After Harumi Kiyama finished talking about Kaitabi's condition, Asuna spoke.
"As a specialist, there's something I'd like to ask you, Dr. Kiyama. Do you know about 'Level Upper'?"
"Level Upper...? What kind of system is that? What does it look like? How is it used?"
"That's what we haven't been able to figure out yet. Since we don't know the exact system, we can't take any countermeasures either..."
"Do you think it's related to the students who have fallen into a coma?"
"Yes. Our friends are currently investigating, but about 80% of the recent criminals we've independently identified who seem to have used Level Upper are in a coma. And this number is increasing. Some have even died..."
This data was gathered by Uiharu, who is very good at this kind of work, so it's reliable.
"...Died... So, why are you telling me this?"
"...It's our own guess, but if Level Upper 'forcibly' levels up an ability, we think it must put an immense burden on the brain. In other words, we think it's 'forcibly remodeling' the brain with some kind of trick to make it capable of using high-level abilities."
The first step in developing newly designed abilities in recent years is to use drugs, pass electricity through the brain, or physically modify the body. The changes from there depend on the individual's differences and talent, but unless they're a natural esper, that's where it all begins.
"So, if we get our hands on a real Level Upper, we were hoping you could investigate it for us."
"I'd be the one asking you for that. As a brain physiologist, I find that very intriguing."
Everyone was relieved to get a positive response.
"...By the way, I've been wondering about this for a while," Kiyama said, pointing out the window. "Do you know those children?"
Ruiko Saten was plastered against the window, and Kazari Uiharu was chuckling behind her.
–---------
Uiharu and Saten sat down at the same table as Asuna and the others. It was getting a bit crowded with so many people, but there weren't enough to use another table. It was an awkward number.
"Ohh, so you're a brain scientist? ...Ah! Maybe there's something wrong with Shirai-san's brain?!"
"Calm down, Uiharu-san. We were just asking for her opinion about the Level Upper case."
"Yuuki-senpai? What do you mean by 'just this time'? I'd like to know more about that... Hey, why is everyone looking away from me?!"
"Well, let's just ignore the fact that Kuroko's brain is a mess—" "Not you too, Onee-sama?!" "—and continue talking about Level Upper."
Kuroko was being treated a little unfairly, but she couldn't argue with them since she always did that kind of thing, and it was so normal and happened so often that it just became a part of their daily routine. Excessive physical affection for a friend of the same gender, when it's done so often and with such high tension, will lead to this.
Saten, who had ordered a large parfait as soon as she sat down and was eating it nonstop, reacted to the words "Level Upper" and frantically swallowed what was in her mouth.
"Level Upper?! If so, right now—" "Now, what we should think about is how to protect the Level Upper user." "...Huh?"
At Asuna's words, Saten's hand, which was in her jeans pocket, came to a halt.
"Ah, what? Wh-Why is that?"
"One reason is to get detailed information about Level Upper, but... now that we have these numbers, there's no doubt that Level Upper has some kind of side effect."
"That's why we want to retrieve it before it's used as much as possible."
"Also, users have a tendency to easily turn to crime. I now understand very well why Butei keeps saying that it's important to train the mind."
Kuroko shook her head with a look of utter contempt. Even if you gain power without effort, your mind won't be able to handle it. By that logic, Sho would be in the same category as them.
"..."
"..."
Asuna and Kurumi blinked their eyes to shake off that thought.
Saten's smile froze, and she slowly put her hand back in her pocket, making sure that what she was holding didn't fall out.
"What's wrong, Saten-san?"
"N-Nothing! Nothing at all!!"
Saten, who was flustered at being seen making such an unnatural movement by Misaka, spilled her drink all over Kiyama's thigh. The part that the stockings couldn't absorb formed a puddle on the seat and the floor.
"Hm?"
"Ah! I-I'm so sorry!!"
"No, don't worry about it."
With that, Kiyama stood up and started to take off her stockings without hesitation. Saten, who had been frantically taking out her handkerchief, was stunned. Even she, who was used to Uiharu lifting her skirt to check if she was wearing her panties properly, was shocked.
"I told you! Don't take off your clothes in front of people...! Why do you do that!!"
Shirai's lecture, who was strict about public morals (except for herself), continued for a while.
"...I see. I should try this in front of Sho-san next time..."
"Don't you dare, Kurumi-chan."
That was what one of the girls was saying to herself.
---------
"No... I don't want to let go of it..."
As soon as the meeting was over, Saten left everyone. She did it secretly so no one would notice.
There was a music player in Saten's pocket. This was the thing she hesitated to take out earlier. It wasn't just a music player. It was the thing that had been the subject of their conversation—
"...But I haven't even tried it yet. A-And first of all, it's not even confirmed to be the real thing..."
She told herself that to justify not telling her friends.
"I finally got it..."
It was the last hope she had been able to get her hands on after a long time of wishing for it. It wasn't something she could easily let go of.
"Saten-san!"
When Saten turned around, Misaka came running. Saten quickly put the music player in her pocket so it couldn't be seen.
"Misaka-san... What's wrong?"
"You just suddenly disappeared. ...Is something wrong? Did something happen?"
"Ah, haha, no, nothing's wrong! There's nothing at all that's worth reporting..."
Saten tried to sound cheerful, but her voice was strained. Misaka was sure something was wrong, but she hesitated about what to say. In the meantime, words flowed smoothly from Saten's mouth.
"I mean, I'm not even involved in these cases. Unlike everyone else, there's nothing I can do. I only took this quest because Uiharu, Misaka-san, and Shirai-san took it, and I'm still useless."
...In fact, I'm just getting in the way...
She took her hands out of her pocket and spread them out, desperately trying to act like her usual self. However, Misaka was not naive enough to be fooled by a fake smile.
An amulet fell out of her pocket.
"Oh."
Misaka picked it up and handed it to her.
"That's the one you always have on your bag, right?"
"...Yes. My mom gave it to me before I came here. She said it might protect me from bullets... An amulet is completely unscientific."
"Your mom is so kind."
Misaka said with a smile. Saten turned her back on her.
"But sometimes, that expectation is a heavy burden... Maybe I'm not cut out to be a Butei."
"That's not true. We're still only middle school students. You can take your time to figure it out."
However, Misaka, who had reached Level 5 as a middle school student, had words that didn't resonate with Saten's heart, and Saten could only manage a strained smile in return.
---------
The day after they talked at the family restaurant, Saten was wandering around the city aimlessly by herself. In her hand was the music player. She wasn't listening to music; she was thinking about what to do with the thing inside it.
"Level Upper... a dream item that might be able to turn someone like me into an esper..."
She didn't have to worry about it. She could just call Uiharu, whose number was in her phone book, and tell her about it. That would be the normal thing to do. But she couldn't bring herself to do something that simple.
She worried all night and still couldn't find an answer, so she was walking around like this.
"Something unknown is still scary... It's not good, is it..."
In the end, Saten's conscience tipped the scales just a little.
"This is not what we talked about! Weren't you going to hand it over?!"
A man's desperate voice echoed from somewhere. Saten looked around, but she couldn't find the man who was yelling. She walked in the direction of the voice. She ended up behind a building where various tools were placed, probably for construction. Even though it was the back, the sun was shining, making it a strange, bright space.
"Too bad for you. The price just went up."
"That's right. If you want this, bring another 100,000 yen."
Several men who looked like delinquents surrounded a man lying miserably on the ground.
"Th-Then give me my money back! Aah!!"
He clung to the man with disgustingly dyed hair, but he was kicked away. That was the start of a rain of kicks. The man's groans became quieter and quieter.
"Are you an idiot! I told you to stop talking and bring the money!"
The laughter and violence grew louder. One of them, a man with dyed blond hair, said in a cold tone,
"Hey, you guys, use that thing and see how much your level has gone up."
"Hah! Are you serious? You're done for!"
"He's gonna die! Hahah!"
"Hee! S-Stop! I-I'll bring the money!!"
This was a difficult sight for a middle school first-year student like Saten to watch. The money no longer mattered; they were just tormenting the weak.
There are a lot of people like them on this island. In middle school, students start taking classes to become Butei. Of course, the content is too simple for the upperclassmen and teachers. But just as some boys and girls who dream of becoming Butei quit their too-hard club activities, some have their spirits broken here.
Even if they overcome that, they are filtered again by their lack of talent, the difference in talent between them and others, and the fact that everyone has different strengths and weaknesses.
And those who fall through the cracks become those kinds of people. Since the violence they learned is half-baked, they're no match for proper Butei, but for students who don't specialize in fighting, this is enough. They just need to surround them and hurt them, like they're doing now.
(I-I should contact someone first...!)
Saten thought about calling for help. As a powerless girl, that was her best option.
"Ah, n-no... the battery's dead...?"
She had been so worried about what to do with the Level Upper that she had forgotten to charge her phone the night before.
Saten took one last look at the unfair violence and turned her back on it.
She walked the way she came, trying not to make any noise.
"I mean, it can't be helped. There's nothing I can do if I go there..."
She told herself that, and intentionally sped up her steps. She wanted to get out of here as soon as possible. That was all that was on her mind.
"There are four guys, and they're dressed like that... If a girl like me goes out there, I don't know what they'll do to me..."
Contrary to the excuses she was saying out loud, her steps were getting slower.
"The person they're bullying is a complete stranger. Someone I've never even met..."
Saten's feet completely stopped.
---------
"S-Stop it. ...He's injured... My Butei acquaintances will be here soon!!"
Saten summoned her courage and stood up. Even if her voice was only half as loud as she thought it was, even if her legs were trembling, even if she was too scared to look at the delinquents. Saten took a step forward.
One of the delinquents, the man who told them to use their ability, grinned at the unexpected visitor and her words and kicked the wall right next to Saten's face.
"Hii!"
"Hey, what'd you say?"
It wasn't to torment her; it was a full-power kick without any restraint. She instinctively hugged her head and crouched down. The part of the wall that was kicked was caved in. It was a kick with enough force to break the bones of an unbraced person.
"Listen up, little girl. Remember this well."
He grabbed Saten's hair and forced her to look up. The man's face, which she saw up close, was hideous with missing teeth, as if he was on drugs.
"A powerless brat like you has no right to boss me around!"
"!"
The courage she had gathered was shattered into a million pieces. Saten's vision went black, and she was tormented by the feeling of the sounds around her getting farther away.
Even then, the voices from behind her were eerily clear.
"People like you have no right to laugh at Saten-san's courage."
"We will not tolerate you, who mistake borrowed power for your own, laughing at our friend."
Shing, a rapier was drawn from its scabbard.
Kuroko Shirai and Asuna Yuuki were there.
--------------------------------------------
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