As Luo Shu took the lift down to the underground area, preparing to meet with the SDS's higher-ups to discuss the recent attack on Japan.
In a spacious and bright office.
Among the three vampires who had just signed the contract, Krul was the first to open her gem-like, crimson eyes.
She first glanced around, confirming that Giada and Evangeline beside her had not yet regained consciousness, then used her ability to create an apple with a hint of annoyance and took a light bite.
"So I'm the first one to wake up?"
Although there was no theory to support it, some data suggested that the stronger one was before becoming a Familia member, the more knowledge their Spiritual Power would receive. Therefore, Krul, being the first to awaken, was undoubtedly the one with the weakest Spiritual Power among the three primogenitors.
Learning this from the common knowledge she had just received, Krul was naturally not happy.
Just as Krul woke up, Takatsuki Izumi, who was responsible for guiding them, craned her neck and asked, "How do you feel?"
Crunch!
Krul bit into the apple, the red in her eyes growing a few shades more vibrant.
"I feel fantastic."
After speaking, Krul paused, a slight smile on her face as she said, "The moment I became a Familia member, I awakened my racial Class, and it filled in the prerequisite Classes I was missing, bringing me directly to the Hero Rank of Vampire Pureblood."
"And, most importantly..."
Krul raised her arm, and a black and red lustre instantly covered her right hand.
Seeing this, Shizuka Hio, who was standing to the side, looked over in surprise.
"Giada's familiar summoning?"
Before Shizuka Hio could finish, an unidentifiable creature with an oval body, a single eye, and cartoonish bat wings appeared in Krul's palm.
Seeing the creature, which was somewhat cute yet slightly bizarre, and feeling the vast Spiritual Power emanating from it, Takatsuki Izumi's expression stiffened slightly.
"You're kidding me? A Demigod lifeform?"
Takatsuki Izumi was an old hand in the Familia, after all. She was well aware that Demigod lifeforms were detained within the Hidden Management Zone; she had even gone to see them for herself.
But unlike those Demigod lifeforms Luo Shu had brought back from the Abyss world, the familiar Krul had summoned seemed to be even stronger in terms of Spiritual Power.
"Alucanu. That's the name I've given this child. It's the name of a pet I used to have."
After saying this, Krul's tone carried a hint of regret. "It's a pity. The Divine Pantheon only bestowed this one familiar. If I had two more, I wouldn't mind attempting the Demigod ritual."
Hearing this, Takatsuki Izumi was a little surprised. "This thing is part of the advancement ritual?"
Just then, Shizuka Hio's cool voice reminded her from the side, "It's not just part of the advancement ritual, it's also the manifestation of the Vampire Class system's combat power."
"Starting from the Excellent Rank Vampire, the main direction of improvement for this Class is bloodline and familiars."
"At the Excellent Rank, you begin to nurture an infant familiar. At this stage, the familiar doesn't possess overly powerful combat strength; it just bestows special abilities upon its host."
"And once the two infant familiars you're nurturing reach maturity, you can attempt to advance to the Elite Rank of Vampire Noble."
"Furthermore, a mature familiar itself possesses the strength of the Elite Rank."
"By the time the familiars are nurtured to their complete form, which is Hero Rank, the path to advancing to Vampire Pureblood will have already opened."
Seeing Shizuka Hio speak so much for once, Takatsuki Izumi suddenly had a bad feeling.
"Wait a minute, why are you so knowledgeable about Krul's Class, Shizuka?"
At her words, Shizuka Hio merely gave Takatsuki Izumi a faint glance and raised her right hand, which was wrapped in the same red and black hues that Takatsuki Izumi found exceptionally familiar.
The next second, a spear formed of crimson roses appeared in Shizuka Hio's hand. At the same time, a berserk and bloodthirsty Spiritual Power began to spread throughout the office.
"Another Demigod lifeform..." Takatsuki Izumi's face twitched, and she could not help but say, "Don't tell me you can have a second Familia awakening?"
"You could describe it that way, but I'm more inclined to believe that some changes we are unaware of have occurred within the Divine Pantheon."
Speaking of which, Shizuka Hio dismissed her familiar, closed her eyes, and said softly, "Only the Director himself probably knows the detailed reason."
"An anomaly in the Divine Pantheon?" Hearing this, Takatsuki Izumi was both curious and disheartened. "I'm suddenly regretting it a little. If I'd known this would happen, I would have accepted your blood, Shizuka, become a vampire, and hitched a ride on this benefit."
"Getting the help of a Demigod lifeform right from the start, this benefit... tsk tsk tsk..."
Hearing Takatsuki Izumi's envy, Krul just bit her apple to soothe her emotions.
"Based on my comparison with the existing Classes in the Familia that I know of, I've found that the Vampire Class is much weaker in terms of individual attributes among the High Tier Classes."
"Whether it's the Witch's spell enhancements or the Death Flame Sorcerer's Dying Will Flames, they completely suppress the Vampire Class in terms of direct combat power and versatility."
"Only when it comes to familiars can the Vampire Class turn the tables and suppress Witches and Death Flame Sorcerers."
"After all, if conditions permit, a Hero Rank vampire, a Vampire Pureblood, should be able to command three Demigod Rank familiars."
"If a Vampire Pureblood were to control three Demigod Rank familiars, I'm afraid they could even briefly contend with a Demigod."
"Want to test it?" Shizuka Hio opened her eyes and glanced at Krul. "Find a Demigod within the Familia and test it in a dream battle."
Krul tilted her head to look at Shizuka Hio, then took a bite of her apple and said, "First of all, I only have one familiar. Secondly..."
Krul paused, her gaze turning distant.
"Is there a standard Demigod of a Common Class in the Familia?"
Hearing this, Takatsuki Izumi and Shizuka Hio fell silent.
Although there were many Demigods within the Familia, finding one with a Common Class was truly impossible.
Never mind the group of Spirits with their unique Top Tier Class; even the next tier down, Serafall and Aya Tokoyogi, were Demigods who had achieved a High Tier Class.
Based on a rough calculation that a High Tier Class Demigod's Spiritual Power is generally three to five times that of a Common Class one, and not considering other factors, just going by the numbers, one would need at least nine familiars to contend with a High Tier Class Demigod.
And the one who could do that...
Krul and Shizuka Hio could not help but look towards Giada.
At that moment, Giada, who had already opened her eyes and finished receiving the infusion of common knowledge, spread her hands and said, "What are you looking at me for? I fought a Demigod before I even had a Class, alright?"
"Though I didn't win, mind you."
Hearing this, Krul could not help but ask curiously, "What you awakened should be more extensive than us, right?"
Giada did not hide it, nodding in acknowledgement. "It filled in the prerequisite Classes, then I was rewarded with a Heart of Nature, and it successfully converted the three familiars inside my body."
Hearing this, Krul took a knowing bite of her apple, concealing her envy.
"In other words, you've completely gathered the materials for the Demigod advancement?"
The material requirements for a Primogenitor, the Demigod of the Vampire line, were one Heart of Nature and three familiars that one had nurtured themselves.
And now, Giada had clearly met the conditions. This meant that as long as she completed the ritual and successfully advanced, Giada could become the first Demigod among the vampires.
With such favourable conditions, Krul would not be normal if she was not green with envy.
Giada rubbed her chin, pondering, "Although I've gathered them, I have a feeling Luo Shu tricked me. Is it just my imagination?"
After muttering to herself, Giada did not feel she had lost out on anything.
After all, if she had not become a Familia member, she would not have received these benefits.
Meanwhile, Takatsuki Izumi received the Class information from Shizuka Hio through the Divine Pantheon and said curiously, "But speaking of which, this Vampire Class seems to really test one's ability to nurture familiars, and you have to start from infancy at that."
"I checked the Divine Pantheon's shop. A single infant familiar costs two thousand points, and you have to spend more points on materials to cultivate its abilities and attributes... This... are you sure it's not some kind of money pit?"
Hearing this, Giada spread her hands, leaned back on the sofa, and crossed her legs.
"Powerful combat strength always comes at a price, doesn't it!"
After saying this, Giada's peripheral vision caught sight of Evangeline, who seemed to still be unconscious.
Seeing this, she could not help but be taken aback.
"Strange, Evangeline isn't awake yet? Is her Spiritual Power stronger than mine?"
At her words, Evangeline immediately said faintly, "I woke up long ago. I just wasn't talking."
Hearing this, Giada was instantly curious. "Then what are you doing playing silent over there? Not going to chat with us about your awakened abilities?"
Evangeline made no comment on this.
Could she tell them she was desperately messaging Luo Shu through the Divine Pantheon Reconstruction System?
Feeling the golden scales that had appeared in her consciousness, Evangeline was utterly bewildered!
'What the hell is this thing in my head?'