"So that's how it is. You caught her that easily," Yuuya stood up, walking over to the corner of the RV. He squatted down and looked at Therestina, rubbing his chin playfully as he spoke.
"Therestina Kihara Lifeline. Granddaughter of the pioneer of AIM research in Academy City. You were once used by your own grandfather as a test subject for his Ability Crystal experiments, hoping to reach Level 6. Unfortunately, you failed. Now, if you hand over the 'First Sample' of the Ability Crystal to me, I might consider letting you go."
With that, Yuuya ripped the heavy duct tape off Theristina's mouth.
"So that's why I was kidnapped by a rogue Dark Side unit," Therestina gasped, catching her breath. Instead of panicking, she stared back at him with an extremely calm, mocking look on her face. "Pfft. You investigated very thoroughly, brat. The Eighth Level 5. The Multi-Skill user, Takahashi Yuuya. Ranked first in the latest Esper Quality Assessment, and the subject predicted to reach Level 6 within three months."
"Oh well. It seems Aleister has a very clear understanding of my capabilities," Yuuya shrugged, unsurprised.
He had already seen that classified file when he hacked the database. To publicly explain Yuuya's rapidly increasing, anomalous power, Aleister had manipulated his file, noting that Yuuya was undergoing a rapid shift and would naturally become the first Level 6 within three months.
And realistically, that wasn't a lie. With the rate he was farming points, he would definitely reach Level 6 power within three months—he had already broken into the Level 5 tier in just a few days, after all.
However, Mugino Shizuri and the other girls in the RV were utterly shocked by the conversation.
Level 6?! He is predicted to become a Level 6 within three months?! No wonder he was so terrifyingly strong. No wonder no one could resist him. Mugino had fought him personally and deeply understood that suffocating feeling of absolute powerlessness.
"You'll definitely become a Level 6! Hehehe... HAHAHA!" Therestina began to laugh maniacally. "I didn't expect you to come looking for me before I even came looking for you! But... if you're so sure you'll become a Level 6 naturally, why are you asking me for the First Sample? Are you worried that I'll create a second Level 6 and threaten your status as Aleister's most precious guinea pig?!"
Therestina's face twisted into an incredibly ugly, deranged sneer. It was a classic "Kihara" expression—features distorted by a sickening mix of scientific excitement and pure madness.
"I understand," Therestina gloated. "Unique items are the most valuable. It's understandable that you want to steal my crystallization to ensure your monopoly on Level 6. But do you really think you've won?"
Yuuya looked expressionlessly at Therestina's contorted, ugly face.
"You really are an ugly sight. I hate people like you," Yuuya sighed.
SMACK!
A crisp, echoing sound rang out through the RV.
Therestina stared blankly, her head whipped to one side. A burning red handprint appeared on her cheek. After she finally processed what had just happened, she glared at Yuuya, her features twisting with pure rage. She gritted her teeth. "You little brat! How dare you hit me!"
"A prisoner should act like a prisoner. Do you not understand your situation?" Yuuya said, a hint of dark malice leaking from his half-closed eyes. "I usually don't like hitting women, but I have absolutely no qualms about hurting a hopelessly rotten hag like you."
The entire RV went eerily silent. Frenda, sweating profusely, swallowed hard.
"Tell me where the crystal is. Just say it," Yuuya demanded.
"You brat... do you think a simple threat will make me hand over my life's work? Heh! You have absolutely no idea what kind of trouble you've just stepped into, you precious little Multi-Skill freak," Therestina spat disdainfully, her tone filled with arrogant superiority.
It seemed the Kihara family didn't even consider Level 5s to be genuine threats. To them, Espers were just rare guinea pigs waiting to be dissected.
"And that's exactly why we need a professional. This stubborn hag is impossible to deal with through normal interrogation," Yuuya sighed, looking utterly defeated by her sheer delusion. A twisted researcher who wasn't afraid of death was immune to standard physical threats.
"Frenda, seal her mouth shut again."
"O-Okay! Okay, this is my specialty!" Frenda shivered, quickly grabbing the roll of heavy-duty tape. She hurried over and began wrapping it around Therestina's head.
"Get your hands off me, you brat—! Mmph! Damn it, I'll strap all of you to an operating table sooner or later—! MMMMPH!"
Smack!
Taking advantage of the target being bound, Frenda imitated Yuuya and slapped Therestina across the face.
"A prisoner dares to threaten me?! Take that!" Frenda huffed proudly, feeling incredibly brave now that the target was helpless.
In retaliation, Frenda aggressively wrapped Therestina's entire head in silver duct tape like a mummy, only leaving two tiny holes for her nostrils so she could breathe.
"MMMMMPH!" Therestina thrashed violently on the floor.
"Oh wow, she's been tied up like a mummy! This is so much fun, hehehe!" Sakuragi Naru giggled casually from the sofa. "Are we going to kill her later, Captain?"
"In a bit. We're going to have Shokuhou brainwash her and turn her into a model, obedient citizen of Academy City first," Yuuya said, flicking Naru lightly on the forehead.
"Owie!" Naru covered her head, pouting. "But wouldn't it be too merciful of us to just let her go after that?"
"Eat your food and be quiet," Yuuya said, stuffing a french fry into Naru's mouth.
'Shokuhou...?'
Iisu Rita's lips twitched slightly. 'The Captain even knows Shokuhou Misaki, the Number Five?! Are all the Level 5 monsters connected to each other?!'
But thinking about it carefully, it made terrifying sense. They were all Level 5s, so it was inevitable they shared a social circle. Furthermore, if the Captain was truly destined to become a Level 6, the others would naturally flock to him.
'Now I finally understand why the Number Four didn't dare to talk back to him,' Rita deduced, sweating bullets. 'Even the Number One, Accelerator, is taking orders from him. He's assembling a pantheon.'
"MMMMPH!" Therestina froze when she heard Shokuhou Misaki's name. She began to make desperate whimpering sounds, writhing on the floor like a trapped insect. She knew exactly what Mental Out could do to her brain.
"Look, look! This supposed 'adult' seems scared now! Twisting and turning like an earthworm! It's so funny, hehehe," Naru pointed at Therestina, laughing without any restraint.
At that moment, Yuuya's smartphone rang.
"Hey! I've arrived. Where are you?" Shokuhou Misaki's honey-sweet voice rang out.
"We're in parking space number 36. The RV door is open," Yuuya replied.
A moment later, the sound of high heels echoing on the concrete approached. A woman dressed in a sharp, white-collar business suit walked up to the RV door. Her eyes, however, were glazed over, sparking with the golden, four-pointed star pattern signature to Mental Out.
"You actually sent a mind-controlled civilian to scout the area? Don't you trust me at all?" Yuuya asked speechlessly, looking at the proxy.
"There's no other way! It's better to be careful," Shokuhou's playful voice came from the white-collar worker's mouth as she peeked into the carriage. "After all, it's so late, and it's highly dangerous for a delicate girl like me who can't even lift a heavy bag."
The proxy's eyes swept over the interior of the RV.
"With so many sketchy people around, I think I'd better just stay put in my hiding spot for my own safety. You really give me the creeps, Takahashi. Have you seriously already taken action to build your shameless Dark Side harem?!"
Two hundred meters away, hiding safely in a parked sedan, the real Shokuhou Misaki was clutching her forehead. 'This guy is really awful! A complete pervert! Look at all those girls!'
"You're being troublesome. Let me help you out," Yuuya's lips curled up into a smirk.
He locked onto her electromagnetic signature 200 meters away and snapped his fingers casually.
Snap.
Instantly, a beautiful blonde girl with starry, golden eyes materialized out of thin air, stumbling directly into the center of the RV.
Shokuhou Misaki blinked, completely stunned by the sudden change in her environment. She looked around at the heavily armed Dark Side operatives staring at her.
"E-Eh...?"
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