High up on the half-built skyscraper, a hazy, granular substance had appeared in the mid-air without warning, spreading across most of the sky like a storm cloud pressing down upon the city.
"What can I say? Your clones are just too weak. They don't get my blood pumping at all. But since you're the 'original,' maybe you'll manage to surprise me."
Frowning slightly, Accelerator noticed how unusually dark the sky had become. He looked up and saw a curtain of black iron sand hanging overhead.
Above that iron sand layer, invisible to the naked eye, several massive iron sand windmills had already formed.
By cutting magnetic field lines, they generated a tremendous electric current, supplemented by the night winds feeding into the iron sand layer. This not only lowered the control difficulty for Misaka but also stored an increasing amount of electrical energy within.
As Accelerator observed the iron sand veil in the sky, a massive flow of the black substance began scaling the building's exterior walls, staining the structure pitch black.
Like geckos crawling up a wall, vast quantities of iron sand gathered together, silently creeping up to the rooftop.
Similarly, nearly every floor of the building was filling up with this controlled iron sand, transforming the structure into a giant magnet that perfectly supported the black curtain in the sky.
As more and more iron sand converged, the building's vibrations grew increasingly noticeable, finally drawing Accelerator's attention to the changes around him. Yet, he remained still, quietly watching.
"So that's it. I was wondering who'd be so bored as to place so much iron sand around an unfinished building," Accelerator remarked, a hint of realization in his tone.
"Did you think I wouldn't prepare for a fight with you?"
Emerging from the shadows, Misaka, dressed in casual clothes, spoke through gritted teeth, barely suppressing her rage.
For this battle against Accelerator, she had made every preparation she could, yet her chances of victory still seemed vanishingly small.
Electricity arced freely from her body, crawling over the building's surface as she controlled a portion of the iron sand as effortlessly as moving her own limbs, directing it toward the battlefield between her and Accelerator.
"Is that so? Well then, I'll look forward to it. You'd better not disappoint me, Misaka Mikoto."
A flicker of interest crossed Accelerator's face as he leaned forward slightly, his left foot stomping down hard.
The rooftop instantly splintered, a huge hole erupting as dozens of shattered concrete fragments of varying sizes flew towards Misaka.
A glance into the hole below would reveal a seething, dense mass of iron sand—a nightmare for anyone with trypophobia—now madly surging up towards the rooftop.
The flying debris aimed at Misaka's face was intercepted by an electromagnetic barrier, disintegrating into a cloud of dust.
Meanwhile, the iron sand pouring from the breach began spreading across the entire rooftop, merging with the flow scaling the building's exterior.
Then, the overwhelming mass of iron sand gathered, as if manipulated by an invisible hand, swiftly forming a massive black tornado that tightly enveloped Accelerator.
From his feet to over his head, Accelerator watched calmly as the iron sand swallowed him. His head tilted slightly forward, his bangs shadowing his face, leaving only the persistent smirk on his lips visible.
The tornado raged across the rooftop, covering most of its surface. Debris and construction materials were swept away instantly, even reinforced concrete torn from its roots, leaving behind a bare, scarred plane dotted with conspicuous pits and holes.
Not daring to hold back her computational power, Misaka breathed heavily as the tornado expanded and its rotational speed increased. The normal air concentration was no longer sufficient; her brain was signaling for more oxygen.
Clenching her fists tightly, Misaka compressed the tornado at its base, a slender black column now piercing the clouds.
Ten seconds, fifteen seconds... by twenty seconds, the iron sand storm finally ceased. A black rain of iron sand fell around the building, accumulating on the ground in a dense layer that raised the rooftop's level by half a meter.
As the iron sand settled, forming a thick black carpet, Accelerator emerged from the storm completely unscathed.
"Was that your move? Looks somewhat interesting. I almost don't want to ruin such a fascinating spectacle. But once the trick is exposed, it's nothing special."
Placing a hand on his shoulder, a strange smile playing on his lips, Accelerator's eyes turned vicious, every bit the perfect villain.
"If you can't show me something at least marginally impressive next, I won't forgive you easily for disrupting my experiment."
His gaze sharpened, locking directly onto Misaka's eyes.
"How... How are you completely unharmed after that?"
Misaka's expression shifted uneasily. She was, after all, the #3 Level 5 in Academy City, yet she suddenly felt a profound sense of powerlessness.
But she quickly steadied herself. Although Accelerator's data was classified within Academy City, she had managed to hack some information about him.
Real name unknown. Ability: Vector Control. Specifically, the power to manipulate the direction of all forms of energy, including kinetic, thermal, and electrical energy.
This ability could counter most espers. However, any esper would have a limit to their computational power. Misaka glanced at the black veil in the sky, a stubborn defiance welling up inside her.
"Today's supposed to be an experiment day, but I haven't seen any clones. Hell, I haven't even seen those clean-up crew guys," Accelerator muttered, standing at the building's edge and gazing at the brightly lit Academy City in the distance.
"Stop talking to yourself and ignoring me!" Misaka shouted loudly.
A brilliant orange beam erupted, radiating intense heat. Propelled by countless magnetized iron sand particles on the ground, it reached an unprecedented velocity.
The Railgun's massive kinetic energy and heat struck Accelerator's body in an instant.
But the next moment, the Railgun's projectile reversed direction, flying back towards Misaka Mikoto even faster.
An electromagnetic barrier flared over her skin, slightly altering the projectile's trajectory. The orange beam tore through the black iron sand layer, triggering another shower of black droplets.
"Really now, I'm just waiting for you to show your hand. Did you really think you'd still be standing here talking to me otherwise?" Accelerator turned back, his smile now tinged with deeper meaning.
"You know, you're not the only one who can control iron sand." Accelerator took a step forward, and the black ground immediately became uneven.
A large black net erupted from the floor, instantly ensnaring Misaka's body.
A flash of brilliant blue sparks erupted, and the net disintegrated. As the iron sand fell, Misaka reclaimed control over it.
"Why did you join this project? With your abilities, no one could have forced you, right?"
Landing back on the ground, her clothes now torn in several places, Misaka stared directly at Accelerator.
"Why ask that all of a sudden?" Accelerator paused his movements, scratching his back as if somewhat puzzled.
"To put it simply, it's to obtain absolute power. Not just Level 5, not just the strongest in Academy City, not any of that boring stuff. I mean power that allows no one to challenge me."
Accelerator's expression turned serious. He raised his arm slightly, as if grasping at something crucial.
"I want absolute power. You're a Level 5 too. You understand, don't you?"
His eyes fixed on Misaka's increasingly dark expression, a trace of anticipation surfaced on his face.
"Absolute power... What kind of reason is that!"
In the instant she looked up, Misaka's eyes blazed with inexplicable fury. The black iron sand layer covering half the sky began to emit a dazzling radiance.
Several iron sand windmills spun rapidly. A massive charge formed a huge sphere of current in the air, dyeing the black iron sand a brilliant white, abruptly lighting up the sky.
Pulled by the currents in the sky, Misaka's body levitated. Dozens of chains formed from iron sand spread out around her, covering the entire rooftop.
Using these chains, she could instantaneously channel all the gathered current into this space, creating an unimaginable electromagnetic storm.
"Interesting. That much electricity is probably enough to power District 7 for a whole day, isn't it?"
Accelerator suddenly burst into loud laughter. Leaning forward, he shattered the ground underfoot and launched himself into the air.
White. The entire world seemed to turn white, pristine as a blank canvas, starkly out of place with Academy City's usual appearance.
The electric current burst forth like a ruptured dam, accompanied by the piercing screech of a thousand birds—some frequencies even beyond the range of human hearing.
Within the area bound by the chains, a massive electric field activated. The white light ignited the entire building. Dozens of smaller plasma orbs successively dropped onto the rooftop, as intense electromagnetic storms continuously erupted within.
With the emergence of the enormous electromagnetic storm, the magnetic field between the building and the iron sand veil became chaotic.
The iron sand curtain in the sky began to fall apart; several windmills shattered into particles instantly, though most remained suspended aloft.
Vast quantities of iron sand were scorched and melted. Though the events inside the light were still unseen, a unique, metallic burnt smell wafted out, making Misaka instinctively cover her nose.
"What's happening inside?"
Unaffected by the currents, Misaka widened her eyes slightly, trying to see through the white curtain of light.
Her mind was unsettled. The sheer power of this attack surprised even her. Her initial plan was merely to use natural forces to enhance her ability, but the final result far exceeded her expectations.
However, using it wasn't exactly convenient. First, she had to magnetize the iron sand, creating repelling magnetic fields to keep the sand airborne without exhausting her computational power.
Then, setting up the windmills for power generation and gathering current in the air required extremely precise control. In contrast, the final attack phase was relatively simple.
Moreover, because she had created such an enormous magnetic field, the efficiency of cutting the magnetic field lines was much higher than expected. The accumulated current nearly surpassed Misaka's control limits.
"To do all this... for 'absolute power'... It's just too much." An inexplicable dimness flickered in Misaka's eyes.
The white light finally began to fade. The surrounding magnetic fields gradually stabilized, and the iron sand veil in the sky stopped disintegrating.
Following Misaka's gaze, the original rooftop had completely vanished. Even the floor below was now filled with molten, liquefied iron sand. But there was no sign of Accelerator.
Suddenly, a violent impact struck Misaka's abdomen. Her body curled up involuntarily, stomach acid churning, a sour taste rising in her throat.
"Hahaha! What a magnificent performance! I can't help but applaud you. As expected, the original is far more interesting than the clones."
A wild, unrestrained laugh on his face, Accelerator's fist slammed into Misaka's stomach, nearly knocking her unconscious.
As Misaka's eyes followed him, a trace of despair surfaced in her gaze.
Accelerator stood there completely unharmed, without a single tear on his clothes. His face was flushed, but with excitement.
"If you could gather a whole day's worth of Academy City's electricity, then maybe you could hurt me."
"This is too fun. I'm almost reluctant to kill you," Accelerator roared with laughter.
He withdrew his fist, letting Misaka's body fall towards the ground.
Gritting her teeth, Misaka stabilized her posture, stumbling as she finally landed on the not-yet-solidified liquid iron sand.
Her feet dangled precariously, just a step away from the scorching iron sand. The intense heat made sweat stream down her face.
"For those mass-produced commodities, created with the push of a button... you'd go this far? I don't know whether to call you foolish or naive."
Accelerator's figure suddenly reappeared. His kick connected with Misaka, piercing straight through her electromagnetic barrier. Her body was sent flying again, not off the building, but allowing her to grab the rooftop's edge with one hand.
"'Commodities?' Hah! Stop lying to yourself!"
Blood trickled from Misaka's forehead, blurring her vision. Yet, her other hand curled slightly, forming a fist, which she then clenched tightly.
At that moment, the world seemed to turn upside down. The previously repelling magnetic poles suddenly reversed. Under the suddenly generated attractive force, all the iron sand began to stir violently once more.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.