Chapter 37: Three Minutes to Burn Bright

The strength of the Nomu was undeniably terrifying. Konata had originally planned to endure its strike using the passive ability of her Electromagnetic Field, then wait for another chance to counterattack. What she didn't anticipate was that, although the Nomu was successfully knocked back, the terrifying force still transmitted through the ground. The passive had blocked the brunt of it, but the shockwave remained unmitigated.

Left with no choice and in order to avoid being skewered by the shrapnel, Konata was forced to reveal her hidden trump card—

Flame-Haired Burning-Eyed Hunter

This was the second transformation she had unlocked after Misaka Mikoto, but it was the first time she had used Shana's form. Unlike Mikoto, who came with four distinct abilities, Shana's transformation only granted her one item of power: the Nietono no Shana—the flaming katana she held in her hand.

Back during the quirk assessment test, she had once briefly summoned this weapon for a single second. The price? A right hand covered in blood. Her base body was simply too weak to handle it. It wasn't until this full transformation into Shana that she was finally able to wield the treasure properly.

"Konata…? You…"

Before she could even adjust to Shana's power, she heard Midoriya Izuku's delighted voice behind her.

"Urusai, urusai, URUSAI!!!"

Konata clenched her teeth. Hearing Izuku's voice immediately made her want to slash him with the Nietono no Shana.

This wasn't some anime world. This was real life. Even if Midoriya had plot armor, how could he be so reckless? She was certain that if she hadn't rushed in just now, he would have been completely obliterated by the Nomu's uncompromising punch—unless, of course, he suddenly awakened some immortal quirk or something. Or maybe… she saved him because of his protagonist aura?

She had originally been confident she could subdue the mastermind behind the villains—the one called Shigaraki or whatever—but thanks to Midoriya's interference, the entire situation had spiraled into chaos.

Forget not being familiar with Shana's abilities. Her biggest problem now was that her transformation had a very strict time limit.

Until her base stats improved, she could maintain Shana's form for at most three minutes. Any longer, and her body might collapse. Misaka's form at least gave her five minutes.

Three minutes? What was she, an Ultraman!?

"Midoriya! Why are you just standing there!? Stop acting like a spectator!"

Seeing him still frozen in place, Konata snapped. Even Asui and the others were trying to use this moment to rescue Aizawa-sensei, and here Midoriya was—doing absolutely nothing!

Did he think she could just go full Musou mode and wipe the floor with everyone?

She already understood this system wasn't omnipotent. When she transformed into Misaka, she'd learned that the original espers in Academy City relied on complex calculation formulas to use their powers. She had worried she wouldn't be able to do the same—until the system ignored all of that.

The system didn't replicate the originals perfectly. It simulated their powers. That's why she didn't need calculations to fire a Railgun. Misaka worked like that, and so did "Silly Shana." Their core essence was different, but the visual and functional aspects were identical.

She had hoped to someday become Madoka and ascend to godhood, or take on the mantle of a noble lady who could control fate—but this limitation crushed that dream.

Still, perhaps it was because of those unique traits that those characters were so one-of-a-kind?

"A new form, huh? This 'Fantasy Quirk' really does represent infinite possibility. No wonder Sensei's taken an interest in you…"

Standing up from the steps, Shigaraki Tomura's face—half-covered in severed hands—twisted into a sick grin.

"Nomu. Capture her."

BOOM!!

Almost the instant Shigaraki gave the command, the massive black figure charged straight at the flame-haired girl, like a boulder crashing from a mountaintop, its momentum and killing intent overwhelming.

"Ugly bastard, get lost!!"

No longer in the mood to worry about the still-frozen Midoriya, Konata, already brimming with fury, swung her katana. It was as if the Nietono no Shana responded to her emotions—the flames around the blade flared up wildly. She sidestepped and slashed at the Nomu with all her might.

Now, transformed as Shana, her reaction speed had finally caught up to the Nomu's movements.

With a clean, simple swing—she severed one of its arms.

That easy…?

Konata blinked. But before she could react, a horrifying force surged toward her. Losing one arm didn't seem to affect the Nomu at all. Its remaining arm slammed toward her, and all she could do was raise her sword in front of her.

WHAM!!

The next second, Konata was blasted off her feet. The ground cracked on impact, forming a deep crater with spiderweb-like fissures.

With little real combat experience, she'd just made a rookie mistake.

"Cough… cough…"

Climbing out of the crater looking slightly battered, Konata wiped blood from her lips and stared forward—only to see the Nomu's severed arm already regenerating.

In mere seconds… it was as good as new.

Konata: "..."

So basically, you're the character here with the actual cheat, aren't you!?