Rain poured down, splashing puddles across the street.
The woman holding the umbrella was soaked through from behind, but she didn't seem to notice at all. That was because she had just heard a name — Kihara Gensei — from the boy in front of her.
That name was the one thing she never wanted to hear again, the source of her nightmares… and the one goal she had chased her whole life.
The woman's name was Therestina Kihara Lifeline.
Kihara Gensei was her grandfather.
When she was five, the Kihara family used her as a test subject in their ability crystal experiments. The person who ran the experiment was none other than Gensei himself.
She was tortured and abused in that experiment in ways no human should ever experience. No matter how much she begged, no one helped her. In total despair, Therestina gave in and embraced the darkness of the world.
The former victim began idolizing her abuser — her grandfather. Her life's mission became completing the "ability crystal" experiment.
To her, every student in Academy City was just another lab rat. She even enjoyed picking out "suitable" test subjects right off the street.
Every time she heard those lab rats scream in pain during the experiments, Therestina would feel a sick sort of pleasure and excitement.
But today, she ran into a very different kind of lab rat.
When she heard the calm boy mention Kihara Gensei's name, something finally stirred deep inside her.
Who exactly was this boy? Was he doing this on purpose? Could he know about her connection to Gensei?
Question after question filled her mind, throwing her emotions into chaos.
"You seem nervous," Anran said softly, watching her pale hands tighten around the umbrella handle.
"Did something from the past come to mind?"
"Who are you?" Therestina asked, taking a deep breath. Her fake smile vanished as her real expression — twisted and sinister — surfaced.
Now she was certain: this boy knew who she was. He didn't just know her — he also knew her past. He wasn't an ordinary lab rat.
"My name is Anran. Starting now, I'm your superior," he said evenly, with a calm look on his face.
"Can you take me to the Advanced Education Bureau in a bit?"
The Advanced Education Bureau was basically the Kihara family's base of operations.
More than 70% of the dark experiments in Academy City started there. And Anran's second "gift" for Aleister was to completely destroy the place.
Of course, he knew Aleister didn't actually care much about these kinds of research facilities. But that didn't matter — Anran would enjoy wiping it out anyway.
Therestina froze, then looked at him with disdain. She closed the umbrella and sneered.
"So that's it. You're just an idiot."
This little brat said he wanted to be her boss? And even wanted her to personally escort him to the Bureau? What a joke. Who did he think he was — the Chairman of Academy City?
But Anran didn't get angry at her mockery. He just kept smiling gently.
"I don't think you'll say no to me, will you?"
In an instant, his black eyes turned bright red. Therestina's sneer vanished, and she nodded blankly.
"Yes, I will never refuse you. Please give me your orders, boss."
"Then let's find a place to have some tea first." Anran glanced at the alley to her left, a gentle smile on her face.
In the center of the city, inside a dome-shaped mansion without doors or windows.
Aleister, soaking in a tank, stared intently at the projector in front of him. The image displayed was of Anran.
He had known from the beginning that Saten Ruiko wasn't acting on her own—there were too many examples of possession abilities in the magical world.
He had used Kanzaki Kaori to clash with Ruiko earlier just to force out the true identity of the person behind it all—Anran. Looking at it now, his plan had worked, though there were some unexpected results.
"...Did he notice you?" A faint, static-filled voice suddenly rang out, and a blurry figure slowly took shape in the dark room.
The figure was Aiwass, the angel Aleister once summoned by sacrificing his wife's body. According to Aleister's plan, it was also the core of the "Artificial Heaven."
Aleister's ultimate goal, "Angel Fall," revolved entirely around Aiwass.
Aiwass was completely different from the angels described in the existing Bible. It was an angel born purely from the lowest, most physical layer of the world.
This world only existed because layers of magical realms were stacked on top of physical rules.
If Aleister could fully control Aiwass and use that power to erase all the filters except Aiwass, what would remain would be a world without magic.
And with that, "Angel Fall" would naturally be complete.
"Yes, he definitely noticed," Aleister answered emotionlessly in response to Aiwass' question.
This wasn't an act—his heart truly no longer held any emotions.
To achieve the final goal of Angel Fall, Aleister gave up everything: his emotions, his name, his family, morals, ethics—he even personally created all the darkness within Academy City.
He believed his ideals were noble, claiming it was to free humanity from the control of "God." But he failed to realize how extreme and twisted his methods had become.
Sacrificing others' happiness for your so-called ideals isn't noble—it's just selfish.
"...He's already reached that level," Aleister fell silent for a moment. Its broken, stuttering voice gradually became more fluid. "Even if I stepped in now... it would be a pain. If he wants to... kill you, I... can't stop him."
"The plan did go a bit off-track."
Even Aleister hadn't expected that Anran would literally become a god in the Naruto world—he had only assumed he misjudged her strength. "But it doesn't matter. As long as the plan can be completed, we can use any method. Maybe... her existence is one of our ways forward."
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