Soga Yura.
The young lady of the Soga clan.
A talented girl who has been in the spotlight since the day she was born, enjoying the adoration of the masses.
The ability she possesses, "Mind Control," is the most feared and detested of all mental-type abilities.
At just six years old, Soga Yura was already able to manipulate and rewrite the wills of ordinary people, and even ordinary Espers.
Now... at eighteen, just one year older than Su Yuzu, Soga Yura has already reached the second sequence.
Stepping into the third sequence is practically imminent.
However... Su Yuzu looked at her "Operator Index."
[Operator: Soga Yura]
[☆☆☆☆☆☆]
[Level 39 - Mind Control User]
[...]
She's actually still holding back.
This girl... has probably been at the third sequence for who knows how long.
She's even more terrifying than that legendary "strongest valkyrie" from Imperial Capital University, Kujou Iruka, who held the title of "The Empire's First Archer."
Compared to Soga Yura, Su Yuzu... with her "Level 0 Psychokinesis" that she can't even get to break through... is nothing short of the Soga clan's disgrace.
Not even worthy of the family name.
Only able to stand in the shadows at the edge of Soga Yura's spotlight, humbly watching her back.
But... Su Yuzu looked at the little bunny before her, who had a bewildered expression.
She couldn't figure it out.
She really couldn't.
If that girl really cared about her so much, why did she always act so avoidant, even disgusted and repulsed, in the past?
Can a person's emotions and actions... really be faked to that extent?
But if she didn't care.
Then what was with that "99" favorability—a score so high in a game that it's just one step away from a marriage proposal?
Su Yuzu really couldn't wrap her head around it.
Regardless of whether she cared or not.
Why would she send Saotome Yukina to her?
The truth is, "Mind Control" isn't the only mental-type ability that can deceive consciousness, and Soga Yura isn't the only one capable of planting a seed in Saotome Yukina's mind.
But... most of those people had no connection to Su Yuzu.
Never mind—
Watching the girl before her ponder with all her might like a little bunny, Su Yuzu held Saotome Yukina's right hand, her thumb gently stroking the soft part between Yukina's thumb and index finger.
She changed the subject. "Have you ever done any mixed martial arts before?"
"What kind of weapons do you prefer?"
"Swords?"
"Or do you prefer fists, or some other weapon?"
Su Yuzu knew.
Having a seed planted in your mind by a mental-type Esper, forcing you to think hard when your mind is a complete blank, was a terrible feeling.
A girl like Saotome Yukina.
Should just be a dumb little bunny and not worry about a thing.
She could leave everything else to her.
"W-Weapons?"
Her thoughts seemed to have completely focused on the sensation of her senpai's thumb stroking the soft part of her hand; Saotome Yukina hadn't heard a word Su Yuzu said.
"Senpai... what kind of weapons do you like to use?"
Su Yuzu looked at Saotome Yukina.
The girl was already prepared for training.
Her smooth, lustrous, snow-white hair was tied back.
Her timid eyes, hidden behind wisps of bangs, peeked out at her, shrinking back like a small animal's.
Saotome Yukina's slightly childish, baby-fat cheeks made Su Yuzu want to reach out and pinch them, just to watch the little bunny's adorable whimpering and struggling.
"I'm a little bit good with every kind of weapon."
"But I still prefer swords and fists."
This wasn't just bragging.
With almost no ability or tech-based items to support her, Su Yuzu had managed to score exceptionally well on the "Mixed Martial Arts Class" final exam.
She relied solely on her unparalleled talent for combat.
A teacher at Keigunen Private Academy had once said with great regret that if Su Yuzu hadn't been born into the Soga family—a clan of physically frail mental Espers—and if her ability had been just the most common physical enhancement type.
...Su Yuzu could have become the sharpest blade on the battlefield against the Aberrants.
Saotome Yukina's choice was actually very smart.
Among the second-year seniors, Su Yuzu, who had achieved exceptional results with practically no ability, was indeed her best option.
"Then let's go with a sword..."
Saotome Yukina looked at Su Yuzu with admiration.
Senpai must look so cool and heroic when she wields a sword... she wanted to be an amazing person like her senpai, too.
Su Yuzu glanced at the little bunny before her.
Their eyes met for an instant, and the girl's gaze quickly darted away like a startled rabbit.
Su Yuzu led Saotome Yukina to the combat practice grounds on the edge of campus.
The moment she stepped into the practice grounds, Su Yuzu's brow furrowed slightly. She felt as if someone was secretly watching her.
Was it someone from the Soga family?
Or was it someone after the little bunny by her side?
Su Yuzu didn't know.
She just became a little more vigilant.
Pretending to rummage through her locker, Su Yuzu took the white-quality practice tachi from her "Materials" tab and tossed it to Saotome Yukina.
Even though it was only a one-star weapon.
Its craftsmanship was surprisingly fine.
It was much better than the standard-issue weapons at the school.
Saotome Yukina hastily and nervously caught the tachi, her body sinking with its weight.
The body of the sword was almost buried directly into the girl's chest.
She hugged the tachi.
Wanting to hold it even tighter.
'This is... the first gift Senpai has ever given me.'
A muscle in Su Yuzu's eye twitched violently.
Even before she had fully blossomed, Saotome Yukina was already as alluring as a femme fatale.
Once she truly matured and grew into a seductive jade rabbit spirit, she'd make people wish they could bury their eyes right in there along with the sword.
"Anyway..."
"Let's start by learning how to hold the sword."
[--Girl in Training--]
-
-
-
[Ding—]
[Task Complete: Accompany Saotome Yukina for one mixed martial arts training session.]
[Reward Obtained: Blue Vigor Pill.]
[...]
Compared to Su Yuzu's composure when holding a sword.
...the little bunny needed Su Yuzu to stand behind her, chin resting on her shoulder, guiding her hand-over-hand just to hold the sword and stand correctly... yet the more she was taught, the worse she got, until she finally seemed about to collapse into Su Yuzu's arms.
The results of the training could be described as very poor.
Limply collapsed on the floor, the girl's soft bangs were slick with sweat, a faint blush on her cheeks. She panted softly, her ample chest rising and falling with each breath.
Her mind was filled with the sweet and sour, fresh scent that had wafted over from her senpai.
Su Yuzu looked at Saotome Yukina.
She was already starting to regret teaching the girl how to use a sword.
A little bunny like Saotome Yukina should be wielding a healing staff taller than herself and bonking opponents on the head with it twice to enlighten them.
That kind of simple and brutal combat style was much more suited for a Healing Department Esper.
She reached out a hand, wanting to pull the little bunny up from the floor. "Get up for now..."
"The floor is cold."
"It would be bad if you caught a cold."
Behind them, a girl in a short dress tilted her head, watching Su Yuzu and Saotome Yukina.
In her crimson eyes... faint black lightning seemed to flicker.
The little bunny's teary, aqua-blue eyes looked pitifully at Su Yuzu. "Senpai, I..."
"Am I... really bad at this?"
A muscle in Su Yuzu's eye twitched.
It was far worse than just "bad."
During training, Saotome Yukina couldn't concentrate at all. The slightest lapse and her attention would drift to her.
Pinching her cheek to remind her didn't work either.
The little bunny's face was already flushed red from Su Yuzu's pinching... it only made her attention wander even faster.
But... looking at the little bunny who looked so miserable she was about to cry.
Su Yuzu couldn't bring herself to blame her.
The truth was, Saotome Yukina had tried very hard to practice.
But... the citrus scent wafting from behind her.
Senpai's body heat...
Senpai's gentle voice whispering by her ear...
Even... the faint, rustling sounds of her senpai's short hair and clothes rubbing together when she swung the sword. All of it made Saotome Yukina feel like she was in a very precarious situation.
The girl didn't even understand what was happening to her.
The budding seed within her held chaotic emotions she couldn't comprehend at all.
Was it love?
Love for another girl?
She didn't understand it at all.
"It was... acceptable, I guess." It was the most 'objective' evaluation Su Yuzu could muster.
The little bunny's eyes immediately lit up.
She grabbed Su Yuzu's hand and tried to get up, but it was as if all the strength had been drained from her bones; she couldn't exert any force.
「It's not an illusion—」
Both Su Yuzu's and the little bunny's strength was slowly being drained from their bodies.
A dark red domain unfurled silently.
[Ding—]
[Warning... Warning...]
[Entering instance.]
[Entering instance.]
Su Yuzu stared at the flashing red "Warning" notification in front of her.
Behind her, the swaying figure of a girl creaked across the wooden floor, walking step by step toward Su Yuzu and Saotome Yukina.
Then, she suddenly accelerated.
She reached a hand toward Su Yuzu... and a long, dark purple sword wreathed in faint black lightning cut through the air.
With a whooshing sound, it chopped down heavily toward Su Yuzu.
[Trial Instance has been initiated.]
[--Aberrant · Puppet--]
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