"Level Upper… a dreamlike tool that can turn you into an esper…"
Saten Ruiko clutched her phone, which held something she'd stumbled upon: Level Upper.
Many thought this so-called ability-granting item was a drug or device.
But in truth… it was just a song.
Saten hesitated. The gap between those with powers and those without, her envy of abilities, her powerlessness in the face of events…
She wanted to use it, but…
"Something from an unknown source is dangerous!"
She considered deleting it, yet her longing for an ability stayed her hand.
"What are you doing?"
Katou Megumi's voice startled Saten from behind.
"E-eh… Megumi-chan, uh… nothing! Haha…"
Saten instinctively hid her phone, laughing awkwardly to ease the tension.
"What's that? A song? Why hide it… hm, something's up!"
Megumi's eyes narrowed, her gaze scanning Saten, catching the faint panic on her face.
"Uh…"
"Let me guess. Something that makes you act like this, even hiding it from me… probably from Misaka-san and the others too… That song… it's that thing we talked about, the one causing a stir—Level Upper, right?"
"…Megumi-chan, you're too sharp!"
Saten gave a wry smile.
"It's not that I'm sharp. You can hide it from Misaka-san and the others because they trust you!"
No one's a fool. If they wanted, Misaka Mikoto, Uiharu Kazari, or Shirai Kuroko could easily find out.
They just trusted Saten too much to pry.
"So… you don't trust me, huh, Megumi-chan…"
Saten sighed, pulling the phone from behind her back.
"I don't know… I'm not sure…"
What was trust? Megumi didn't know. She had no friends—or rather, none before meeting Samuel. Without experience, she instinctively guarded herself, a habit of solitude.
Even with friends, that habit lingered…
Well, the one person she didn't guard against was Samuel—not out of trust, but because guarding was pointless.
If Samuel wanted, he could toy with her at will.
After all, people guard against others, not against "nations" or "gods."
"Here…"
Saten casually handed over the phone.
"Why give it to me?"
"Aren't you gonna delete it for me?"
"Why would I do that?"
"Huh?"
"I think it's bad news, but it's your choice. I'll just say this: something from an unknown source is dangerous! Don't make everyone worry!"
"…"
Megumi's words caught Saten off guard, and a smile broke across her face.
"You sound like some preachy adult, Megumi-chan."
Saten opened her phone, flipping to the song…
"You promised to give me Level Upper!"
A nearby argument drew their attention.
"Huh?"
…
"Hey! You said you'd give me Level Upper!"
"Hah! Want it? Cough up another hundred thousand!"
"Then give me my money back… ah!"
It looked like bullying. From their corner, Saten and Megumi saw three burly delinquents harassing a chubby kid.
"Call Anti-Skill or Judgment first! Uh… my phone's dead, Megumi-chan, can you—"
Saten turned, only to see Megumi's phone, already off.
"Tch…"
"We can't do anything. Neither of us has combat skills. Let's go!"
Thanks to her inconspicuous nature, Megumi often took back alleys and night routes unnoticed, witnessing plenty of Academy City's shadows.
She was used to such scenes. If they couldn't help, better to leave and find someone who could.
"Yeah… yeah…"
…
"Stop! That guy's hurt! I've already called Anti-Skill…"
Saten didn't leave with Megumi, and Megumi didn't walk away alone.
"Hah! A little girl… what's that you're saying?"
"Hey! You're delinquents, right?"
A crisp voice rang out behind Saten. She turned to see a petite blonde girl with blue eyes at the intersection—Frenda.
"Hah! Delinquents? Brat, you know who you're talking to?"
Two delinquents sneered arrogantly at Frenda.
"Hm… today I took down a group of four powerless armed thugs."
Frenda pulled out a notebook from under her skirt, jotting something down.
"Hey! What 'powerless armed group'? We're real espers, and that fatso isn't one of us… he's too pathetic!"
"Mm-hm, and now he is!"
Level Upper had spread like wildfire, turning many powerless delinquents into espers, who then wreaked havoc with their newfound abilities.
So, Samuel launched a crackdown.
Anti-Skill and the dark side moved in.
Getting caught by Anti-Skill meant a couple days in lockup, but the dark side…
For the dark side, especially Item, Samuel gave special attention: fifty thousand per takedown!
Thus, Frenda's habit of taking out innocents for credit.
Though Samuel always caught her and punished her, she never learned!
"You…"
"No point talking to her. She's cute—let's have some fun!"
The leader grinned.
"Some words you shouldn't say. If a certain petty guy hears you're trying to steal his girl, you'll be ground to dust!"
"Oh~ Your boyfriend? Once we grab you, we'll send him a little video, hahaha!"
"Sigh~"
Those hellbent on death are beyond saving!
Frenda's hands slipped under her skirt. With a flourish like scattering flower petals, she tossed out dolls. Gas spurted from their tails, guiding them toward the enemies.
"Hah, this junk—"
Boom boom boom boom boom~
***
If you enjoyed this story, don't forget to drop 5 stars and your power stone. And if you want to read more than 70 chapters in advance, feel free to visit: pat reon . com / KangTL