Having quietly prepared her defenses, Natsume Sonoko hovered mid-air, observing the movements of Therestina and the others.
While Capacity Down could easily take down a Level 5, dealing with it was actually pretty straightforward—all you needed was sufficient soundproofing. Hiding inside a powered suit, for instance, would completely block the effects.
Peering through a large hole blasted open by Meltdowner, Sonoko noted that this was a lab she hadn't visited before.
Every research facility in Academy City was massive, with numerous buildings and even more floors, not to mention the intentionally or unintentionally partitioned zones. Her previous wanderings inside one had nearly made her dizzy.
Though she couldn't hear their conversation, Sonoko had no intention of waiting any longer. In the name of love and sincerity, she was determined to make this quick.
Seeing the sorry state of the Item members inside—clearly ambushed while fully focused—that old woman really had no sense of honor.
By ordinary logic, Sonoko figured this lab must be hiding some secret. Maybe what she needed was right here; at the very least, it was worth a look.
Warm summer night breezes brushed past as she sensed the tense atmosphere inside the building. Sonoko glanced up at the sky, trying to gauge the time from the stars and the moon…
Her stargazing proved fruitless. Lowering her gaze, she checked the watch with its built-in flashlight—already midnight. Yep, time to wrap this up quickly.
Even though the distance was shorter, this trip had taken longer than her nighttime visit to the Advanced Education Bureau, with more twists, turns, and surprises along the way.
Plus, she'd gained one crucial piece of intel: that sleep-deprived girl with the lazy eyes could actually detect her presence.
"He who sneaks up on others, shall be sneaked up upon himself."
Without a second thought about facing them head-on, Sonoko moved past the building's wall and began influencing the people inside.
Just in case things went sideways, Sonoko—who'd maxed out her stealth skills—formed a sturdy ice mask over her face. If her light-bending ability faltered, at least her identity would stay hidden a little longer.
That trick was borrowed from a certain anonymous Gekota-loving girl, who always wore a Gekota mask while fighting for justice.
The mask was intricately carved, leaving only two large eyes exposed, making it look strikingly similar to the popular anime character, Kana-chan from The Hyper-Mobile Girl Kana.
Sonoko was quite pleased with her current look. If only she had a magic wand, the resemblance would be perfect.
While she busied herself with these trivial details, the situation in the building shifted again. Handling multiple tasks with her ability was just business as usual.
Therestina clutched her throat, unable to speak. Hot air flooded her nose and mouth, accompanied by powerful currents that made it impossible to hold her breath.
Sonoko carefully controlled the heat, just enough to knock someone out without causing harm—something she'd gotten plenty of practice with.
She'd even discovered she could manipulate airflow to affect heart and lung functions. Maybe she could become a doctor one day, like the legendary Heaven Canceller.
She'd considered knocking out the members of Item too, but Sonoko felt it was better to keep the peace.
Picking a fight with Level 5s wasn't the smartest move, and with Capacity Down active, they couldn't cause her trouble anyway.
"Quietly I come, as quietly I shall go," Sonoko mused.
Another shift occurred. Mugino Shizuri and her group stared in shock at Therestina, who had suddenly collapsed.
"Was it that person from before?" Mugino looked at Takistubo Rikou, but under the influence of their current predicament, even Rikou couldn't use her ability.
"I don't know," Rikou replied weakly, her face pale.
"So the target really is the data on the Ability Body Crystal experiment—and it seems they're unaffected by Capacity Down," Saiai Kinuhata said, hands pressed over her ears, speaking with difficulty.
Frenda sat weakly beside a gash torn by Meltdowner, gesturing with effort toward a console. "Maybe we should shut down the Capacity Down device first."
Everyone nodded, and Rikou, who was in the best condition, moved to do so.
Crash! Something burst through the window.
Sonoko had originally thought about rolling dramatically through the air for a grand entrance, but since no one could see her anyway, she settled for flying straight in.
The windows were bulletproof, but against Meltdowner's power, even the walls had cracked, let alone the glass.
"Sorry, but I can't let you shut down Capacity Down just yet."
Sonoko landed steadily, glancing somewhat apologetically at the Item members nearby. A breeze stirred, halting Rikou's movements—she really didn't want to face a pack of fierce espers head-on.
Her defenses were solid, and with the pseudo-vacuum layer around her, even high-frequency interference didn't bother Sonoko much.
The lab felt somewhat empty. After checking cabinets and corners, Sonoko found nothing—no trace of the so-called "original sample."
Meanwhile, the Item members watched with curiosity as cabinets seemed to open on their own.
Just as Sonoko began to feel disappointed, her eyes returned to the standalone computer in the center of the lab. Maybe it was near the terminal.
The computer was already on, authenticated and unlocked. Sonoko looked at the display—an icon for Capacity Down was lit up, cycling through the device's controls.
"Research progress on Capacity Down?"
"And experimental data on the Ability Body Crystals?"
Skipping over numerous unfamiliar experiments, her eyes quickly locked onto these two folders.
Coating her finger with a thin layer of ice to avoid leaving prints, Sonoko manipulated the mouse to examine the data.
It wasn't just academic papers—there were detailed experiment logs and crystal information.
[Related Data on Therestina Kiyama Lifeline, Initial Test Subject for Ability Body Crystals.]
Sonoko opened the folder, revealing various charts and diagrams.
"Is there anything on the original sample?"
Her expression grew anxious as she scanned through file after file, beads of sweat forming on her forehead.
Though she couldn't hear what Mugino and the others were saying, their expressions alone made Sonoko feel the pressure.
"Found it—the structural core diagram from the initial Ability Body Crystal experiment. In other words, the specific data on the original sample."
Even if she hadn't found the physical sample, having these detailed analytical records was just as good.
--+--
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.