Arata originally planned to head straight home, but Index said she was hungry, so he had no choice but to apologize to Komoe-sensei and skip her class. Although he had already called to explain, Komoe-sensei sounded unusually enthusiastic on the phone.
"Silly Arata, I will definitely give you extra lessons on Saturday."
Although he felt a bit troubled, he still agreed in the end. However, when he saw the silver-haired girl sitting across from him, eating without any concern for her image, he could not help but rest his chin on his hand and smile.
No matter what, he felt unusually fulfilled right now. Compared to before, it was as if he had finally found his place in this world.
"Arata, are you not going to eat?" Index asked, her mouth stuffed with food, her cheeks smeared with sauce.
"I am used to cooking for myself, so I do not have much appetite for this kind of fast food. I am more surprised that you are enjoying it so much." Arata replied helplessly. Food that was not prepared with exceptional care no longer appealed much to him.
His standards had become far too high.
"It is delicious, although not as good as what Arata makes." Index tilted her head slightly, then happily picked up another piece of sushi and put it into her mouth.
"More importantly, my wallet is taking a hit. I forgot to ask Laura Stuart to transfer some funds." Arata muttered quietly. While he had enough money to cover Index's meals, it was far from enough for everything else.
Every evening after returning home, he would routinely purchase nutritional supplies for the Misaka Sisters. After the last time he bought them clothes, it seemed that every single Sister now expected a gift from him. With over ten thousand individuals, even a small expense quickly became overwhelming.
"Tch... money will not be a problem for long." A sharp glint flashed in Arata's eyes as he prepared to begin a special operation that very night. He was about to personally stir the darkness of Academy City.
The research facility responsible for the "Level 6 Shift Project" was already under immense pressure. Because of Arata's interference, Accelerator's purpose for participating in the experiment had become unclear to the project supervisors. She had not refused outright, but she also showed no intention of cooperating. Instead, she seemed to be waiting for Arata to take the Misaka Sisters away.
This caused significant anxiety among the higher authorities. Many researchers had already abandoned the project and fled the facility. However, the leadership remained on the verge of collapse, as the Board of Directors would not permit the project to be halted.
While Arata was preparing to initiate his operation at that research facility, subtle yet important disturbances began to appear across various religious centers in Europe.
St. Peter's Basilica of the Roman Catholic Church was open to the public at certain times, but it also served many sacred purposes, including prayer, divination, prophecy, and receiving divine revelation.
Pope Matthai Reese held a crucifix in his right hand and a finely crafted silver cross in his left. His brows tightened slightly beneath his white hair as he slowly opened his solemn and authoritative eyes.
"Through divine revelation, one of the fewer than twenty Saints in the world has been born. He is located in the Far East, in a land where faith in the Lord is scarce. The revelation points to Academy City. We must bring that child back to the Vatican before other factions act."
He immediately summoned a nun from the advance unit.
"Your Holiness, what are your instructions?"
The nun knelt on one knee and spoke respectfully. She wore a black habit, her fair skin and light brown eyes giving her an energetic appearance that hinted at a mischievous personality. Her reddish-brown hair was neatly braided into three strands.
Her figure was petite and slender, almost fragile in appearance.
"Sister Agnese, la Saint of our faith has appeared in the Far East. I require you to locate him and bring him back safely," Matthai Reese said solemnly.
"Please forgive my question, but is this individual truly a Saint?" Agnese asked, raising her head in surprise.
"Yes. However, the location is complicated, as it involves Academy City, the center of scientific development. If the Saint is indeed within Academy City, you will enter under civilian identities as tourists. At that time, you will receive no direct support from the Church," Matthai Reese explained.
"Academy City... the largest gathering place of heretics." Agnese's expression became serious. "A Saint must not fall into their hands. I will risk my life to bring him back."
"Wear this spiritual item. It will react when you approach a Saint." Matthai Reese handed her a silver cross.
"Sister Agnese, be cautious."
"Yes."
"I shall act in accordance with the will of God." Agnese responded devoutly before swiftly departing from St. Peter's Basilica.
On that very day, thirty-six members of Agnese's unit boarded a cruise ship bound for Japan.
Meanwhile, Arata returned to Academy City with Index at around four in the afternoon. After settling her at home, he took out a notebook from his storage ability and began writing down his plan of action.
"It seems the first target should be the Seventh Pharmaceutical Research Center. It is the largest production base for the Misaka Sisters."
Using telekinesis, Arata lifted himself into the air, and his figure vanished instantly from that location. He had already placed a spatial marker there on the day his ability first awakened.
District 7. The Seventh Pharmaceutical Research Center. It had originally been used for the "Mass Production Ability User Project." The individual in charge here was Amata Kihara, the one who had nearly caused Accelerator's death in the original timeline.
The facility covered an area even larger than a school campus, but such scale meant nothing before a Level 5 telekinetic ability.
It was already dusk. The ordinary researchers who were not involved in the "Level 6 Shift Project" had already left. The entire facility felt eerily quiet as the setting sun cast a red glow over everything.
Arata landed silently on the rooftop and surveyed the surroundings. A faint smile appeared on his lips as his telekinetic power expanded outward, forming an invisible barrier that enveloped the entire facility.
The barrier completely isolated sound and prevented any external interference. Breaking through it would require firepower on the level of a high-output missile.
After completing these preparations, he made his way to the ground floor where the underground elevator was located. Gathering telekinetic force into his hand, the surrounding air began to distort. He clenched his fist and aimed forward.
"Alright. The first round begins."
...
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.