The moment he ingested the Nature Spirit Blood Essence, Luo Shu's consciousness was lost.
He felt as if he had become the earth, constantly quaking and shifting, where even a slight movement could stir tsunamis in human society.
He felt like the sun in perpetual nuclear fusion, wantonly radiating infinite heat across the galaxy.
He was like a bottomless void, occasionally spewing forth terrifying substances that entered the mortal world, unleashing storms of blood.
In this state, Luo Shu no longer seemed like himself, but rather some existence that both belonged to and transcended the material world.
He was like a lofty, aloof will, observing life's joys and sorrows amidst various calamities with neither joy nor sorrow.
Just as Luo Shu was lost, a faint stinging sensation pricked at his emotions.
It was the growth of the Authority Embryo, contained within his body yet fundamentally different in nature, now stinging him incessantly, trying to escape.
This faint sting was mild at first but grew increasingly intense, soon reaching a level Luo Shu could barely endure.
As the pain intensified, illusory images began flashing through his mind.
In these images,
There was Utaha Kasumigaoka, hunched over her desk, flipping through manga.
There was Kurumi Tokisaki, eyes closed as she challenged herself in the Dream Simulation Chamber.
There was Lacus Clyne, draped in a short-sleeved nightgown, reading reports on the sofa.
There was Mukuro Hoshimiya, floating in the sky, layering seal upon seal.
One after another, busy figures flashed through Luo Shu's mind... and then... he regained clarity.
When Luo Shu opened his eyes again to see Suzuka Dairenji's delighted face, he felt as though the entire world had changed.
[Ding—]
[Chief God has been promoted to Demigod. Special systems unlocked.]
[World restrictions lifted. Apostles are now permitted to descend into the mortal world.]
[Spiritual Essence system unlocked. Current exchange rate: 100,000 Points to 1.]
[Familia Support System unlocked.]
[Dream Simulation Chamber permissions further expanded. Class Derivation System unlocked. Class Templates unlocked.]
[Divine Kingdom function unlocked!]
[Prayer function unlocked!]
[Faith function unlocked!]
[...]
A series of notifications buzzed in Luo Shu's ears, as if his previously set mute function had failed.
Though the noise was overwhelming, Luo Shu's mind was exceptionally clear.
With cold rationality, he assessed his current state and began evaluating his new condition.
After ascending to the Demigod Child of Apocalypse...
His original abilities had all been enhanced.
The absorption and bestowal of calamity no longer relied on sight, but on sensing through Spiritual Power. Any existence within Luo Shu's range of perception could now be subjected to calamity.
Beyond this, the primary ability of a Calamity Priest, the sacrificial offering of calamity, had also undergone sublimation. After Luo Shu absorbed a calamity and offered it in sacrifice, there was a 30% chance the calamity would be strengthened. Moreover, the more calamities he offered, the greater the physical power fed back to his body. In short, the more calamities, the stronger Luo Shu's physique became.
Additionally, the prefix Classes Luo Shu hadn't experienced before had also been enhanced. The Common Rank abilities of a Calamity Folk- enhanced physical attributes, immunity to illness, and the inspiration to sense calamities - had all been strengthened. The Excellent Rank abilities of a Calamity Revelator - foreseeing calamities and interfering with divinations - had also improved.
Even techniques like Concept Entanglement now felt to Luo Shu as natural as breathing.
But most crucially, it was the core ability gained from the Demigod Class of Child of Apocalypse that mattered most.
Apocalypse!
Or alternatively, Ordained by Heaven.
This ability is an active skill and the core skill of a Child of Apocalypse.
Its effect is simple.
Upon activation, it grants apocalypse.
But this apocalypse is somewhat... overpowered.
It could be a hint from fate, allowing one to evade calamity.
Or it could be the apocalypse itself, instantly bestowing a fatal weakness upon another.
In simpler terms, it's a guaranteed weak-point strike!
If Luo Shu were to oppose Kurumi Tokisaki, after activating Apocalypse, he could manifest the destined cause of her death.
For example, in the world of Date A Live, Kurumi Tokisaki once met her end by being impaled through the chest by Mio Takamiya.
After Luo Shu activates Apocalypse, he would bypass his own calamity reserves and directly bestow upon Kurumi Tokisaki the fatal wound of being impaled through the chest.
Without an equivalent ability to counter it or the sustained use of a concept to block it, this move is essentially a predetermined death.
It's a one-hit-kill, an instant-death ability.
Although a Demigod of the same level might resist it through various means, unless they possess the power to alter causality, they'd have no choice but to endure such a fatal wound.
'This ability doesn't feel like the power of the Calamity Concept—it's more akin to the power of the Fate Concept.'
Beyond these major abilities, Luo Shu also gained a passive state called Son of Heaven.
In short, he becomes the child of heaven, the child of the planet.
As long as Luo Shu remains on the planet associated with the Nature Spirit Blood Essence, his acquired ascension material, he gains numerous buffs.
These include, but are not limited to, luck, recovery, disaster immunity, enhanced resistance to life-based pressure, and many more.
"I can't help but feel that if I were to buy a lottery ticket... Well, I probably wouldn't win the jackpot, but random small prizes would be easy. Hmm, maybe finding money on the street will become my new normal?"
Luo Shu muttered to himself, then glanced at Suzuka Dairenji, who had already recovered, and couldn't help but smile.
"Thanks to you protecting me here, Suzuka. I've successfully ascended to Demigod."
Hearing this, Suzuka Dairenji's face flushed red, and she glared at him fiercely.
"Who was protecting you?! I was exhausted—exhausted, got it?!"
"If I had any strength left to move, I'd have run away long ago! I wouldn't have waited around for you!"
At this, Luo Shu's expression turned complicated. "Suzuka."
"What?!" Suzuka Dairenji stood up, dusting off her trousers as if she found his way of addressing her irritating.
Then, Luo Shu sighed deeply and said:
"Tsunderes... ruin their own lives."
Suzuka Dairenji raised her fist, ready to hit him, but after holding it up for a while, she lowered it again.
"Tsundere, my foot! If it weren't for that damn Familia contract binding me, I'd never help you!"
"Just so you know, I hate you more than anyone else!!"
Luo Shu looked at her curiously.
"But if you really hated me, wouldn't the best revenge be to bear me seven or eight children and spend every day beating them up?"
"Think about it—I couldn't punish you for hitting the kids, since you're their mother. I'd have to endure it, watching you bully my children helplessly while still working to support you and our daughters. Wouldn't that be the ultimate revenge?"
Suzuka Dairenji froze, stunned for a long moment before finally responding: "Seven or eight children? But I only want two..."
Luo Shu's expression turned extremely odd upon hearing this.
'Good grief, you've actually thought about having children with me?'
Before Luo Shu could say anything, Suzuka Dairenji immediately realised she'd exposed herself and quickly changed the subject:
"Anyway, you succeeded in your advancement, right?"
"I'll go inform the others. You wait here."
With that, Suzuka Dairenji ran out of the shrine's main hall without looking back.
Seeing this, Luo Shu didn't stop her. After all, a good man knows when to give a tsundere girl an easy way out.
Although Luo Shu considered himself more of a scoundrel.
Still...
"Demigod?"
Luo Shu's feelings were somewhat complicated.
From now on, he too was a Demigod.