Esper and ordinary folk see the world through different lenses, and their ideas of justice don't quite match up either.
Justice is such a broad concept, heavily shaped by personal experiences and surroundings—in short, it's a reflection of one's own sense of right and wrong.
But the vengeful justice Misaka-senpai spoke of probably goes beyond personal morals; it's clearly driven by emotion, plain and simple—a case of losing one's head.
Natsume Sonoko, of course, has her own views on right and wrong. Not abusing her abilities is one of them, and she often holds back when using her powers.
These self-imposed principles linger in her mind like chains—deep-rooted yet fitting for her. Honestly, she doesn't see a problem with them.
But now, Natsume-san finds it hard to face the girl before her with any reproach. After all, when you get down to it, Misaka-senpai is just another victim caught up in this whole mess.
A victim's breaking point is something you can understand.
"Everyone has their reasons, but destruction only leads to worse outcomes."
"Someone like Misaka-senpai should find a smarter way to change those terrible things."
Her voice grew softer, but her thoughts grew clearer.
Natsume-san recalled events from the past, words she'd long felt rising to the surface. She knew all too well the ugly side of Academy City.
She wasn't sure if it counted as comfort, but it was what she wanted to say—what she'd been thinking all along. The self-deception had started to wear on her.
And Natsume Sonoko hated seeing Misaka-senpai like this. It reminded her of unpleasant memories.
Rage is a terrifying thing—it can turn someone familiar into a complete stranger.
"Sonoko, I can't forget how the Sisters looked when they died. You know, in that state, I saw everything. It was like fate—dying again and again as disposable pawns."
"That innocence and naivety in the face of death, even the Sisters themselves didn't value their own lives. They were so curious about living, yearning at the sight of the sky, delighting in birdsong—it was all so real. Yet those people turned a blind eye, watching them die thousands of times."
Her hollow gaze sharpened again. Coming to, the Railgun girl was already tear-streaked, her red-rimmed eyes avoiding Natsume-san's gaze.
Curling up slightly, she raised an arm awkwardly to block her kouhai's view, clinging to what little upperclassman dignity she had left.
Stripped of her tough exterior and armor, the Level 5 was just an ordinary girl you might pass on the street.
"I know destroying Academy City won't fix anything. Logic tells me I shouldn't, but back then, the anger was so overwhelming—I couldn't control myself no matter what."
Misaka-senpai went on, slowly sitting up from the rising air current, her despondency plain to see.
"I understand how you feel, Misaka-senpai. Actually, this is the first time you've talked to me so much. Keeping it all bottled up isn't good."
"Some things might be unchangeable now, but that doesn't mean they always will be. If you want to improve everyone's situation and protect the innocent, you can't do it alone, Misaka-senpai. You'll need everyone's help, at the very least."
Natsume-san spoke softly, her tone always so airy it sometimes lacked conviction.
"If someday our circumstances improve a little, maybe we could find a way to make Shirai-san the Academy City Board Chairman. With her personality, she'd change a lot of unfair things."
Natsume-san mused whimsically—after all, empty talk was free, and comforting Misaka-senpai was what mattered most.
A thoughtful look crossed her face as she pictured Shirai-san in a ladies' suit, busy with meetings. It'd be amusing, probably.
Seemingly infected by Natsume Sonoko's mood, Misaka-senpai's gloom lifted a bit, a flicker of spirit returning to her face.
"With great power comes great responsibility" isn't entirely accurate—it severs the link between rights and duties.
Really, it should be: with great power comes higher status, greater rights, and only then, greater responsibility.
Expecting ordinary students to change Academy City's dark side is pure fantasy. Even with the power to destroy it, you'd just be seen as an unpredictable threat.
Natsume-san knew this well, hence her sense of powerlessness. But some things were changing nonetheless.
Misaka-senpai, Shokuhou-senpai, Natsume-san herself, and many others who'd felt the darkness—they all hoped for this change.
As long as that hope remained, Academy City could slowly transform from a testing ground for espers into a city truly belonging to its students. That was Natsume-san's deepest wish.
If that happened, her life would be so much better.
The two girls on the rising air current looked like they were napping.
But considering the smoke not far off and the girls' unusual state, that seemed unlikely.
Reiko had bought some ointment and clothes from a nearby store that was still open.
Natsume Sonoko, ever thoughtful, had purposely picked a shirt with a Gekota pattern for her senpai, hoping to cheer her up.
Even though it was merchandise from a future rival company, her senpai's fondness for it won out.
She wasn't sure when she'd started thinking in terms of "rival companies."
Luckily, Reiko and Natsume-san had some change on them—enough when pooled together, avoiding unnecessary trouble.
The ointment was just standard stuff for burns. Natsume-san didn't know how effective it was, so she went for the cheapest option—a product from Higuchi Pharmaceuticals, one of Academy City's medical giants.
Sunlight broke through the clouds, brightening everything around.
The gloom left by the Level 6 shift had lifted, leaving only battle wreckage in the distance.
Perched on the ledge of the skyscraper's roof, Misaka-senpai, red-eyed, applied ointment to the bun-headed girl.
Natsume Sonoko's face looked dazed—clearly, she'd retreated into Reiko's body to escape.
Even with dulled pain, it still drained mental processing power, straining her body.
Soon enough, she scurried back, letting her brain and body rest properly.
"Hold still, I'm not done here."
Misaka-senpai had regained some composure, focusing entirely on the bun-headed girl. Crouching, she carefully tended to each wound.
This first aid should've happened sooner, but there'd been no time. Would it scar? It'd look awful in summer uniform.
Given Academy City's medical standards, that seemed unlikely.
Grimacing unladylike, Natsume-san wasn't one to endure pain well.
She stared miserably at her right arm, then flopped onto her back, letting Misaka-senpai do as she pleased. She had to face the consequences of her earlier recklessness.
'Bring it on, let the storm rage harder,' Natsume Sonoko thought to herself.
But her mind wasn't solely on the present. She was pondering equally important matters.
She still didn't know where Shokuhou-senpai was, but she'd already locked onto Kihara Gensei's location—he was still nearby, gathering data from the battlefield.
"Sonoko, all done. But the ointment's limited—you'll need proper hospital treatment."
After preliminary wound care, Misaka-senpai spoke mostly to herself, reaching down to ruffle her kouhai's bun.
What was once smooth, pale skin had become... this.
Like Kuroko, Natsume-san had gotten hurt because of her. The thought made Misaka-senpai, barely holding herself together, feel intensely guilty.
Snap.
Natsume-san's hair tie broke, sending a cascade of short hair tumbling over her face. Two pairs of eyes met in bewildered silence.
"Any clues about what happened to Shokuhou, Sonoko?"
Putting down the ointment, Misaka-senpai spoke up.
Her relationship with Shokuhou Misaki was... complicated, but she had to find her now.
Having pieced together the whole story, Misaka-senpai knew the blonde had been dragged into this because of her. She just didn't know what had happened to cause Mental Out to be stolen.
"I don't know. We'll have to find Kihara Gensei first."
Shaking her disheveled head, Natsume Sonoko sounded resigned.
She'd wanted to trace Shokuhou-senpai's trail using the Field Phase, but she realized she didn't know the senior's AIM field signature or traits—no way to track her.
A thought struck her: maybe she should start recording espers' AIM diffusion fields regularly. It could make finding people easier.
This method reminded her of that girl from Item she'd met before.
Who'd have thought Natsume-san would develop a similar skill? It was definitely good news.
It'd be like finding a needle in a haystack—slowly combing through the entire Field Phase—but at least there was a chance.
After applying the ointment, a cooling sensation seeped into her skin, easing the pain a little and improving Natsume-san's complexion.
In this incident, dealing with Kihara Gensei and rescuing Shokuhou-senpai were both crucial, though neither felt as urgent as Misaka-senpai's situation.
To Natsume Sonoko, saving Misaka-senpai was only half the job. She couldn't relax yet, but at least Misaka-senpai had joined the fight.
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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!
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