Originally, Rod had intended to sign his own name.
But after a moment's thought, he dismissed the idea. He wasn't exactly famous. If Kokabiel saw the message and had no idea who "Rod" was, the emotional impact would be negligible. No anger, no humiliation, no urge for revenge.
And without those negative emotions, how would he lure Kokabiel out?
Rias Gremory's name, on the other hand, carried weight.
She was already one of Kokabiel's targets.
Imagine spending all that effort executing a perfect plan, only for another target to sabotage it halfway through, and then leave behind a mocking message for you to find.
If Rod were in his shoes, he wouldn't let that slide either.
After dealing with the stray exorcists, Rod finally had time to inspect the three Holy Swords.
[Holy Sword of the Heavenly Flash]
[Description: Enhances the wielder's movement speed and sword-striking velocity.]
[Holy Sword of Transparency]
[Description: Renders both blade and wielder invisible.]
[Holy Sword of Dreams]
[Description: Casts illusions upon the target or drags them into a dreamlike state.]
Reading the descriptions, Rod wasn't particularly impressed.
Moreover, Holy Swords came with strict requirements. Only those infused with sufficient Holy Sword Factors could wield them safely. Without it, at best the sword would reject its user; at worst, it would backlash violently.
When Xenovia and Irina became Holy Sword wielders, they had undergone a ritual to implant Holy Sword Factors into their bodies.
On a whim, Rod grabbed one of the swords to test it.
The next instant, holding the Holy Sword of Transparency, his body blended seamlessly into the environment.
"…It works?"
He blinked in surprise.
Was he naturally compatible with Holy Swords? Some kind of innate holy constitution?
Or was this yet another hidden benefit granted by the system?
There were seven Holy Swords in total, each with different, albeit relatively modest, abilities.
If he collected all seven… would he summon a dragon and make a wish?
He coughed lightly.
Or perhaps he would obtain the true Holy Sword in DxD verse.
Rod attempted to store the three blades inside his inventory.
Compared to the Holy Swords, the promised millions in payment suddenly felt far less appealing.
As expected, the system refused.
Like personal Sacred Gears, these swords could not simply be stored.
To claim them permanently, he would likely have to do what Kokabiel had done, steal them directly from the Church.
That, however, carried significant risk.
Reluctantly, Rod wrapped the three swords in cloth, opened the mission map, and selected Heaven as his destination.
...
A second later, Rod appeared in Heaven's administrative district, carrying the Holy Swords as casually as someone returning from a fish market.
Under the stunned gazes of angels, priests, and nuns, he pushed open Griselda's office door.
"Yo."
Griselda had been adjusting her uniform. Seeing Rod barge in, she instinctively prepared to scold him, but then her eyes fell on what he was holding.
"…What's that in your hand?"
"See for yourself."
Rod dropped the bundle onto her desk.
When she unwrapped it, her composure shattered.
The three Holy Swords stolen days ago,
Every single one had been recovered.
And they were authentic.
The sacred aura emanating from them was unmistakable. Each contained a fragment of the original King's Sword core, only seven such fragments existed in the world.
Rod had retrieved three of them.
In just a few days?
Even knowing his efficiency, this was excessive. The mastermind behind the theft was Kokabiel, a Fallen Angel executive.
Rod had taken the swords back from him?
"How did you manage this?" Griselda asked, unable to hide her astonishment.
"Simple. I found their base near Kuoh Town, infiltrated it, killed everyone, and took the swords."
Rod shrugged.
"What about the Fallen Angel executive?"
"Didn't see him. But it won't take long for him to notice what I left behind."
Rod nodded casually.
"I see."
Slaughtering a group of Holy Sword–wielding exorcists single-handedly sounded absurd.
But if it was Rod…
Perhaps not entirely unbelievable.
"You've done well, Rod."
With the Holy Swords recovered, there was no longer reason to fear for Xenovia and Irina's safety.
Griselda exhaled in relief.
Lady Gabriel's faith in Rod had clearly not been misplaced.
"I'll terminate their mission and recall them immediately."
"Suit yourself."
Rod had no objections.
But as he turned to leave, Griselda spoke again.
"Kokabiel will discover the truth soon. When he does, he will be furious. If you remain in Kuoh Town, you may be in danger."
Without the Holy Swords, Kokabiel still had one target left, Lucifer's younger sister.
And a furious Fallen Angel might lash out indiscriminately. Kuoh Town itself could suffer.
To prevent collateral damage, Griselda suggested Rod leave Kuoh with Asia.
After all, the massacre of the stray exorcists could easily be blamed on Rias Gremory, pushing responsibility onto the Underworld.
A two-sided war was preferable to a three-sided one.
And Heaven, positioned carefully, could profit from the aftermath.
Rod declined her suggestion.
After some deliberation, Griselda chose not to recall Xenovia and Irina after all. Instead, she would have them regroup with Rod in Kuoh Town.
If Kokabiel appeared, at least they could provide support.
Rod accepted that compromise and returned to Kuoh.
...
Late at night, beneath a sky scattered with sparse stars, Rod finished washing up and entered his room.
Seeing the slender figure on the bed, he slipped in behind her with practiced familiarity, wrapped his arms around her waist, adjusted himself comfortably, and drifted off to sleep.
The next morning, he awoke to persistent shoving.
Opening his eyes, he saw Lavinia sitting beside the bed, visibly flustered. Her hands were pressed against him, nudging insistently.
She rarely showed such panic.
Rod immediately sensed something was wrong.
"What happened?"
He extended his perception. Asia's aura was steady. The fallen angel trio. Kuroka. All present. No signs of disturbance.
"Th-this…" Lavinia stammered, pointing downward.
Rod followed her gaze,
And instantly sobered.
Rod looked as though he had returned from a battlefield.
His entire body was drenched in crimson. Some of the blood had already dried and clotted, making the scene look alarmingly brutal.
Without hesitation, Rod pulled out a bottle from his storage space and poured it over the mess.
Cool and refreshing.
Surprisingly comfortable.
[Biochemical Hand Sanitizer]
[Description: Instantly heals all physical injuries upon use.]
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