Chapter 18: Level 5

(A/N): First of all the robotic way of talking will stay as it seems everyone loves it (including me), so there is no reason to get rid of it Second of all, i will use the new name just in need while I'll keep using "Misaka" or "#10000", But iam planning to give her a nickname to use, it will be easier that way, just like "Accelerator" or "railgun" And that's all, enjoy!! ------------------------------------------------------------- "Mizuki-chan, why are you running? We just want you to try those clothes," "Come on, White Onee-sama, just do us a favor and give them a try," Misaka heard a familiar voice behind her as she turned to see Shirai and Saten chasing after her with mischievous grins. They were still holding the embarrassing outfits they wanted her to try on. (Crap! Where did Sister disappear so suddenly? I have to find her for the sake of my dignity!) She darted through the bustling mall hallway, skillfully weaving through the crowd, her eyes scanning for any sign of her sister. The mall was bustling with people, and Misaka was determined not to become the center of attention in one of those embarrassing outfits. "Is she some kind of super athlete? She is so fast!" Saten gasped for air as she struggled to keep up with the clone's speed. "Maybe, or she has some kind of esper ability that enhances her physical capacity," Shirai replied, her breath steadier as her eyes fixed on Misaka's figure. "Wouldn't it be easier if you just teleported toward her?" "...If she isn't an esper with physically enhanced abilities, I would be pissed," and in the next moment, she teleported. Meanwhile, Misaka was still on the run through the multi-level mall, trying to figure out an escape route. She made her way to one of the upper floors. From this vantage point, she could see the bustling center of the mall below, where two familiar figures were standing near a food stall - Uiharu and her sister Mikoto. (Finally!) She raised a foot to the fence as if she was about to jump, but a voice interrupted her. "Are you planning to jump from the 7th floor?" Startled, she raised her head to see Shirai standing on the mall chandelier, her hand gripping the chain that held it up. "Teleportation?...". "Correct," Shirai replied with a mischievous grin. "Now, what about giving up? Do us that one favor, I promise it won't take much." "...You guys know that it is not polite to force someone to do things they do not want... right? Asks Misaka as she wonders what type of friends her sister made" "I know, but..." Shirai hesitated, clenching her fist, "It's something I need to do, an opportunity to see Onee-sama in clothes that I can't even see in my wildest dreams. That alone is worth sacrificing everything!" "Why not just ask your 'Onee-sama' to do it then if you are ready to sacrifice everything? Asks Misaka, Doubts the pervert girl's claims" "Believe me, I tried... Anyway, let's do it." Shirai slowly raised the maid outfit in her hand, and in the next moment, it disappeared from her hand. "Huh?" Misaka felt a sudden shift in her clothing, and when she looked down, she was stunned to find herself now wearing the maid outfit that Shirai had just shown her. (She can also teleport items in her hand to other locations, and with high accuracy... She's not just a pervert after all huh..." Shirai's mischievous grin grew wider as she marveled at her success. "Hehehe, finally, I can see it! Onee-sama as a maid, hehehe~~" She immediately took out her camera and started taking pictures. (...That doesn't look bad, though. I feel kinda comfortable in these clothes.) Misaka started moving around, observing the outfit from all directions while Shirai took pictures with unbridled enthusiasm. The outfit was surprisingly comfortable, and she had to admit that it suited her more than she had expected. (Sister can be considered a perfect model figure.... though she has to work on a specific part.) Misaka suddenly shifted her gaze toward her chest in disappointment... .... "ACHO!!" "? That was a strong sneeze, did you catch a cold, Misaka-san?" Down in the bustling center of the mall, beside a certain food stall, stood two figures holding two sandwiches - Mikoto and Uiharu. Mikoto reached for her nose to rub it, "I don't think so... But for some reason, I feel like my honor has been insulted." (Did Shōaku talk behind my back again...) "Oh, by the way, your cousin also dresses in Tokiwadai uniform, which means she's a high-level esper right? What kind of power does she have?" Uiharu asked as she took a bite from her sandwich. (Crap, I forgot about that part...) "W-Well, she's just like me, an electromaster, though she's still a level 3 esper." "You both have the same power? I wonder if she can reach level 5 like you did. Your family has some unique genetics, don't you?" "Y-Yeah... I think so." "Well, I think we have to join the others. I still don't think it was a good idea to leave your cousin with Shirai-san and the pervert-mode Saten," Uiharu said, wiping her hands with a tissue as she walked toward the shop they had left before. "As long as they don't sexually assault her, everything should be fine... Crap!" Her eyes widened in realization. (That's Kuroko we're talking about; I have to go back fast - !) "Hellll NAHHHHHHHHHH!" As Mikoto took a step forward, ready to sprint back to where she had left her cousin, a piercing scream echoed through the mall. "M-Misaka, isn't that Shirai holding a swimsuit with your cousin?" Uiharu said with hesitation, her eyes shifting toward the chaotic scene on the upper floor. Mikoto followed the path of the scream with her eyes, and her hair crackled with sparks of electricity. "KUROKO!!" ... Meanwhile, just a moment ago. When Misaka was observing her new outfit, Shirai took pictures non-stop from every possible angle. After satisfying herself with the pictures, Shirai wiped the saliva from her mouth as she turned her attention to a particular bag. From it, she pulled out a new outfit. "Hmm?" "Now time for the main events" The moment she saw what Sherai pulled from the bag, she screamed unawareness and unusual "Hel NAHHHHHHHHHH!" It was a swimsuit, but not just any swimsuit. It was a revealing and extremely skimpy bikini that left very little to the imagination. Misaka quickly took a few steps back, trying to put some distance between herself and the dreaded swimsuit. She watched as Shirai slowly raised her right hand, holding the revealing piece of clothing. (Wait, I still sense the Tokiwadai uniform benefits the maid outfit, which means the only things that she can teleport are the ones she touched... If she wants to make me wear this embarrassing swimsuit, she would have to teleport what I am wearing off first, which means...) "Now, Onee-sama, if you excuse me..." Shirai suddenly disappeared, and Misaka suddenly extended her hand to the back. "!!?" Catching a hand from behind! (...She would teleport to my blind spot - behind my back to teleport my clothes away.) Turning her head slowly, the air around them started to crack, with a blue spark appearing from the clone ahoge. (Crap!) In the next moment, blue electricity shot from the girl's body, surrounding her in a circle with a diameter of two meters. "..." "Wow, that was close." But her target was able to teleport away just in time. Shirai wiped the sweat from her forehead a few steps away from Misaka. "So bad for you; I am kind of used to avoiding attacks from a stronger electromaster." "Oh, you are?" "!!?" The sweat filled Shirai's face once again as she heard the familiar voice. It wasn't the clone, as she was still standing in front of her. She could see the smug on the clone's face, even though the whole time her expression didn't change... she didn't know how that was possible, but her mind was worried about something else. "Ah, O-Onee-sama..." She turned around to see Mikoto, the ranked 3 in Academy City, holding the face of someone about to explode in fury. "KUROKO, I gave you a warning, and you ignored it. Now, do you want to accept your punishment, or do you want to see if you're used to avoiding my attacks?" "Ummm... Is there a third option?" "No," She answered with the most pure evil smile someone could offer, and in the next instant, the cries of a certain girl filled the mall. Part 2: 3 October, 3:45 PM Somewhere outside the mall, on the side where a bunch of claw machines lined up in a row, a certain clone was trying her luck in one of them, while her sister watched from beside, her back reclining on the machine. They had finished their shopping, with Misaka getting the cute pajamas she saw, and surprisingly, she insisted on taking the maid outfit from Shirai because she loved it. They both decided to talk privately before going their separate ways. A little chat between two sisters... theoretically. Inserting a few coins into the arcade game, Misaka controlled the mechanical claw with precision, aiming for the specific Gekota doll. "Misaka is sorry for spoiling her sister's time with her friends..." "...Did you have fun?" "?" "Did you have fun shopping with them, spending time with them?" Mikoto clarified. "Y-Yes, it was fun spending time with Sister's friends, and sister herself..." "Then there is nothing to be down about, right? It's not like you're banned from meeting new people, especially if they are people like Kuroko, Saten, and Uiharu. The reason I didn't want them to know about you is not that I hate them having fun with you, but because I fear for their safety," Mikoto explained reaching out to pat her sister's head with a warm smile. "Besides, you're my little sister, and I'll always look out for you." "..." "Oh, it seems you caught something!" Mikoto said, pointing at the claw machine. "Y-Yeah, says Misaka as she moves the claw toward the hole to secure her prize." With the doll now in the clone's hand, "Here, Onee-sama," she said as she handed it to her sister. "W-Wait, are you sure? You're the one who won it," Mikoto hesitates, but the clone insists, making Mikoto ultimately accept the gift. "It's a gift from Misaka, a return for Sister's gift back then," the clone explains as she reaches for the pin that attaches to her blazer, capturing Misaka's attention. "That pin from then... You still have it?" "It's the first gift from sister. It's something Misaka appreciates so much, explains Misaka" "...Well, thank you for the gift. I'll do the same," Mikoto says, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Oh, by the way..." "?" "Are you planning to keep dressing in those clothes?" Mikoto's eyes shift down. "Oh, that. Well, Misaka somehow feels comfortable in them," the clone says as she spins around, letting her sister take a better look at the dress. It appears that the clone didn't Slip out from the maid outfit that Sherai made her dress in. "I-I see, Well, as long as you feel comfortable" Shifting their gaze to the sky, they notice that the sun's rays are starting to turn red, indicating that it's now afternoon. "Hmmm?" "? What the matter?" "Sister, Is there some kind of festival over there, asks Misaka as she pointed at the Crossroads" "I didn't hear anything about a festival happening today," Mikoto responded, puzzled. "Hey, run faster, or we'll be late for the announcement!" "I am trying my best here!" As both Misaka and Mikoto were trying to figure out why the crowd was gathered in the middle of the Crossroads, two kids came running by. One of them spoke up, which caught Mikoto's attention with the specific word he said. "Announcement?" Curiosity was piqued, and Mikoto and her clone followed the kids toward the center of the festival. As they got closer, they noticed something odd—the usual advertising screens hung on buildings around them bore the same content: a countdown clock, which was currently at 20 seconds. "That seems familiar, like the day when they announced me as a new Level 5 esper in Academy City," Misaka said, her gaze fixed on the screen. "Perhaps a new Level 5? Asks Misaka" "Probably. But It's been a while. I wonder who it will be this time" As the countdown continued, not only Misaka and Mikoto were curious, but everyone around the city was captivated by the impending announcement. Uiharu, Shirai, and Saten were in a different part of the Crossroads, initially unaware of the commotion. But after noticing the gathering crowd, their curiosity piqued, and they joined the rest of the onlookers. Somewhere in District 11, a certain number 1 esper was walking with a little girl bouncing around him. He noticed the crowd but didn't pay much attention, though he couldn't help but receive the occasional swift glances from curious passersby. Meanwhile, in another part of the city, inside a regular dormitory, a certain boy with spiky black hair watched the announcement on a TV while casually eating a cup of instant noodles. Beside him on the bed was a little girl in a church uniform, playing with a small cat. In District 5, inside a luxurious apartment, was the ITEM group. They seemed to be enjoying themselves in their pool, except for one particular girl with long blonde hair. She was watching the announcement on her tablet outside the pool, her expression pensive. In District 6, in another upscale apartment, a man with shoulder-length dirty blonde hair stood before the large glassy window. He was well-dressed and exuded an air of confidence. "I can bring you something to watch from if you want?" a voice called from behind, belonging to a beautiful girl with light-colored, wavy hair. "No need," the man replied, his eyes shifting down to one of the building's advertising screens below them. Throughout the city, he was known by various nicknames, but the one he was most famous for was "Number 2," a moniker he detested being called by. The announcement was not limited to Academy City alone; The whole world was watching. After all, it was the introduction of a human weapon with a destructive power that exceeded any existing nuclear weapon. Even on the magic side, magicians were taking notice. as In a certain location in England, a woman with shining golden hair watched the whole thing with a smug expression. "I can't tell if that old man is smart or dumb, doing something like that... what exactly are you aiming for, Aleister?" As the seconds ticked down, the excitement in the air grew, and anticipation filled the hearts of all the city's residents, while anxiety filled those from the outside. The screens displayed the countdown clock, and the crowd hushed as it approached zero. Finally, with a burst of electrifying energy, the countdown hit zero, and the screens illuminated with the image of a young girl. Her face was obscured, and her name was not shown, but her long white hair was well-observed by everyone. "Electromaster" was the only thing that the screen displayed about her ability, but the odd thing was the clothes the girl was dressed in—none other than the famous Tokiwadai Middle School uniform. (They were aware of my power... How should I explain that to my sister now?) The clone shifted her eyes toward her sister, expecting some kind of shocked reaction. "...?!" But instead, she met with a face filled with fear and anxiety; her sister was trembling. "N-No, not again," Mikoto mumbled under her breath. "???" Part 3: "Are you fucking kidding me!!" Inside a windowless building somewhere in District 7, shouting could be heard. The voice belonged to a man with dyed blonde hair - Tsuchimikado Motoharu. "It's not good to talk with someone using such language, Motoharu" a man responded. His body was inside a tube of red liquid, floating upside down and connected to wires. "Stop messing with me, Aleister! Do you realize what will happen after what you did?" "I don't quite understand what you mean -" "You're well aware..." Tsuchimikado interrupts, fixing his eyes on the floating upside-down man. "You keep using your pawns to stand up against the magic side and their plans against Academy City. Using Touma was your best option, as a Level 0, you would be away from suspicions of being involved in the whole scheme, which could avoid a potential war between the two sides." He clenched his fist, his eyes burning under the sunglasses. "With that clone appearing, you've gained another valuable pawn, and to make it better, she was on the same level as a Level 5 esper. The magic side was already aware of the sisters' existence, so using that clone was kind of risky but still possible, because they were just Level 3 espers at most. But by your doing... a fucking Level 5 clone! Now, if she gets involved in any way against someone from the magic side, that would mean war!" "...I think you're misunderstanding something, my dear Tsuchimikado." "Huh?" "The clone you keep mentioning just happens to meet the required conditions to be a Level 5 esper. There is nothing deep about it. All I did was do my job. Stop making me look like a manipulated dictator." "Y-You believe what you're saying?" "Believe it or not, either way, war is coming, and there's nothing we can do about it." "I am well aware, but by your doing, you made the war sooner than it was supposed to be. Now that bastard from the Roman Catholic Church will have a way to get the help of all the other Churches against the academy. Meanwhile, we haven't gathered our forces yet. It's a losing war now." "You think so?" Motoharu raised an eyebrow "...What's in your mind, Aleister?" "Well, even if he gathers the force of all the magicians against us, we have quite a few people with the power of an army." "So you confess you're planning something." "..."