The two massive tornadoes behind her roared with a deafening howl.
Hovering high in the air, a certain girl with twin buns pinched her nose to stem the bleeding, while her other hand instinctively wiped at the blood on her face, only to end up smearing it into a messy mask.
She struggled to maintain a stern expression as she stared straight at Accelerator not far away.
The tightly wound string in Natsume Sonoko's heart showed no signs of loosening; instead, the pressure only mounted as time dragged on.
She had no idea how much longer that white-haired guy across from her could hold out, but as for herself—she felt like she was about to hit her limit.
Although her own computational power was only used to maintain the network connection with Reiko, the prolonged strain had left Natsume feeling dizzy, her vision starting to blur.
The surrounding air grew still. Fighting to steady her wavering sight, Natsume could just about make out Accelerator's form.
The wings behind him were still there—four of them—but they had noticeably shrunk in size.
Against his pale skin, his flushed cheeks stood out more vividly than ever.
An immense heat had built up in his brain, and with the ongoing computations generating even more, the heat dissipation issue grew increasingly severe.
It was like a computer trying to run without a fan—without a way to disperse the CPU's heat, the system would inevitably overheat.
Just then, Natsume couldn't hold back a huge yawn.
The rush of oxygen into her brain perked her up slightly, but with her nose still bleeding, she resorted to breathing through her mouth.
Under normal circumstances, a self-respecting Tokiwadai lady like Natsume would never do something so undignified.
Even so, her attention never wavered from Accelerator for even a second. The immense pressure was relentless, and she didn't dare let her guard down.
"The title of the strongest in Academy City is right there for the taking. Come on, defeat me—then you'll be the strongest."
Accelerator broke into a violent coughing fit, a mocking smirk tugging at his lips before he suddenly burst into wild laughter.
His laughter carried far, tinged with self-mockery and rage, yet still brimming with unmistakable confidence and pride. His tone was utterly arrogant.
"Whether it's for the title of the strongest, or to save those mass-produced clones—just push a button and they roll off the assembly line—all you have to do is take me down. Fame, benefits, whatever you want—it's all within reach. So what are you waiting for?"
His voice grew more and more frenzied, as if he were descending into madness.
"The strongest in Academy City… and clones made with the push of a button… I don't understand."
Natsume fell silent for a moment before speaking up.
It was the first time she had addressed the white-haired villain directly, and she felt an inexplicable resistance and discomfort. She wasn't good at dealing with such extreme people.
"Don't understand? Are you joking, or just playing the part of the righteous goody-two-shoes?"
As soon as he spoke, the expression on Accelerator's face gradually smoothed out, the villainous grin fading away.
Suddenly, his eyes turned toward the distant sky, and he let out another involuntary laugh.
"Those guys can't sit still anymore, huh? So eager to see how this ends." A cold sneer rose in his heart, and his voice was icy as he spoke.
As soon as Accelerator finished, Natsume shifted her gaze in the same direction. Three or four helicopters hovered far in the distance, tiny specks barely distinguishable but still recognizable.
"So, someone like me—a villain beyond redemption—no one really cares whether I win or lose. In some people's eyes, I'm just a string of data to be verified over and over."
Accelerator turned his attention back to Natsume.
"Well, let's not keep them waiting. Whatever tricks you've got left, now's the time to use them. Don't go falling over too easily."
He lifted his head, revealing indifferent eyes that, paired with his flushed face, seemed somewhat out of place—yet no one could ignore his presence.
Natsume kept her eyes fixed on him. Though she didn't fully grasp his words, it didn't stop her from manipulating the air.
Regarding the Level 6 Shift Experiment—whether Accelerator had joined willingly or not—if she could defeat him, things might take a turn for the better. Even if she wasn't a Level 0, she could still play a part.
"The Level 6 Shift Experiment must be stopped."
Natsume took a quiet breath, her gaze steady on Accelerator. The pressure in her heart remained, but now there was a thread of determination. The faint fear she felt toward him was pushed to the back of her mind.
For Misaka-senpai and the Sisters!
As Accelerator relinquished control of the surrounding air, Natsume Sonoko naturally took over.
In an instant, the airflow around Accelerator began to vanish, gradually forming a massive sphere of vacuum.
Outside this vacuum, roaring winds swirled at incredible speeds, nearly matching the vortexes Accelerator had created earlier.
It seemed Natsume had poured every last bit of her computational power into this.
The sphere enveloped by the tempest wasn't a perfect vacuum yet, but as Natsume refined her calculations and control, it grew closer and closer to the real thing.
Under her command, the only air left around Accelerator was the four tornado wings behind him. In moments, the space around him was nearly emptied of atmosphere.
As the oxygen thinned, his calculations were immediately suppressed. Two of the four wings vanished, leaving only two suspended in the air.
"If I leave this vacuum zone, I enter the high-speed wind area. If I stay inside, I can't breathe."
Accelerator's breathing grew labored; he tried to speak, but no sound could escape.
On her end, Natsume Sonoko could no longer hear him at all. Even if Accelerator tried to reclaim control of the air now, it was too late—the vacuum zone was almost completely drained.
This was the advantage of holding the battlefield: for Accelerator to retake control, he'd have to fight for it, and by then, her vacuum would be fully formed. All that was left was to extract the last traces of air.
Accelerator covered his mouth, a pained expression crossing his face.
As his remaining wings dissipated, his body began to fall toward the bottom of the sphere. Even manipulating gravity was useless now—what difference did up or down make in this situation?
The moment he made contact with the raging winds, he felt the bite of cold air and was forced to focus on controlling his body heat once more.
Accelerator's descent accelerated, and Natsume followed him down. With the combination of gravitational potential energy and her own flight, she fell even faster than he did.
No matter which direction Accelerator tried to shift the air, Natsume mirrored his movements.
Combined with the intermittent clashes of high and low temperatures, it was a relentless, sticky combat style—like being trapped with chewing gum.
With seemingly endless computational power, as long as her opponent was human, the girl could hold her own. A single temperature control ability was enough to pin down most people, even if it took a bit more time.
Of course, that didn't apply to non-humans or those she couldn't catch.
Thinking about it, she had no real answer for someone like Kanzaki Kaori, who could move at twice the speed of sound. To be precise, her own top speed only reached subsonic flight.
As for being the strongest or any other title—Natsume had no such thoughts.
If Accelerator hadn't doggedly pursued her, her first instinct would have been to find a place to hide.
Among ability users, there were strengths and weaknesses, and also counters. For example, Kanzaki Kaori and Shokuhou Misaki were bad matchups for her; Misaka Mikoto and Accelerator countered Shokuhou, and Accelerator countered almost all Level 5s.
If Natsume Sonoko were to become a Level 5, she might become one of the few who could counter Accelerator—though the advantage wouldn't be absolute, and he could still prepare countermeasures.
Plus, it depended on Reiko providing massive computational support.
By the time Accelerator hit the ground, a thick cloud of dust billowed up around him. Yet his body remained completely unharmed, not even a tear in his clothing.
He'd landed in District 7, right on the main street—but it was already late at night, and the streets were empty.
Even after falling from an aerial battle, the combat unit known as Accelerator had sustained no real damage.
His consciousness, however, was another matter—fogged by the intense heat in his brain.
His mind grew hazy, his thoughts sluggish, and a vacant look crept into his eyes, as if he were suffering from heatstroke.
Even in this unconscious state, his reflection ability remained active—an almost instinctual defense that still rendered him immune to any physical attack.
Natsume Sonoko touched down not far from him, but before she could feel any relief, a sharp pain shot through her head—a sign that her computational power was spent.
Before she could check on Accelerator, she noticed the helicopters in the sky heading their way.
Without hesitation, she hurried into a nearby dark alley, where an abandoned apartment building stood.
She had barely stepped inside before her legs gave way, and she collapsed to the floor, a small bump already forming on her forehead where she'd hit the ground.
"At least it didn't happen in the sky."
That was her last thought before blacking out—if it had, she'd have become pancake-chan permanently.
--+--
When the bun-haired girl—who was grateful not to have become "pancake-chan"—woke up, dawn was just beginning to break.
Her head still felt heavy and muddled; even the thought of using her ability made her feel like she'd collapse on the spot.
Blinking in curiosity, she recalled the moments before she passed out: she'd stumbled into this abandoned apartment in a daze.
Seeing all those armed helicopters, she'd assumed they were on the white-haired guy's side. With her combat strength gone, she'd staggered into this dark alley.
Natsume had been nervous at the time, but it seemed she hadn't been discovered. She was still inside the abandoned apartment.
The only question now was: how did she end up on a sofa?
Had her instincts taken over even in her groggy state, guiding her to the nearest couch in the building?
Maybe she and sofas just had some kind of unspoken connection.
As her thoughts wandered, a figure in a white lab coat appeared in front of her.
Natsume's vision was still blurry, like when she'd secretly tried on her neighbor's glasses as a child.
Gradually, as she focused, her sight cleared.
Once she'd recovered a bit, she saw the person in the white coat holding a cup of warm water, sitting down gently in front of her.
"You're awake."
The moment the figure spoke, the fog in Natsume's mind seemed to lift. The person before her was none other than Nunotaba Shinobu—someone she'd met before.
Just like Dr. Kiyama, Nunotaba Shinobu seemed to prefer wearing a lab coat. Natsume tilted her head back, gazing upward as random thoughts drifted through her mind.
"Nunotaba-senpai, what are you doing here?" Natsume asked, her gaze still slightly dazed.
"This is where I've been staying—though I didn't exactly get permission. I found you passed out in the hallway when I came downstairs."
Under the lab coat, Nunotaba Shinobu wore her Nagatenjouki Academy uniform. Her expression was neutral as she gently helped Natsume sit up.
"Drink some warm water. I'm not sure what else might help you feel better."
She spoke softly, a hint of something unreadable in her eyes as she looked at her.
"Okay," Natsume replied, taking the cup and sipping carefully. But she still managed to scald her throat.
It was only then she realized her thermal layer wasn't active. To develop a passive skill like reflection that worked even when unconscious, like Accelerator's—she still had a long way to go.
In some unknown dimension, drinking hot water seemed to be a cure for many ailments. Apparently, that idea had made its way to Academy City too.
After finishing the water, Natsume rested a while longer before finally activating her thermal layer. The temperature around her stabilized into that perfect balance—warm in winter, cool in summer. Even if an incendiary bomb dropped nearby, she'd still be enjoying eternal spring.
--+--
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.