Unlimited Ambition

Although reflecting sound waves was incredibly easy for him, he was still caught off guard and fell victim to it. His pupils immediately shrank to pinpoints. He seemed to hear chanting in his ears:

Li Po Li Po Di. Qiu He Qiu He Di. Tuo Luo Ni Di.

Niharadi. Virinidi. Mahagati.

Zhenling Qiandi. Svaha. ×7

Immediately afterward, Accelerator let out a scream and collapsed to the ground. All the events of the past flashed before his eyes like fleeting clouds. He then realized the enormity of the sins he had committed. In utter despair, he even considered reversing the flow of his blood to end his life.

At this moment, I remained outwardly calm, but inwardly I was filled with mixed emotions. This guy seemed significantly stronger than Mikoto, and should be considered one of the top espers. However, despite his formidable abilities, his mental cultivation was practically nonexistent.

As an amateur Buddhist practitioner, I took care of him with a single Seven Buddhas' Repentance Mantra. Thankfully, superpowered individuals don't encounter inner demons during their cultivation, otherwise Academy City would be deserted by now. Tsk tsk tsk, how pitiful.

Misaka Mikoto watched as I snorted, and then, in her eyes, the invincible and powerful Accelerator collapsed to the ground, weeping bitterly. This shocking scene completely terrified Misaka Mikoto.

As this was the first time I'd used such a technique, I was somewhat puzzled by its power. I wondered: if mental attacks are so effective, why have they gradually declined and even disappeared? Why can they only be found in places like the A Certain Magical Index?

Of course I didn't know. The Accelerator in front of me, weeping bitterly, was essentially a "good person," kind-hearted to the core. And while he outwardly seemed indifferent to killing over ten thousand of his sisters, his heart was as transparent as a sieve.

Besides that, there's the effect of Buddhist mantras. If I had chosen to use demonic sound to captivate the soul or mind control, these techniques would at most make one of my classmates dizzy for a moment. They wouldn't pose any threat.

However, Buddhism is different. The saying "lay down the butcher's knife and instantly become a Buddha" is not just a casual remark. It's another matter for the most wicked and evil people, but for someone like Yifang, who is caught in a dilemma, it couldn't be more suitable.

As one person wept bitterly, about to end their own life, several figures on a high-rise building on the other side, just like the Misaka Sisters sitting on the ground, were so astonished their jaws nearly dislocated.

"Foufufufufu, Flanda, did I see wrong? That super super super powerful Accelerator, actually, actually, actually, actually, actually got beaten to tears?" The brown-haired, big-headed loli stammered, while desperately pulling on another blonde loli next to her.

The blonde girl in the baseball cap, however, had no time to pay her any attention. She was in a state of dementia, her brain completely shut down.

At this moment, a chestnut-haired girl, clearly older than the two lolis and exuding an aristocratic air in every move, suddenly said, "Let's go. It's our turn to make our appearance."

"Absolutely not! We wouldn't have enough lives to fight those super powerful monsters." The short-haired, big-headed girl with brown hair shook her head vigorously.

The girl frowned, about to reprimand the little girl, when she noticed the other two members, including the blonde little girl and the shoulder-length black-haired girl, were also shaking their heads vigorously. She sighed inwardly and reassured her subordinates, "We're not going to fight him. We're just retrieving Accelerator."

"Is there anything different?" the blonde girl asked.

The chestnut-haired girl said, "There's really no chance of winning in a fight against them." The long chestnut-haired girl added, "But if it's just about taking back Accelerator, they'll probably agree out of consideration for Academy City."

"Really?" the big-headed loli asked.

The chestnut-haired girl snorted coldly, feigning disdain. In truth, she wasn't sure herself.

At that moment, I also realized that Accelerator was determined to die. The way he would explode after his bloodline reversed was indeed a bit disgusting. So I turned around, covered Misaka's eyes, and then helped her up. I prepared to leave.

"If you don't act soon, the important item will self-destruct." At the same time, Aefara's voice appeared beside Aleister.

“I just didn’t expect that His Highness would defeat Accelerator so easily,” Aleister explained.

"Although we took a shortcut, it's still a pretty good ending. After all, a real fight wouldn't benefit anyone," Aifara said.

“Indeed,” Aresta agreed.

At the same time, Aleister's voice suddenly came from beside me: "This Accelerator is still of some use to me, so please be lenient, Your Highness."

Is that so? I sneered and replied using the same telepathic communication technique: "He's the one who wants to die; it has nothing to do with me."

“Then, how about I consider it a favor I owe Your Highness?” Aleister said.

After a brief consideration, I agreed. After all, I still needed his help in finding Himegami Akisa.

So I snapped my fingers. Accelerator, who was on the verge of collapse, collapsed to the ground. He had been stunned by the mental shockwave I had used.

My action startled the girls. Seeing their eyes glued to me, ready to run at the slightest disturbance, I couldn't help but laugh.

"This guy's smile is so handsome..." The big-headed loli with brown hair couldn't help but say.

I'm in a good mood right now, so I'm smiling when I talk to people. When this little girl compliments me like that, I reply, "Thank you for the compliment, little sister."

"Ahem," just as the brown-haired loli was about to get closer to me, the chestnut-haired girl who looked like the leader stepped forward.

“First of all—” she was about to introduce herself, or perhaps say a few more polite words, but I immediately interrupted her.

"I don't want to hear any nonsense, beautiful lady. If you want that piece of trash over there, feel free to take it. As for other matters, I'll discuss them with Aleister personally."

My words nearly made the girl lose her temper. But then, considering the vast difference in strength between us, she held back, bowed silently to me, and then, tugging at the reluctant little girl's ear, walked away.

"Ouch, ouch, ouch! Mugino, let go!" the little girl screamed, but the girl didn't care at all. She dragged her to Accelerator's side and then commanded, "Hold him, don't drop him."

Just as I was lamenting Academy City's blatant use of child labor, questioning the lack of any justice, I noticed that the girl's hands seemed to be enveloped in a layer of gas—more accurately, nitrogen. She then effortlessly lifted Accelerator, who appeared to be heavier than her.

Is this a kind of superpower? It seems quite convenient.

"Wait a minute, at least tell me their names." I had become a little interested in them at this point. Then I asked this question.

"..." The chestnut-haired girl hesitated for a moment, then said, "Mugino Shizuri—"

I interrupted her immediately: "I wasn't asking you, I was talking about that big-headed little girl next to you. The one holding that trash."

When the little girl heard me say that, she pointed to herself—and one of the classmates fell to the ground, but she didn't care at all—it seemed that no one present cared.

"Eh~ Are you talking about me?" The little girl seemed both surprised and delighted.

I nodded: "That's right. It's you."

In her excitement, the little girl jumped up—only to step on Yifang's stomach. Yifang coughed up blood. However, the little girl seemed completely unconcerned—and apparently, everyone present was equally unconcerned.

"My name is Kinuhata Saiai, and I'm a super powerful ANBU member—wooo!"

The little girl had barely uttered the words "Anbu" when the other three girls covered her mouth.

But that's enough.

“Anbu…item, right?” I chuckled and greeted them one by one: “Mugino Shizuri, Kinuhata Saiai, Takitsubo Riko, and you…Frenda Seyvin, one of the few apostates in Jerusalem.”

As I said this, my voice gradually turned cold, and my gaze towards the blonde loli became quite unfriendly.

When I called their names, the other girls' expressions also turned sour, especially Frenda, whom I had been focusing on. Her face turned deathly pale. Then, seemingly realizing that she was doomed, she decided to give up entirely.

She shouted, "That's right! I apostatized! But so what?! I've had enough of that boring country of Jerusalem! It's all religion! All worship! I'm only twelve years old, and my parents want to send me to a convent to become a nun!! Is there any justice in this world?!"

As Frenda started yelling and screaming, her teammates looked at her like she was a monster. They probably found this quirky Jerusalemite quite novel.

I sighed softly and shook my head: "Girls these days are really...precocious. You're only twelve and already out in the world. Oh well, I'm in a good mood today. I'll let you off this time. Just be more careful next time."

After I finished speaking, I left with Misaka Mikoto under the watchful eyes of the Item Girl.

Chapter Twenty-Six: Misaka Mikoto's Fury

That night, Misaka Mikoto still couldn't sleep. Watching her sleeping roommate, Shirai Kuroko, drooling and talking in her sleep, she mostly said things like, "Onee-sama, don't do that!" or "Onii-chan, hurry up, oh, right there..."

Misaka Mikoto couldn't help but feel a little bothered. Even though it was just someone else's fantasy, she didn't want to be harassed like this by Shirai Kuroko. If it were any other time, she probably would have already struck him with lightning without saying a word.

But right now, she has more important things to do.

Go destroy those labs, stop that damned experiment. Rescue my sisters... or just make myself feel better.

Because the experiments were manipulated by the upper echelons of Academy City. They control a large amount of Academy City's resources and employ a large number of espers within Academy City, including many Level 5 espers.

The odds of winning against them were extremely low. But Misaka Mikoto had no choice but to do it. Whatever the reason, as long as the experiments could be stopped, that would be enough. However, no matter how hard Misaka Mikoto tried, no matter how many laboratories she destroyed, the "Level 5" project continued.

After all, the allure of Level 6 Absolute Power is irresistible to all scientists. Even if it costs a fortune or results in countless deaths, it's all worthwhile if they can create a Level 6 Absolute Power user.

So on this night, Misaka Mikoto decided to do something different—she was no match for Accelerator. This had already been proven in their encounter more than ten days prior.

Meanwhile, the number of research institutions involved in the experiments kept increasing. It never ended.

So, the girl decided to sacrifice herself to save her sisters. She deliberately lost to Accelerator in battle to prove the tree diagram designer was wrong. She didn't allow Accelerator to reach level 6.

However, things took a slightly unexpected turn for Misaka Mikoto. She found no trace of Accelerator. And the experimental facilities appeared to have ceased operations.

How is this going?

The girl found it strange. Although it was a good thing that the experiment had stopped, ignorance made her uneasy.

So the girl began to use her ability to manipulate electrical appliances to examine the data stored in this abandoned experimental facility.

Then I witnessed the entire battle—I mean, the battle between me and Accelerator—especially when I said, "If you don't want me to care, don't seduce me in the first place! Now I'm completely infatuated with you and can't stop! All you have to do is wait here quietly until I kill that bastard and then take you away!"

Afterwards, the girl seemed conflicted.

The boy—that is, me—defeated Accelerator and stopped the experiment—although the exact method he used is unknown—but it seems that the boy stopped the experiment not for himself, but for that "sister," number 10032.

What, what, what is this?!

The girl felt she had been fooled.

Although it was only a vague feeling, the girl could still sense a little bit of her own feelings for the boy. However, the boy seemed completely indifferent to her.

They maintained a friendship at the level of ordinary friends. In fact, it had been a long time since they had seen each other, and their last phone call was three days prior. However, at this time, the girl learned that the boy had fallen in love with someone else.

If it were just someone else at this level, the girl might only feel a little disappointed. After a while, she would forget about it—after all, her feelings for the boy—that is, me—were still in a very basic, hazy stage.

But the boy falls in love with his clone.

The girl found it unacceptable. Why, when she was perfectly fine standing right in front of the boy—that is, herself—didn't he love her? Instead, he fell in love with her clone—puppet—stand-in—sculpture—portrait—something like that.

So, in the girl's heart, a deep resentment grew towards this boy—that is, me. At the same time, she feared that one day he would run up to her, holding that clone's hand. Then she said: "Mikoto, I'm going to marry your sister."

The girl thought that if that were the case, she might as well find a place to kill herself as soon as possible, to avoid living a shameful life.

That's pretty much the gist of it.

—When I encountered Misaka Mikoto again, along with her three personal attendants, Shirai Kuroko, Uiharu Kazari, and Saten Ruiko. Seeing Mikoto's face filled with resentment and her entire being radiating bitterness.

Especially when she saw me holding hands with the Misaka Sisters, that resentment almost materialized, rising up behind her. The other three girls were so frightened that they hid behind them.

I understand. I figured it out immediately. How could someone as intelligent as me not understand?

Of course, I knew exactly what to do now—"Run!" Immediately afterward, with the speed I used when my wife caught me having an affair with her sister-in-law, I grabbed Misaka's hand and turned and ran like a madman.

"Big sister—" This was the voice that came from the Misaka Sisters who were about to greet her.

※※※

"You scum! Pervert!! Sex maniac!!! Lolicon!!!! Stop right there!!!!"

Misaka Mikoto didn't even think, and suddenly darted out, chasing after him at her fastest speed.

If I were alone, I could easily leave Misaka far behind using the Hokuto Sage Mode. And with the Shrinking Earth technique, the distance would be measured in cosmic terms. But I'm also holding the hand of a Misaka sister.

That day, after dealing with Accelerator, I took Misaka Mikoto to see Aleister.

In exchange for Accelerator's life, Aleister agreed to grant his sisters their freedom. However, there's one more thing to consider. As replicants, the sisters have significant physical defects. Without proper adjustments, their lifespan will be a major issue.

Afterwards, Aleister kindly suggested that he could take charge of dispersing the sisters to various locations around the world, to the partner institutions of Academy City, where they could undergo physical adjustments.