Chapter 16: Stats, Tears, and Slimzy's Schemes

The silence in the Void Arena was no longer oppressive; it was charged. The acrid stench of ozone and charred demon flesh hung heavy, a testament to Donarstraza's brutal leveling spree. Level 10 power thrummed in her veins, a tangible current beneath her shimmering purple-red skin. Yet, Lilith's words – "significantly diminished" – echoed louder than any thunderclap, a cold splash of reality on her hard-won triumph.

She dismissed the lingering smoke with a sharp wave of her hand, the gesture more forceful than intended. Focus. Assess. She needed to see the concrete gains, to push back against Lilith's unsettling observation. Pulling up her Status screen, the blue framework shimmered into focus, a welcome anchor in the emotional turmoil.

[Status - Donarstraza]

Name: Donarstraza

Title: Fallen Goddess of Lightning and Ruin (Dormant)

Level: 10 (87/800 XP)

Class: Primordial Absorbaatrix

HP: 820/820 // Massive boost from CON 48 + Demonic Physique Lv.3

MP: 188/188

Stamina: 340/340

[Attributes]

Strength: 17 → 27 (+10)

Dexterity: 14 → 19 (+5)

Constitution: 31 → 43 (+12 Auto) → 48 (+5)

Intelligence: 33 → 45 (+12 Auto) → 50 (+5)

Wisdom: 12 → 17 (+5)

Charisma: 22 (???)

Free Attribute Points: 30 → 0

[Traits]

* Mana Vampirism (Lv.3)

* Demonic Physique (Lv.1) → Lv.3! // Strength, Constitution, and Regeneration massively enhanced!

* Primordial Spark (Lv.8)

* Primordial Resonance (Lv.1)

[Skills]

* Basic Mana Perception (Lv.3)

* Mana Drain (Lv.3)

* Lightning Arc (Lv.8)

* Lightning Blade (Lv.3)

* Primal Seduction (Lv.2)

The changes were profound. Strength 27! She flexed a hand, feeling dense power coil in muscles that felt like forged steel cables. Constitution 48! Her HP pool was massive, and the boost from Demonic Physique Level 3 made her feel incredibly resilient, like her skin was layered with obsidian scales. Wisdom 17! The fog was completely gone. Her thoughts were sharp, crystal clear, allowing her to fully grasp the implications of Lilith's words and the sheer scale of the challenge ahead. The intelligence boost meant more MP and more potent lightning. Dexterity 19 promised better speed and reflexes. Good. Solid foundation.

Lilith watched her from the shadows near the exit, the inky black slime shifting subtly on her pale skin, her glowing purple eyes unreadable. The initial shock had faded, replaced by that familiar, calculating sharpness. Donarstraza met her gaze, the newfound clarity making her voice steadier, more resonant, despite the lingering Charisma bruise.

"Your assessment was noted, Slimzy," Donarstraza stated, the name feeling less alien now. "Accuracy is valuable, even when unwelcome. Now, an update. Karnazul. How fares the Ash Lord?"

Lilith glided forward, her movements smooth and predatory despite the absurd attire. "Stable, My Storm. Remarkably so, given the... comprehensive nature of his injuries. The Umbral Offer's mutilation was cleanly sealed, and my slime has knitted the worst of the bone and organ damage. He remains unconscious, however. His body heals; his spirit... wrestles with the echoes of defeat. And the missing forearm." She gestured towards the far wall where Karnazul lay, still as death but breathing steadily now, thanks to the intricate lattice of black slime pulsing gently over his chest and shoulder stump. "Regeneration of that magnitude requires resources... and time. Or significant external power."

Missing forearm. The image of Theodric's blade severing it flashed in Donarstraza's mind, followed by Karnazul throwing himself in front of the killing blow meant for her. Shame, cold and sharp, warred with the fierce protectiveness his sacrifice had ignited. The Wisdom boost let her feel it all clearly, without the fog.

"Take me to him," she commanded, her voice softer than intended.

Lilith inclined her head and led the way. Donarstraza followed, stepping over the cooling debris of her power demonstration. The few surviving lesser demons cowering in the corners flinched violently as she passed.

Karnazul looked less like a broken doll and more like a deeply wounded warrior. The pallor was less pronounced, the breathing deeper. The black slime pulsed rhythmically, knitting muscle and bone beneath. But the absence of his left forearm was stark, a brutal reminder of the cost paid. The Primordial Resonance, faint but present, hummed with a deep, pained thrum – less like dying embers, more like a slow, steady heartbeat trapped beneath rubble.

Donarstraza knelt beside him, the cold obsidian familiar now. She ignored Lilith's watchful presence. Gently, she placed her hand over his remaining one, the one that had gripped hers before Theodric arrived. His skin was warmer than before. She could feel the thrum of his demonic energy, weak but fighting.

The clarity of her boosted Wisdom stripped away the goddess persona. Here, now, it was Elina looking at the broken giant who had shielded her, twice over. The memory of his desperate oath – "My life. My blade. My very essence… they are yours" – echoed. Tears, hot and unbidden, welled in her golden eyes, blurring the harsh lines of his ash-grey face. They traced shimmering paths down her purple-red cheeks, sizzling faintly where they met the ambient heat.

"I'm sorry, Karnazul," she whispered, the words thick with emotion. "I was weak. Too slow. Too... new. You fought a monster for me." She squeezed his hand gently. "Never again. I won't be weak again. I swear it on the lightning in my veins. I will be the Storm you swore to serve. I will be worthy of your oath." The promise wasn't just to him; it was a vow carved into her own soul.

[Bond Log - Active Bonds]

[#1: Karnazul, Lord of the Nine Blades]

* Bond Level: 2 → 4! (Deepened)

* Bond Type: Primordial Resonance (Unique)

* Loyalty: Absolute (Oathbound) // Unshaken, potentially strengthened

* Proximity: Immediate

* Emotional Resonance: Protective Devotion / Controlled Ferocity → Profound Sacrifice / Unwavering Loyalty / Shared Resolve

* Intimacy Level: Established

* Intimacy Events: 1

* Primordial Resonance: Level 1 → Level 2! (Empathic link strengthened. Proximity awareness increased. Minor power synergy unlocked.)

* Potential Synergies: Combat Coordination (Minor → Moderate), Power Amplification (Minor), Shared Perception (Locked), ??? (Locked)

The system notification pulsed warmly, a counterpoint to the tears. The bond hadn't just increased; it had deepened fundamentally. She felt his presence more strongly now – the slow, steady beat of his recovery, the bedrock of his loyalty beneath the pain, and a new, shared thread of fierce determination resonating with her own vow.

Lilith watched the scene, her purple eyes thoughtful. The raw emotion, the tear-streaked goddess promising strength... it was unexpected. Human. Fascinating. A flicker of something unreadable passed through her gaze – calculation, perhaps, or a sliver of genuine respect. She cleared her throat softly. "His vital signs strengthen, My Storm. The oath-bond... it seems to be aiding his recovery. Remarkable resilience, even for him." She paused, her voice dropping slightly. "News travels fast, even in fractured realms. The Void Arena... echoes."

Donarstraza wiped her tears, the gesture quick, almost angry. The vulnerability was gone, replaced by the Level 10 Goddess. "Echoes?"

"Of your... demonstration," Lilith clarified, choosing her words carefully. "And Karnazul's defeat. Whispers spread. Some tremble at the Goddess's renewed fury. Others..." She tilted her head, horns catching the dim light. "...whisper of vulnerability. The Ash Lord broken. The Goddess needing to slaughter imps to feel powerful. The Dragon Knight walking away unscathed." She met Donarstraza's gaze squarely. "Morale is a fickle thing, My Storm. And ambition festers in shadows."

Vulnerability. The word stung, but the Wisdom boost let her see the truth. Lilith wasn't just reporting; she was warning. The power structure of the fractured demon continent was delicate. Her return was a shockwave. Karnazul's defeat and her own reliance on slaughtering weaklings were cracks that ambitious lesser lords or rival powers might try to exploit.

"And your assessment, High Minister?" Donarstraza asked, her voice cool, testing Lilith's loyalty now that the immediate crisis had passed and her perceived weakness was laid bare.

Lilith smiled, a bright, sharp expression that didn't quite reach her purple eyes. "My assessment, Divine Lightning, is that perception needs management. And power," her gaze swept over Donarstraza, lingering on the faint lightning still dancing around her horns, "...needs refinement. A good start! But Sundering levels? That requires more than... quantity." She gestured vaguely at the carnage. "It requires quality. Focused growth. Accessing what was lost." Her slime shifted, forming intricate patterns for a moment.

Donarstraza held Lilith's gaze. The Second in Command had an agenda. Whether it was purely to serve her Goddess, to secure her own position, or something more complex, remained hidden beneath the inky black slime and bright smiles. But she was right. Slaughtering imps wouldn't get her to Sundering levels. She needed direction. She needed power Karnazul couldn't provide.

She looked back at Karnazul, his steady breathing a quiet counterpoint. His bond, now deeper, was a source of strength, but not the path to ultimate power.