Chapter 79: The True 『Opening』

The wind brushed against Reicia’s cheek.

Her golden hair streamed backward under a gale that was clearly no natural phenomenon. The shimmering golden cascade, however, evoked not beauty, but the threat carried by that violent wind.

Her face was tinged with anxiety.

Aquamarine eyes betrayed her agitation, and her cherry-colored lips trembled faintly.

"…You…"

The shattered 『Crack』 dissolved as though it had melted into the air.

The darkness born from that 『Crack』 had vanished in an instant, but there was no trite image of sunlight piercing through afterward.

Thick clouds loomed in the heavens, and black lightning ran menacingly across their surface.

It was a sight as if a gentle darkness—something that once sheltered and healed—had been torn apart by another’s malice.

And there, stood an angel.

The fact that its body was human-sized, or that its wings were so massive it seemed as though a human were being swallowed by them, was of little importance to Reicia.

Even the unnatural tremors in the ground whenever the angel merely took a step, caused by the sheer destructive force contained within its wings, were only secondary to her.

The true source of Reicia’s shock was—

"Fuu, Kiri…san…?"

A girl.

Kazakiri Hyouka.

Wearing the school’s designated blue blazer, with a skirt too long and unadjusted. Her mostly black hair—what little of it still retained that color—fell to her waist, with one lock tied at the side of her head.

She wore glasses as though to hide her timid features. When Reicia had met her on September 1st, she had seemed like the very picture of someone untouched by conflict of any kind.

That girl was being violated.

Her steps wavered like those of a zombie, her head hung limply, her tongue lolling lifelessly from her mouth like a strangled corpse. Drool streamed down, so thick it could only be described as a bodily fluid. Her appearance was far removed from anything one could call a "normal human being."

Her eyes, thrown wide as if in agony, quivered out of focus like unsteady lenses.

What else could one call this but violation? To witness the trampling of every shred of the girl’s dignity without having one’s heart shaken—such a person could not be human.

"Ka… Kazakiri-san!!!!"

Thus, when Reicia charged headlong toward Kazakiri in the very next instant, no one could blame her—even if it was reckless.

Whether she had seen such a state before in the "True History," or whether she knew the cause—none of that mattered.

She was her friend. And her friend was suffering like this. That alone was enough for Reicia to throw away all prior knowledge.

"Ooh, straight to the point. Is this Shiren-kun’s side showing?"

Gensei muttered lightly.

At once, one of the radiant wings sprouting from Kazakiri’s back swung down violently toward the charging Shiren.

A thunderous GOGGGIIINNN!!! rang out.

The wing of light had been caught by a black-and-white 『Crack』.

But this did not mean they were evenly matched. The moment the world itself groaned as though straining under the pressure, the 『Crack』 shattered with ease.

For a Level 5 esper, however, that instant was enough.

By the time the light consumed the 『Crack』, Reicia had already shifted, now positioned about ten meters from Gensei—whether through an ability or sheer speed.

"…Kihara Gensei."

From her back too, black-and-white wings unfurled.

Within them, like a cocoon, Baba Yoshio was sheltered and seemed to be speaking to her—but Gensei could not hear his words.

What he did hear was the furious voice of the young lady before him.

When Reicia raised her face from its downward tilt, her eyes gleamed with the coldness of absolute zero.

"Even if you regret it now, it’s far too late."

In the next moment—

A black-and-white 『Crack』 pierced through Gensei’s right arm.

"Kh—!?"

With a dull thud, his arm—like the withered branch of an old man—fell to the ground. Reflexively, Gensei clutched at his maimed right side.

"I know some very skilled doctors. If it’s a limb severed by my ability, they can reattach it without leaving aftereffects. …Oh, yes, I know. ‘Since you’re a cyborg, damage doesn’t matter,’ right?"

Even after robbing her opponent of a limb, Reicia did not let her guard down.

On the contrary, she pressed her attack, swinging 『Cracks』 to snatch away his remaining limbs, one after another.

GONGA-DON-BANG-GONGIN!!! A relentless chorus of brutal sounds shook the air.

No natural substance could resist the Black-and-White Jagged Edge, a saw that severed anything.

But when it came to the supernatural, the story changed.

Accelerator, the Number One. Kamijou Touma, with his Imagine Breaker. Move Point, capable of interference from another dimension. And Fuse=Kazakiri.

Now, one more was about to be added to the few that could oppose the Jagged Edge.

"It’s called Poltergeist—Ranzatsu Kaihou."

Guided by unseen power, Gensei continued with delight.

"Have you heard of it, Reicia-kun? It’s something my family developed. It’s about the fluctuation of the AIM diffusion field. Under the Level Upper system, where one can handle multiple AIM fields, by intentionally causing disturbances in AIM, we can guide a Poltergeist."

To the uninitiated, it was incomprehensible nonsense.

But Reicia understood. Because she held knowledge of another history—the "True History."

"She’s a wild beast, but once you learn how to hold the reins, she becomes quite a handy little power."

(It’s true, in theory. Even in that incident, Therestina-san induced a Poltergeist by deliberately forcing multiple espers into rampage. But to control it to this degree…!)

Kihara.

This was not mere resonance that reduced materials to sand regardless of hardness. The scale of science was entirely different. The dimension of aberration itself was different.

Just trying to comprehend it was dizzying, a technology steeped in madness.

That was "Kihara."

"Originally, I’d planned to take advantage of your guard being down after losing an arm, but if you’ve already figured it out, then so be it."

Even as he wielded such aberrant technology as though it were nothing, Gensei pulled his left hand away from his right shoulder and spread it theatrically.

Not a single drop of blood flowed from the severed stump. Instead, strange connector-like appendages writhed left and right, squirming like tentacles.

"It’s not the kind of trick that should look suspicious enough to be spotted at first glance. Is that boy behind you acting as your brains, perhaps?"

Gensei’s gaze stabbed toward Baba, who stood shielded behind Reicia.

That alone was enough to make Baba’s body jolt, despite the many layers of 『Cracks』 protecting him. Like a frog frozen before a snake, he shrank back in fear.

"Well, either way, it doesn’t matter. I may be interested in the Near Death Contract—Nia Death Promise—but that’s Aleister-kun’s project, not my research. If you insist on getting in the way, I’ll just have to hurt you a little. So long as the brain remains, becoming a Level 6 Absolute is always possible, you see—"

Blasphemous words, so deranged they seemed to gnaw away at sanity just by trying to comprehend them.

But Gensei never got the chance to finish.

Because at that very moment, a 『pillar of light』 tore through the thick clouds and obliterated the spot where he stood.

"…Yo."

White feathers drifted down like snow.

The boy who descended wore his school uniform over a red inner sweater. His sharp, host-like charm radiated an impression of "refined roughness," and yet his feet touched the ground without a sound.

"Hehh-hoho, glad you could make it. How was my invitation?"

Gensei laughed joyfully, not a single wound upon him.

This wasn’t the forced, runaway manifestation of Poltergeist. Most likely, he had applied his natural Multi-Skill to evade it.

But the boy ignored him. With a viciousness that swept away all solemnity, he glanced between the angel and the old man, and said:

"Two angels, huh. Not a bad day to die, is it?"

Academy City’s Number Two Level 5.

"Dark Matter."

Kakine Teitoku.

"So. Shut. Up. And. Die. Already, you crusty old bastard."

That monster, bearing such a name, began his assault with a death god’s smile.

Chapter 2 – I Won’t Choose Between Two Options – PHASE-NEXT.
Episode 67: The True “Opening” – "T"umultuous_Party.

──Why the hell is Kakine Teitoku here all of a sudden!?!?!?

The fact that I managed not to shout that out loud deserves some credit, I think. No, seriously, that’s how shocking it was. I mean, just as I was about to clash with Gensei-san, Kakine-san suddenly pops in? Of course I’d be shaken. Anyone would. But still… I can’t just stand here frozen. I have to stop Kazakiri-san!

After a few exchanges of blows, Kakine-san pulled back from Gensei-san as if to take a breather. I mustered my courage and approached him to speak.

"Are you…?"

"Second-ranked. No need for you to know my name. …The so-called secret Fourth, Another Four, huh? Relax. I didn’t come here to crush you."

"I can see that much. But Gensei? Don’t you lack any reason to interfere with him?"

"Oh? Quite a knowing tone you’ve got there."

Uwaah, Reicia-chan, maybe it’s better not to say too much…

"It’s not knowing, per se. But aren’t you the same as the boy behind me? I can tell from the atmosphere. That’s why I thought you wouldn’t stick your nose into a fight with no benefit."

"Mutual lack of benefit, if you ask me. …Anyway, what the hell’s up with that fat guy over there?"

Ah, Kakine-san, please don’t mind that… You’re just making Baba-san feel pitiful… To get help with advice during the battle while keeping up with high-speed movement, we had to build a protective chamber from cracks of black-white and transparency and set it up behind us. We made sure to add air vents and a talking slot, but it’s basically a sealed room. Probably safer than some cheap shelter, though…

"Whatever. Stop prying. It’s not a domain you can reach. This city’s dark side—the realm we live in."

《There it is. The classic dark-side brooding appeal》

《Reicia-chan, your wording…》

Well, more than “brooding appeal,” it’s true we don’t have the organizational strength to survive against the dark side head-on. So I get why Reicia-chan might bristle when someone talks down to her. …Actually, thinking about it, Reicia-chan and Birdway would be a nightmare combo. They’re bound to meet eventually, so I should prepare some kind of countermeasure in advance… Anyway. All things considered, Kakine-san’s being pretty decent, warning us not to stick our noses in deeper.

"Let’s talk later. More importantly… can I leave Gensei to you? I need to stop that girl."

"Do as you like. All I care about is crushing that old man. ──Yobou. Keep watch so no unnecessary interference slips in."

"Got it, boss!"

Just as Kakine-san said that, a transmission came through. Yobou…? Who could that be? Maybe one of his subordinates. I didn’t expect Kakine-san to actually remember names like that.

And then…

『────!? Damn it, we’re under attack! Who the hell are these guys…!? They’re not espers, so how the hell did they break through my Telekinesis barrier so easily…!?』

"Hey, what’s going on, Yobou? Explain!"

Yobou-san’s voice suddenly spiked with panic over the comms. Ugh… seriously? More enemies? At this rate, it’s gonna turn into some kind of party venue…

『Don’t tell me… “Kihara”? Fine then, bring it on! ……What? No way, you…!?』

"Hey! Yobou! Give me a clear report—"

『Tch, damn… sorry, Kakine-san. I got overrun by the “Kiharas”… what the hell is that right hand!? It just erased my ability…!? …Hah!? You, you’re the Seventh…!!』

…Well. Thank you, Yobou-san… I guess. The line cut off right as he was saying “Seventh,” but even in his desperation, he tried his best to report to Kakine-san. Thanks to him, we’ve got the gist of the situation.

First, the “Kiharas” are making their move. The Kihara clan isn’t the type to quit just because Nayuta-chan and Therestina-san went down. Who’s coming, I wonder… If Byouri-san shows up, that’s nightmare fuel. Please no. Then again, all Kiharas are terrifying. Maybe if it’s Enshuu-chan on one of her harmless days, that wouldn’t be so bad…

And then there’s the “Seventh.” That probably means the Seventh-ranked Level 5. Dark-side types love referring to Level 5 espers by their ranks. So… it’s Sogiita-san, huh… Wow. I thought this was a Railgun incident, but maybe not. After all…

And finally.

The mysterious boy with the weird right hand that erased abilities.

Yeah… that’s Kamijou Touma.

……

Why the hell is Kamijou Touma showing up here!!!!!!!!!! You weren’t supposed to be involved, that’s why the official story never mentioned you! If you come barging in now it throws everything into contradiction!!! And if you were actually part of the battle, why the hell weren’t you mentioned even once in the novels!? During Daihaseisai you barely even got referenced afterwards!!

…Ahem. To sum it up: the Kiharas (number unknown, probably a lot of them), Sogiita-san, and Kamijou-san are all coming here to join the battlefield with Gensei-san, Kakine-san, Kazakiri-san, and us.

Well… they each have their own agenda, I’m sure, and Sogiita-san and Kamijou-san are definitely on our side, so I don’t think this’ll turn into a complete battle royale… I hope.

"…Tch. More nuisances showing up."

Kakine-san clicked his tongue in irritation after the transmission cut off. But honestly, this situation is good for us. We don’t know about the Kiharas, but right now Kakine-san, Kamijou-san, and Sogiita-san are on our side. With those three, even if Kazakiri-san, the Kiharas, and Gensei-san are enemies, the balance still tips in our favor.

"Hmm, yes indeed. The interference of Imagine Breaker Kamijou-kun and the Greatest Gem Sogiita-kun is truly thrilling, but… their intervention is a bit troublesome. I’d wager the ones coming are Kazuta, Byouri, Souji, and Enshuu. In any case, facing them head-on will leave us shorthanded. And since I want ‘that’ as well, I can’t afford to devote myself entirely here—"

Beep.

Gensei-san raised something like a penlight toward the sky and fiddled with it. Who knows when he even pulled it out.

《………! Shiren!》

《Yeah. Even I can tell this time.》

The whole area creaked with a strange sensation. Definitely the unique sense of an esper’s power. I felt it earlier when Kazakiri-san appeared. This is…

"Come forth."

With a thunderous crash, a girl descended in a bolt of lightning—yet in a different way than Kazakiri-san, she had already begun to change. Unlike Kazakiri-san’s grotesque distortion, this was something almost divine. A step toward becoming something beyond human—why, I don’t know, but that was the impression that struck me.

And then—

"Oi oi, you damn geezer. At it with your freak experiments again, huh?"

"Ahahahaha! What the hell is that!? What principle is it running on!?"

"Awawa… Souji-kun, calm down, calm down."

"Well then, old man. We’ve come to make you give up."

The clan that manipulates kaleidoscopic science.

"What’s this? A lineup of folks with guts to spare. …This is gonna be fun!"

One of the pillars of the scientific city—its greatest irregular.

"…Things sure got noisy. Fine. I’ll just do what I came here to do."

The angel with white wings, enthroned in the depths of this city.

"Ah… ahh……"

The pitiful girl, buried within those wings, a sight almost too painful to watch.

"……Kaza… kiri…"

The boy with the right hand that kills illusions.

"Fuuuzakiri-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i!!!"

The spiky-haired boy.

"Now then, let the experiment begin."

The old man, driven by unfathomable desire.

"Will Misaka-kun reach the level of Heaven’s Will—Level 6?"

──They all gathered together at last.