Hair is part of the human body, formed from keratinized epithelial cells.
Generally speaking, these types of cells aren't suitable for cultivation, let alone experiments at the cellular level. But sometimes, things aren't so absolute.
Listening to Kiyama-sensei's words, Natsume Sonoko found herself getting confused again, her mind suddenly filled with doubts.
What Kiyama-sensei probably meant was for her cells to replace the #2's cells, thereby gaining control of the bio-computer… but was that really feasible?
The conversation circled back to her earlier discussion with Doctor Heaven Canceller.
Sonoko remembered him saying that no human cells in the entire Academy City could adapt to the meteoroid.
It had taken a tremendous effort just to synthesize one using the #2's cells combined with genetic fragments from a regeneration-type esper.
Even someone as optimistic as Sonoko wouldn't flatter herself into thinking she was some unique, special existence.
If that were true, she'd have been a Level 5 from the start—why would she need to work so darn hard?
"Kiyama-sensei, are you serious?"
It took Sonoko a moment to find her voice, a trace of bewilderment in her eyes.
She wasn't really worried about Kiyama-sensei using her hair for anything bad. After all, she had plenty to spare—losing a few strands was nothing. Still, she couldn't help feeling curious.
"My apologies for acting without your consent. It was just an idea I had at the time," Kiyama Kiyama replied, a hint of remorse in her tone.
"What idea?"
"Ever since we found a way to save Banri and the others, and with Doctor Heaven Canceller's help, the bio-computer became less important to me. That's when I started thinking… maybe I could give it to you."
"I could tell you desperately need computational power. Even the Doctor noticed it," Kiyama said, a faint smile gracing her lips as she spoke slowly.
Sonoko's cheeks flushed slightly. She couldn't deny that.
With massive computational power, she could delve deeper into deriving her long list of formulas, improve their precision and stability to reduce her own energy expenditure, and speed up progress on concepts she hadn't fully derived yet.
As for gaining computational power comparable to a Level 5 through external means? That was just a nice bonus.
Even a genuine Level 5 couldn't push themselves like a machine, deriving formulas around the clock.
After all, a supercomputer could achieve the same thing. A machine that could operate at high speed non-stop, without needing rest, was far more efficient than any human.
Even if she only gained indirect control via the Level Upper, and even if she couldn't use it for her Temperature Control, the sheer computational power alone would be more than enough for her needs.
So, in Academy City, computational power was a high-grade necessity, not just a measure of ability. The Tree Diagram was the pinnacle of Academy City's computational industry.
"I did want to use the supercomputer at the Doctor's place before… but supercomputers are so expensive, I couldn't bring myself to ask," Sonoko mumbled quietly.
"If you had just asked, the Doctor would have agreed. He's a good man," Kiyama said, shaking her head.
Sunlight streamed through the window, bathing the hospital bed in a warm, cozy glow.
Sonoko sat in the visitor's chair, listening as Kiyama continued.
"The method isn't actually difficult. In fact, it's quite simple. I plan to create a complete clone—or more accurately, a complete synthetic human, not the monstrous form it had before."
"Synthetic human?" Sonoko muttered. A fusion of rock and human? Sounded weird, but it was definitely better than 'monster.'
"As you know, this synthetic human's genes were artificially modified, resulting in the loss of most of its brain. What I'm doing is re-growing the brain on the genetic level. Once that's done, the synthetic human will have a normal body, and might even develop its own consciousness."
"As long as we cultivate suitable cells and their numbers surpass the original cell colony in the bio-computer, if they can survive, they can replace the original colony and form a completely new individual."
Kiyama spoke slowly, her gaze still calm, as if she were discussing some trivial matter.
"Kiyama-sensei, do you mean using my gene fragments to supplement the lost genes of the syn… synthetic human?" Sonoko asked, surprised.
"That's right. But some additional processing is needed. I re-sequenced the original #2's gene sequence. While it can't completely sever the synthetic human's connection to him, it reduces it to a very low level. In fact, your access permissions might even be a bit higher than his. As for the regeneration-type esper's gene portion, it's already in a state of disorder."
"Eh, that sounds pretty strange."
As she listened, Sonoko's eyes widened involuntarily. A synthetic human made from three people's genes… did that make her the third wheel here?
But looking at it that way, it really wasn't a clone—just repairing the original synthetic human.
In a way, it was more like a treatment. Sonoko didn't feel much resistance to the idea.
"Furthermore, to ensure the synthetic human awakens your ability instead of the regeneration power, we need to use some instruments for induction after the rapid initial regeneration phase. We'll suppress the regeneration ability and allow your Temperature Control to fully form, limiting the regenerative cells to just balancing the meteoroid's corrosive properties."
"Since your gene fragments are used, if we then sync it with your brainwaves, you can gain over half ownership of the synthetic human. That would allow you to freely use the bio-computer inside its body."
Kiyama continued, slowly rising from the hospital bed and downing the liquid medicine on the bedside table in one go.
The bitter aftertaste lingered in her throat, making her cough slightly. She turned, found her white lab coat on the clothes rack.
The coat looked spotless—whoever had washed it had done a thorough job. Shedding the patient gown, she became the familiar Kiyama-sensei once more.
"Let's talk about the rest in the car. I want to know what exactly happened too," Kiyama said, turning back to gaze deeply at Sonoko.
Sometimes, Natsume-san really was so indirect, hiding and hesitating without knowing why. Such a complicated middle school girl.
"Kiyama-sensei, wait for me!"
Nodding hurriedly, Sonoko followed.
After completing the discharge procedures, Kiyama led Sonoko towards the hospital parking lot.
Just as they stepped outside, they ran into Haruue Kiyama at the main entrance.
Haruue was holding a small cake, probably here to visit Banri and the others. After a quick distant greeting, Sonoko got into Kiyama-sensei's Lamborghini.
She'd lost count of how many times she'd been in this car. The interior had become much more furnished, feeling more lived-in now.
Climbing into the passenger seat, Sonoko dutifully fastened her seatbelt.
"Natsume-san, can you tell me what exactly happened?"
As she drove, Kiyama glanced over at her. Both of them had dark circles under their eyes. They stared at each other for a moment, creating a slightly odd atmosphere in the car.
"Well, it's about Misaka-senpai. Someone is using her…"
The car wasn't moving very fast, stopped again by a red light. Sonoko looked out the window, her mind recalling the details as she explained everything she knew.
Things like the Level 6 Shift Project, the Radio Noise Project, the #1 Accelerator, and the Sisters.
"The Level 6 Shift Project… so it really did start," Kiyama murmured, a look of realization dawning on her face, as if remembering something.
In her memory, she'd heard about these experiments numerous times from her former mentor, Kihara Gensei. Back then, it was still in its infancy—just rumors that the Tree Diagram had calculated a method to create a Level 6.
As for the Radio Noise Project, that was hardly a secret anymore. It wasn't just Railgun; hadn't they tried replicating the other Level 5s as well? Academy City had long stopped at nothing in the name of research.
The fact that only Railgun's clones were mass-produced was simply due to that cruel word: cost-effectiveness.
"But the Radio Noise Project was terminated long ago. So, Natsume-san, you want to stop the Level 6 Shift Project, right?" Kiyama stated.
"But from what I know, the #1 is a true monster even among Level 5s. His brain is the best in Academy City."
Kiyama didn't mention Accelerator's ability, instead emphasizing his intellect.
Among the upper echelons of Academy City's research community, his mind was far more valuable than his Vector Control.
'Best brain' wasn't just about computational power; it represented a superhuman genius.
To study Accelerator's thought processes, they'd even designed a series of experiments specifically for that purpose. That was something even more astonishing than raw computational power.
After all, he was capable of on-the-spot breakthroughs, designing world-shaking formulas in an incredibly short time.
That kind of talent was something a certain self-proclaimed smart 'meatball head' couldn't compare to—she hadn't even grasped the basics of her own thermodynamic conversion formulas yet and was still attempting to use brute-force algorithms on a supercomputer.
"If you want to stop this Level 6 Shift experiment, based on my understanding of the researchers, the only way is to invalidate the simulation results derived from the Tree Diagram," Kiyama continued.
And the simulation result was that Accelerator would continuously grow through 20,000 experiments, controlling the direction of his skill growth, ultimately reaching Level 6.
In the original story, the reason the plan was stopped was because Accelerator was defeated by a Level 0 from Academy City.
Not only did they fail to see growth, but he was beaten by the weakest possible opponent. This made the researchers lose all faith and question the project's feasibility.
For example, if a Level 4 like Natsume Sonoko or a Level 5 like Misaka-san defeated Accelerator, it might have some effect, but it wouldn't be as impactful as a Level 0 defeating him.
By the time they finished talking, the car had finally reached its destination.
The destination was, of course, Heaven Canceller's research institute. The building was mostly repaired now, the traces of the previous battle long gone, save for some darkened bricks on the wall that recorded the fight.
Beep. Verification passed.
Kiyama swiped her card to enter, Sonoko following closely behind.
Kiyama was still a specially appointed researcher at this institute. Heaven Canceller hadn't revoked her access permissions after Banri and the others left; perhaps he genuinely wanted to welcome her into the institute.
"Kiyama-sensei, is the synthetic human here?" Sonoko asked instinctively.
"Not here. Keeping it here would only cause trouble for the Doctor," Kiyama replied, shaking her head.
They went to the second floor. Kiyama opened the door to a rebuilt bio-lab.
The equipment here had suffered heavy losses during the last battle, but it had now been almost fully replenished.
Inside a machine whose name Sonoko didn't know, there was a small petri dish containing a living colony of cells.
Sonoko, curious, blinked and peered closely as Kiyama put on protective gear, carefully retrieved the petri dish from the machine, and placed it on a nearby incubator.
Though Sonoko wanted to say she could handle the temperature control herself, she just watched Kiyama's movements quietly.
"Are these cells the finished product after the genetic repair?" Sonoko asked curiously.
The synthetic human's cells would die quickly after leaving the body, but if you quickly added a reagent that provided cellular nutrients, the rate of death would slow significantly.
"They're only semi-finished. We still need to select the cells with the highest activity for a second round of selection, then add reagents for rapid reproduction," Kiyama explained, her hands moving swiftly as she operated another instrument.
It didn't take long—about half an hour—to complete these steps, with Sonoko providing significant assistance.
--+--
In a concealed building that seemed to be Kiyama Harumi's own property.
A large cultivation tank stood before them. A figure bearing a seventy to eighty percent resemblance to Natsume Sonoko floated inside. Perhaps due to the implanted genes, this figure appeared to be a girl.
Because of the meteoroid inside her and the genetic differences, she was noticeably taller than Sonoko, even taller than the average middle school girl, reaching about 160 cm.
"Is that the synthetic human?" Sonoko's voice held an indescribable emotion, trembling slightly as she spoke.
Even though Sonoko had witnessed this synthetic human's transformation from an ugly monster back into the meteoroid, and then from the meteoroid into this girl, no matter how she looked at it, she couldn't connect the two.
Just by altering a few gene fragments, such a radical transformation had occurred. Plus, the girl looked so much like herself, making Sonoko momentarily unsure how to process her feelings.
The cells' regenerative ability was still active, but the next step was to suppress that regeneration and re-induce the Temperature Control ability in the synthetic human.
After adding several liquids into the cultivation tank, the induction experiment began quickly.
Even with only a fifty percent success rate, it worked on the first try. With the meteoroid's supercomputing power, developing abilities was far simpler and faster compared to an ordinary student.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.