Anime, Girlfriend Shokuhou Misaki

Almost simultaneously, a smile crept onto Haramura Makoto's lips.

Immediately, Haramura Makoto's hand shot up, and a burst of light suddenly appeared around him.

“Bang, bang, bang, bang——”

Gunshots suddenly echoed.

The burst of light that suddenly appeared around Haramura Makoto was, without a doubt, the muzzle flash from bullets being fired.

“Boom——”

A larger burst of fire exploded in mid-air, followed by a heavy thud.

No guns were seen.

No movements were observed.

It was clearly just a simple raising of his hand, yet muzzle flashes appeared around him, and several bullets pierced the air, shattering the ultra-small jetpacks behind the Dead Knot members rushing towards him at bizarre angles.

“The Gun Magician?”

“Are you 'Leo' Haramura Makoto?”

Completely ignoring the members who had been burned to a crisp and died instantly from the explosion, the leader of Dead Knot calmly confirmed Haramura Makoto's identity.

——The Leo, an armed group of non-abilities!

Currently entrenched in the abandoned district of the 8th school district, they were established roughly three years ago, quickly sweeping away other armed groups of non-abilities in the 8th school district and establishing their headquarters there.

And the Leo has indeed demonstrated its dominance.

Since then, there have been no more gang fights among delinquents in the 8th school district.

Naturally, no other armed groups of non-abilities could grow in the 8th school district.

As for the armed groups of non-abilities in other school districts, they certainly coveted the territory of the 8th school district.

After all, the 8th school district is a residential area for faculty and staff, connected to the 7th school district. Many aristocratic students frequent the 8th school district on weekdays, making it a good place to attack these students.

But no armed group of non-abilities has been able to break through the Leo.

Whether it's gang fights or wielding guns, everyone has returned empty-handed in the face of the Leo.

Similarly, these battles have created the legend of the Leo's leader.

He never shows his face during gang fights.

When the opponent uses firearms and knives, this leader always goes alone, relying on his 'invisible bullets' and elusive movements to always defeat all enemies.

No one knows when he will draw his gun.

No one knows when they are being targeted.

No one even knows when they have been hit.

It is an attack that is impossible to react to. Even if comrades want to use a diversionary tactic, the opponent uses his flexible grappling hook technique to traverse the gaps between buildings, making it impossible to catch his figure.

And it is precisely because of this that the leader of the Leo, Haramura Makoto, is called.

——The Gun Magician!

Chapter 008 Invisible Bullets

Strictly speaking, armed groups of non-abilities are actually like Yakuza organizations.

Although attacking ability users is their slogan for recruiting new members, the goals of the guys who become leaders have long been distorted.

Obtaining more territory, controlling more power, venting their desires, and earning more money are what they want.

Therefore, there is never peace between armed groups of non-abilities.

So, information about the 'Leo,' an organization that can be called an anomaly among armed groups of non-abilities, has long been circulating among various armed groups of non-abilities.

“Correct! Too bad there's no reward.”

Haramura Makoto said in a lazy and casual tone:

“This is the so-called Gun Magician?”

Standing beside Haramura Makoto, Shokuhou Misaki's starry eyes also flickered.

——'Gun Magician'!

Shokuhou Misaki certainly knew this name, after all, she had investigated Haramura Makoto.

There was no way around it, the few accidental encounters and interactions back then seemed a little too deliberate for Shokuhou Misaki, who was a bit sensitive.

And using her ability to look up something was simply too easy.

In just an hour or two, Haramura Makoto's information was placed directly on Shokuhou Misaki's desk.

Ability development level, residence, school, when he founded the armed group of non-abilities, battle record.

Although it wasn't detailed enough to cover Haramura Makoto's entire life, it almost put the important events of his life from six to sixteen years old on Shokuhou Misaki's desk.

Naturally, Shokuhou Misaki had seen this so-called 'Gun Magician' title.

However, the information on paper was far less shocking than seeing it in person.

“He's one of us.”

Haramura Makoto's gun skill, which could be called a divine skill, did not frighten the leader in the knight's uniform. On the contrary, his voice seemed a little sentimental.

No, that's not right.

Saying it was sentimental didn't seem quite right. If you really want to talk about it, it was more inclined to a heavy feeling?

His tone wasn't like this just now.

It felt like this situation only appeared after Haramura Makoto revealed that he was a weak ability user.

And in reality, that was indeed the case.

The leader in the knight's uniform directly stretched out his hand and stopped his other companions who were moving at high speed.

“You and 'Mental Out' have a good relationship?”

“No, at most we've only met a few times. I'd say we're a little better than strangers.”

The enemy paused their attack, and Haramura Makoto also lowered his left hand that was holding the gun. He answered the leader in the knight's uniform's question very directly.

“Is that so!”

“In that case, don't you find it strange?”

“What strange thing are you referring to?”

“Everything.”

The other party didn't make any meaningless gestures or performances. Instead, his tone was more sincere and genuine than ever before.

At the same time, he didn't waste any words and directly pointed out the core of the question he was raising in the shortest path.

“In that case, haven't you thought about it?”

“Just a stranger you met by chance, and an ability user at that.”

“In this desperate situation, you still have to risk your life to bring this burden along. You might even lose your own life. Don't you think you're actually already under 'Mental Out's' control?”

It was summer, and even the wind blowing at night should be carrying the heat of the summer.

But now, Shokuhou Misaki could only feel coldness on her face as the wind gently caressed it, feeling a coldness that could extinguish her originally burning and energetic mood with a pot of cold water.

Yes, that's right.

Why is it that even with those classmates and upperclassmen in her school who sincerely admired her, even knowing that she possessed the ability to manipulate people's minds, she was unwilling to put all her trust in them?

There is a term called AIM diffusion field.

The subtle power that ability users unconsciously emit. If it's fire ability, it's heat. If it's telekinesis, it's pressure. If it's electricity generation ability, it's electrical energy...

The things emitted vary from person to person, and are so weak that they can only be barely observed using microscopes or precision instruments.

However, no matter how weak it is, power is still power, and they are indeed released.

Then isn't the problem that Shokuhou Misaki is considering very obvious?

Her ability is 'Mental Out,' her level is Level 5, she is the strongest mental ability user in Academy City. What is the extent of the AIM diffusion field that she unintentionally emits?

Who can know?

“People who distort the world and mass-produce misfortune and tragedy to pursue their own interests, yet are not aware of it.”

“Because they are not aware of it, it is impossible to negotiate with them or control them.”

“Therefore, in order to return the world to equality, we can only ask them to die.”

The explosive-powered pile drivers were once again activated by these 'Dead Knot' members. The gears on the combat suits specifically designed for Shokuhou Misaki, which they named 'Spear of Usurpation,' also began to rotate.

“Leave the side of the esper. We don't want to harm our own kind if it's not necessary.”

The leader in the knight's uniform pointed the explosive-powered pile driver in his hand at Haramura Makoto and issued his final ultimatum.

This was the final warning.

If Haramura Makoto did not agree, then he would lead all his companions to launch an attack on Haramura Makoto and Shokuhou Misaki, tearing them to pieces.

“Hmph, you should leave.”

“This matter originally had nothing to do with you.”

If it were normal, she would probably accept this man's protection without hesitation.

Or rather, even if this man refused to protect her, she would control him to protect her. That was what she should do.

No matter what, protecting herself was the most important thing.

She, Shokuhou Misaki, wasn't so immature as to not understand that.

But for some reason.

Today, she didn't want this man to protect her, didn't want this man to get involved in her affairs.

That's right, this matter had nothing to do with this man in the first place.

She was the one who dragged this man into the water. There was no need for her to let him protect her.

“Hmph, boring.”

A large hand directly pressed down on Shokuhou Misaki's golden hair, while his gaze was fixed on the Dead Knot leader below.

Clearly, Haramura Makoto's 'boring' wasn't directed at Shokuhou Misaki, but at the Dead Knot leader below.

“That's a nice thing to say.”

“Even if everything is as you say, you kill Miss Shokuhou here today, and her diffused AIM diffusion field is suppressed.”

“Then, without Miss Shokuhou Misaki's interference, a new Level 5 will naturally be born.”

“If it's born in someone else, you can continue to kill them.”

“But if it's born in your group, will your members automatically commit suicide?”

Chapter 009: Blood Flowers Bloom

“If you don't commit suicide, then how can you crown yourselves with a grand-sounding cause?”

“Even if you really commit suicide, then how many people are you going to kill?”

“Cycle, repeat, are you saying you're going to kill all the ability users?”

These were consecutive questions that directly addressed the essence of the problem, consecutive questions that were enough for these adolescent boys and girls to reflect on themselves.

These were questions that they couldn't answer.

Ah, could they really commit suicide?

If they grew into Level 5s, would they choose to commit suicide to fulfill others?

“The probability is that they won't.”

The leader of the 'Dead Knot' dressed in red said this.

He wasn't agitated, nor did he start to doubt himself and examine himself like the other members.