In the drafty, abandoned apartment, an old light tube sputtered and flickered, casting the room in a fitful glow that made the place feel like a cheap, underfunded haunted house.
A strong wind whipped through the building, tugging at Natsume's bun and making it sway. Combined with her somewhat dazed expression, she looked utterly bored.
Leaning back on the sofa, her head resting on her own arm, Natsume tilted her face up slightly. A cotton ball was stuffed into her left nostril, giving her a rather postmodern vibe.
After fumbling around for a bit, she finally managed to pull out her phone with a listless sigh.
Like many students in Academy City, the girl with the bun had developed a condition where she felt physically uneasy without checking her phone.
It was somewhat manageable during school, but on holidays, she completely let herself go.
In terms of embracing the conveniences of technology, Natsume was undoubtedly at the forefront of Academy City's trends.
'So many missed calls.'
Natsume sat up a little straighter, noticing that almost all the missed calls were from Misaka-senpai.
It suddenly hit her. She'd been so caught up in other thoughts that she'd nearly forgotten about Misaka-senpai's situation.
Having been out of contact for so long, her senior must be worried sick.
Just as Natsume was about to call back, her phone rang again—Misaka-senpai.
"This is Natsume Sonoko. Misaka-senpai, I'm sorry, I forgot to get in touch," Natsume Sonoko said softly, sticking out her tongue slightly. Her throat felt scratchy, still tender from recently scalding it with hot water.
There was a brief silence on the other end. Just as Natsume started to feel puzzled, she heard a faint, choked sob. Misaka-senpai's breathing became ragged.
The crying lasted only a few seconds before it seemed to transform into a laugh—a hiccupping, halting sound, as if she'd been choking on something.
Heh—heh— The laughter kept coming, and even from her end, Natsume could feel Misaka-senpai's overwhelming relief and joy.
"Natsume... I'm... I'm so sorry. I regret ever dragging you into this." Misaka-senpai's voice trembled, thick with apology and self-reproach.
"I couldn't find you anywhere. Your phone was off. I had no way of knowing if you were okay. I'm so sorry, I..."
"Please, don't say that."
A serious expression settled on Natsume Sonoko's face, stopping her senior from continuing.
"Misaka-senpai, this isn't your fault. You shouldn't blame yourself for any of this. The ones at fault are those who tricked you and stole your genetic material. No matter what, you are the victim here."
"And you definitely don't need to apologize for what happened to me. After all, I chose to help."
Natsume spoke each word deliberately, her tone firm and resolute.
"Natsume, are you feeling better? Who are you talking to?"
Just as Natsume was speaking with Misaka-senpai, Nunotaba Shinobu-senpai passed by, her arms full of documents.
"Ah, it's Misaka-senpai," Natsume replied politely with a nod.
"Coming to pick you up? That makes sense. I don't exactly have any medicine here, after all."
Nunotaba Shinobu gave a slight nod. As soon as she finished speaking, she carried the documents to the side and set them all ablaze with a lighter.
"Natsume, where are you right now?" Misaka-senpai's voice came through the phone again.
"Eh? I'm not really sure myself," Natsume said, caught off guard. She instinctively moved to share her location.
"Building 15, Rear Road, Queen Shopping Center, Area C, School District 7."
Nunotaba Shinobu waved the burning stack of documents in her hand like a torch, illuminating the derelict apartment, and spoke up abruptly.
"Understood." Misaka-senpai's voice on the phone had stabilized somewhat.
Setting her phone down, Natsume quietly leaned back into the sofa, shifting a part of her consciousness over to Reiko.
At that moment, Reiko was sprawled out unceremoniously on a blanket. The ice pack on her head had long since melted.
A large puddle had soaked into the blanket around her, leaving her feeling damp and uncomfortable.
Reiko pushed herself up, holding her head. Her thoughts were still a jumbled mess, and she felt generally unwell, but at least her fever had broken.
As she sat up, a sudden chill ran down her spine.
Turning her head, she found a Sister staring at her with a curious expression.
"Reiko, you're awake, says Misaka 9982, expressing joy."
Wearing a wide, semicircular smile that reminded Reiko of a Gekota, Misaka 9982 spoke, looking somewhat goofy.
"Eh? 9982? You're already awake?"
Reiko seemed to remember something, a look of embarrassment flashing across her face.
Even though it was to protect the Sisters last night, Reiko—or rather, Natsume—still felt a little guilty about knocking them out.
In Natsume Sonoko's original thinking, the technique of using temperature to induce shock should only be used on truly infuriating people.
While it didn't cause any real physical harm, the sensation of suffocation was intensely unpleasant.
"By the way, what about the scheduled experiments for the Level 6 Shift Project?" Reiko asked, her voice dropping to a tentative whisper as a thread of anxiety tightened within her.
"The experiment encountered an unforeseen incident. Last night, all Misakas were attacked by Natsume, forcing the experiment to be suspended, explains Misaka 9982."
"Furthermore, according to information received three hours ago, the primary subject of the experiment, Academy City's #1, engaged in combat with an unknown individual and fell unconscious. This may lead to modifications in the experimental protocol, adds Misaka 9982."
'Just modifications?' So the experiment wasn't completely over?
A dazed look crossed Reiko's face. She stared wordlessly at the Sister's innocent features.
'Did it really have to be like in the original story? Did Kamijou Touma-senpai have to defeat Accelerator for this to end? Was I actually the one interfering with how things were supposed to go?'
As Reiko sat there, growing increasingly restless, Misaka 9982 suddenly leaned in close until their faces were almost touching. Their eyes widened, staring at each other like two pairs of large brass bells.
"However, based on the latest information received ten minutes ago, the #1 has regained consciousness and stated he will no longer cooperate with the Level 6 Shift Project."
"Concurrently, his defeat by the unknown individual has prompted researchers to re-evaluate the Tree Diagram's simulations, says Misaka 9982, deliberately building suspense."
"Come on, out with it, Misaka 9982!"
Reiko grabbed the Sister by the shoulders and shook her gently, growing impatient with the teasing.
"Due to the aforementioned circumstances, regarding the Level 6 Shift Experiment, the Board Chairman of Academy City directly ordered the researchers to terminate the project half an hour ago and seal all related data, says Misaka 9982, while expressing some confusion regarding her loss of purpose for existing."
Reiko was stunned. So was Natsume, on the other end. The next second, faint smiles touched both their lips.
Immediately, Reiko threw her arms around Misaka 9982, gave her a firm kiss on the cheek, and then lifted the girl high into the air, unable to hold back a booming, bell-like laugh.
Natsume certainly didn't have that kind of strength, but Reiko did.
How to describe the feeling? It was as if a heavy weight had been lifted from her heart.
And, to the bun-haired girl's surprise, that white-haired guy had given up on the Level 6 Shift Project.
Natsume found it a little hard to understand. That guy who kept saying the Sisters were just mass-produced goods, made with the push of a button... had he really voluntarily quit the experiment?
And that became one of the key reasons for its termination?
'Maybe nobody is as simple or one-dimensional as they appear.'
People always habitually wear masks, just like Natsume's Magical Girl Kanami mask.
Still unable to fully piece it together, Natsume did what came naturally to her: she stopped thinking about it. That was just her style.
Anyway, the most important thing was that the Sisters no longer had to participate in the experiments.
Eyes crinkling slightly, Reiko set Misaka 9982 down and bounded out the door, eager to check on the other Sisters.
"You don't need some grand 'purpose for existing.' Just focus on being happy every day. Trust me on this," Reiko said, patting her comrade Misaka 9982 on the shoulder as she walked.
This time, she didn't put on the airs of a seasoned senior—after all, Reiko's actual age was probably less than that of the Misaka Sisters.
"This concept of a 'reason to live'... I believe I have heard Natsume speak of it before, says Misaka 9982, who still prefers to withhold judgment on the matter."
--+--
Back in the abandoned apartment in School District 7.
A certain bun-haired girl wore a slightly vacant expression, the curve of her smile prompting a few extra, curious glances from Nunotaba Shinobu, who was leaning against the wall.
"Nunotaba-senpai, I have great news! The Level 6 Shift Project has been terminated!"
The bun-haired girl suddenly exclaimed, not even trying to hide her joy.
Nunotaba Shinobu's face was mostly impassive, but she still seemed taken aback by Natsume's words.
"Really? How do you know, Natsume?" Nunotaba Shinobu asked, her voice slightly strained.
"That's not important! Let's just say I have my sources."
Hearing this, Nunotaba Shinobu found a spot to sit down, pulled a tiny PDA from her pocket, and started searching for something.
"Natsume!"
The sound of hurried footsteps pounding up the stairs echoed from afar, followed immediately by Misaka-senpai's voice. Soon after, a girl covered in grime appeared before Natsume and Nunotaba Shinobu.
Misaka-senpai's clothes were tattered, her face smudged with dirt—a far cry from her usual neat appearance. She had numerous wounds, all only roughly bandaged.
"Misaka-senpai, over here!" Natsume called out urgently from the sofa.
"Thank goodness, Natsume."
Relief was evident on Misaka-senpai's face. Seeing Natsume safe and sound finally eased the tension in her heart.
Misaka-senpai sat on a low stool, a cup of steaming hot water placed beside her.
Whether for medicinal purposes or hospitality, for Nunotaba Shinobu, a cup of hot water seemed to suffice.
Natsume also sat up properly on the sofa, while Nunotaba Shinobu remained leaning against the wall.
"So, based on some data I just retrieved from the institute, it seems fairly certain the Level 6 Shift Project has been terminated. The Sisters are no longer experimental animals," Nunotaba Shinobu said, more to herself, a faint flush of excitement on her cheeks.
She turned her PDA to face the other two.
"According to this data, Accelerator withdrew from the project voluntarily after being defeated. Combined with the intervention from the upper echelons of the board, it seems highly unlikely the project will be restarted anytime soon," Nunotaba Shinobu continued.
Misaka-senpai, who had been listening, suddenly rubbed her eyes, as if some dust had blown into them.
"However, one question remains," Nunotaba Shinobu said, a rare note of curiosity entering her voice. "Who was it that defeated Accelerator?"
In the pause that followed, both Misaka-senpai and Nunotaba Shinobu turned their gazes toward Natsume Sonoko, causing the bun-haired girl to squirm uncomfortably under the sudden attention.
Even though she'd fought Accelerator, the bun-haired girl considered it, at best, a draw—and one that would be incredibly difficult to replicate.
Fortunately, Accelerator didn't know what she looked like. If they met again, she could just pretend not to know him and walk on by.
Now, pinned by the stares of her two seniors, Natsume unconsciously swallowed. She tried to explain, but the words came out in a stammer.
"Well, you see, the thing is... I mean, anyway..."
"The ability user who defeated Accelerator demonstrated control over wind, ice, thermal, and light-based abilities. Preliminary assessment suggests a high-level thermal system user," Misaka-senpai said, having taken Nunotaba Shinobu's PDA.
She had already hacked into the institute's deepest files and was reading the information carefully, word by word.
"In that case, the one who defeated Accelerator can only be you, Natsume. I suspect the researchers have already guessed your identity, but they're probably still uncertain due to the unusual nature and level of your abilities."
Even though the bun-haired girl was being evasive, Nunotaba Shinobu quickly pieced the truth together. Though she looked somewhat surprised, she remained relatively calm.
When she had found Natsume, she had also seen the men from the helicopter, the ones who had loaded the unconscious Accelerator onto the aircraft.
That was the reason she had been looking at Natsume Sonoko a bit strangely earlier.
In contrast, Misaka-senpai was utterly astonished. She had fought Accelerator head-on and knew exactly how powerful he was.
His defenses seemed almost impenetrable. No matter what strategy she employed—reversing magnetic poles or summoning a sky mill—the #1 had weathered it all completely unscathed. It had driven her to despair.
"So it really was you, Natsume..." Misaka-senpai murmured, her voice filled with a complex mix of awe and gratitude.
--+--
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.