Chapter 723: The King's Roar! Misaki Shokuhou's Desperate Ambition!
The S-Class Heroes, usually the pinnacles of humanity's strength, looked at the small, floating figure of the Tornado of Terror (Tatsumaki) with varying degrees of shock and apprehension. Her green aura flared violently, causing the heavy conference table to rattle and the reinforced windows to groan under the strain.
Her power seemed to exist in a different dimension compared to theirs.
Almost all the S-Class Heroes dared not even breathe too loudly under Tatsumaki's psychic pressure. Superalloy Darkshine was sweating profusely, his muscles tense. Atomic Samurai gripped the hilt of his katana, his knuckles white, ready for an outburst that might never come.
Only one person remained unmoved.
[Boom! Boom! Boom!!!]
A powerful sound, rhythmic and heavy like a war drum beating the march of doom, resonated through the large, quiet meeting room. It vibrated in the chests of everyone present, a deep, terrifying bass that signaled the arrival of an apex predator.
Everyone turned their gaze to the source.
Sitting there with his arms crossed, an expressionless, fierce face scarred by three ugly claw marks over his left eye, was a man with slicked-back blond hair. He didn't flinch. He didn't sweat. He simply stared forward with an intensity that could peel paint off the walls.
That strong sound came from this man.
Hero Rank S-Class No. 7, King!
"Ah... as expected of King..." Child Emperor whispered, wiping his fogged glasses. "To remain so composed in the face of Tatsumaki-san's rage..."
Many S-Class Heroes lowered their heads in shame. Under such crushing psychic pressure, only this man could remain so calm and at ease.
The even more oppressive sound filling the room—the legendary 'Emperor Engine'—was the best proof of his battle readiness.
King, known to the world as the Strongest Man on Earth!
The 'thump-thump-thump' sound was the unique roar of his body preparing for slaughter, a warning siren that heralded the destruction of any monster foolish enough to cross his path.
"Are you looking for a fight?"
Tatsumaki floated closer, her green curls defying gravity as she looked down at him coldly. "You're making a lot of noise over there, King. Do you have something to say about my methods?"
She naturally knew the rumor. When King's 'Emperor Engine' roared, it meant he had entered battle mode. He was ready to kill.
But no one had ever seen him fight.
Because his battles ended in an instant. The enemy would simply cease to exist before the human eye could track the movement.
[Thump-thump! Thump-thump! Thump-thump!]
The 'Emperor Engine' accelerated further at this moment! The sound was deafening, echoing off the steel walls.
Everyone held their breath. Metal Bat swallowed hard.
This meant King was getting serious! He was actually accepting the challenge of the Tornado of Terror!
Everyone thought they were about to witness a true clash of power—a catastrophe that might level the entire A-City.
However.
Inside King's mind, reality was a very different story.
'I'm going to die! I'm absolutely going to die! Why is she looking at me like that?!'
King screamed internally, his soul weeping tears of blood.
'So scary! I want to go home! I just bought the limited edition of Doki Doki Sisters, and I haven't even installed it yet! Please, don't kill me!'
In reality, King was just an ordinary person—an otaku who loved action games and dating sims, and who rarely left his apartment unless necessary. He was weak. He was cowardly. He was the definition of a normal citizen.
And the so-called 'Emperor Engine'?
It was just the loud sound of his heart beating too fast due to extreme nervousness and anxiety. It was a biological defect, a heart murmur amplified by sheer terror.
The faster his heart beat, the more nervous and scared he was.
In fact, the monsters he 'eliminated' in the past were not eliminated by him at all. They were all encountered by chance. He would run into a monster, freeze in fear, and then Saitama or some other powerhouse would kill it while he had his eyes closed.
Then, the credit inexplicably went to him because he was the only one standing there, looking scary.
One could say he was completely forced into this life of imposture.
Just as King thought Tatsumaki was about to turn him into a modern art sculpture, a calm, elderly voice cut through the tension.
"Alright, that's enough."
Silverfang (Bang), the martial arts master, stepped forward, his hands behind his back. "We are all comrades here to discuss the prophecy. It's not good to hurt feelings or destroy the headquarters before the enemy even arrives."
"Hmph!"
Tatsumaki clicked her tongue, glaring at King one last time before haughtily withdrawing her psychokinesis.
It wasn't for Bang's sake.
Rather, she was tired of staying there. The meeting was boring, the executives were incompetent, and she had more important things to do.
"You're all boring," she scoffed.
She just wanted to find a quiet place to check the [Doomsday Chat Group]'s messages and live streams. She needed to see what that annoying Administrator Ren was up to, and secretly curse him for calling her a tsundere earlier.
With a flash of green light, Tatsumaki used her psychokinesis to blast through the ceiling—ignoring the door—and flew away.
"She... she left," Darkshine exhaled, relieved.
King also let out a huge, silent sigh of relief, though his face remained frozen in a stoic scowl.
'I almost peed my pants. Seriously. A little bit might have come out.'
The 'Emperor Engine' gradually died down, returning to a normal, albeit still panicked, rhythm.
The staff member at the head of the table, trembling and wiping away cold sweat with a handkerchief, coughed awkwardly. "Then... uh... everyone, the meeting continues?"
What?
How can it continue when the strongest asset just smashed through the roof?
Are these executives stupid?
Didn't they see Tatsumaki alone suppressed everyone, making them unable to breathe? Who would dare provoke her now?
It's just that no one knew who the person who provoked her and made her angry was.
And the culprit who provoked her in the Chat Group was currently leisurely sipping tea in another dimension.
[Ren: Misaki Shokuhou, are you sure you want to deal with this doomsday factor?]
[Ren: The enemy isn't human. It's a highly advanced civilization.]
[Misaki Shokuhou: Yes! I'm absolutely sure! I don't want to give up the chance to get stronger!]
[Misaki Shokuhou: Besides, if I don't do this, I'll never catch up to that brute. I need to crush that savage, electricity-firing girl beneath my heels!]
[Misaka Mikoto: Huh? You dare say you'll crush me? You plotting witch! I think it's necessary to give you some electrotherapy to fix that twisted personality of yours!]
[Misaki Shokuhou: Hmph. Watch me, Misaka-san. I'll show you that mental strength surpasses brute force.]
Ren watched the chat scroll by, a playful, almost sadistic look hidden in his eyes.
'She really wants to improve,' he thought, swirling his tea. 'But ambition alone doesn't bridge the gap of compatibility.'
Misaki Shokuhou is just a Level 5 Psychic, the "Mental Out." In a 1v1 against humans, she is terrifying. But a 1v5 against Synapse? Can she eliminate an army of Angeloids?
That's impossible.
Moreover, her ability is practically completely countered by Synapse's technology.
Misaki is Academy City's strongest mental ability user, ranked fifth among the Level 5s. Her ability, "Mental Out," is formidable. It handles all mental phenomena: memory reading, telepathy with distant targets, thought elimination, will amplification, thought reproduction, emotion transplantation... a versatile Psychic power like a Swiss Army knife of the mind.
These are the superficial effects of her ability.
But these are useless against Synapse's artificial mechanical angels.
Artificial angels are not human; they are pure mechanical constructs with biological components that operate on different principles.
Of course, if one deeply understood the scientific principle of Mental Out, there might be a glimmer of hope.
Regarding how "Mental Out" works, even the researchers in Academy City had significant disagreements. The long-held mainstream "Bio-electric Current Manipulation Theory" was eventually proven incorrect.
It was speculated—and later confirmed by Ren's own observation—that "Mental Out" caused various phenomena by manipulating fluids.
Specifically, it involved controlling the secretion of brain substances in the target person, as well as the proportion of fluids like blood and cerebrospinal fluid. By altering the chemical balance and fluid pressure within the brain, she could force neurons to fire in specific patterns, rewriting the mind.
This is why bio-electric current manipulation (like Misaka Mikoto's) counters her. It's not about overpowering the current; it's about controlling the fluid acting as the current's medium to alter conduction efficiency. Once a person with strong electrical abilities disrupts their own bio-electric field, Misaki Shokuhou's delicate fluid control becomes difficult to activate.
However, this potential principle of her ability... still held no meaning for the artificial angels.
Do Angeloids have cerebrospinal fluid? Do they have human neurotransmitters?
No. They run on quantum processing units and variable-wing systems. Their "fluids" are coolants and lubricants.
Ren truly wanted to see Misaki Shokuhou's expression when she realized her remote control didn't work. He wanted to see her face when she stood before the artificial angel army, against whom her abilities were useless.
It would be a good lesson. A painful one, but a necessary one.
So he typed his reply.
[Ren: Misaki Shokuhou, you come then. I'll start a live stream for you to watch your performance.]
[Ren: Don't disappoint me, Queen of Tokiwadai.]
[Misaki Shokuhou: Okay! I'll be right there! Just watch!]
In the library of Tokiwadai Middle School, a girl with long, honey-blonde hair and eyes filled with sparkling stars excitedly stood up. She clutched her remote control to her chest, her large bust heaving with anticipation.
"Hmph, Misaka Mikoto, just you wait! I will definitely surpass you today!"
She immediately tapped the holographic interface, choosing to proceed with the [Doomsday Companion] mission.
Particles of light enveloped her, and she vanished from Academy City.
…
[Location: Traditional Japanese Villa - Garden]
The wind had picked up, carrying a strange, metallic scent.
"Ren... aren't you going to deal with that thing in the sky?"
Iwanaga Kotoko leaned on her cane, looking up at the sky with wide, trembling eyes. Her single eye reflected a sight that defied all logic she held dear.
Above the clouds, piercing through the atmospheric layers, was a massive structure.
It wasn't a ship. It was an island. A floating continent of steel and light, adorned with chains and halos.
Synapse. The Sky City.
"I've mediated disputes between river spirits and giant snakes," Kotoko whispered, gripping Ren's sleeve tightly. "But that... that is beyond the scope of yokai. That is an invasion."
She had never imagined that such a thing would appear in the world. It cast a shadow over the entire region, blocking out the sun.
Her family's women—the maids, the guards—also discovered it. Panic began to spread like wildfire. One by one, they contacted Ren in their minds, their voices frantic, inquiring about the situation.
To this, Ren calmly raised his hand, sending a soothing wave of telepathic reassurance to everyone in the household.
"Don't worry. It's just a stage prop. Someone will handle it."
This was said to everyone, his voice carrying the weight of absolute authority.
He waved his hand casually. Reality bent to his will.
On the wooden deck of the villa, gazing out toward the impossible floating city, several luxurious, cushioned chairs materialized from thin air. A low table appeared between them, laden with steaming tea and traditional sweets.
"Everyone, sit. The performing guest has arrived."
Ren guided the stunned Kotoko to a chair, sitting her down before taking the seat next to her. He crossed his legs, looking like a king preparing to watch a gladiator match.
"Is this... entertainment to you?" Kotoko asked, though she settled into the chair, trusting him implicitly despite her fear.
"It's education," Ren corrected with a smirk.
Subsequently, a massive holographic screen appeared in the sky and simultaneously on the devices of every Chat Group member.
[Ding! Ren has started a live stream!]
He directly started the live stream, broadcasting the upcoming lesson to the multiverse.
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