Rain began to fall. Thin, silver threads of water slid down Azrael's pale face as he wandered out of the ruined district. The sky was still bruised from his fall — clouds trembling with traces of divine residue that only he could sense.
The streets glowed with neon signs: noodle shops, convenience stores, glowing billboards flashing words he didn't understand. He stared at one for a full minute before muttering,
"…'Buy one, get one free'? Who is buying humans?"
The System responded in its monotone voice:
> [ Correction: It refers to an exchange of goods for human currency. ]
[ Humans are not items. ]
Azrael frowned faintly. "They exchange things using paper?"
> [ Affirmative. Value-based symbolic trade. ]
He blinked slowly. "Strange creatures."
---
He walked into the first store he saw — a 24-hour convenience mart — and was instantly blinded by bright fluorescent lights. The door chimed cheerfully.
A young cashier, barely awake, glanced up. "Uh… welcome?"
Azrael's silver eyes swept the aisles like he was entering a divine temple. He pointed at a row of colorful packets.
"What are those?"
The cashier blinked. "…Chips?"
He tilted his head. "They… look like folded leaves."
The System chimed in:
> [ Warning: Host unfamiliar with processed human food. Recommend minimal intake. ]
Azrael ignored it and took one bag. When he tried to hand over his broken, glowing shard of celestial crystal as "payment," the cashier screamed.
"Wha—what is that!?"
"Currency," Azrael said calmly. "Divine-grade."
He was kicked out five minutes later.
Outside, under the flickering streetlight, he sat on the sidewalk, rain dripping from his hair. He slowly tore open the bag of chips he'd accidentally brought with him. The crunch startled him.
"…Salty," he muttered. Then took another bite. "…But good."
> [ Emotional fluctuation detected. Host may be experiencing 'enjoyment.' ]
He blinked. "Enjoyment…? Is that edible?"
[ No. ]
---
A stray cat approached him, meowing.
Azrael stared at it blankly. "You are small."
The cat meowed again and rubbed against his boot.
"…Do you wish to form a contract?"
> [ Negative. It is expressing affection. ]
Azrael frowned faintly. "Affection… another human thing."
---
Hours passed. The city hummed with life — cars rushing, lights flashing, human laughter echoing down alleys. And yet, far above on the rooftops, something was watching him.
> [ Alert: Host is being observed. Divine signature — weak but familiar. ]
He didn't look up. His tone remained calm. "Another one of us?"
> [ Possibly. Fallen Category: Class-B. Power Reading: 12%. ]
Azrael stood slowly, brushing off crumbs like a soldier rising after centuries of war. The rain blurred the neon signs into streaks of color.
Somewhere on the rooftops, a pair of crimson eyes gleamed through the haze.
"…Took you long enough," Azrael murmured, voice low. "Let's see how humans handle divine destruction."
The ground trembled — faintly, almost imperceptibly.
But before anything could happen, the System suddenly interrupted:
> [ Side Quest Activated: Acquire Human Shelter. ]
[ Objective: Find a place to stay before engaging in combat. ]
[ Reward: +0.5% System Synchronization ]
Azrael paused. "…You're joking."
> [ I am not programmed for humor. ]
He sighed, glanced back at the glowing eyes above, and muttered,
"…You'll have to wait. Apparently, I need… rent."