The "Ideal Ability" experiment referred to a process where inputting specific numerical values for a particular subject would generate corresponding interference phenomena in the physical universe.
In terms easily understood by ability users, the experiment aimed to create a theoretical output terminal capable of supporting all known types of abilities within Academy City. Using Indian Poker Cards as a medium, the Personal Realities of multiple ability users would be layered, forming a massive AIM field aggregate similar to a wish-granting machine.
However, there was a vast difference between theory and reality. The upper limits of the "Ideal Ability" depended heavily on the resources invested by the researchers and the level of support from the Board of Directors.
Yet, even an incomplete Ideal Ability could easily surpass the lower limits of ordinary Level 5s.
Similarly, this Ideal Ability easily brought to mind Multi-Skills.
In fact, the two weren't fundamentally different. Multi-Skills could even be seen as the changes produced when an "Ideal Ability" attached itself to an ordinary person.
It was just that humans themselves were too fragile, unable to bear an "Ideal Ability" with too high an upper limit. Even a slight backlash could destroy a person's body.
Given the significant limitations of humans themselves, the researchers conducting the experiment at the time proposed changing the test subject to Yuuri Senya, who possessed the dual attributes of both a human and an AIM thought entity.
The girl named Yuuri Senya had an ability manifestation that allowed her to separate her own AIM field, creating a field-based thought entity with a human appearance.
By using this AIM field thought entity as a core to accept AIM fields from other ability users, they could avoid the inherent fragility of humans, forming a special product born within natural space, centered around an AIM thought entity. This was the true face of the "Ideal Ability" experiment.
Beep... beep...
A harsh phone ringtone shattered the silence of the dim, quiet environment, its suddenness like a silver vase shattering.
"Hmm? It's Houjou-san."
Seeing the name "Houjou Seigo" on her phone screen, a pleased smile instantly bloomed on Mitsuari Ayu's face, as if she considered him a very important comrade.
In this city, having a comrade to strive towards a goal with was something that truly invigorated the spirit, especially for someone like her.
"It's really such a shame. Arei-san's plan originally had a chance of success, but in the end, it all fell apart."
"After all, trying to deal with two Level 5s simultaneously was just too much for ordinary ability users to handle."
"This way, our existence should have fallen under Shokuhou Misaki's notice, I suppose."
Her face showed no particular expression; Mitsuari Ayu seemed to simply be stating a fact, though one could hear a tinge of emotion in her tone.
Capturing Shokuhou Misaki was just a small part of the overall experiment, not the most critical component.
In fact, if the incidents within Tokiwadai had proceeded smoothly, and Shokuhou Misaki had read that specially crafted Indian Poker Card...
Then, according to Mitsuari Ayu's experimental plan, Shokuhou Misaki would have become part of the soon-to-be-launched new "Ideal Ability" experiment due to a certain medium left within the card. A portion of her AIM field would have been involuntarily drawn towards the predetermined individual.
Namely, that Yuuri Senya.
However, even without securing a high-level ability user, a large number of ordinary ability users would be sufficient to form a basic version of the "Ideal Ability."
As for why she absolutely wanted to drag Shokuhou Misaki into this... that was probably Mitsuari Ayu's own little personal motive.
Her feelings towards Shokuhou Misaki, the one who had replaced her as a Level 5, had grown increasingly extreme. It was a powerful side effect of her body and mind dwelling in the shadows for so long.
Come to think of it, this act of using Indian Poker Cards to pull in, or rather, assimilate the Personal Realities and AIM fields of others, was essentially replicating that failed experiment from the Clone Dolly project.
It's just that the current situation had undergone many changes compared to the original experiment.
Due to the experimental accident that occurred back then, Yuuri Senya, who had suddenly run amok during the experiment, remained in a special comatose state even now.
The AIM thought entity born from her ability had completely separated from her body, forming something akin to an AIM field core.
It didn't require an AIM field powerful enough to tear through the fabric of the universe. It was simply due to Yuuri Senya's own ability attributes that the field could still operate within the real universe even after separating from her body.
Under these circumstances, establishing a basic version of the "Ideal Ability" by disseminating Indian Poker Cards was no longer the sole purpose of this endeavor. Instead, Mitsuari Ayu was more inclined to go further, to create a true "God."
"If ability users all believe in the same rumor, perhaps that rumor will become 'real.' Behind this statement lies another special experiment covertly conducted within Academy City."
"In this city, nothing hasn't been meticulously designed. Everything related to ability users is under the deliberate guidance of certain individuals. In a little-known hypothesis, the reason various urban legends are so prevalent in Academy City is actually a deliberate effort to coordinate this special experiment."
"Simply put, the subjective consciousness of ability users can influence something within Academy City. And that something is most likely the AIM Diffusion Field."
The small hand holding the phone suddenly paused in mid-air. Houjou Seigo was still saying something on the other end, but Mitsuari Ayu's thoughts had suddenly drifted far away.
"So, the main purpose of disseminating the Indian Poker Cards isn't to assimilate the users' Personal Realities and establish a small-scale 'Ideal Ability,' but to create new urban legends within Academy City, to let more people know of Yuuri Senya's existence."
"As long as Yuuri Senya becomes tied to the urban legends within Academy City, the AIM fields subconsciously emitted by ability users will likely be guided in a certain trend, converging upon Yuuri Senya, who serves as the field core."
"Similarly, the more people who know of Yuuri Senya, the more tightly the AIM Diffusion Field concentrated within Academy City will bind her. And Yuuri Senya, having lost her human body, will endlessly bear the power brought by those AIM fields."
Mitsuiari Ayu thought, somewhat distractedly.
The cards she had disseminated had long since secretly included references to Yuuri Senya's existence, gradually generating a certain level of awareness within Academy City.
--+--
Although she really wanted to tear off the annoying bandage wrapped around her eyes and toss it aside, Natsume-san unconsciously stopped her hand as she remembered Heaven Canceller's instructions.
She trusted that somewhat strange-looking frog-faced doctor a great deal.
She couldn't pinpoint an exact reason; trust was probably an emotion that gradually accumulated from numerous small things.
"Now that I think about it, the Dorm Supervisor has already left the building, so why am I still climbing out the window?"
"Could it be that I've done this so often it's become a habitual way of thinking? This must be what adults always say: 'It takes three years to learn good habits, but only three days to learn bad ones.'"
Standing with both feet on the windowsill (Good children, please don't imitate this), a certain bun-headed girl suddenly fell silent, furrowing her brows in thought.
She felt she might be developing a trend of rigid thinking, viewing climbing out the window as an essential method of rebelling against the Dorm Supervisor's strict rule.
In reality, her need was simply to go outside and wander around for a bit—she could perfectly well walk right out the front door.
"This feels so strange. Am I being influenced by that Shrine Maiden-san's thoughts?"
"I definitely never used to overthink things that should be obvious."
Her face filled with suspicion, Natsume-san seemed quite troubled by the possibility that she was being affected by that Hitomi-san.
Due to a minor oversight earlier, Natsume-san found she had unconsciously picked up some of the other's habits and ways of thinking, and they weren't easy to digest.
In the other's perception, climbing out of windows was a highly improper act. Natsume-san, however, couldn't care less—after all, she'd been doing it for ages.
Tilting her head, the round bun hairstyle swayed slightly with the movement. Natsume-san let out a troubled sigh, clearly feeling she had encountered a major problem.
Wanting to experience someone else's life inevitably meant accepting the risk of being assimilated by them. Natsume-san found this exceptionally uncomfortable.
--+--
T/N: If you want advance chapters, you can find it at [email protected]/AspenTL