Clunk.
Natsume-san's heart made that sound at the exact moment the monorail did.
Seems like the train was pulling too fast, and the load was too heavy—sparks flew as the tracks and tow-chains grated on both sides.
Because Misaka-senpai had hacked into the train's control system, its programmed route had gone haywire. So, a certain Railgun had to step in as the driver.
Under those conditions, just getting this train safely to the top-level space station would count as a success.
Rubbing her dizzy head, she thought—normally, an Ace Pilot like the bun-girl shouldn't be feeling like this.
Natsume-san couldn't tell if it was the effect of the cold light, or if Misaka-senpai's driving skills were just… something else.
As the elevator doors slid open, even with the dense protective glass shielding them, the raw cosmic glare hit her directly.
Natsume-san lasted about a second before she felt like she'd been plunged into an ice cellar.
Her body trembled from the cold, top to bottom. Her stamina drained away in an instant, leaving her weak and listless.
Natsume-san was never as strong as everyone thought she was.
Before becoming an esper, she was just another ordinary student in School Garden—the kind you'd see anywhere.
So ordinary that even sitting in the corner of the school bus, no one would come over to chat.
Though these days, she'd stopped riding the school bus altogether—couldn't stand everyone's enthusiasm.
"Sorry for making you worry, Senpai."
Leaning weakly on Misaka-senpai's shoulder, breathing in that peculiar, gardenia-like scent of hers, Natsume-san managed a faint smile on her pale face.
She'd come up here planning to do what she could—to set things right.
Tomorrow was Saturday, and an important one at that. Who knew she'd turn into dead weight the moment she arrived?
"Don't worry about it. You know, Natsume-san, you're as light as Febrie."
A touch of concern showing on her face, Misaka-senpai didn't look back, speaking as she walked.
"Really?" Natsume-san tilted her head slightly, as if thinking of Febrie and the others.
Come to think of it, it had been almost a week since Nunotaba-senpai and Febrie had left.
Layer upon layer of thick iron sand enveloped the two of them.
Wrapped up tightly from head to toe, they looked like a black-coated Fall Guy—but one made of iron.
This iron Fall Guy stumbled forward, moving through an overwhelmingly bright world.
The journey felt long, and as they moved, something seemed to click in Natsume-san's mind.
"Misaka-senpai, there are a lot of people over that way."
Natsume-san pointed weakly toward a certain direction ahead.
Though her voice was frail, her tone held certainty.
They'd come straight from the ground to the highest level of the cosmic space station—not because they had any inside information.
They just figured that since Meigo-senpai's concert was being held here, if magic was going to be activated, this was the most likely spot.
As they drew closer to the broadcast room, they noticed a strange pillar of light shooting up from the dome here, connecting to those luminous rings above.
The light pillar didn't seem particularly destructive—it pierced through the station's dome but hadn't caused any visible damage.
On the other side, Stiyl stood solemnly at the broadcast room's entrance.
His disciples were nearby, grouped in threes, keeping watch over the mastermind, Ladylee Tangleroad.
Meanwhile, Kanzaki Kaori and Tsuchimikado Motoharu had entered the broadcast room to get a closer look at the strange phenomenon causing all this.
Just like outside, the place was filled with light. The massive pillar occupied nearly half of the broadcast hall.
Inside it, various symbolic objects were arranged in an orderly pattern, forming a magic ritual known as 'Achilles' Heel.'
At the center of the light pillar, something luminous floated up and down.
Solidified weapons continuously materialized and fell within the light, striking that luminous object.
The strikes seemed to be having an effect—cracks had already formed on the glowing item. Energy seeped out from within, carried by the light pillar up toward the cosmic rings.
"Can you tell what kind of artifact this is?"
Kanzaki Kaori looked questioningly at the self-proclaimed underling, Tsuchimikado Motoharu.
When it came to intelligence, she was no match for this spy sent by the Anglican Church to infiltrate Academy City.
"Based on my years of experience in the wild, I'd say… it's a bow."
No sooner had he spoken than Tsuchimikado Motoharu chuckled, as if pleased with his own wit.
"The atmosphere was so tense, I thought I'd lighten the mood a bit."
"Seriously though, aside from it being a bow, I feel like I've heard of the magic inscribed on it somewhere. The peaceful power radiating from this light is pretty solid proof."
Noticing Kanzaki's slightly annoyed expression, Tsuchimikado-kun quickly raised his hands in surrender.
As a professional spy, reading his superiors was a required skill.
"Actually, this should be a local Japanese magic. But unlike schools like the Amakusa, which blend British magic into their style, the school that created this is actually very ancient."
Tsuchimikado Motoharu paused, thinking it over before continuing.
He seemed somewhat unfamiliar with this particular school, so his deliberation took a moment.
"Its origins trace back to ancient traditions from East Asia—Taoism and Onmyōdō. Later, a branch formed here in Japan."
"If I'm not mistaken, the one who created this artifact was a miko."
"And a tremendously powerful one at that. So powerful that even a damaged artifact she made can unleash power on the level of an average Saint."
Tsuchimikado Motoharu paused again, speaking thoughtfully.
But his knowledge in this area was limited to a few unverified rumors, so he didn't elaborate further.
"And I think I understand why the magic was activated, but didn't instantly spread across the entire Northern Hemisphere."
Tsuchimikado Motoharu went on, exuding the air of a great detective.
"What's the reason?"
Kanzaki Kaori blinked, her eyes full of curiosity—though she seemed to have her own suspicions.
"In other words," Stiyl, still at the entrance, cut in, having also pieced it together, "even though Ladylee used this wooden bow to grant the 'Tower of Babel' Saint-level power, the amount released is limited by the extent of the bow's damage."
"So, the magic that should've covered the entire Northern Hemisphere right away is… still mostly hanging around Japan."
No sooner had he spoken than the ground shook slightly. A giant black Fall Guy had finally, slowly, made its way to them.
--+--
T/N: 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.