The Price of Power

"Other people?" 

"These are the people we hired to guard the warehouse. They may be few in number compared to the gang, but they will still be helpful." 

"… … ." 

However, it seems that they did not intend to let the wizard take on the gang alone. 

Instead of answering, Leo turned his head out the window. 

The number of gang members that Jenny spoke of was at least 100. 

How many people could Leo possibly deal with if he didn't expect much help from others? 

To be honest, Leo can easily handle many people right now, as long as the opponent is not a magic user. 

If you spread out the shield five times, most bullets or blades won't even be able to penetrate it, and if you sit down and bombard it in all directions with magic, you'll be able to launch a one-sided attack as long as your magic power allows. 

However, if there is someone in the gang who uses magic or other abilities, things get a little difficult. 

Of course, there was no chance of death, but I couldn't guarantee that I would be able to properly protect that new drug sample. 

Additional information was needed. 

'Let's shake it a little.' 

"According to Jenny, you guys knew about it and still beat me up for my ransom." 

"Yes… Yes?" 

Leo smiled faintly as he looked at Sage's visibly embarrassed face. 

"Not only did they double the salary at once, but they also completely ignored the general market price." 

"Oh, you misunderstood." 

Sage answered, sweating profusely. 

His hands on the steering wheel began to shake. 

It was more likely that he was afraid of upsetting the wizard sitting in the passenger seat rather than actually having a guilty conscience at Leo's words. 

Because the fear that you could end up being grilled by an electric grill while sitting down is something that is not easily overcome. 

Leo stared at Sage in silence for a while before continuing. 

"Are there any other samples in the warehouse?" 

Sage, who had been extremely nervous, but it hard when Leo slyly changed the subject. 

"No, that's not true. It was originally used by the CEO for personal use, so there are also samples of other drugs on the market." 

"I wonder what kind of samples you have. Are there any common medicines like sleeping pills?" 

"We don't handle it directly, but… we probably do." 

"It's okay." 

"Yes?" 

"It's nothing." 

It wouldn't be a bad thing if I could get hold of another sample, since the sleeping pills sold at the shabby drugstore in District 49 are not working. 

I've always put off buying other sleeping pills because I only think about them when I'm going to sleep, but I thought it would be a good idea to get one now. 

Meanwhile, the car Sage was driving suddenly stopped. 

"We've arrived. It looks like everyone else has gathered as well." 

There were about ten people gathered in front of the warehouse, which had already been confirmed in the photos. 

Not enough to attract attention from the surroundings, but a lot of people gathered to guard one warehouse. 

There were obvious signs that the pharmaceutical company, which could not openly show its intention to clash with the district council members, was worried about the number of employees. 

"People… seem to have a lot of complaints." 

Leo muttered as he looked out the window at the people with bloodshot eyes. 

The sight of them approaching us, each wearing a shabby outfit and carrying a gun or blade, was extremely murderous. 

Among them, the muscular, fierce-looking man who had been approaching first roughly pounded the car body. 

"Hey!! Open the door right now! Come out!" 

"Who, what's going on?" 

"This is different from what was promised! What on earth can we do with this number of people now!!" 

It may seem like a lot to guard one warehouse, but it's a ridiculously small number when you consider that it's used to guard against gang raids. 

Leo looked around and saw that the level and appearance of each person was not all that neat. 

It wasn't difficult to figure out the situation. 

"They beat everyone else up except me." 

"That's…. Oh, no." 

"I don't care, but don't those people know that?" 

Sage's face turned pale again at Leo's calm words. 

To be blunt, this situation isn't entirely his fault. 

The board of directors and a small number of executives know that samples made by pharmaceutical companies are hidden here. 

Their decision to keep an eye on the gang's samples with such a small number is probably the biggest reason. 

As frustrating as it may be, you can't always work with smart clients. 

"Phew… Let's go out." 

"Yes? But if I go out now…." 

"I'll give you back what you've received." 

Leo didn't wait for an answer and just swung the door open. 

pre-emptive strike 

As soon as he appeared in the passenger seat, people turned on their horns and rushed towards him. 

"What the hell are you doing, coming out with this guy?" 

"If you're late, get out of here! We have something to discuss with this kid." 

"When these kids hired us, they didn't even tell us we were a gang!" 

My head starts to ring as the screaming rings in my ears. 

"Would you please be quiet?" 

"You little shit, you're fucked too! What are you nitpicking about!!" 

"If you get caught by a gang, you can't run away!" 

The voices of the men speaking like that sounded like they had a faint hint of crying in them. 

Leo understood their position. 

At first glance, it looks like they were lured here by the high salary, so if they were suddenly told that they might have to deal with a gang, they would be terrified. 

But that doesn't mean I had any intention of coaxing or appeasing them with words. 

"Can't you hear me now? Get out of the car…!!" 

Leo shoved him hard and grabbed the man's shoulder as he tried to open the car door. 

It increases your magical power in one breath. 

[bolt] 

Crackle!! 

"Ugh, ugh, ugh!!" 

As I looked at the man who had collapsed, extremely angry and rolling his eyes, I took a cigarette out of my arms and put it in my mouth. 

No one spoke to him as he lit the fire by drawing the flame between his fingers and exhaling smoke. 

Although it was only for a brief moment, there was no one who failed to see the bright blue current he had created. 

"Oh, you were a wizard…." 

"The pharmaceutical company hired the wizard?" 

"Well, that makes sense…" 

"Be quiet." 

This time, everyone shut their mouths at once. 

Leo slowly looked around at the people and opened his mouth. 

"From what you say about gangs, I think you know the basics." 

People nodded silently. 

"Okay. It's the company's fault for not giving you a detailed explanation." 

The car shuddered slightly as Leo tapped the tire with his heel. There was no need to think about who was shivering inside. 

"But right now, this guy is just an employee following the company's orders. Would it be a waste of time to smash his car and beat him up here?" 

I'm not saying this because I have a special crush on Sage. 

But nothing will be solved by taking your anger out on him, who is just a messenger. 

To Leo, this was a waste of time. It was better to send him away quickly and get ready to work. 

But even if I came all the way here and talked, not many people would listen. 

No, I don't want to hear it. 

"Get out of the way when I speak nicely. Are you a wizard or something?" 

Hurrruk!! 

A man appears, pushing through the crowd, and red flames rise from his arms. 

People hurriedly stepped aside from the scorching heat that burned them like a living flame. 

He glared at Leo with blazing eyes and grumbled. 

"The people gathered here don't seem to know much, but not all magicians are great. Rather, if they've rolled in here, they're probably just guys who were kicked out of the Magic Tower with only a small amount of magic power." 

"… … " 

Leo looked the man up and down in silence, blowing out smoke. 

Bloodshot eyes, tense and angry. A rough impression with a rough beard and leather jacket. 

In some ways, he had an atmosphere that was almost identical to that of the supervisors at the factory where he worked, but the flames rising from his arms were not fake. 

Leo nodded inwardly as he watched the flames rising from the air without any magical power. 

'I see a psychic twice a day.' 

A Pyrokinesis. A Pyrokinesis Although the names and forms vary, they are well known for their intuitive and powerful abilities. 

However, since he was called to a place like this without hearing any circumstances, he probably isn't a powerful superpowered person. 

Leo replied with a smile. 

"So what? You push me out and burn this car to ashes?" 

"… ...No. To begin with, low-level magicians are just burdens. I will burn you too!!" 

The man growled and extended his burning hand toward Leo. 

Leo stared at it; his mouth still open. 

As expected, in this world, there is nothing that can be resolved with kind words. 

Your opinion is power, and power is a means of communication. 

Leo reached out as well, recalling that simple yet brutal logic once again. 

Thud! 

Just before touching the flames, she puts a shield over her skin and holds the man's hand. 

"…!!!!" 

Leo's completely unexpected actions made not only the pyrotechnicians but also those watching from behind open their mouths. 

"What, what!! What are you doing!!" 

Leo didn't answer. He would soon understand without having to say anything. 

He conjures up an image of a strong flame while silently drawing up his magic power. 

Just by that, the magical power ripples and a new magic stir, blending with the man's flames. 

A bright red blast of heat shot out from Leo's clasped hands, flipping the man over and swallowing him. 

Hurrah!! 

"Eek!!" 

"Oh, crazy… This is ridiculous!!" 

Leaving behind the voices of astonished people, two streams of flames swirl around each other and shoot out in all directions. 

The two flames, which had been writhing as if in a violent collision, soon merged into one and spread out in one direction in an instant. 

There was no need to even consider whose flame was defeated. 

Whoosh whoosh!! 

"Kuaaaaaaah!!" 

Not all flame users are immune to flame. 

Of course, since they burn themselves to create flames, they naturally have a certain level of fire resistance, but low-level superpowered people cannot be free from the pain caused by high-temperature flames. 

If you are not proud of your own talent and have honed your abilities, you may not understand, but in the face of the flames that surpass your limits, you will be helpless like everyone else. 

'In some ways, it's like the limitations of someone with superpowers.' 

As it relies solely on innate talent, its manifestation is intuitive and requires no special effort, but conversely, to handle abilities beyond one's own capabilities, more than ordinary effort is required. 

Because of this, powerful superpowered users were treated similarly to high-level magic users, but their numbers were relatively small. 

The man writhed in pain and writhing, but Leo did not let go. 

I don't know what his true intentions were, but he was the one who made the first move, saying he would burn him. 

Even if they didn't kill him on the spot, they needed to be trampled down thoroughly without leaving any aftereffects. 

"Okay, I was wrong!! Please, please save me!!" 

The man shed tears as he was burned to death, a pain he had never experienced in his entire life, but even those tears evaporated in an instant as the flames engulfed his body.