'Goddess' instead of 'God'."
Tank's eyes darted from Cipher's drenched clothing to the bundle in his arms.
"Are you hurt? What the hell happened? Why is there so much blood? And—wait, what are you holding?"
Cipher inhaled, steadying himself.
"I was making my way up to the third floor when I saw her. I planned to help her escape, but before I could say anything, the Nightmare got to her first. She was killed inches from me. I promised I'd take her outside, so once the battle was over, I went back for her. You should wait to look… She was bisected. From head to groin."
Tank's face paled. His mouth opened, but no words came out. His eye twitched as Cipher's words sank in.
Then, snapping into action, Tank grabbed a nearby stretcher and helped transfer the wrapped body onto it.
His hands, now stained with the same blood covering Cipher, trembled slightly.
"Cipher… if I hadn't seen this myself, I would've thought you were the one bleeding out. You look like death warmed over."
He pulled out a change of clothes and shoved them into Cipher's hands.
"Here. Go clean up in that truck over there before people start panicking."
Cipher blinked at the offered clothes. "Thanks, Tank. I owe you one."
Inside the truck, Cipher found a fully automated shower unit—far more advanced than anything he had ever seen. The system did everything for him: temperature control, water pressure adjustment, even a self-cleaning function. The only things he had to do were undress and redress.
Once he was fresh and in clean clothes, he sat on a nearby bench and let out a breath.
"Alright, DEM. Pull up the system display."
{DEM ~ Pulling up the display. Which shop would you like to view?}
Cipher leaned back, considering his options.
"Let's go with the magic shop. There are two abilities I know for sure I need."
He had spent enough time in battle to recognize his weaknesses. Immortality was one thing, but if he was ever controlled or corrupted by demonic forces, it wouldn't matter how many times he revived—he'd be as good as dead.
"DEM, purchase [Control Immunity] and [Demonic Power Immunity]. That'll be 20,000 Dream Credits, right?"
{DEM ~ Correct. Are you sure?}
"Yes."
[System Display]Name: Cipher Starlight
Age: 17
Role: Knight of Light - Counter (Immortal)
Stats:
Strength: B-Class (20 → 40%)
Magic: B-Class (4 → 35%)
Endurance: B-Class (15 → 30%)
Intelligence: A-Class (32 → 55%)
Agility: B-Class (15 → 45%)
Weapons: Twin Stars {Mastery Level 30 → 50%}
Blade Skills:
Extradict Blades – Uses Twin Stars as a medium for the Extradict spell, allowing the user to attack and Extradict Nightmares simultaneously. (Requirement: Nightmare must be killed for Extradict to activate.)
Return Blades – Allows the user to recall weapons from any distance. (Requirement: The user must verbally say "Return Now.")
Blade of Flames – Engulfs weapons in fire, dealing both cutting and burn damage. (Warning: Flames persist naturally even after the spell ends.)
Blade of Light – Channels light energy into weapons, dealing physical and energy-based damage. (Photokinesis Ability allows the creation of a pure light blade.)
Learned Magic:
Amplification {Mastery Level 100%}
Sound Manipulation {Mastery Level 60%}
Reinforcement Magic {Mastery Level 75%}
Sound Magic {Mastery Level 100%}
Dimensional Magic {Mastery Level 7%}
Void Magic ????????
Abilities:
Extradict {Mastery Level 100%}
Regenerate {Mastery Level 20%} (Allows regeneration of limbs and body parts.)
Photokinesis {Mastery Level 15%}
Poison Immunity {Mastery Level 20%} (Immune to D-Class poisons and toxins.)
Control Immunity {Mastery Level 50%} (Resistance to control-based abilities. Without training, Cipher can still be frozen for a short time.)
Demonic Power Immunity {Mastery Level 50%} (Resistance to demonic corruption. Increases with exposure.)
Dream Credits: 5,525
Cipher exhaled as the purchase finalized.
"That's better. I can't afford to take chances anymore."
He shut the system display and leaned back, staring at the ceiling.
Tonight had been long, bloody, and filled with too many reminders of what he needed to become.
But at least now, he was stronger than before.
And next time… he wouldn't let anyone die if he could help it.