When Shirai Kuroko saw Selene, rarely showing violence against a frail man, she could guess that he was probably the perpetrator behind the series of [Empty Space Bombings] incidents.
Although she herself also wanted to beat him up, according to the Judgment's disciplinary regulations, this was not allowed. Seeing that the suspect was about to be strangled to death, she had no choice but to step forward and stop it.
"Selene-senpai, please stop."
Hearing Shirai Kuroko's words, Selene's blood-red glowing eyes turned towards her, and the naked killing intent instantly made Shirai Kuroko's hair stand on end and her soul tremble. She swallowed hard.
"You want to save this kind of scum? I remember he injured quite a few Judgment members, are you sure?"
"I...I am sure. Although I want to beat him up, I am a Judgment officer, and such behavior is not allowed." Although she was very scared, Shirai Kuroko spoke firmly.
Staring into Shirai Kuroko's eyes for a while, Selene sighed, and the chilling killing intent gradually dissipated, "He probably won't appreciate your kindness. Repaying evil with good? I can't do it, just hope you don't regret it." After speaking, she tossed the frail man at Shirai Kuroko's feet.
Perhaps it was this persistence that made Selene have a certain fondness for Shirai Kuroko. Although Shirai Kuroko sometimes displayed perverse behavior and slight abuse of public power for personal gain, she was full of responsibility and a sense of justice.
"That's also the reason I became a Judgment officer! I won't regret it!" Looking at the pale and somewhat frightening frail man under her feet, Shirai Kuroko recognized him through facial recognition, "Is he Kaitabi Hatsuya?"
These days, in order to quickly solve the [Empty Space Bombings] incidents, Shirai Kuroko had been working day and night. Regarding abilities related to quantum acceleration, she now remembered them clearly. Therefore, Shirai Kuroko was now extremely surprised, "Wasn't Kaitabi Hatsuya a Level 2 ability user? Why is his destructive power so strong? It doesn't make sense."
At this time, Kaitabi Hatsuya, who was gradually regaining consciousness, suddenly felt the piercing pain all over his body, making him groan and turn his body sideways, "Ah! It hurts so much. Wha... what's going on?"
Kaitabi Hatsuya's memory was fragmented at the moment. He only remembered that not long ago, hiding in the dark, he saw a little girl holding a plush toy come into contact with Uiharu Kazari and then activated his ability. After doing all this, when he wanted to leave, he was suddenly choked, and then the strong sense of suffocation knocked him out.
Suddenly, as his vision cleared, Kaitabi Hatsuya saw a girl with flower accessories, perfectly unharmed, and his pupils shrank as his face twisted, "This... impossible, how is it unharmed? That was my maximum output! Impossible!!"
Hearing this, Selene felt annoyed and then kicked Kaitabi Hatsuya's abdomen. Although Selene didn't use force after hearing Shirai Kuroko's words, Kaitabi Hatsuya still cried out in pain and was sent flying.
"Really can't stand it!" Selene said with disgust, looking at Kaitabi Hatsuya, who was moaning in pain, "This guy shows no remorse, and he even used such a young child to achieve his goals!"
"Hiss! What... is happening?" Kaitabi Hatsuya covered his abdomen, struggling to stand up. Seeing the people around him, he couldn't help but freeze for a moment.
"Nothing much is happening, but Mr. Bombing Maniac, as a Judgment officer, I announce your arrest!" Although she was still pondering why a Level 2 had such significant destructive power, Shirai Kuroko unhesitatingly stepped forward, announcing his arrest in the name of Judgment.
"What! How is that possible? I clearly escaped..." Kaitabi Hatsuya, clutching his abdomen, said in disbelief, looking up while trying to deny, "And what are you talking about? I don't understand why you're arresting me and using violence..."
"Don't understand? Stop pretending, coward!" Selene looked at the seated Kaitabi Hatsuya with contempt.
"You clearly possess Level 4 destructive power now, yet you dare not resist those bullies, instead only blaming Judgment. Isn't that cowardice? What I can't stand is that you used a child almost ten years younger than you! I want to know if you have even a bit of courage. For cowards like you, I don't even want to comment."
"Weakness isn't scary; cowardice is!"
"What do you know! I'm not a coward! Shut up!" Struck to the core, Kaitabi Hatsuya suddenly pulled out a bunch of aluminum spoons from his backpack, tossing them around while activating his ability. He had lost his mind, unaware of his situation, shouting with a hint of pathological madness.
"All you useless Judgment members, just die! Just die!"
"Dangerous!!!" Seeing the aluminum spoons showing signs of spatial implosion, Uiharu Kazari instinctively shielded the little girl behind her, closing her eyes tightly in fear. Nearby, Kamijou Touma and the others also prepared for the worst with solemn expressions.
"Hmm?" Waiting for a long time, why was there no explosion sound? Uiharu Kazari opened her eyes in confusion, seeing the aluminum spoons scattered on the ground, "Why didn't it explode?"
"Seems like you're not just cowardly, but foolish too. Aluminum spoons? Such a petty trick, do you think it would work in my domain?" Aware of Kaitabi Hatsuya's trick, Selene had long set up a barrier around him, preventing his quantum acceleration from reaching out, let alone affecting the aluminum.
Saying this, Selene snapped her fingers lightly, and Kaitabi Hatsuya's backpack vanished. Seeing Selene slowly approaching him in shock, Kaitabi Hatsuya felt a chill down his spine, "Such indiscriminate large-scale attacks would be enough to label you as a terrorist!"
"Damn it! Why is my ability ineffective?! Who... who are you!" Realizing he couldn't feel the aluminum at all, Kaitabi Hatsuya trembled, looking at Selene, "This ability is definitely not ordinary spatial manipulation! You are..." After staring at Selene for a while, Kaitabi Hatsuya suddenly laughed in despair.
"Hahaha! The first-ranked [Will of Honkai] huh?!" Kaitabi Hatsuya murmured softly, staring at Selene with a manic gleam in his eyes, his body trembling with excitement.
"Is it finally the turn of the first Level 5 to appear? It's always like this. Whenever I try to do something, I'm completely knocked down by a more formidable force! I hate it!"
"It's all your fault, you powerful beings! The Judgment members too, what powerful individuals aren't like this? I want to kill you all... Ugh!" Before he could finish, Selene slapped him hard, sending him flying.
Just as Shirai Kuroko was about to stop Selene from further "violence," Mikoto Misaka unexpectedly approached with her head lowered.
"All you talk about is power, power... it's really unpleasant!"
"If you're a man, then grit your teeth!" Mikoto Misaka grabbed Kaitabi Hatsuya's tie, punching him hard in the face, making him dizzy.
"You deserved to be beaten, actually, Misaka-senpai is protecting you. If it were Selene-senpai, I reckon you'd be left for dead." Watching Mikoto Misaka's departing figure, Shirai Kuroko slowly told Kaitabi Hatsuya, "What she despises the most is people like you who use power as a shield."
"Did you know? The Railgun from Tokiwadai was once a low-level ability user. Through extraordinary effort, she eventually became a powerful esper. But even if she were just a low-level ability user, Misaka-senpai would still stand before you in such situations."
Kaitabi Hatsuya was stunned upon hearing this, with a hint of evasion in his eyes, and couldn't help lowering his head, "What about the first?"
Hearing this, thinking that after Misaka-senpai's "red face," she could naturally force Kaitabi Hatsuya to comply by playing the "white face," Shirai Kuroko was taken aback, "Uh... Selene-senpai seemed to have always been the first?"
Hearing herself being mentioned, Selene shook her head and came over, leaving a remark.
"It seems you're not beyond hope yet. Let me give you some advice: for you, being weak isn't a crime, but cowardice and foolishness are!"
"If you hold grudges, why not take revenge on those who bullied you?"