Accelerator's expression immediately turned icy. His blood red pupils reflected naked killing intent as he stared at the one who had interfered with the experiment and openly provoked him.
"What did you just say?"
"Heh. Do I need to repeat myself? You call yourself the strongest in Academy City, yet you're nothing more than a coward who can't even face himself."
Arata shook his head, looking at Accelerator, whose aura had grown visibly unstable, with undisguised disdain. At the same time, he quietly transferred the equipment from the Misaka Sister's body into his spatial storage to prevent her from continuing the attack.
A coward. That was exactly what Accelerator was. A coward who did not dare confront himself or the world.
To avoid being "destroyed" by his own overwhelming power, he sealed his emotions deep inside and refused to reveal them to anyone. He rejected every gesture of kindness.
He convinced himself that the only way to avoid hurting others was to remain detached and unmoved at all times.
From the very beginning, he stood at Level 5, and not just any Level 5, but the top ranked Level 5. The gap in strength was so vast that a dragon could never become friends with ants.
Everyone wanted to challenge him. Yet even if he did nothing, those challengers would end up injured. Eventually, he grew tired of it.
If he could become truly "invincible," then no one would challenge him. If no one challenged him, then no one would be hurt. That was the reason he agreed to participate in the Level 6 Shift Project.
What bitter irony. In order to avoid harming others, he chose a path that required him to kill them.
He longed for the light, yet feared reaching out toward it. Instead, he clung to this distorted method.
Using darker means to conceal a fragile self esteem.
Possessing the strongest esper ability, yet lacking the courage that strength demanded.
At the worst possible time, he committed the act he would regret most, killing thousands until his mind twisted under the weight of it. If not for what would eventually happen later, he would have completely lost himself long ago.
And behind all of this stood the design of Academy City's Board Chairman, Aleister.
To manipulate someone so thoroughly and silently was truly terrifying.
Accelerator's lips curled upward into a cruel smile. His bloodshot eyes brimmed with madness and killing intent as he sneered.
"A coward? That's the first time anyone's called me that."
"Who do you think you are?"
"Among the seven Level 5 espers, I stand at the top, and you call me a coward?"
As he spoke, the corners of his mouth stretched unnaturally wide. His posture shifted subtly, like a cat toying with a mouse.
Boom. Boom.
Several dull tremors echoed outward, yet the surface of the ground showed no obvious damage at first glance. He had magnified the seismic vectors beneath the earth and directed the shockwaves toward the brat who dared provoke him.
By manipulating the vectors of seismic waves, he reproduced the very principles behind an earthquake.
Arata's expression grew serious. He immediately crouched down and pressed his palm against the ground, pouring his telekinetic power into the earth.
Boom.
A shockwave burst upward from underground. The concrete within a ten meter radius around him fractured instantly, dense spiderweb cracks spreading outward until they reached the edge of the freight platform.
"Just a casual stomp and a Level 4 Telekinesis has to defend with full strength. Ha. Vector Control really is outrageous."
Despite the danger, Arata felt no fear. Instead, excitement surged through him.
"Hey. You're pretty interesting for a Level 4."
Accelerator showed no concern. If anything, he found the situation refreshing.
"Even with the strongest ability, you lack the courage to match it. Pathetic."
Arata's tone remained laced with sarcasm. He glanced at the three star card hovering above Accelerator's head and shook his head slightly. He could not even make contact with it, so how could he seize it?
At the same time, he held onto the Misaka Sister's arm. The Imperial Arm resting against his chest emitted a faint glow, ready to activate at any moment.
"Hehe. Hahaha. A mere Level 4 dares lecture me about courage?"
Accelerator's expression twisted into something grotesque. He covered his forehead with one hand and let out a manic laugh.
Then he lowered his gaze toward the insolent brat before him.
"I'm a coward? What are you supposed to be? A god? Huh?"
He slammed his foot down.
The downward vector from that single step expanded infinitely, pulverizing the concrete beneath him. The ground shattered violently, jagged slabs and cracks racing toward Arata. Countless stone fragments shot through the air with the force of handgun bullets.
In an instant, the entire freight platform resembled a battlefield bombarded countless times.
This single move was more than enough to instantly kill any Level 4, or even several at once.
A Level 4 could easily destroy a building floor. A Level 5 could devastate an entire school district.
"Heh."
Arata grabbed the Misaka Sister without hesitation and vanished from his original position.
At that exact moment, a massive hole was blasted through the wall of a cargo warehouse behind where he had stood. Concrete debris scattered in every direction.
Windows in several nearby buildings shattered simultaneously.
"That was close."
Arata reappeared atop the nearest building, staring at the structure that had been pierced clean through. His heartbeat pounded heavily in his chest.
"Unknown individual, why are you interfering with the experiment? "
The Misaka Sister in his grasp did not resist. It seemed that because this was her first outdoor trial, she had not been issued the directive to eliminate unauthorized personnel.
"I wouldn't call this interfering. I'm saving you. Honestly, this was supposed to be a classic hero saves the damsel scenario, but I didn't receive any hero treatment. I'm a bit disappointed."
Arata smiled and held her closer.
Though she was not the original Railgun, she was identical in every way. He cared for them because of her. Even this emotionless, monotone way of speaking carried a certain charm.
A faint medicinal scent drifted into his nose.
In only eighteen days, they had grown from a single cell into fully formed human beings. It was not that they lacked hearts or emotions. They were simply unaware, never given the chance to understand.
"Save Misaka? Do you understand what you are saying? Misaka units were produced solely for the Level 6 Shift Project. Each unit costs 180,000 yen to manufacture. No matter how many are lost, more can be produced. Misaka does not understand why you use the word 'save.'"
Her expression remained blank as she spoke words that denied her own humanity.
"How can that be?"
Arata shook his head gently and reached up to rub her hair.
"In my eyes, you are a person. A real person. No matter how you were born, from the moment you came into existence, no one has the right to deny that existence or take your life at will."
He looked at her seriously.
"If you believe your existence is only for an experiment, then I believe your existence is simply waiting for someone to save you."
A/N- Hello guys, for those who have been following this novel from start will notice, the mc name has been changed to Arata.
I did this cause previous chinese name was not consistent with the story.
Using only chinese name when whole fanfiction in about Japanese, was not good for flow.
So I made changes,some abilities names also have have been changed, according to their anime. Sorry for this trouble and thanks for your support.
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Read advance chapters on p@treon
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Join disc0rd link in synopsis.
GIVE ME YOU POWER STONES.