[Ding!]
[Is the Divine Pantheon Lord confirming the inquiry about methods for rank advancement without relying on Classes?]
In the blank space, Luo Shu posed his question to the system AI and quickly received a response.
"Yes." Luo Shu nodded, confirming that that was his question.
Facing Luo Shu's inquiry, the newly awakened system AI answered without hesitation:
[Such methods do exist, but they weren't provided to the Divine Pantheon Lord due to considerations regarding the Familia's growth potential.]
"There really are such methods?"
Luo Shu was slightly startled, but then realised his mistake.
Did Strategic Magicians like Tatsuya Shiba and Angelene, who possessed Demigod-level offensive capabilities, have Classes?
They actually didn't.
The so-called "Magician" was merely a title, not a Class that granted abilities.
Yet they still wielded Hero Rank or even Demigod Rank offensive means.
This proved that Classes weren't strictly necessary.
"So, what's the process for non-Class advancement?"
The system AI replied in its calm, mechanical voice:
[Please receive the detailed information, Divine Pantheon Lord.]
As the system prompt faded, grey mist gathered in mid-air, forming a white rhombus-shaped gem.
Seeing this scene, Luo Shu reached out his hand, hesitated as he glanced at the sky, then slowly grasped the gem.
The moment his hand touched the white rhombus-shaped gem, streams of illustrated information flooded his mind.
It was then that Luo Shu finally understood the promotion process for non-Class advancement, exclaiming in realisation:
"So that's how it is. The way I upgraded my abilities from the start was actually the non-Class promotion procedure?"
When he first transmigrated here, Luo Shu's method of purchasing corresponding materials from the system to upgrade his abilities was a form of non-Class promotion.
The process involved upgrading an ability from Common, successively to Excellent, Elite, Hero, and finally reaching Demigod.
However, such Demigods were often inferior in quality.
Their status was similar to Tatsuya Shiba and Angelene, pseudo-demigods who possessed one Demigod Rank ability.
Without touching upon the power of concepts, unable to perform Concept Entanglement or weave fragments of Authority using concepts to advance to Apostle, they could only mechanically utilise their single Demigod Rank ability by instinct.
Such Demigods were the shoddiest of shoddy goods.
But the advantage of these knock-offs was that with sufficient points, considering ability digestion and bodily endurance, rapid advancement was entirely possible.
Whether through purchasing promotion materials from the system using points, or using Abyss Artefacts with side effects, one could advance quickly, as long as the person could withstand it.
"However, after obtaining a Demigod Rank ability, that's basically the limit. At most, one could acquire multiple Demigod Rank abilities through this method."
"There's no mastery of concepts, no sublimation of life essence, nor the capability for active learning and advancement."
Yet Luo Shu had to admit this method was extremely efficient, though challenging to change course later.
"To advance from pseudo-Demigod to true Demigod, one must research their abilities after obtaining a Demigod Rank ability, master Conceptual Power, create a Class using their ability as the core, then use the Class to achieve life sublimation."
"To summarise, this method takes a detour but ultimately returns to Classes, because beyond the stage of Apostle, Classes are essentially Authority Fragments — the embryonic form of Divine Power manifestation."
Having clarified these points, Luo Shu considered briefly before deciding to let the weaker members of his Familia try this path.
After all, his Familia had advantages in this unorthodox approach!!
"Not to mention the Divine Pantheon Reconstruction System contains abundant materials for ability advancement, the Dream Simulation Chamber's ability to help deduce Classes is simply a stroke of genius."
"By spending points to rapidly push Familia members to pseudo-Demigod status, then using the Dream Simulation Chamber to deduce Classes to become true Demigods."
"If Familia members die during this process, they can still be revived through the Sigil's function."
"Damn, this is practically a one-stop service, covering every aspect."
Thinking this, Luo Shu couldn't help but mock himself:
"Turns out the Divine Pantheon Reconstruction System had everything prepared, but I didn't know how to use it properly."
Of course, self-mockery aside, Luo Shu knew the most crucial factor in this unorthodox approach was actually the amount of points available.
And currently...
Luo Shu glanced at his point balance.
After spending 360,000 Points on the promotion to Calamity Priest and storing all the SDS's Abyss Artefacts in the Hidden Management Zone, Luo Shu's total remaining points were just over 780,000.
Of these, 300,000 Points came from the SDS artefact dividends, which, according to Luo Shu and Lacus's agreement, were earmarked for talent development within the SDS.
From the remaining 480,000 Points, 90,000 would be allocated as salaries to existing Familia members.
This left Luo Shu with approximately 390,000 disposable points.
"According to the system's internal pricing for ability materials: Common Rank abilities cost under 1,000 Points, Excellent under 10,000, Elite under 50,000, Hero under 100,000, and Demigod over 100,000 - depending on the ability."
"Meaning, cultivating a pseudo-Demigod with one Demigod Rank ability would require between 161,100 Points minimum to 261,000 Points or more with no upper limit."
After this simple calculation, Luo Shu realised one thing.
He was still poor.
Extremely poor.
"390,000 Points could at most cultivate two pseudo-demigods, not even counting subsequent promotion costs... So the optimal approach would be enhancing already high-Rank members?"
Frowning at this thought, Luo Shu considered that his own promotion wouldn't consume many points. The Class system's progression allowed autonomous cultivation - purchased materials merely accelerated the process.
At maximum growth speed, while considering the Familia's sustainability, and with the current fixed monthly point income, he could theoretically cultivate one pseudo-Demigod every two months.
"A pseudo-Demigod every two months?!"
Luo Shu was inwardly shocked. After all, he'd been in this world for less than two months himself.
"The efficiency seems sufficient, but the key question is - who gets priority?"
Such personal investments demanded returns. Forget exorbitant interest rates - even if some Familia members offered free benefits, Luo Shu would accept without qualms.
Who else but him - more devoted than any father - would invest such resources in individuals?
Though pseudo-Demigods were merely powerful Hero Ranks... that was still remarkable.
After all, who casually offers ordinary people such meteoric advancement?
Only Luo Shu, backed by the system.
"So the next steps are: earn points, acquire Abyss Artefacts, then select candidates for rapid cultivation?"
Here, ideas began to form in Luo Shu's mind, and potential candidates emerged.
With this, Luo Shu glanced at the empty space and departed without hesitation.
The vast space of the Divine Kingdom returned to stillness, as if untouched.
Only Luo Shu knew change had already begun.