The Ideal Project—a plan to manufacture espers from selected girls.
The selection process was brutally merciless, an unforgiving survival-of-the-fittest that left no room for compromise. There were even multiple cases of gifted individuals strangled by insufficient funding.
Though it wasn't clear how many girls had participated in that project, the final result was Academy City's #5 Level 5: Shokuhou Misaki.
"So that means, Shokuhou-senpai, you also took part in the Ideal Project back then?"
"Or perhaps all the students from the center were actually participants in that project from the very beginning."
After learning some details about Ideal from Shokuhou-senpai, Natsume finally nodded in understanding.
If resources were so limited, then why recruit so many students? Natsume found it somewhat excessive.
Still, she recalled how Shokuhou-senpai had sponsored her, allowing her to acquire in a short time research results that would have taken an institute years to produce—filling the knowledge gap needed to advance from a Level 3 to a Level 4.
In a way, it was as if she had gained the resources of an entire research institute, and a perfectly tailored one at that.
"So the reason you're so wary of Indian Poker, Senpai…"
"Isn't just because those cards have a certain brainwashing effect, but also because the technology itself originated from the Clone Dolly center—designed specifically for ability development. Some of it was even reverse-engineered from you, Senpai."
"Even if it appears harmless on the surface, packaged like an ordinary entertainment product, at its core it's similar to the previous Level Upper. It's a dangerous technology created by research institutions to cultivate specific espers."
After that long explanation, Natsume sorted through all the information in her head and arrived at what she thought was a solid conclusion.
This time, she was quite confident—her conclusion seemed flawless. She'd gone over it carefully in her mind several times.
"That's not wrong."
Shokuhou-senpai nodded, a little surprised to find her kouhai's mind could be so sharp at times.
But the conclusion wasn't complete, probably because her bun-headed underclassman wasn't fully aware of what she'd been through.
The brainwashing effect wasn't what Shokuhou Misaki was most concerned about—such technology was already commonplace.
Basic methods like object-based hypnosis or slogan-chanting were elementary forms of mind control.
But to deeply brainwash or alter a person's personality—from what Shokuhou Misaki understood—a mere card couldn't achieve that. If it could, the Clone Dolly center wouldn't have needed to develop the Exterior; they could've just scaled up Indian Poker into a large-scale transmitter.
Besides, Academy City had plenty of psychometry-based ability users. Brainwashing effects weren't rare.
Mind control alone wasn't enough to make Shokuhou Misaki this wary.
What concerned her most was what the Indian Poker represented: technology from the Clone Dolly center—the same organization she had crushed, now seemingly revived.
And this time, they were using even more covert and insidious methods, already infiltrating her inner circle. Members of her clique, Hokaze Junko and Kobayashi Satori, were already using the stuff.
Even if only to protect herself and those close to her, Shokuhou-senpai couldn't pretend not to see it. She suspected they might be targeting her—the one who had destroyed the Clone Dolly center.
As long as that possibility existed, Shokuhou-senpai had every reason to uncover what was hidden behind these cards.
"Just as you suspected, Sonoko-chan, the danger isn't limited to brainwashing. That might just be a means to facilitate its spread."
"Until we know what's hidden behind these cards, it's better not to engage with them casually."
Shokuhou-senpai acknowledged Natsume's conclusion, bringing a slightly smug smile to the latter's face.
But after receiving what felt like confirmation from Shokuhou-senpai, the bun-headed girl suddenly felt a little disappointed—like watching everyone else eat dinner while she could only stand and watch.
No matter how interesting those cards might be, she couldn't use them for now.
Her earlier restlessness instantly calmed, entering a state of sage-like detachment.
Well, that settles it—no more playing around. Now her mind felt much more at ease.
Boo-hoo…
"And you've reminded me, Sonoko-chan—I can't allow these things to keep spreading unchecked."
"At the very least, within my faction, I must ban any distribution or use. I just hope it's not too late."
Shokuhou-senpai thought for a moment before continuing.
By the time Hokaze-senpai and the others started using the cards, it was already too late for Shokuhou-senpai to stop them.
So these past few days, she had simply observed any changes in Hokaze and the others after using the cards. She had even repeatedly examined their brains, but found nothing unusual.
Even Shokuhou-senpai found this strange, yet she couldn't pinpoint what was off.
If there really was a brain-related issue that even Mental Out couldn't detect, then it was likely the problem had already shifted from the brain to somewhere else.
Natsume's words just now had also put Shokuhou Misaki on alert. In just a few days, these cards had spread everywhere. In this situation, she had to do something.
Although Shokuhou-senpai couldn't stop the circulation of Indian Poker across Academy City or even within Tokiwadai, within her own faction, her word was law—she was the absolute authority of the Shokuhou Clique.
With just a meaningful glance from Shokuhou-senpai, her faction members would start serving tea, feeding her fruit, giving full-body massages, or even providing back-steps from young girls—an enviable lifestyle, to say the least.
Even Natsume had to admit—no wonder Shokuhou-senpai had gained some weight.
"As for everyone else, there's not much I can do. Even at Tokiwadai Middle School, there are plenty of people I don't get along with."
Shokuhou-senpai sighed softly, lowering her voice.
The blonde made it clear she wasn't targeting any particular electromaster—it was just a general remark covering all the students in school who had it out for her.
Then again, Shokuhou-senpai probably had about as many opponents as supporters in school, with the neutral students being the minority.
As for Natsume, she was among Shokuhou-senpai's staunchest supporters.
As for a certain Gaouin Tsukasa-senpai, she probably wasn't Shokuhou-senpai's most determined opponent—she simply disliked the largest faction and, by extension, Shokuhou-senpai.
Life wasn't easy. The young Judgment girl, upholding love and justice, couldn't help but sigh.
She had been peacefully drinking milk tea, enjoying a quiet, refined afternoon tea with her senpai.
But one call from Uiharu, and she had to rush five kilometers away to deal with an assault case, reluctantly bidding farewell to her leisurely afternoon.
--+--
"Thank you very much for saving me."
"Also… was that move just now Magical Powered Kanamin's Love Love Kick?"
An elementary school girl with a ponytail, clasping her hands nervously, tugged at the bun-headed girl's jacket, acting rather familiar.
She had tried to take a shortcut through an alley but encountered a scary attacker. She knew about those people but never thought she'd run into them.
Before she could even call for help, fear had frozen her in place. But in the blink of an eye, the attacker was sent flying into a trash can by a girl who descended from above with twin tornadoes on her back.
In the narrow, dimly lit space, swirling gusts kicked up dust, leaving only the fully special effect-loaded Judgment girl standing out brilliantly.
"Love Love Kick, you say?"
Natsume replied thoughtfully while busy handcuffing the suspect with Judgment's signature silver cuffs.
With a Kanamin-themed backpack and Kanamin stickers on the edges of her standard-issue helmet, the elementary school girl was clearly a devoted fan of that popular anime.
Running into a potential customer during a mission lifted Natsume's spirits a little.
It was fate, truly.
"Since I've been recognized, I won't hide it anymore. The move I used was indeed Kanamin's Love Love Kick."
"So, to protect Academy City's future, you must keep supporting Kanamin from now on, okay?"
Wearing a kindly expression, Natsume didn't forget to promote her own merchandise.
Even though the current Kanamin products on the market had nothing to do with her, that would soon change.
"Yes, I understand!"
"I'm Hanazono Yurine from Suzuki Elementary. I'll definitely keep supporting her! And I'll work hard to be brave—I won't freeze up in fear like today. I want to protect others in the future too!"
Nodding vigorously, the young student seemed strangely motivated, her face serious and determined.
"I can feel your courage. I'm Natsume Sonoko from Tokiwadai."
"Keep doing your best from now on, okay?"
A bit taken aback, Natsume finally straightened her expression and nodded seriously, giving the other girl a firm pat on the shoulder.
The scene might have felt a little odd to outsiders, but to two girls with latent chuunibyou tendencies, it all seemed perfectly normal.
"Natsume-san, does Tokiwadai have an affiliated elementary school too?"
Looking at the bun-headed girl who was about her height, Hanazono asked uncertainly.
"I'm a bona fide middle schooler, you know."
Natsume's face fell immediately as she clarified very seriously.
"That's too bad. I'm a Level 0, otherwise I could apply to Tokiwadai next year. But I believe… besides superpowers, there must be other things like magic in this world."
--+--
T/N: If you want advance chapters, you can find it at [email protected]/AspenTL