Chapter 674: Misaki Shokuhou's Test! Reckless Misaka Mikoto!
"Hey, speak up! What are you spacing out for? Hurry up and turn off whatever's in my head!"
The shout cut through the murmurs of the Tokiwadai Middle School cafeteria like a lightning bolt. Misaka Mikoto stood before the table, her foot tapping impatiently against the polished floor tiles. The rhythmic tap-tap-tap betrayed her rising frustration, a physical manifestation of the sparks beginning to dance dangerously around her bangs.
She glared at the blonde girl sitting elegantly across from her. Misaki Shokuhou was staring into empty space, her star-shaped pupils unfocused, her usually sharp and mocking demeanor replaced by a rare stillness.
To Misaka, this was obvious. This sudden intrusion—this "Doomsday Chat Group" interface floating persistently in her visual cortex—had to be a mental interference. It bypassed her electromagnetic barrier, ignored her mental defenses, and superimposed itself directly onto her reality.
And in all of Academy City, who possessed the ability to manipulate minds with such terrifying precision?
It had to be her. The Fifth Rank. The Queen of Tokiwadai. Misaki Shokuhou.
"Don't play dumb with me!" Misaka snapped, leaning forward, her hands slamming onto the table. "I know it's you! Who else has this kind of disgusting, invasive power?"
However, Misaki Shokuhou remained silent for a moment longer. When she finally blinked and focused her gaze back on Misaka, her expression wasn't one of smug superiority or mischievous triumph.
Instead, her usually calm, perfectly crafted mask had cracked, revealing a flicker of genuine, cold confusion.
"While I'd love to say that invading your brain and annoying you would make me happy, seeing you squirm like a monkey in a cage..."
Her words paused, the venom in them lacking its usual bite. She gazed at Misaka Mikoto, her star-shaped eyes narrowing with utmost seriousness.
"This time, I truly didn't do it."
"You…"
Misaka Mikoto originally wanted to say she was lying, to accuse her of another twisted prank, another power play in their endless rivalry. The words were on the tip of her tongue, ready to be fired like a railgun.
But upon closer look at Misaki Shokuhou's eyes, her impatient heart slowly quieted down. The stars in Misaki's eyes weren't twinkling with mischief. They were stagnant, frozen in a cold, hard confusion that mirrored Misaka's own anxiety.
It was the first time she had seen this ill-tempered, manipulative person display such an expression of vulnerability.
"…"
A few seconds later, Misaka released Misaki Shokuhou's collar—which she hadn't even realized she had grabbed in her agitation—and stepped back, smoothing her skirt.
"You didn't do it… but then who could have?" Misaka asked, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Is there another Mental Out? Or something stronger?"
Misaki Shokuhou smoothed out her wrinkled collar with slow, deliberate movements, though her fingers were stiff. Her mind was racing, calculating probabilities, assessing threats.
"I don't know," Misaki admitted, her voice low. "And it's not just you; I've also been targeted."
Misaka Mikoto looked as if she had heard something incredible. Her crystal-clear eyes widened.
"You mean you can also see that…"
Empty!
Misaka Mikoto wanted to say the name "Doomsday Chat Group" out loud. She tried to form the syllables, to give voice to the anomaly.
But an inexplicable force swallowed the words she was about to utter. Her throat constricted, her vocal cords paralyzed for that specific phrase. It was a censorship mechanism of a higher order, far surpassing any mental block she had ever encountered.
She stood there, mouth gaping open like a fish out of water, a chill running down her spine that had nothing to do with the air conditioning.
A vague premonition washed over her—a primal warning. She couldn't speak about these topics to the uninitiated. If she tried to force it... it would be very dangerous. Fatal, perhaps.
"What's wrong with you?"
Misaki Shokuhou observed the changing expression on Misaka Mikoto's face, her own brow furrowed. She pulled a remote control from her bag, her fingers hovering over the buttons, ready to defend herself against an unknown assailant.
"Tsk…"
Misaka Mikoto ruffled her hair in annoyance, electricity sparking faintly at her fingertips, the scent of ozone filling the air between them.
"How should I know? Hmph, I'll just have to see what this thing is!"
She turned her attention inward, focusing on the translucent screen that only she could see.
[Railgun: What is this thing? Get out of my brain!]
[Exusiai: Oh my, the newcomer spoke, but she seems to have a big temper. Is everyone from your world this loud?]
[March 7th: Hello, welcome newcomer to the Doomsday Chat Group! Don't worry, it's not a virus! Probably!]
[Mikasa: Railgun… what a strange name. Is it a weapon designation?]
[Ren: How about calling her Sister Railgun. It sounds cuter.]
...
Meanwhile, in a world far removed from the scientific sterility of Academy City.
Ren sat comfortably on a plush sofa in his new home, a cup of steaming tea in his hand. The library he had conjured was vast, filled with books from countless dimensions, the scent of old paper and magic permeating the air.
He looked at Misaka Mikoto's message with interest, a faint smile playing on his lips.
Now he was completely free. The crisis with Amano Hina had been resolved for the moment—Tohka was taking care of the girl, likely feeding her and calming her down.
Silver Wolf and Mumei were also visiting his new home, exploring the upper floors with the curiosity of cats in a new territory.
"Railgun, huh?" Ren mused. "She's as energetic as expected."
Back in the cafeteria, the air crackled.
"Biri!"
"Huh?"
Seeing the strange name "Railgun" appear in the chat log, seemingly mocking her title, Misaka Mikoto's forehead sparked with electricity. She was very angry. It felt like a taunt, a challenge to her identity.
She typed furiously, her mental commands translating instantly to text.
[Misaka Mikoto: Heh heh, Misaka Mikoto, listen carefully. My name is Misaka Mikoto, my ability is Electromaster, and I am Academy City's third-ranked Psychic, Railgun!]
[Misaka Mikoto: Where is the person targeting me? Come out, don't hide your head and tail! I'll turn you into charcoal!]
She didn't believe that someone who dared to target her wouldn't know her identity as a Psychic. It was common knowledge in Academy City. The "Railgun" was a name that commanded fear and respect—or at least, it should.
[Misaka Mikoto: If you want to challenge me, come out in the open, don't play these petty tricks.]
[Aqua: Newbies are just newbies, too hot-tempered, tsk tsk tsk. You should learn some grace from a goddess like me!]
[Ainz: It's normal. Something suddenly appearing in your mind is indeed frightening. Caution is a virtue.]
[Reinhardt: Please calm down. This is a place for communication, not combat.]
[Misaki Shokuhou: Yes, that's how a hot-tempered tigress is. Always charging in without thinking.]
[Misaki Shokuhou: Please call me Misaki Shokuhou. Good day, everyone.]
[Misaka Mikoto: ???]
"That's you, isn't it?!"
Misaka Mikoto glared angrily at Misaki Shokuhou across the table, pointing an accusing finger. The realization hit her instantly. The tone, the mockery—it was unmistakable.
"Explain to me exactly what a hot-tempered tigress means! You spider-web witch!"
"Tsk."
Misaki Shokuhou rolled her eyes at her, leaning back in her chair with practiced elegance. "Calm down, Miss Third Rank. You're making a scene."
"We need information now, and you should first go read that announcement instead of barking at shadows."
"Huh?"
Misaki Shokuhou couldn't be bothered with this brainless battle maniac. She turned her attention inward, focusing on the interface with the precision of a queen commanding her subjects.
Unlike Misaka, who saw this as a fight, Misaki saw it as a puzzle. A dangerous, potentially lethal puzzle.
On the contrary, after she looked for information to understand the Doomsday Chat Group and saw that announcement, she became interested in the Doomsday Chat Group. The possibilities... were intriguing.
The ability to connect minds across distances without any medium she understood? It was a power that rivaled, perhaps even surpassed, her own Mental Out.
[Tatsumaki: Misaki Shokuhou, who is this? Another child?]
[Platelet: Hmm, it should be the new person called Tokiwadai's Queen. The announcement said so!]
[Bronya: It's her. Analysis of speech patterns confirms a high probability of aristocracy or delusions of grandeur.]
[Tingyun: Looking at the conversation between the two new members, it seems they know each other. Are they friends?]
[Misaki Shokuhou: That's right, we are both students of Tokiwadai Middle School. Unfortunately.]
[Kushina: So you're from the same world.]
The same world… Misaki Shokuhou's eyes narrowed slightly.
She read the chat logs, analyzing every word, every nuance. "Different worlds." "Doomsday." "Administrator."
[Misaki Shokuhou: From just now, I've been very concerned about one question: how should I understand the announcement's statement that everyone is from different worlds?]
[Misaki Shokuhou: Can someone please explain it to me? Logically.]
"As expected of Misaki Shokuhou," Ren murmured to himself, sipping his tea.
He sighed, shaking his head slightly. She was sharp. While Misaka was trying to blow up the interface, Misaki was trying to dissect it.
No one in the Chat Group prompted her to read the announcement, so she quickly read it herself. Her intelligence was formidable, her ability to process information second to none in her school.
[Ren: Different worlds means exactly what it says. Everyone is from a different world. Parallel universes, different timelines, entirely separate dimensions.]
"Mr. Administrator, it seems he's the administrator of this group," Misaki Shokuhou thought to herself, analyzing Ren's tone and authority.
However, Ren's explanation made her frown.
There's more than one world? How could such a thing be possible? It defied everything she knew about science and logic. It sounded like something out of an occult grimoire, not the scientific reality of Academy City.
Unless... this was a technology far surpassing the Tree Diagram?
Before she could question it, a guy immediately became annoyed.
[Misaka Mikoto: Hmph, you're the one who called me Railgun, and now you're trying to fool people. What different worlds? Are you trying to trick a child? I know about the Sisters project, is this related to that?!]
Misaki Shokuhou's eyelids twitched as she looked at the impulsive and angry Misaka Mikoto.
This guy really hasn't changed at all. Still charging in headfirst, exposing her hand before she even knows the game.
But that's good; her impulsive behavior saves her time in extracting information. Let the Railgun be the battering ram. Let her trigger the traps.
She was very cautious about this Doomsday Chat Group.
Because even her 1v5 psychological control couldn't find any trace of its existence in her mind. It was undetectable, alien. It felt like standing before a vast, dark ocean with no bottom.
There was absolutely no way she would trust it easily.
[Ren: …]
[Ren: Misaki Shokuhou, if you want to verify the authenticity of different worlds, you can check the world-travel permission.]
[Ren: If you don't mind, you can let me go to your world. I can prove it to you face-to-face.]
[Ding! Group member Ren has applied for world-travel permission to group member Misaki Shokuhou!]
"…"
A few seconds later.
[Ding! Group member Misaki Shokuhou has rejected your world-travel permission application!]
"As expected…"
Ren had anticipated this rejection. He leaned back into the sofa, the soft leather creaking slightly.
It was natural for Misaki Shokuhou to have such vigilance. She was a queen in a city of secrets, a spider in a web of lies. She wouldn't invite an unknown variable into her territory.
Especially not one that claimed to transcend dimensions.
It was just a pity that he couldn't go to that world to see how strong the Demon Gods truly were. Not yet, anyway.
[Ainz: Wow! The big shot was actually rejected. That's a first.]
[Misaki Shokuhou: Sorry, I must remain vigilant until I understand the intention behind this Chat Group's existence. In Academy City, trust is a liability.]
Misaki Shokuhou sighed, rubbing her temples. The headache from the tension was starting to set in.
She had indeed hesitated just now, wanting to verify it, to see the proof of "other worlds." But she still held back. The risk was too great. What if he was an enemy? What if he was worse than the Dark Side of Academy City?
[Ren: Understood.]
[Ren: However, I still need to remind you two that every part of Academy City is under surveillance from others. It's best not to show it too obviously.]
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