Guilt and Fear

As the rain subsided the group's small exploration in the convenience store also came to an end.

To Sakura's surprise, Misaka actually managed to make a small information exchange with the group only using subtle signs. It appears that using signs for communication is pretty useful.

It was already nearly evening when they came out of the awning of the store.

As they were walking down the street Misaka was emphatically trying to communicate with Lilia and Melissa. Sakura was feeling a little better after sorting out her internal conflicts by herself.

It wasn't her fault that this world was created. She just decided to let it go and go with the flow. She has the system anyway. So, she was bound to reach home one day.

And as for the others in the group, they were following the girls like puppies, since, they didn't have anyone to talk with. Sakura and Misaka were both girls. So, they were hesitant to suddenly strike up a conversation with either of them.

As this odd group walked down the street, they finally made it to Misaka's house.

'Nisi no Yakitori House.'

This was Misaka's house. Her family owns this restaurant. Even though

it is called a Yakitori House; however, they do provide various kinds of soups as well.

Sakura felt a little nostalgic seeing this place. She used to occasionally come here to study with Misaka. Misaka's parents would always give her skewers to eat.

Funny enough she often avoided this place because when Misaka's parents Saw her, they would always give her food to eat for free. This in turn made her feel guilty of not paying.

Sakura chuckled a little.

"Old man, we're home. I've got some guests as well." Misaka said as she barged through the front sliding door.

"Misaka, did you skip class again?" the one to answer was Misaka's mother.

"Eeep, Mom! Why are you here? Weren't you supposed to be at Grandpa's place?" Misaka Exclaimed.

It was kind of comical as Misaka's mother went into the house while pulling Misaka's ears.

Then Misaka's father came and welcomed Sakura and the guests.

As Sakura ate chicken skewers, she could faintly hear Misaka's mother giving her speech on proper behavior from inside the house.

Sakura couldn't help but laugh aloud because of this.

The others in the group were confused as to what was happening.

"Um... Miss Sakura, what was that just now?" Lilia asked. The group was genuinely confused as to why Misaka was being punished.

"It's because she skipped school."

" School?" Lilia asked curiously.

Sakura shook her head and explained what a school is.

"So, it's like an academy for scholars."

"Yes, something like that."

At this moment Misaka came out, wearing an apron.

"Sorry, everyone. it seems I have to help with the restaurant. So, I can't spend time with you guys." Misaka said in an apologetic tone.

"It's okay, Mi-chan. You can work. We'll wait." Sakura said.

Misaka then started to attend to the customers.

It was already the busiest time of the day.

Sakura happily chatted with Lilia and Melissa. This time the guys in the group stayed silent as well only occasionally asking questions to Sakura.

When Misaka got to take a breather, it was already late evening. The sky was starting to lose its redness as night was descending.

Misaka, Sakura, and the other girls went to a nearby bathhouse. And the boys were finally able to have something to do, as they were playing reverse with Misaka's father.

They seemed to like the game when Sakura taught them.

Sakura's mood became a little better after she interacted with the group for some time.

*gulp*gulp*gulp*pah!

As Sakura chugged down her milk bottle, she felt the whole day's fatigue vanish. She had come out of the bath first and was waiting for the other girls in the lobby. Lilia and Melissa had taken a liking to the bathhouse, so, they were taking a little longer. Not that Sakura mind waiting.

"Now, should I tell her the truth?" Sakura pondered in her mind. She was thinking if she should tell Misaka about this world's truth.

'But then I don't know how she would react.' Sakura feared that Misaka couldn't handle the truth of her entire reality being an illusion.

"It's better to not tell her." Sakura made up her mind to keep it to herself till the end.

"Tell what to who?" suddenly Misaka butted in from behind.

"Eeek!" Sakura was so surprised that she fell face-first on the floor.

"Ah, Saku-Chan! You alright?" Misaka quickly pulled Sakura up from the floor.

Thankfully, because Sakura had a high defense, she didn't receive any damage.

"You know, you should be careful."

"Is it my fault, that you decided to show up like a ghost from behind," Sakura complained.

Misaka apologized for suddenly appearing like that. Lilia and Melissa who were not far away also came forward to see if Sakura was hurt. The atmosphere suddenly turned harmonious as the group started to tease Sakura for being a clutz, and Sakura tried to retort.

As they made their way out of the bathhouse, they kept teasing Sakura. But as if to intercept their harmonious atmosphere Sakura heard Astra's voice.

<Master, there's a monster in your vicinity.>

"Huh?" this caught her attention.

Sakura went from joyful to alert as she looked left and right.

'Where is it?' She asked in her mind.

Sakura quickly looked to her left. There was a big bush there. However even before she could think of anything a harpoon-like object shot out from the bush, heading straight for Misaka with lightning speed.

Melissa who noticed it first tried to grab hold of Misaka but she was still too far away. As the harpoon-like object went straight towards Misaka Melissa could only try to reach her in time.

But contrary to Melissa's thoughts, the metal harpoon-like object never reached Misaka.

Misaka, Lilia, and Melissa saw in Exclamation as Sakura caught the harpoon-like object in its trajectory.

Sakura was clearly angry. She raised her hand towards the bush and a crazy amount of mana started to accumulate in her hand. Her body started to glow a white ethereal glow as some mana that was being wasted was accumulating in the air.

The next second a huge frog-like monster jumped out of the bush. The harpoon-like object Sakura was holding was in fact the frog's tong. It was clearly giving out an oppressive aura.

However, even before the frog-like monster could jump forward an orange light spread through the world. The three girls who were looking at Sakura with astonishment couldn't help but close their eyes with the blinding light.

Melissa held the other two girls in her embrace and cast a shield just in case something flew towards them.

But thankfully that did not happen as there were no earthquakes nor any wind turbulences.

As the light died down the destruction became clear to the trio.

Sakura was standing at the edge of a Crater. What's astonishing was the size of the crater. They couldn't even see the end of the other side due to the darkness of the night.

*gulp

Lilia gulped seeing the destruction caused by Sakura.

"Saku-Chan?" Misaka gathered her courage and called out to Sakura who was standing on the edge of the crater.

Sakura was being driven by driven by anger up until now. But Misaka's call broke her from the trance, and she realized something.

'How am I going to explain this to Mi-Chan?'

A fear crept into her heart. If Misaka came to know about the truth of this world, would she start to hate Sakura?

Sakura looked at Misaka with a profound sadness in her eyes.

'Maybe it's enough.' She thought in her mind.

<Master… >

'Astra, end this world.'

"It's an order," Sakura screamed as loud as could.

As her voice sounded her view started to shift.

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