Natsuki fell silent for a moment before frowning:
"The spirits I know don't have the capability to live in outer space."
According to her intelligence, there appeared to be a peculiar life form directly above Tokyo's outer atmosphere. The SDS had apparently deployed classified space military assets for repeated investigations, all yielding nothing.
This was why Supreme Chairwoman Lacus Clyne had contacted her, seeking her assistance in investigating the situation.
But now Luo Shu claimed this mysterious entity was a spirit? Surely not the kind she was familiar with?
"She's indeed different from the spirits you know."
Luo Shu nodded before explaining:
"To be precise, 'Spirit' is my designation for their kind."
"If we were to properly categorise them, you could consider them a special race that's naturally top-tier Hero Rank, easily reaching Demigod level or even beyond."
Hearing this, Natsuki Minamiya fell silent for a moment before giving Luo Shu a strange look:
"Are you absolutely certain what you're saying is true?"
A race born as top-tier Hero Rank individuals who could easily reach Demigod status?
Hero Rank wasn't some common cabbage. Even using rough population ratios, there were only about 200 per 100 million people. That meant approximately 12,000 Heroes worldwide.
Was that a lot?
Reaching ten thousand certainly seemed substantial.
But in reality, this ratio only held true for economically developed, populous nations with strong mystic sides.
Only the five major powers and their smaller counterparts could achieve such numbers.
So in practice, this ratio needed to be halved or more.
Meaning there were likely only around 5,000 Heroes globally.
Distributed among national governments and various factions, having even two would make you a regional powerhouse outside the developed nations' official forces. Five or more indicated a mid-sized organisation, ten or more signified major national players, while over a hundred meant transnational conglomerates.
This included the official forces of the five major powers, worldwide religious organisations, powerful special race collectives, and major mystic factions such as Truth Astronomy, Golden Dawn, and the SDS.
Only within these major powers did the concept of top-tier Hero Rank exist.
As for Demigods...
Currently, only two figures were confirmed as potential Demigods: the thousand-year-old Great Onmyoji Hao Asakura, who walked the earth, and Edelweiss, leader of Europe's Seven Knights Alliance.
Beyond them, the SDS - who had announced the Demigod classification and confronted Hao Asakura - was suspected of harbouring a Demigod within their ranks.
By this count, there were likely only three potential Demigods in existence.
Now Luo Shu was telling Natsuki Minamiya about a race born as top-tier Heroes who could become Demigods with moderate effort.
If Natsuki didn't know Luo Shu's character, she'd suspect he was pulling her leg.
Even lies should follow some logic, shouldn't they?
Natsuki set down her black tea, picked up her fan, and lightly tapped her forehead with the handle before sighing:
"Is sharing this intelligence with me really appropriate?"
"You're not trying to force me to pick sides by leaking secrets, are you?"
Currently, Natsuki served as Japan's National-Level Sorcerer within a special unit directly answering to the Cabinet.
But strictly speaking, her position resembled more of an honoured guest - someone only called upon when absolutely necessary, with matters always discussed respectfully.
If she wished to resign, the Cabinet would be accommodating - provided she didn't join criminal organisations.
After all, the less reasonable officials had all been reduced to ash by a particularly unreasonable Great Onmyoji, leaving the remainder much more compliant.
In this context, if Luo Shu secured Natsuki's agreement, she could genuinely defect to the SDS.
Right now, Natsuki strongly suspected that Luo Shu planned to overwhelm her with classified information, indebting her until she had no choice but to switch allegiances.
Given the boy's designs on her, this seemed entirely plausible.
To this, Luo Shu gave his reasoning: "Since we're cooperating, isn't it normal to share some information?"
"Cut the crap. You're full of tricks—I wouldn't be surprised if you dug a pit for me at any moment."
Natsuki Minamiya was no naive fool. If Luo Shu trusted her this much, he definitely had his reasons.
And those reasons were undoubtedly beneficial to him—but not necessarily to her.
At this thought, Natsuki's expression darkened:
"Are you about to imply that the Demigod within the SDS originates from the race of Spirits you mentioned?"
Hearing this, Luo Shu blinked, lowered his crossed leg, and met Natsuki's gaze squarely.
Though he said nothing, Natsuki understood everything.
She suddenly tapped her forehead with her fan, looking exasperated:
"Honestly! Impossible to guard against!!"
"Deliberately leaking intel about a Demigod within your organisation—you're really something..."
Natsuki was at a loss for words. This man not only openly admitted having designs on her but actually acted on them!
Seeing Natsuki had guessed, Luo Shu smiled:
"It's fine. I trust Natsuki-chan completely."
"After all, Natsuki-chan wouldn't leak our organisation's secrets, right?"
Even Utaha, beside them, could smell Luo Shu's scheming from that remark, let alone Natsuki.
Natsuki rolled her eyes and glared at him irritably:
"I get it now. You, your Chairwoman Lacus, and Meer are all cut from the same cloth—no, your methods are even shadier than theirs."
At least those two laid out facts and reasoned with her, inviting her to join. When she refused, they parted amicably and remained friends. But Luo Shu? This guy dug pits without care, argued unreasonably, and was far from kind-hearted.
"So your purpose in seeking Spirits is to add another Demigod to the SDS?"
Luo Shu smiled in response: "Actually, if Natsuki-chan joined, it'd be almost equivalent to gaining a Demigod directly."
"Failed at digging pits, so now you're baiting me? And don't add '-chan' to my name—we're not that close."
Natsuki huffed and shot him a sidelong glance:
"You're just too full of tricks."
What difference was there between Luo Shu's words and outright stating he could help her ascend to Demigod status?
Only that he hadn't said it explicitly?
Shaking her head, Natsuki neither accepted Luo Shu's offer nor outright refused:
"Let's return to the Spirit in space."
"When do you plan to approach them?"
Seeing Natsuki avoid the bait, Luo Shu wasn't bothered. Though he'd leaked some secrets, he trusted her.
Moreover, with just the term "Spirit," he doubted any organisation could locate those hidden between boundaries and society.
Even if they could, Luo Shu—armed with the Spirit's intel—would find them first.
Besides, Spirits could only rapidly ascend to Demigod status through a Familia contract with him.
This, he needn't worry about at all.
"Today is April 14th, Friday, so I'm thinking Sunday the 16th."
"After all, preparing to go into space will take some time."
Hearing Luo Shu say this, Natsuki Minamiya sighed:
"I understand. We'll proceed according to your arrangements."
At this rate, she was probably going to be gradually dragged onto this pirate ship!