"My demands are simple."
Within a cavernous space rivalling a super stadium, Nak—wearing Lana's face—beamed at Kurumi Tokisaki:
"The Class embodying the Time Concept within you—I only require its materials and rituals from Common Rank up to Demigod Rank."
"Deliver these to me, and I shall depart willingly, even offering to aid you against Guro."
"Heh, Guro's reputation in Hell is... lacking. His enemies are legion. Were it not for his Earl ancestor, he'd have perished long ago in the territorial wars."
"My domain borders his in the infernal realms—I can effectively tie down his demonic legions for you."
"Trust me, this is a most reasonable price."
"After all, you wouldn't want Guro's armies hunting you down, would you?"
As Nak laid out her terms, Kurumi nodded thoughtfully:
"So your lineage lacks any significant figures, then?"
For a fleeting instant, Nak's smile seemed to stiffen before smoothing over:
"Hell's intricacies can't be summarised in mere words, little one."
"Demons with ancestors naturally cling to their forebears, but many more—those without backing—find greater favour with certain... magnanimous entities."
"Take Lord Vassago, whom I serve."
"The Nobleman of Hell, Master of Lost Knowledge, a mighty Demon God—one of the First Generation."
"As his vassal, I may yet be granted the Vassago name—the protection of a Demon God."
"Guro's Earl ancestor cannot guarantee your safety after surrendering the Class, whereas I—Lord Vassago shelters all who offer him knowledge."
Kurumi's smile deepened at Nak's words: "So what you're actually asking for isn't just information about Classes, but also our faith?"
Nak didn't refute this. Instead, she lowered her eyes and said calmly:
"Having faith in that lord would be your honour."
'Vassago? That Mind-Snatching Demon's worshipped Demon God?'
Luo Shu, who'd been listening nearby, immediately recalled that minor character who'd once tried to possess Kisara's body before being abandoned by the Demon God he worshipped.
Luo Shu vaguely remembered how, during that incident, he'd used the Divine Kingdom's automatic activation to strip away part of Vassago's power, which later became the material source for Yukino Yukinoshita's class change into Fairy of Knowledge.
So Nak's backer is that demon noble, too?
What an interesting coincidence...
Luo Shu could almost imagine the reaction if he actually prayed to that Vassago.
Would it be flooding his brain with endless lost knowledge until it burst?
Or would it be like last time, delivering Divine Punishment to an offending believer?
Luo Shu didn't know which possibility it would be, because he would never choose to have faith in another.
"Has the time come already?" Luo Shu raised the corners of his mouth in a faint smile.
He didn't hide these words; he spoke them aloud directly.
As an Apostle, Nak naturally noticed Luo Shu immediately.
Her gaze focused slightly before narrowing as she scrutinised him:
"It seems you've been up to something."
Hearing this, Luo Shu maintained his smile and countered:
"Haven't you been doing the same?"
"Directly invoking that Demon God's revered name before us?"
Beings of Angel Rank and above all possessed revered names, and for Demon Gods of True God rank, these names were especially exalted.
Any sentient being who spoke a True Name using empowered language would draw the gaze of the being that the name pointed to.
And long ago, before Luo Shu even had a Class, he'd heard of Vassago's revered names.
—The Nobleman of Hell
—Master of Lost Knowledge
—Herald of Past and Future
Though Nak had only mentioned the Nobleman of Hell and Master of Lost Knowledge just now, as an Apostle, that was already enough to attract Vassago's attention.
Having her little scheme exposed didn't anger Nak - if anything, she seemed barely able to suppress laughter:
"It seems you really do know many things."
"But since you didn't stop me from reciting the revered name, does that mean you've accepted reality?"
Hearing this, Luo Shu showed an odd expression, half-smiling as he asked Nak:
"May I ask something presumptuous?"
"Has your Demon God responded to your prayers?"
The moment these words left his mouth, Nak's expression changed slightly as she immediately realised the problem.
As a Divine Apostle, why hadn't Demon God Vassago turned his gaze when she recited the revered name just now?
Why hadn't that sensation of divine observation appeared?
Just as Nak's expression shifted, Luo Shu quietly reminded her:
"The waters of Purgatory run much deeper than you think, Ms Nak."
...
Meanwhile.
Hidden Management Zone.
Within the Divine Kingdom space.
Lacus Clyne faced the drifting white clouds, standing atop the clear blue water's surface as she spread her arms wide, as if embracing the sky.
At that very moment.
A beam of light descended from the heavens, enveloping Lacus's form.
The next instant.
Luo Shu, who had originally been in the Abyss world, took a step into the Divine Kingdom and gazed up at the tranquil, distant azure sky.
At that very moment, Luo Shu murmured to himself:
"Although Lacus has opened her mind, my possession will probably only last 30 minutes."
"Time is tight, so let's make this quick."
With that thought, Luo Shu immediately issued a command to the Divine Pantheon Reconstruction System:
[System, activate the Divine Kingdom function!]
For the first time since his promotion to Demigod Rank, Luo Shu activated the Divine Kingdom function.
Almost as soon as the thought formed, Luo Shu's will seemed to transmit through the system, reaching every corner of the Divine Kingdom.
At this moment,
The clear blue sky became ethereal and divine, as if some will was slowly stretching within it.
And in the blink of an eye,
Dark clouds spread across the sky, forming a dense, all-encompassing black curtain.
The next second,
Azure lightning capable of swallowing the heavens tore through the curtain, engulfing everything in dazzling radiance.
At that very instant,
Streaks of lightning pierced through layers of space, all converging into Luo Shu's body, coalescing into a brief text fox within his consciousness:
[Authority: Thunder!]
In that split second, Luo Shu opened his pitch-black eyes, within whose depths seemed to brew an endless sea of lightning.
In just a fleeting moment, his Authority surged from Demigod Rank to a level infinitely close to that of an Angel, touching upon the Divine Authority of Angels.
At the same time, Luo Shu's gaze penetrated through layers of clouds, spotting Nak, who stood on a barren rocky plain, engaged in casual conversation with Kurumi Tokisaki and himself.
Seeing this, Luo Shu lowered his eyes,
And with a mere thought, the Divine Authority was propelled by vast Spiritual Power, transforming into azure-white divine lightning that swept across the cosmos.
Under the pure white-blue lightning,
—Divine Punishment descended!