"This…is this Diablo really that unreasonable?"
Misaka Mikoto looked at the man in the butler's uniform in the water mirror, then at Zhong Chen, her face filled with shock.
Misaka Mikoto had seen this guy before at an Academy City festival; he was said to be the captain of the Royal Knights.
She just hadn't expected him to be so abnormal; his resistances were practically invincible.
"Exactly, mental attacks being ineffective means I'm completely helpless against him."
"I was just about to say, why are you here too?"
Misaka Mikoto looked helplessly at the annoying Starry-Eyed Girl beside her.
"Oh dear, is Misaka-san planning to drive me away from my benefactor?"
"Teacher Zhong Chen, look at this brute."
Shokuhou Misaki approached Zhong Chen, extending her right hand as if wiping away tears.
"Benefactor?"
Hearing the Starry-Eyed Girl say "benefactor," Misaka Mikoto and the others all looked at Zhong Chen with puzzled expressions.
"Oh, it's like this…"
It turned out that after the previous meeting, Shokuhou Misaki had sought out Zhong Chen privately.
Because she had learned through special channels that the Misaka Sisters had all been revived, she hoped he could help her revive Dolly.
As a price, Shokuhou Misaki voluntarily offered to join the Monster Country Federation.
But what kind of person is our Lord Chen? As an Academy City Level 5, you've already been acquired by the Monster Country Federation.
To still try to use that as a bargaining chip is simply ridiculous.
Then, Zhong Chen waved his right hand disdainfully and looked at Shokuhou Misaki, speaking indifferently:
"Little girls should focus on their studies; where do they get so many schemes from every day?"
After speaking, Zhong Chen turned and left the room, leaving Shokuhou Misaki, her face full of tears, looking at her best friend who had appeared before her.
"So that's it, Dolly… I didn't realize there was a 'Number Zero' among the Misaka Sisters."
PS: The world's first cloned sheep was named Dolly; the author of A Certain Magical Index likely drew inspiration from this.
Thinking of this, Misaka Mikoto looked earnestly at Shokuhou Misaki.
"I'd like to see her, if I may…"
"Well, although we don't get along, I think you really should see her."
"Thank you."
Shokuhou Misaki felt a little unaccustomed to Misaka Mikoto's thanks, and her cheeks involuntarily flushed.
"Heh, I didn't expect you to be embarrassed, you brute."
It was also Misaka Mikoto's first time seeing Shokuhou Misaki like this, and she immediately showed a teasing expression, looking at her.
"You… you hateful brute, I definitely can't let you corrupt Dolly."
"What?! You hateful Starry-Eyed Girl!"
"Brute!"
"Starry-Eyed Girl!"
The surrounding crowd looked helplessly at the two bickering girls, only Zhong Chen watched with great interest, a handful of melon seeds appearing in his hand at some point.
Indeed, the battles between Level 5s are truly terrifying.
Ultimately, a voice from the water mirror interrupted their battle.
"It seems you have no solutions either, then the game is over."
Diablo waved his right hand, and countless black lances emerged within the barrier, each carrying terrifying power of rules.
Zhong Chen, seeing Diablo's move, frowned slightly, then turned to look at a certain white-haired loli behind him who was playing a game.
"Has Diablo been corrupted by you? Why is he starting to use light spears too?"
The white-haired loli, intently focused on the screen, replied with two words without looking up:
"It's useful."
"…"
Zhong Chen was momentarily at a loss for how to retort. To be fair, while the light spear move might sound a bit crude, it was indeed effective.
Didn't angels, Fallen Angels, and even demons use it? It was a move proven in actual combat.
"Um, I've been meaning to ask, who is this little sister who's always playing games?"
Haruue Erii had noticed this incredibly cute white-haired loli as soon as she entered.
But out of politeness, she hadn't gone over to disturb her.
After all, given her intensity, if her disturbance caused her to fail a level, who knew if she'd cry for a whole day?
"Oh, you mean her? God."
"What?"
"Right, Teacher Zhong Chen, what did you just say?"
The others all felt they must have misheard and asked again.
"God, also known as the God of the Bible. What your world's Roman Orthodox Church calls the Lord."
"Uh… Teacher Zhong Chen, you're not joking, are you?"
Shirai Kuroko looked in shock at the white-haired loli sitting cross-legged on the carpet.
No matter what, she couldn't, or rather, dared not believe that God was a white-haired loli addicted to games.
"Ruiko, they can't sense it, but can't you?"
"You know, you became an angel because of the Angel Seed she gave you."
Saten Ruiko, hearing Zhong Chen's words, sensed carefully and indeed felt a strong sense of closeness from her.
It was like facing her own mother.
Hearing Zhong Chen say this, everyone else looked at Saten Ruiko, who nodded slightly to them.
Then everyone present looked at the Bible Loli with horrified expressions.
"This… God… it's unimaginable!"
"Speaking of which, this should be Academy City, right? How did God suddenly appear?"
Kazakiri Hyouka, next to Shokuhou Misaki, also stared incredulously at the loli whose controller buttons were flying.
"Mom, I've seen God! May God bless me!"
Shirai Kuroko clasped her hands, looking at the white-haired loli and began to make a wish.
Zhong Chen, seeing this, a mischievous smile appeared on his lips as he pointed at the Bible Loli and said:
"God doesn't have time to bless you. God is very busy right now."
"…"
"Kuroko, if you want her to bless you, I suggest you buy a new game to bribe her; that might be more reliable."
"Ha!!! What kind of God is this!!!"
Misaka Mikoto also looked utterly shocked after hearing this. Had God become so approachable now?
Meanwhile, the Bible Loli, who was diligently trying to clear a stage, miraculously paused her game upon hearing "new game."
She turned her little head to look at them and asked indifferently:
"Do you have new games? Can I borrow them to play? I can give you this, you know."
After speaking, several white light clusters appeared in the Bible Loli's hand.
"Angel Seeds!!!"
Saten Ruiko recognized these at a glance; after all, she had become an angel using them.
"What! These are Angel Seeds!"
"A new game can be exchanged for this… Am I really not dreaming…"
Looking at the disbelieving girls, Zhong Chen, while cracking melon seeds, said casually:
"You really can exchange them, you know. This is the only chance."
No sooner had Zhong Chen finished speaking than everyone present, except Saten Ruiko, scurried out.
"Sigh, honestly, young people are just too impatient. For just 688, I could give them too…"
Zhong Chen raised his right hand, and several identical light clusters slowly floated in his palm…