Where did it all begin? Where did things go wrong?
The root of it all was probably the DNA map that Mikoto provided when she was a child.
Muscular dystrophy is a difficult disease that prevents people from moving their muscles as they wish.
If they could analyze the power to manipulate bioelectricity, they might be able to help people suffering from such diseases.
It would be easy to guide a child's answer by telling them a story like that and showing them the sight of people desperately trying to move their bodies that won't move.
Of course, I don't know if it was manipulation. It might have just been explained in a way that was easy for a small child to understand.
And so, Mikoto's DNA map was officially registered.
She remembered this, but it had become a thing of the past that she didn't often think about. Recently, a certain rumor began to reach Mikoto's ears.
That Mikoto Misaka's clones were being produced for military purposes.
The story of Mikoto providing her DNA map was quite famous.
Unlike other Level 5s who, for various reasons, couldn't be easily introduced to the public, Mikoto was often used as a poster child for the ideal esper.
The story of her growing from a Level 1 to a Level 5 over time gave hope to many espers.
Such stories are often accompanied by beautiful tales. The story of her providing her DNA map for an intractable disease was a perfect fit for that.
And along with that, troublesome rumors also appeared. She couldn't be bothered to pay attention to every single one, and Mikoto didn't take them seriously either.
But this time, it wasn't a groundless rumor.
By the time Mikoto became concerned and investigated, a production line had already been established, and all they had to do was press a button to produce an inexhaustible supply.
Moreover, the Sisters who were supposed to be created for military use were unable to even live as weapons, and had become beings who were merely killed as guinea pigs.
(That's right, it's not over yet.)
Mikoto shot an electric spear and destroyed the devices. The electricity scattered and a few researchers were caught in the crossfire.
(I can't give up.)
She swung her arm, and an electric shock flew along the path of her arm.
(I just have to destroy everything.)
Destroy it so that not a single piece of data remains.
(Everything that exists now, and everything that will be passed on...!)
Security guards are not an obstacle. It's just a hassle to hold back.
(The equipment, the funding.)
Why do the researchers have to be kept alive in the first place? Isn't it because these people who are complicit in such a crazy experiment are allowed to live that the experiment will be passed on forever?
(Until their desires and ambitions are shattered and nothing remains!!)
If this island is to blame, then the entire island.
"I'll destroy everything!!"
A full-power Railgun blew the console into a million pieces.
"Haah... haah...!"
Mikoto breathed heavily, panting.
(If I do that, someday!)
—Someday?
Mikoto, with a terrible look on her face, who was reflected in the cracked monitor, looked at Mikoto.
—Even if such a convenient day arrives, how many more 'Sisters' will have died by then?
Mikoto gritted her teeth.
"Shut up!!"
Electricity flew in response to her emotions. It scattered in all directions, gouging out the floor and walls.
—Innocent idiots are getting caught up in this too, and it's all because I carelessly provided my DNA map.
"I said shut up! Then what should I do!?"
Mikoto screamed.
"I'll force the plan to be canceled! Right now!"
—It's not just the Sisters, even people who aren't involved will die. Because they got to know me.
"What method is there!?"
—There's no such convenient method.
Mikoto, who forcefully crushed the thoughts overflowing from her head with her electricity, panted heavily.
Suddenly, something caught her eye.
It was a small monitor. It had barely escaped destruction and was one of the few remaining devices that was still operating.
The words [LIVE] were on the monitor.
"L-live..."
In other words, a live broadcast. Not something that was filmed. Not recorded footage. It was something that was happening right now. What was it?
"No way..."
Mikoto murmured, stunned by the image.
She had seen him once before. A thin, white-haired man. The strongest esper, Accelerator.
In front of that Accelerator, stood a girl with the same face as Mikoto, wearing the familiar Tokiwadai Middle School uniform. The Sisters.
And another person.
"Why are you there..."
He wasn't holding a weapon or wearing power armor. As far as she could tell from the screen, a completely defenseless man was standing there.
Sho Yotsuki was standing there.
---------
"Hey, you mass-produced thing, answer me. In this case, what happens to the 'experiment'?"
"Why—"
The white-haired man—Accelerator—turned around languidly.
On the other side of him, the Misaka Sister wore the most surprised expression I had ever seen on her face.
The location was between two buildings. A narrow space that couldn't even be called an alley, not meant for people to pass through. It looked just like it would in a movie.
I could only see the back doors of buildings, air conditioner outdoor units, and garbage cans. Of course, there were no other people besides the three of us.
They were probably just about to start the experiment. The Misaka Sister was holding a submachine gun that didn't suit a girl.
If I had been a few moments late in speaking, the bullets would have been fired, and the reflected bullets would have pierced the Misaka Sister.
"This isn't the end. I told you that you would understand soon."
"—What... Misaka does not understand. Please leave quickly. You have nothing to do with this experiment—"
Accelerator, who had been leaning against the wall, listening to our exchange, scratched his head.
"...Tch! So? When's this conversation gonna be over? How long do I have to keep leaning on this wall?"
Accelerator interrupted.
"Tch! Hey! What's with this situation? I know you're watching somewhere! A clone's acquaintance has broken into the experiment site, and things are getting weird! Is it the usual scenario where if he doesn't leave, we 'deal with' the commoner who found out our secret?"
Accelerator shouted into the void. His audience was the researchers who weren't there.
"Don't worry, Accelerator. The experiment is over now. I'm going to punch you."
"...Huh? Heh? That's amazing. Good for you—So?"
Accelerator turned to face me. He seemed a little interested in me now.
"Can you explain it a little more simply? The experiment's over, you're gonna punch me. It's rare to hear someone say such nonsense. You understand who's in front of you, right? The number one of the only seven Level 5s? What kind of mistake are you making—"
"I don't care about that nonsense. I said I was going to punch you and stop the experiment!!"
"—Heh? You're an interesting one."
He laughed, as if an idiot who challenged him with a full understanding of the situation was a rare find.
"Did you get sentimental over this guinea pig and stick your neck into something you shouldn't have? I don't know what kind of secret weapon you have, but you must be mistaken if you think you can win."
"St-stop. Please stop, Accelerator. Misaka will handle him. Please wait—"
"Shut up."
Accelerator waved his hand, and a gust of wind strong enough to blow a girl away occurred.
"Misaka!"
The Misaka Sister who was slammed against the wall didn't get up. In just that one moment...!
"Don't make a fuss. Those guys won't die from just that."
Accelerator grinned.
"It's a little consideration from me. It'd be a pain to have someone interrupt while we're fighting, right? Then I might get carried away and kill her. If she dies in a scenario other than the experiment, my calculations might go wrong."
"That's a very kind consideration..."
My face twitched as I clenched my fist.
My Imaginary Breaker is already in Imaginary Breaker Mode. With every other ability except Imaginary Breaker suspended and not wearing Arbalest, I'm completely defenseless right now.
My Imaginary Breaker doesn't have any more power than my own muscle strength.
But,
"(If I can hit him properly, I can take him down in one shot—)"
The punch that Kamijo delivered in the original story was done with the utmost care to not be touched by Accelerator while fighting him.
And yet he still managed to defeat him.
Accelerator, because of his overly powerful ability, has no idea how to fight. He can repel all attacks from his opponent and defeat them with just a touch.
Because of that, he never had the opportunity to learn how to 'properly fight.'
The only thing I was worried about was whether the influence of this world (mainly the Butei) might have made Accelerator able to move his body.
"(That body... he seems fine.)"
I wouldn't say he's skin and bones, but he still gives the impression of being frail. I'm not a beefy macho guy either, but Accelerator's arms are two sizes thinner than mine.
A body like that doesn't come from being trained by a Butei high school teacher. I think I'll be okay.
Well, there's Aria in this world who can compete with a Kamen Rider with a smaller body than that...
But, forget about such exceptions for now. This isn't the time to be thinking about that.
Right now, I'm only thinking about sticking this fist into his face.
The distance is 10 meters.
"—!"
I start running. I don't look away, closing the small distance with all my might.
What does Accelerator do in response?
"...Hah."
He tapped.
He tapped the concrete on the ground with the tip of his shoe.
"Gah—AAAHHH!?"
I thought a grenade had exploded at Accelerator's feet.
The countless pieces of scraped concrete pierced my body like a shotgun blast, penetrating my bulletproof uniform.
My body floated up for a moment, and before I knew it, I was lying on the ground where I had been before.
"And besides,"
Accelerator doesn't seem to be fighting at all. He puts his hands in his pants pockets and walks toward me defenselessly.
"You don't seem to be using any abilities or magic. What kind of joke is it to charge at me completely unarmed? I'm not a patient guy."
After taking just one hit, my legs are already starting to tremble.
"I'm in the middle of a very important experiment. Do you understand? How much time it took to get this far. Pop, pop, pop. I've been crushing these extras on schedule, and I'm only halfway there. What are you gonna do if the Tree Diagram's calculations go haywire because you got in the way? Experiment fails, poof, it's over. What are you gonna do if that happens, huh?"
But if he's going to get this close and defenseless—
"I have zero interest in what's going on in your simple mind. There's no reason for me to stop someone else's doll play. But if you have the potential to throw my time in the trash—I have no choice but to do this!"
Accelerator kicks the garbage can next to him.
It flew toward me more accurately than a soccer player kicking a ball.
"What's this? You can use your ability just fine."
"...!"
I strengthened my body with the Magic of Darkness: Magia Elevea and escaped.
The garbage can, made of synthetic resin, hit the concrete wall and shattered.
"(I was too naive...!)"
I thought he might let his guard down a little if I pretended I didn't have any abilities. But for someone as overpowered as Accelerator, letting his guard down is not even a consideration.
Even a playful attack would be fatal to a normal body.
"Why..."
"Huh?"
"Why are you killing the Sisters? Why are you a part of this experiment? If you just said 'no' once, all of this would be over!"
This was the one thing I wanted to make clear.
"...Well, a simpleton like you probably wouldn't understand."
Accelerator spreads his hands.
"I want absolute power. To become a being that no one is allowed to challenge."
"Above the strongest, you mean?"
"The strongest is still the strongest, no matter how far you go. The number one is the same. In the end, they're compared to others, which is why they get such a boring title. They're the strongest because they're the strongest compared to others. The number one because they're superior to the number two and number three. It's so stupid."
This must be Accelerator's true feelings. I didn't expect him to talk this much from such a simple question.
Was it because he had no one he could talk to about these things?
"Being with the masses means you have no choice but to compete with them. It's incredibly annoying."
Accelerator is still the strongest. Not invincible, but the strongest. In the end, Accelerator's strength is just a title that makes people think, 'I'll try to pick a fight with him.'
"Just like how I picked a fight with you."
"You're not a real opponent. Where did you see a chance of winning, huh?"
To Accelerator, I'm just another thug who's always picking a fight.
"Then let's test it."
"Huh?"
"I said it at the beginning. I'm going to punch you now. Try to see if I'm just part of the masses. You might not be the strongest today."
"...Well, idiots who don't listen need to learn the hard way... Fine, go ahead and try."
He said it nonchalantly and stood still.
It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
"(If I can end it with this one shot—!)"
If he doesn't counterattack and I can land a punch on him unilaterally—!
When I activate my Imaginary Breaker, my Magic of Darkness: Magia Elevea is canceled.
From Accelerator's perspective, it must look like I've canceled my abilities just as I was about to attack. He's frowning.
But that doesn't matter. I take a running start and thrust my full-force right fist into Accelerator's face—!
A dull, squelching sensation of the other person's face deforming was transmitted to my right hand.
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