Leilin sheathed the Devil's Blood Dagger, feeling a massive surge of Life Energy being drawn into his body and converted through the transformation into Spiritual Power.
His Spiritual Power, which had already reached its peak, immediately began to break through under the assistance of this new influx of energy.
【Ding! The host has completed a bloody battle. The Devil's Blood Dagger has finished converting energy! Spiritual Power +0.1!】
The Chip's notifications chimed in.
【The host's Spiritual Power has reached 8. Mage level promoted! Current status: Eighth-rank Mage!】
【Host has advanced to Eighth-rank Mage! Third-level Spell Slots +1, Second-level Spell Slots +1!】
A succession of notification boxes popped up one after another, causing the smile at the corner of Leilin's mouth to widen steadily.
Although converting the blood and flesh energy from roughly half the merfolk pirate crew had only yielded a 0.1 increase in his Spiritual Power, it was enough to push him directly past the threshold of an Eighth-rank Mage—something countless low-level mages across the continent would beg for and never receive.
"Still, this rather unorthodox method of advancement is best kept from others. If word got out, I'd become a target for everyone..."
Leilin stood off to the side with his hands behind his back, watching the guards clear out the remaining crew aboard the pirate ship.
In truth, once the enemy captain had fallen, the outcome of the battle was essentially decided. Many of the fishman pirates whose morale had collapsed simply jumped overboard to flee, or dropped their weapons and knelt in surrender.
Leilin did not intervene again, merely watching with cold detachment as Isabel and the others mopped up the remaining pirates.
"We're taking no prisoners this time! Archers, prepare—shoot down every pirate who jumps into the sea!"
This ruthless command only intensified the fighting on the pirate ship.
But Leilin no longer paid the slightest attention to it. He was looking at his status display, where new changes had appeared.
The Chip had already presented the freshly collected data.
【Leilin Farell. Race: Human. Eighth-rank Mage. Strength: 3.5. Agility: 3. Constitution: 4.5. Spiritual Power: 8. Condition: Healthy. Innate Talents: Robust, Polymath. Spell Slots: Third-level (2), Second-level (4), First-level (???), Zero-level (???)】
An Eighth-rank Mage did not have the ability to access deeper layers of the Magic Web. The greatest benefit for Leilin was simply gaining two additional Spell Slots.
But what Leilin valued even more was the deeper level of communication and access privileges with the Magic Web that came with his advancement. This would undoubtedly provide tremendous assistance to the Chip's ongoing task of mastering the Magic Web.
It could be said that as Leilin continued to advance, the speed at which the Chip conquered the Magic Web would accelerate in tandem.
"If I compare this to the standards of the Wizard world, then ranks one through five in this system are merely equivalent to the level of Wizard Apprentices. Ranks six through ten correspond to the combat power of a First-rank Wizard, ranks eleven to fifteen match a Second-rank Wizard, fifteen to twenty are on par with a Third-rank Wizard, and Legends beyond rank twenty are comparable to the realm of Morning Star Wizards..."
After spending so many years in the World of the Gods, Leilin had developed a thorough understanding of the power rankings here.
"And a high-tier Legendary at rank twenty-five would be equivalent to a Fifth-rank Radiant Moon Wizard! By the same logic, those with divine essence, the Chosen, and Holy Spirits are comparable to the Sixth-rank Solar Throne. Demigods are roughly equivalent to half a Seventh-rank Wizard—on par with my true body's level..."
"Weak gods correspond to Seventh-rank Rule Wizards. Medium gods are comparable to ordinary Eighth-rank Wizards. And mighty gods are equivalent to the pinnacle Eighth-rank existences among Wizards who have tempered rules and found their own path—like the Earth Mother..."
At this point, the complete hierarchy of power within the World of the Gods was laid out before Leilin's eyes.
While there might be some discrepancies in certain areas, Leilin was confident that his inferences and the Chip's simulations were largely accurate and without significant gaps.
"Although I've been advancing rapidly by native standards, the truth is that my current strength is really only equivalent to that of a First-rank Wizard back in the Wizard world..."
This comparison left Leilin somewhat speechless.
It seemed that his path to becoming a true powerhouse in the World of the Gods would be an exceedingly long road.
"Chief! We've completely cleared out this ship! The victory is ours!"
At this moment, Robinhan, his face still streaked with blood but alight with excitement, hurried over to Leilin to deliver his report.
"It's already over? Do we have the casualty figures?"
Leilin's expression remained calm and detached. After he had personally annihilated the enemy's high-level combat power and cut down half their regular crew, if the sailors still couldn't secure the victory, he would have had to reconsider the viability of his entire plan.
"With the weapons you bestowed upon us, most of the brothers suffered only minor injuries. Three dead, five critically wounded—we've already sent them off to spare them the suffering..."
There was a trace of helplessness in Robinhan's voice.
In this era, a critical injury at sea was practically a death sentence, unless one happened to have a priest nearby or access to precious healing spells and potions.
"Good. Record everything, compile the statistics after the battle, and distribute the rewards—"
Leilin paused mid-sentence and slapped his forehead. "Oh, right! Once we've taken the Merfolk Island this time, I want you to set out again. Secretly bring the families of the pirates who have defected to our side over to Faolan Island. And make sure the families of those who fell in battle receive proper compensation..."