In Academy City, the Paradise Project begins.

Page 18

"Silk Banner and Frenda block the exit, Takitsubo on guard, newcomer, follow me."

Higashino noticed this arrangement; Mugino instinctively reserved the most dangerous position for herself, while keeping the "newcomer" by her side. This was precisely the effect of the perception instilled two hours earlier that "Higashino needs special care."

The escalators in the abandoned shopping mall had long since stopped working. Just as Mugino was about to step onto the stairs, Higashino suddenly grabbed her: "Wait."

He bent down, picked up a nearly invisible silver thread, and gently tugged at it. A faint bell tinkled from upstairs.

"Alarm device."

Higashino said in a low voice.

Mugino raised an eyebrow, her fingertips already gleaming with a dangerous white light, but she suppressed it with restraint: "Good eye. Stay close to me."

When they pushed open the fire door, the scene before them was unexpected: the entire floor had been transformed into a bizarre altar, and a black-robed sorcerer was pouring some kind of liquid into a copper basin in the center.

"Academy City's lackey!"

The magician roared and raised his hands, a faint red light emanating from his palms.

A white light flashed from Mugino's fingertips, but Higashino had already struck first. He snapped his fingers, and the magician's movements suddenly froze, as if a pause button had been pressed.

"Your magic has failed."

"Higashino said softly."

The mage watched in horror as the red light in his hand went out. Mugino immediately stepped forward and delivered a precise chop to the mage's neck, causing him to collapse limply to the ground.

"That's it?"

Mugino clicked her tongue in disappointment as the white light at her fingertips gradually faded.

"There isn't even a decent defensive spell."

Higashino, however, stared at the shadow in the corner. An unusual fluctuation made his temples throb; a real threat lurked there.

"careful!"

He shoved Mugino away abruptly.

A streak of crimson lightning struck the spot where they had just stood. Another figure emerged from the shadows, the cross in his hand gleaming with an ominous light.

"The enforcers of the Roman Catholic Church..."

Mugino gritted her teeth and raised her right hand, her five fingers spread, and a dense, blinding white light rapidly condensed in her palm.

Higashino's pupils dilated slightly. The cognitive modifications implanted two hours earlier were still functioning perfectly, but the newly emerged enemy required a more direct approach. He activated his ability without hesitation.

The enemy's attack will be deflected 15 degrees to the right.

"Mugino, now!"

Higashino shouted, simultaneously enhancing Mugino's awareness of the enemy's location.

A blinding beam of pure white light burst forth from Mugino's palm, tearing through the air with a piercing shriek, bypassing all obstacles and striking his opponent precisely in the chest! The battle ended in ten seconds.

"strangeness……"

Silk Banner walked in, tilting her head.

"His attacks are extremely easy to dodge."

Frenda was already skipping and hopping off to tie up the prisoners: "Because the newbie's positioning is amazing~"

She naturally credited Higashino with the credit.

On the way back, Higashino closed his eyes to rest. Mugino glanced at him through the rearview mirror: "Hey, rookie, are you alright? Don't faint in my car."

His tone was still harsh, but the slowed speed revealed his true thoughts. Higashino's lips curled up slightly—the idea of ​​"caring for teammates" was taking root deep within Mugino's mind, which probably reduced the probability of Flandre being cut short.

Frenda leaned back in her seat: "Newbie, I'll take you on the next mission, it's too easy~"

Kinuhata, chewing on Pocky, added, "I really want to learn that kind of stance, where the enemy can't hit you..."

Even Takitsubo nodded slightly, though she would occasionally frown in confusion.

Higashino looked out the window at the gradually brightening sky.

Cognitive alteration is like ink dripping into clear water; initially, it's just a barely perceptible drop, but it gradually spreads and seeps into every corner of consciousness. Item members will gradually become accustomed to his presence, rely on his judgment, and even subconsciously act according to his pre-set trajectory—and they will never realize that this "trust" and "tacit understanding" were implanted lies from the very beginning.

The most terrifying thing is that these changes are not false memories, but real mental reconstructions. Just as humans don't question why they breathe, they don't doubt why they trust him so much.

However... modifying the cognition of highly capable individuals ultimately requires more effort than that of ordinary people.

He rubbed his temples and smiled silently.

Chapter 23 Rescue of Hatsuharu Shiri

The sudden ringing of the bell broke the tranquility of the morning.

Higashino Yu suddenly sprang up from the bed, his sleepiness instantly dispelled.

The sky outside the window was just beginning to lighten. He glanced at the time and realized he had been resting for about four hours.

After leaving the base yesterday, he dragged his tired body back home. Fortunately, Mugino, the young lady, still cared about her teammate and personally drove him home.

This also confirmed that Higashino's ability was quite effective against Mugino Shizuri. Although it couldn't do much more for the time being, it was barely enough for the current stage.

"Hey, this is Higashino."

"Senior, Haru was arrested at the Kiyama Research Institute..."

On the other end of the phone, Saten Ruiko's voice was choked with sobs, which startled Higashino.

Kiyama Research Institute? The Imagineer Incident? Higashino's pupils suddenly contracted. No, the timing is wrong! According to his memory, this should have happened at least a day or two later!

Could it be that my time travel caused a butterfly effect in just two days?!

"Calm down, speak slowly."

He suppressed his turbulent thoughts, keeping his voice calm and reassuring, while quickly grabbing his coat and putting it on.

"We...we were investigating the Imagine Breaker incident..."

Leizi's voice was intermittent, mixed with gasps and suppressed sobs.

"Some information was discovered in early spring... and then Professor Kiyama suddenly... suddenly..."

Higashino had already rushed out of the room. A hot, dry breeze from the end of July swept over him, carrying an unusual, burnt smell.

He instinctively looked up, his heart sinking. In the distance, the sky was shrouded in an eerie, ominous purple light, like a gaping wound tearing through the night.

"Where are you now?"

He asked urgently into the phone, quickening his pace.

"Seventh District Park! I'm with Misaka-senpai; she just fought with Professor Kiyama..."

The phone rang with what sounded like static, as if Mikoto was still engaged in a fierce battle with something.

"Calm down, I'll be there soon!"

Higashino didn't treat his girlfriend, whom he had taken advantage of, as just a tool.

They've already gone on dates and done so many intimate things. Even if it's a "fake" relationship based on their abilities, those experiences are all real!

Higashino never intended to treat the girls influenced by his abilities as mere tools, or even as Xingnu in some people's eyes...

If that's the case, is there any point in going on a date?!

Wouldn't it be more comfortable to just go to a hotel every day and not have to worry about the consequences?

All he needed was what his heart truly craved...

As he turned the last street corner, a familiar figure stumbled and bumped into his arms.

"senior!"

Leizi looked up, her long hair was a little messy, her school uniform was covered with dust and scorch marks, and tears streamed down her cheeks, leaving several disheveled streaks.

"Early Spring...Misaka-senpai, she..."

Higashino quickly steadied her, his gaze sweeping across the distance with lightning speed.

Under the lamppost, Misaka Mikoto knelt on one knee. Her Tokiwadai school uniform was torn in several places, and her exposed skin was covered with small cuts and scratches. Blue and white electric sparks flickered faintly between her brown bangs.

She tried to prop herself up, but the injury to her right leg made her groan and lean heavily back against the lamppost.

"Dr. Higashino...?"

Mikoto looked up, and a hint of surprise flashed in her amber eyes the moment she saw who it was, followed by an indescribable complex emotion.

So badly injured... Are fantasy beasts really that strong?

Higashino felt a chill run down his spine and rushed to Mikoto's side in three quick steps. Without hesitation, he reached out and gently cupped the girl's face, which was covered in dust and sweat.

"do not move."

His voice was deep and firm, carrying an undeniable power. Deep within his pupils, silver ripples spread silently.

"The wound healed quickly."

Mikoto's breath caught in her throat. A warm palm pressed against her cheek, and a strange, living warmth spread rapidly from the point of contact to every part of her body. The tearing, stinging pain in her right leg receded like a receding tide, and a comfortable, tingling sensation spread through the burned skin of her left arm, as if countless tiny lives were healing the wound.

"Old, teacher..."

Mikoto's voice trembled uncontrollably, and a captivating blush instantly spread from her touched cheek to her delicate earlobe. This level of intimacy was unprecedented, even during the most thorough examinations in the infirmary.

What made her even more uneasy was that every time Higashino touched her, that inexplicable, reassuring warmth would always arrive as expected, almost making her drown in it.

Ruiko stared wide-eyed at the visible speed at which Mikoto's wounds were healing: "S-Senpai's abilities can be used like this?"

"I would say this is the more 'correct' way to experience it."

As Higashino stared intently at the wound, he inwardly mocked himself.

Starting off by aiming to manipulate other people's thoughts and perceptions reveals a darker side to me...

He continued thinking.

However, compared to modifying the consumption at the physical level, the "energy-saving mode" at the mental level is indeed more cost-effective, and there's no problem using it sparingly in normal times...

And so what if I have a dark side? As long as I can be at peace with myself, that's enough. There's nothing shameful about liking pretty girls. If you have the ability to do it, then do it. He won't hesitate to do anything he can.

If one day his power can influence the demon god, he wouldn't mind letting Othinus take maternity leave so she wouldn't have to think about all sorts of things all day long. Having a child would surely make those thoughts in her mind less irritable.

In that case, he might even be a hero who saves the world!

However, those ideas are not the time to think about them in depth.

To his surprise, Mikoto's reaction was unexpected. The girl's long eyelashes trembled slightly, her breathing became rapid and disordered, but her body seemed to be frozen in place, showing no intention of dodging. Instead, she subtly moved closer to his palm.

Has her trust in me... or rather, the effect of the cognitive modification, permeated to this extent?

This thought stirred something within Higashino. The discovery that his abilities seemed to deepen the influence of time on his thinking and cognition was indeed very useful.

If you encounter an enemy that you cannot influence for the time being, you can choose to place a cognitive anchor on that enemy and take enough time to influence them.

"Professor Kiyama took Haruhi to the 23rd school district..."

Mikoto's voice was filled with deep self-reproach as she gazed at the night sky tainted by purple light.

"Kuroko has already chased after them, but I..."

She bit her lower lip and clenched her fists in resentment.

Higashino's fingers gently brushed over the last tiny scar on her cheek: "You've done very well."

Mikoto, who was being stroked by Higashino, knew that Higashino probably didn't mean it and was just using his ability, but such an intimate gesture still made her feel shy.

"He protected Ruiko and fought against that monster."

He added.

Mikoto suddenly looked up, her eyes beneath her brown bangs flashing with a sharp yet complex expression: "How could Higashino..."

She seemed to want to ask Higashino how he was able to find them so accurately, and why he seemed to know everything about how things were going to develop.

boom--! ! !

The deafening explosion, like the roar of a giant beast, instantly drowned out her unfinished questions. The three of them turned their heads simultaneously, only to see the eerie purple light suddenly surge in the direction of the 23rd school district. A massive, twisted monster silhouette, composed of pure energy, writhed and expanded wildly in the night sky, emanating a terrifying oppressive aura that was suffocating even from a distance. Its form and scale far exceeded any description in Higashino's memory!

"What...what is that?!"

Ruiko's voice was filled with uncontrollable fear; even just looking at that thing made her feel an extremely strong sense of oppression.