"Onee-sama..."
Shirai Kuroko looked up at Chinatsu, who was patting her head, with flushed cheeks.
Just as her lips were about to part to utter some perverted words, the phone in Chinatsu's pocket buzzed with an incoming call, perfectly timed.
The call shattered the previously warm and pleasant atmosphere, and both Kuroko and Chinatsu involuntarily showed a hint of annoyance on their faces.
Kuroko was annoyed because the call interrupted her precious bonding time with Onee-sama, while Chinatsu, having guessed who was calling, felt troubled by the task that awaited her.
"Sorry, I need to take this call."
Chinatsu softly apologized to Kuroko. On the surface, Kuroko smiled, nodded gracefully, and gestured for Chinatsu to go ahead.
However, if a mind-reader had been present, they would have been stunned to discover that Kuroko was currently, in a most refined tone, cursing out the caller in two or three different languages.
Meanwhile, Chinatsu took out her phone, sighed helplessly upon seeing the unsurprising number, and answered.
In Academy City, a city composed of Ability Users, many with high theoretical aptitude are assigned from a young age to a Research Institute or experimental workshop to assist in ability development.
Esper like Mikoto, who is not only powerful but also possesses high scientific research value, sometimes even travel to distant Research Institutes for check-ups.
She was officially designated as a Level 5 during a routine examination at a Research Institute when she was twelve, a result that startled even Mikoto herself.
In contrast, due to the high difficulty of her research, Chinatsu's visits to Research Institutes were infrequent. It had only been a month since her last perfunctory visit, and now she was getting a sudden call...
"Why the sudden call? You want me to come over now? That's too rushed. It's 11 AM now. I'll try to get there before 3 PM, okay?"
Getting straight to the point, Chinatsu agreed on a meeting time with the Researcher on the other end. After hanging up, she let out a deep sigh and raised a hand to her forehead.
Her true ability had definitely been exposed.
The air of Academy City is filled with countless nanomachines. These nanomachines monitor every corner of Academy City and transmit information to the mind of a certain Board Chairman.
Chinatsu's long-standing strategy of hiding her ability and developing discreetly was precisely to avoid being discovered too quickly by this Board Chairman. Yet, to save Sha Danshan, she had still used her true power.
Oh well, she'd just have to take things one step at a time!
Chinatsu quickly adjusted her mindset. When she turned back to face Kuroko, she saw a look of concern on Kuroko's face.
"Onee-sama, did something happen?"
"It's nothing, nothing. It's just that my assigned Research Institute wants me to go for an ability check-up. It's a routine thing, just scheduled a bit earlier than usual this time."
As she spoke, Chinatsu reached out and patted Kuroko's head again. With her max-level head-patting skill honed from practicing on Mikoto, Kuroko's worries were swiftly swept away.
After bidding a temporary farewell to Kuroko, Chinatsu turned and headed out of Tokiwadai. Along the way, more Tokiwadai Students than usual cast shy glances her way.
Since the incident at the Improvement Society, Shokuhou's popularity had soared. Many smaller factions disbanded, with their leaders and members joining the Shokuhou Faction.
And the heroic image of Chinatsu walking out of the sea of flames, carrying Sha Danshan in a princess hold, was deeply etched in their minds.
Coupled with Kuroko's frequent use of the title "Onee-sama," many underclassmen had also secretly begun using "Onee-sama" to refer to Chinatsu.
Of this, Chinatsu remained unaware for the time being.
Afternoon, 2:50 PM.
Chinatsu, hands in her pockets, ambled leisurely to a Research Institute just outside the School Garden. She first looked up at the building before walking in.
As the automatic doors slid open, Chinatsu made her way with familiar ease to the department within the institute responsible for researching Gemstones. Some unfamiliar Researchers caught her attention.
Although these unfamiliar Researchers wore white lab coats, closer observation revealed subtle differences from the standard coats of this particular institute.
Furthermore, these individuals were generally older, with some sporting bald patches—a clear indicator of their standing in the research community.
While Chinatsu was observing these Researchers, they also noticed her arrival. Smiling, they quickly approached her.
"Misaka Chinatsu, could you tell us what your true ability is?" The Researcher, smiling like a tiger, got straight to the point. They already knew the answer; asking was merely to gauge Chinatsu's attitude.
Chinatsu shrugged. Without a word, she slowly raised her right hand. Invisible gravitational forces became visible, layer upon layer compressing toward the center like a sphere.
As she raised her left hand, she generated a miniature, crackling electric current with obvious lack of proficiency. It was highly unstable, roughly equivalent to Mikoto's Level 2 output.
"Field Control. That is my ability."
Chinatsu answered without lying. The surrounding Researchers, despite being mentally prepared, couldn't help but be astonished. The lead Researcher chuckled, crossing his arms.
"Truly worthy of a [Gemstone]. Even though we've been startled more than once by the mysterious, unknown abilities of Gemstones, we are still moved by the next one we witness. However..."
The lead Researcher suddenly paused. As a sense of unease welled up in Chinatsu's heart, he steered the conversation directly toward the most crucial area.
"We understand the ability. But what about its magnitude?"
It's like a psychokinetic Ability User. Being able to bend a spoon is psychokinesis. Being able to lift an entire building with psychokinesis is also psychokinesis.
But one is Level 1, and the other is Level 5.
As he finished speaking, the automatic door behind Chinatsu slowly opened. A person with white hair, white skin, crimson eyes, and a slender figure—so androgynous it was hard to tell the gender at a glance—strolled in.
This person instantly captured Chinatsu's full attention. With just a slight turn of her head and a sidelong glance at the figure entering behind her, she recognized someone she had never seen in person.
the strongest Esper, Accelerator.
He raised a hand to rub the right side of his neck, his head tilted, a displeased expression on his face.
"Calling me to a place like this at this hour... you'd better have a damn good reason that convinces me, right?!"
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