Chapter 1: The Priest and the Little Boy

Gotham City.

Inside a dilapidated, old church.

The ceiling and beams of this church had gradually faded under the wash of time, showing signs of decay. Moonlight filtered through a gap in the roof, casting a pale beam upon a young boy praying before a statue.

"Please, God, give me food so my friends and I can survive. Lord, we haven't eaten in three days..." Jason prayed in a weak, raspy voice. He didn't actually believe in God; he had merely heard that a devout priest had recently moved into this long-abandoned church and wanted to see if playing the pity card could score him a bite to eat.

He was a clergyman, after all, so surely he had some kindness in him? Jason thought to himself. But considering the local customs of Gotham, he couldn't help but feel a bit uncertain.

"My dear child, getting something for nothing is not a virtue. You shouldn't pray like that," a young priest said as he walked over with slow, measured steps. "Although the Lord will answer your prayers, your approach is wrong."

"Then what should I do?" Jason asked, taken aback.

"How about this: go steal something to fill your stomach, then come back to our church to make a donation for penance, praying for the Lord to forgive your sins." The priest crossed himself, his face a mask of solemn devotion.

"I never expected anyone to actually pitch indulgences to me," Jason said, utterly dumbfounded by the priest's words.

"And I never expected a beggar to try and solicit alms from a priest," the priest sighed.

"...Are you really a priest?" Jason stood up, sizing up the man before him.

Judged solely by his attire, the man indeed looked like a clergyman. However, instead of a Bible, he was clutching the latest issue of *Playboy*. He smelled faintly of alcohol, and hanging around his neck was... damn, that was a lighter.

A crucifix was engraved on the lighter, which Jason felt was the absolute bare minimum of respect left for God.

"Of course. I'm a legitimate priest who studied in the Vatican. My name is Father Roland," he introduced himself. Noticing Jason's gaze, he began to introduce the item enthusiastically. "The Requiem of Evil Spirits lighter, the exact same model used by John Constantine, Hellblazer. The design features the Saint Benedict Medal. It's perfect for clergymen like us. Are you interested in it too?"

There were so many things Jason wanted to roast that he was temporarily left speechless. After a moment, he finally asked, "Why are you wearing a lighter around your neck?"

"Oh, that's because whenever I go to a bar, people always steal my lighters. So I came up with this idea." Roland shrugged. "It works like a charm. Ever since I hung it around my neck, I haven't lost it once."

...Jason fell silent. He felt that coming to a ruined church at this hour to meet a priest who seemed like a prime candidate for Arkham Asylum was the stupidest decision he had ever made.

"I get the feeling you're thinking of something rather rude," Roland said, squinting at Jason.

"I'm not," Jason rolled his eyes and turned to leave.

"Wait. It couldn't have been easy for you to find this place. At least have a meal before you go," Roland called out to him. "I'll make you some noodles."

"Fine." Jason watched Roland walk into a small kitchen off to the side, and began to scan his surroundings.

Soon, Roland came out carrying two bowls of noodles.

"Authentic spaghetti bolognese. Give it a try." Roland slid a bowl in front of Jason.

"Don't you dare say that in front of the Falcone family, or they will definitely slaughter you," Jason sighed.

Roland rolled his eyes. "You've just never had the real deal. Once you taste it, you'll know how delicious it is."

"My friends are still hungry, and I can't bear to eat alone. How about you let me take these noodles back?" Jason thought about it and didn't dare eat them right here, worried it would give him a stomach ache the next day.

"...Take it then. You don't have to bring the bowls back either," Roland decided to see the good deed through to the end.

"Thanks for the meal. I'm leaving." Jason walked away carrying the bowls.

"What's the rush..." Roland muttered as he slurped his own noodles, completely failing to notice that the hurried Jason's clothes bulged significantly more than when he had arrived.

[Goodwill Points +40]

*Strange, how did this kid generate so many Goodwill Points just from a single meal?* Roland wondered as he ate.

That was right. Roland was a transmigrator, and this Goodwill system was the cheat he had acquired upon crossing over.

[When you perform good deeds, you will obtain Goodwill Points.]

[When you redeem others, you will obtain Redemption Points.]

[Every time Goodwill Points reach 100, a lucky draw will be unlocked. The prize pool contains items or abilities related to believers from various worlds.]

[Each point of Redemption will slightly increase the probability of drawing rare items.]

[Current Goodwill Points: 100]

[Items: None]

[Abilities: None]

Roland had been in Gotham for a week now, and he had deeply experienced the "hospitable" nature of the local populace. Doing good deeds was far harder than doing bad ones. In any other city, accumulating 100 Goodwill Points would be as simple as helping elderly ladies cross the street every day. In Gotham, it was nowhere near that easy.

On his very first day, before he even realized what was happening, all the cash on his person had vanished into thin air, which subsequently earned him 60 Goodwill Points.

Broke and desperate, he had no choice but to rob an Italian restaurant, nearly getting his head blown off by the chef with a shotgun.

Fortunately, the chef's aim was atrocious. He had aimed at Roland but blasted the restaurant's chandelier instead, allowing Roland and the spaghetti in his hands to escape unscathed.

Fleeing in panic, Roland had stumbled into this abandoned church. Considering the divine theme of his system, he figured he might get some heavenly protection by staying in a church.

So, Roland found a set of priestly vestments, put them on, and pretended to be a priest. He hoped to hustle some donation money to secure a safe means of transportation out of Gotham.

But now...

[Your Goodwill Points have reached 100. Would you like to start the lucky draw?]

"Start!" Since this was Roland's first draw, he was highly anticipating what he might get.

A golden wheel appeared before his eyes, divided into countless tiny sections. Each section was inscribed with small text, and a few rows glowed with brilliant light, instantly catching Roland's attention.

Lorgar's Book: *The Lectitio Divinitatus*

Enrico Pucci's Stand: Whitesnake

Enrico Pucci's Stand: Made in Heaven

The Realm of Shattered Dreams: Magnetic Field Rotation - 940,000 Horsepower

Kirei Kotomine's Martial Art: Bajiquan

Immovable Rock's Skill: Sacred Fire

Abbé Faria's Wealth: The Treasure of Monte Cristo

The other sections contained more ordinary items, such as a crucifix, a Bible, a silver coin of Tyre, and so forth.

*I wonder if thirty silver coins of Tyre can exchange for one Jesus...* Roland mused as he flicked the pointer on the wheel.

The wheel spun at a breakneck speed, only beginning to slow down after an countless number of rotations. The central pointer crept downward at a snail's pace.

Finally, the slender needle came to a halt on a glowing section.

[Caesar Gattuso's Yanling: Kamaitachi]