Judgement Member.
A supernatural security organization under Academy City, it maintains social security alongside Security Officers. Its members are mostly elite Ability User students selected from various schools, specializing in handling various ability-related cases.
At this moment, Shirai Kuroko, a sixth-grade trainee Judgement Member, followed her senior to a bank outside Academy City.
"Kuroko, you must be tired from patrolling today, right? Just find a seat inside the bank and rest for a bit. I'll treat you to dessert after I withdraw some money."
"Honestly, you're still treating me like a child!"
Shirai Kuroko puffed out her cheeks and found a random seat in the bank. She turned her head lazily to glance at her senior waiting in line, then lowered her head and fell into silence.
Since her ability rating rose to Level 3 last year, her father had used all his connections to secure a spot for Shirai Kuroko to enroll in Tokiwadai.
"Congratulations on reaching Level 3. This meets the admission standards for Tokiwadai Middle School. Daughter, although our family isn't a traditional prestigious clan, doesn't that make it even more interesting?"
"Tokiwadai gathers all sorts of celebrities from across the world. Just imagine, if you can make a name for yourself in Tokiwadai, wouldn't that be like a convenience store dessert defeating a top-tier professional pastry chef?"
Her father on the computer screen, with a faint smile, placed the hopes of their family business on his daughter. Although Shirai Kuroko had little interest in Tokiwadai at the moment, she still followed her father's arrangement and nodded in agreement.
"I'll be entering Tokiwadai next spring. I really don't want to go. Will people look down on my family's business... What am I thinking? That's obviously going to happen..."
Sitting there, Shirai Kuroko opened her mouth and let out a long sigh, feeling as though her future was nothing but darkness.
After all, if she enrolled in her current state, both her family background and ability level would be considered lower-middle tier at Tokiwadai.
But!
"I, Kuroko, won't bow and scrape to those difficult young ladies. If others don't mess with me, I won't mess with them. But if someone insists on provoking me—sorry, Father, I will take action!"
As she thought, Shirai Kuroko unconsciously clenched her fists, her eyes burning with a fierce fire. Her fighting spirit made her look like the absolute male protagonist of a hot-blooded novel.
Before the senior Shirai Kuroko was waiting for could withdraw the money, a girl of the same age she knew happened to pass by and waved her hand curiously.
"What a coincidence!"
"Uiharu? Why are you here?"
"Because I'll be a middle school student next year too! The middle school I'm planning to attend is nearby, so I just came to take a look."
Hearing Uiharu's words, cold sweat broke out on Shirai Kuroko's cheeks. She realized that despite knowing Uiharu for so long, she had always thought the other girl was two or three years younger than her. She hadn't expected them to be in the same grade.
The two then naturally began chatting about their respective middle schools. Uiharu was going to Sakugawa Middle School, located outside the Academy Dormitory of District 7.
When she learned that Shirai Kuroko was entering Tokiwadai Middle School, her eyes immediately sparkled with excitement, showing a look of envy and admiration.
"Speaking of Tokiwadai, it's a top-tier elite school even within Academy City. All sorts of young ladies gather there. School life must be so elegant~"
Uiharu was from Nishi-Kasai, which is widely recognized as one of Tokyo's poor districts. Her poverty, combined with the influence of girls' novels and manga since childhood, led her to deeply admire and long for the existence of wealthy young ladies.
However, this admiration and longing would often be shattered by various incidents after Shirai Kuroko entered Tokiwadai Middle School.
Now, Shirai Kuroko, who felt the exact opposite of that longing, let out a helpless sigh. Just as she was about to complain about Tokiwadai Middle School, a man who looked like a bank robber from any perspective walked in from outside.
A minute later, a gunshot silenced the bank completely. This was immediately followed by the blaring of the bank's emergency alarm, and the shutters lowered from above, cutting off the bank's connection to the outside.
"What happened?"
Mikoto, who happened to be passing by with a Parfait in one hand, stopped in confusion. Some white cream was still stuck to the corner of her mouth, and her other hand held a portable school bag.
Beside her, walking shoulder to shoulder and also eating a Parfait, Chinatsu was even more bewildered, as if three large question marks had popped up over her head.
Is this... the part of the plot involving Shirai Kuroko?
Chinatsu swore she hadn't intentionally followed the original plot. Moreover, regarding the incident Shirai Kuroko encountered at the bank, she didn't even know the specific date it occurred.
Could this be... fate?
"Sister, let's go take a look."
Mikoto turned to look at the bank, which was now sealed by shutters. As an Electromaster, she could sense the situation inside the bank through Electromagnetic Induction.
Suddenly, Uiharu was teleported outside the bank by Shirai Kuroko's "Space Movement" ability. After performing this action, Shirai Kuroko gasped for breath, beads of sweat trickling down her cheeks.
At the Level 3 stage in sixth grade, Shirai Kuroko still had many limitations in using her ability. For instance, she couldn't forcibly move target units with the weight of an adult. Her maximum range and physical exhaustion were also consistent with the standards for Level 3.
Uiharu, who had been seized by the criminal to serve as a hostage, was transferred outside. She blinked blankly at first, then, realizing what had happened, she quickly turned and pounded on the shutters, shouting Shirai Kuroko's name.
"Space Movement? Quite the trickster!" The criminal looked at Shirai Kuroko with annoyance, pulling a metal pellet from his pocket as he spoke.
Outside the bank, hearing the situation inside getting worse, Uiharu quickly turned to the crowd on the street and cried out for help.
"There are robbers inside! A Judgement Member is also being attacked! Is there anyone, can anyone help us? Please! Please!"
Uiharu's voice moved the people walking on the street, but how could they have the ability to help against a criminal that even a Judgement Member couldn't handle?
This wasn't Tokiwadai Middle School, which had a large number of high-level Ability Users, nor was it the School Garden where celebrities gathered.
This was just an ordinary street in District 7 of Academy City. Most of the pedestrians were Level 0 Inability User and Level 1 Low-Ability Users.
However, there were two Level 5s.