Within the Hidden Management Zone.
On jade-white flooring, Nia Honjo used red chalk to draw an enormous circle filled with intricate patterns:
"Though troublesome, at least it's finally completed according to Raziel's instructions."
After finishing the final stroke, Nia wiped sweat from her brow and addressed Luo Shu and La Folia standing nearby:
"Next, Her Highness just needs to stand within the ritual area, activate the Soul Summoning Art on the Nature Spirit Blood in the test tube, then mix the remaining ingredients into the tube and drink the final concoction."
"Thinking about it, the process is quite simple - just drawing the ritual was troublesome. Took two failed attempts to get it right."
Hearing Nia's complaint, La Folia smiled before glancing at Luo Shu:
"So we can obtain a Class just like that?"
"Think it's too simple?" Luo Shu recognised her expression immediately.
Being kindred spirits - both naturally wary of others and things beyond their control - he understood La Folia's concern about the apparent ease of gaining power.
For such people, Luo Shu knew exactly how to persuade them:
"Actually, Classes themselves are fundamentally simple concepts."
"Common Tier Classes, excluding special abilities, essentially represent the skill level of experts who've honed their craft for decades."
"Think Olympic champions across various sports, or master craftsmen in manufacturing industries."
"Compared to them, Common Rank Classes are simply those whose abilities lean more towards superpowers."
"Take the Alchemist's abilities, for example. At Common Rank, an Alchemist's skill in operating mechanical tools might not even surpass that of an experienced craftsman."
"By Excellent Rank, the standard generally exceeds the limits of what ordinary people can achieve through study. Within the scope of their Class, they can accomplish feats that even experts would find unbelievable."
"Yet even so, these remain within the realm of what ordinary people can comprehend and attempt to master."
"It's only at Elite Rank that a Class undergoes its first qualitative transformation. Many special Classes only gain proper combat capabilities upon reaching Elite Rank."
At this point, Luo Shu thought of his own Class, the Calamity Bringer, at Elite Rank.
Only at Elite Rank would the Calamity Bringer obtain abilities like Misfortune - near-bug-like powers including damage absorption, transference, and bestowal - truly supernatural capabilities.
"So generally speaking, including Elite Rank, there's no particular difficulty with Common and Excellent Rank Classes. Consume the materials, follow the training regimen step by step, and with enough time invested, anyone can obtain a Class's power."
"But when it comes to Hero Rank, that's where the real watershed begins."
"Ordinary Classes can grant people various bizarre powers at Hero Rank."
"High Tier Classes allow their holders to become formidable and fearsome individuals at Hero Rank."
"And the Top Tier Classes enable their holders to obtain partial Demigod-level powers while still at Hero Rank."
"Moreover, achieving Demigod status with a Top Tier Class practically guarantees access to even higher realms."
"Therefore, the true dividing line between Classes begins at Hero Rank."
Seeing La Folia's expectant expression, Luo Shu didn't hesitate to bring her back to reality:
"Don't get your hopes up. The Spirit Sorcerer Class isn't Top Tier - it's a second-tier High Tier Class, a sorcerer-type Class that employs diverse composite abilities as its means."
"It can't compare to my Calamity Bringer or Sharon's Sanctuary Guardian, as both of ours are Top Tier Classes."
Of course, Top Tier Classes could be further subdivided, but Luo Shu saw no need to explain that much detail now.
Hearing this, La Folia immediately looked disappointed, even pouting cutely, as if throwing a tantrum:
"So it's only a High Tier Class..."
Luo Shu glanced at this woman who'd clearly relaxed internally but was still complaining outwardly, then said calmly:
"If it were a Top Tier Class, I wouldn't be so willing to give it to you. And even if I wanted to, you might not be able to progress far down that path."
"Let me tell you something in advance."
"Ordinary Classes are smooth sailing until Elite Rank, while high-grade Classes can generally reach Hero Rank with some talent. The real challenge lies in becoming a Demigod and undergoing the Demigod ritual."
"You've read the knowledge Yukino included in the introductory materials, right?"
"Whoever it may be, anyone wishing to become a proper, complete Demigod will basically require ritual assistance."
"The purpose of the ritual is to stabilise the ascendant's condition, preventing them from losing control during evolution while also allowing them to better access and master the power within their Class."
"Even with ritual assistance, ascension can still fail. Though the exact success rate is currently unclear, it likely isn't particularly high."
After all, in True Hell, demons only needed to reach the Demigod rank to obtain nobility titles and become true demon aristocrats.
With such a stringent benchmark, the ritual's success rate couldn't possibly be very high.
Otherwise, given demons' innate foundations, reaching Demigod status should have been effortless.
At this moment, La Folia asked curiously:
"So what exactly is the difference between High Tier and Top Tier Classes? Luo Shu, you only explained the distinction between common and High Tier Classes earlier?"
Luo Shu glanced at La Folia and replied impassively:
"The difference is that Top Tier Classes require rituals when advancing to Hero Rank."
La Folia's expression froze momentarily upon hearing this.
Top Tier Classes needed the same kind of ritual assistance for Hero Rank advancement that Demigods required?
Didn't that mean Top Tier Classes faced life-and-death trials starting from Hero Rank advancement?
"It seems the Spirit Sorcerer Class really is quite suitable for me," La Folia couldn't help murmuring to herself.
There was no doubt Luo Shu would eventually make the Spirit Sorcerer Class available to Aldegia's royal family.
Considering the next generation of royals consisted of three daughters, and given her younger sisters' Spirit Medium constitutions, La Folia suspected Luo Shu would likely recruit them.
For the royal family, what mattered wasn't overwhelmingly powerful but risky abilities, but a stable, orderly inheritance of strength.
From this perspective, the High Tier Spirit Sorcerer Class - stronger than Common Classes yet without the Hero Rank ritual risks of Top Tier Classes - was indeed more suitable for Aldegia's inheritance.
Otherwise, having multiple royals stuck at Hero Rank advancement would create significant complications.
"So all I need to do now is stand in the ritual array and use Soul Summoning Art on this blood sample?" La Folia shook the glass test tube in her hand, causing the iridescent blood droplet inside to sway.
Observing this, Luo Shu produced a small parcel wrapped in paper. Unfolding the brown paper revealed sky-blue crystal fragments.
"After using the art, add these Crystallised Natural Spring Water Fragments. Be careful - this portion costs 6,000 Points."
As Luo Shu handed over the materials, La Folia accepted them with a teasing smile:
"Luo Shu seems unexpectedly concerned about money~"
"Obviously. I grew up poor," Luo Shu rolled his eyes before stepping outside the array.
Without delay, La Folia announced:
"Then I'll begin!!"
She immediately activated Soul Summoning Art on the test tube.
In that instant, pure white light began radiating from La Folia's body, rapidly concentrating in her right hand, where it enveloped the transparent test tube.
Inside the test tube, the rainbow-coloured blood instantly began to burn rapidly upon contact with the pure white light, as if exposed to some kind of igniter. As it burned, the colours diminished one by one, quickly turning into the same pure white hue.
Witnessing this scene, Luo Shu and Nia Honjo, who were holding Raziel, simultaneously shouted:
"Now!"
Hearing this, La Folia's hands remained steady as she poured the Crystallised Natural Spring Water Fragments into the test tube. Then, she even popped the entire tube into her mouth, chewing it with teeth strengthened by Spiritual Power.
Nia Honjo was dumbfounded: "Eh... Wasn't drinking the contents inside enough?"
In contrast, Luo Shu, beside her, understood La Folia's reasoning:
"Can you guarantee there won't be any residue? Besides, what if the test tube is also affected by the Class and turns into a special Abyss Artefact? Might as well swallow both to save trouble. After her promotion, she'll have plenty of ways to deal with the glass in her stomach."
"Eh... Alright then..."
Nia couldn't help but click her tongue at this, mentally complaining that Luo Shu and La Folia were truly 'heart-to-heart'.
At that moment, La Folia, who had ingested the materials, opened her sky-blue eyes, with pure white light spots faintly flickering deep within her pupils.
The first Elite Rank Mimic had been born!