Standing atop the highest peak, you see how small all other mountains lie.
When you stand high enough, the view changes. Of course, if you're dangling mid-air, you probably don't have much mind for sightseeing.
The armored vehicle was moving fast.
With Natsume Sonoko clearing the way, it managed to trundle along despite the rough, pitted road.
But as the vehicle sped forward, the monster known in the original anime as the AIM Burst began to reveal its terrifying form, shedding its veil from afar.
Tentacles emerging from the ground were severed by massive steam pressure, yet thanks to its regenerative ability, more and more sprouted in the distance.
Even with the barriers of steam geysers, some intact tentacles still pursued the armored vehicle and Natsume Sonoko, who was 'flying' above it.
"No time to explain, I'm speeding up!"
Yomikawa-sensei slammed the accelerator, swerving sharply to avoid an attack from the tentacles behind. Inside the vehicle, Tsuzuri-sensei clung tightly to the computer, barely managing to protect the device as it transmitted audio data.
The armored vehicle nearly got hit by another steam geyser erupting from the ground, swerving precariously back onto the safe path Natsume Sonoko had charted.
"How much longer? Does it really take this long to transfer one audio file?" Yomikawa-sensei's anxious voice came from the front.
"The satellite signal is jammed nearby. We need to reach a more open area," Tsuzuri-sensei replied hastily, clutching the computer, sweat pouring down her forehead.
"Damn it," Yomikawa gripped the steering wheel, her eyes fixed on the monster following them in the rearview mirror.
Hovering in mid-air, Natsume Sonoko controlled the two small whirlwind wings on her back, struggling to fly forward. On this terrain, she was actually slightly faster than the armored vehicle.
In just about a minute, Sonoko had destroyed the underground water pipes across a two-hundred-meter width and one-kilometer stretch.
The ground became pitted with steaming geysers, and the view was obscured by a blanket of white vapor.
She didn't dare fly toward the densely populated commercial district.
Fortunately, there were no student dormitories nearby, just large swathes of industrial land. Due to the previous incident at the AIM diffusion field research institute, the area had been largely evacuated, so there was no worry about collateral damage.
Right after the armored vehicle passed, an enormous steam geyser—dozens of times larger than the others—erupted from the once relatively intact ground.
Its impact was far stronger than ordinary geysers, instantly obliterating the majority of the dozens of pursuing tentacles.
This massive steam column completely cut off the armored vehicle from the chasing tentacles, forcing even the monster to detour.
This pipe was one of the main water conduits for District 7, not some common branch of the underground water system. The resulting steam surge was terrifyingly powerful.
Natsume Sonoko glanced back at the huge steam column, an inexplicable sense of unease creeping into her heart.
Looks like I hit a major artery.
Given Academy City's efficiency, repairs would probably take five or six days.
Then again, all this was the doing of that monster behind them. Its tentacles were everywhere underground.
It was clearly the one with low intelligence that deliberately burst the water pipes. What does any of this have to do with me, Natsume Sonoko?
--+--
Meanwhile, in a certain dormitory, a spiky-haired boy was preparing instant noodles, emptying several thin seasoning packets into a paper bowl.
"The supermarket had a big sale on instant noodles. Spending all my remaining money on them is the perfect way to make it to the end of the month. Now, I just need to—"
He turned on the tap out of habit, but only a single, glistening drop fell out. The boy tapped the faucet, but nothing changed.
"The water's cut off?? There was no notice. I'll just wait a bit. Eating this noodle brick dry is bad for the stomach; I really don't want to end up in the hospital."
--+--
"Landlady? Why's the water suddenly off?"
In an old apartment, Komoe-sensei, her hair full of shampoo suds, was on the phone with the building manager, her voice clearly annoyed.
--+--
But back to Natsume Sonoko, where another problem had arisen.
The armored vehicle had circled back near the AIM diffusion field research institute, and from a distance, they spotted Harumi Kiyama-sensei.
Her condition, however, didn't look good. One of her eyes was completely bloodshot, saturated with blood, as if a fierce struggle was raging inside her mind.
Perhaps due to Kiyama's influence, the monster had only used its abilities a few times since appearing. Otherwise, even escape would have been impossible.
Because of their mutual interference, Kiyama-sensei couldn't use her abilities either at the moment.
Natsume Sonoko grew anxious. With the giant monster getting closer, she couldn't just leave Kiyama-sensei there.
"Kiyama-sensei, grab my hand!"
Flying down a bit lower, Sonoko reached out to pull Kiyama up, but she saw the teacher stagger to her feet on her own.
Grabbing Kiyama-sensei's shoulder, Sonoko simultaneously used an upward air current to lighten her weight.
She considered conjuring wings for Kiyama too, but between dodging, clearing the path, and destroying tentacles, she had to go for the simplest option.
Kiyama-sensei wasn't heavy, especially with the weight reduction, but it still placed a significant strain on Sonoko.
The burden was both physical and mental. Not only was her arm feeling like it was about to be ripped off, the added weight made the wings on her back much harder to control, forcing Sonoko to dedicate more processing power to them.
"Kiyama-sensei, I'm going to throw you onto the armored vehicle. Don't worry, the air currents will cushion your fall," Sonoko said, her breathing labored, clearly strained from carrying the extra weight.
"Wait, I have something to tell you."
"Your ability is remarkable, highly versatile, but the calculation formula is rather crude."
Kiyama-sensei suddenly looked up. Sonoko stared dumbfounded at Kiyama's blood-red eye, too confused to speak.
"???"
"I've studied some aerokinetic ability users, but your ability seems related to thermal control, quite different from theirs. Yet, there are similarities in some applications," Kiyama-sensei said, suddenly closing her eyes as if recalling something.
Sonoko silently triggered the rupture of several more large underground pipes, listening to Kiyama-sensei's words in a daze.
Why was the teacher giving a lecture all of a sudden?
"Try adjusting your tornado wing formula like this: First, readjust the wind pressure to..."
Kiyama-sensei continued, seemingly aware of Sonoko's struggle. The tornado wings were clearly a rough, makeshift creation.
"Alright, I'll try. But first, let me get you to the vehicle."
Sonoko couldn't hold on any longer. She summoned a strong gust to carry Kiyama-sensei onto the roof of the armored vehicle.
Seeing Kiyama land safely and grab onto the heavy machine gun mounted on the vehicle's front, Sonoko breathed a sigh of relief.
Though she remained vigilant, watching for tentacles, she spared a sliver of her focus to experiment with Kiyama-sensei's suggestions.
The whirlwind wings on Sonoko's back suddenly shrank, startling her. She wobbled a bit off-balance but adapted to the change within seconds.
"I can stand upright now?"
Initially dangling with her limbs drooping, Natsume Sonoko now gained the ability to stand erect in the air, finally able to straighten her back.
The uncomfortable pressure on her shoulder blades, sucked tight by the tornadoes, lessened significantly, spreading evenly across her entire back.
Kiyama-sensei's advice had an immediate effect. Being able to stand up straight felt incredibly good.
The revised tornado wings didn't change the computational load much, but the physical improvement was undeniable. They also became more responsive to steering, improving both aesthetics and usability.
"Incredible comprehension."
Kiyama-sensei watched, a look of surprise on her face, as Sonoko immediately straightened up mid-air.
She hadn't expected this girl to complete such a substantial formula adjustment in such a short time. If those children were still awake... I'd probably be fussing over their ability development too.
Just then, the monster drew closer. Turning back, Sonoko could see a face on its chest—a face identical to Kiyama-sensei's.
There was no time to ask Kiyama for details. Sonoko focused and detonated several large underground pipes simultaneously. The erupting steam enveloped the monster's body, briefly halting its advance.
By now, the monster's above-ground portion alone had grown to eighty meters tall. With every step it took, the ground shook violently.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.