"So full, so full~" Frenda, without a shred of ladylike image, rubbed her slightly bulging stomach, her face filled with satisfaction as she lay on the tatami.
"Once you're done eating, hurry up and help clean." Saten Ruiko, who had silently pushed a cup of tea in front of Rod, said to Frenda.
"Eh~ I'm a guest." Frenda retorted, displeased.
"Do you want to eat mackerel curry again next time?" Saten Ruiko remained unmoved by her words, instead asking.
"Wuwu~ I get it~" Feeling the lingering aroma in her mouth, Frenda, who had wanted to lazily lie down for a while, struggled to get up, a bitter expression on her pretty face, and went to wash the dishes, feeling wronged.
After a moment of tidying up, Frenda walked out of the kitchen, shaking her wet hands.
Watching the two quietly watching TV and drinking tea, this leisurely posture made Frenda grit her teeth slightly, but upon seeing Rod look over, her expression quickly changed, becoming a fawning, smiling look.
"Come over when you're done. There's something I need to tell you two, as Itemless." Rod took his last sip of tea, gesturing for Frenda to sit down.
"What is it?" Saten Ruiko immediately turned her head, asking with great interest, wondering if she still had a chance to become a super-powered individual.
Rod rummaged in his pocket and placed a recording device on the table. As the two girls looked at it curiously, he continued, "Inside is an audio recording, which is the so-called Imagine Breaker (level up). Its purpose is to raise the Rank of an Item user, and even Itemless can use it to draw out their latent Item."
"Imagine Breaker!? That urban legend!?" Saten Ruiko immediately became excited upon hearing this, never having imagined that the so-called urban legend was actually real.
"Although I don't quite understand, does that mean if I use this thing, I can Awaken a superpower, right!?" Frenda also said with great interest, her eyes sparkling.
"Don't get too happy too soon. Everything has its pros and cons. Imagine Breaker is a program that uses human brains as calculators. It forms a network using the AIM Diffusion Field as a medium, and by processing through multiple brains, it makes the calculation of complex code possible."
"?"
"?" Two question marks appeared above the heads of the two girls respectively, clearly indicating that Rod's explanation had not helped them understand.
"For example, if several computers are connected in parallel, their computing power can be improved. Data that one computer cannot process can be calculated by several computers in parallel and then transmitted back to the local computer."
"Using the Imagine Breaker as a medium, even individuals with weak Items, as long as they become part of this network, their Item's calculation ability can be temporarily increased. Coupled with the shared thought patterns of similar Item users, this can further promote the use of their Item."
"I think I understand. Someone is using this program to connect the brains of multiple Item users, forming a supercomputer." Saten Ruiko pinched her chin, trying to comprehend.
"Eh? What's the user's goal then?" Frenda asked, puzzled.
"To use this temporarily built supercomputer to simulate the cause of an accident." Rod had no intention of hiding anything. He would tell them what he knew; how Saten Ruiko chose was her business.
This was the beginning of Rod's trial for Saten Ruiko. He didn't intend to protect her like a flower in a greenhouse; innocence was fine, but not a complete lack of vigilance.
Rod then recounted the story of a teacher who wanted to save her students.
"How... how could this be!?" The more Saten Ruiko listened, the more incredulous she became. She had never witnessed the dark side of Academy City, nor had she expected the bitter struggle of a teacher in a place no one saw.
Twenty-three applications were all rejected. Without a shred of hope, she no longer relied on others. To awaken her students, she used her own strength to fight against the entire city.
Frenda, however, was not too surprised by this. As a member of the dark side, she had long recognized the darkness of Academy City.
"Why didn't they notify the Security Committee? If..." Saten Ruiko said excitedly, but stopped her words when she saw Rod's indifferent gaze, a drop of cold sweat silently rolling down her cheek.
"Don't be too naive, Saten Ruiko. If you delve into these things, no one will care. In the eyes of the higher-ups, those children are no different from lab rats. If it weren't for Kiyama Harumi's persistence, no one would care." Rod's words undoubtedly dealt a considerable blow to Saten Ruiko.
"Are you okay, Saten Ruiko?" Frenda sat next to Saten Ruiko, placing her hand on her shoulder in comfort.
"What about you, Mr. Rod? If Mr. Rod were to intervene..." Saten Ruiko looked at Rod expectantly. With the strength to defeat Academy City's Rank 1, if he intervened in this matter, he would surely be able to resolve it easily.
"It seems Saten Ruiko thinks I'm a very good person." Rod shook his head with a self-mocking laugh. Seeing Saten Ruiko's astonished expression, Rod continued, "Everything I've done until now has been to satisfy myself. I am a selfish person and don't expect too much approval from others. From that moment on, I decided to live for myself, no longer overly considering the feelings of others, living more freely and even wantonly."
Rod began his Transformation the moment he gained power through Transmigration. He no longer worked tirelessly and worried excessively as he did in the past. Everything he did now, whether it was defeating Accelerator or stopping the Absolute Power Project, was merely to satisfy himself.
Rod's words resonated, making Saten Ruiko look incredulous. Mr. Rod, who had so gently saved her, actually described himself in such a way.
"Kiyama Harumi's plan is also an experiment for me. I intend to use my Item to achieve a certain goal. Now is not the time to stop the plan from running." Rod easily stated his intentions. The aggregation of the AIM Diffusion Fields of ten thousand super-powered individuals was a unique situation, and also a good opportunity to set a foothold.
"..." Saten Ruiko was silent. Thinking about it, she hadn't known Mr. Rod for too long. Why did she presume that Mr. Rod would definitely help others?
"Well, there's no need to worry too much. I will handle Kiyama Harumi's matter after the incident ends. Rest assured." Rod, seeing Saten Ruiko's silence, chuckled and comforted her.
'Indeed! Mr. Rod is not a selfish person at all. A selfish person wouldn't consider the feelings of others. No matter how much he emphasizes it, Mr. Rod is Mr. Rod. People are complex and cannot be generalized. To live for oneself, no longer bound, this is not like those extreme egoists who harm the interests of others to satisfy themselves.'
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