Back at the Trash Fox Detective Agency, Kawashima Toya reverted to his usual state of a societal outcast.
Lazy and unmotivated, he looked for all the world like someone just waiting to die.
"It felt great to stretch my limbs."
Toya recalled the battle at Private Toyogasaki Academy with excitement in his heart.
After training with Shishou Scáthach, he had become much stronger.
If it had been before, he could never have resolved the Toyogasaki crisis so easily.
Let alone move like an assassin, weaving through the darkness and slaying kidnappers like a ghost.
"Pity I can't sleep now."
Toya sighed.
If he could sleep now, he would dive back into dreamland without hesitation.
Training in the Land of Shadows was infinitely more efficient than fumbling around aimlessly in the real world.
"Since there's nothing to do, I'll play games."
Toya picked up his high-tech smartphone and skillfully logged into the game.
As soon as he logged in, his screen was flooded with messages.
"Gabriel really doesn't give up, does she?" Toya glanced at them casually; all the messages were from Gabriel.
This angel, who had just stepped into the online world and had almost zero combat power, was doing her utmost to express her rage.
"Stop chasing me. You're too weak."
"I don't want to fight such a weak opponent. It's not challenging at all."
Toya replied casually, then controlled his character to go do quests.
----
Gabriel's Apartment.
Gabriel, who had thoroughly transformed into a shut-in always online, was exploding with rage. "You detestable guy! I'm going to make you drop your equipment!"
"Those items cost me my hard-earned monthly living expenses!"
Only as she gradually became addicted to the game did she realize just how precious the equipment Toya had looted from her was.
Now, she couldn't afford good gear and could barely scrape together a basic set.
Even in reality, she had reached her most desperate point—her living expenses had bottomed out.
"Damn it! I have no money!"
"How can I fight without equipment?!"
Gabriel frantically grabbed her sun-kissed golden hair.
Her already messy, bird's-nest hair became even messier.
In her anger, Gabriel suddenly glanced at her angel halo, which had been wiped clean and was emitting a warm glow on the computer desk. "Maybe I could..."
That noon, after enduring prolonged psychological torture, Gabriel—harboring a mix of guilt and excitement—quietly left her apartment clutching her angel halo.
No one knew where she was going.
"Just once. Once I defeat that damn Trash Fox, I'll redeem it."
"No one will find out I sold my angel halo."
----
Noon
Toya, who had decided to go out and buy lunch for once, spotted Gabriel acting like a thief.
"What is Gabriel up to?"
"That movement... it's a bit strange." seeing her clutching her angel halo, he felt like she was planning something bad.
Although he didn't know what Gabriel intended to do, Toya decided to follow her.
Ten minutes later, Toya witnessed Gabriel enter a pawn shop with a guilty expression and leave looking delighted.
When she left, the angel halo was no longer in her arms.
"She actually sold it?"
Toya's eyebrow twitched. He had clearly overestimated Gabriel's integrity—she had even sold her angel halo.
"This is an opportunity!" A sharp glint flashed in Toya's eyes.
Although he didn't know the specific rank or function of the angel halo...
Gabriel's halo was definitely no ordinary item.
After all, as an angel, Gabriel possessed the power to easily destroy the human world.
"This might become a great aid to me in the future."
"It might even have unimaginable effects."
"I'm not short on money anyway, so why not buy it?"
Toya chuckled lightly and walked into the pawn shop where Gabriel had sold her halo.
As soon as he stepped inside, he was immersed in an atmosphere of profound cultural heritage.
The pawn shop owner was holding the angel halo, examining it with half-baked knowledge.
"As expected, he doesn't understand it." Toya thought to himself. "Looks like I can buy it."
On the way here, he had worried that this might be a pawn shop with hidden depths.
But judging by the owner's expression, he completely regarded the angel halo as a somewhat unique custom lighting fixture.
Toya looked at the owner and said warmly, "Boss, I'd like to buy a decorative lamp from your shop!"
----
Ten minutes later.
Toya walked out of the pawn shop holding the angel halo Gabriel had sold.
Once outside, a smile finally broke through on his handsome face.
"Success!"
[Name:Angel Halo]
[Rank: Berserker (Quasi-God Lower Tier)]
[Description: The halo of an angel, containing the majority of the angel's divine power.
If utilized to its full potential, it can cleanse the world of filth or destroy the entire human world.]
Toya walked away cradling the halo, unable to hide the smile on his lips.
Such a massive bargain—he estimated this would be a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence. He might never encounter such a good deal again.
The pawn shop owner counted his one hundred thousand yen, beaming with joy. "What a sucker. I bought that halo for twenty thousand and sold it for one hundred thousand."
At this moment, the owner had absolutely no idea what he had sold for a mere one hundred thousand yen.
Back at the Trash Fox Detective Agency, Toya placed the angel halo with extreme caution in a conspicuous spot, right next to the Demon Sword Murasame.
"Another item for the collection!" Toya looked at Gabriel's angel halo and nodded with satisfaction. "If I encounter danger in the future, I can have someone use this halo."
Although he didn't know how to use the angel halo yet, he would figure it out eventually.