"Pervert! Looking at girls like that! Director-sensei must be a pervert!"
Even though Noah's gaze was calm, Shokuhou Misaki's heart still flustered shyly as she muttered under her breath.
With a plop, she jumped into the cultivation pod.
Hokaze Junko, Kouzaku Mitori, and Yumiya Iruka also blushed and shyly entered their own pods.
Compared to Shokuhou Misaki, Hokaze Junko was particularly striking—already showing signs of mature development unusual for her age.
Inside the cultivation pods, the girls curled up, their hands covering their chests as small bubbles escaped from their mouths and noses, blub-blub, rising to the surface.
"Alright, let's begin." Noah slid his finger across the tablet in his hand.
Instantly, bright light filled the pods—light composed of the AIM diffusion field intertwined with the Teyvat-exclusive Superpower Law.
Superpowers were long known in the Fontaine Divine Collective. Through them, one could even ascend to the level of a Supreme God—but it required overwhelming talent.
With enough time and effort, one could always train to mastery, but superpowers were more like innate gifts—what they called the Law of Talent.
At this moment, every device in the Talent Workshop was equipment imported from Fontaine.
Fontaine's technology had long since reached the cosmic level, outpacing Academy City by tens of thousands of years.
Beep! Commencing adjustment…
The electronic machinery chimed, reporting the ongoing development of the girls' abilities.
"Amazing! It's like the superpower itself is being materialized into an object—its material composition constantly refined, reshaped into the most perfect form!"
Shokuhou Misaki could clearly feel her ability changing.
She was shocked to her core.
Seeing others' abilities grow had already been astonishing, but experiencing it firsthand was on another level entirely.
It felt as though her superpower were a tree, and an external force was acting like a gardener—
Transplanting it from a barren desert to fertile soil, healing its sickness, removing pests, pruning branches… shaping it into a perfect tree.
Crack—
Her Mental Out had broken through its limits.
Though Mental Out was the most comprehensive psychic-type ability, its essence lay in manipulating bodily secretions to control brainwaves—resulting in near-omnipotent mental control.
In simpler terms, it meant manipulating matter on a microscopic level.
And now, she could feel the weight of macroscopic matter. Mischievously, she wanted to take the tablet from the Director's hand.
With a swish, the tablet really floated out of Noah's hand—and hovered in midair.
Telekinesis!
Before she could rejoice, her eyes met the Director's calm, expressionless face.
Noah's lips curved slightly, his gaze sharpening.
"Shokuhou Misaki is quite mischievous. Even during the experiment, you dare to play tricks on me? You'll get fifty spankings later—right in front of everyone. Not a single one less."
Blub-blub~
Inside the pod, Shokuhou Misaki froze, waving her arms instinctively. But then she remembered her situation, hurriedly crossed her arms over her chest, and small bubbles escaped from her mouth in a frantic rhythm—clearly begging for mercy.
No, please, Director-sensei!
If she were spanked in front of everyone, it would be too humiliating! How could she face anyone afterward?
She even wondered whether her enhanced ability could modify memories—perhaps erase this embarrassing incident from the newly ascended Level 5s' minds!
Yet as a psychic esper, she failed to notice that deep down, she already completely trusted this man—whom she had met less than thirty minutes ago.
Life infused with the power of Teyvat could never harbor negative thoughts toward Teyvat's ruler.
Noah smiled faintly. "Begging won't work. I always keep my word."
Through his gaze, he could see that Shokuhou Misaki's biological field had already surpassed the boundary of Level 5—but had not yet reached Level 6.
If one had to compare, she was slightly stronger than Accelerator himself.
If Accelerator would naturally take around two hundred years to reach Level 6, then Shokuhou Misaki would need only ten.
Hokaze Junko's ability, "Rampage Dress," originally strengthened her five senses by manipulating bioelectric signals within her body. It evolved into complete bodily mastery—the perfect control of every single cell.
At this stage, she could be called the Perfect Human. Her muscle control allowed her to unleash 25 tons of force in an instant, and her bioelectric manipulation could generate electrical currents surpassing Level 4 power. Every aspect of her body—thought, motion, and energy—had transcended the biological limit. She could be described as a biological omnipotent being.
Such a perfect ability could also reach Level 6, and its potential even surpassed that of Shokuhou Misaki. However, the more perfect the ability, the slower the growth. It would take her around a hundred years to achieve Level 6. Still, by fully mastering her body, she had already achieved true immortality—her cells could reverse aging and regenerate indefinitely.
Kouzaku Mitori, whose ability had evolved from controlling liquid metal into complete metal manipulation, could freely alter a metal's properties, composition, and form. It, too, was an ability capable of reaching Level 6—but advancement beyond that point would depend entirely on her own will and comprehension.
Yumiya Iruka's Wave Conductor had expanded vastly—she could now control not only electromagnetic and light waves, but also gravitational waves. However, control was not the same as mastery. Even so, her ability still possessed the potential to reach Level 6.
Time passed quietly as Mitsuari Ayu waited patiently. Eventually, the cultivation pods opened.
The girls stepped out, and the assistant, Kuriba Ryouko, handed each of them fresh towels and new experimental uniforms.
The girls, torn between the joy of their enhanced powers and the embarrassment of having been fully seen, shyly put on the Mark 3.9 lab suits.
They lined up awkwardly in a row before Noah.
Noah nodded approvingly. "Very good. Except for Yumiya Rakko, who started as a Level 0 and has temporarily reached Level 4, everyone else has now reached Level 5."
"As for Shokuhou Misaki, who was already a Level 5—she has now broken through the boundaries of that level, though she has not yet attained Level 6."
The girls' faces glowed red with excitement. Level 5! They were all Level 5s now! Even those who weren't yet would surely reach it soon.
Noah turned his gaze toward the anxious Shokuhou Misaki. "Well then, Shokuhou Misaki, don't you have something to say to me? Hmm?"
As he spoke, he adjusted his glasses with a faint push, the reflected light gleaming across Shokuhou Misaki's uneasy, blushing face.
"Um… well…" Shokuhou Misaki's index fingers pressed together, her eyes darting about nervously. She looked unbearably adorable.
"Director-sensei… I was wrong, okay? Please don't punish me anymore."
"Hm?" Noah let out a soft hum through his nose.
Shokuhou Misaki blushed furiously, shrinking her neck and whispering timidly, as if mustering all her courage. "If you really must punish me, then… then at least do it when it's just the two of us. In front of everyone… t-that's way too embarrassing!"
"Huh?"
Kouzaku Mitori's eyes went wide as she pointed dramatically. "Wait, what?! What punishment? What do you mean 'just the two of you'?!"
Hokaze Junko and the others leaned forward, eyes brimming with curiosity, all nodding eagerly.
Thump-thump-thump-thump—
"Ouch!"
"Uuuh…"
"It hurts…"
Each gossiping girl received a sharp flick to the forehead from Noah, their eyes welling with tears as they crouched down, clutching their heads.
Shokuhou Misaki straightened up instantly, frozen in shock, swallowing hard.
H-he actually hit girls? Even those heartless researchers wouldn't dare do something like that! Well, maybe because they didn't see the point…
The Director-sensei, who looked so handsome, wasn't just a pervert—he was also a violent maniac who would hit girls without hesitation.
Her entire demeanor changed as she stiffened like a frightened kitten, standing obediently in place, pitiful and motionless.
"Come here," Noah said impassively.
Shokuhou Misaki's body stiffened like a puppet as she stepped forward, her heart on the verge of collapse.
Her body wasn't listening to her commands—Mental Out, it had to be! And at the Level 6 level, no less!
Uuuh… he's really going to spank me in front of everyone… how will I ever face them again… my dignity…
"You immature girls," Noah said flatly, "today I'll use Shokuhou Misaki as an example. From now on, you'll all behave and never try to play tricks on your teacher again."
He pulled Shokuhou Misaki gently into his arms, turned her over, and—before the stunned girls whose jaws could have fit eggs—brought his hand down.
Smack!
"Ah!" Shokuhou Misaki yelped, tears instantly welling up in her eyes. Y-you perverted Director, you actually did it?! And it hurts so much! I thought you were just bluffing!
Uuuh… so painful…
Gulp—
"It—it looks like it really hurts…"
"What did Shokuhou do to make Director-sensei so mad?"
"I-I don't know…"
The girls whispered among themselves, frightened yet unable to look away. Though they weren't close yet, they'd all silently agreed to become friends—they would be studying together, after all.
After all, they were now all Level 5s or close to it.
They had already memorized each other's names from the Director's repeated mentions.
Hokaze Junko covered her face shyly. "Uuu… being spanked by someone just a few years older than us… that's so embarrassing…"
"Y-yeah…"
To the girls, although Noah had never announced it, they all instinctively knew he was the one and only Level 6 Absolute Esper—the Director who oversaw their training.
But in their minds, he was still only a few years older—a senior student, really.
Kouzaku Mitori tilted her head curiously. "So… what did Shokuhou do to make Director-sensei so angry?"
"Should we ask her later?"
"Better not. Something that embarrassing? She definitely won't tell us."
"Yeah, true. If it were me, I'd die of shame."
As the sound of slaps filled the air, the fifty strikes eventually ended. By then, tears streamed freely down Shokuhou Misaki's cheeks. Her nose trembled, and she desperately wanted to crawl into a hole—or maybe just die from the humiliation.
"Uuuh… you perverted Director…" she sobbed, covering her bottom with both hands as tears rolled down her flushed cheeks.
"Hm? You dare insult the teacher who granted you power? How ungrateful," Noah said coolly, adjusting his glasses with one finger as their reflection glinted in his eyes.
Shokuhou Misaki panicked, waving her hands frantically. "No, no! Absolutely not! Uuuh…" Her voice trembled as tears welled up again, her hands rubbing at her reddened eyes.
Noah nodded in satisfaction. "Good. Then that's all for now. You girls can go find the other researchers and have your abilities tested."
"Dismissed."
He waved his hand and, with his hands clasped behind his back, walked out of the laboratory under the mixed gazes of admiration, fear, and lingering embarrassment from the girls.
Once Noah left, the girls immediately crowded around Shokuhou Misaki.
"Shokuhou-san, you…"
"Uhm…"
"Shokuhou-san, are you okay?"
Blushing furiously, Shokuhou Misaki suddenly activated her power and controlled everyone in the room. "I'm not letting any of you remember such an embarrassing thing! Forget it! Forget it all!"
Her Mental Out had become dozens of times stronger—now powerful enough to rewrite even Level 5 memories.
And since the others had only just reached Level 5, controlling them was an easy task.
Stars flickered briefly in their eyes, and two seconds later, they blinked, looking confused.
"Eh? What just happened?"
"Where's Director-sensei?"
"Yeah, he was just here a moment ago."
Shokuhou Misaki blinked innocently. "Director-sensei just left."
"Huh? He left already?"
"Yes," she lied with a straight face. "Director-sensei is a Level 6 Absolute Esper, after all. He just whoosh—disappeared in an instant. Probably used some kind of space-transfer ability."
"Wow! So amazing! Even space manipulation?!"
"Well, he is a Level 6 Absolute Esper…"
Shokuhou Misaki patted her chest in relief. That was close. If they were any stronger, I wouldn't have been able to modify their memories…
She smiled elegantly, like a noble lady. "Since we'll be studying together from now on, let's officially introduce ourselves. My name is Shokuhou Misaki—would you like to be friends with me?"
While modifying their memories, she had also implanted a subconscious suggestion: they could never harm her.
She had strong moral boundaries—she would never alter someone's personality. The most she would do was ensure they couldn't hurt her. Even if they didn't become friends, they would at least remain peaceful acquaintances.
"Sure! I'm Hokaze Junko."
"Kouzaku Mitori."
"Yumiya Rakko."
"Yumiya Iruka."
"Mitsuari Ayu."
…
Noah chuckled softly from the corridor. Already forming her own faction, huh? Much earlier than I expected.
As a psychic esper, Shokuhou Misaki was naturally insecure. She needed to build layers of relationships around herself for protection—like a queen bee surrounded by her hive.
"Well then… it's about time I handled Dolly's matter."
Dolly had long since been created and was currently in the highest-level research sector of the institute.
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