"Why are you leaving?" Misaka Mikoto asked, puzzled by Selene's departure. Now that Saten was recovered and had broken through the limitations of being a Level 0, wasn't it time to celebrate? Why leave now...
"Yeah, Selene-senpai, do you have something to do?"
"I already said, I have things to take care of, and I can't really explain the details to you..." Seeing the group's reluctance to let her go, Selene smiled. "That's it then... I've got to go, bye."
As soon as she finished speaking, Selene's figure instantly vanished.
"Senpai, wait, I still..." Saten Ruiko snapped out of her daze and was about to say something, but Selene had already disappeared, leaving her feeling a bit downcast. "...I haven't even properly thanked you yet..."
"It's okay. Selene probably went to handle business for her company. After all, she has a big enterprise to manage, unlike us who are free from such responsibilities. Let's go celebrate ourselves, and we can invite Selene to join us another time," Misaka Mikoto suggested, trying to lift everyone's spirits after Selene's sudden departure.
Though Misaka Mikoto appeared calm, she couldn't help but feel a shadow cast over her heart by what Kiyama Harumi had said earlier: "She's not like you." Deep down, she couldn't shake the thought.
Selene, who are you really...
...
In the Second District, at the Destiny Research Institute.
"Miss, Kakine Teitoku has managed to gather a considerable amount of uranium, plutonium, and other radioactive raw materials. They're stored in the underground storage room of the first factory, but he mentioned that the current quantity is the maximum within permissible limits," Sebas reported.
"That's fine. I wasn't expecting much to begin with; the more the better. I'll transfer those radioactive materials into the imaginary space shortly," Selene replied.
"But Miss, what do you need these radioactive materials for? Even if you wanted to build a nuclear bomb, without the proper industrial infrastructure, it's not feasible," Sebas inquired.
"Who said I was going to build a nuclear bomb? I just want to study its principles..."
Selene trusted Sebas unconditionally—after all, he was her servant, and his life and death were entirely in her hands. Betrayal was impossible!
"However, speaking of nuclear bombs, there's potential here..." With the core of the Herrscher now fully nurtured, Selene had gained a new power: the Herrscher of Flames!
Selene was highly anticipating this new ability. The Herrscher of Flames symbolized the destructive power of fire, characterized by strong nuclear manipulation, known for its high damage and extensive destructive capabilities.
The last Herrscher of Flames turned the entire continent of Australia into a sea of fire within just a week of awakening. It's known as the most physically destructive Herrscher.
But unlike those ignorant Herrschers, Selene, as an educated, cultured, and truly capable Herrscher, had greater ambitions. The same nuclear force that creates fire could also lead to nuclear fission, nuclear fusion, solar flares, nova explosions, and supernova...
The quickest way for Selene to learn these powers was to directly observe and experience the energy waves of such explosions, then replicate their energy forms. As long as her own energy level reached the necessary threshold, she could quickly master them.
But the problem was that such opportunities were hard to come by. In a well-ordered society like this, where could she find a place to observe or experience a nuclear reaction?
As for flying out to observe solar flares, that was even more impossible. Not only was it unclear if her energy level could handle it, but any mistake in controlling it could accelerate the sun's nuclear fusion, leading to catastrophic consequences.
Selene might be fine, but what about the Earth...
So, she needed to take things step by step, avoiding overly ambitious plans.
However, reaching the level of nuclear bomb production far exceeded the capabilities of her current group. While radioactive materials were somewhat accessible, the necessary facilities were another matter.
It wasn't just about affordability or feasibility—various international restrictions made things incredibly complicated for Selene.
Thus, the only solution was to resort to stealing, smuggling, or other shady methods, as buying or building was out of the question.
"Hmm? Got it! Sebas, do this... and this..." An idea struck Selene, and she quickly passed it on to Sebas.
"Understood! Miss, I'll bring you good news soon." With that, Sebas's pupils turned into crimson slits, and with a ripple in the air, he disappeared from Selene's office.
As a servant created when Selene's primary ability was the Herrscher of the Void, Sebas naturally possessed some spatial abilities. Although his teleportation range wasn't vast, repeated short-distance transfers within imaginary space were still feasible.
It wasn't hard to guess where Selene had sent Sebas to acquire nuclear bombs. On Earth, who has the most nukes? The answer is Russia. But since dealing with Russia directly was too risky, especially with its strong leadership, the next best target was Ukraine, which inherited the second-largest arsenal after the Soviet Union's dissolution.
Ukraine, with its chaotic political situation and heavily depleted military stockpiles, was an easy target for Sebas.
As for why Selene sent Sebas instead of going herself, there was a good reason. She was still young and didn't want to risk making mistakes that could leave traces, so it was better to let the experienced and skillful Sebas handle it.
"I'm just being careful, looking out for my elder servant, not being lazy!" Selene thought to herself, feeling justified.
"Alright, it's time to prepare. I wonder if Aoki has finished setting up the machine tools and production blueprints..." With something to do, Selene immediately perked up.
She picked up the phone. "Hello, Aoki? How's the progress on the task I gave you?... Everything's ready?! Oh, great, I'll be there soon."
As she put down the phone, Selene glanced at the clock on the wall and couldn't help but marvel, "Wow... they really work fast. It's only been a few days, and they've already prepared so many materials..."
A thought crossed Selene's mind, "Could it be that I'm the most idle person in the Destiny Group? That doesn't seem right. When I'm with Misaka Mikoto, I feel like a very busy person..."
"...I wonder how Shuji Matsuzaki's progress is going?"
Realizing this, Selene quickly called Shuji Matsuzaki, "Hello, Matsuzaki, how's the storage of T-R serum and the acquisition of basic medical equipment coming along?"
"As per your requirements, 80% of the T-R serum storage has been completed, and the acquisition of basic medical equipment is still ongoing..."
"Alright, keep up the good work." After hearing Shuji Matsuzaki's report, Selene hung up the phone.
This clearly demonstrated the importance of being a director on the Board of Directors. Not only could she openly acquire various radioactive materials, but she could also purchase industrial equipment without raising suspicion.
Compared to ordinary people with no power or influence, the convenience was unparalleled.
"It's time to check on their preparations..." Saying this, Selene stood up. It was time to visit Aoki Yoichi.