Part 12[edit]
Meanwhile, Misaka Mikoto was wrapped in oil composite armor down in the multipurpose drain that looked like a giant tunnel. Also down there, Yuri was attacked by an unknown chill down her back. It had been longer than 10 minutes, so Mikoto had surely suffocated, but Yuri was a member of White Alligator and knew very well that common knowledge did not always apply with Level 5s.
And then something happened.
Specifically, Yuri realized a strange vibration was repeating within the oil composite armor that should have been under her control.
(Don’t tell me she mixed a bunch of iron sand in with the oil. But where is she getting the oxygen she needs for her brain to-…Wait, is this vibration…!?)
There was oxygen in oil. It was just that human lungs could not make use of it. By vibrating the iron sand, Misaka Mikoto was accurately breaking down the oil and carrying only the oxygen, nitrogen, and other components of air to her mouth.
And it did not end there.
When those components of the oil were removed, the oil had changed enough to lose its characteristics as oil.
Military Oil was the power to freely control the properties of oil and petroleum products.
If what she was controlling lost its characteristics and composition as oil, she lost her control over it. Yuri did not have the power to directly control hydrocarbons or sulfur.
“Wh-what…!?”
With a disconcerting sound, the giant black ma.s.s split vertically down the middle. A singe level 5 appeared from within, shaking off the power of a group of Level 4s.
“Honestly, this was one h.e.l.l of a result.”
The #3 was not even looking at her enemy.
She was focused on the PDA in her hand. Misaka Mikoto spoke to Yuri, but it was almost as an afterthought.
“Did you know this? The story was that Saitou-sensei had disappeared without a trace from Nagatenjouki Academy, but the security guard had been given a few of his belongings as lost items. I found some interesting data in his cell phone charger.”
“From the firmware’s memory area…?”
“Right. Anyway, I a.n.a.lyzed the seemingly random numbers in there and got the key code to a cloud service. I’m in the middle of downloading all the data he had on the internet there.” Mikoto lightly waved the PDA. “It seems to be information on this White Alligator that Aizono Mio mentioned before. He has a file on all the eyewitness reports, one on his overall conjectures about the organization, and even a member list. It does seem none of this ever left the area of conjecture even for Saitou-sensei though.”
This information had not been what he had used to search out the hospital Aizono Mio had been in and bring her to the path of recovery.
The dates of the files were simply too recent.
“Ais.h.i.+ma Hitomi, Aizono Mio, Olosun, Francisca Obidos, Kawamo Ryuubi, Kochonwon, Konoha Yayoi, Sakasama Yuri, Ilenia Sagileska, s.h.i.+rokabe Renka, Suzunari Yuuhi, Sejou Aika, Catherine Hardcla.s.s, Hyoudou Maki, Maruiwa Kurumi, Mishou Yui, Irelia Mordman, Yumesaki Saibi, Yoake Sayori, Yosegi Misato, Raidou Yuuko, Wajiku Kobina… Does that list sound familiar? I expect it’s a list of the members at the time White Alligator collapsed. Most of their whereabouts are unknown, but the ‘suggested sites’ list at the end of the file makes it seem he was working on tracking them down.”
That meant…
“Even as I look at this, I find it hard to believe. Even while he was taking care of all the complaints from those parents, Saitou-sensei was tracking down White Alligator after its collapse all on his own. For years and years.”
“…No…”
There was no need to ask why he had been doing it.
In the end, that was the kind of person Saitou Souta was. Even while trapped in an environment anyone would want to be rescued from, his conviction did not waver. In fact, he did not even view their troubles as ‘evil things’ that would cause his conviction to waver.
It was true that he had not made it in time.
It was true that an outspoken ill will had gotten in the way and led to an unfortunate accident occurring before he could reach out his hand.
However, Saitou Souta had not given up on rescuing those in White Alligator. He had not been satisfied with his success with Aizono Mio and abandoned the rest.
“Can you hear me, Aizono Mio?”
Misaka Mikoto had put the PDA back in her skirt pocket as it continued to download the data, and had then pulled out her cell phone. She had then used her thumb to call a different former elite than Yuri.
Mikoto smiled while holding a coin up with her other hand and aiming at Sakasama Yuri.
“It seems the teacher you trusted so much was the real deal.”