Chapter 724: The "Mother" of Icarus and Others, Daedalus!
"I'm here!~"
A sweet, melodic voice announced her arrival.
A girl with long, honey-blonde hair and distinct starry eyes stepped gracefully into the area. She wore the prestigious uniform of Tokiwadai Middle School, accessorized with spiderweb-patterned lace gloves and a stylish shoulder bag.
It was the Level 5 Esper, the "Queen" of Tokiwadai—Misaki Shokuhou.
She blinked, her long lashes fluttering as she looked at the four people sitting leisurely on garden chairs, drinking tea as if they were on vacation.
Her head was full of questions. She had only seen Ren in the live stream before, and seeing him in person—radiating that calm, overwhelming charisma—made her heart skip a beat.
She adjusted her bag and asked, "Aren't we supposed to deal with the enemy? Why is everyone having a tea party?"
"There, it's in the sky."
Ren smiled, lowered his teacup, and pointed a finger toward the distant heavens.
"In the sky?"
Misaki Shokuhou turned around, her movement elegant and practiced.
Then, she froze.
She saw it. A colossal, mechanical structure casting a shadow over the entire city. It wasn't just a ship; it was an inverted world, a floating continent of gears and ancient technology hovering ominously above the clouds.
The Sky City—Synapse.
"..."
She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Her throat bobbed as she swallowed hard. The sheer scale of the threat was far beyond the street-level disputes of Academy City.
Iwanaga Kotoko, who was sitting next to Ren, poked his arm with her small finger.
She quietly asked, "Who is this person who suddenly appeared? Another one of your debts?"
"Misaki Shokuhou, that's her name," Ren explained, pouring a fresh cup of tea. "She is the Fifth Ranked Level 5 Esper from Academy City. She's also the one who proactively offered to resolve this incident to prove herself."
"Her? Can she do it?"
Nymph was the first to express disbelief. She scanned Misaki with her electronic eyes. "She has high biological waves, but her physical parameters are... abysmal. How could she possibly deal with Synapse?"
Misaki Shokuhou looked so slender and delicate, like a porcelain doll that would break in a strong wind.
Meanwhile, the Chat Group was buzzing with activity. The live broadcast offered a perfect view of the "Queen" facing the apocalypse.
[Silver Wolf: High-tech sky island city... interesting. The coding on that thing looks archaic yet advanced. I'd love to hack it.]
[Exusiai: Ooh! I want to know what Misaki Shokuhou's power is. Can she blow up that Sky City with one shot? Does she have a tactical nuke in that handbag?]
[Nami: Uh, Exu, not everyone likes to use guns like you, or likes to blow things up. She looks like a rich young lady.]
[Exusiai: Haha, of course I know that! It's just a vivid metaphor. Apple pie for everyone if she wins!]
[Misaka Mikoto: ...]
[Misaka Mikoto: She doesn't have that kind of firepower. Just understand it as a psychic ability similar to Mind Control. She manipulates fluids in the brain.]
[Emilia: Hmm, this kind of power should be able to directly control enemies, right? Like Puck's magic?]
[Misaka Mikoto: Hmph, it's a very annoying ability anyway. Don't trust her.]
[Tatsumaki: Tch, it's not as convenient or powerful as psychokinesis. Manipulating minds is for people too weak to throw mountains.]
[Tendou Kisara: Psychokinesis is also a type of psychic power, isn't it? Technically you're in the same category.]
[Tatsumaki: I don't care about categories! My psychokinesis is the strongest! I could twist that floating city into a pretzel!]
[Kiana: You're very brave to say 'strongest' in this Chat Group, aren't you? Even Auntie Himeko wouldn't say that.]
[Aqua: Tsk tsk tsk, this isn't bravery, this is foolishness. No matter how strong, it's not as strong as this Goddess! I am the supreme deity of water!]
[Furina: I feel... in this Chat Group, it's better to be humble. Even Lady Furina knows when to keep a low profile...]
[Rory Takakura: Mm, I strongly agree. Humility keeps you alive.]
[Ainz: Hahahaha, strongest? Ren, have you asked the big boss about that ranking?]
[Sakata Gintoki: Even if there's no big boss, there's still Shiroyasha, the second boss. You want to fight the sun?]
[Tatsumaki: ...]
Tatsumaki, sprawled on her sofa in City Z, suddenly had a flushed face. She had momentarily forgotten that the chat group contained cosmic horrors and literal demon lords.
[Shiroyasha: Oh my, I don't think 'second boss' is a good term. It sounds like I'm a mid-level dungeon encounter.]
[Sakata Gintoki: I was wrong!!! Please don't erase my existence!]
[Seitenshi: What about that Misaki Shokuhou? Is she going to be okay?]
[Misaki Shokuhou: ...]
Misaki Shokuhou, seeing the chat log float by in her vision, was currently speechless.
'If that thing falls, I will die!' she screamed internally. 'I can't stop a falling city with a remote control!'
Her ability, Mental Out, was the ultimate mastery over the human mind. But against falling rocks or debris? She had zero offensive power. She couldn't even run fast in her heels!
She stiffly turned her head, her neck creaking, and asked with a wry smile, "Ren... that island... it won't fall, will it?"
"Don't worry, it won't fall," Ren assured her, taking a sip of tea. "You need to deal with the enemies deploying from above, not the Sky City itself."
"Phew... that's good."
Misaki Shokuhou breathed a massive sigh of relief, patting her chest. "If it's just people, I can handle it. I am the Queen, after all."
Ren looked up and pointed. "There. The welcoming committee is here."
"They're here!"
Misaki Shokuhou's eyes lit up. It was her time to shine.
She reached into her bag and pulled out a television remote control. It was her trademark focal point for her powers.
"Mental Out!"
She turned around with a flourish, aiming the remote at the descending figures.
Then, she froze.
She was astonished.
Her confident expression crumbled, replaced by absolute confusion.
"???"
She stared blankly at the sky full of... beautiful angels.
Dozens of them. They had wings, halos, and bodies that looked like perfect porcelain. But their eyes were dead, glowing with cold, artificial light.
'These... aren't humans at all!'
Her ability worked by manipulating the moisture in the brain to control cerebrospinal fluid and neural signals. But these things? They felt cold to her psychic senses. There was no biological brain to hack.
"Since they're humanoid... maybe there's a chance..."
Misaki Shokuhou gritted her teeth. She couldn't back down now.
Click.
She aimed the remote control at the lead Angel and pressed the button. An invisible psychic wave shot out.
Unfortunately... it had no effect at all. The wave washed over the Angel like water off a duck's back.
The Angels stopped. In perfect unison, they raised their hands.
Hummmmm.
Devices resembling floating cannons or high-tech staves materialized in their grip. All of them began to condense searing white beams of light. The air grew hot, smelling of ozone.
"Fire!"
Pew! Pew! Pew!
Hundreds of laser bullets, each capable of melting steel, rained down towards Misaki Shokuhou.
"!!!"
Misaki Shokuhou's eyes widened like copper bells. The reflection of the deadly light filled her starry pupils.
'I'm going to die!'
This wasn't a psychic duel. This was an execution! This would definitely turn her into a hornet's nest!
In fear, abandoning all pretense of being a Queen, she subconsciously shouted, "Ren-kun!!! Save me!!!"
"You were trying to be tough just a second ago."
A calm, teasing voice whispered right next to her ear.
As Ren lightly chuckled, reality seemed to bend.
Snap.
He didn't raise a shield. He didn't fire back. He simply asserted his will.
The barrage of lethal lasers froze in mid-air, inches from Misaki's face. Then, they dissipated like sand blown by the wind, turning into harmless particles of light.
Even the countless Angels in the sky froze, locked in space by an invisible pressure.
Ren himself was already standing beside Misaki Shokuhou, one hand in his pocket.
"Ugh..."
Misaki Shokuhou's legs gave out. She slumped slightly, her pale, pretty face etched with bitterness and lingering terror.
"You... you didn't say there would be so many enemies!" she wailed, tears pricking the corners of her eyes. "And you didn't tell me they'd be immune to my abilities! That's cheating!"
She looked up and met his half-smiling expression.
Misaki Shokuhou suddenly understood.
"You... you did that on purpose to make me look bad, didn't you?! You wanted to see me panic!"
"Haha, wasn't I just trying to give you a chance to show off?" Ren laughed, reaching out to steady her. "Besides, you look cute when you're asking for help."
[Ding! Live broadcast closed!]
Ren cut the feed to preserve the privacy of what was coming next. He looked up at the Sky City, his eyes flickering with recognition.
"The Fourth one born... Icarus. You know who is up there, right?"
He suddenly spoke Icarus's name.
A pressure descended from the sky. It wasn't hostile, but it was heavy with power.
Before him, he knew a new Angel had descended.
It was Icarus, the Type Alpha. The Strategic Angel.
"Queen of the Sky!!!"
Nymph and Astrea instantly stood up, their bodies tense. They recognized the descending Angel's identity immediately. The strongest of them all.
Icarus landed softly. Her pink hair flowed in the wind, and her variable wings were folded. Her gaze lingered on Nymph and Astrea for a brief moment before settling entirely on Ren.
Her eyes were filled with complex emotions—worry, relief, and love.
Having gained emotions thanks to the timeline changes, Icarus desperately wanted to express her feelings, but she was naturally clumsy with words.
"???"
Nymph and Astrea exchanged confused glances.
Was this still the emotionless weapon of mass destruction? The "Queen of the Sky" from their terrifying memories of Synapse? She looked like a girl in love.
Icarus's lips parted, and a beautiful, soft voice replied to Ren's question.
"It is... Her."
Ren nodded slightly. "That's right. Daedalus has also been born into this world. In a sense, she is your... Mother."
"Eh???"
Nymph and Astrea exclaimed in surprise, their jaws dropping.
"Daedalus-sama?!"
They hadn't known Daedalus had been brought into this reality along with them. In Synapse, she was the elusive creator, the one who appeared only in dreams, the one who wept for their fates.
"Daedalus, you can come over now. No need to hide in the dreamscape anymore."
"Ah?"
Space distorted gently.
A beautiful woman appeared. She had four magnificent wings spreading from her back, long flowing blue hair, and wore a simple white dress that emphasized her divine elegance.
She wasn't an Artificial Angel; this was her true form. The scientist of the heavens.
"You are... Ren!"
Daedalus blinked, looking at her surroundings, then at the man standing before her.
For so long, she had watched him across dimensions, connected only by the threads of dreams and fate. She had crafted the Angels to find him, to be with him.
Daedalus looked at Ren in shock, tears welling up in her eyes.
The next second, she abandoned all reserve.
"Ren!"
She threw herself into Ren's arms, incredibly excited, weeping tears of joy.
Then, in front of everyone—in front of her "daughters"—she grabbed his face and passionately kissed him.
"???"
Misaki Shokuhou was bewildered, clutching her remote control. "Wait... what is happening? Is this a family reunion?"
"You guys..."
Just as she was about to speak, Iwanaga Kotoko appeared behind her and covered her mouth with a small hand.
"Mmph!"
Kotoko grumbled, "Please, at a time like this, just quietly watch. Haven't you ever watched a romantic drama? Don't ruin the atmosphere, or he'll throw you into the sky next."
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