His sixth sense could already perceive what would happen three seconds into the future, and at the same time, his five senses were greatly enhanced. Coupled with the physique of a Saint, his perception had reached a terrifying level.
Within Academy City, aside from Aleister, Aiwass, and a few unknown variables, he could be considered among the strongest.
Outside the glass window, beneath a streetlight at the corner, a girl with short black hair wearing a white tracksuit and light pink pants stepped into view.
"Takitsubo Rikou." Arata smiled faintly.
The moment Takitsubo Rikou saw her target smiling at her, she froze. Her heartbeat sped up uncontrollably, and an indescribable sense of unease crept through her body.
What… is this?
She didn't hesitate. Opening the small case in her hand, she poured out two crystal-like substances and threw them into her mouth, crunching them loudly.
Her eyes widened instantly.
"733…"
Her pupils shrank to pinpoints as everything in her vision vanished, replaced by overwhelming information.
Her heartbeat accelerated violently.
"Level 5 Coordinate Movement."
Level 5 Telekinetic Manipulation.
"Level 5 Buoyancy Control."
Level 5 Water Molecule Manipulation.
And beyond that, countless unknown abilities that couldn't even be properly identified.
At the very end, what she saw was something beyond the scope of powers.
A distortion.
Something so overwhelming that even the world itself seemed warped around it.
It could no longer be called an ability.
It was existence itself.
"Hm." Arata narrowed his eyes slightly. "Using the AIM diffusion field to lock onto me… giving yourself the illusion that you can see through everything."
The Dark Side unit "ITEM" actually showed up. Did the Board of Directors lose their minds? Even Kakine Teitoku couldn't handle him.
Wait.
Maybe this wasn't about eliminating him at all.
Maybe it was about containment. Reclaiming the research facilities. Recovering the data.
Unfortunately for them, all the data had already been handed over.
"Hah… hah…"
Takitsubo Rikou staggered backward, her breathing ragged. Sweat soaked through her clothes as she stared at Arata like she was looking at something that shouldn't exist.
"Monster… run… we need to run… Mugino can't handle something like that…"
"A multi-ability user. No… not four… not even countable…"
Her voice trembled uncontrollably.
"What exactly did you see?" Arata asked, standing about ten meters away, his eyes half-lidded with mild curiosity.
Takitsubo Rikou ranked among the top in Academy City in terms of potential.
If her ability, AIM Stalker, ever reached Level 5, she would be able to directly interfere with other people's Personal Reality. Strengthen, weaken, swap, alter, or even create abilities at will.
At that point, she would surpass even the Ability Development institutions.
Even now, she could track any esper's location with terrifying accuracy, even across astronomical distances.
A talent like that…
He wasn't letting it walk away.
A flash of blinding light suddenly cut through the air.
Arata tilted his head slightly.
The beam passed him and slammed into the billboard behind him, instantly melting it as red-hot metal dripped to the ground.
"Tch. Didn't finish you in one shot."
A woman with long brown hair stepped out from the greenery nearby, her elegant posture completely at odds with the glowing green sphere dragging from her hand.
Mugino Shizuri.
"Even if you're four ranks below me, taking you down isn't that simple."
"Taking care of you is actually pretty simple," Arata replied casually, watching her approach.
"Mugino… run…" Takitsubo gasped, clutching her head. "He's not someone we can fight…"
"Huh?" Mugino frowned. "You're telling me to run? Before we even start?"
Since joining the Dark Side, she had never run.
Not once.
"No, he…"
Takitsubo didn't get to finish.
Mugino had already activated her ability.
"This is getting annoying. I'll just erase you and go collect my payment."
A beam of emerald light shot forward at extreme speed.
Even among Level 5s, its destructive power was overwhelming.
But the moment it reached Arata, it slowed.
Then stopped.
Then vanished.
"…What?" Mugino froze.
Her expression darkened instantly.
"Mugino… you can't win! Run!" Takitsubo shouted, panic creeping into her voice.
"He's not just a multi-ability user. He's something else entirely!"
"Heh." Arata smiled faintly. "You're already here. Don't bother leaving. I happen to be short on manpower."
…
"Here it comes! It's starting!" Frenda's voice was practically vibrating with excitement as she watched through her night-vision binoculars.
"A Level 5 vs Level 5 fight. This is priceless."
Mugino couldn't lose.
There was no way.
The fourth-ranked Level 5 in Academy City. Her destructive output surpassed even the third-ranked Railgun.
Her being ranked fourth was already ridiculous.
And the opponent was only eighth.
This was guaranteed.
"Don't get careless," Kinuhata Saiai muttered, frowning as she monitored the feed. "Something feels off about this mission."
"What's there to worry about? Mugino can't lose," Frenda said, completely unconcerned. "We just need to record this. A Level 5 battle like this could sell for a fortune."
"At that point, Mugino would kill you."
"…You're joking, right?"
Frenda's eyes widened as she stared at the scene.
"Mugino was just… instantly…"
...
Re@d adv@nce ch@pters on p@t
guilt_free_daoist
Jo!n d!sc0rd I!nk in synops!s.
GIVE ME YOU POWER STONES.