According to intel, Rod was supposed to be just a potential Sacred Gear user, a minor hero candidate at best.
Yet Jeanne had just witnessed him take down an entire vampire den in the blink of an eye.
What surprised her most, though, was that she couldn't even see how he disappeared earlier.
"Was that… the ability of your Sacred Gear? You moved so fast, I couldn't even catch it," she asked, still stunned.
Jeanne wasn't just any fighter. She bore the soul of the original Jeanne d'Arc. Her physical prowess and combat sense far surpassed the average human, and she even wielded a Sacred Gear called Sacred Sword Creation. She had mastered its Balance Breaker form, giving her enough power to go toe-to-toe with higher-class beings.
If Rod had come at her during that acceleration, she wasn't sure she would've had time to react.
"Wanna learn it?" Rod asked.
"Wait, really? Is it something you can teach?"
Jeanne's curiosity flared.
If she could pick it up, her power would increase dramatically.
"Nope."
"..."
Jeanne stared at him like she'd just been scammed by a telemarketer.
How the hell do you say something like that with a straight face?!
"So… what do you want from me?" Rod asked, ignoring her glare.
He didn't mention her connection to the Hero Faction. Until he was strong enough to go full "invincible protagonist," it was better to keep some cards close.
Jeanne gave him a look full of resentment before muttering, "This isn't the right place. Let's go somewhere private."
They left the dance floor. Some of the survivors instinctively tried to follow, only for Jeanne to shoot them a chilling look.
"You're safe now. No need to follow us. If you can go home, go."
The moment she finished, the survivors exchanged glances and then scattered, carefully tiptoeing around the piles of ash as they rushed out the front door like panicked horses let out of a stable.
Across the street, a group of tourists stared at the spectacle, unsure whether this was a real emergency or just some edgy European performance art.
After all, Westerners were… abstract like that.
.....
In a dimly lit private booth.
The rainbow-colored ambient lighting gave the room a suggestive glow. On the widescreen TV, some kind of biological education film was playing in full uncensored glory.
Jeanne's face turned beet red. She clapped her hands over her eyes.
Though she'd long since left the Church and wanted to find a boyfriend, she was still technically a "holy maiden." This kind of content was far too advanced for her.
Rod didn't bother mocking her. But he did notice how wide the gaps between her fingers were, and how big her eyes looked through them.
He walked over, turned off both the TV and the lights, and casually took a seat.
"Can we talk now?"
"Mm…"
Jeanne dropped her hands, cheeks still flushed with regret, but also relief.
What are you even regretting…? Want me to turn it back on?
Rod silently stared at her as she sat across from him.
"Have you heard of the Hero Faction?" she asked.
"Nope."
"That's understandable. We're a relatively new organization. Our members come from all over the world, descendants of legendary heroes or awakened Sacred Gear users."
She finished her pitch and watched his face closely.
Rod couldn't help thinking she sounded like an audiobook.
You could've just said all that at once, you know?
"So what does this organization do?"
Jeanne beamed with pride. "The Hero Faction seeks to unite the heroes of humanity! Together, we'll carve out our place in this world. We want to show the gods, devils, and angels who look down on us that humanity is just as capable of achieving greatness!"
She stood up mid-sentence, her fists clenched, her pale cheeks flushed with zeal.
Rod frowned slightly.
Great. She's in a cult.
"Rod, we've actually been watching you for some time!"
That got his attention.
Since when?!
Rod quickly asked his system.
[System Report: No surveillance detected on the host.]
Reassured, Rod realized the Hero Faction had probably just gathered public intel and made educated guesses. His identity wasn't exactly top-secret within the Church, and Jeanne, as a former saint, likely had access to more files than most.
Still, Griselda had probably helped hide the more sensitive parts.
Jeanne continued, "Even though this meeting was a coincidence, I think fate brought us together. So, on behalf of the Hero Faction, I, Jeanne d'Arc, officially invite you to join us! Will you fight for the future of humanity?"
She offered her hand, smiling brightly.
"You'll find like-minded comrades among us."
"…"
"I heard you don't have a girlfriend. If you join, you might meet someone special~"
Jeanne gave him a teasing wink.
"Sounds like a pyramid scheme," Rod deadpanned.
"That's not true!" Jeanne waved her hands in panic. "Our members are the cream of the crop! We've got direct descendants of historical legends!"
"The more you explain, the more it sounds like a cult…"
Rod looked genuinely distressed.
But just then, a system prompt popped up in front of him.
[New Quest: Join the Hero Faction]
[Objective: Successfully join the Hero Faction. Reward: Random]
Ugh. Fine. It's a cult… but it's an XP-giving cult.
"I'll join. But I want full autonomy. If there's a mission I don't like, I have the right to refuse."
Rod laid out his condition.
If joining meant giving up his freedom, he'd drop the quest on the spot.
"No problem!"
Jeanne agreed instantly.
"Our Hero Faction is very open. We don't force anyone to do anything they don't want to."
Given that most of their members were descendants of literal heroes, or hosts to heroic spirits, strong personalities were the norm. They had established these lenient policies to prevent implosions before the group even got off the ground.
Fortunately, those who joined usually shared the same ideals, and the organization had only continued to grow.
"Then we're good."
Rod nodded.
[Quest "Join the Hero Faction" Complete]
[Reward: Hand Sanitizer ×10]
"…Hand sanitizer?"
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