Pride

Misaka didn't reply. She walked a few meters away from Kanaru.

She took a coin out of her pocket.

Kanaru only sighed upon seeing that.

"You know… the first time I heard about an esper that was able to overcome her limits and advance from level 1 to level 5, I was very excited, you were a person who accomplished things that people like me would only achieve in dreams. Kanaru said.

*BIRIBIRIBIRIBIRI...*

Misaka was surrounded by a strong electric field. She looked at Kanaru fiercely.

"But I still can't defeat them! I have given my best effort to get here! But…" She exclaimed.

Her electric field covered the entire skyscraper.

The sky darkened hiding the sun and began to fill with clouds full of lightning.

"...But people like you appear who never tried hard at all! People who were simply born with incredible talent and improved by giant steps to become monsters!"

Kanaru was surprised.

["Shokuhou-san, has she killed anyone before?"] Kanaru asked Misaki.

["Definitely not! Why are you talking about killing so easy?"] Misaki answered immediately, she was surprised.

["Well... she is concentrating all her power in that attack, also that electric field endangers the lives of the people in this building, but it seems that she has not thought about it, she has allowed herself to be dominated by her anger."] Kanaru said with a frown.

["I understand... I'll try to get everyone out of this building as quickly as possible!"] Misaki said.

["That isn't necessary, it'll only attract more unnecessary attention."] Kanaru said.

Kanaru looked at Misaka once more.

"That is your answer? Good luck in your stupid quest to destroy laboratories to stop the project, although by now you must have discovered that it's useless." Kanaru said. He continued speaking.

"Yes, I'm a murderer. But you know, this power that I have wasn't easy to get, I had to pay a very high price." Kanaru said.

He looked at the sky. It was full of clouds that formed a strong electrical storm.

He waved his hand.

Misaka felt as if everything around her was shaken. She completely lost control of her AIM diffusion field and...

"This is my power." Kanaru said in a neutral tone.

...everything disappeared, as if the electric field from before was a lie.

The sun's rays once again covered the entire place.

"How? That ability… you too?!" Misaka exclaimed.

She began to tremble and fell to her knees.

Her coin rolled on the ground.

Suddenly, Misaki approached Misaka.

"Misaka-san, he isn't your enemy" Misaki said while looking at Kanaru. She continued speaking.

"I'm not sure, but it seems that he sincerely wants to help you and it seems that he also needs our help. Let's put our differences aside for a moment and talk quietly." Misaki said.

"You don't understand... that power, I've seen that power before, that power can only destroy..." Misaka said quietly.

"That isn't true, it seems that you have not noticed, but he did that not to give a blow to your stubborn pride, but he did it to protect." Misaki said.

"To protect? He is a murderer." Misaka said.

Murderer? Misaki thought.

She looked at Misaka in surprise and then she fixed her gaze on Kanaru's eyes.

He averted his gaze regretfully.

"Ah~ now I understand why he called himself a 'monster.' He has been blaming himself all this time..." Misaki muttered.

"Why do you trust him so much?" Misaka asked.

"To answer that... I want you to see his eyes carefully." Misaki said.

Misaka looked at Kanaru's eyes.

He was very calm, but his eyes were not.

"He is very nervous." Misaka said in a low voice as she peered into Kanaru's eyes.

"Yes, he is a foolish man. Because I now know that he is a murderer, he is concerned that I hate or fear him. But I'll never hate or fear him. He does good things his way and never asks for anything in exchange, I'm not sure how many times exactly he did those things, but that's why that he has earned my trust and respect." Misaki said with a smile.

["Did you hear that?"] Misaki said telepathically.

Kanaru's expression calmed down.

'She has investigated me.' Kanaru mused.

"And responding to what he protected... Don't you realize? We are in the middle of a building; you could hurt a lot of people." Misaki said with a serious expression.

"I... I'm sorry, I lost control..." Misaka said in a sorry tone.

Kanaru walked towards them and he picked up the Misaka coin.

"Shokuhou-san, we must go, we have attracted a lot of attention, someone will come up to check the situation at any time." Kanaru said. Then he looked at Misaka.

"Misaka-san, then... what will you do?" Kanaru asked.

Misaka got up.

"Thank you for stopping my previous attack and please... help me finish that project." Misaka said with a bow.

Kanaru was surprised to see her sudden change.

'Shokuhou-san is very persuasive huh.' Kanaru thought.

"I'll do my best." Kanaru said with a smile.

Then he looked at both girls.

"So far I have not presented myself correctly." Kanaru said. He continued speaking

"My name is Hikari Kanaru, I have many abilities, but...

Kanaru touched Misaki and Misaka's shoulders

"...everything centers on my Dark Matter." Kanaru said.

"Dark Matter!" Both girls exclaimed.

All 3 disappeared in a black flash.