[The Lord of the Heavens has donated 10,000 AP.]
"Tch. That demon bastard is playing tricks... Choose me, Sung Yujin. I will bestow upon you the Thunderbolt."
"...What's a Thunderbolt?"
I genuinely didn't know. The term "Thunderbolt" hadn't appeared in the original work.
[The Lord of the Heavens shows you the Thunderbolt.]
[Thunderbolt (Lightning Orb)]
[The essence of lightning.]
[Consuming the Thunderbolt grants you the power of lightning.]
[Type: Consumable]
[Rank: SS]
The moment I saw the Thunderbolt, I dropped to my knees. If I could, I would have bowed to Zeus right then and there.
"Zeus, God of the Heavens and Ruler of Lightning, please grant me a contract!"
Despite his notoriously fickle nature, Zeus was a god who never lied and always kept his word.
If Zeus promised something, he delivered. He wasn't the type to change his mind halfway through.
The Heavenly Demon Divine Art is tempting, but the Thunderbolt can be brought into reality.
The Thunderbolt's rank was also higher. SS was just below the highest rank.
As far as I knew, the highest rank was SSS. There was also an Ex rank, but that meant transcending the ranking system altogether, so it was irrelevant. Ex-rank was essentially god-tier.
[The Lord of the Heavens proposes a formal contract with you.]
[Do you wish to formally contract with the Lord of the Heavens?]
"I accept the contract!"
[The Lord of the Heavens laughs.]
[Divine Seat, the Lord of the Heavens has formally contracted with you.]
[A portion of the Lord of the Heavens' divinity seeps into you.]
[All stats except Luck increase by 5.]
[All stats except Luck increased by 5.]
Ordinary Divine Seats don't grant such a substantial boost. This is possible because Zeus's divinity ranks highest in Atlantis.
[Divine Seat Skill: Astrape (C) has been granted.]
[Astrape]
[Allows you to imbue weapons with the power of lightning.]
[Type: Divine Seat Skill]
[Rank: C]
My hands itched. I wanted to use this skill immediately to test its effects.
[The Lord of the Heavens sponsors you with a Thunderbolt.]
Crack. Crackle.
A lightning sphere appeared in the air before me, as if tens of thousands of lightning bolts had been compressed into a single orb. It was less than half the size of my palm.
I realized what it was when the donation notification popped up: a Thunderbolt. Instead of falling to the ground, it floated weightlessly in mid-air.
Seeing this, I knew something was wrong.
Can I... take this to the real world?
Touching it felt like certain death by electrocution.
[The Lord of the Heavens has donated 10,000 AP.]
"Stop stalling and eat the Thunderbolt immediately!"
Urged by Zeus, I reached out toward the Thunderbolt.
Summoning my courage, I grasped it, and to my surprise, it didn't sting at all. It felt... like holding a smooth, round bead in my hand.
I hesitated, about to put the Thunderbolt into my inventory.
If I don't eat it here and now, my relationship with Zeus will definitely sour.
Zeus had even donated AP to make me eat the Thunderbolt.
Should I just ignore him and escape back to the real world?
I paused to consider my options. Which path would be more advantageous?
After much deliberation, I decided to consume the Thunderbolt in this world. I chose to focus on the future rather than the present.
Zeus had already invested this extraordinary artifact in me, and I suspected he had suffered some losses in the process.
He's made such a massive investment. He'll definitely want to recoup his losses.
This meant I might be able to extract even more from Zeus.
I'm investing in myself too. If I consume this and grow stronger, I can acquire all the valuable things this world has to offer.
I opened my mouth. The crackling Thunderbolt was intimidating, but when it touched my tongue, I felt no pain at all.
Gulp.
I swallowed the Thunderbolt.
"Ugh?!"
A searing heat surged through my abdomen, spreading rapidly throughout my body and being absorbed. My entire being tingled with electric energy.
But the thrill soon faded.
[Thunderbolt absorbed.]
[Trait: Lightning (A) generated.]
[Lightning (??)]
[Harnesses the power of lightning.]
[Type: Trait]
[Rank: A]
"Wow."
The exclamation escaped my lips involuntarily.
Now, I instinctively knew how to wield Lightning and understood its power.
Is it really okay to give this away so freely?
This was almost frightening.
[Condition met.]
[The Lightning (??) Trait can now be unlocked.]
[Spend 50 Points to unlock the Lightning Trait?]
[Yes / No / later]
It was a notification from the Pleasure World app.
later, of course.
I wanted to unlock it immediately, but I didn't have enough Points. Naturally, unlocking the Lightning Trait would be my top priority.
"Thank you, Lord Zeus! I'll work hard! I'll choose the Thunderclap Slayer class!"
"Do you wish to select the Thunderclap Slayer class?"
How could I refuse? I'd already received the offer.
"I select the Thunderclap Slayer class."
[Strength +3, Agility +5, Stamina +2, Mana +8.]
[Class skill Myriad Thunder (C) has been created.]
[Myriad Thunder]
[Allows you to unleash lightning.]
[Type: Class Skill]
[Rank: C"]
'Status Window!'
[Name: Sung Yujin]
[Class: Thunderclap Slayer]
[Title: Capitalist]
[Divine Seat: Lord of the Heavens]
[Affiliation: AL 401 District]
[Strength: 16 Agility: 18 Stamina: 18 Vitality: 30 Luck: 19]
[Unique Trait: Deception (A)]
[Trait: Lightning (A)]
[Skills: Astrape (C), Myriad Thunder (C)"]
It felt good to see everything filled out.
I shuddered with excitement.
"Thank you! Thank you, Lord Zeus! From now on, I will wholeheartedly devote myself to conquering every beautiful woman!"
Until now, I had been an atheist, believing that gods simply didn't exist.
But things would be different from now on. I was a believer in Zeus, a devout follower of Zeusism. Long live Zeusism!
The Lord of the Heavens has donated 10,000 AP.
"I will be watching."
"I won't disappoint you!"
I grinned widely. Now I planned to test out my skills here. After all, how could I use them properly without knowing exactly what they could do?
[The King of the Demonic Heavens has requested a private conversation with the Lord of the Heavens.]
[The Lord of the Heavens accepts the request, mocking the King of the Demonic Heavens.]
I frowned at the notification window that popped up before my eyes.
[Personal Conversation]
The fact that this notification window had appeared before my eyes meant they were discussing something related to me. No, they were deliberately showing it to me, telling me to wait quietly until the conversation ended.
What's going on? Hasn't the King of the Demonic Heavens given up?
As far as I knew, an Exile who had already contracted with one Divine Seat couldn't form a dual contract with another. To contract with a different Divine Seat, the only option was to break the original contract.
Breaking a contract is complicated. It's not something I can do right now.
I racked my brain, but I couldn't even begin to guess what the King of the Demonic Heavens was saying to Zeus.
Shit. They're not going to break the contract, are they? If that happens, I won't be able to use the Astrape skill anymore.
Contract termination was simply impossible. Zeus had already invested in me to an almost excessive degree. Only a fool would break such a contract.
Ten minutes passed when a notification window popped up before me:
The King of the Demonic Heavens proposes a formal contract with you.
"...I've already contracted with Lord Zeus."
My tone reverted to casual speech.
King of the Demonic Heavens? With Zeus backing me, there was no need to grovel before him. Besides, the King of the Demonic Heavens didn't seem to care much about my tone or attitude.
The King of the Demonic Heavens sponsors 10,000 AP.
If there's a way, would you consider a dual contract with me? The Lord of the Heavens has already approved.
"...Lord Zeus, did you really approve this?"
[The Lord of the Heavens has donated 1,000 AP.]
"Yes. This looks like it'll be interesting."
Zeus, you bastard. Look at him donating only 1,000 AP just because he's already caught his fish.
Hmm. Since he donated the Thunderbolt, I'll settle for 1,000 AP for now.
"Well, if Lord Zeus has given his permission... it's best to pursue a dual contract if possible."
My heart began to race again.
Heavenly Demon Divine Art! Heavenly Demon Divine Art!
[The King of the Demonic Heavens has donated an S-Rank Rank-Up Ticket to you.]
[S-Rank Rank-Up Ticket.]
[Can be used on Traits and Skills of S-Rank or lower. Upon use, the Rank of the Trait or Skill will increase by one level.]
[Type: Consumable]
[Rank: S]
"Hah..."
This item was worth over 100 million AP. Even with that much AP, it wouldn't be easy to acquire.
Yet the King of the Demonic Heavens had sponsored me with not one, but two of them.
Even if it was less valuable than Thunderbolt, it was clear the King of the Demonic Heavens was no ordinary being.
The King of the Demonic Heavens has sponsored 10,000 AP.
"Use it on your Unique Trait Deception. It's probably A-Rank."
My face froze. The elation I'd felt from the sponsorship plummeted to the depths of despair.
"...How did he know?"
I had never used Unique Trait Deception even once during the tutorial. I hadn't even mentioned it.
Even a Divine Seat couldn't view the Status Windows of Exiles. The Atlantis System wouldn't allow it.
[The King of the Demonic Heavens chuckles.]
[The King of the Demonic Heavens donates 10,000 AP.]
"Equivalent Exchange isn't a Trait that consumes AP to obtain items. From now on, refer to it as Barter."
"...That alone wouldn't be enough to convince them, would it?"
What else could they think when items suddenly appear?
The Divine Seats would likely assume it's a Hunter ability I possess. I've decided to push that narrative with them.
The King of the Demonic Heavens donates 10,000 AP.
"I've encountered humans with Deception Traits before. I deduced it from your demeanor and how others treat you. Humans seem strangely inclined to believe your words. Judging by their reactions, you're probably A-Rank."
"..."
I seemed to have underestimated the King of the Demonic Heavens.
This bastard is dangerous.
I have a feeling he'll betray me someday. The King of the Demonic Heavens is someone you can't trust.
[The King of the Demonic Heavens has sponsored 10,000 AP.]
"You don't need to be so wary of me. It's true that I like you. Now, use the Rank-Up Ticket."
"...Alright."
Feeling uneasy, I used the Rank-Up Ticket.
That's that. First, let's get the Heavenly Demon Divine Art.
[You have used an S-Rank Rank-Up Ticket on the Unique Trait Deception (A).]
[The Rank of the Unique Trait Deception (A) has been raised to S.]
[You have used an S-Rank Rank-Up Ticket on the Unique Trait Deception (S).
]
[The Rank of the Unique Trait Deception (S) has been raised to SS.]
[The King of the Demonic Heavens has donated 10,000 AP.]
"Use Deception to trick the Atlantis System and create another Status Window."
"Is that even possible?"
The King of the Demonic Heavens has donated 10,000 AP.
"It's possible because you're exploiting the Atlantis System's rules. Since you're deceiving it through legitimate means, the Atlantis System will turn a blind eye."
In essence, this meant that Atlantis would acknowledge the deception because it was achieved through legitimate means, leveraging the system's inherent properties rather than resorting to loopholes.
Following the King of the Demonic Heavens' instructions, I activated Deception.
[Using Deception (SS) to trick the Atlantis System.]
[success.]
[A second Status Window has been created.]
[The title 'System-Deceiving Scammer' has been granted.]
[Luck permanently increased by 1.]
[Name: Sung Yujin]
[Class: -]
[Title: System-Defying Trickster]
[Divine Seat: -]
[Affiliation: AL 401 District]
[Strength: 16 Agility: 18 Stamina: 18 Vitality: 30 Luck: 20]
[Unique Trait: Deception (SS)]
[Trait: -]
[Skill: -]
(Second Status Window active)"
"...I can't believe this actually worked."
I could even choose a different class.
But there was a price to pay. I couldn't use my original skills, including the Lightning trait.
"I think I understand now. This is like creating an alt character."
However, it seems my unique trait and stats are shared between both windows.
"The King of the Demonic Heavens proposes a formal contract with you."
"Do you accept the formal contract with the King of the Demonic Heavens?"
"I accept the contract."
[The Divine Seat, the King of the Demonic Heavens has formally contracted with you.]
[A portion of the King of the Demonic Heavens' divinity seeps into you.]
[All stats except Luck increase by 4.]
[Divine Seat Skill: Heavenly Demon Divine Art (S) has been granted.]
"Wait a minute! Heavenly Demon Divine Art as a Divine Seat Skill?"
[The King of the Demonic Heavens laughs.]
[The King of the Demonic Heavens donates 10,000 AP.]
"Choose the Demon Lord class."
...I felt a bit cheated, but at least I got the Heavenly Demon Divine Art. I decided to be satisfied with that. In reality, information about the Heavenly Demon Divine Art was flooding my mind, making it difficult to think about anything else.
[You have selected the Demon Lord Class.]
[Strength +6, Agility +4, Stamina +5, Mana +12.]
[The Heavenly Demon Divine Art (S) has evolved your class.]
[The Demon Lord Class has evolved into the Heavenly Demon Class.]
[The class trait Demon Body (B) has evolved into Heavenly Demon Physique (A).]
[Name: Sung Yujin]
[Class: Heavenly Demon]
[Title: System-Defying Fraudster]
[Divine Seat: King of the Demonic Heavens]
[Affiliation: AL 401 District]
[Strength: 26 Agility: 24 Stamina: 27 Vitality: 46 Luck: 20]
[Unique Trait: Deception (SS)]
[Trait: Heavenly Demon Physique (A)]
[Skill: Heavenly Demon Divine Art (S)]
(Second Status Window active)
I had become a Heavenly Demon.