Chapter 23: The Road That Stretches Onward

"I’ve said what I needed to. From here on, it’s your turn to talk."

Right after we started running toward the railyard, Mikoto suddenly brought that up.

"My story, you say?"

"I’d been digging through the lab’s records, trying to find a way to force the experiment’s cancellation. That’s when I found your name. It’s the reason I allowed your involvement."

"My name… was mentioned?"

Hey, wait a second. This is seriously strange. Why would my—no, Reicia-chan’s name—show up there? Reicia Blackguard doesn’t even get a single line in the original novel; she’s a total background character. So how is she suddenly being treated like a major figure in the Level 6 Shift Project?

"'A dangerous individual likely to induce experiment failure.' That’s how you were described. From what I could tell, it was based on some formulas or custom metrics, but… honestly, it just read like paranoid hysteria. Maybe my attack on the lab rattled them so badly they started seeing things."

"You don’t need to understand what it means. If you remember what was written, please just tell me exactly."

"…Got it. Let’s see—"

Here’s what Mikoto said:

Reicia Blackguard’s powers have been rapidly increasing lately. This growth was completely unexpected by the school. If this unforeseen factor were to come into contact with Accelerator, there’s a risk it could transfer to him. That would mean Accelerator diverging entirely from the Tree Diagram’s predictions, potentially collapsing all subsequent experiments.

However, eliminating Reicia Blackguard directly would risk reinforcing the link between her and the experiment’s instability. Thus, the more strategic route is to use the Sisters to knock her out for a few days—limiting her points of contact, and erasing the chance of her interfering with Accelerator.

Apparently, there were even numerical values estimating the level of unpredictability I represented—but Mikoto dismissed them as too ridiculous to remember.

"I never thought the top minds of science could get sucked into such ridiculous superstition. But… maybe this is all my fault too, for pushing the lab that far."

Mikoto looked overwhelmed with remorse. But for me, there was something more urgent.

Unforeseen growth… From Mikoto’s perspective, that might be natural. She figured the researchers were so shaken by the growing power around her that they couldn’t stay calm unless they struck first. That triggered some kind of guilt spiral for her. But that’s not what’s happening.

Because—this city uses an aptitude parameter list to rate students’ potential. Their growth has limits. And yet I—having two souls—underwent growth that shouldn’t be possible. From an ability development expert’s view, I must have looked completely abnormal.

That’s why they panicked. Sure, Mikoto’s attack left them unstable, but the reason I was targeted wasn’t just baseless paranoia.

…Crap. I hadn’t thought about that at all. If I stay here, could I end up putting Reicia-chan’s safety at risk too?

……………………

No—thinking about that won’t help right now. At least I understand why I was targeted. What matters is solving this problem.

"No, this isn’t your fault, Misaka-san. It’s mine—for having enough talent to be feared by the masses, yet still leaving myself so vulnerable!"

"Pffft, what was that?"

"…I don’t appreciate being laughed at, but if that means you’re feeling better, then good. Now, we’re almost at the railyard. Let’s stay focused…!"

Saying that, I rode my black-and-white jagged-blade Jagged Edge ahead.

…Where does this road lead?

Maybe it’s finally time to start thinking about that.

Chapter 2 – Don’t Worry About Failure
Crazy_Princess.

Episode 19 – The Road That Stretches Onward
The_End_is...

By the time we arrived at the railyard, Kamijou had already begun fighting. Seeing Accelerator twisting steel rails into whip-like weapons and lashing out, Mikoto didn’t hesitate for a second—she was ready to charge in.

"…Please wait, Misaka-san."

Seeing that, I calmly placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her.

"Let go! I’m not letting him fight alone. If we’ve got any kind of ‘logic’ to justify joining in, then what the hell are we hesitating for?!"

It seemed like Mikoto was really struggling with the idea of just standing by and doing nothing. Makes sense. In front of Kamijou, she might act like a regular girl, but deep down, Mikoto’s a hot-blooded hero.

Still, rushing in blindly isn’t an option.

"That’s why I said, please wait. Accelerator’s power is vector reflection—any and all vectors. That’s correct, right?"

"Yeah, but…"

"Then why do you think Kamijou is able to fight him head-on like that?"

"What?"

"There’s only one answer. As I mentioned earlier, it’s because he has the ability to nullify powers."

I had already explained along the way that I knew Kamijou. I’d also mentioned the mysterious ability in his right hand—how it can negate supernatural powers, even if I didn’t fully understand how it works.

But there’s something it can’t cancel—secondary effects.

"As proof, he’s only dodging the actual materials and debris that Accelerator sends flying at him with vector manipulation. If we attack Accelerator recklessly, not only will it be reflected and rendered useless, but worse—it could become an attack that Kamijou can’t cancel out."

This was honestly a pretty confusing problem.

If Mikoto fires off a bolt of electricity directly, Kamijou’s right hand can cancel it out. That makes sense—it’s Mikoto’s esper ability, after all. But what happens if Accelerator reflects it?

The moment Accelerator reflects Mikoto’s lightning, it’s no longer under her control. Which means—wouldn’t that electricity stop being esper-generated and just become normal electricity, aside from the fact that it was reflected?

…Well, sure, maybe it could still be canceled since its origin is esper-based, but frankly, as someone who’s only read about this stuff in novels, I have no way of knowing. And if there’s even the slightest doubt, gambling on that in this situation would be way too risky.

“Th-Then what are we supposed to do…!? Are you saying we’re nothing but a burden!?”

“You can rest easy on that front.”

We’ve already got a more reliable plan ready.

“…Accelerator’s ability functions through a kind of force-field that wraps around his entire body like a membrane. That’s correct, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is…! I looked into it. No doubt about it. But so what!? That just proves how absurdly tough Accelerator is!”

“Then—most likely, if that idiot’s right hand touches it, the entire reflection field will be shut down. All. At. Once.”

“———!!”

…Oh, she got it already. As expected of the Number Three—her mind’s on a whole other level.

“…I see. Instead of randomly firing lightning, if that idiot punches Accelerator and we hit him with electricity right at that moment—”

“Accelerator won’t be able to reflect it and will take the hit directly—likely knocking him out cold in one shot. And as for him, his right hand should nullify the current, so he won’t suffer any damage.”

On top of that, once he takes the hit, the damage won’t remain thanks to Kamijou’s ability—so it’s a clean, safe play. That way, we fulfill the requirements of the ‘plan’ and take down Accelerator while keeping Kamijou’s injuries to a minimum.

…Yeah, keeping a plan this streamlined lets you adapt even if unexpected variables pop up. No need for risky, edge-of-your-seat stuff like in a novel. Last thing I want is to push Accelerator into a corner and accidentally trigger some kind of awakening.

But—before that.

“First, we’ve gotta deal with that Railgun. We’ll take it from here…!!”

Bzzzzap!! A crackling burst of violet sparks flared.

The iron rails charging toward Kamijou were halted midair, suspended in the void.

“Th-This ability is… Wait, you guys…!?”

“Geez, after all that pathetic running around, you’ve still got the nerve to talk big? …I couldn’t just watch anymore. So let us join in already.”

“Y-You don’t get it!? Did you forget what I said? If you interfere, the plan—!”

“You think it’ll fall apart?”

I stopped Kamijou before he could panic any further.

Accelerator… yeah, he looked completely stunned by the sudden shift in the situation. He’s been living too comfortably—almost makes you laugh. But I’ll use this moment to get everyone on the same page.

“Don’t worry. Logically speaking, that won’t happen. —Academy City’s Number One isn’t some ordinary title. It’s a rank that separates you from the masses by an unbridgeable gap. No matter how many opponents there are, if you’re truly the strongest, there’s no way you’d lose to someone beneath you. …Right?”

“…Now that’s interesting.”

I turned to face Accelerator as I said that—and sure enough, he finally seemed to grasp the situation. He curled his lips into a sneer, like a crescent moon.

“…Today’s just full of fun surprises. You bastards… one after another, flapping your gums with all this smug crap—it’s driving me so far up the wall I could kill someone. You better be ready to die, yeah!?”

BOOM!!

The moment Accelerator kicked off the ground, the force of his leg compressed into a single vector and struck the earth like a bomb.

…Alright. That got his attention!

I instantly deployed my transparent shield, Jagged Edge, blocking the spray of sand particles scattering like buckshot from the impact.

“...Tch! Damn it, Reicia, are you out of your mind!? And what the hell are you doing here!?”

“Kamijou-san, I’d say that goes both ways!”

“...Now’s not the time to argue about that, is it?”

Apparently struck where it hurt, Kamijou neatly shoved the matter aside and continued:

“You two, take care of Misaka Imouto! In the end, I’m probably the only one who can deal with that guy’s Reflection. You two focus on support!”

“No objections!”

“Leave it to us. Honestly, I’ve been dying to smack that bastard down!”

“Don’t think for a second you low-tier punks can actually do something! Don’t get cocky, you damn extras!!”

Looks like my provocation didn’t just rile up Accelerator—it lit a fire under Mikoto too. She’d seemed nervous before, but now? She was fully fired up and ready to fight.

Perfect. Mikoto can control the ricocheted rails with her magnetism—she can use them to shield us from Accelerator’s gusts. All Kamijou has to do is land a punch, and at that moment, it’s our win――――

That’s when it hit me—a sickening, bone-deep chill I’d felt before.

“Misaka-san!! Use your magnetism to pull Kamijou-san back—right now!!”

“Eh? What are you—”

“Just do it!!!!”

Driven by the urgency in my voice, Mikoto immediately activated her powers, yanking Kamijou back toward us by the metal buckle on his belt.

“Wh—What the hell—!?”

Ignoring the confused Kamijou, I forked off a branch of Jagged Edge, the jagged white-and-black shield, forming a circular barrier around us.

Then—

BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRT!!!

—a hailstorm of gunfire swallowed the world.

“Gh!?! What the hell is this…!?”

“――――I suspected something wasn’t right.”

Now I understood the researcher’s real goal. But if they’d only needed to attack me, any of the Sisters could’ve done it. They’re obedient enough—if they weren’t trying to kill, they’d have just stunned me after a bit of hesitation.

Which means that whole situation—the way it unfolded—was just plain wrong.

And that could only mean one thing.

“Misaka expresses regret. Had you simply died earlier, this would have concluded smoothly,” says Misaka, as bullets continue to fly.

The voice cuts through the storm of gunfire.

The other three probably didn’t even notice it, overwhelmed as they were. But I had my guard up—and I heard it.

A voice so crude, so mismatched with the Sisters’ usual flat tone, it practically screamed unnatural. Like a random amateur trying to voice an anime character and ending up with something grotesquely unique.

A wrongness so powerful, it had become its own personality—an overwhelming presence.

“Misaka announces: escalation of force authorized. Misaka will now proceed to eliminate all non-compliant intruders,” says Misaka, asking for no permission.

――――And that. Was coming from—ten thousand of them.