Chapter 84: Singularity

"Good grief… three Level 5 espers and the Chairman’s favorite… this is rough. Even though I’m still in the middle of my experiment, I can’t help but get distracted. Am I really allowed to be this happy?"

As he spoke, Gensei’s body began to be 『reconstructed』. The petrified leg crumbled away, replaced by his original one. The thorn-covered arm was discarded, replaced by an unscarred arm. The cracked face was restored, replaced by his wrinkled, withered expression. Bit by bit, his body materialized like a hologram.

"Don’t worry. The backlash for that is still to come."

Not wanting to fall behind Kakine, who had spread his wings, we moved as well. I flapped the black-and-white 『fractures』 like wings and rose into the sky, and at the same time, my ability detected Kakine shooting past me at incredible speed, climbing even higher. …Whoa, that’s insane.

《What is this? Do you think you can fly higher than me? Very well then, if that’s how you want it, I’ll take that cheap provocation head-on, you bastard!》

《Reicia-chan. Don’t take the bait.》

Not that Kakine himself meant it as a provocation in the first place… While calming down Reicia-chan, I set my sights on Gensei. We already knew that his limbs were mechanized, and that his body was almost entirely machine. …In that case, there’s no need to hold back. Even if he does recover again like with that hologram trick earlier, there’s no way it happens automatically. Just forcing him to split his focus on recovery would be enough to count as doing our part.

"Take this!!"

"Oh? Aren’t those 『fractures』 supposed to even sever AIM itself? Well, if it’s only my body’s mechanical components, I suppose normal 『fractures』 could damage them…"

Gensei stroked his chin with what looked like a completely ordinary hand.

"But don’t you think it’s a bit too optimistic to assume it’ll pass through without issue?"

Crack!! I felt the sensation of the 『fractures』 being smashed apart.

"…No way."

I knew it. But I tried not to think about it. Because if it really was true, then we were truly out of options. That’s right—there was no way Fuu, Kiru, Hyouka, and Misaka Mikoto would all come back to the battlefield.

"Finally, I’m starting to get the hang of this power. Now the real show begins!"

Gensei waved both arms like a conductor. That alone caused the shining platinum aura to engulf the surrounding buildings, dragging them into a whirlpool of destruction. Meanwhile, Misaka and Fuu also began to move. Since Kamijou and Kakine (Sogita) were tied up dealing with Gensei on the ground, it fell to Kakine and us to handle those two. Kakine took Misaka, while we faced Fuu.

"Urgh…! Her output’s higher than before…!?"

Probably because Gensei no longer needed to divert power to AIM. Fuu’s attacks were clearly much more powerful than before. Honestly, since I can only use the AIM-severing 『fractures』 with full concentration, it’s practically impossible to deploy them for support fire at the same time. Thanks to Baba-san’s advice, we were barely dodging, but…

"…Gahhh!!"

The wind pressure hurled us straight into the side of a building. I quickly dismissed the 『fracture』 wings to minimize damage, but we slammed into the cocoon of 『fractures』 shielding Baba-san on our backs. The impact knocked the air right out of our lungs.

This is bad. I really can’t see a way to win. Even Kamijou and Sogita together might not be able to beat Gensei while he’s wielding Eiwass’s power. We need to help as soon as possible… and yet here we are, only able to hold out against Fuu without losing. Wh-what should we…

"Another Fourth, Another Four!? Damn it… you’re holding back your top speed because you’re protecting me, aren’t you!? Break away from the front line and get me out of here! That way you can move at full power!"

That was Baba-san, shouting from behind.

"You think I’m saying this because I’m afraid to die!? Watching this fight, even I can tell—the whole city goes down if you lose! If you don’t win, I’m dead anyway!! I don’t want to be dead weight! Let me do my part, too!!"

…Those words from Baba-san jolted me awake. Right. This isn’t about whether we win or lose. If we lose, everyone in Academy City dies. Every life in the city is riding on our shoulders. This isn’t the time to whine about ‘we might lose.’

"…Baba. I’ve misjudged you all this time."

"(Hah, finally. Looks like I’ll be free soon… If I mobilize every piece of equipment and flee Academy City right now, maybe I can survive…?)"

Hm? Did he just mutter something inside the 『fractures』? But Reicia-chan ignored it and called out to Baba-san.

"Honestly, I always thought you were the type who only wanted to ‘run away because you didn’t care what happened to Academy City.’"

"Guh!!"

"But I was wrong. You’ve been looking at things from a much broader perspective than any of us, and you’ve always chosen the best path you could. …Even though we forced you into this mess against your will."

"N-no, don’t worry about it. Sure, our first meeting was the worst, but… in the end, I guess I was honored to lend a hand to the heroes, even if only a little."

…Yeah. I feel the same way.

Just reading the novel alone didn’t tell me this. I never thought I understood everything from just a single volume, but even so… there was something it never showed—the true brilliance of Baba Yoshio. And now, I was feeling that brilliance so clearly it almost hurt.

Looking back, if he hadn’t been there as our brain, we would’ve been wiped out ages ago. And now, here he was again, giving us the single most important perspective. …He wasn’t just some reluctant collaborator we’d dragged along anymore. He wasn’t someone you could shove into the category of outsider.

"That’s why I apologized. Partner."

"…Huhhh???"

"To think I’d ever hold back on high-speed maneuvers because I was worried about ‘putting unnecessary strain on you’… or that I’d let you say something like ‘have me retreat’… for me, Reicia=Blackguard, that was the greatest blunder of my life."

"Ah, n-no, wait a sec—"

…Yeah. I get it, Reicia-chan. I feel the same.

To think that we let Baba-san reach the point where he’d suggest dropping out halfway through… That was our own weakness forcing that burden on him. We can’t let him say something so painful ever again. From here on, we have to give it everything we’ve got.

That’s why—

"From this point forward, even if my insides twist apart, I won’t stop for even a tenth of a second. You and us, fighting together—that’s the 『optimal path』 of Reicia=Blackguard!!!!"

"A゛a゛a゛AAAAaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"

The moment we launched into high-speed maneuvers… Baba-san’s anguished scream echoed out.

Yeah, it really did sound agonizing. Just hearing it made me want to ease up on the speed. But doing that would be the worst insult we could give him.

So we pushed at full power—fighting to end this battle even a second sooner. That was the greatest support we could give him!!!!

Chapter 2 – I Won’t Choose Between Two Options – PHASE-NEXT.
Episode 70: Singularity – Green_Eyes.

Activating high-speed maneuvers had significantly reduced our exhaustion.

Of course, the G-force strain from high-speed movement was gradually wearing down our stamina, but even so, it was still far better than taking the brunt of Kazakiri-san’s attacks.

Eventually, we’d hit our limits, and there was also Baba-san’s stamina to worry about in the back. We couldn’t keep this up for long… but even so, this was a big opportunity.

"Ah, Underground Fourth, Another Four… wait… listen…"

That faint, ragged voice came from behind — Baba-san was barely holding it together.

"Baba-san… what’s wrong? Did you notice something?"

"…Yeah. Just… listen. Between the Third… and that monster… there’s a difference… in how they move…"

"What?"

Misaka-san and… Kazakiri-san’s movement patterns?

You actually noticed that, Baba-san? In that condition?

"Listen… I’m only saying this once ‘cause I don’t have the breath for more. Pay attention. …The monster’s movements… are way smoother, right? Its actions are perfectly synced… with Kihara Gensei’s hand movements…"

Hearing that, I stopped assisting with body control for a moment and focused on Gensei-san.

…He’s right. Kazakiri-san’s hand movements seem tightly linked to Gensei-san’s gestures. If you read those hands, you might even be able to predict her attacks in advance.

…Though knowing Gensei-san, he’d probably start throwing in feints just to mess with us, so ignoring his hand movements might be safer for now while we’re still managing to hold out.

"But… the Third’s different. She’s moving based on her own instincts, while twisting the target of her attacks… it’s a completely different pattern."

I took another wide look at the battlefield, observing Misaka-san and Kazakiri-san together this time.

…He’s right. Kazakiri-san positions herself naturally to guard Gensei-san, moving in sync with his commands, but Misaka-san… she’s subtly redirecting her attacks away from Gensei-san and toward someone else entirely.

Good catch, Baba-san. Everyone’s been too focused on their own opponents to notice something like that.

"Most likely, the Third’s being… brainwashed somehow… or maybe there’s a chip implanted in her brain… Gensei’s giving commands… but in a pretty indirect way. In contrast, the monster… probably has some kind of AIM-based link… directly controlling it…"

"…That makes sense."

Right, I remember something about Misaka-san being immune to Mental Out. So brainwashing’s probably not it, and a chip seems unlikely too, meaning there’s probably another reason entirely. But Baba-san’s logic checks out regardless.

"If we… cut that AIM-like link… we could probably… stop the monster’s movements."

"!"

"I’ve got proof. Earlier… there was a moment… when the monster suddenly froze, right? That was… because Gensei’s power went out of control, caused an explosion… the link got temporarily severed… so the commands didn’t go through."

That’s… plausible.

If that’s true, then our 『Crack』, which can directly interfere with AIM fields, could be our trump card against Kazakiri-san!

If we can stop her, I’d be free to assist the others. With me able to form footholds and support them, fighting Gensei-san would become a lot easier! Our chances of winning would shoot way up!

"(So hurry up… finish this already… or I’m… gonna die…)"

Still… deploying 『Crack』 to interfere with AIM requires full concentration.

Should I have Kakine-san handle it instead…?

"Tch! Goddamn brat’s noisy as hell! Ain’t there supposed to be a way bigger gap between Second and Third place!?"

I glanced up — Kakine-san was in the sky, neutralizing Misaka-san’s lightning by turning it to stone, but he definitely didn’t have the breathing room to switch roles with me.

If he slipped up even a little, he’d be fried instantly.

Kamijou-san and Sogiita-san were also barely managing to hold back Gensei-san’s platinum aura together.

There’s no way I can ask anyone to stall Kazakiri-san right now. So… what do we do? How do we make up for the lack of hands…?

"Oioi, what’s with this pathetic mess, huh?"

The mocking voice came from the rooftop of a nearby building.

When I turned around, there he was — white hair, crimson eyes, a pale, clouded complexion. The strongest of them all.

"A smug-faced angel, a Third-Rate Knockoff, and a shiny old fart glowing like a damn chandelier. What is this, huh? A cosplay convention? Don’t tell me you bastards are already getting into the Halloween spirit?"

His loose, almost careless stance must have registered as a massive opening in Kazakiri-san’s mechanical judgment system.

I could see it in her expression — her pain-twisted face locked her emotionless gaze directly onto Accelerator-san.

"…! No! Accelerator-san, dodge!!"

"…Hah?"

Accelerator-san had a choker strapped around his neck.

Which meant, yeah, just like the novel described, he was currently dealing with brain damage. If Kazakiri-san’s attack hit him in that condition…!

"What the hell’re you screaming about? Like a guy at the top of this city’s food chain is gonna get scratched by something this weak."

Pakiiin!!

…And just like that, my fears were shattered.

Right. I forgot he tanked Kazakiri-san’s angel-mode attacks head-on in the novel too. Guess I got caught up in the moment. Embarrassing.

"Oi, Blondie… if you forgot what I can do, I don’t mind reminding you myself."

Academy City’s #1 cracked his neck with a sharp click.

"My ‘Reflection’ ain’t something this weak crap can pierce. …And that bastard over there, ‘Kihara Gensei,’ is the one I need to crush, yeah?"

"W-Wait, please!!"

I called out, stopping Accelerator-san before he jumped forward.

If we let this chance slip, there’d never be another opportunity to free Kazakiri-san. This was it — now or never.

"Before that, can I ask you… to just restrain her without killing her? If you can hold her down, I’ll be able to permanently stop her movements! It’ll free up my hands completely!"

"Tch. And what do I get outta this deal?"

That was it. One word.

No room for negotiation — Accelerator-san bent his knees slightly, preparing to launch himself forward.

《…Hah!? What’s with this guy!? Didn’t he come here to fight alongside us!? He’s mocking us!!》

《Leicia-chan. …He’s not wrong though.》

Well, yeah. From Accelerator-san’s perspective, we were just a bunch of rookies who finally clawed our way up to Level 5. To him, we were unproven, unreliable. It made more sense for him to value the fact that we were holding her off right now and head straight for the real target instead of wasting time on us.

But still—

"I will be useful!"

Even with Accelerator-san here, there was no guarantee he could beat Gensei-san alone.

More possibilities meant better odds, and stopping Kazakiri-san didn’t just free me up — it freed up everyone else too.

"I have an exceptional brain supporting me!"

"Eh!?"

"…Heh, from the look on your buddy’s face back there, he didn’t see that one coming either."

"That's just part of her charm. She tends to underestimate herself, you see."

Even in a battlefield like this, I honestly believe Baba-san’s strategic insight ranks among the very best.

If I could look at Gensei-san from his perspective, we might find an opening — a way to break through. And if that’s the case, then freeing up his hands becomes absolutely critical.

That’s what’ll lead us to the best possible future!

"………………,"

"………………,"

Our eyes met for maybe less than a tenth of a second.

And yet, to me, it felt like we stared at each other for a solid five seconds. Within that compressed moment, Accelerator-san let out a long sigh and spoke:

"Three seconds. That’s all you get. If it ain’t done by then, I’m ignoring you."

"That's more than enough!!"

With that, I braced myself.

I called back the sensation I’d felt earlier.

"Tch, what the hell’s with this weird-ass vector? Reflection’s still working, so it’s gotta be some kind of ability, but…"

If I pictured the 『Crack』 like a single tree, then this wasn’t about stretching out its branches — it was about digging its roots deep into the ground.

That was the image I focused on, sharpening every ounce of concentration we had.

Little by little, the sounds of the world faded from my ears.

"Oh-ho, Accelerator-kun, is it? …Having Kazakiri-kun taken from my control would be… troublesome, you know. Guess I’ll just have to meddle a little."

"The hell’d you just say, you crusty old bastard? I ain’t got time for your crap, I’m busy babysitt—guhhhbaaaahh!?! This hit—this damn hit—what the hell!?"

Crack.

The sensation of roots pushing through some kind of unseen barrier.

The feeling of dragging something else along with it, like pulling threads caught in a net.

── My head starts burning.
── My eyes throb with a dull, buzzing ache.

And yet, strangely, it isn’t unpleasant.

I picture an intricate gear assembly running from the base of my skull to the back of my head. Then, like solving a delicate puzzle, I carefully adjust the rotations, aligning them one by one.

── The heat builds, rising higher and higher.

"Oh-ho-ho. So, this vector trick doesn’t work on you after all. But it did succeed in punching a hole through your reflection field. And now… if Kazakiri-kun’s attack passes right through that opening—"

"──────!!!!"

And then, at the very instant the heat in my right eye peaked—

"Now!"

BOOM!!!!

Between Gensei-san and Kazakiri-san, a black-and-white 『Crack』 erupted into existence.

At that same moment, I felt it — the distinct sensation of something being cleanly severed.

"Th-that… what is…!?"

"We… did it."

Immediately, I conjured up a violent gust of wind, hurling Kazakiri-san far away, then formed a 『Crack』-box around her, cutting off all external interference completely.

With this, nobody can control Kazakiri-san anymore.

…Sorry for shutting you up in such a cramped space, Kazakiri-san. I promise, as soon as this is over, I’ll set you free.

"………………That eye… What is that, Aleister-kun? Are you telling me… this… this is your plan…!?"

……Huh?

Eye…???

『Human』 was there.

In the darkness, within a space where monitor lights scattered like stars, a 『human』 hung upside down inside a beaker… smiling.

Standing ahead of that gaze was a single girl.

The girl who bore white-and-black 『cracks』 on her back like wings was named Reisia=Blackguard.

Academy City’s provisional fourth-ranked Level 5.
A second-year middle schooler wielding the power of the 『White-Black Jagged Edge』.

Her influence on the 『Plan』 was 0.01%.
In Aleister’s ongoing 『Main Plan』, she was considered insignificant enough to be discarded without consequence.

──However, in regards to a different plan that he was pushing forward, she was regarded as an absolutely vital individual.

Rinshin Contract Near-Death Promise.

Exception Candidate Bonus Plan.

Why would someone like her, merely the fourth-ranked, be placed as a central figure in such a plan?

"...It certainly──took quite some time."

The answer, in part, could be seen in her right eye.

Reisia=Blackguard’s once-deep blue eye was now────dyed a vivid, emerald green.

The 『human』, whose appearance could seem like that of a man or a woman, old or young, sinner or saint, bore a smile brimming with a very 『human』 sense of elation at that moment, and muttered softly.

Coincidentally, with words almost identical to those once whispered by that old man…

"──It… is… done."