The Six Wings didn't pose much of a direct threat to her personally.
As long as those machines had some mechanism for exchanging matter with the outside world, Natsume-san was fairly confident she could dismantle them from the inside.
For espers like Shokuhou-senpai who specialized in mental powers, however, they were natural predators.
Unmanned aerial combat machines, operating without minds to influence, completely negated their abilities. Shokuhou-senpai's weakness was just far too obvious.
The fact that this kind of natural enemy could be mass-produced, equipped with advanced targeting systems on top of that… it all pointed to one thing: Shokuhou-senpai was in desperate need of a capable bodyguard.
So far, no one within the Queen's faction had shown that level of power. Even Hokaze Junko-senpai, who seemed athletically gifted in every way, likely couldn't take down a single Six Wing in a head-on fight.
Not finding any Six Wings here was good news. It meant the city hadn't dispatched them specifically for Shokuhou-senpai, which suggested the situation hadn't spiraled completely out of control.
This sense of relief, however, was short-lived. Natsume-san took a deep, deliberate breath, trying to calm the restless unease stirring in her chest.
If she had any choice in the matter, she wouldn't be going anywhere near this place.
Just the thought of it was oppressive, and she was even more reluctant to be here than she had been to participate in the Daihaseisai.
This juvenile correctional facility existed in the space between light and shadow, a place where those two worlds most easily collided.
Even for a student who was far from ordinary, stepping foot here required significant mental preparation. Natsume-san's courage hadn't yet reached the point where she could face anything and everything with perfect composure.
Her eyes remained fixed on the reformatory ahead as she descended, landing steadily atop a multi-purpose building.
That was the thing about Academy City. Even its most unwelcome places, like this juvenile detention center, were surrounded by modern high-rises just a few dozen meters away.
Unlike land reserved for nuclear testing or cemeteries, these buildings seemed to be annexes of the reformatory itself. Their purpose was unclear, but 'shopping mall' was probably not it.
'This is probably some kind of research facility too,' she thought, a slight frown creasing her brow.
Life in this city had given her a dark, deeply ingrained understanding of its underbelly. After witnessing so many bizarre incidents, one bloody facet of this metropolis had been laid bare before her and a select few others.
Misaka-senpai's mood seemed to have improved lately; she'd even been seen taking the injured Shirai-san out for walks.
But no one could know when the shadows festering in that senior's heart might erupt, unleashing her vengeance upon the city.
The presence of these ambiguous buildings near the juvenile reformatory made their purpose easy to guess. The people who saw students as nothing more than lab rats were only growing more numerous in this city.
'There's no one in these buildings,' Natsume-san noted silently, casting a surprised glance at the structure beneath her feet.
The building was clearly operational, not abandoned, yet it was completely devoid of human presence. Something had happened here, something she wasn't aware of.
'No matter what's going on, I need to find Shokuhou-senpai and bring her back.'
She made one last attempt to call Shokuhou-senpai's phone. There was still no answer.
Reaffirming her goal in her mind, Natsume-san stopped hesitating and continued her descent.
It didn't matter who was pulling the strings behind the scenes.
Natsume-san didn't know their ultimate aims, nor did she have the power to change their minds. But if they wanted a fight, she was here to meet them. Whether it was reviving the Level 6 Shift Project or some other scheme, she'd face it head-on, fight until she won, and then simply return to her life.
The best way to deal with trouble was to take the initiative. That was what Natsume-san had always believed.
A certain bun-girl, who had maxed out her defensive and evasive capabilities, aimed to kite all her enemies into defeat.
'No one can defeat me before my computational power runs out… probably.'
The complex of buildings grew larger as she approached. Her feet finally touched down on the outermost wall surrounding the compound.
This external wall merely encircled the juvenile reformatory; the real heart of the place was the cluster of buildings behind it, all sealed off and imposing.
The construction materials for the walls and buildings were ordinary, perhaps just a bit sturdier than the standard fare used across Academy City. Natsume-san was confident her air cannons could blast right through them.
Her knowledge of prisons, however, came mostly from online rumors, meaning she was now operating in an area with severely limited intelligence.
She had expected to encounter some kind of secret, cutting-edge technology almost immediately, but her approach had been completely uneventful so far.
It seemed the place wasn't equipped with the kind of AIM diffusion field monitoring devices she had imagined.
There were plenty of conventional and less-conventional detection systems, enough to catch ninety-nine percent of intruders or escapees.
Infrared scans, sniffers, various types of security robots, and the ever-present satellite surveillance—none of it could stop Natsume-san's advance.
She used pockets of air to buoy her body, ensuring she exerted no pressure on the surfaces below. Even Tokiwadai Middle School had pressure-sensitive running tracks; it was safe to assume this place had similar or better.
As one of Academy City's finest infiltration specialists, Natsume-san could slip into most heavily guarded locations with ease. Coupled with her habit of overthinking every possibility, entering this place felt like coming home.
With a sharp dagger, she could have passed for a proper assassin. But the life of an assassin didn't appeal to her; she much preferred being a mage.
The wings at her back dissolved into swirling gusts as she leaped from the over-ten-meter-high wall.
Natsume-san, who always seemed to enjoy pulling such risky stunts, landed perfectly. The mental map in her head instantly cataloged every living creature within a hundred-meter radius.
It was strange. There were no legendary mercenary corps from around the globe, not even a glimpse of a guard. She couldn't detect the imprisoned student population either.
'Where is everyone?'
A wave of confusion washed over her. Just like in that large building, the people here had vanished, even though she could see various robots going about their tasks.
'Had the juvenile reformatory kept up with the times and transitioned into a fully automated era?'
Then she immediately thought of her senior.
A fully mechanized defense would be ideal for dealing with someone like that senior. But if that were the case, Shokuhou-senpai would never have walked into the trap in the first place.
--+--
T/N: 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.