Night had fallen, and Academy City grew quiet beneath the darkened sky.
Yet inside a certain izakaya, the lights blazed bright, laughter and noise spilling out into the street.
"Cheers!"
For office workers who had slogged through a long day, it was the perfect place to unwind. Even ordinarily shy female teachers would pour down tons of draft beer, forming a dazzling after-work spectacle along the roadside.
Kurokami Gen suddenly found himself craving mapo tofu.
One of the Japanese public's favorite "Chinese" dishes—and one of the few flavors in Academy City that reminded him faintly of home.
Unfortunately, this izakaya served strictly Japanese cuisine.
"This is definitely not the kindergarten bus—I want off!"
The moment they entered, Komoe Tsukuyomi collapsed onto the bench, dizzy and pale. She hadn't even started drinking yet and already looked ready to throw up.
"I was so scared… I thought we were going to die…"
"My driving's solid," Gen said calmly.
"You are absolutely never driving again!" Komoe protested fiercely.
Aiho Yomikawa flipped her single ponytail over her shoulder. Her long black hair, reaching past her knees, swayed gently. If she didn't drape it over the chair, it would be crushed beneath her own ample hips.
"Kid, that was thrilling. Since you gave us such a good ride, I'll overlook the traffic violations this time."
Spoken in that tone, by a voluptuous beauty, the words carried dangerous implications—especially to men mellowed by alcohol and nightlife.
Tessou Tsuzuri hesitated. "Eh? Isn't that abusing authority? Is that really okay?"
"What's the harm? Don't be so stiff."
Yomikawa pressed a frosty mug of beer against Komoe's cheek. The pink-haired loli flushed visibly, her expression melting into bliss.
"Eeeh~"
She shivered, making a soft catlike sound.
"As punishment," Yomikawa continued with a grin, "Gen-kun isn't drinking tonight. You're under twenty. Alcohol can affect ability development."
Then she added, "Besides, once we gorgeous ladies get drunk, you'll be driving us home."
Gen sighed. "That last part was the real point, wasn't it?"
Komoe suddenly turned serious, launching into lecture mode. "Gen-chan, this is important. Ethanol alters adolescent brain function during development. It can inhibit neural growth, which in turn affects cognition and behavioral control…"
The chemistry teacher's occupational reflex had kicked in.
In Academy City, the development of esper powers—Personal Reality—was itself a cognitive process.
Even so, countless Level 0s still existed in the city: those who, after realizing they couldn't awaken powers, simply gave up and spiraled downward.
That reality pained Komoe the most.
It was also why she had taken in a foreign black-market "unregistered" youth from overseas.
Gen looked at her earnestly.
"Thank you, Komoe-sensei."
"So you do know how to use honorifics—wait, why so serious all of a sudden?"
The sudden formality caught her off guard. She instinctively raised her glass to hide her expression.
"Children aren't allowed to drink alcohol," the waitress hurriedly warned. "Sir, please supervise your little sister. As a rule, we do not serve minors…"
Li—little sister?
A single cowlick sprang upright from Komoe's head like a psychic antenna, hyper-sensitive to the keyword small.
"I'm an adult!"
The new waitress refused to believe her.
Here we go again.
Gen straightened slightly. Looks like I'll have to sacrifice myself.
"I can vouch for her," he said. "She's actually my older sister. A high school teacher."
"Eh?"
The waitress stared at the bickering "siblings." No matter how she looked at it, the small figure resembled a clingy elementary schooler.
The manager rushed over, bowing repeatedly.
"My apologies! Our staff training wasn't thorough. Yoshida-san is new—she hasn't met Komoe-sensei before…"
"Honestly, I'll have to take out my teacher's license at this rate."
Komoe puffed her cheeks and sipped the complimentary juice through a straw. Watching her, Gen couldn't suppress a laugh.
And she says she's not a child.
"By the way," he asked casually, "how old are you this year, Sensei?"
"Gen-chan, that's classified." She spoke solemnly. "A lady's age is not something to disclose lightly."
Yet when he had said she's my sister, something deep inside her softened.
After graduating university, she had left her family behind and come alone to Academy City. Surrounded by noisy students most of the time—yet still, sometimes… lonely.
"Alright." Gen smiled faintly. "Today's my first payday. Ladies, drinks are on me."
"Not bad, kid."
Yomikawa slung an arm around his shoulders, already coatless and utterly unconcerned with public image.
So I'm not the only "older sister," huh…
Komoe quickly composed herself, tilting her head with a gentle smile.
"I'm happy to spend Gen-chan's money this time. You earned it with your own ability."
"There's a story behind that," Tessou murmured.
"Heh. Once upon a time, a certain delinquent tried to run away the day after I took him in. Left stolen money behind as 'rent' so he wouldn't owe me anything."
"Found it on the street," Gen corrected mildly.
Just then, a slurred male voice interrupted.
"Hey, beauties. How about a drink with us?"
A group of drunken delinquents staggered over, reeking of alcohol. They could barely stand straight, yet still dared to harass.
After all—
Yomikawa and Tessou were undeniably well-endowed.
"You've been talking about exciting stuff all night. I promise we'll make it even more fun."
"Backdoor deals, huh? Sounds nice."
"Wait—why's there an elementary schooler here?" one of them squinted.
Komoe's small stature was no illusion.
"Ugh!"
Being ignored even during harassment wounded her deeply. She downed several glasses in one go.
Gen spread his hands. "See? This city spawns wild delinquents every night. Defeat them, and they drop coins."
"What kind of RPG logic is that?" Tessou muttered, already rising instinctively to reprimand them.
District 7 was dominated by middle and high schools. Most institutions had strict curfews. Night wandering was prohibited.
Expelled and truant delinquents, however, were not bound by such rules.
Then—
Crack. Thud. Crash.
Thirty seconds later, every last delinquent had been hurled out of the izakaya, sprawled on the pavement, groaning.
"Enjoy your evening," Gen called lightly.
Go fence with your bros afterward.
Geass.
A crimson bird flickered briefly in his eyes.
He lowered the curtain and dusted off his hands, turning back to meet the gazes of the "beauties" in question.
If those idiots had known these women's true identities, the outcome would've been far worse.
"No need for you teachers to intervene," he said casually. "Oh? They accidentally left their wallets. Let's hand them to the manager to settle the bill. Running a business isn't easy."
"Gen-kun, that's blatant robbery!" Tessou protested. "Captain Yomikawa!"
"What? Too noisy. Can't hear you…"
Yomikawa appeared to have already collapsed drunk.
"Honestly, you're always like this…"
Komoe's vision blurred as alcohol took hold.
In her hazy consciousness, she drifted back to the night they first met.
One month ago. A certain alley in District 7.
I've… arrived in Academy City?
Eighteen-year-old transmigrator Kurokami Gen stared at his hands in disbelief.
Same body. So this was a physical transmigration. Unfortunately, that meant he hadn't escaped his illness.
The surroundings told him everything.
A modern metropolis—almost near-future sci-fi. Solar-paneled skyscrapers towered overhead. Cylindrical robots of varying models moved freely through the streets, handling patrol and sanitation.
In the distance stood a white structure piercing the heavens—
The Space Elevator.
Given that detail, it was either Academy City from A Certain Magical Index or something like the Gabon Base from The Wandering Earth 2.
The massive airborne display ship broadcasting weather forecasts made the answer obvious.
Academy City.
Mid-June Tokyo. The evening breeze was warm.
Yet Gen felt cold.
The science side wanted to build its own Tower of Babel. Constructing a space elevator at Tokyo's latitude bordered on fantasy.
What black technology could resist Earth's rotational forces?
Given the setting of Index, beings like Magic Gods or Aleister Crowley might notice him instantly and erase him.
At least I'd die painlessly.
Perhaps I'd be the most peacefully "asleep" transmigrator in history.
He had been binge-watching anime when it happened. Even had questionable tabs open while hunting down episodes of Redo of Healer.
If his family discovered that history—
Social death.
He should've launched Steam and opened a romance game instead. Getting surrounded by beauties in a "sci-fi" dating sim sounded much safer than navigating the science–magic battlefield.
And now—
The beginner village was Academy City.
"Hey, kid. Hand over some pocket money."
Several delinquents blocked the alley.
He couldn't fully catch the slang, but the intent was obvious.
So much for safety.
He had never been much of a fighter. Always the obedient model student.
Still—
Thanks to his condition, he could fight like a mad dog that didn't feel pain. As long as he didn't lose consciousness first, his blood-soaked appearance alone would scare them off.
How long would recovery take this time?
He inhaled sharply—
And just as he prepared to strike first—
A figure stopped at the alley entrance.
Under the setting sun stood a middle school girl with shoulder-length chestnut hair, her bag slung casually over one shoulder in classic shounen-protagonist style.
Hearing the commotion, she turned her head.
A handsome boy surrounded by delinquents, looking utterly "helpless."
"This city never fails to entertain," she remarked dryly.
"Who's that?"
"Tokiwadai uniform? Some rich girl?"
"Is this your little boyfriend? If you want to save him, stick around and play with us too."
"B-boyfriend?!"
Fourteen-year-old cheeks flushed crimson—not with shyness, but fury.
Gen stared in shock.
A two-dimensional wife—alive before his eyes.
The familiar voice. The Gekota frog charm dangling from her bag.
Her identity was unmistakable.
She suppressed her anger and said evenly, "If you recognize Tokiwadai's uniform, then you should know. Only Level 3 and above are admitted."
One of Academy City's seven Level 5s.
The third-ranked—
The Railgun.
Mikoto Misaka.
"Eh?"
Before the delinquents could react—
A blinding flash erupted.
"Biri-biri—!"
Electric current surged across the ground toward him.
Gen closed his eyes peacefully.
My entry into the anime world is definitely bugged.
Why does the story begin with the heroine saving the hero?
Seriously—what kind of opening flag is this?