With the explosion came the shrill wail of an alarm. The once-peaceful crowd along the pedestrian street instantly descended into chaos.
Watching the panic unfold, Selene could only shake her head in mild exasperation. Despite the fact that her lab's twin project—the Security Robots—had already been deployed across Academy City in large numbers, the delinquents still hadn't disappeared. Even after multiple citywide "clean-up" operations, these thugs remained as resilient as ever.
It was almost as if it were an unspoken rule etched into Academy City itself: no matter how many times the authorities purged them, delinquents would always return. In fact, those who survived the past sweeps seemed to have evolved—becoming even more professional.
That was one thing Selene hadn't expected. To that, she could only think—Academy City's delinquents are built different.
As the saying went: in Academy City, aside from official staff (teachers, Anti-Skill, Dark Side agents, etc.) and students, everyone else is a delinquent.
"W-what's going on?" Saten Ruiko murmured, staring blankly at the thick smoke rising from the bank nearby.
"A bank robbery?!"
Shirai Kuroko reacted instantly. She strapped on her Judgment armband and, after swallowing the last bite of her crepe, vanished from the bench she'd been sitting on—reappearing across the street in a flash. "Uiharu! Notify Anti-Skill immediately!"
"The nearest security post should've already picked up the alarm. The robots are probably on their way," Kuroko continued, scanning the area. "I'll intercept the robbers first."
The concept of security posts was one of the many changes Selene had brought to Academy City. In addition to Anti-Skill and Judgment, every district was now equipped with multiple security outposts—each manned with 10 to 20 Security Robots, responsible for patrolling and maintaining order within their jurisdiction.
"Got it." Uiharu Kazari quickly pulled out her phone and sent an alert. "Yes, this is Uiharu from District 7. A bank robbery just occurred near the crepe shop—requesting immediate Anti-Skill deployment."
Seeing the situation unfold, the ever-enthusiastic "citizen hero" Misaka Mikoto was just about to step forward to help.
"Onee-sama, please—this time, do not interfere." As if telepathically connected, Shirai's voice echoed back, even though she didn't turn around. She raised a hand behind her to stop Misaka. "Maintaining Academy City's peace is the duty of Judgment."
"...Fine." Misaka sighed in defeat. Her reluctant tone made it clear she didn't like sitting this one out.
"Three of them." The calm voice came from the bench—Selene's voice. "Two are low-level espers—combat potential negligible. The third is around Level 3, a fire-based temperature manipulator. Be careful."
Shirai nodded slightly before disappearing again.
Moments later, a second explosion rocked the bank. From the newly blasted opening, three masked robbers emerged through the smoke—each carrying bags stuffed with cash.
"Three of them... exactly!" Saten and Uiharu exchanged amazed glances, both staring curiously at Selene. "Senpai, how did you know that? Is that your ability?"
Before Selene could respond, Misaka spoke up proudly on her behalf. "Her ability's way more convenient than mine. She can perceive spatial dimensions and accurately track life signatures. She can even gauge an esper's level and ability type through their AIM diffusion field."
"In other words, it's basically impossible to ambush her."
Feeling their curious stares, Selene smiled faintly. "It's nothing impressive. Even without my warning, those three wouldn't have escaped anyway."
...
Outside the bank—
"Hurry up! Move it! Stop dawdling!" one of the masked robbers barked, his tone sharp with urgency. "Once the alarm goes off, we've only got five minutes before the bots show up!"
As survivors of multiple sweeps, these men were true "professionals" in their field—skilled in theft, deception, and evasion.
Over the past six months, they had studied the patrol patterns of Security Robots extensively. Every robot operated strictly within its assigned patrol route—never crossing into another sector. The closer one got to a security post, the harder it was to pull off a heist. Conversely, the farther away, the easier.
This particular bank had been chosen carefully. It sat right on the outer edge of a patrol zone. Based on their calculations, they had roughly five minutes to escape before the robots arrived.
"If we don't hurry, those tin cans will be on us in no time! Move it!"
"Freeze!"
A sharp voice echoed suddenly through the air. A tea-red twin-tailed girl materialized in front of the robbers, blocking their escape. She raised her arm to show the Judgment armband and declared boldly, "I am a member of Judgment! You are under arrest for [property destruction and armed robbery]!"
"..."
For a moment, the air froze. Then, the three masked men blinked in confusion before bursting out laughing. "Hah? A little brat? What, is Judgment running out of people?"
"Listen, kid," one of them sneered, "we don't have time to mess with you. Get out of the way before you get hurt!"
The large, heavyset man in the middle suddenly charged forward—his massive body moving far faster than expected—and swung a heavy fist straight toward Shirai Kuroko.
"Ugh!" Kuroko's expression twitched with irritation. "Typical henchman lines..."
Before she even finished the sentence, her body flickered. In the blink of an eye, she sidestepped his punch, grabbed his wrist, and with a graceful twist of her foot and a burst of strength, she sent the towering man flying over her shoulder.
But just before the man's head could hit the pavement, he braced himself on one arm and, with the other, drew a spring knife and slashed toward Kuroko.
That quick reaction caught Kuroko slightly off guard. Clicking her tongue, she teleported out of the way just in time.
"Tch! A spatial esper? Damn it!" the man growled in frustration.
"Don't waste time fighting!" shouted another—this one with spiky black hair—as flames burst from his palms. "Keep moving! We've got no time to lose!"
Kuroko readied herself, expecting him to fire directly at her so she could counter. But to her shock, the man hurled the flames not at her—but at a nearby building.
"What—?!" she gasped.
Then, while she hesitated, another robber—a brown-haired man—pulled out a grenade and tossed it toward the crowd and nearby shops. "Let's see if you'll save them or chase us!" he taunted.
The three men turned and fled.
Kuroko froze for a second, torn. Do I go after them... or save the civilians?!
Bzzzt—!
A surge of electricity filled the air, and the grenades veered sharply away from the crowd, pulled off course by electromagnetic force. Seeing that, Kuroko exhaled in relief. With Onee-sama and Selene-senpai here, I don't need to worry.
She immediately shifted focus back to the fleeing robbers. "Take out the strongest first," she muttered. "The fire esper!"
In a flash, she vanished and reappeared behind the spiky-haired man mid-run. Drawing her legs together, she let gravity pull her downward.
"Damn it, if it weren't for those Judgment pests, we'd have plenty of—" The man's complaint was cut short as Kuroko's polished shoe struck the back of his head, slamming him to the ground.
Dazed and disoriented, he couldn't even lift himself before hearing the metallic ting-ting-ting-ting of sharp needles embedding into the pavement around him. Looking down, he realized in horror that his clothes had been pinned to the ground—rendering him completely immobile.
"If you so much as twitch," Kuroko said coldly, holding another needle between her fingers, "I'll teleport these straight inside your body, Mr. Robber."
The man fell silent, glaring up at her—but he didn't move.
"One down," she muttered, scanning for the next target. "All right, you're next, the fat one—"
Just then, a mechanical male voice interrupted her thoughts.
"This is District 7, Security Station J25."
"You are under arrest for [property destruction and armed robbery]. Drop your weapons and lie down immediately!"
The large, heavyset robber, who had just turned a corner, froze. He found himself staring straight into a squad of steel-clad Security Robots—each one pointing a heavy-caliber weapon directly at him.
Faced with that kind of firepower, he had no choice. He raised his hands slowly and knelt down. They'll actually shoot, he thought grimly.
Two out of three robbers were down—but what about the last one, the brown-haired man?
"Saten-san!"
Uiharu's panicked cry snapped Kuroko's attention back. A small, pained gasp followed immediately after.
"Damn it!" Kuroko cursed. "I completely forgot there was still one left!" Her earlier confidence vanished in an instant.
Spinning toward the sound, she saw the brown-haired robber grappling with Saten Ruiko—trying to grab the little boy she was shielding.
Realizing he couldn't escape, the robber had decided to take a hostage instead.
You idiot, Kuroko, she berated herself. How could you let your guard down when there were three of them?
Saten resisted desperately, preventing him from seizing the child. Enraged, the robber raised his leg to kick her—
But before he could strike, a massive, glowing purple portal opened up behind him, shimmering like a liquid mirror.
From within, a burst of boiling light erupted—and a colossal figure emerged, its presence overwhelming.
It was a giant armored knight, nearly four meters tall, clad entirely in silver plate armor. Four translucent wings spread out from its back. Its face was hidden behind a mirror-like mask that reflected everything before it.
In one hand, it gripped a massive greatsword; in the other, it seized the brown-haired robber effortlessly.
Under the robber's horrified gaze, the knight's grip tightened.
"AAAAAHHHHH!!!"