In Church, We Pray

As soon as I disappeared from the banquet, I found myself standing in front of a small church wedged between buildings.

[ARCHANGEL, ARIEL ADVISES YOU TO GO IN]

I follow the angels advice. Once inside, I scout the place for any danger. Rows of pews that were usually lined up evenly were pushed back or moved out of their place. Some were used to block a few of the doors around the church. After reinforcing some of the doors and windows, I finally decided to settle down for the first time in 2 days. A lot has happened, and I needed time to process everything that has happened.

[ARCHANGEL, ARIEL ADVISES YOU TO PRAY]

I look up at a statue of an angel. They don't even come close to how Ariel looks in person.

"Is there a reason that I should pray? My faith has gone through a whole change. I don't even wanna think about how I've been going to church praying to some twisted higher being." I kick the kneeling cushions down from the pew. Kneeling on it, I get into a praying position.

" —But I'll do it if you say so." I pout. A small breeze wafts inside the church, tickling me.

[ARCHANGEL, ARIEL SAYS ANYTHING IS FINE. AS LONG AS YOU MEAN IT.]

"Fine..." I kneel there and just say whatever is on my mind.

"I don't exactly know what's going to happen, but I hope I can pull myself together because right now. I miss my sister."

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PRIMROSE SYSTEM ACTIVATED. CREATING SKILL.

YOU SAID YOUR PRAYERS FOR THE FIRST TIME TODAY. [MORNING PRAYER LV.1] has been created.

1 UNALLOCATED POINT WILL BE GIVEN.

_____________________

Another message pops up:

_____________________

YOU LEVELED UP!

PLEASE SELECT YOUR MAIN OCCUPATION. OPTION(S):

-FALLEN ANGEL

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I continue to wait for the list to add more occupations, but the screen stays the same. I look back at the angel statue. I just find talking to thin air kinda awkward.

"That's it? There are no other occupations for me to even consider to look at?" I got no response, "I feel like I'm being set up." I grumble before selecting FALLEN ANGEL.

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MAIN OCCUPATION: FALLEN ANGEL

[FALLEN ANGEL]: As someone who was once an angel with holy powers from heaven. You fall from the graces of God. You are now tainted with demonic energy. However, due to your good nature, you are not even wanted in the demon realm. Casted out from both heaven and hell, you bare a deep hatred for the gods and demons.

OCCUPATION GRADE: UNIQUE

POSSIBLE GRADE: LEGENDARY

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". . . " Is this how they were going to categorize me? My revenge against the gods and demons has been made into this job occupation.

"The possibility of making this occupation legendary is comforting to know I could get stronger and not be stuck at a weak level."

I need to get as strong as possible. I can't trust anyone to have my back... but maybe Dal Jung-woo. I wonder if that boy is doing okay.

[7th PRINCE OF HELL, BALL ASKS IF THE HUMAN PICKED HER OCCUPATION YET.]

"Yes, not that I actually picked it. It was the only option it gave me." I sulk. I pulled up my profile to see the recent changes.

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Name: Marianne Primrose LVL: [ 1]

Height: 168cm

Age: 24

Occupation: DEVOTEE - NOVICE

[Hidden: FALLEN ANGEL (Angel/Demon)]

STR: 19 +[100]

SPE: 19+ [100]

STA: 18+ [100]

DEF: 15 + [100] [+50]

INT: 18 + [100]

LUCK: 20+ [101]

MANA: 16+ [100]

Unallocated Stat Pts: 11

Coins: 500,000

SKILLS: [UNFORTUNATE'S BLESSING LV.3] [HEALING ON AN ANGEL LV.3] [DEMON'S POSSESSION LV.2] [MORNING PRAYER LV.1]

PASSIVE SKILLS: [AUTO-HEALING LV.2]

EQUIPMENT: [ COUPLE'S STORAGE RING (F)]

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I almost forgot about the couple's ring. I put my hand out and inspect the ring. There wasn't anything beautiful about it. Just the fact that it was a normal silver ring. I pull it off and check for anything engraved inside.

M & C

"What the..." I pull up the ring description.

[COUPLE'S STORAGE RINGS (F)]: Storage ring set, special female ring. Shared storage of 10 cubic meters. Can store living and non-living things. Keeps things the same way you put them. Can adjust space usage. All options are possible for females, males limited to only storing/retrieving items into the space.

Current wearers: Marianne Primrose & Ho Hyun-cho.

Special Option: Couples can sense each other's health gauge.

I feel like this ring is a little on the unfair side... I not only get to take advantage of what the other ring wearer puts in, but he can't stop me from stealing the items. I can even block him from taking my things.

Not only that, but I can see Dark & Sexy's ... I mean, Ho Hyun-cho's? That's his name, I guess... health gauge?

Messing with the ring, two green lines appear over it. One green line had my name next to it, and Ho Hyun-cho's on the second green line. We were both in full health.

"I guess he can see mine too." I cringe. I don't exactly find it appealing to have a stranger knowing my condition.

This time, I decided to take a little peek what was in the storage rings so far. When the small portal opens, I stick my head inside.

I can see the couple's outfits floating next to each other. Swords and knives I had never seen, lots of bottle liquid potions, other weird trinkets, and even some food and water. I quickly put a wall to separate out things. 55/45 with me having the less space... only cause I felt bad for having all the other options. I then checked out the female's outfit.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO EQUIP [DOOMSDAY COUPLE'S OUTFIT (F)]? YES OR NO?

As soon as I hit YES, my body softly lights up. When the shining stops, I walk over to the mirrors the church had hiding in the corner. My defense Stat rose by 50.

The big t-shirt, shorts, and even my shoes had disappeared and were replaced with black high-thigh combat boots, black-fitted pants, and a matching turtleneck long sleeve spadex shirt. It even gave me the options to activate gloves, face masks, and custom harness whenever I wanted to.

I messed with my new outfit. I decided to keep the face mask on and the gloves. Next, I made sure to customize my harness to carry a weapon. I snuck back to the storage ring and snatched the two short blades. If I was confident in anything... it would be healing and then close combat. I still needed more experience and practice to get better.

I also made up my mind to separate the two powers. I have a feeling I would get in trouble if I used holy powers and demonic powers together.

Once I got settled in, I pulled out the cookies I was able to bring with me from the evening banquet.

"Mmmm!!!" I moan at the delicious crunch and sweetness of the chocolate chip cookies. I munched on the 12-so cookies I had. On my last one, the Heavens are always against me and hell always on my side.

BANG! BANG!

I dropped it, and it broke in half.

"You people are always making me drop my cookies..." I pick the half cookies and March towards the front doors.

More banging, laughs, and grunts can be heard from the other side.

"Hey, you little shit. Thought your Noona is gonna come save you?" A guy laughs.

"She's probably dead." Another chuckle.

"Shut up! My Noona's strong!" The young male voice made me perk up. I slide over to the closest window to the front door and see that 5 males surround a familiar boy, Dal Jung-woo. He kicks one guy on the knee, making him scream and fall back down the stairs.

"Ahh! You bastard! Beat him up!" Just before they even had a chance to lay their hands and feet on him, I threw open the door. I even hit one on the face as I did it.

"What the— " I kicked him down the stairs with his other friend. I pulled out my new knives and slit his throat, and the last one standing, I threw the knife at his eye.

"Ahhh! My eye!"

"S-she killed Dan!"

Jung-woo, who was on the floor, looked at me with a wary and curious look. Oh, I guess he doesn't recognize me with my new outfit. I had my face mask on. I also noticed his new clothes. They look like they were special with how well it still looked after a couple of beatings.

The two guys that fell down the stairs ran. The last dude who got hit by the door also took off running in another direction. One dead and the other blind, I walk over to half-blind. He begins to crawl away from me, covering his knifed-bleeding eye with a hand.

"M-monster! Demon!" He screams.

"That's insulting." I get close enough and pull the knife out of his eye, "Scram before I take your soul."

He scrambles up on his feet and runs. Of course, not without tripping and falling multiple times. I slightly laugh when he disappears from the corner of the building.

"Is that you, Noona?!" A tug on my harness and an excited voice brings my attention back to the young boy.

"Do you have some kind of curse for gangs to start betting you up?" I pull down my mask and smile down at him.

"Noona!" He tackles my waist and hugs me tightly, "I-I thought you didn't make it! B-but I didn't doubt you for a second!"

I pat his head, watching tears stream down his face and snot running down his nose. He must've felt lonely and scared to have to go forward alone, I thought.

"All that matters is that we meet again. Let's go inside. Do you want some cookies? It kinda fell on the ground, but I can assure you their still delicious." We walk inside while I put the cookie on his hand. He refuses to let go of me and simply opens his mouth instead.

"Ahh..." I laugh and stuff the half-cookie into his mouth, "Itz duh-we-cious."

"Haha, no talking with your mouth full." I was about to shut the door when I thought about the dead body outside... Eh, he can be our scarecrow. I shut the door and pushed a pew up against it.

The church was mostly quiet except for our footsteps. Jung-woo and I are making a spot to sleep in. While we push pews together to make a square to call our bedroom area, we talked about what happened after Hyun-cho, aka Dark and Sexy, broke the bridge.

"Ugh! I don't like him one bit! He was so mean and rude." Jung-woo huffs as he threw a few pillows he had found hiding in the floor.

"But... he did follow through with Noona's favor and told me to get first place on the special event." He rolls his eyes.

"Oh! What was it like with yours?" I asked, laying out some blankets I had also found.

He told me there were a bunch of teenagers his age. They had played red-light green light. He finished first and got a storage ring, 500,000 coins, and an outfit.

"Wow! I'm so proud of you!" I ruffle his black-brown hair.

"Hmph! Of course. I beat this other girl who always seems to have a problem with me." We both lay next to each other, staring at the window on the ceiling.

I had also retold the event I was in and how I met Hyun-cho, Vincent, and that awful Lilith.

"Next time we see them, let's avoid them, Noona!" He snuggled up on my side. He's such a sweet child.

"I wish I could say that. But it doesn't hurt to have a few strong people on our side... except crazy redhead. Definitely is out to get my blood." I laugh. We lay down in silence. Appreciating the quiet night.

"Hey, Noona." Jung-woo sleepingly calls out. I glance down at the child, waiting for him to say what he wants to say.

"Even though our lives were turned upside down... I'm glad it did." He murmers, "Before this, I was in the orphanage. The other kids and even the director and teachers were always mean and abusive. It wasn't any different than now." My heart tightens to his words.

"But meeting you has been nothing but a blessing to me, Noona. I'm so thankful the apocalypse happened." Jung-woo then drifts off to sleep, snoring softly.

I softly comb through his hair, as I think of what my life was before all of this happened.

I was just a lazy older sister who stayed with her workaholic sister. Although my sister always yelled at how lazy I was, she's always happy to eat the food I prepared for her and the side dish of sarcasm. Before I drifted off to sleep, a small voice whispered to me.

"Find me."