The Legend of Level 0 in Academy City

With her hands clasped together, begging for the goddess's forgiveness, Inoue Hideka was practically kneeling on the hospital bed, offering her apologies.

But he couldn't explain the reason in detail. He himself didn't even know the ins and outs of the matter, so how could he explain it?

This feeling of frustration is indescribably unbearable!

"Yinghua is an idiot! It's always the same. Her wounds haven't even healed yet, so why does she run off to dangerous places? And she leaves me all alone without telling me anything. She always keeps me out of the picture. Can't she rely on me even a little bit?"

Saten Ruiko's eyes held sorrow, worry, and an extremely strong sense of resentment.

"So...it's because I'm just a powerless person?"

Seeing the sadness in Saten Ruiko's eyes, Inoue Hideka reached out and touched the back of Saten Ruiko's head with heartache.

"But even if I'm incapable, even if I can only be a burden, I still hope to help Yinghua! Yinghua, do you know how heartbroken I am every time I see you lying in this cold hospital room?"

Saten Ruiko lowered her head, not resisting Inoue Eika's caresses, but tears involuntarily slid down her face, dripping onto the ground, and her thin shoulders trembled slightly.

"I'm sorry, Ruiko..."

Inoue Hideka tenderly pulled Saten Ruiko into her arms and gently patted her back.

"Hey! Ruiko, do you want to improve your abilities?"

"Huh? Is that okay?"

With tears streaming down her face, Saten Ruiko looked up at Inoue Hideka in surprise.

"Sure! With enough money, what can't you do?"

The original work did not mention that Saten Ruiko's skill level was lv0.

Moreover, even at level 0, as long as all the manpower, resources, and development efforts are devoted, Inoue Hideka refuses to believe that it cannot be improved at all.

Turning to look out the window, Inoue Hideka gently patted Saten Ruiko's back to comfort her while pondering how to improve Saten Ruiko's ability level.

Although I have some money, the resources required to develop abilities are evident from the fact that even with Academy City's strength, they can only select one of Misaki Shokuhou and Ai Yumi to train into a top-tier psychic.

Moreover, Saten Ruiko's quality assessment is definitely not very high, otherwise the scientists would not have left her unattended.

So, it seems I still need Misaki Shokuhou's help?

"But……"

Hearing Saten Ruiko's lack of confidence, Inoue Eika wanted to encourage her.

The sudden appearance of large cumulonimbus clouds in the distant sky immediately caught Inoue Hideka's attention.

The sky, which was originally sunny at midday, seemed to darken after the appearance of cumulonimbus clouds.

Within the suddenly appearing cumulonimbus clouds, streaks of lightning flashed and danced. Strangely, the cumulonimbus clouds only appeared in the distant part of the sky.

This situation is clearly not caused by a natural phenomenon.

Could it be... caused by the ability of an ability user?

Inoue Hideka, deep in thought, carefully discerned the direction.

"That's... the second school district? This scene..."

This scene looks exactly like the scene where Misaka Mikoto goes berserk when her brain is infected with a virus!

"Rinko, go after Touma right now and tell him to head to the Second School District. See those rain clouds outside? Tell him to go there. Also, go back and tell Accelerator that I have a favor to ask him and to find me in the same place!"

Inoue Hideka pushed Saten Ruiko away, got up from the hospital bed, hesitated for a moment, picked up the red cross-shaped sword next to him, stuck it in his waistband, and hurriedly walked out of the ward.

Chapter 129 Don't give up here!

"Oh, right! I didn't leave Ruiko out of it! Remember Dolly? Ruiko helped me a lot! If it weren't for Ruiko, I might be dead by now!"

As Inoue Hideka reached the door, she suddenly turned around and smiled at Saten Ruiko, who was still in a daze.

"So, have more confidence in yourself, my girlfriend is the best!"

As Inoue Eika spoke, Asasa Tenrui gave a thumbs-up, playfully closed one eye, and made a big smile.

--------

In a corridor of the Talent Housing Building in the Second School District.

"Got the password to unlock it..."

Kihara Gensei looked at Shokuhou Misaki, who was clutching her neck in pain as if she were suffocating, and said smugly.

Kihara Gensei, a mad scientist in Academy City, a member of the Kihara family, and the grandfather of Theristina Kihara Leifrain.

The proponent of the "Absolute Ability Evolution Project" is a madman who will stop at nothing to explore the truth, leading many ability users and research institutions toward destruction, and who will modify his own body in various ways!

Driven to the brink, Misaki Shokuhou followed the methods she learned from Eika Inoue's memories. After failing with both the "Witch's Embrace" and "Gravity Particle Parasol Board" traps, she exchanged the unlock code she knew with the self-destruction code.

Hearing Kihara Gensei's words, Shokuhou Misaki secretly breathed a sigh of relief. She continued with her plan, thinking that this would take care of Gensei.

Do you think I would say that?

Kihara Gensei suddenly smiled knowingly.

"Although I don't know what you're planning, the micro-expressions on your face have already given you away. If I'm not mistaken, the password to unlock the restriction is probably wrong, right? To actually tamper with your own brain, it seems that Shokuhou-kun is quite similar to me in some ways!"

Misaki Shokuhou looked at Kihara Gensei, who was walking towards her step by step, with surprise, a hint of understanding flashing in her starry eyes.

I see... Although I 'once' used this method to defeat Gensei, this is arguably the second time I've carried out this plan. Even though it seems that my actions are no different from those of that other self, but...

However, the most important point is overlooked: the result.

Knowing beforehand that the plan would succeed, even if you tell yourself there's no turning back, and already know the outcome, you'll definitely have some subtle expressions on your face.

Ah... I miscalculated... As expected, no one makes the same mistake twice, not even Kihara Gensei from both worlds.

"It seems the only way is to follow Shokuhou-san's method, make you experience pain, and when you can't use your abilities, I can then take the opportunity to control you and make you reveal the correct password..."

"Heh~~ Someone like you who's achieved this shouldn't need to collaborate with anyone, right? I'm really curious why you would seek help from other Kiharas~~"

Misaki Shokuhou backed away, pretending not to care as she spoke.

Misaki Shokuhou, who had made meticulous plans based on the known intelligence, shouldn't have ended up like this.

However, unexpectedly, after Kihara Gensei escaped after his first failed attempt to capture him, he sought help from other Kiharas.

Caught off guard, Misaki Shokuhou was caught completely off guard.

"Shokuhou-san's excuse for stalling for time is really clumsy... As long as the goal is achieved, who we cooperate with is secondary. However, the fact that Shokuhou-san knows about what I'm still planning seems to make things more complicated than I realized. In that case, cooperating with someone is the wisest choice, right? Hmm... It was Shokuhou-san who raised the question, and she just abandoned me while I was explaining it and ran away..."

When Misaki Shokuhou retreated to within ten meters of Kihara Gensei, she turned around and ran away.

If we go to a crowded place, this old man will probably behave himself a bit, right?

Misaki Shokuhou's face was flushed; not being good at sports, she started to pant after running at full speed for a while.

Bang!

Just as she was about to run out the door, Misaki Shokuhou was knocked away by the force of the impact from behind and fell directly outside the door.

Lying on the ground, Misaki Shokuhou struggled to stand up, but after several attempts, she couldn't get up. She rolled over in a disheveled state, and suddenly a shadow fell over the sky, with a barrage of iron bars attacking the immobile Misaki Shokuhou.

Seeing the iron bars sweeping in from all directions, Misaki Shokuhou closed her eyes in despair.

Did I actually fail?

Will my Prince Charming, the illusionary killer who has saved me countless times from despair and confusion, suddenly appear?

Puff puff puff!

Dangdangdang!

The sound of iron bars clashing together rang out, mixed with the distinctive sound of heavy objects striking flesh.

However, no corresponding pain was felt in her body, and she opened her eyes in confusion.

"Why...why are you here...shouldn't you have forgotten about this?"

Misaki Shokuhou looked at Inoue Hideka, who was kneeling on her body, blocking all the attacks, and murmured in confusion.

"Hmm...forgot what?"

Inoue Eika endured the pain in her back and forcibly swallowed the blood that welled up in her throat, preventing it from spraying onto Misaki Shokuhou's face below.

"No, it's nothing... You idiot junior, don't worry about me, just run away... You can't do anything against Kihara Gensei, who has the access to an external brain..."

"Cough cough! What nonsense are you talking about... What will you do if I run away?"

"Me? Heh, now that I think about it, whether it's friendship, love, or even the abilities I was so proud of, I've completely failed. What's the point of me surviving?"

This was the first time Inoue Hideka had seen Shokuhou Misaki with such an unfamiliar expression. Her pretty face was filled with dejection and bitterness, and even her once bright eyes had lost their luster and were now dull and lifeless.

Has this girl, who has always lived in loneliness and solitude, finally succumbed to the pressure?

Overwhelmed with heartache, Inoue Hideka impulsively shouted:

"Idiot senior! Why are you acting like a tragic hero? As long as those people take action, Touma's brain can be completely repaired. Don't give up here on your own!"

"Those people... how could they? How could they, who are so high and mighty, be willing to do such a thing for me?"

"Then I'll do it! I'll try to persuade one of them. I can't change anything about friendship, but I can't just stand by and watch my senior's love life unfold! So, so don't give up on your bright future here!"

"you……"

Misaki Shokuhou found it utterly incomprehensible. She couldn't understand where Inoue Hideka got her confidence from, wanting to persuade those high and mighty demons with her powerless body.

Why would you do something so dangerous for yourself?

Subconsciously, I wanted to activate my ability to see what Inoue Hideka was thinking.

Crack!

The device behind Inoue Hideka's ear that interfered with mental abilities suddenly shattered, but Shokuhou Misaki was unable to see Inoue Hideka's thoughts as expected.

All that could be felt was a faint, misty energy surrounding Inoue Hideka's head, and all the energy fluctuations he released were blocked from entering Inoue Hideka's brain.

is it?

It seems this junior has also had some good fortune.

Perhaps, this junior, who is a legendary time traveler, can really convince those people?

Thinking of this, Misaki Shokuhou smiled and looked at Inoue Hidekazu, saying:

"Okay, it's a date!"

"Yes, it's a date!"