"Misaka Chika, spare us. As long as you spare us, our Research Institute can commit all its resources to assist you. We have also dabbled in research regarding Gemstone Espers!!!"
The Researcher hurriedly pleaded, extremely nervous. He understood that after making direct contact with a Level 5, escaping was impossible. Rather than running and letting the other party toy with him, it was better to find a way to prove his value and cling to life in her hands.
As for the research on Gemstone Espers he mentioned, it was actually nonsense. In the entire Academy City, there were hardly any places with actual research results on Gemstone Espers, and his was definitely not one of the few that did.
But regardless, he had to get through this immediate hurdle first to have any capital to talk about the future, so whether it was nonsense or anything else, it didn't matter at this moment.
Chinatsu looked at the Researcher before her and deliberately put on an expression as if she had been persuaded, murmuring in a hesitant voice that the Researcher could barely hear.
"The offer is not bad, but given the situation, it would be quite troublesome for me to help you. The people upstairs will be coming down in a while..."
Upon hearing that there was a real chance to escape, the Researcher's intellect for scientific research seemed to be converted into eloquence aimed at saving his life.
"It... it's not that much trouble! I have a backup large-scale computer in the Second Research Building. As long as you send me there, I can use the computer over there to remotely transfer the data from here.
As long as it succeeds, even if the Security Officers come to investigate, I won't have any evidence left. Once I successfully escape, I will definitely gather all resources for you, Miss Misaka!"
The four words "survival instinct" were vividly displayed on this Researcher. If it hadn't been Chinatsu in front of him, but someone else eager to further their power, perhaps he really could have turned the tide and survived against the odds.
What a pity~ Truly a pity~
Facing the desperate Researcher, Chinatsu wore a professional smile and did not immediately respond. As time ticked by, the cold sweat on the Researcher's face grew more profuse.
"Misaka Chi..."
Before he could finish his sentence, countless Security Team members from Academy City stepped out of the speeding Security Team vehicles, surrounding Chinatsu and the Researcher.
With the arrival of the Security Team, the Researcher finally gave up struggling completely. He lowered his head, his brain shutting down, pondering why on earth he had targeted Tokiwadai.
Although he had originally had similar intentions, considering the risks involved, he believed the potential gain did not justify the necessity of bearing such a huge risk.
"My memory is a bit chaotic, my head hurts so much..."
The Researcher kept his head down, trying hard to recall, but no matter what, he couldn't figure out exactly what had happened in between. However, looking at the Researcher in this state, Chinatsu had guessed seven or eight parts of the truth.
"Did Sha Danshan use Shokuhou Misaki's phantom? In all likelihood, she also used two reinforced psychological suggestions on her; otherwise, given the level of the phantom, she should have remembered by now."
Chinatsu murmured softly. As her understanding of Sha Danshan deepened, she found that Sha Danshan was truly a very formidable person, having made full preparations to destroy Tokiwadai.
What exactly happened to Sha Danshan to make her so strongly desire revenge against Tokiwadai? It seems there is a real need to investigate this seriously.
At this moment, on the top floor of the Research Institute.
Sekikura Rei and Misaka peered down from the high floor through the glass wall, taking in everything that had just happened below.
"It seems to be over."
Sekikura Rei let out a sigh. After thinking for a while, she couldn't help but raise her hand and scratch the back of her head, feeling that this operation had gone a bit too smoothly.
Not only had they successfully found this third-party entity, but they had also followed the clues to find the mastermind behind the scenes who was guiding the third-party entity. There hadn't been the slightest accident, and it had even been resolved very easily.
Mikoto, however, was somewhat flustered, her mouth forming an "O" shape. She knew that from the beginning, Chinatsu had instructed her to find out clearly what the Tokiwadai group was doing when they mobilized and then send her a message.
But she had gotten excited and was swept up in the atmosphere at the time, and the matter of notifying her sister had been completely forgotten.
"I'm going to get scolded~"
Mikoto muttered to herself, then called Sekikura Rei to head downstairs together. During the descent, they inevitably encountered the Security Team heading up. The Security Team was extremely shocked that the two had taken down so many private armed forces.
Unlike the Judgement Members, which were composed of student Ability Users, the Security Team members were mostly adult non-Ability Users. To compensate for the lack of combat power from having no abilities, they utilized cutting-edge technological weapons to maintain the stability of Academy City.
"Just the two of you?"
"Yeah, two."
"As expected of high-level Ability Users..."
Amidst the Security Officer's exclamation, the Security Team continued upstairs to arrest all the frozen and electrocuted private armed forces, while Mikoto and Sashikura continued downwards, soon returning to the ground.
"Sis... Sister."
Mikoto called out to Chinatsu, who was standing in place, watching the Researcher being escorted into the police car. When she heard Mikoto's voice, she turned to look at Mikoto, who was slowly walking towards her.
Chinatsu lifted the cake box she was holding in one hand and said indifferently, "Take this, eat it quickly."
"Oh... okay!"
Mikoto, who had walked up to Chinatsu, blankly reached out with both hands to take the cake. The moment she took the cake, Chinatsu, with her now-free hand, quickly, accurately, and ruthlessly flicked Mikoto on the forehead.
Snap!!!
A very crisp snapping sound rang out. Mikoto couldn't help but raise one hand to cover her forehead where she had been flicked. The two sisters looked at each other, and after a few seconds of silence, they couldn't help but laugh together.
"Let's eat the cake!"
"Yeah!"
Sekikura Rei, who had come downstairs together and watched this scene from afar, wore a faint look of envy on her face. Just then, members of the Shikura Faction, who had arrived from another battlefield that had ended, walked over quickly.
"Leader, are you injured? We didn't bring any healing-type Ability Users on this operation. Should we contact a hospital or the healers within the faction..."
Before the faction member could finish her eager words, Sashikura immediately raised a palm to interrupt her and responded to the faction members' concerns with a confident smile.
"Injured? You are underestimating your leader. This side has been perfectly resolved. Let's return to Tokiwadai!"
Sashikura waved her hand with a smile, signaling the members of her faction to turn and head back to Tokiwadai. It seemed like the end of a war, but in reality, it was also the end of the war between the factions within Tokiwadai, and the students gained a period of peaceful and gentle time...