Equivalent Exchange

"Is that a threat?" Her eyes seemingly pried into his soul as she asked this.

"Depends on how you view it." Narukami slightly shrugged his shoulders. Indicating he didn't want to be bothered with this any further.

Although he simply shrugged his shoulders, Higuchi strangely got a strong urge to retract her gaze from his eyes which she immediately did, and quickly noticed a person on his right shoulder.

Her brows creased as she frowned. She examined the person.

Yellow hair reached to his shoulder and exquisite face. Higuchi can't differentiate him if he was a male or a female.

"Shouldn't you take him to the hospital?" Higuchi recommended and Narukami replied,

"It's okay. I can sense his life energy is still particularly strong. He only ran out of spiritual and collapsed."

"What are you going to do with him?"

She didn't ask what happened to him but Narukami was thankful for that.

"I'm going to let him stay in my house."

Nothing was safer than that, Narukami added inwardly.

"It is none of my problems so I don't mind it but are you sure you are going to let a stranger sleep in your house?"

"What can an unconscious man do?"

Seeing her being overcautious over a weak stranger who can't do anything besides sleeping like a baby. 

Narukami asked that question to let her know that this man was not dangerous and harmless. Higuchi fell silent after that, not knowing what to say.

"It's your decision," she said and Narukami nodded.

"Right after you vanished, the urban legend appeared. This is more than a coincidence." Higuchi suddenly said.

"Is that so? Why not call it an equivalent exchange?" Narukami got up and walked away.

"Equivalent exchange?" She recited and was a bit lost. She then racked her mind and found what he was talking about.

Earlier, she told Narukami about her family and the artifact they had. 

Along with her power but she didn't tell him the whole truth about it. She did regret it because Narukami wouldn't tell his cause when one shared a secret, one should do the same too. Of course, that was normal.

One could also remain quiet and listen and this was what Narukami did. She somewhat wanted to go back to the past and zipped her mouth!

However, she didn't expect that Narukami would choose actions rather than words.

"So you're the one… Just who are you?" She recalled those mythical-like creatures roamed the streets every day before dusk. 

Those creatures were part of her life when she was growing up. From middle to high school. Through every part of her life, one could say they play an important role.

She usually found a spot to get a better look to see these creatures.

She sometimes wondered why and how they exist. With the limited knowledge of mysticism in her mind, she discovered these creatures were summoned by using spiritual energy.

And the one who summoned them was right in front of her eyes! 

She was surprised, scared, nervous, and a bit excited.

Scared because she recalled her recent actions towards him. All of which were going to get the bad side of him! 

He's going to hate me! Higuchi exclaimed in her heart.

Her expression turned pale just thinking about it.

Suddenly, she had a thought. If I deliberately tell his identity to the organization, I doubt my family is going to see the next day and if I anger him, the same could happen. She sighed inwardly, somewhat in dilemma and despair.

Even though his face was facing forward, showing her his back. As though he could read her mind, "don't worry, as long as your family has value in the city. I won't act recklessly."

Have value? What's he talking about? How should I know my family has one? Is it from politics? Money? Influence?

Her expression turned solemn. By knowing his true identity, she had to be careful.

Is this some form of monitoring? Is this the reason why he deliberately teleported in front of me? After I knew his identity, he had a reason to watch my every movement but why? No, perhaps I'm overthinking it. As her mind raced, she shook her head as she denied the possibility.

At the same time, Narukami's figure slowly blended in with the darkness, leaving a young woman in the park as she fell in deep thought.

'A new player just entered the world,' Narukami murmured and chuckled. What he murmured reminded him of a multiplayer game of blocks where one could enter another player's world.

With Honza on his right shoulder, Narukami couldn't enter the branch as if nothing happened. It would only invite trouble.

So, after distance away from Higuchi. He sneakily went behind what appeared to be an old warehouse behind the branch's building.

He laid Honza behind the warehouse and he leaned Honza's body against the wall. In this regard, he cloaked Honza's body with a bit of concealment and illusion.

Simply put, no one could see him even if they walked past him!

Shortly thereafter, he went into the branch, and soon, his phone vibrated. Indicating a message came in.

Take it out and read it, it was from Ryu. He successfully brought Asahi under control and didn't know what to do next. Thus reporting it to Narukami.

Tapping the keyboard at such an incredible speed that his finger became blurry. A rather thorough, detailed description of what Ryu should do was sent to him.

If shortening the message to a few sentences. It would be: Immediately go home, don't let other sorcerers know about Asahi's condition, keep an eye on him and immediately call Narukami if something happened.

After that, he put it back on his pants and went to the training hall. Surveying the vast, white hall with few people in it and a few training facilities.

He soon saw a familiar face. Aya obediently waited for him. He somewhat felt sorry for her that she had to wait.

Aya noticed a gaze and tracing the source, she saw Narukami near the door. Aya approached him.

"Narukami, your squad budget had been reduced to fix the destruction you caused."

A robotic voice came from his right and it was a robot holding a sheet of paper with its crab hand. It gave it to Narukami after it informed him.

It wasn't me who caused it, Narukami lampooned silently.

"Sorry to trouble you, Tin." He received the sheet. At this moment, Aya arrived before him and remain silent so as to not disturb him.

After seeing the sheet, which written all the property damage his squad did and how much was deducted, he thought to himself, it should be enough to level up one's progress.

As each mission rewarded them instantly and could be used for the next mission, one could effectively save squad budgets for dire and important matters.

Such as buying an evolution potion to improve one's strength and element.