In Academy City, the Paradise Project begins.

Page 109

"Senior, if I were to advance to Level 3, what level of achievement would I be able to reach?"

The ability "Air Force Master" is not a rare type in Academy City, but depending on each person's development direction and application, even users of the same type of ability can produce vastly different effects.

Higashino glanced at her sideways, unsure of the direction in which Ruiko's abilities were evolving.

"Maybe it could stir up an even bigger storm?"

He spoke deliberately in a teasing tone, looking at Ruiko's cheeks, which were slightly puffed up with dissatisfaction.

"That's too ordinary!"

Ruiko puffed out her cheeks and then excitedly began to gesture, making a signature move like Mikoto using the Railgun.

"I want something cooler, like... a railgun like Misaka-senpai's! Or teleportation like Shirai-san's!"

Higashino chuckled and reached out to tuck a strand of her wind-blown hair behind her ear: "Then you'll have to learn how to generate electricity first. Hmm, wind power generation seems like a possibility?"

His palm gently brushed against her earlobe, causing the girl's ear tips to turn slightly red.

"And your ability can't do things like teleportation, but flying should be possible."

Just as Ruiko was about to retort, suddenly—

"boom--!!!"

A deafening explosion came from not far away, and the ground trembled slightly.

The two men turned their heads simultaneously and saw thick smoke billowing from the entrance of a bank about fifty meters ahead, with shards of glass flying everywhere. Several masked robbers, armed with guns, rushed out. One of them was carrying a bulging sack on his shoulder, while another was roughly grabbing a bank employee by the hair.

"Don't move! Everyone, get down!"

The lead robber shouted, pointing his gun at the panicked passersby. His accomplices quickly scattered, one of them jumping onto a motorcycle that was already prepared, the engine roaring loudly.

Ruiko's eyes widened, and she instinctively gripped Higashino Yu's arm tightly: "...Another bank robbery?"

Her voice was filled with disbelief, after all, this was the second time she had encountered a similar incident.

The last time she encountered a bank robbery was when she first met Misaka Mikoto. If Mikoto hadn't intervened, she would likely have been injured. Therefore, she has a somewhat reactive reaction to things like bank robberies.

Higashino raised an eyebrow, his gaze sweeping between the robbers and the panicked crowd around him: "Wow, a hero should step in and take down the criminals at a time like this."

His tone was so relaxed, as if he were discussing the weather, showing no sign of tension whatsoever.

They were just a few robbers; even if his hands and feet were tied, they wouldn't pose the slightest threat to him.

Ruiko was taken aback and turned to look at Higashino, thinking he was about to intervene. However, Higashino simply smiled slightly and patted her shoulder: "Go, Ruiko, go and deal with the criminal."

He said it as if it were a matter of course, as simple as saying "go buy a drink."

"I?!"

Tears pointed to herself, her large, dark eyes filled with disbelief.

Putting aside the fact that she was wearing a cheongsam and high heels that made it difficult for her to move around, even if she were fully armed, she wouldn't be a match for an armed robber, right?

She even wondered if her senior had lost his mind, how could he say something so outrageous while laughing?

"I only became a Level 2 today! I haven't even figured out how to use my abilities, and I don't even know how to fight. You don't expect me to rush in and beat these robbers to death with a bunch of punches, do you?!"

Ruiko rolled her eyes at Higashino with annoyance.

"It's ok."

Higashino Yu's pupils gleamed slightly with a silvery light, and the vertical lines in his pupils flashed by. He reached out and gently grasped Ruiko's wrist.

"I have temporarily raised your ability to Level 4, although it will only last a few minutes, but that's enough. I've also temporarily improved your proficiency in using your ability."

Tears welled up as a warm current spread from her wrist, and an unprecedented power surged through her body. The surrounding air seemed to become incredibly clear; she could "see" the air currents moving around her, and even "grab" them. This wondrous sensation made her involuntarily open her five fingers, and a tiny whirlwind immediately formed in her palm, swirling and rising upwards.

"This...this is..."

She looked at her hand in surprise, and tried to move her fingers. The whirlwind immediately intensified, gently lifting a corner of her skirt. She hurriedly pressed down on the slit of her cheongsam, her cheeks flushed.

Although she was wearing safety shorts, being stared at like that still made her a little shy. And this annoying senior seemed to have a foot fetish, staring at her exposed thighs rather frequently, which made her even more embarrassed.

"You've been enhanced! Go... defeat evil!"

Higashino smiled and encouraged her, reaching out to tidy her bangs that had been ruffled by the wind.

He almost said "Go and deliver it quickly" instead.

"I believe in you. These enemies you couldn't face in the past are now the stepping stones for your progress today."

Ruiko's involvement in the bank robbery occurred before Higashino's travels.

I never expected that something similar would happen on my date today, allowing Ruiko to play a crucial role in the same situation. Isn't that interesting?

It also helps resolve a pent-up frustration, making it a win-win situation.

Ruizi took a deep breath, feeling the power flowing within her. She glanced down at her high heels, then suddenly had a brilliant idea and lightly snapped her fingers. A surge of energy immediately supported her feet, making walking as smooth as flat ground. She clenched her fist, her eyes hardening: "Okay! I'll try!"

She stepped forward, her high heels clicking silently on the ground; she had cleverly used the airflow to isolate all sounds.

The robbers were taking hostages and preparing to leave, completely unaware that a young woman in a cheongsam was approaching.

"Hey! Kid! Don't come any closer! Or I'll shoot!"

When Leizi was very close to the robbers, one of them finally spotted her and immediately raised his pistol to threaten her.

Leizi didn't stop walking. Although she was a little nervous, she calmly looked at the robber.

She gave a sly smile: "Excuse me, sir robbers, but in order to show you a different side of myself, could you please let me defeat you?"

Her voice was clear and melodious, standing out exceptionally well in the chaotic street.

The next second, she suddenly raised her hand.

"call--!!!"

The two strolled leisurely along the shopping street. Every now and then, Leizi would look down at the star bracelet on her wrist, and the corners of her mouth would involuntarily turn up.

This wasn't the first time she'd received a gift from Higashino, but since it was their first date alone, and a gift to celebrate his skill advancement, it held even greater significance.

"Senior, if I were to advance to Level 3, what level of achievement would I be able to reach?"

The ability "Air Force Master" is not a rare type in Academy City, but depending on each person's development direction and application, even users of the same type of ability can produce vastly different effects.

Higashino glanced at her sideways, unsure of the direction in which Ruiko's abilities were evolving.

"Maybe it could stir up an even bigger storm?"

He spoke deliberately in a teasing tone, looking at Ruiko's cheeks, which were slightly puffed up with dissatisfaction.

"That's too ordinary!"

Ruiko puffed out her cheeks and then excitedly began to gesture, making a signature move like Mikoto using the Railgun.

"I want something cooler, like... a railgun like Misaka-senpai's! Or teleportation like Shirai-san's!"

Higashino chuckled and reached out to tuck a strand of her wind-blown hair behind her ear: "Then you'll have to learn how to generate electricity first. Hmm, wind power generation seems like a possibility?"

His palm gently brushed against her earlobe, causing the girl's ear tips to turn slightly red.

"And your ability can't do things like teleportation, but flying should be possible."

Just as Ruiko was about to retort, suddenly—

"boom--!!!"

A deafening explosion came from not far away, and the ground trembled slightly.

The two men turned their heads simultaneously and saw thick smoke billowing from the entrance of a bank about fifty meters ahead, with shards of glass flying everywhere. Several masked robbers, armed with guns, rushed out. One of them was carrying a bulging sack on his shoulder, while another was roughly grabbing a bank employee by the hair.

"Don't move! Everyone, get down!"

The lead robber shouted, pointing his gun at the panicked passersby. His accomplices quickly scattered, one of them jumping onto a motorcycle that was already prepared, the engine roaring loudly.

Ruiko's eyes widened, and she instinctively gripped Higashino Yu's arm tightly: "...Another bank robbery?"

Her voice was filled with disbelief, after all, this was the second time she had encountered a similar incident.

The last time she encountered a bank robbery was when she first met Misaka Mikoto. If Mikoto hadn't intervened, she would likely have been injured. Therefore, she has a somewhat reactive reaction to things like bank robberies.

Higashino raised an eyebrow, his gaze sweeping between the robbers and the panicked crowd around him: "Wow, a hero should step in and take down the criminals at a time like this."

His tone was so relaxed, as if he were discussing the weather, showing no sign of tension whatsoever.

They were just a few robbers; even if his hands and feet were tied, they wouldn't pose the slightest threat to him.

Ruiko was taken aback and turned to look at Higashino, thinking he was about to intervene. However, Higashino simply smiled slightly and patted her shoulder: "Go, Ruiko, go and deal with the criminal."

He said it as if it were a matter of course, as simple as saying "go buy a drink."

"I?!"

Tears pointed to herself, her large, dark eyes filled with disbelief.

Putting aside the fact that she was wearing a cheongsam and high heels that made it difficult for her to move around, even if she were fully armed, she wouldn't be a match for an armed robber, right?

She even wondered if her senior had lost his mind, how could he say something so outrageous while laughing?

"I only became a Level 2 today! I haven't even figured out how to use my abilities, and I don't even know how to fight. You don't expect me to rush in and beat these robbers to death with a bunch of punches, do you?!"

Ruiko rolled her eyes at Higashino with annoyance.

"It's ok."

Higashino Yu's pupils gleamed slightly with a silvery light, and the vertical lines in his pupils flashed by. He reached out and gently grasped Ruiko's wrist.

"I have temporarily raised your ability to Level 4, although it will only last a few minutes, but that's enough. I've also temporarily improved your proficiency in using your ability."

Tears welled up as a warm current spread from her wrist, and an unprecedented power surged through her body. The surrounding air seemed to become incredibly clear; she could "see" the air currents moving around her, and even "grab" them. This wondrous sensation made her involuntarily open her five fingers, and a tiny whirlwind immediately formed in her palm, swirling and rising upwards.

"This...this is..."

She looked at her hand in surprise, and tried to move her fingers. The whirlwind immediately intensified, gently lifting a corner of her skirt. She hurriedly pressed down on the slit of her cheongsam, her cheeks flushed.

Although she was wearing safety shorts, being stared at like that still made her a little shy. And this annoying senior seemed to have a foot fetish, staring at her exposed thighs rather frequently, which made her even more embarrassed.

"You've been enhanced! Go... defeat evil!"

Higashino smiled and encouraged her, reaching out to tidy her bangs that had been ruffled by the wind.

He almost said "Go and deliver it quickly" instead.

"I believe in you. These enemies you couldn't face in the past are now the stepping stones for your progress today."

Ruiko's involvement in the bank robbery occurred before Higashino's travels.

I never expected that something similar would happen on my date today, allowing Ruiko to play a crucial role in the same situation. Isn't that interesting?

It also helps resolve a pent-up frustration, making it a win-win situation.

Ruizi took a deep breath, feeling the power flowing within her. She glanced down at her high heels, then suddenly had a brilliant idea and lightly snapped her fingers. A surge of energy immediately supported her feet, making walking as smooth as flat ground. She clenched her fist, her eyes hardening: "Okay! I'll try!"

She stepped forward, her high heels clicking silently on the ground; she had cleverly used the airflow to isolate all sounds.

The robbers were taking hostages and preparing to leave, completely unaware that a young woman in a cheongsam was approaching.

"Hey! Kid! Don't come any closer! Or I'll shoot!"

When Leizi was very close to the robbers, one of them finally spotted her and immediately raised his pistol to threaten her.

Leizi didn't stop walking. Although she was a little nervous, she calmly looked at the robber.

She gave a sly smile: "Excuse me, sir robbers, but in order to show you a different side of myself, could you please let me defeat you?"

Her voice was clear and melodious, standing out exceptionally well in the chaotic street.

The next second, she suddenly raised her hand.

"call--!!!"

A powerful whirlwind suddenly erupted, and before the robbers could react, their weapons were swept away by the wind and slammed against a distant wall. The hostages seized the opportunity to break free and scrambled towards safety.

"What the hell?!"

The lead robber roared and drew a dagger from his waist, lunging forward. Lei Zi calmly dodged to the side, and with a flick of her finger, an invisible current immediately wrapped around the robber's wrist, forcing him to point the dagger at his accomplice.

"Boss! What are you doing?!"

"Another robber shouted in terror."

"It wasn't me... my hand moved by itself!"

The bandit leader struggled desperately, but couldn't control his body at all. Tears curled her lips slightly, her fingers moving gracefully like a conductor conducting an orchestra. To the horrified eyes of her companions, the bandit used a dagger to cut his own belt.

"Whoa! A monster! That damned ability user!"