Chapter 12 - Abandoned Church
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Host: Roy Flott
Race: Human
Level: 30[Middle-Class]
Replicated Ability: Hell Fire (C)
Replicated Items: None
Dimensional Points: 5,593
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"The demonic power doesn't show up in the ability or item bar, even though it's clearly boosted my strength."
"LVL30…" Roy estimated his strength.
With Demonic Power and Hell Fire inherited from the Phenex clan, his strength was comparable to someone wielding a Sacred Gear.
At worst, he figured he was somewhere between the peak of a Low-Class and a Middle-Class.
"Facing Raynare now shouldn't be too dangerous," Roy mused.
Raynare, a key antagonist in the story's opening arc, was a minor boss.
As a two-winged fallen angel, her strength was formidable.
She held a good rank among her kind, commanding three other two-winged fallen angel subordinates.
Her performance in the anime suggested she surpassed typical two-winged fallen angels, likely matching a Middle-Class Devil.
Even against standard Middle-Class Devils, Raynare held an edge.
Fallen angels, despite their fall, retained light-based powers, which were especially potent against Devils.
Light was a Devil's bane.
"But I don't think I need to fear her light-based powers,"
Though his replicated abilities originated from Devils, he remained fundamentally human.
The system left his essence unchanged, so the light-based powers targeting Devils wouldn't affect him the way they would.
To Roy, Raynare's light spears were just another weapon.
"Then let's head to the church and test my luck," Roy decided.
He extinguished the faint flame in his hand, before leaving the hotel room.
After taking a taxi, Roy instructed the driver to head to the abandoned church in the suburbs of Kuoh Town.
"I can only stop here," the driver said after about fifteen minutes, parking on the roadside.
"There's a mountain path ahead, and I can't drive up there." He glanced at Roy curiously.
"That church has been abandoned for ages. What're you doing there?"
"Just sightseeing, checking it out," Roy replied vaguely.
"It's not a great spot. I've heard stories of weird stuff happening there in the past."
"If you're just touring, I can suggest better places around Kuoh Town," the driver offered enthusiastically.
"My family's got some religious folks, so skipping the church while I'm in Kuoh Town would earn me a lecture back home," Roy said, inventing an excuse with a smile.
"Want me to wait here? It's tough to get a taxi out here," the driver asked.
"Wait thirty minutes. If I'm not back by then, you can head off," Roy said, handing over some yen to cover the wait.
The driver nodded, happy to oblige.
Roy stepped out and started up the mountain path.
The route to the church was neglected, covered in dust and fallen leaves, clearly untended for years.
The road looked worn and forgotten.
After about ten minutes, Roy reached the church's entrance.
"Hm?"
He paused, not entering immediately, and scanned the surroundings, particularly the area around the church gate.
"It's too clean. Someone's been maintaining this place," Roy noted, his eyes narrowing with heightened caution.
Despite the dusty mountain path, the church's immediate surroundings were spotless.
The building itself showed no signs of cobwebs or anything.
"Probably fallen angels," Roy guessed.
That unhinged white-haired exorcist, Freed Sellzen, was human and would likely leave footprints if he frequented the path.
Yet, Roy hadn't spotted any signs of foot traffic on the way up.
Fallen angels could fly in and out, bypassing the mountain road entirely and leaving no trace.
With his suspicions confirmed, Roy pushed open the church door and stepped inside, hoping to encounter a fallen angel.
"Empty?" he muttered, scanning the vacant church hall.
A statue loomed above the altar, flanked by rows of pews for prayer and rest—a standard church layout, just as Roy expected.
The interior was pristine, with no dust on the pews or floors.
Someone had definitely been here, and recently.
Fallen angels wouldn't clean like humans, but a quick burst of a spell could easily keep the place spotless.
"Let's wait and see," Roy decided.
He searched the church, finding only a few black feathers in the basement.
With no pressing plans, he didn't mind lingering.
If Raynare or her group showed up, the trip would be worth it.