Between the Lines 2

Komaba Ritoku.

Many people trembled in fear when they first met that large, muscular boy, but he personally did not like any kind of conflict.

When he had become the leader of Skill-Out, a gathering of Level 0s who had dropped out of the schools' esper development programs, he had tried to drive some morals into the group little by little.

He had them avoid unnecessary violence, not specifically target the weak, and no longer merely commit crimes that Anti-Skill and Judgment would overlook. He instead wanted them to secretly protect those who couldn't even ask for help.

Of course, the actuality did not turn out so lovely and tear-jerking. As always, they had used the fact that they had been ostracized by Academy City to justify doing all sorts of horrible things. They would say they just wanted a place to belong and do all sorts of completely unrelated things.

However, it was true that Komaba had caused a certain "line" to bud.

To those who had been victims of Skill-Out, it may have sounded like nothing more than an excuse, but it was true that something like morality had been born there.

It provided an opportunity.

Something happened that influenced their fate.

Perhaps it was like placing a large snowball at the top of a hill and having someone give it a push.

This was nothing as calm as a slow change or a natural growth.

What it actually was had been horribly simple.

One after another, Level 0s were being attacked by powerful espers.