Chapter 289   The Rings on the Forehead Are Different—Not an Angel!

Natsuki‑chan, huh.

Takumi had not expected her to be the first one to run over.

When Natsuki Minamiya heard Takumi say that, she froze for a moment.

She turned her gaze toward him.

When she saw Takumi, she was genuinely surprised inside.

Does this person know her?

How strange.

Could he be like Asuka Kudou—someone who understands her completely?

"Hello!"

"Excuse me, do you know me?"

Natsuki's curiosity got the better of her, so she simply asked.

Takumi, seeing this, smiled and nodded.

"Of course I know you."

How could Takumi not know Natsuki Minamiya?

"How about Kudou Asuka—do you know her?"

Hearing Takumi say he knew her, Natsuki's mind stirred and she immediately spoke the young lady's name.

Asuka Kudou had found her when the worlds merged, then directly disposed of all the criminals inside the prison barrier.

Except for A‑ya, everyone else was basically wiped out.

That was only because A‑ya happened to know her; otherwise, he would probably have been wiped out too.

And Asuka knew her very well.

Now, hearing Takumi call her by name naturally made Natsuki curious: Does Takumi also know Asuka Kujō?

When Natsuki mentioned Asuka, Takumi's smile widened and he nodded again.

"Of course I know her. We of 940 are very good friends."

The moment Natsuki heard that Takumi knew Asuka Kudou, everything clicked.

In that case, it was no wonder he knew her too.

"Natsuki‑chan, welcome to this world.

Walk that way and you'll reach the center of the world—you can take a look around.

This place will be the gateway between your world and mine.

You can come here anytime through that door.

Later, there will be gatekeepers stationed here."

As Takumi finished speaking, one spatial gate after another opened, and mechanized life‑forms stepped out of the portals one after another.

These were all arranged by Takumi.

There was no need to question the Mekai‑type units' strength: all their combat data could be linked and shared—what one learned, they all mastered.

Coupled with spatial abilities, they could provide instant support no matter what happened.

Precisely because of this, Takumi had them come.

Upon arrival, they immediately began their assigned tasks.

Takumi didn't stay idle either.

After chatting with Natsuki, he started constructing the place.

Watching Takumi's power, Natsuki was stunned.

What is this—creation out of nothing?

Is this man really human?

For a moment, she couldn't help but guess what race Takumi might belong to.

But after greeting her, Takumi ignored her and focused on setting up the area.

Once everything was ready, Prometheus would handle the rest.

When he'd finished, Takumi opened a spatial passage and waved to Natsuki.

"If you want to come along, then follow me; otherwise, getting there on your own will be rather troublesome. After all, my world is dozens of times larger than others."

Hearing this, Natsuki froze and hurried after him.

Since Takumi said so, it had to be far.

Given the chance, she'd be crazy not to follow.

As for whether she could go back or not—she'd worry about that later.

First she needed to understand this world.

In the future, her world would surely have many dealings with Takumi's.

Since she was already here, she might as well familiarize herself.

Thus, Natsuki followed Takumi to the City of Hope.

Once she caught up, Takumi handed her a terminal along with an identity card.

"Here, this terminal is a gift from me.

If you need anything, just contact the AI inside.

This card is your ID—and also your bank card.

I've sponsored you with a thousand credits so you can explore.

If you want more money, you'll have to find your own way."

Natsuki was dumbfounded.

"Huh?"

Who on earth is this guy? (cgei)

He casually set up an ID for me?

And why do I even have an ID?

Utterly confused, she stared at Takumi.

"Don't be surprised.

We'll meet again when the chance comes. I'm off."

With that, Takumi vanished—without the slightest intention of explaining.

Natsuki pouted at his disappearance, then looked curiously at the terminal in her hand.

There wasn't a single button on it—voice‑activated, maybe?

Just as she thought that, the terminal lit up, and a 3‑D projection appeared—like a smartphone interface.

Various functions were being bound—and to her shock, even her name and age were recorded.

Once binding was complete, Prometheus's voice sounded from the device:

"Hello, Miss Natsuki.

World‑terminal AI Prometheus at your service.

To operate the terminal, simply control it with your thoughts, or touch the interface with your fingers.

If you have any questions, just speak.

The terminal is powered by Honkai Energy, so there's no need to worry about power.

It continuously absorbs Honkai Energy from the air, ensuring unceasing operation.

Even in worlds without Honkai Energy, it can still run for decades."

Natsuki was stunned.

"Absorbing energy all the time?

Running for decades even with no energy around?

What kind of technology is this?"

Faced with her muttering, Prometheus did not answer—this lay outside its permission.

If Natsuki knew that some Honkai Energy batteries could function for tens of thousands of years, who knew what expression she would make.

Honkai Energy was far more useful than nuclear fusion—especially the controlled Honkai Energy in Takumi's world.

After getting a grasp of things, Natsuki began to look around the city.

When she arrived, she found the place bustling.

She saw not only humans but also people with wings at their waists.

Are those angels?

No—something felt off.

The rings on their foreheads were different.

These were the Tenyoku‑kind.

There were also many robots patrolling the streets and maintaining order, giving the whole place a futuristic vibe.

From time to time, robots zipped through the sky, and huge screens on buildings broadcast all kinds of advertisements.