Mu Yang hadn't wasted time or energy cataloging the specific methods used in Academy City to enhance Espers' computational abilities. Based on the information he currently possessed, he knew of two such methods.
The first was the AIM Burst network, a network constructed using the AIM Diffusion Field as a medium. Anyone could join, and it could temporarily increase computational power. However, this network forcibly altered the user's brainwaves, resulting in significant side effects.
The second was the Misaka Network. Because the Misaka Sisters shared a common brainwave pattern, all the "Sisters'" brainwaves were converted into electronic signals and connected to each other, thus constructing the "Misaka Network."
For those other than the Misaka Sisters, there were two problems to be solved if they wanted to join the "Misaka Network": the first was to prepare a converter to make their brainwaves compatible, or else they would burn their brains by forcing a connection; the second was to obtain the permission of the Misaka Sisters, otherwise they would be kicked out of the "Misaka Network."
But for Mu Yang, neither the side effects nor the login permissions were a problem.
He opened his right palm, and a collar identical to Accelerator's appeared out of thin air above his hand, then fell into his palm.
"Let's give it a try," Mu Yang said, holding the collar.
The collar wasn't connected to the "Misaka Network," but to the network constructed by AIM Burst. After Mu Yang's processing, there were no side effects even when using it for login.
Saten Ruiko pondered for a moment before finally picking up the collar and putting it around her neck. She then pressed the switch, and a sensation like an electric shock coursed through her.
Two minutes later, Saten Ruiko cupped her hands, and a faint whirlwind spun between them. Staring at the tiny whirlwind, a mix of emotions swirled in Saten Ruiko's eyes.
After several more minutes, Saten Ruiko touched the collar around her neck and nervously asked, "This... how do I get one?"
An item that could increase one's Esper level should be very precious, right?
Saten Ruiko was very nervous, but her desire for power wouldn't let her give up on this glimmer of hope. She thought with a bit of wishful thinking: What if, just what if it's not that precious?
"If you want it, you can have it. It's not worth much."
"Eh!!!" The unexpected answer made Saten Ruiko exclaim in surprise. Uiharu Kazari was equally astonished. At the same time, she looked at Mu Yang with a slightly strange gaze. As a middle school student, Uiharu Kazari was at the age where she liked to read romance novels, so the emotions in her eyes... were processed through a love-struck brain.
Mu Yang felt uncomfortable under that gaze and immediately added an explanation, "That device won't last long. It will be unusable after at most half a month."
The AIM Burst incident, from its outbreak to its conclusion, seemed to have only lasted one or two months in total, perhaps even less. Now, the AIM Burst incident had passed its initial development phase, drawing investigations from the Anti-Skill and the police, and was entering its mid-to-late stages. Its end... was probably only one or two weeks away?
"…Is there one that can be used all the time?" Saten Ruiko asked after a moment of silence.
"Yes," Mu Yang replied. "But according to the principle of equivalent exchange, you need to pay a price equal to what you want to obtain, so…"
Mu Yang's expression gradually became serious. Saten Ruiko and Uiharu Kazari swallowed their saliva simultaneously, their expressions becoming increasingly tense. Perhaps due to the excessive pressure, their minds couldn't help but replay a slideshow, with various chaotic scenes from movies and television shows they'd seen flashing before their eyes.
"…How many installments are you planning to use?"
Silence persisted for several seconds. Saten Ruiko and Uiharu Kazari's expressions gradually became confused, tilting their heads and letting out a questioning sound, "Huh?"
Throwing a wristwatch terminal to Saten Ruiko, Mu Yang stood up and left, his words following, "You can take your time to think it over, don't rush to decide."
The casual conversation ended, and they continued shopping, continuing their search for warriors to fight against evil.
...
There are many urban legends in Academy City. For example, the Stripper, who appears randomly in District 7 and removes her clothes without warning.
Just like right now. Beside a sports car on a deserted street by the river, a beautiful woman with a great figure placed a can of coffee on the hood and began to undress, completely ignoring Mu Yang beside her.
Mu Yang blinked a few times but didn't look away. After all, she didn't seem to mind, so he didn't need to. He openly observed her.
Noticing Mu Yang's gaze, Kiyama Harumi didn't cover herself like a young girl or scream, but instead looked at Mu Yang with a slightly strange expression. "Does anyone like a body like mine? Are you one of those guys who are into ugly girls?"
Mu Yang was taken aback by the unexpected sharp tongue, and said speechlessly, "First of all, I'm not into ugly girls, and secondly, you have a lack of self-awareness about your figure…"
After a pause of several seconds to compose himself, Mu Yang asked, "Finally… What's your answer?"
Putting the clothes she had taken off into the passenger seat, Kiyama Harumi lightly shook the can of coffee. The cold wind blowing on her body made her feel a chill.
She gazed at the quietly flowing river, her tone somewhat uncertain as she spoke, "Empty words are not enough. Without evidence, how can I believe you?"
"Here." Mu Yang tossed her a wristwatch terminal.
Kiyama Harumi examined the wristwatch terminal, asking with a puzzled expression, "What is this?"
"The evidence you requested." Mu Yang didn't elaborate. "Put it on, and you'll understand."
Hearing this, Kiyama Harumi didn't immediately put on the wristwatch terminal. She looked conflicted, as if she were worried about something. After hesitating for several minutes, she finally put it on.
After a moment of bewilderment, Kiyama Harumi began to verify the authenticity of the information in her mind. After several minutes, her tense expression finally relaxed. She slowly squatted down, burying her head between her legs, and hugged her head with both hands. Perhaps the solution to saving the children, the pressure that had accumulated in her heart for a long time was finally released, and Kiyama Harumi burst into tears.
Mu Yang turned his head to look around, and breathed a sigh of relief after confirming that no one was there. The scene was really easy to misunderstand. He waved his hand to set up a barrier to keep out onlookers, preventing unwanted people from entering this place.
He stood quietly to the side, not speaking to disturb Kiyama Harumi. However, it had to be said, whether it was tears of joy or other cries, they weren't very pleasant to listen to.
After about fifteen minutes, Kiyama Harumi stood up, casually wiping the tears from her face. She bowed to Mu Yang and said, "Thank you very much."
"Don't thank me, I just gave you a glimmer of hope." Mu Yang turned and left, waving his hand. "Don't forget what I said, you need to work hard, okay?"
Recalling the actions of those research institutions, Kiyama Harumi's joyful expression gradually stiffened. She murmured, "Indeed... I must work hard!"
As the number one Esper in Academy City, Accelerator didn't go to school. His life was very monotonous, either cooperating with research institutions for various experiments or wandering around alone.
While wandering around the city, he occasionally encountered some punks who didn't know their place and picked fights. Today was no exception. He had just dealt with five delinquents who wanted to "borrow money" from him when he met another fool who wanted to challenge him.
"Huh? Are you kidding me?" Accelerator asked, his face filled with a fierce expression. He stomped his foot, and spiderweb-like cracks quickly spread from under his feet.
"I didn't plan to fight you now, but since we've met, there's no help for it..."
Kamijou Touma scratched his hair a few times, making his already messy hair even messier. His tone was a bit like a housewife who'd gone out to buy groceries and discovered eggs on sale. Initially, she hadn't planned to buy any, but seeing them, she changed her mind.
Everything was a coincidence.
Kamijou Touma's casual tone made Accelerator's eyes twitch violently. His expression grew even more ferocious. "What's with that tone? You looking down on me?"
"No!" Kamijou Touma said with a serious face. "How could I look down on you? I'm just telling the truth."
"Go die!"
The veins on Accelerator's forehead throbbed. He roared in anger, then stomped the ground. With flying debris, his whole body shot forward. He raised his left arm, reaching for Kamijou Touma.
This level of attack was easily dodged even by Kamijou Touma before his enhancements, let alone the enhanced version of Kamijou Touma.
He swiftly sidestepped to the left, dodging Accelerator's swift grab. Then, he raised his right arm and reached out. "Smack!" He grabbed Accelerator's face. With a look of shock on Accelerator's face, the expressionless Kamijou Touma strode forward, carrying Accelerator with one hand.
There were several injured delinquents here. If he fought Accelerator here, then… those delinquents… might not even make it to the hospital. He had to move the battle.
Accelerator was being carried away by Kamijou Touma, looking somewhat dazed. He didn't seem to understand why the other person could touch him. What about his "Reflector"? Why had it disappeared? Why couldn't he use his ability?
Questions filled Accelerator's mind, making him incredibly confused, even forgetting to struggle and allowing Kamijou Touma to carry him.
A person running through the streets carrying someone else with one hand was a very eye-catching sight. It immediately attracted the attention of many passersby, and he even encountered Anti-Skill and Judgment members. If he hadn't been running fast, he would have definitely been stopped.
"Damn it! With my luck, if I don't find a suitable battleground quickly, I'll be pursued by dozens of Anti-Skill and Judgment members and treated like a criminal."
A drop of cold sweat slid down Kamijou Touma's forehead, as if he could already see the future, and his expression was somewhat despairing.
"Turn left at the next intersection."
At that moment, a voice drifted into Kamijou Touma's ears. He looked down and met Accelerator's gaze.
After a few seconds of eye contact, Kamijou Touma looked away and turned left, running into an alley. Then, guided by Accelerator, he quickly went through several streets and arrived at a deserted area.
Accelerator, with five fingerprints on his face, rubbed his neck and stood in the middle of the street, explaining, "This place is scheduled to be an experimental zone in a day, and everyone nearby has been evacuated."
"In other words..." Accelerator looked up at Kamijou Touma, who was twenty meters away, and said coldly, "We can fight without holding back here."
"Before we start, I want to say something," Kamijou Touma's voice echoed through the empty street. "If I win, you, as the loser, need to agree to a condition: withdraw from the Level 6 Shift Project, and you must not participate in similar projects again. Do you agree?"
"I agree."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Accelerator stomped on the ground. The cement surface immediately undulated like waves, surging towards Kamijou Touma at an extremely fast speed. Under the immense force, the road surface shattered, and chunks of concrete were thrown into the sky.
Learning from his previous lesson, Accelerator didn't approach Kamijou Touma rashly this time, but instead adopted a long-range attack method.
Facing this attack, Kamijou Touma immediately jumped into the air, and an Ice Dragon emerged from his shoulder, using its hard body to protect him.
砰砰砰...
The concrete blocks slammed into the Ice Dragon's body, shattering without leaving a mark.
Then, the Ice Dragon raised its head and exhaled a blast of frigid air towards Accelerator. The breath swept along the ground, instantly covering the road with a thick layer of ice.
Boom!
He stomped his foot, and a massive concrete block suddenly rose up in front of him, blocking the path of the ice breath. The surrounding temperature plummeted, causing a bit of trouble for Accelerator, but not enough to make him lose the ability to fight back.
After confirming that the opponent wasn't going to keep spewing ice breath, Accelerator raised his leg and kicked the ice-covered concrete block. The irregular ice block, nearly four meters in diameter, was like an easily crushed can, rolling forward with a rumbling sound.
However, as he kicked away the ice block that was blocking his view and hadn't yet retracted his leg, a figure suddenly flashed out from the side and swung their right arm towards him.
A fist rapidly enlarged in his pupils. Accelerator bent one leg and then straightened it, generating a force that pushed him to the side, allowing him to dodge.
"Roar—" The Ice Dragon roared, chasing after Accelerator, its snow-white body gleaming in the sunlight.
At the same time, Kamijou Touma used the Ice Dragon's cover to quickly approach Accelerator.
Is that a speed a human can achieve?
A hint of surprise flashed in Accelerator's eyes. After summoning the Ice Dragon and nullifying his ability through touch, Kamijou Touma had also displayed physical reinforcement.
"You, are you a multi-Esper?"
"No." Hearing Accelerator's words, Kamijou Touma directly denied it. Although he possessed all sorts of incredible powers… he shouldn't be considered an Esper… right?
"Don't lie!"
Accelerator roared, manipulating the airflow to create a violent storm. Kamijou Touma resisted for a second or two, but ultimately couldn't withstand it and was blown away by the storm.
Losing control of Kamijou Touma, the Ice Dragon didn't continue pursuing Accelerator.
Taking this opportunity, Accelerator bypassed the Ice Dragon, and the situation shifted from defense to offense.
Accelerator launched a counterattack, and huge chunks of ice whistled towards Kamijou Touma.
-----------------------
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(End of Chapter)