The alley was in shadow, a narrow passage filtering the bustle of the capital. Three figures blocked the way. Their faces reflected that mix of stupidity and cruelty possessed only by low-level thugs.
"Give us what you have, and maybe we won't break anything," said the largest one, a man with a scar on his lip.
I didn't waste time on useless dialogue.
In the streets, technique was my only currency. But here, I felt my muscles respond with a new power, a density my previous world never allowed. I wasn't invulnerable, but for these three, I was more than enough.
The first thug lunged at me with a knife. Too slow. I pivoted on my left foot and landed a dry punch to his neck. The impact was brutal; his eyes rolled back before his body even touched the ground.
"What the hell...?" the second one tried to step back, terrified.
I cut off his path with a leap and drove my fist into his stomach. The force was such that I lifted him a few inches off the ground. He collapsed breathless, groaning in pain.
The third couldn't even react. A single right hook to the jaw was enough to send him to dreamland. Subaru's body wasn't just agile; it was a demolition tool if used with the right intent.
Three seconds. Three targets neutralized.
"Useless," I muttered, adjusting my tracksuit jacket.
A rumble above my head forced me to look up. A blonde blur crossed the sky, jumping between rooftops with feline agility. Felt. She carried something shiny in her hand: Emilia's insignia.
I didn't stop her. I knew her role in this story wasn't over yet.
[Mission Completed: The Invisible Protector (Phase 1)]- Reward: 50 Soul Essence.- Bonus: Tactical Efficiency (+10 Essence).
[Authority Shop: Unlocked]
The blue interface flickered again. This time, the coin bag icon glowed in a deep gold. I opened it mentally while waiting for "the next event."
"Are you okay?" a voice like the chime of a silver bell broke the silence of the alley.
I turned my head.
There she was. Silver hair, amethyst eyes, and an expression that shifted between concern and confusion. Emilia—or Satella, as she called herself at this moment—looked at me while her eyes drifted toward the three unconscious bodies on the ground.
"It seems you had control," she observed, her fingers fidgeting near her chest, where the spirit Puck poked his cat-head out.
"They were an unnecessary bother," I replied calmly, giving her a quiet smile. "You're looking for an insignia with an eagle emblem, right?"
Emilia tensed. Her gaze became sharp, but she didn't step back.
"How do you know that?"
"I saw it all," I partially lied, using my plot knowledge as a tool. "A blonde girl just passed by the rooftops. I know where she's heading."
I stood up, brushing the dust off my pants. I didn't look for thanks, nor did I act like a knight from a fairy tale. I simply presented myself as the ally she needed.
"If you want to recover it before it's too late, I suggest we move. I'm Subaru."