After hearing everything from Dolly—
Misaka Mikoto took a deep breath.
Slowly.
Heavily.
The gratitude in her heart toward Izumi surged uncontrollably.
If not for him—
She didn't even dare imagine what fate awaited those Sisters.
By the time she learned the truth…
It might have already been too late.
At the same time, she finally understood something else—
The darkness of Academy City.
This "City of Science" she had always believed in…
Wasn't as clean as she thought.
How many secrets… are hidden beneath the surface?
Click.
The door opened once more.
Izumi stepped inside, hands in his pockets, as casual as ever.
"Looks like you've finished talking."
He glanced between the two.
"Now that you know everything… want to meet the other Sisters?"
Mikoto immediately stood up—
Then bowed deeply.
"Thank you very much, Izumi-sensei!!"
Izumi blinked… then smirked.
"Don't casually bow like that."
"…A flat girl bowing gets a bad review from me."
"…!!"
Instant explosion.
"YOU—!!"
Mikoto's face flushed red as sparks crackled around her body.
"Can you be serious for once?!"
"Give me back my emotions!!"
Izumi just chuckled, completely unfazed.
"Alright, back to the point."
"So? Want to see them?"
Mikoto hesitated—
Then shook her head.
"…No."
Her voice was quiet, but firm.
"I don't have the right to face them yet."
"…There's something more important I need to do first."
She looked straight at him.
"Can you give me the list of everyone involved in that project?"
"I'm going to make them pay."
Izumi's expression didn't change.
"…And then what?"
He tilted his head slightly.
"Are you going to kill them?"
Mikoto froze.
"K-kill…?"
Her voice wavered.
"Isn't that… too much?"
Izumi sighed.
"You're too naive."
His tone turned colder.
"If you don't have that resolve, what's the point of the list?"
"What—go beat them up a little?"
"Teach them a lesson?"
He shook his head.
"Girl, the world isn't that simple."
"If you're just going to let them off after that… it's meaningless."
There was a trace of disdain in his voice.
Mikoto fell silent.
She couldn't answer.
She was just a middle schooler—
Asking her to kill someone…
That wasn't something she could accept.
Seeing her reaction, Izumi waved it off.
"Yeah, I figured."
"Then for now—stay here and train your ability."
"When you're ready to dirty your hands…"
"Come talk to me again."
His voice softened slightly—but his words were still heavy.
"Think about what would've happened to your Sisters if I didn't interfere."
"Kindness is fine."
"But only when it's deserved."
"Otherwise… it's just hypocrisy."
Mikoto clenched her fists tightly.
Her mind replayed his words again and again.
If Izumi hadn't stepped in—
Those Sisters…
Would have been slaughtered.
Disposed of like garbage.
Her body trembled.
"…That kind of thing…"
"…shouldn't exist…"
Izumi clapped his hands lightly.
"Alright, enough of that."
"I'll assign you a teacher."
"She'll train you properly."
Snap.
Space distorted.
A figure appeared out of thin air—
A beautiful woman with long black hair tied in a ponytail.
She immediately wrapped her arms around Izumi's neck.
"Ara ara~ Izumi-kun~"
Her voice was teasing and sultry.
"Did you summon me because you missed me?"
Both Mikoto and Dolly instantly turned their heads away.
"…This is too much…"
Izumi sighed and gently pushed her back.
"Not now, Himejima Akeno."
"There are other people here."
Akeno finally noticed them.
"Oh my~?"
She smiled, eyes narrowing.
"So that's the situation?"
Then she giggled mischievously.
"You didn't summon me to give them a live demonstration, did you~?"
"I'd be a little embarrassed, you know~?"
Mikoto: "?!!"
What kind of conversation is this?!
Izumi bonked her lightly on the head.
"Stop messing around."
"Serious business."
He pointed at Mikoto.
"Train her."
"She uses lightning too."
"And fix that overly soft personality of hers."
"Teach her what the real world is like."
"Get rid of that unnecessary kindness."
Akeno's eyes gleamed.
"I see~~"
She slowly stepped toward Mikoto.
"I'll train her very well~"
She licked her lips slightly.
Mikoto instinctively took a step back.
This woman… is dangerous.
Very dangerous.
Akeno stopped in front of her and gave a graceful curtsey.
"Nice to meet you, little one."
"I am Himejima Akeno."
Her smile widened.
"…A devil."
At that moment—
Whoosh.
A pair of black, bat-like wings unfurled behind her.
Mikoto's eyes widened in shock.
"W-wings?!"
"This is… real?!"
And just like that—
Her training under a devil began.