Do You Want to Play the Game First… or Play with Me?

Moyu (Slacker) was held tightly in Kurumi's arms, her eyes vacant and her hands dangling weakly by her sides.

Her posture resembled that of a duck sitting, with her slender feet wrapped in black stockings overlapping her bare legs. The interplay of her delicate skin and the sheer black stockings exuded a forbidden allure.

Upon closer inspection, one could see that Moyu's body was almost entirely leaning against Kurumi.

It was clear that in this latest rebellion of the clones, the powerless Moyu had been mercilessly subdued by Kurumi's overwhelming force.

With her arms wrapped around Moyu's waist, Kurumi wore an expression of sheer delight, like someone who had just indulged in a delicious feast and was basking in the satisfaction of being full. The discarded game controller lay forgotten to the side.

After all, games couldn't compare to the thrill of playing with her clone.

...

"I'm back." The wooden dormitory door creaked open.

A returning clone, fresh from her tasks with Kihara Amata, called out softly, ready to report her work to the original body.

Then she could ask for some pocket money and vacation time.

Actually, Kurumi didn't impose strict rules on her clones. With their abilities, earning a little spending money wasn't difficult.

However, Kurumi and her clones tacitly enjoyed this unique atmosphere.

After all, treating everything as simple self-dialogue would feel far too lonely.

The newly returned Kurumi clone took in the scene in the living room with crystal clarity. The excessively intimate posture between the original and Moyu was as plain as day.

Especially the one in the original's arms... she looked completely defeated, like she had been played to her limit.

It felt as though pink bubbles were rising in the air, a sweet and intoxicating scent filling the space.

"Sorry! Didn't mean to interrupt!!!"

She spoke these words as she began stepping backward, her face forced into an awkward smile.

What should one do after stumbling upon the original's private moments?

Asking for advice online might be a bit urgent right now.

But before she could retreat completely, she felt a grip on her ankle.

Her heart sank, and a girlish scream rang out.

"Yaaah!!!"

Tokiwadai Middle School wasn't a prestigious institution; it mostly accommodated Level 0s with no abilities or Level 1s with minor abilities.

Yes… accommodated.

For those whose abilities could barely perform tasks like bending a spoon or keeping an object at a fixed temperature, like Uiharu Kazari's ability, their powers were practically useless.

This was the norm in Academy City.

Many had long lost the initial excitement they felt when receiving an invitation to the city.

Thus, they developed a vague admiration for those with higher abilities.

Fortunately, Academy City's stipends for ability users were generous, even for Level 0s.

A laid-back life was still relatively comfortable.

...

A girl in a black Gothic dress stood silently in front of Tokiwadai Middle School's auxiliary building, as if waiting for someone.

Her long, jet-black hair, smooth as silk, was tied into two bunches that rested on her chest.

Her exquisite face wore a gentle smile, resembling an angel.

The slightly outdated yet extravagant dress didn't appear out of place on her; instead, it added a unique elegance. The high waistline accentuated her slender and graceful figure.

Passersby admired her from afar, their gazes filled with both envy and awe, yet none dared to approach.

Kurumi stood quietly, already a scene to behold in the eyes of others.

She glanced at the message on her phone; the timing should be just right.

Meanwhile, at Judgment's 177th Branch Office:

Having finished a day's work, Shirai Kuroko had planned to indulge in a feast at a dessert shop with Uiharu Kazari.

However, the thought of the "Kurumi-senpai" Uiharu mentioned made Shirai a bit restless.

In that fleeting moment when those nightmarish hands gripped her, she seemed to lose her ability to calculate across eleven dimensions.

For most ability users, losing their powers was akin to a nightmare, an experience nearly impossible to accept.

"Uh... Shirai-san," Shirai Kuroko looked up to see her friend approaching hesitantly.

"Uiharu?"

"I'm really sorry! I can't go for ice cream with you today—I have other plans!"

"Huh!?" Shirai tilted her head in confusion.

Something about her seemed... off.

She looked overly bashful, almost embarrassingly so.

"It's fine. I don't really have much of an appetite today anyway," Shirai sighed. "But what's keeping you busy, Uiharu?"

"Kur... Kurumi-senpai invited me."

Crack—

Hearing that name, Shirai Kuroko froze, her entire demeanor turning stone-gray.

...

"Sorry to keep you waiting!" A panting Uiharu Kazari finally appeared in Kurumi's line of sight. Following close behind her was a girl with black hair adorned with white plum blossom decorations.

"Allow me to reintroduce myself! I'm Uiharu Kazari, a first-year student at Tokiwadai Middle School," Uiharu said nervously, clasping her hands together. "And this is..."

"Hello, I'm Saten Ruiko, Uiharu's classmate. I just... accidentally tagged along." Smiling as she watched her friend's blushing face, Saten added, "Oh, and by the way, I'm a Level 0, a powerless esper."

"Hello, I'm Kurumi Tokisaki. Nice to meet you both."

...

In this city centered on developing supernatural abilities, the benefits for espers were remarkably generous.

Even Level 0s were provided enough stipends to live comfortably.

But if they wanted to splurge, the money wouldn't stretch far.

That's why Kurumi couldn't accept her cute junior bearing the cost of her clone's indulgences.

However, simply repaying her in cash felt too impersonal.

And so, Kurumi extended an invitation to the two of them.

"How about I treat you both to a meal?"

Her elegant face drew closer to Uiharu Kazari's, her refined features akin to an exquisite work of art. Those crimson eyes locked onto hers.

Uiharu froze, murmuring, "Y-yes, that would be wonderful."

"Hey, Uiharu! Uiharu?" Saten waved a hand in front of her friend's face.

"Ooohhhh!!!" Uiharu clasped her hands together, brimming with excitement.

Although she couldn't quite explain it, something about Kurumi-senpai today felt... different. Her aura was unmistakably more aristocratic.

She seemed to sink into a peculiar fantasy.

"They've already walked off!" Saten sighed, shaking her head. Sometimes, her friend's quirks were truly puzzling.

It seemed she'd have to resort to her secret weapon.

Swish—

The pleats of Saten's lavender skirt fluttered as she drew out her trump card, elongating her voice playfully.

"Ah! Look at this, it's a cute little strawberry~~~!"

Whistle!

The "Steamship Uiharu" went into full throttle.

"What are you even doing in front of Kurumi-senpai?!"

...

"Ah, youth is such a beautiful thing," Kurumi murmured as she walked ahead, her tone wistful.

...

Witnessing someone more exceptional than oneself is not always a pleasant feeling, yet such is the way of the world.

Fortunately, Saten Ruiko had grown accustomed to this reality.

She had entered Academy City carrying her family's expectations, her younger brother proudly proclaiming, "My sister is an esper!"

But in truth... she couldn't even manage simple tasks like bending a spoon.

The low, alluring voice of Kurumi was engaged in conversation with Uiharu Kazari. Kurumi-senpai was a very eloquent and elegant individual, the type of noblewoman Uiharu had always admired.

Saten Ruiko didn't feel jealous—only pure admiration.

To be honest, someone like Kurumi-senpai was beyond jealousy. She felt more like a dream, an ethereal figure who inspired awe rather than envy.

"Perfect. Beautiful."

Those words dominated Saten's thoughts, to the point that she momentarily forgot what she had wanted to say.

"Saten! Saten! Saten-san!" Uiharu Kazari's voice snapped Saten Ruiko out of her daze.

Before her, Kurumi-senpai's hand was gently waving in front of her face.

"Huh!?" Saten blinked in confusion, finally coming to her senses. "What is it?"

"Kurumi-senpai says she might have a way for you to gain abilities!" Uiharu pouted slightly, annoyed.

It was a conversation about Saten, yet she seemed utterly disengaged.

"Gain... abilities?" Saten mulled over the words, staring at the gracefully smiling Kurumi in front of her.

Unbelievable. It was as if she were looking at an angel.

"But... does Saten-san have the resolve for it?" Kurumi's crimson eyes seemed to grow larger in Saten's vision, drawing her in completely.

...

"What the heck... All Saten-san had to do was agree," Uiharu complained as they parted ways with Kurumi. She puffed out her cheeks, clearly upset. "You care so much about ability development, yet when an opportunity shows up, you hesitate."

"H-hey! I don't care that much!" Saten yelped in defense.

"Yeah, right. Every time after ability testing, you look so down—anyone can tell, even an idiot!" Uiharu shot back, unimpressed.

"Also... even though you're always looking after me, I'm still older than you!"

"Aha~ Is Uiharu rebelling now?" Saten clearly wanted to steer the conversation elsewhere. She stretched out her hands, claw-like. "Besides... Uiharu, where exactly are you 'older'?"

"W-what!?" Uiharu froze for a moment, realizing exactly what Saten meant.

"Saten! You idiot! H! You skirt-flipping perv!" Uiharu's face turned bright red as she pounded her small fists against Saten's chest.

"Oh my, Uiharu is really rebelling now," Saten said, standing her ground. "Looks like~~ it's time for the ultimate panty reveal!"

"Feel my—upward draft!"

"Eek!!!"

The breeze of Academy City was as pleasant as ever.

Amid the playful squabbling and chasing, a distant look crossed Saten Ruiko's face.

Did she really have the resolve?

The kind of resolve that the protagonists in those hot-blooded shonen manga had?

Evidently, Saten Ruiko might have been misunderstanding something entirely.

...

Ever since her charm had been enhanced, Kurumi felt as if the "art style" of her surroundings had grown increasingly peculiar. She sighed softly.

Saten Ruiko was genuinely an adorable girl and had a special place within the world of the anime.

She always seemed to have an endless wardrobe of casual clothes that never repeated, like a walking fashion catalog.

She could accidentally order custom jeans from a shop partnered with Kanzaki Kaori, flirt with underground operatives like Frenda via text, or even run into Xochitl the Magician while out sightseeing.

She was practically like a side-account protagonist.

Helping her was... simply something Kurumi decided to do on a whim. Nothing more.

As evening descended, Kurumi headed toward the bus stop.

As she crossed the street and neared her destination, her brows furrowed slightly.

Bang. Bang.

The sounds of bodies colliding, punches and kicks, reached her ears clearly.

Her mood, which had been relatively pleasant, was now half-ruined.

Following the sounds, Kurumi stopped at the entrance of a nearby alleyway.

"Oh my, my," she murmured.

Half-closing her crimson eyes, she took in the scene before her.

"Hey... didn't you say you ran out of stipends?" A burly man had grabbed a scrawny, bespectacled student by the collar and delivered a heavy punch to his abdomen.

The man slapped a small stack of bills against the student's face. "Then how do you explain this?"

Around him, several other thugs leaned casually against the wall or stood with hands in their pockets, their slouched shoulders encircling their victim.

They were the most common type of delinquents in Academy City.

Click.

The sound of Kurumi's approaching footsteps caught their attention, and the thugs turned to look at her.

"Oh ho—looks like there's a girl here," one said.

A beat later, they noticed her striking appearance. The delicate features of an ethereal beauty stood still at the alley's entrance.

Tossing their victim to the ground like discarded trash, the student curled up like a shrimp in the corner.

The thugs began sauntering toward Kurumi.

"Well, well, this one looks like a little princess."

"Yeah, yeah, why don't you hand over your purse?"

"Idiot! Of course we should have her 'play' with us first!"

They chuckled, watching Kurumi remain motionless.

Noticing her gaze lingering on their earlier victim, the leader sneered. "What? Are you some justice-obsessed girl trying to play hero?"

Kurumi let out a long sigh.

"You should count yourselves lucky that I'm already full... and that I've been working on self-restraint," she muttered cryptically.

"Lucky? Oh yeah, we're so 'lucky,' aren't we?" The thugs guffawed loudly, oblivious to the meaning of her words.

Kurumi's lips curled into a chilling smile.

In an instant—

The entire alley was bathed in hues of black and crimson. Pale, slender, distorted arms extended from the shadows, wrapping around the thugs' necks and hoisting them against the walls.

They struggled desperately, their movements growing more frantic and terrified by the second.

Kurumi tapped her lips lightly, her tone playful yet menacing. "Ara, ara, where should I start nibbling first~?"

"Y-Youkai!! Monster!!"

The thuggish leader, now collapsed on the ground, felt Kurumi wrench the wad of cash from his hand before she delivered several hard kicks to him.

Luckily for them, they were just delicate pests who knew only how to bully or harass the weak—not the kind of irredeemable scum that deserved a gruesome end. Otherwise, it wouldn't just be a beating they'd be facing.

Meanwhile, the victim—the scrawny, bespectacled student—glared venomously at everyone, including Kurumi.

Clutching his bag tightly, he bolted toward the far end of the alley without looking back.

"For some reason... that guy feels like he deserved a beating even more," Kurumi mused, frowning slightly.

Watching the fleeing figure, a thought seemed to cross her mind.

"Isn't that... Kaitabi Hatsuya?"

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