One-way traffic

The four of them walked together on this street.

Two of them wore the same school uniform, as did two others, creating a unique quartet that drew the attention of everyone around them.

The girl with the flower wreath on her head couldn't help but start to wonder.

"How could such a massive facility be built overnight? What technology was used...?"

"That's one thing, but there are also rumors that it's an experiment conducted by Academy City using alien technology. So, it's possible that this so-called amusement park is actually an experimental project created by Academy City to test alien technology!"

"Please stop joking, Saten-san... Even if aliens really exist, they certainly wouldn't be in Academy City."

"Huh? Why is Shirai-san so sure?"

"Do you think that if such things really existed, they could still be safely roaming around Academy City? It would be a miracle if the researchers involved didn't dissect them!"

"Yes, that's true. But... it seems there are rumors about things like 'mysterious life forms on Mars,' 'undead creatures actually live in windowless buildings,' and even 'angels appeared in Academy City on September 30th, and at the same time, demons with black wings appeared in Academy City.'"

"The first two might be somewhat possible, but the last one is completely beyond the scope of science!"

"Hmm... I do remember seeing a strange white band of light that day, but I didn't see any black wings or anything..."

"It's said that someone even filmed a video, apparently recording a demon with black wings shooting out from behind blasting something it was attacking out of the atmosphere. Apparently, the initial velocity was dozens of times the speed of sound!"

"Ten times the speed of sound... If a demon that could travel at that speed really existed, it could probably destroy the world in no time. It must be just a rumor!"

The four girls discussed the topic without permission, and then each of them denied it on their own.

"—But even if there really are some kind of demons, it doesn't matter! Onee-sama's Railgun is an absolutely powerful force that can defeat any enemy, even a demon with black wings!"

"Haha...that's true."

Standing to one side, a girl with long, straight black hair couldn't help but chuckle, as could the girl with the flower wreath on the other side.

There are four people speaking here.

The two girls, Saten Ruiko and Uiharu Kazari, are from the same school, and beside them are two other individuals with even more unique identities.

In the school district of the seventh school, there is a girls' school known as Tokiwadai Middle School, a private, elite institution.

The two people in front of me are among the students there, and their identities are not just limited to that.

"Speaking of which, it was early spring."

The short-haired girl with chestnut-colored hair quickly shifted her gaze to the girl with the flower crown.

To be precise, it should be her right arm.

"Is your arm... really okay? I heard you were injured while on duty a few days ago. In this situation, it would be best to rest at home for a while, wouldn't it?"

"Huh? No, it's okay, Misaka-senpai! Although it was really serious at first, after resting for so many days, it's almost time to remove the cast!"

Shiori Ueharu's right arm was wrapped in a pure plaster cast, an injury sustained a few days earlier by someone in an incident.

Although Misaka Mikoto and the others wanted to find the person as soon as they learned about it, they were unable to find any relevant information, whether they relied on the so-called Disciplinary Committee's search network or other investigative methods. Even when they asked Uiharu Kazari herself, she just brushed them off with the words that "the other party has already suffered the consequences they deserved."

"Ah... I wish I had been there back then."

The girl with short chestnut hair sighed and spoke in a somewhat heavy tone.

"If I were the third one, I would do everything in my power to protect you from getting hurt, no matter what."

Misaka Mikoto is the third-ranked Level 5 ...

This is the identity of the girl; it can be said that she is the strongest electric shock-type ability user in Academy City.

If she, ranked third, were to fight, she would likely achieve considerable success. In fact, she might not be able to find a suitable opponent even if she searched the entire Academy City. Level 5 espers are that kind of powerful individuals.

—If we disregard even stronger monsters that exceed the limits.

"It's okay, Misaka-senpai. The cast will probably be removed in a couple of days, so there's no need to worry."

Shiori chuckled lightly, seemingly indicating that she was truly alright.

"Thinking back to a time when you seemed to have risked your life to do something similar, that must have been the time you single-handedly brought a satellite navigation car to a stop at 120 kilometers per hour, right?"

"Um, that... hahaha..."

"Sigh... I really don't know what to say to you. Don't always get yourself involved in such dangerous situations, really."

On one side, a twin-tailed girl named Shirai Kuroko, whose identity is also a member of the Disciplinary Committee like Uiharu Kazari, said this with a helpless expression.

"Alright, alright, since we've all come out to enjoy ourselves, let's not talk about these things anymore, shall we?"

Saten Ruiko, who was standing nearby, quickly came over and pointed ahead, saying something.

"Look, it seems like there's an event going on over there."

"Activity…?"

The other three girls followed her gaze and looked over—ah, there was indeed an event being held.

That must be an ice cream truck. There were quite a few people gathered around it, and you could also see the sign on the front of the truck.

"Buy more than three ice cream scoops to win a limited edition Gekota pendant, which can be used to decorate your bag or as a phone charm. Limited quantities available... It's Gekota?!"

"It seems like similar events are being held quite often lately. I heard that on September 30th, the underground mall also held an event where couples could wear phone charms."

"Huh? Saten-san actually knows about this kind of thing."

"Well, I just happened to see it while searching for urban legends online. I'm not really interested in it."

While Saten Ruiko and Uiharu Kazari were discussing the topic, Shirai Kuroko just shrugged indifferently.

"Whether it's Frog or Dizzy, those amphibians are just things kids like. We're already in middle school, so there's really no need for us to care about these things."

"Aren't you right? Big sister—wait, big sister...?"

Shirai Kuroko turned her head, intending to say this to Misaka Mikoto, but was stunned by the expression on her face.

—That was practically starry-eyed.

"Saten, Hatsuharu, Kuroko."

“Yes, yes!”

"Please, you absolutely have to come with me and buy at least three ice cream cones. There are four of us, aren't there? Please! This is my lifelong request!!"

"Sis, my dear sister! You wouldn't happen to be interested in these amphibians, would you?! My perfect image of my elegant, young lady-like sister has completely shattered!!"

Seeing the two people in front of them scream in surprise, Saten Ruiko and Uiharu Kazari couldn't help but take a step back.

"...As expected, powerful ability users all have some...strange tendencies."

"Haha... Yes, you're right..."

——————————————————————————————————————————————

Although they were deeply moved by this, they would still grant the request since it was made by Misaka Mikoto, a respectable person.

The four of them lined up at the back of the queue. There weren't many people in the queue, and each of them could buy an ice cream scoop to put on the cone, perfectly meeting the requirement of having more than three ice cream scoops to lick.

"But then again, eating ice cream in this kind of weather is really a bit strange."

Shiori Chuchun couldn't help but sigh.

"Well, it's mid-October after all, so it's still winter."

"A lot has happened this past month..."

Although the three people behind her were discussing other things, Misaka Mikoto herself had long lost interest in joining the discussion.

'They're here... Only one person left—!'

"Welcome! May I ask, miss—"

"Please give me four ice cream cones, one strawberry, one chocolate, one vanilla, and one honeydew melon. Most importantly, please give me the Gekota pendant! Thank you!!"

A string of tongue twisters nearly gave the ice cream shop owner a heart attack and caused him to fall ill on the spot.

He quickly wiped away his cold sweat, and looked at Misaka Mikoto, who was full of expectation, with a wry smile.

"Miss, you must really want the Gekota pendant, right...?"

"Yes! Oh no, no—! Ahhh, anyway, I'm neither!"

Seeing Misaka Mikoto's conflicted expression, unsure whether or not to reveal her fetish, the shop owner's expression became even more troubled.

"That's right, Miss."

"Um... that was the last Gekota pendant we just saw, so the event here is now... over."

"……Eh?"

So that means we can't get it?

Misaka Mikoto stood there, motionless, like a computer that had been left offline.

"Um, Misaka-senpai—?"

"Big sister! Cheer up! You can't give up just because of some mere amphibian!"

It didn't matter what happened to Shirai Kuroko and Haruharu Ueharu; Misaka Mikoto stood there like a statue, clearly in a state of AFK—no, even a state of being frozen.

For ice cream shop owners, things have become even more difficult.

"…that?"

Then, at times like this.

A soft response came from nearby, causing the three girls to turn around immediately.

"...Huh? Who are you...?"

That was a figure that was somewhat familiar to Chu Chun Shili.

She was dressed in a sailor-style outfit with cherry blossom-colored trim, and white over-the-knee socks. Her delicate-looking face was full of worry.

And it seemed that two petite figures were following closely behind her.

"Whoa! Hatsune Miku, you actually ran into Onee-sama?!" Misaka Misaka looked at Onee-sama, who seemed to have frozen in shock, with some surprise!

"Huh? Do you know her?"

"This lady looks so pitiful... Is she alright?"

Upon seeing the three people who had suddenly appeared beside them, the three members of the group of four couldn't help but freeze in place.

However, Misaka Mikoto caught a glimpse of something Hatsune Miku was holding out of the corner of her eye.

"Um... miss, are you absolutely determined to get this pendant?"

She removed the pendant that had been hanging in front of her blue and white phone; it was a limited-edition pendant belonging to a frog spirit.

"This was a free gift when we bought the ice cream. Please accept it if you'd like."

"Eh...? Is it... okay?!"

Bilibili—you could even vaguely see a blue and white spark flashing across Misaka Mikoto's forehead, and she turned around like a frog.

"Is it really okay? Um... if this is something important to you—"

"Um...it's okay, the child next to me has already agreed to let you have this."

Misaka Mikoto turned her head and looked at the petite figure next to Hatsune Miku.

"Eh--?!"

"Ah...this child seems to resemble my older sister somewhat."

"It's not just somewhat similar, it's practically identical! My dear sister, could this be your long-lost younger sister?!"

"I don't have such a strange setting! But, but come to think of it, why is such a short person here?"

Misaka Mikoto remembers seeing this model of Misaka Sister in the underground shopping mall on September 30th, but... why is she here?

And why did he follow this girl?

"Ah! I remember now, aren't you Hatsune Miku and the ahoge girl?"

"It's that Haru-neechan from that day! And Misaka is Last Order, not some weird name like 'Ahoge-mei'! Misaka Misaka proudly proclaimed the majesty of her name!"

Oh no! The scene seems to have suddenly become chaotic!

Misaka Mikoto, the person involved, couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat. Explaining things at this moment would be too troublesome, and—she absolutely couldn't let Kuroko and the others know about the existence of the sisters.

"Yes, right! Although this child looks a lot like me, she's just my distant cousin!"

"...Is that so?"