In the blink of an eye, a layer of frost crept across the ground, the temperature began to drop, and the surrounding dozens of meters were transformed into a wintry landscape.
Drifting ice crystals danced in the air, as if cloaking the very atmosphere in silver.
Natsume's mind was a blank slate, her entire focus bent on sensing Accelerator's location.
Much like a certain bun-head had guessed, Accelerator did indeed have a body temperature, though it seemed a touch lower than an average person's.
The reflection he constantly employed only applied to external heat; the heat his own body generated was expelled naturally, just like anyone else.
It was precisely this detail that allowed Natsume to pinpoint his position so easily.
This, of course, was to be expected. If Accelerator reflected his own body heat as well, he'd be unable to dissipate it properly.
His temperature would keep rising, landing him in the hospital in isolation.
For a passive ability that remained active even in his sleep, such an oversight was clearly out of the question.
As Accelerator's feet touched the ground, an involuntary shiver ran through him, a flicker of disgust crossing his face. He could reflect the kinetic energy of the ice, but its chilling temperature seeped through nonetheless, causing his body heat to dip slightly.
Accelerator's ability could be broadly divided into two categories: reflection and manipulation.
Reflection was the straightforward 180-degree variety, an instinct so deeply ingrained it was etched into his very being. Aside from the minimal light and heat essential for sustaining life, he reflected nearly everything else, a process requiring only the barest trickle of mental calculation.
But the moment manipulation entered the picture, things got complicated. He first had to calculate the 'original vector' and then the 'new vector,' demanding a significant leap in processing power. The earlier iron-sand chains and his aerial maneuvers were both results of such manipulation.
However, even with his reflection active, he could still manipulate the heat leaving his body—heat that was now flowing out faster due to the dropping temperature.
Without a moment's hesitation, Accelerator began manipulating his own body heat, pulling it back inside to keep the external cold from stealing it away.
He'd long since prepared countermeasures for such tactics.
And the very instant Accelerator started manipulating his thermal signature, the heat-map inside a certain bun-head's mind vanished.
Her surroundings plunged into a dull grey, leaving only the crimson silhouette of Misaka-senpai clearly visible to her mind's eye.
"It's gone… just like that," Sonoko Natsume murmured to herself, her face a mask of stunned disbelief.
"Natsume-san, we need to leave. Now. Our fight with Accelerator ends here," Misaka-senpai said suddenly, her expression turning deadly serious.
Even if she hadn't defeated Accelerator, she'd achieved her goal of engaging him in combat.
This alone had created a major flaw in the Tree Diagram's simulation. Now, all they had to do was return, have the Tree Diagram report a false prediction, and find a way to make it self-destruct.
"Misaka-senpai, actually, I think your plan…" Sonoko started, wanting to say that the plan wasn't necessarily foolproof.
In her memory, it had ultimately failed. But the unwavering resolve on Misaka-senpai's face seemed to say she didn't want Natsume getting any more entangled in this fight.
After all, this was Accelerator they were dealing with.
Sonoko hesitated, her eyes tracing the wounds covering Misaka-senpai. Although the bleeding on her forehead had stopped, bruises and scrapes were still evident everywhere, all in need of treatment. Maybe getting Misaka-senpai to safety was the right choice after all.
But just then, the building was rocked by a violent tremor.
Accelerator was no longer holding back. The already severed skyscraper was torn completely from its foundations. With one hand, he controlled the massive structure, swinging it horizontally in a devastating arc.
Natsume herself was caught within the attack's range.
The shockwave generated by the building's movement sent her tumbling head over heels.
Misaka-senpai, who had been on the building itself, was pressed flat against it and vanished from sight, taken on an impromptu 'trip' courtesy of the flying skyscraper.
There was no time to worry about Misaka-senpai now. The framework of Natsume's upward air current shattered, and she plummeted toward the ground. But in the next second, a pair of wings formed from tornadoes materialized on her back.
The whirlwinds churned the surrounding air with a loud whoosh. A powerful gale ripped through the area, hurling incoming bricks and steel reinforcements aside. It even seemed to scoop up some iron sand into the wings, streaking them with dark accents.
Sonoko Natsume found herself floating mid-air with a strangely placid expression. The initial frantic scramble of what to do had left her so overwhelmed that she'd settled into an unnatural calm.
Of course, using those tornado wings had all but given her position away to Accelerator. Even if his physical physique was lacking, his eyesight was certainly not.
Two tornadoes, each taller than a person, suddenly appearing and connected to the same spot? Despite the cover of night and the evening breeze, they were easily spotted.
To be fair, Natsume's tornadoes were relatively quiet. But the air currents around them were wildly unstable, and with all the stones and bricks being sent flying, the effect was glaringly obvious.
So, while Natsume was technically still invisible, she might as well have been standing in broad daylight.
Just as she was thinking about finding a new hiding spot, she felt an intense, scrutinizing gaze upon her. Following the feeling, she saw Accelerator looking up, a brazen, unrestrained smirk twisting his lips.
The bun-head girl felt her body tense up.
So this was what it felt like to face the #1 Level 5 of Academy City directly.
Her heart hammered wildly in her chest, a stark contrast to the feeling she had while hiding before she'd been discovered.
Before she could even process the sensation, the white-haired boy below let out a low, arrogant laugh.
A pair of wings composed of tornadoes sprouted from his own back, though his numbered four in total.
"First the light beams, then ice control, and now tornadoes… I see. Your ability is actually thermal manipulation, isn't it?" A smirk played on Accelerator's lips. He was suddenly curious. Just how far could this person go?
Now adorned with his own set of wings, Accelerator casually tossed the skyscraper aside as if it were a toy.
He seemed ready to shoot into the sky and 'rub shoulders with the moon,' while Natsume's only thought was to find a place to land.
According to her reasoning, if she could just make the two wings on her back disappear, that white-haired guy would have a much harder time finding her. But canceling them mid-air was tricky, and creating a new upward current was too easily disrupted. No, landing safely was the first priority.
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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.