Academy City.
Located in District 7 of Academy City, it is a shared campus area for five prestigious girls' schools, including Tokiwadai Middle School and the private Shidarezakura Academy.
Its total area is over fifteen times that of an average school, truly deserving the name of a garden for Tokiwadai young ladies.
Outsiders wishing to enter this space must apply in advance for a pass or receive an invitation from someone inside.
Even with an internal invitation, the review process for a temporary pass is quite strict and complex.
"By the way, Sister, I heard from my roommate that a rumor is going around the school that 'Misaka has joined the Shikura Faction.' That must just be fake news, right? You've said before that joining a faction is a huge hassle."
Walking side by side with Chinatsu, Mikoto suddenly asked, her tone sounding like a question on the surface but more like she was answering it herself, as she didn't believe her older sister would ever get involved in the muddy waters of factional struggles.
Of course, Chinatsu responded quite effectively to her younger sister's affirmation. She remarked that sometimes attending faction activities wasn't as good as lying in her own bed sleeping, and besides, as a Level 5 Esper, joining a faction struggle would just be bullying the weak.
"After all, I don't have a habit of bullying the weak~"
"Sister, what kind of villainous remark is that~"
Mikoto couldn't help but retort at her older sister's villain-like statement. If those words reached the ears of students in extreme factions, she had no doubt they would rush at Chinatsu in anger.
Of course, the end result for those people would just be lying on the ground, dizzy. But that seemed to make Chinatsu look even more like a big villain. Fortunately, other than Sha Danshan, no student had dared to actively challenge Chinatsu so far.
As they walked, they soon arrived in front of a dessert shop with relatively affordable prices in Academy City. It wasn't very popular within the school grounds and was a secret treasure shop that Chinatsu and Mikoto had discovered while wandering around.
Just as they were about to push open the door and walk in, the two of them, with their keen senses, turned around in unison to look behind them.
"Hmm?"
They saw dozens of Level 4 faction core members, led by the two faction leaders Sekikura Rei and Mizukagami Nagisa, walking out of the Academy City with serious, and even murderous, expressions.
This scene gave the surrounding students from other schools quite a fright; it was too different from the gentle and refined image of Tokiwadai Students they usually held.
"What... happened?"
Mikoto blinked in confusion. She first turned her head to look at the easily accessible cakes and pastries in the dessert shop beside her, then, driven by her curiosity, she looked back at the army of Tokiwadai young ladies marching forward.
Watching Mikoto, Chinatsu couldn't help but laugh and cry. She reached out and patted Mikoto's shoulder, saying, "I'll buy the cakes for you. If you're curious, just go over and ask. Don't forget to send me a message on your phone to explain it after you find out."
"O-okay, I'll be right back!"
Having received the promise that she would still be able to eat cake later, Mikoto immediately hurried toward the Tokiwadai group. She was somewhat acquainted with Sekikura Rei, and soon learned from her what they were planning to do by mobilizing so many people.
[Menggefei Company]
After their investigation, they discovered that while this company appeared to be conducting legitimate research on Esper abilities, it was secretly operating an unauthorized military supply industry.
They deliberately incited conflicts between the Tokiwadai factions, using Tokiwadai Students like lab rats to collect various ability data for research, and then sold the resulting weapons to black-market organizations.
"That's truly despicable!"
"We are going to seek justice!"
"These adults actually set traps for students for their own selfish interests, and even fanned the flames to make us fight among ourselves for so long. It's just too despicable and shameless!"
Everyone spoke indignantly, and Mikoto was involuntarily infected by this atmosphere. She clenched her fists and said excitedly, "Then... then let me help too! Middle school students fighting against adults—I can increase our chances of winning with some force!"
With the addition of a Level 5 Esper, the students cheered and surrounded Mikoto. If Mikoto were replaced by a male in this scene, it would definitely be a harem encounter.
"With Misaka joining us, I have even more confidence in this battle. Sisters, let's go take back Tokiwadai's honor!"
"Yeah!!!"
The army of students, with Mikoto now among them, continued to march toward the Menggefei Company. Caught up in the atmosphere, Mikoto completely forgot about the matter of relaying the situation to her older sister.
A few minutes later, Chinatsu slowly walked out of the dessert shop, carrying two cake boxes in one hand and holding her phone in the other, silently waiting for a reply from Mikoto.
"Don't tell me Mikoto forgot..."
Chinatsu sighed helplessly. Based on the manga plot she already knew in her mind, she could roughly analyze what would happen next and where she should go to find Mikoto.
Therefore, she was actually staying in place at this moment, pondering whether she should go back to the Tokiwadai dormitory to put the cakes away first or just head to the upcoming bloody battlefield while carrying the cakes.
Menggefei Company, Boardroom.
A nearly bald man was lounging comfortably in a wheelchair. During this time, he had made quite a lot of money by smuggling goods developed using ability data collected from Tokiwadai Students. He believed that it wouldn't be long before he could squeeze into the rankings of the wealthy.
Just as he reached out to pick up a glass filled with red wine from the table beside him, ready to take a comfortable sip, a rush of footsteps came from outside the door, and with a "Bang!!!", the office door was pushed open.
"Chairman! Something big has happened!"
"What is it? Being so rash and impatient, what kind of behavior is that!"
The Chairman frowned as he looked at the company member who had pushed the door open while panting. In his view, no matter how big the matter was, it didn't warrant such a rude intrusion.
"Chair... Chairman... Tokiwadai has broken in!"
"Oh, and so what?"
The Chairman replied immediately with an indifferent expression. Just as he wanted to turn around coolly to pick up the red wine glass on the table again, his arm suddenly trembled as it finally dawned on him.
The red wine glass on the table fell to the floor with a "Clang!", turning into a pool of red liquid and countless sharp shards.
"Tokiwadai!!!"