Hidden Management Department Headquarters.
Suzuka Dairenji stared at the photo of a long-faced, bald old man, deep in thought.
After a long pause, she looked up at the shameless deity who'd just tricked her into signing a lifelong contract:
"Director, are you absolutely sure you gave me the right photo?"
Luo Shu smiled wordlessly, his gaze fixed on her.
Taking a deep breath, Suzuka clenched her jaw:
"Making a girl in the prime of her youth play the role of a disgusting old man... your taste is truly vile."
"It shouldn't be difficult for you, especially now that you've awakened a Hero Rank ability."
Luo Shu's left eye was dull, as if gazing into some distant place.
In truth, he was observing the ability Suzuka had awakened upon signing the contract:
[Technique Control (Hero Rank)]
[You are the master of techniques, the researcher, the inventor, the wielder. To you, no technique is beyond manipulation—all techniques must submit to your dominion.]
"I've already helped you awaken your Dying Will Flames. With the abilities you've just awakened, you should now be capable of using Mist Flame's Illusion technique to impersonate Minagoroshi Jizō."
"Stop nagging, you deceitful god."
Suzuka Dairenji seemed to have a bellyful of complaints about Luo Shu:
"A proper god actually blackmailed me into joining your Familia by threatening to revive my brother. Couldn't you have revived my brother first and then brought people to force my surrender?"
At this point, Suzuka Dairenji even stuck out her tongue:
"At that point, I'd have obediently listened to you and signed any terms."
"First, let me clarify one thing."
Luo Shu raised his index finger, speaking calmly:
"I merely possess the authority of a god, but I am not an actual deity."
"Thus, to some of this world's powerful individuals, I'm equivalent to a treasure vault without keys or guards."
"Under such circumstances, if I want to increase security, it naturally has to be done in secret."
"Secondly, the power I wield is Misfortune and Calamity. Though I also possess the ability to dispel disasters, that doesn't mean I hold the authority of resurrection."
"That's the domain of the God of Death or the Underworld King, not the Calamity Monarch's domain."
"Stop lecturing me. Can't you let me fantasise about you being omnipotent?"
Suzuka Dairenji grumbled before asking:
"Dying Will Flames require rings as activation mediums. The Hidden Management Department should have prepared these, right?"
Hearing this, Luo Shu immediately pulled out a small box from his pocket, placed it on the table, and opened it.
Inside the deep blue box.
An exquisite silver ring set with a sapphire lay quietly at the centre.
"This is the latest covert ring jointly developed by the Research Department and an Alchemist. Its functionality rivals some Excellent Rank Abyss Artefacts."
"Its purpose is to stabilise Dying Will Flame output, connect to a 30-square-metre space within the Hidden Management Zone, and provide a single-use teleportation with a 3-hour cooldown that can only transport you to the entrance of the underground Hidden Management Zone at headquarters."
"You can wear it on your finger and choose to make it invisible or visible."
"Of course, being a prototype, there might be instability where abilities fail to activate every 12 hours. Remember to record the corresponding times during use. If it accidentally breaks, you can exchange it for another at the Research Department using the usage records."
Hearing this, Suzuka Dairenji curiously picked up the ring, glanced at it, and slipped it onto her finger:
"How durable is this ring?"
"It can probably withstand one strike from a Hero Rank individual."
At Luo Shu's words, Suzuka Dairenji immediately felt reassured:
"That should be enough then."
The Familiar Spirit manipulation technique that Suzuka Dairenji specialised in rarely put her in situations requiring close combat.
Under such circumstances, a ring capable of withstanding a Hero Rank strike could, in a way, serve as a life-saving tool.
As for the instability flaw... what a joke. What Abyss Artefact doesn't have worse side effects than this ring?
Or rather, Suzuka Dairenji had never before encountered an artefact as side-effect-free as this ring.
She'd even dare assert that nowhere in the world outside the SDS could you find such a safe and practical tool.
"So the goal is to impersonate that so-called Minagoroshi Jizō and destroy the Old Rat Gang under the Nura Clan's jurisdiction?"
Luo Shu nodded. "You can keep whatever loot you find and decide what to turn in yourself."
"Such freedom indeed!"
Suzuka Dairenji stood up as indigo mist began coiling around her body.
Soon enough, the short-statured, long-headed, bald and cunningly grinning Minagoroshi Jizō appeared before Luo Shu.
"There's still some time left, oh divine one. Aren't you tempted to enjoy your adorable Familia's youthful body?"
As she spoke, Suzuka deliberately batted her eyelashes using Minagoroshi Jizō's face.
At this, Luo Shu silently retrieved the contract from his pocket, pointing to the clause stating 'Party B must execute any non-lethal orders issued by Party A':
"Do you believe I can't make you revert right now and serve as my imprisoned maiden?"
Suzuka froze, hurriedly transforming back to her original form as she pleaded:
"My dashing and charming divine lord, surely you wouldn't want your Familia limping around with blood dripping down her legs while eliminating your designated enemies? What terrible optics that would make!"
Luo Shu shot her a withering look and replied:
"Then I'll wait until you come back to make you limp."
Upon hearing this, Suzuka Dairenji's expression instantly turned as if her brother had died, looking utterly miserable.
"...I understand."
"Tch, what kind of deity is this? Clearly just a pervert, actually having the nerve to lay hands on me."
Muttering to herself, Suzuka Dairenji left the Hidden Management Department's base.
Seeing this, Luo Shu murmured: "Indeed, I can't give this girl even a shred of kindness."
"However, to awaken with Hero Rank abilities immediately... it seems this girl's talent is even higher than I imagined."
"The Onmyou Agency's prodigy? Not entirely wrong."
After speaking, Luo Shu gradually closed his eyes, leaning back on the sofa to rest as he murmured:
"Hagoromo Gitsune, Abe no Seimei, Hao Asakura..."
"Heh, why don't I just be the one to kick off this grand performance first?"