60 chapters up will lengthen, don't worry. For now, chapter 1 to 59 are short, like 900-1100 words short.
Enjoy~
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Noon. You could even say the sunlight had reached a blinding level.
And it wasn't just because it was summer — the hottest, most sun-scorched season of the year.
It was also because this was a semi-artificially built city, land reclaimed from the sea and covered in resin-based construction materials, which made summer temperatures climb even higher.
This was the most mysterious place in the world.
It was said to possess nearly twenty years' worth of technological advancement beyond the outside world. The only place where you could find espers — superpowered individuals usually confined to novels and fantasy.
The city covered an area about one-third the size of Tokyo, with a population close to 2.3 million, over 80% of whom were students.
Containing dozens of universities and hundreds of elementary, middle, and high schools, it had earned the name — Academy City.
Every street in Academy City radiated unbearable heat.
Such extreme, oppressive temperatures meant that during what should have been a relaxing summer break, few students were willing to wander the streets.
Compared to sweating buckets outdoors, sitting in a dorm with the air conditioning on was obviously much more comfortable.
And yet, in this weather, everyone who was out wore short skirts, shorts, T-shirts, sandals — whatever kept them cool.
Except for one man who seemed completely out of place.
He wore an unremarkable, inexpensive gray casual suit for men. His short, wavy dark-brown hair framed a face with a firm, masculine outline. Standing around 178 cm, he was walking slowly down the street under the blazing sun.
"Hot. So hot it's getting on my nerves."
His face and voice were perfectly ordinary.
Though his clothing clashed with the light summer outfits around him, his complaints were the same as everyone else's.
"Forget it. Since there's nothing urgent, I'll just rest in the nearby park."
Glancing at a street sign, he spotted a patch of green amidst the forest of modern high-rises and concrete.
In Academy City, this was hardly unusual.
Though it was a hyper-modern metropolis, that didn't mean it lacked greenery. Quite the opposite, in fact.
Parks like this were everywhere — after all, you needed green space to keep the heat somewhat bearable. Without it, the city would be unimaginably stifling.
Multi-colored flowers, lush trees, and stone-paved paths wound through the shade.
Beyond the path, blue rippling lake water sparkled in the sun, crystal-clear.
A few small boats drifted gently across it — each, from this distance, seemingly carrying a pair of people.
The lakeside view was pleasant too.
A red synthetic running track encircled the lake, with benches placed about every 50–60 meters along its length.
But today, perhaps due to the heat, the park — usually a favorite haunt for couples — was almost deserted.
"Well, that works out just fine for me. In this kind of sweltering weather, seeing couples clinging to each other would only be more irritating."
Finding a bench near the path, he sat down and raised a large hand to shield his forehead, blocking the dappled sunlight filtering through the leaves.
"Seriously, the weather here is controlled by machines. Can't they just make it rain more often?"
A gentle breeze rustled the leaves above.
Compared to the scorching heat of the streets, this shaded park was indeed cooler.
But he still couldn't help but complain.
And he wasn't wrong.
In this city of advanced technology, weather had long since become something machines could control.
Rain, snow, clouds, wind — all at the push of a button.
They could even precisely control how many minutes and seconds it would rain, and the exact second it would stop.
"Hm?"
…
"It's hot. So hot it's almost unbearable."
Evening was drawing near, but the summer heat hadn't eased one bit.
A girl appeared — looking a little lost.
Or rather, it was more accurate to say she seemed like someone who had lost her purpose.
She looked about thirteen or fourteen years old, with a petite frame.
But her face was strikingly beautiful — even in this city with its high average looks, she was in the very top tier.
Like a doll sculpted by human hands, she had waist-length honey-blonde hair, and eyes that sparkled like they held stars.
Her chest was completely flat, and she stood only around 150 cm tall.
She wore the white spiderweb-pattern lace gloves and stockings, along with the Tokiwadai Middle School uniform — a combination that seemed almost designed to tempt.
Yes — this was one of only seven people among Academy City's two million residents to have reached the highest esper rank: Level 5.
The fifth-ranked Level 5 — Mental Out, Misaki Shokuhou!
Right now, however, she looked nothing like her anime debut — where her curves were so exaggerated they made Misaka Mikoto seethe with jealousy.
It was like comparing a barren land to a flourishing mountain!
But at the moment, she was completely flat — with no sign of that future figure.
She wandered the streets with practiced ease.
Step by step, she moved toward quieter places, seeking spots where people were few.
Leaving the bustling school districts.
Leaving the asphalt and concrete streets.
Without realizing it, she entered shaded woods and winding paths.
She didn't want to meet anyone. She didn't want anyone to bother her. Right now, she only wanted to rest somewhere peaceful — to completely relax.
This feeling had been building for a long time.
She had anticipated it before setting her current plans into motion.
It was something deeply significant to her — something truly important.
She had sworn to herself, made a firm decision, and fought to achieve it.
Now, a few days after finally succeeding…
What else could she do?