Chapter 32

Just as Misaka Mikoto and Kusanagi Komoe were engaged in a fierce battle, a figure stood not far away. This person was Shirai Tsukuyomi.

Shirai Tsukuyomi had already arrived early, but he did not intervene. He wanted to carefully observe the performance of his future underground member. Although he had not been invited, in Shirai Tsukuyomi's mind, Kusanagi Komoe was already a predetermined member of his underground organization, specializing in scientific research.

Moreover, he was very interested in the half-formed angel that would soon appear. If the network did not go out of control, how could the angel be born?

Finally, he could use this opportunity to show Misaka Mikoto the deep-seated darkness of Academy City, so she could be mentally prepared. After all, she was a good friend of Saten Ruiko. If Academy City were to collapse, it would be very bad.

Therefore, Shirai Tsukuyomi watched the two battle while thinking about far-fetched ideas.

"If that half-formed angel continues to grow, could it become a true angel? Then, wouldn't Kusanagi Komoe, who gave birth to an angel from her body, be the scientific side's Holy Mother?" Thinking about this, Shirai Tsukuyomi found it amusing. If the people on the "magic side" knew about this, they might start a war.

So, if he guessed correctly, the scene here should have been "sealed" in various ways.

At this moment, the battle between the two ended with Misaka Mikoto's zero-distance electric shock.

"Although it's ineffective against that guy, it shouldn't be ineffective against you!" Misaka Mikoto's next zero-distance electric shock directly knocked out Kusanagi Komoe. Then something happened that surprised Misaka Mikoto—Kusanagi Komoe's memories were transmitted through the electric current to Misaka Mikoto.

Kusanagi Komoe's memories initially showed a story of a researcher being moved by some children, a heartwarming and beautiful tale. However, it then revealed the dark side of Academy City—human experiments, deception, and cruelty. This was the true nature of Academy City.

"How could this be..." Misaka Mikoto never expected such things to happen in Academy City. "What just happened..."

"Did you see it?" Kusanagi Komoe, who had just regained consciousness, struggled to stand up. "That experiment was officially claimed to control the AIM diffusion field, but in reality, it was an experiment to analyze the conditions for a power surge. The true purpose was to deliberately cause a surge, which was planned."

Misaka Mikoto found it hard to believe what Kusanagi Komoe said. She had always lived in Academy City, and such things existed here.

"Human... experiments..."

"Those children have not woken up yet; they are still in a deep sleep. We treat them as disposable experimental subjects!"

"But if such things happen, report it to the security officers..."

"Twenty-three times," Kusanagi Komoe interrupted Misaka Mikoto's thoughts. "This is the number of times I applied to use the Tree Diagram Designer to save those children. With the Tree Diagram Designer's computational power, those children should have been saved! They should have been able to run in the sunlight again! But all were rejected! Twenty-three times were rejected! The Board of Directors was involved, and the security officers could not act!"

"What..." The essence of Academy City was revealed again. Light and darkness coexist. How much blood and bones flow beneath the seemingly beautiful Academy City?

"To save those children, I am willing to do anything, even if it means becoming an enemy of Academy City, I will not stop!" The goal was noble, but unfortunately, some powers cannot be controlled by humans. The network that formed the angel due to its essence went out of control! It surged!

"An angel has been born~" A smile appeared on Shirai Tsukuyomi's lips.

Visible to the naked eye, a strange and deformed fetus appeared from Kusanagi Komoe's brain, ugly and twisted, with tentacles on its back and a somewhat broken halo on its head.

Although it was so ugly, in Shirai Tsukuyomi's eyes, it was different. The tentacles were like wings, and the halo was a symbol of identity. Undoubtedly, it was an angel, albeit a half-formed one.

The angel, which Kusanagi Komoe called the "Imaginary Beast," opened its red eyes and let out a piercing howl. It was a cry of pain, suffering due to its essence.

Seeing the "Imaginary Beast" appear, Awaki Emi, who had just regained consciousness, was about to order an attack but was stopped. Looking at the person in front of her, Awaki Emi frowned: "Kid, what are you doing? This is not something the disciplinary committee can get involved in."

But Shirai Tsukuyomi just smiled, "Teacher Awaki, I'm sorry, but this is not something the security officers can get involved in."

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Awaki Emi looked at Shirai Tsukuyomi, unable to see through her student.

"Can't you understand? Let me put it this way: from now on, this will be handled by the Dark Side's Protect. Do you understand, Teacher Awaki?" Shirai Tsukuyomi still looked relaxed, as if what he was saying was just a normal matter.

However, Awaki Emi, who had once been in the dark, knew very well what the Dark Side was. "Do you know what you're saying, kid?"

"Teacher Awaki, are you worried about me? Don't worry, I'm fine." It seemed like he was trying to reassure Awaki Emi. "Now, I am again ordering you to step back, as the head of the Dark Side's Protect. Understand?"

While this "negotiation" was taking place, Shizuri Kasuga had already obtained the method to resolve the "Imaginary Beast" from Kusanagi Komoe. She decided that Misaka Mikoto would hold off the "Imaginary Beast" while Shizuri Kasuga played the treatment program.

Seeing Shizuri Kasuga running over, Shirai Tsukuyomi suddenly remembered the treatment program. "Teacher Awaki, please withdraw immediately, thank you."

Awaki Emi looked deeply at Shirai Tsukuyomi and sighed, "Withdraw, maintain silence."

"Yes!"

When Shizuri Kasuga finally reached the overpass, the security officers had already withdrawn. "Ah! Where are the security officers? What... What should I do!"

At this moment, Shizuri Kasuga saw Shirai Tsukuyomi watching from the side. "Senior Tsukuyomi, what are you doing here? Where are the security officers?"

"I'm here to help you, of course. The security officers seem to have something to do and left. What's wrong?"

After Shizuri Kasuga explained the treatment program to Shirai Tsukuyomi, he made a suggestion: "How about this, I'll hold off the... 'Imaginary Beast,' okay?" Looking at the puzzled Shizuri Kasuga, Shirai Tsukuyomi explained his idea. "Let Misaka Mikoto use her ability to hack into Academy City's broadcast system and force the treatment program to play. It's an emergency."

Shizuri Kasuga was hesitant at first, but hearing the word "emergency," she understood the situation. "I understand. I'll leave it to you, Senior Tsukuyomi." Then Shizuri Kasuga ran towards Misaka Mikoto.

"I'll take you there." Shirai Tsukuyomi picked up Shizuri Kasuga and quickly ran towards the battlefield where Misaka Mikoto and the "Imaginary Beast" were fighting on an ice path he created.

Misaka Mikoto, who was originally entangled with the "Imaginary Beast," saw Shirai Tsukuyomi carrying Shizuri Kasuga and was very surprised. "What happened?"

After Shizuri Kasuga explained to Misaka Mikoto, Misaka Mikoto understood. Although she was puzzled by the withdrawal of the security officers, the most important thing now was to stop the "Imaginary Beast." Looking at the atomic reactor facility behind her, Misaka Mikoto said to Shirai Tsukuyomi: "Shirai, I'll leave it to you." Then she left with Shizuri Kasuga to find an electronic interface nearby.

"Leave it to me." At this moment, Shirai Tsukuyomi's smile was unnerving. [It will take them about six minutes to find an electronic interface, and about four minutes to hack and play the treatment program. So, I have about ten minutes.]

When Misaka Mikoto was far away, Shirai Tsukuyomi turned to the "Imaginary Beast." "Let's have some fun, angel~"

Air cannons, lasers, ice, fire, ground cracks, explosions—various superpowers attacked Shirai Tsukuyomi. However, with his speed, all the attacks missed. Those that he couldn't dodge were blocked by ice walls. This was the limitation of superpowers; the speed of ability activation depended on the user's reaction and calculation speed. When the opponent's speed exceeded the user's reaction and calculation speed, even the strongest abilities were useless.

Countless ice spikes appeared in the air and shot towards the "Imaginary Beast," leaving cuts on its body. Even a large ice spike pierced through the "Imaginary Beast's" body. However, in an instant, all the ice spikes were shattered by sound waves, and the "Imaginary Beast" returned to its original state, even becoming larger.

"So, it needs to be destroyed all at once? Giant Ice Pillar!"

The name might sound bad, but for Shirai Tsukuyomi, the effect was what mattered. A huge cylindrical ice pillar appeared above the "Imaginary Beast," and even Misaka Mikoto, who was far away, saw this. The loud noise echoed throughout the area, and the wind pressure from the ice pillar hitting the ground made Shirai Tsukuyomi's clothes flutter.

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