Was the deal really about the specifics of how she'd fought Accelerator?
Natsume Sonoko lifted her gaze slightly toward Gokusai Kaibi, her expression unreadable, though inside she was torn.
On the surface, the terms of the trade seemed harmless enough—Sonoko wouldn't have to pay any real price, almost as if they were deliberately cutting her a break.
But that wasn't the truth of it. In reality, agreeing would mean handing over a trove of personal intel—especially with their request for combat details. From that alone, someone could easily deduce her usual formulas and fighting style.
Sure, her information would inevitably leak out over time anyway, but nothing beat the accuracy and reliability of hearing it straight from the source.
In other words, whether or not the other side had ill intentions, once Sonoko accepted this condition, they could—and likely would—craft a whole strategy tailored to exploit her weaknesses.
That was far too dangerous.
"Of course," Kaibi added with a patient smile, still waiting for Sonoko's answer, "this deal only works if we first become close friends. Otherwise, we can't guarantee the accuracy of your intel."
Kaibi had the ability to alter the emotional distance between herself and others—essentially manipulating how close or distant two people felt toward one another.
Within the dark organization known as 'School,' her combat prowess wasn't particularly impressive, but compared to Yobou Banka and Yumiya Rakko, she played an irreplaceable role—especially since her power could even influence Level 5 espers.
That said, while her ability could affect a Level 5, it was never as effortless as she made it seem. The sheer scale difference was real, and mental interference still demanded significant computational power.
"I'm sorry," Sonoko said after only a brief pause, shaking her head firmly. Her expression had settled into one of quiet resolve.
"I appreciate the offer, but I'll have to decline."
From a safety standpoint, she judged that leaking her own intel was far riskier than dealing with researchers sneaking around in the shadows—even if the other party seemed sincere.
Besides, as they'd pointed out themselves, there were other ways to handle her current troubles.
The simplest? Pass the Level 5 evaluation and become Academy City's eighth Level 5.
It wasn't easy. Even students whose abilities were already near Level 5 caliber often never got the chance to take the test—just one line from the Board of Directors declaring them "unfit" could erase years of effort.
Harsh as it sounded, that rigidity proved just how vital the Level 5 rank was to Academy City. They'd rather have none than settle for less.
Regardless of where a Level 5 actually stood in terms of raw combat power, they were undeniably the city's public face—the absolute pinnacle among its 2.3 million residents.
With a slight bow of apology, Sonoko fell silent and walked over to the girl who'd just attacked her, waiting for the Anti-Skill teacher's armored vehicle to arrive.
Kaibi stared after her, surprise flickering across her face. She stood rooted in place for a long moment, as if reassessing the girl before her.
"Well then," Kaibi finally said, recovering her composure with an elegant smile, "I won't trouble you further. Rakko, your assignment is over. Let's head back."
As Yumiya Rakko and Kaibi walked away, the area fell quiet again, leaving only the distant honking of cars in the air.
Down below, watching the flashing lights of the Anti-Skill armored car at the base of the building, Kakine Teitoku turned toward the returning pair.
"Your move failed?" he asked, his tone calm but laced with quiet confidence—the kind that came naturally to Academy City's Number Two.
"I told you it was pointless," Banka chimed in from the sofa, wires dangling from the side of his head onto the floor.
"Why bother testing a newly minted Level 5? Who in their right mind would hand over their intel to a stranger?"
To Banka, earning a Level 5 evaluation slot already meant the city had marked you as the next Level 5. The slot itself was the endorsement.
"It wasn't a total loss," Kaibi replied, summarizing her experience concisely.
"I exaggerated the severity of her situation as much as I could, yet Natsume still refused. That doesn't quite match the personality profile we have on file. At the very least, she's cautious—and confident. Though I hope it's not blind arrogance, thinking she's guaranteed to pass the Level 5 test."
"Cautious and confident? Not bad," Banka muttered, conveniently ignoring the part about arrogance. "These young ladies aren't so easy to fool anymore."
"So what's our stance toward this 'young lady' now?" Kaibi asked, picking up where Banka left off.
"The same as before," Kakine said simply. "Until she becomes a Level 5."
Whether or not Natsume accepted 'School's' offer, the organization's position wouldn't budge.
Downstairs, the armored car had already arrived, and once again Sonoko found herself face-to-face—well, eye-to-eye—with Yomikawa-sensei.
"I don't even know what to say anymore," Yomikawa sighed, glancing around and noticing Sonoko was alone. "You keep showing up at crime scenes, Natsume. You're really unlucky. Speaking of which—where's the victim of this attack?"
"I'm the victim," Sonoko said innocently, raising her hand slowly.
Every time she called Anti-Skill, she inevitably ended up at their headquarters giving a statement. It was the one downside of summoning them.
"Guess I lost track of time," Sonoko murmured once the armored car had driven off. She still had plenty to do—not only did she need to drop off her stuff at the dorm, but she also had to swing by Misaka Apartments.
If all went as planned, the first round of cell adjustments was about to begin. She needed to let the Sisters know.
--+--
Tokiwadai Dormitory, the next morning.
The weather was gloomy—black storm clouds blanketed the sky outside the window. According to the forecast, heavy rain was on its way.
Students heading out from the dormitory all carried umbrellas or rain gear—except for one particularly stubborn individual.
With so much stuff in her arms and even more dangling from her neck, the girl had decisively given up on carrying an umbrella.
Last night, on her way back from Misaka Apartments, Sonoko had picked up some staples from the Sisters—noodles, steamed buns, that sort of thing—adding yet more weight to her load.
Slung around her neck was a modest-sized grill.
Apparently still unsatisfied after the hotpot party, she'd dug out her hidden grill from storage and brought along an assortment of seasonings for good measure.
Thankfully, she hadn't bothered with charcoal or other fuel—her ability more than made up for that.
And so, this gathering—ostensibly a "book club"—now featured a participant who'd brought everything… except books.
Stepping out the front door, Sonoko hurried toward Sakugawa Middle School's dormitory.
The hotpot party was being held at Saten's place. Judging by the time, everyone was probably still out buying their ingredients.
She'd originally planned to meet Misaka and the others at their usual family restaurant, but since she'd already prepared food in advance, she'd gone ahead alone.
At this rate, she'd likely be the first to arrive.
Not long after leaving the dorm, Sonoko—and all her bags—vanished from sight, her figure dissolving into the ambient light. She even snagged a passing cleaning robot on her way out.
With her arms so full, she couldn't sit as usual. Instead, she stood upright on the white cylindrical bot, riding it like a makeshift hoverboard.
--+--
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!
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If you guys wanna check it out.