Tokiwadai Middle School.
Two weeks later.
— ...as we know, the power of an esper originates from their mind, which means the degree of their abilities is connected to the state of their brain. Thus, the more concentrated they are, the more effectively they can utilize their powers. For instance, if an esper suffers a brain injury or a concussion, they may lose control over their supernatural abilities. This can manifest as chaotic use of their powers or a complete loss of them, — concluded Kamijou, — Any questions?
— Yes, what happens when an esper experiences intense stress or emotional upheaval? Do their powers stop working then as well? — one of the students raised her hand.
— A predictable yet entirely logical question, — smirked Touma, — The answer: both yes and no. In the Ability Development Program, you underwent psychological and pharmacological suggestion aimed at detaching you from reality. Under severe emotional distress, stress, or prolonged depression, an esper begins to lose the ability to perceive reality as it is. Naturally, coherent use of their abilities becomes unlikely; rather the opposite occurs. Emotional traumas and phobias can also negatively affect the development of abilities. For instance, a teleporter might attempt a risky jump and… get stuck in a wall or some object. Not the most pleasant experience, right? — explained Kamidze, pausing every now and then for a sip of energy drink from the table, — However, there are cases where in extreme emotional states, an esper can temporarily exponentially enhance their limits, gaining immense power relative to their former self. This can be likened to an adrenaline rush. In this, heh, mode, an esper can surpass the limitations of their own mind and discover new possibilities. I know this may sound like a cliché, but… In reality, the only limitations that truly exist are those we create in our minds… I hope this answers your question?
— Yes... More than enough, — she nodded awkwardly.
— Judging by your expression, you've never thought about this in that light? Well, I'm not judging you; this is quite a common issue. People tend to box themselves in, fearing to take a step forward. The fear of the unknown and change often keeps us in place. But the only boundaries that truly exist are the ones we impose on ourselves, — he continued, sitting on the desk, — After all, isn't the essence of espers to prove this? That a person can do much more than they think? Every time you level up, you break those boundaries, even if you may not realize it yourself. It's not surprising since others have done so before you, meaning you can too, and only when you face the unknown do you realize this fact. So, never be afraid to move forward and experiment; it's better to make a mistake and try again than to spend your life tormented by doubts and regrets. Anyone can achieve success, but... — at this moment he raised his hand as if trying to grasp something invisible, — only the fearless achieve... greatness...
There was a clap… followed by another, until the whole auditorium filled with applause.
— He's so cool… — the girl who asked the question whispered.
***
Misaki sat and smiled at Touma, who stood with a slight grin, waiting for everyone to calm down.
Two weeks had passed since their first date, though it felt more like two months. Gradually, he had begun to adjust to his role as a teacher, and she had secretly helped him by setting an example of how to communicate with him, even if it was purely formal. Nevertheless, overcoming this "gender barrier" was not easy; after all, even men from Anti-Skill and Judgment didn't have access here. But slowly, the awkwardness and tension began to dissipate, and the girls started to engage with him, asking questions and occasionally seeking consultations. This was largely facilitated by Toma's demeanor. He was always relaxed and straightforward, explaining material in a way that was easy to grasp, and he always offered useful advice regarding the development of abilities. This even began to earn him some popularity, leading to instances where students from parallel classes attended his lectures. Misaki was pleased with his success; she had seen how hard it had been for him at first and wanted to help lighten his load and repay his kindness.
But in the end, even she didn't foresee all the consequences of her actions…
As it turned out, once the tension subsided, many girls began to get closer to him. They constantly lingered around him, tried to join him for lunch, and requested personal consultations… Misaki even reluctantly read their thoughts to discern their intentions regarding Kamidze and… regretted it. While most had rather innocent intentions, some thoughts were… bolder.
At times, she wondered if she was really at Tokiwadai — a school for pure, virtuous ladies of high society?
Of course, it was hard to blame them for this, as she had also discovered many positive traits in him in such a short time, but…
…Misaki refused to accept that.
Every time someone approached him, a dreadful burning sensation would begin to stir in her chest. Sometimes it became unbearable, so much that a few times she used her abilities to rein in the more aggressive ones. She hardly took pride in this, but couldn't help herself.
— Who would have thought you'd be such a magnet for these vixens, Touma-kun… — Misaki hissed, glancing around to ensure no one overheard.
To her considerable relief, Toma either didn't notice or didn't care. Whether this was due to professional ethics or simply his nature, Misaki couldn't tell.
— If I want to protect him from them, simply sitting back and cleaning up everyone's mind won't do. No, I can't allow myself to be passive! But… how do I go about this… — she spoke to herself while pacing through the halls.
Another problem, the one she hated the most, was the lack of information. Information and knowledge had always been her weapons, but now she felt low on ammunition. Unfortunately, she knew extremely little about him, most of which she had gleaned directly from him. This gap needed filling if she wanted to get ahead.
— Yes… I need to find everything I can… on Kamijou Touma… and Kihara Arima as well. After all, there's no such thing as too much information… — she smiled to herself.
***
— Ha… Finally, that class is over… Man, I feel like Caesar in the Senate; they hang on my every word, and my self-esteem is going through the roof, — sighed Touma, strolling through the halls, — So… two hours? Great, one more class and I'm out of here since this female attention is starting to bother me…
His phone vibrated in his pocket, displaying a message:
— "Tonight in the Ninth District. I hope everything is as agreed? K.R."
— "I didn't think I gave any reason for doubt."
— "Just clarifying. Come by at 8:30, the red brick building with no windows. My guys and I will be there. K.R."
— "Understood."
After replying, Toma put his phone back in his pocket and let out a heavy sigh. It seemed his evening plans would have to change…
***
Ninth District.
Evening.
The Ninth District was quite a rough place, especially for a lost esper. It resembled a rundown slum mostly inhabited by gangs of Level 0s and Skill-Out individuals. Walking there alone at this hour was akin to suicide; however, this barely concerned Toma, who strolled along the windowless buildings, accompanied by the watchful eyes of punks sitting here and there.
Even after all these years, he occasionally marveled at how such places could exist in a city where science had advanced by about thirty years. Yet, urbanization always left its mark on progress. Not everyone could keep up and enjoy its fruits; some always remained on the fringes of this cruise.
Lost in these thoughts, he didn't notice when two thugs appeared in his path.
— You're choosing a dangerous time to get lost, buddy, — one of them grinned.
— Heh, nice jacket… — the second one said, grabbing it by the collar.
— Tch, just another bunch of idiots who think they're something special, — Touma scoffed irritably.
— And this kid is asking for it… — one of them grinned menacingly.
— So what if I am! — smirked Kamidze.
Suddenly headbutting the one who had grabbed him, he kicked his shin, causing the thug to grimace in pain and thereby leaving him open for a powerful punch right to the jaw, knocking him off balance.
— You… — the second one pulled out a knife but immediately found the barrel of a gun pressed against his throat.
— Something wrong? — Touma grinned.
— O-okay! Alright! We got it! We don't want trouble!
— Maybe I do? Or perhaps you idiots should leave before you have any?
Nervously nodding, they picked up their comrade and fled.
— Life teaches them nothing… — Touma muttered, holstering his gun.
— Looks like you're scaring kids again? — a mocking voice came from around the corner.
Out stepped a red-haired boy in a leather jacket, holding a bag of milk.
— Tone it down, Wataru, not everyone is as calm as I am. Sooner or later, someone will put holes in you.
— Well, without the risk of dying, it's just not interesting, is it? — he chuckled.
— Did he send you?
— Yes, I asked you to escort me until you turn the whole block into a hot spot.
— Well then, lead the way… — Touma shrugged.
After some time, they arrived at a red brick building where the meeting was supposed to take place.
— Well, here we are, good luck with your business.
— Aren't you coming in?
— Nope, I have a date unlike some people, — Wataru smiled mischievously.
— Show-off, — Touma scoffed as he walked inside.
He was immediately greeted by two slightly nervous punks, who simply nodded at him and stepped aside.
— He's waiting for you on the third floor, — one of them said, and both returned to their posts.
— Of course… — Touma sighed.
Climbing the stone stairs to the third floor, he found himself among several people, the most striking of whom was a two-meter-tall guy with a buzz cut.
— I see you've come… — he said to Touma.
— What remarkable observation, if you even know my name, I might start suspecting you're my fan! — Touma retorted.
— And you're still the same, Kamijou Touma, — he smirked.
— That's how everyone loves me, isn't it, Komaba Ritoku? — Tom replied with a crooked smile.
They then exchanged handshakes.
— Looks like you have a new recruit? — Tom asked, noticing the blond guy standing nearby.
— Ah, you mean him? Yes, meet Hamazura Shiage, a bit naive, but his brain works when it needs to, and he's lucky as hell.
— Um, boss, was it necessary to start with that? — Hamazura asked uncertainly.
— Shut up, adults are talking, — Ritoku snapped at him.
— Yes, sir, — Hamazura quickly fell silent.
— How are things going on your end?
— All right, well... as much as is possible on the streets, — Ritoku shrugged.
— Good to hear, so I can count on you going forward?
— If we all get what we want in the end, why not?
— Great… Here, these are the coordinates and the code to the stash, — Tom handed him a flash drive.
— Everything as agreed? — Ritoku asked just to be sure.
— Two dozen "Ajax" assault rifles, caliber 5.56; fifteen "Crusher" shotguns; thirty-five "Lexington" pistols; five "Nekomata" sniper rifles; flashbangs; several silencers and AIM suppressors… — Tom listed.
— Holy crap… — Hamazura couldn't help but exclaim.
— Mostly "unaccounted" gear from Anti-Skill, nothing better I can provide in that range, you understand, — Tom continued.
— No worries, that's more than enough, — Ritoku nodded, — With this, no gang will dare to challenge us, especially after that chaos a year ago when so much trash crawled out that we barely held on. And what about… my personal request?
— Found it, but… are you sure? I've seen the test results and… they're not encouraging.
— Let's just say I'm willing to take that risk.
— Well, the prototype is a failure, so no one cares about it. I'll let you know where you can pick it up later.
— Thank you, once again I'm glad we crossed paths back then.
— Yes... what a time it was… — Touma replied distantly.
— About her… — Ritoku began.
— Any problems? — Touma suddenly jerked, and his eyes lost their spark.
A chill ran down everyone's spine at his expression.
— No, on the contrary, everything as you requested. A couple of idiots tried to do something, but my guys ushered them aside and clarified who you can mess with and who you can't, — Komaba responded.
— Good, — Touma exhaled, — Keep it up, and if something is beyond your reach, call at any hour.
— Yes, of course.
— That's great, if anything comes up, I'll let you know. All right, I need to go, it was nice seeing you, Ritoku.
— Likewise, Kamijou, — he shook Touma's hand, — And one more thing… know that I may not support your decision, but I respect you for your motives.
— Thank you, good luck to you with your underground work, — Tom waved his hand as he walked away.
— Hamazura, take the guys, find the stash and take everything from there, later I'll tell you where to hide it, — Ritoku instructed.
— Yes, boss... — Hamazura nodded, — So this is what Kamijou Touma is like...
— Yes, that's him… — Ritoku nodded.
— Honestly, he gives me the creeps, especially at that moment…
— I know, but considering what was at stake, creeps are the least you could be feeling, so ask fewer questions and get your ass moving! — the leader of the Skill-Out barked.
After leaving the area, Tom found a bench and sat down. Pulling out his phone, he scrolled through several folders until he found the photo he needed. It depicted a smiling girl making a peace sign with her fingers.
***
The following day.
A bookstore in District 10.
After that day, Misaki decided to keep an eye on Toma, fearing other girls. She was even a bit ashamed of it, but she quickly suppressed those feelings, telling herself that watching over people you care about is normal.
This had led her to one of the bookstores in District 10, where Toma had already been looking for a book for ten minutes, and Misaki was struggling to suppress her urge to step out and help him, if only to finally leave this place...
— Misaki? What a pleasant surprise, I didn't expect to see you here, — she heard his voice and felt her heart skip a beat.
— Oh, Touma! Indeed, what a surprise… — she nervously smiled, — What are you doing here?
— Well, a friend asked me to buy a book for her sister since she doesn't have the time, — he replied somewhat irritably.
— Oh, that's so sweet of you, — Misaki smiled.
— Well, it's not her fault that her sister is such a lazy brat… — he added quietly.
— Oh-ho-ho… How unflattering of you to say that about her, — Misaki smirked.
— No point in pretending… By the way, why are you here?
— Um, I… I needed a book… yeah… — she answered rather unconvincingly.
— But there's a library at Tokiwadai, one of the best in the city… — Touma said doubtfully.
— Well… they didn't have what I needed…
— And what was that?
— Um… — she scanned the shelves with her eyes, trying to find something, — … Ah! Here it is!
She pointed to a book on the very top shelf titled "How to Win Friends and Influence People," but from the angle where Toma was standing, he interpreted her gesture somewhat differently.
— O-o… So that's how it is… Well, you definitely won't find that at Tokiwadai… — he said, smiling as he handed her the book…
…"Gekota Meets Ponko. First Edition."
Misaki's first reaction was to almost drop her jaw to the floor when handed the book. At first, she wanted to deny any hints that she was interested in something so childish, but after long contemplation, she decided that the best cover, no matter how humiliating, was better than nothing.
After that, she offered to help him find the book he needed. And just a couple of minutes later, they found what he was looking for. To Misaki's surprise, it turned out to be a book about… Santa Claus.
— Well, she's only nine, so it's not surprising, — he shrugged.
— True enough, — Misaki said with a smile.
It reminded her of her childhood when her mother used to read her fairy tales about princesses waiting for their princes, who rescued them from all misfortunes, and in the end, they lived happily ever after. The memories made her heart pinch treacherously...
— By the way, you came here for a book too, didn't you?
— Oh... Well, you see, while we were looking for yours, I realized I forgot my wallet. What a misfortune, right? — she laughed nervously, praying he would buy that excuse.
— Yeah, I totally understand you... — he smiled knowingly.
— Well, since you helped me, I'll help you… — he said, taking the book from her hands and walking to the checkout.
A minute later, he returned looking somewhat shocked but still handed her the book.
— What's wrong? — she asked with concern.
— Oh, nothing… Here, take it, thanks again for your help.
— Is this… for me? — she asked, happy to receive a gift from him, though feeling a bit embarrassed about the gesture.
— Well, yeah, that lady said it was their last copy, and that it might not be available after this.
— What a jerk! They probably have a whole box of these, but they dared to deceive her like that. Still, even so, he did this… for me, — thought Misaki.
— Thank you… This means a lot to me, — she smiled warmly at him.
On their way out of the store, they encountered a strange person dressed in a cloak and a felt hat. The outfit clearly didn't fit, making the whole scene quite comical.
— Junko? — Misaki asked.
A moment of silence hung in the air before she received a response.
— My Queen, what are you doing here? — she asked, panicking inside.
— Just some errands, but more importantly, what are you doing here?
— Well... I heard there is a rare book in this store and wanted to check it out…
— Judging by your outfit, you decided to do it deductively? — Toma quipped.
— K-K-Kihara-sensei? — she nearly jumped at the sight of him.
— Do we know each other?
— N-no, but you are our teacher, the one everyone's talking about, so I figured…
— I see, but we're not in school. You can just call me Arima.
— O-okay, my name is Hokadze Junko, nice to meet you, — she nervously extended her hand.
— Kihara Arima, likewise, — he nodded, gently shaking her hand.
— What is this strange feeling? — Misaki wondered.
— Well, I'm glad you met, but you still haven't answered my question, — Misaki said sternly, looking at Junko, who was still shaking Toma's hand. Feeling her gaze, Junko immediately released Toma's hand and leaned back slightly, sensing danger.
— Well, my Queen, the only reason I was able to hear about that book was due to an internet forum about rare books. But… it didn't specify which library or bookstore had the book, so I decided to start searching as soon as possible… As you know, some rare book hunters are also on the lookout, but there are some people I prefer to avoid… — Junko replied.
— And who might that be?
— My Queen, the only person who is a bigger fan of Gekota than me… is Railgun.
Hearing that name, Misaki's face twisted in anger.
— Railgun? — Toma asked.
— Don't fill your head with that nonsense, — Misaki replied.
— Oh, isn't she the electrokinetic causing blackouts in some areas?
— Yes… Among other things, — she said through gritted teeth.
— Ah, I remember, she's supposed to be the third strongest in the city… — Touma said, then added with a smile, — So… she's better than you, Misaki?
— Of course not! That girl is nothing but a bundle of trouble, and while she may have a higher ranking than me, that's just because her abilities make her a damn walking cannon. Besides, I'm obviously above her in the social hierarchy, considering I'm the leader of the biggest clique in the academy, and she's just a lone wolf hanging out with some lesbian — Misaki said, agitated by what Toma just said.
— So, I take it you're not friends? — he smirked.
— Of course not!
— If you don't mind, could I ask about the book? — Junko spoke up.
— Yes, yes, of course, — Misaki waved her hand dismissively.
— Thanks, I'll just be a minute!
— You girls are so much fun, — Touma smiled.
— Says the guy who caused all this ruckus with us, — she retorted.
— Well, sorry, it wasn't my idea, — he raised his hands in surrender.
— Still… It's hard to believe you haven't taught before… — Sekuho said in surprise.
— Well, not teaching, but I've spoken in front of an audience a couple of times, I guess it helped, — he shrugged.
— Yeah, I wouldn't mind a few lessons in eloquence.
— Well, maybe next time?
A minute later, Junko came out looking as if she had just lost a million dollars.
— Did something happen? — Misaki asked.
— No, I'm just upset, that's all.
— I take it the book wasn't there?
— No, they told me it was just taken… Honestly, it's pretty disappointing.
— What book are we talking about? — Toma inquired.
— It's called "Gekota Meets Ponko. First Edition," it's special because it has the author's signature on the back, — she replied.
— You… mean this one? — Misaki asked, pulling it out of her bag.
— Oh my god! — Junko exclaimed excitedly, — My Queen, where did you get that??
— Well, you see, Misaki said she came to this store for that book, but she didn't have the money to buy it, so I gifted it to her as a thank you for her help, — Toma answered.
— But… This doesn't make sense… The Queen never liked Gekota, and she definitely couldn't have known the book would be here. I just read about it literally 5 minutes before we met… — Junko responded, puzzled.
— Well… you see, a friend told me about it… — Misaki said, feeling the ice cracking beneath her feet.
— Oh, could you tell me her name? It would be nice to talk to someone else about this!
— Mitori, her name is Mitori.
— Mitori? Strange, I don't recall a girl by that name in your clique… — Junko said skeptically.
— Well, that's because she's from the same research complex I'm assigned to…
— I see, got it.
— Note to self: erase all her memories of this day, — thought Misaki.
Neither girl noticed Touma flinch at the sound of that name...
***
Some time later.
— We need to meet, it's important.
— What's the urgency, Kami-yan? Did you dishonor some lady and are inviting her to a wedding due to a shotgun marriage?! : D
— Stop talking nonsense, idiot! It's about our little doll…
— Well, what's she done this time? : -|
— I don't know, but I really want to find out, so drag your ass over here; this is not a phone conversation.
— Alright, alright, you all are so serious… I'll be at your place in an hour, sorry, no flowers or champagne. : D
— If being an idiot were illegal, you'd be rotting in prison by now.
— I love you too, Kami-yan! ;)
— @%#@&@ you….