Layer One of Heaven
Administrative Wing
In a spacious office, Sister Griselda sat behind an oversized desk, meticulously working through stacks of documents.
"Artifact Investigation Report?"
The voice came out of nowhere.
Startled, Griselda's head jerked up, only to find a familiar face peering curiously over her paperwork.
"…Rod."
She exhaled. Her heart had nearly leapt out of her chest. Just as she was about to scold him, she recognized who it was.
Massaging her temples with a sigh, she said, "How many times have I told you? Knock before you come in."
"My bad. Lemme try again."
Rod nodded earnestly, walked out the door, shut it behind him, then knocked.
"…Come in," Griselda replied, trying not to roll her eyes.
Despite being exposed to Rod's antics countless times, the ever-proper Griselda still wasn't used to them. She opened her mouth, ready to scold him again: This is Heaven. This is my private office. We have angels, nuns, priests coming and going. What would they think?
But Rod didn't give her a chance.
He pointed at the files stacked on her desk and asked, "You're investigating Sacred Gears?"
Griselda gave a nod. She wasn't trying to hide it.
Anything placed openly on a desk wasn't classified.
"At the moment, we're working to locate all humans who possess Sacred Gears. If we identify promising candidates, we aim to bring them under Heaven's protection."
"After all, we're not the only ones watching them. The Son of God's Watchers and the Underworld have their eyes on those humans too."
Sacred Gears were unique to humanity.
Every human had a chance of being born with a latent Sacred Gear. Once awakened, it granted tremendous power.
The most powerful among them were the Longinus-class Sacred Gears, artifacts that housed the souls of gods, buddhas, or even Ashura-class beings.
All three major factions were hunting for such potential threats.
Griselda had long suspected that Rod possessed a Sacred Gear.
They'd known each other for years, and he'd demonstrated abnormal abilities in her presence on multiple occasions.
He could summon weapons and gear out of thin air. Heal wounds instantly, even reattach limbs. He once used a bizarre soap that restored a severed arm. And then there was that teleportation trick he used to reach Heaven itself.
All signs pointed to one conclusion: Rod likely had an undocumented Sacred Gear.
And since he was human, it wasn't surprising.
In truth, Rod's "Sacred Gear" was his system. But he was more than happy to let them believe otherwise, saved him the hassle of explaining.
"By the way, did you complete your mission?" Griselda asked.
"All four rogue demons, eliminated."
Rod nodded with casual confidence.
"Good. The payment will be transferred shortly."
Griselda began typing away at her computer. Moments later, a robotic voice rang out:
'You've received $200,000.'
Griselda's eyelid twitched. "…Rod, do you really have to keep that notification sound on?"
"Of course. The sound of money entering my account puts me in a good mood. When I'm happy, I work harder."
"…Fair enough."
Griselda didn't argue. She knew better. No matter how much she nagged, Rod would never change. After all, he was a freelance exorcist, not officially employed by the Church.
"Let me guess, you turned down the full-time exorcist job because the pay's too low?"
"Exactly."
Rod didn't hesitate to admit it.
"Becoming full-time means daily training, constant assignments, and endless meetings. Why would I give up my freedom for that?"
"I'd rather sleep on my 300-square-meter king-sized bed until I naturally wake up."
"Then maybe cruise the streets in a sports car, grab some drinks, and sleep until I naturally wake up again."
There was something else he didn't say aloud.
But this was Griselda, a nun. Some things were better left… unsaid. He'd keep those details for his own private enjoyment.
"Ahem!"
Griselda coughed and looked away, trying to maintain her composure. But truth be told, Rod's words hit a nerve.
She couldn't help but feel a pang of envy.
Her life? Nine to nine. Overtime. Mountains of paperwork. Never-ending responsibilities.
No. Don't go there, she scolded herself.
Griselda cleared her throat and sifted through the mess on her desk. After a moment, she pulled out a new dossier and slid it across the table toward Rod.
On the first page was the photo of a young man.
Below it, a label: Race – Demon.
"In the past few months, several female nuns have gone missing. This man has appeared near every affected church on security footage. I suspect he's our culprit."
"If possible, I need you to track him down, and find the missing nuns."
The moment she finished speaking, Rod's system chimed in his head.
[Griselda has issued a new quest.]
[Quest: Fallen Saints]
[Objective: Travel to Vatican City. Investigate the disappearance of the nuns and the demon's whereabouts. Reward: Random item upon completion.]
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