35

"Wait, Sister-sama!?" Shirai Kuroko, seeing Misaka Mikoto on the verge of losing control, instantly teleported behind her and embraced her.

"Mmm-hmm~" Shirai Kuroko, zapped numb by the electricity from Misaka Mikoto's body, let out a strange sound, her pretty face flushing crimson.

Hearing Shirai Kuroko's strange sound brought Misaka Mikoto back to her senses, realizing the foolishness of her actions. She quickly withdrew the electricity and pulled Shirai Kuroko, who was draped over her, in front of her.

"What's going on? And why are you so injured? Are you okay, Shirai Kuroko!" Misaka Mikoto looked at Shirai Kuroko with deep concern.

"Wuwuwu~ It hurts so much, Sister-sama~" Shirai Kuroko climbed up, hugging Misaka Mikoto's waist, rubbing her pretty face against a certain flat surface, her face red, a trickle of drool at the corner of her mouth. Rinko Yuriko and Haruue Erii, standing nearby, broke out in a sweat.

"You, you scoundrel!?" Electricity sparked on Misaka Mikoto's forehead, but she couldn't unleash it. Her chest heaved, making Shirai Kuroko enjoy it even more.

Seeing this, Misaka Mikoto, exasperated, raised her hand and punched her on the head!

"So painful!?" Shirai Kuroko, clutching her head, looked at Misaka Mikoto with a pitiful expression. Misaka Mikoto ignored her, instead pointing at Rinko Yuriko and shouting,

"Let go of my friend! Do you want to fight again, you scoundrel!?"

'Fight again?' Shirai Kuroko and Haruue Erii were both startled. It seemed the two had some history.

"Wait, Misaka-san, Saten Ruiko's unconsciousness has nothing to do with Rinko Yuriko!" Haruue Erii quickly stepped between them, trying to mediate.

"What do you mean?" Misaka Mikoto asked after hearing this, her gaze towards Rinko Yuriko still filled with hostility.

"Tch, boring. The records are done, right? Can I leave now?" Rinko Yuriko pushed Saten Ruiko towards Haruue Erii, clicking her tongue in displeasure. She ignored Misaka Mikoto's gaze and walked towards the door.

Seeing this, Misaka Mikoto subconsciously became wary, but she didn't activate her Item. After all, the space was too small, and using her Item could easily cause collateral damage, not to mention Accelerator also possessed Vector Manipulation. If she attacked, only Shirai Kuroko and the others would get hurt.

Just as the two girls passed each other, Rinko Yuriko calmly asked,

"You know that guy's contact information, right?"

"Hmph, do you think I'd tell you?" Misaka Mikoto naturally knew who Rinko Yuriko was referring to and would never give her Rhode's contact information.

"Tch, ugh...!!!" Rinko Yuriko scoffed, no longer intending to bother with Misaka Mikoto. She turned to look at the door, but the sudden appearance of a figure at the doorway gave her a surprise, or perhaps a fright?

"Mr. Rhode!" Haruue Erii exclaimed in surprise, drawing everyone's attention to Rhode.

"It's quite lively here," Rhode said with a light chuckle, casually glancing around. After realizing Saten Ruiko was unconscious, Rhode rushed over without delay, not expecting to encounter Accelerator wearing a JK uniform.

The chest of the white-haired girl in front of him actually had some curves, possibly even more so than Misaka Mikoto. Could it be that she had partially canceled the effects of Vector Manipulation on her own body?

'Get ready, brace yourself.' 'The moon is truly bright...' 'Ganbare ganbare...'

Rinko Yuriko recalled the man's roughness that night, his mocking words constantly replaying in her mind. Her crimson eyes grew even more bloodshot, and her pretty face twisted into a distorted, ferocious expression.

"Haven't we already had a real fight, 'Strongest'?" Rhode said teasingly, a flash of crimson in his eyes, making Accelerator's hair stand on end.

Her intuition told her that the person in front of her was stronger! Stronger than when he fought her before, to an unreachable extent. That was the 'invincibility' she sought!

The outcome was decided before the duel even began. (Just from his stance, you could tell he was incredibly strong!)

"Hoo~ Ha~ Hoo~ Ha~" Rinko Yuriko took deep breaths, her chest heaving, trying to calm her chaotic emotions. The person she hated so much was right in front of her, yet she didn't even have the courage to throw a punch. How could she possibly catch up to such a heaven-sent gap?

Rinko Yuriko said nothing, her delicate body trembling as she walked past Rhode. Just before she was about to leave, Rhode's words reached her ears.

"If you want to keep getting stronger, adopt a loli. The next step is 'White Wing.'"

Accelerator gazed deeply at Rhode's back, then turned and left, it was unclear if she had taken Rhode's words to heart.

"A loli? What the heck, bastard old man, are you a lolicon?" Shirai Kuroko immediately put on a mischievous, bratty expression, almost saying 'zabuzabu'.

"A loli? To me, you're also in the loli category," Rhode said, annoyed, placing his hand on Shirai Kuroko's head, turning her exquisite twin-tails into a bird's nest. This made Shirai Kuroko shake her head in dissatisfaction, her twin-tails swaying with it. (Twin-tails increase attack speed)

"Eh? Shirai Kuroko's scars are gone," Haruue Erii, ever observant, was the first to notice something was amiss and pointed it out.

"It's true!" Misaka Mikoto also exclaimed in surprise.

"Hm? Oh!" Shirai Kuroko, who had been puzzled, suddenly recalled the first time she met Rhode and his words.

At the same time, they overlapped with what Rhode had just said.

"'As long as you're still alive, I can still treat you.'"

Shirai Kuroko, who had been about to continue teasing Rhode, became bashful instead, reluctantly thanking him,

"Arigato~ Rhode-san~"

That unique voice sounded like it could make one eat three bowls of rice; if she were to act spoiled, it would definitely be very captivating!

"Alright, go play over there. Haruue, put Saten Ruiko on the sofa," Rhode thought to himself, but his hands threw Shirai Kuroko aside, causing her to stumble and almost fall. She glared at Rhode with a resentful look.

'Saten Ruiko!?' The three girls were all surprised, not understanding when Saten Ruiko and Mr. Rhode's relationship had become so close, to the point of calling each other by their first names.

Though puzzled, Haruue Erii still followed Rhode's instructions and helped Saten Ruiko onto the sofa, laying her flat.

"Put Saten Ruiko's amulet in her hand," Rhode continued to direct. Although they didn't understand why, Misaka Mikoto followed Rhode's command, taking the amulet wrapped around Saten Ruiko and placing it in her palm.

Curse Power condensed in his palm, and Rhode's hand slowly reached towards Saten Ruiko's forehead. Accompanied by a strange fluctuation, Rhode entered the depths of Saten Ruiko's Soul, into her mind.