I, Kurumi Tokisaki, Am a Wanderer

Yoshikawa Kikyou narrated the calculation results of the Tree Diagram Designer to Kurumi, while the spinach-haired man—Amai Ao—watched from the side with a cold gaze.

However, Kurumi's attention was drawn elsewhere.

"Vega I?" she asked.

"What's the matter?" Yoshikawa Kikyou noticed Kurumi's focus and pushed the document forward, indicating it to her.

"Vega I's primary mission is to monitor Academy City and the surrounding regions. It also serves as the platform for the Tree Diagram Designer."

"Nothing... nothing," Kurumi said, pressing her palm against her temple, feeling a wave of melancholy.

So my ultimate target really is the Tree Diagram Designer? she thought to herself. I've been slacking far too much.

Yoshikawa Kikyou continued arranging the computational results while chatting with Kurumi, sharing amusing anecdotes.

For instance, in their efforts to optimize the Sisters' performance by mimicking Misaka Mikoto's traits as closely as possible, staff members were once dispatched to steal Tokiwadai uniforms from the School Garden.

However, since they had no way of knowing Misaka Mikoto's choice of undergarments, they even considered applying for the Tree Diagram Designer to simulate her preferences.

When this request was summarily rejected, they resorted to sending the Hound Dogs—a dark faction team—into Tokiwadai on a mission to retrieve Mikoto's undergarments. This mission ended in disaster when the dorm supervisors annihilated the entire squad.

Kurumi listened, stunned.

Her only response was: "I suggest buying safety shorts."

...

Applying for calculation access to the Tree Diagram Designer was typically a laborious process, often involving long queues.

This time, however, the request was unexpectedly approved with remarkable ease, as though deliberately expedited by higher-ups.

"According to the calculations from the Tree Diagram Designer, Accelerator's chances of victory during his first battle with you were 37.6%," Yoshikawa Kikyou explained, her gaze lingering on Kurumi in disbelief.

As a researcher who had observed Accelerator for years, she understood better than most just how terrifying he truly was.

In Accelerator's own words:

"Just like eyesight is capped at 2.0, under the 'Mind of God,' Academy City's highest level only reaches Level 5. That's the only reason I'm stuck at this rank."

Yet now, the Tree Diagram Designer had calculated that in their initial encounter, Kurumi's odds of victory exceeded his.

"However, in subsequent battles, Accelerator's probability of defeating you increases by roughly 4% each time. After sixteen battles, he will likely achieve Level 6 Absolute Power."

"To rely on fate despite a mortal vessel," Yoshikawa murmured, staring at the report with a strange thought crossing her mind.

Sixteen battles. Sixteen attempts to defeat this girl—Kurumi Tokisaki—before Accelerator could reach 100% probability of success. Only then could Accelerator evolve into a Level 6 Absolute Esper.

Did this mean... Kurumi herself was already a Level 6 Absolute Esper? Or was she teetering on the very edge?

Her thoughts could have ventured even further.

If that were the case, what was the true purpose of evolving Accelerator?

Was making him a Level 6 even the end goal at all?

Yoshikawa Kikyou chose not to pursue the thought. She didn't want to know.

"But the Tree Diagram Designer also predicts your likelihood of cooperating with the experiment to be 0%," she continued.

"Oh my, that's certainly accurate," Kurumi said with a sly smile.

Cooperate? What a joke.

Her plan was to pummel Accelerator into the ground in their very first fight.

"That's why... we've decided to restart the Level 6 Shift Experiment," Amai Ao interjected abruptly.

He truly had to thank Kurumi for this—without her, he'd already be a dead man.

Kurumi's expression grew cold.

Her crimson, blood-like eyes locked onto Amai Ao.

"Oh my. Sir, do you even understand what you're saying?" she asked, her voice dripping with icy disdain.

"What am I saying?" Amai Ao suddenly raised his hands, his demeanor tipping into madness. "I'm talking about disposable products that can be mass-produced at the press of a button, as long as we have the equipment and drugs."

"A single test subject worth 180,000 yen is far easier to acquire than some pampered young lady."

From the moment Kurumi stepped into the room, Amai Ao's nerves had been stretched taut. He knew that his life or death depended entirely on the whims of this girl.

But after hearing the report from the Tree Diagram Designer, his fears eased.

The Tree Diagram Designer didn't make mistakes.

No matter how powerful this girl was, as long as she didn't interfere, it wouldn't concern him.

"Heh... those Sisters are far more important to me than you are," Kurumi's icy gaze pierced into Amai Ao, causing him to involuntarily step back. A shiver ran through him as he felt a very real threat of death emanating from her.

It was because of people like him that the Sisters were dying.

"You naïve fool, you're treating equipment like people!" Amai Ao shouted, his voice tinged with hysteria.

"Shut up!" Kurumi snapped.

To Yoshikawa Kikyou's shock, black-and-red shadows cascaded down from above like living creatures, enveloping Amai Ao. Pale arms stretched out from the darkness and seized him.

"What are you doing?" Yoshikawa implored, trying to reason with Kurumi. "Calm down!"

The cold, void-like shadows began to consume Amai Ao. His limbs went numb, and his senses dulled as he hovered on the brink of losing consciousness.

Amai Ao's terror erupted into guttural cries, the desperate sound of a cornered animal.

"What are you doing?!"

He tried to threaten her. "If you kill me, you'll be committing a crime! An esper crime… the military will mobilize!"

It was the same tactic Accelerator had once used.

…

"Shh... you're so noisy," Kurumi said softly, placing a finger to her lips to hush him.

Amai Ao's body was being dragged into the shadows, his limbs becoming increasingly immobile. His vision blurred as the encroaching darkness swallowed half of his face. His voice cracked with desperation.

"You can't kill me! You can't kill me!"

"Killing me is against the law! Even if you're Level 5, you can't kill me!"

"Oh my. And what about the Sisters?" Kurumi bent down, her voice growing as cold as ice. Her angelic face, framed by her gentle smile, looked like the visage of a devil to Amai Ao.

The writhing shadows continued to envelop him, pressing against his chest until he could hardly breathe.

As his final moments approached, the man—his nerves already stretched to the breaking point—suddenly calmed.

Amai Ao's gaze fixed on the massive screen behind Kurumi. Staring at the countdown displayed there, he began to chuckle coldly.

"Even if you kill me... you can't stop the experiment."

"It'll take that monster only seconds to slaughter those test subjects. You're too late! You're too late!"

His laughter turned manic. "No matter what you do, the blood will still spill."

This guy… is so irritating.

"Oh? Is that so?" Kurumi smirked disdainfully. With a flick of her hand, the shadows surged, swallowing him entirely. "Reflect on that in eternal slumber."

"And as for the experiment?"

Kurumi spread her arms wide. An unseen wind whipped around her, lifting her black hair and revealing the brilliant gold eye hidden beneath her bangs. The sight sent a jolt through Yoshikawa Kikyou's chest.

The girl before her exuded a presence that seemed to overlook everything, to hold everything within her grasp.

"I've found you," Kurumi declared.

...

10:15 a.m./ Sunny/ Visibility: 17 km.

"Misaka #2829 proceeds with the planned operation."

Her tea-colored hair swayed in the wind, and her delicate face was identical to Misaka Mikoto's. The girl, sharing Mikoto's physical traits, adjusted the tactical goggles on her forehead with an expressionless face.

Zzzzt—

The green lights of her targeting scope activated, and her slender target appeared in her crosshairs.

The weapon in her hands was a massive, jet-black rifle, far longer than her own height.

It was the Metal Eater MX, an anti-armor sniper rifle modified from the Barrett M82A1. Often referred to by its nickname, "The Cannon."

Misaka #2829 steadied her breathing, her slim finger resting on the trigger.

Through her scope, she saw a frail boy with pale, almost sickly skin and stark white hair. His complexion betrayed a lack of sunlight and vitality.

He was Accelerator.

The strongest of Academy City's 2.3 million espers.

The testing site was an abandoned parking lot. Accelerator stood motionless at the center, his right hand in his pocket, his expression one of growing impatience.

The experiment that should have been terminated was resumed as bait for another plan.

According to the Tree Diagram Designer's calculations, the likelihood of Kurumi Tokisaki cooperating with a direct request for experimentation was 0%.

However, if the previous Level 6 Shift Experiment was resumed, the chance of Kurumi intervening increased to 86.3%.

"Sector A... Marker 3... 14 degrees right... Distance: 710 meters."

The intelligent goggles automatically locked onto the target. Misaka #2829 crouched behind an abandoned SUV, murmuring the sniping parameters to herself.

"Mil adjustment... Wind direction measured."

She whispered as she fine-tuned the scope.

"Adjusting crosshair by 1/4 mil to the right."

"Target... locked."

Misaka #2829 held her breath, the faint sound of wind brushing past her ears.

In that split second of life and death, she found herself distracted by the wind, comparing it to faint memories shared through the network.

"The wind carries a heavy scent of rust and oil, but the scenery is beautiful," Misaka remarks to the network, hoping she survives to share the experience."

Her body became as still as a stone. The moment the crosshair aligned, she fired.

Boom, boom, boom—

The Metal Eater roared with unrelenting ferocity, unleashing a burst of three consecutive 12.7mm anti-armor rounds directly toward the pale-haired boy's head.

Her skill rivaled that of a seasoned veteran. These techniques were part of the knowledge filled into her mind during her 14 days of existence.

The Metal Eater's brutal recoil ripped apart the thin metal sheet she lay behind, cutting into her arm. Blood spilled freely as the short-sleeved Tokiwadai summer uniform provided no protection.

But Misaka #2829 didn't dare treat her wound. The instant she fired, she rolled to a new position.

A moment later, the bullets struck their target, only to rebound as if rewound on tape, heading straight back toward the Metal Eater.

Clang—

The Metal Eater shattered into fragments with a deafening roar.

Shards of metal tore through the air, narrowly missing the girl as the gust lifted her hair.

This was Accelerator's Reflection.

It was also why Misaka #2829 had limited her shots to three rounds. Any more, and the Metal Eater's shrapnel would have pierced her body.

Her mission wasn't to defeat Accelerator... it was to survive.

"Long-range sniping mission failed," Misaka #2829 muttered, sighing.

She had conducted countless futile attacks like this before.

Yet, much like how the Sisters still wanted to personally taste the "unique flavor of Kurumi-sama's coconut soda" despite shared network memories, she couldn't help but try for herself.

"Misaka #4396 corrects: the coconut soda shared through the network carried the distinct flavor of Kurumi-sama's lip balm. It was unique," came a smug voice over the network.

Misaka #2829 could almost picture #4396's chest puffed out in pride.

Beep—

The connection cut out abruptly, along with several other Sisters from the same experimental division. What had transpired was obvious.

...

Misaka #2829 cradled her injured arm and prepared to retreat quietly, only to freeze in place.

In her field of vision, a pair of gleaming black shoes stopped in front of her.

Her gaze traveled upward—a pair of black slacks, followed by a long black coat with gray patterns.

She was not alone.

"Hey... Where do you think you're going?" Accelerator's blood-red eyes locked onto the girl before him with a menacing glare. His twisted grin made Misaka #2829 freeze in place.

Standing in front of him, she appeared as she always did: blank-faced, emotionless, like a doll following orders to the edge of a cliff. Accelerator sighed inwardly.

Her expression betrayed nothing—no fear, no anger, no hope… but also no despair.

He adopted his most intimidating posture, stomping his right foot heavily against the ground.

The earth trembled like an earthquake, and a deep fissure split the ground at lightning speed, reaching her feet before she could react.

I only need to lightly tap her, yet I'm still going through the motions... Accelerator mocked himself as Misaka #2829 fell straight into the crevice.

Then, just as before, a pale hand—this one bloodied—grasped the edge of the abyss.

With deliberate cruelty, Accelerator approached and lightly rested his foot on her fragile hand. The tactical goggles she wore obscured any readable expression.

"Heh." Accelerator chuckled coldly, preparing to press down.

But at that moment, something unexpected happened. The girl hanging on the edge spoke.

"If possible, Misaka requests Accelerator step on her other hand instead," Misaka #2829 said, her monotone voice tinged with irritation. "Misaka's left hand supports 72% of Misaka's body weight."

"..." Accelerator froze. "What?!"

He stared at her, dumbfounded, as if she had just uttered the world's most absurd joke.

"Do you even know what you're saying?" He clutched his face, laughing mockingly. "You were born for me to kill, understand?"

"Misaka understands her purpose," she replied, remembering something Kurumi had once told Misaka #4396.

Beg...

"But Misaka still hopes Accelerator will help her up first."

Her expression was unchanged, her tone neutral... yet her words carried a weight unlike anything from before.

"This is Misaka's small plea," she continued, her voice steady but filled with faint hope. "Misaka secretly thinks Accelerator isn't a heartless villain and expresses this without much expectation."

"Misaka wants to see her sister. Misaka wants to taste coconut soda. Kurumi-sama still owes Misaka a head pat."

"Misaka... doesn't want to die."

"..." Accelerator was silent.

Crack—

It felt as though something inside him had torn apart. Without thinking, he reached for Misaka #2829.

The same hand that could rip her apart in an instant, that could drain her lifeblood, now touched her bloodied hand gently.

In an instant, gravity reversed, and Misaka #2829 was pulled up, flailing clumsily before collapsing to the ground.

"Misaka thanks Accelerator for his assistance," she said, rubbing her backside. "Misaka also concludes Accelerator is a violent brute and not gentle at all."

Accelerator's face twitched. Maybe I should just toss her back into the ground.

"Hey, hey... What are you doing?" came Kihara Amata's smug voice through Accelerator's earpiece. "What's this? A sudden burst of conscience?"

"Huh?! Are you deaf?" Accelerator sneered, his lips curling upward.

"Didn't you hear? She begged for her life."

"So what if she begged?" Kihara snorted dismissively. "You've already killed thousands. Are you hesitating because of one beggar now?"

"Playing the hero? You trying to make me laugh?"

"I could kill her, or I could spare her..." Accelerator replied, his voice ice cold. "That's not your concern."

"I could kill a thousand, or spare this one."

"And you… restarting this experiment? Did you think I wouldn't figure out your real objective?"

Accelerator tilted his head, his fingers fiddling with the earpiece clasp. When it proved too finicky, he simply crushed it, letting the shattered plastic pieces fall to the ground.

As static faded, Kihara Amata's line was cut off, but not before hearing Accelerator's last disdainful words.

"And who the hell do you think you are?"

...

Flexing his wrist, Accelerator turned his gaze toward the direction behind him.

"She's finally here."

In his field of vision, a girl dressed in a revealing black-and-red astral dress emerged.

Her gothic ensemble, featuring a corset and flowing skirt, exuded elegance but seemed utterly impractical for combat. The puffed skirt, paired with sturdy black boots and a snug bodice, highlighted her lithe silhouette. Her exposed collarbone and fair shoulders were framed by a delicate lace choker, completing the darkly sophisticated look.

But she exuded a deadly aura.

Accelerator's instincts screamed danger as he shifted his stance, lowering his center of gravity, ready to strike at a moment's notice.

Kurumi stood with her back to the sun, her twin black ponytails fluttering in the light. Her heterochromatic eyes—one gold, the other crimson—locked onto Accelerator like a predator eyeing its prey.

"My, my," Kurumi said, her voice laced with a teasing chill. "Are you ready?"

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