"Yes, yes, you're only Repaying Kindness."
Li Ke didn't want to say anything more; he completely understood.
"To put it simply, this Gardevoir is both provocative and a total tsundere.
How should I put it? The 'tsundere' archetype is actually a massive charm point, but a perfect one requires several specific traits.
First, she must possess talent and brilliance that justify her confidence. She shouldn't need to rely on others for almost anything—that is the true source of her 'tsun' (pride). It's not about being pretty or having high-profile connections; it's about raw capability.
Second, she needs self-awareness. She has to know her own limits and be able to gauge the proper distance between herself and others.
Third, the 'pride' should only make up about twenty or thirty percent of her personality. The remaining seventy or eighty percent must be 'dere' (sweetness) rather than just arrogance. The coldness exists only before she falls for you; once the relationship is sealed, she should immediately begin showing her affectionate side.
That is what a healthy tsundere looks like.
Of course, being stubborn or sharp-tongued is just a cute quirk. After all, you don't judge a person (or a Pokémon) by what they say, but by what they do. If she still treats you like a servant and refuses to give anything back after you've bonded, then she isn't a tsundere—she's just arrogant and spoiled.
But a perfect tsundere is one in a million. So, even though this Gardevoir is a clear 'tsundere-type' contender, Li Ke can't just make assumptions about her character yet, can he?
For Li Ke, that's just the way it is.
"Hmph, what a half-hearted human you are. I'm marking this down—consider this a grudge!"
Gardevoir glared at Li Ke's indifferent expression and crossed her arms tightly, making her displeasure crystal clear.
Li Ke couldn't do anything about it; compared to Gardevoir, he cared more about something else.
"How's the zombie horde?"
Li Ke stood up and looked towards the design entrance.
The room was still teeming with zombies, and the outside world remained completely obscured. Li Ke stepped out of his cubicle and into the now-empty hall. He took out some ingredients from his backpack and looked at Gardevoir.
"Can you eat meat?"
Gardevoir proudly raised its head.
"Of course."
"That's good."
Li Ke took out seasonings and cooked a stew for Gardevoir, then began to eat himself to fill his stomach.
Gardevoir didn't complain about the food, but she ate it very attentively, even finishing the leftover scraps after asking Li Ke if he wanted some.
When Li Ke asked her about it, she answered with the same haughty tone.
"Food is precious. Even if I don't like humans, I wouldn't waste food; wasting food is the most shameful thing. But I have to admit, your cooking is truly terrible."
Her answer was firm and resolute, leaving Li Ke helpless.
That's just how he is; there's nothing he can do.
After finishing his meal, Li Ke sat cross-legged and began practicing using Blood Qi and Life Return to heal his wounds.
This wasn't easy, but Li Ke always prepared.
However, to Li Ke's disappointment, even using Life Return and Blood Qi simultaneously to heal his wounds didn't increase the speed much, but the energy and stamina consumed increased exponentially.
Not only that, but when using one method to heal separately, he could still concentrate on other things. However, if he used both together, even the circulation of Blood Qi became somewhat choppy.
And this was even with his reaction speed greatly increased.
"But my reaction speed... man, this feeling is pure bliss."
Flicking his wrists with newfound speed, Li Ke let out a breath of satisfaction. Everything felt right again—he was back in top condition, in every sense of the word.
Actions he couldn't perform in time before, such as the sudden stop when circulating his blood energy, he could now do with ease.
Some unfamiliar sword techniques and fighting moves had also become much easier. He could adjust his body movements and the direction of his force more quickly, and even his Perception had improved.
"I can finally understand how those prodigy mid-laners feel. If I went back to playing League of Legends and practiced seriously, I might actually become the next mid-lane phenom."
Li Ke shook his arms, feeling that he could easily crush his past self.
Although his sword techniques weren't yet very proficient, the Gremory Sword Technique didn't just provide simple sword skills, but also the memory of various fundamental skills.
Li Ke effortlessly twirled his one-handed sword in his palm, executing a series of beautiful sword flourishes. He knew then that he had once again saved himself years of hard work.
In modern times, a dedicated martial arts student who wants to fully master the use of a weapon—to the point of being considered an expert—needs at least two to three years of focused practice.
This is only possible with a teacher and the abundant resources available today. In ancient times, it would have required far more time.
For one thing, the nutrition of most martial arts practitioners was incomparable to that of modern people.
Not to mention the various more scientific training methods available to them.
But Li Ke, after just one night's sleep, could already observe and use his own sword, easily thrusting it to the desired spot. He understood how to counter other people's weapons, how to use the sword in combat, and how to use magic to enhance his sword, making it faster, less prone to self-hurting, and more powerful.
However, this swordsmanship was indeed as described; fully mastering this style required power and magic that Li Ke currently couldn't afford.
It was a complete fusion of magic and swordsmanship, involving dozens of spells and arcane arts.
But Li Ke already knew them all; he just didn't have enough magic power to use them effectively.
However, for him now, learning how to wield a weapon freely was enough.
Savoring his gains, Li Ke didn't test the power Hermione had given him, nor did he test his magic release, because he had nothing else to be excited about, and so, he turned his gaze to the zombies outside.
He had originally just intended to lament the hardships of this world again, but just as he lowered his head, preparing to continue cultivating his blood energy and life return,
his Seven Days to Die panel suddenly flickered.
"Huh?"
Li Ke paused, then saw his Seven Days to Die panel flash again, and then—
His health points and the half-body statue.
Disappeared.
Li Ke felt no discomfort, not even the slightest abnormality, yet they vanished so abruptly.
"What happened?"
Li Ke frowned, checking the Seven Days to Die system, and was astonished to find that not only had his character panel disappeared, but even the quest log he had regained after arriving here by killing zombies had vanished!
However, this symptom didn't last long; the character panel and quest log returned, exactly as before.
But Li Ke knew that something was definitely about to happen.
He hadn't forgotten one thing.
This was a dying world.
Li Ke was wary of everything Rias had said, so he was particularly attentive.
Rias alone held the power to speak with the world's will. Even though her reputation was beyond reproach, Li Ke couldn't be sure if she was telling the truth, particularly given the lack of witnesses. Nevertheless, he couldn't shake the conviction that she was right: the world was truly at death's door.
Li Ke could clearly sense that the pace of this world was accelerating too fast.
When he and Erina arrived, the zombies weren't this terrifying. If he possessed the strength of these people, or was proficient in martial arts and various firearms, seven days would have been enough for him and Erina to uncover the information they only learned after the Blood Moon, quickly build a fortress, and venture out to explore.
If Tsunade from the second wave hadn't needed protection, they could have easily crushed the Blood Moon and continuously increased their levels.
They could even have obtained powerful skill books, making them even stronger.
He had only maxed out two attributes, yet he was practically a superman in this world.
How powerful would Tsunade be if all her attributes were maxed out?
At least Li Ke thought that the initial version of Tsunade could easily defeat the initial version of Rias.
Moreover, once she acquired skills from the Naruto world like Wood Release or the Rinnegan, no matter how large the zombie horde, it would be meaningless.
However, the zombie horde Tsunade faced was clearly much stronger than the first wave she encountered.
Now, the zombie horde had its own patterns, and the zombies were even more powerful.
These zombies had high experience levels, and their numbers were also greater. At first glance, it seemed like they were meant to kill them, but if you consider the premise of choosing the world's ruler, then these increasingly powerful and numerous zombie hordes could be explained by the world's urgent need for them to kill zombies and level up.
Even the increasingly stable skill book drop rate might be due to this.
It's a pity, really. Between the Invincible Room and Rias refusing to play ball, that whole zombie horde is basically useless now.
So, if the world is in such a hurry, then clearly its collapse and death are not far off.
Li Ke had always thought it would be a long process, but he never expected it to happen in just a few days.
He'd only been here a short time.
Without his intervention, wouldn't every soul brought to this place simply vanish alongside the collapsing world? Li Ke had no intention of gambling their lives on the slim hope of 'repatriation' after an apocalypse. To him, betting on a miracle was a sucker's game.
He looked out at the cold, steel walls of their sanctuary, a heavy realization settling in his chest. The 'Invincible Room' was a marvel, but even the strongest fortress has its limits.
'But... just how much longer can it hold?'