Allright new chapter is here, anyway i've decide to skip the part where there will be a fight against the illusion esper to make it fast anyway, so i'm sorry for you that really looking foward for a fight against that illusion esper. Anyway hope you enjoy the chapter
GG Vegito: I'm planning to separate the index arc with the level upper arc of course! I'm not planning to do both of those arc at the same time of course, it would be troublesome for me.
Chapter 14: The level upper developer.
It's 15th july, the 177th judgement branch is litteraly in a high tension because at 14th July, Kotaru, Touma, and Kuroko just learned that the level upper was a music file after beat a level upper that is an illusion esper. After a bit of thoughts, they decide to split up patroling the city to caught an incredible amount of the level upper user, Kotaru even called Sogita Gunha for helping them taking care of the level upper users, how did he got his number you ask? He got it from his parents since he was called by their parents to help test out the virtual chamber which finally has officialy become 100% finished.
They met so many level upper users, everyone doing good on their own, Kotaru has been fighting with his three element beat the level upper users but he's still holding back on his own and also he learned some new tricks while fighting them which could be useful for him in the future, Touma beat the level upper users easily despite only has the power to negate anything that was supernatural limited to his right hand, his fighting instinct does helped him out on beating the level upper user, Kuroko with her teleporting power also easily knock those level upper users as well, and lastly Sogita Gunha, he was able to fight against them, his guts manage to made him overpowered all of the level upper users, but it has a setback of made so many crated on the wall and the ground on some places.
They were facing these absurd amount of level upper users for 2 straight days. Touma, Kuroko, and Kotaru got a fair share of bruises on their body, meanwhile sogita gunha by some miracle didn't have any scratch on his body, if you asking why, Sogita power does made so many crater on so many places.
Uiharu is currently taking care of Kuroko's wound, Touma and Kotaru have some wounds too, but they already recovered from their wounds. Touma is a fast healer while Kotaru heal himself using his trusted rejuvenate skill, and Sogita isn't wiunded at all.
"It seems like three of you got more bruises everyday." Uiharu said while she's wrapping a bandage on Kuroko.
"Can't be helped, too many level upper user was roaming atound the city," Kotaru said across the room along with Sogita and Touma right beside him looking the opposite way.
"These level upper users really are a pain to deal with because there is too many of them, i can't imagine how bad it is when innocent people got hurted by them." Touma added.
"Speaking of someone getting hurt," Kuroko reminded, "Why you boys are nowhere beat up as i am right now? Especially you Kamijou-san, you were the unluckiest one here."
"Shirai, you know that i have a technique on my wind element to heal myself." Kotaru pointed out.
"I always heal faster than you could imagine Shirai." Touma shrugged.
"With guts, I don't need to worry about getting myself injured." Sogita said with a proud tone.
"You know, I wish we really could figure out how far this thing was spreading on the city." Uiharu admitted.
"Please don't jinxed it Uiharu." Kotaru begged.
"Oh yeah, we also need a plan," Kuroko agree with Uiharu, "there are three things we need to do about all of this."
"First of all, we get the item off the street," Uiharu said while understand what Kuroko implied.
"Then, we help those people who have fallen into comas," Kotaru and Touma continued.
"Lastly, we arrest the person who is responsible for creating and distributing the level upper," Kuroko finished, "We should be able to find the motive after we manage to do that."
"Let me bandage your wound first Shirai-san." Uiharu said as she wrapping a roll of bandages around Kuroko's upper body.
"When we find the culprit, lemme teach them how gutless their action really was." Sogita said pumping his fist.
"Anyway Shirai-san, are you sure you don't want Misaka-san to wrap you up though?" Uiharu asked while still wrapped Kuroko's upper body with a bandage.
"I wouldn't want Onee-sama to see me in this state," Kuroko explained, "Speaking of which, You guys better not looking."
"Looking at you undress like that is an epitome of guts for me!" Sogita said crossing his arm while still looked away.
"I agree, I'm not interested on looking at you, Shirai." Kotaru responded.
"I always know how my life is on the line," Touma called back, "I don't wanna messing around with a deadly teleporter."
"Good," Kuroko sighed in relief.
"Don't worry Shirai-san, nobody want to see it after all." Uiharu said snarkingly.
Kuroko didn't take Uiharu comment lightly, so she began to shake Uiharu violently back and forth.
"Okay would you stop that already? All I heard was an abuse, I can't just ignore that." Touma complained while struggling to looked away.
Suddenly they heard Misaka voice coming from behind the door.
"Guys is there something I could do to he-" Misaka was interrupted by Uiharu headbutt the top of Misaka head because Kuroko immediately teleported Uiharu upside down on top of Uiharu and now they knocked to the ground.
"Ah, good to see you Onee-sama!" Kuroko greeted her now collapsed friends.
"Hey, is it okay to turned around now?" Kotaru asked.
"So, are you guys making any progress with the case?" Misaka asked with her head now bandaged, but she soon realized something. "Wait a minute, why is Sogita-san is here?"
"I've asked him to helped us out," Kotaru explained, "He is the leader of the Judgement so we might asked him for helping us now."
"Okay that make sense, so how's the progress with the case?" Misaka reminded the group.
"It's kinda hard to say," Uiharu admitted.
"There were a few things we just learned," Touma supplied.
" told us that there is a device called the testament, which is capable of electrically implanting massive quantities of data directly into the brain," Kuroko explained, putting one of her hand on her chin, "However, it was operated using all of the five human senses: taste, touch, hearing, smell, and sight. All are at work with this thing."
"But the level upper was only a music file, so it's more to the sense of hearing." Kotaru noted, before they got interrupted by a kettle sound on the kitchenette.
"Why do I feel like it's hotter in here now after I heard that kettle whistling now?" Touma asked.
"Could you stay focused please?" Kuroko complained while Kotaru and Uiharu take care of the kettle
"Wait a minute, I think he might be on something," Misaka interrupted.
"Something came up on your mind, Misaka?" Sogita asked.
"Hey Kuroko, remember the conversation we had when we were eating the shaved ice?" Misaka asked.
"Hmmm…." Kuroko thinking for a while and snapped as she gasped, "It's synesthesia!"
"Synes-what?" Kotaru, Touma, Uiharu, and Sogita asked in confusion as Uiharu brought back a tray of tea.
Misaka and Kuroko explained about synesthesia where it occurs when a single thing stimulates more than one of the senses. When stimulate one sense with a particular method, the others react too even though those sense weren't the original target.
The group decide to called Kiyama and explained her about the synesthesia hypothesis, Uiharu is on her way to meet the doctor and potentially see the Tree diagram, Academy City greatest supercomputer, at work. For everyone else, they stayed at the office standby in case another level upper user started to making any trouble. Currently Touma, Kotaru, and Kuroko is working on the paperwork on their desk. Unfortunately, there was too many paperwork piled up on their desk, even Sogita as the captain of the Judgement decide to help out finished the paperwork that was piled there.
"There's too many paperwork, is these paperworks will be finished?" Kotaru complained as he finished three piled up paperwork on his desk.
"We can't help it Hikari, too many level upper user we faced that result these many reports." Touma respond.
"I just hope that these paperworks gonna be finished as soon as possible, it's really boring for me to do this." Gunha said while finished 5 piled paperworks.
"I just can't believe that you managed to finished that many paperworks Hikari-san, Sogita-san." Kuroko replied.
"I'm relieved that I didn't join judgement so I don't have to face all of this." Misaka mused.
Suddenly, Kotaru phone is ringing, when he looked at the caller's id, it was Uiharu who's calling him out.
"Hello, Uiharu? Did you finally arrived at Kiyama's place already?" Kotaru answered, but he realized that something's off, "Wait, why are you crying right now, what's happening?... WHAT? YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING ME RIGHT NOW!"
Everyone inside the room jumped by Kotaru's sudden yelled, Touma initiatively asked him worriedly, "Hikari, What's wrong?"
Kotaru turned to the others, he answered with a sad expression, "Ruiko-chan, she . . . she used the level upper and is in coma right now."
Everyone in the branch immediately headed straight to the hospital that Ruiko was checked into. Uiharu went straight to Kiyama's office after she gathered all the data she had collected so far after checking in Ruiko and making sure she's stable as possible. Kotaru asked Touma for help after asking a moment of privacy with the recent level upper victim, Kotaru told Touma touch her head if it could negate anything inside her head, but it doesn't work. Kotaru left his seelie pet to be at her side while he's not with her and a note to inform the nurse or the doctor about the pet.
After Kotaru and Touma left the room, he asked everyone to follow him to the roof to tell them something.
"What do you want to discuss about, Hikari-san?" Kuroko asked.
"Remember when Ruiko-chan wanted to show us something when we asked doctor Kiyama about the level upper?" Kotaru questioned.
"Yeah, Saten-san pulled something from her pocket and put it back immediately." Kuroko answered.
"At that time, she has the level upper." Kotaru revealed.
"S-She has it at that time?" Kuroko asked with shocked expression, "Why did she have the level upper?"
"She wanted to have something to be proud of," Kotaru answered, "She left everything on her hometown to go here, family, friends, and even her home to have a power. But she is stuck as an original level 0 who has no potential at all, she's angry that she's powerless against people with a power and also jealous to everyone who has a power even she's jealous at me and Kamijou-senpai who has a power even as a level 0 who could toe to toe with a level 5 like Misaka and Sogita."
"I could tell how painful it is when she's explained everything to you under that bridge, Hikari san." Misaka said with a low tone.
"Exactly," Kotaru said before he realized, "Wait, You guys eavesdropping us?"
"Yeah, Misaka and i heard some of your conversation before we decided to leave both of you." Touma admitted.
"Okay let me continue, before I decide to left her, I told Ruiko-chan that I won't forced her to take the level upper and let her have a decision to choose with the level upper. It's stupid for me to not see this happening at all, damn what have I been thinking to not realized it GOD DAMMIT!" Kotaru said desperately as he punched the hospital wall, the punch has create a crack in the wall after Kotaru punched it, he let out his anger but still kinda hold back.
Sogita walk closer to him and use his right hand holding Kotaru's left shoulder, he said to reassure him, "Hey Hikari, You did what you could do for Saten-san, there were some time when there is nothing we could do about it."
"Sogita-san is right," Misaka agreed, "I'm a level 5 just like Sogita-san, but when I want to helped you out when having a talk with Saten-san, I can't do anything about it. My status as level 5 doesn't matter at that time, there were the times where a level 5 wasn't helping at some situation."
"Same goes with me," Touma agreed as well, "I always jumps in to helped people every time there was trouble, but I can't let myself helped out Saten-san, this might be the first time I can't helped out my friends."
"They're right Hikari-san, Everyone here is at fault, even my judgement status won't helped her at that kind of situation. Besides, you were the only one who have done the most part on helping her out." Kuroko added.
Kotaru looked at everyone, they were right, everyone is at fault here even though his help for Ruiko isn't that much, but it's still a major help because not only he is the only one who tried to help her, but he is the one who done the most on helping her.
Kotaru gave them a big smile, and said to them, "Thanks everyone, I really needed that." Kotaru walked to the edge of the rooftop, looked at the view of the city, then said, "I better stop blaming myself, it won't leading myself to helped her." Kotaru turned to his friends again and continued, "Let's go finish the case now."
Everyone gave Kotaru a big smile with a nod, then Misaka talked, "let me help with the level upper case, so we could finish this case in no time! Besides, it's also to helped our friend as well."
"Shirai, would you..?" Kotaru begged.
Kuroko gave a sigh and responded "I guess i allowed it this time."
"Thank you, Kuroko." Misaka said, place her hand on Kuroko 's shoulder that made her suddenly finched.
"No, i should be the one to thank you, onee-sama." Kuroko said while trying her hardest to mask her pain.
The group is walking on the corridor made their way out of the hospital, but stopped when someone called them out.
"Excuse me, do you guys have a moment?" A doctor asked.
"Ah! A real gekota!" Misaka squealed when she looked at the doctor.
"Onee-sama, please calm down, he's just a normal doctor." Kuroko said to her best friend.
"Hey doc, good to see you again." Kotaru and Touma greeted.
"Good to see both again boys." The doctor replied, "Especially you Kamijou, i kinda wished we weren't meeting because someone i know is a patient before."
"Wait a minute, you two know him?" Kuroko asked.
"Kamijou has frequently ended up landing himself on the hospital after he's helping people," the doctor explained, "He's one of my most frequent patient, as for Hikari, he always bring Kamijou to hospital whenever he's injured."
"Funny thing is that he has his own room due to his frequency of landing himself here hahaha." Kotaru laughed.
"That's some rotten luck you got there, Kamijou-san." Kuroko mused
"That's true." Misaka agreed while giggling.
"At least i don't get myself broke due to my frequency." Touma sighed
"That's really some guts you have Kamijou." Sogita said proudly.
"Okay enough of that, I have found some information that might help you in the Level Upper case." The doctor said while he gestured to followed him.
After they entered the doctor's office, the doctor showed the students on the computer screen, there is a
The doctor explained to the kids, "This is a normal human brains wave pattern," the doctor then scrool through the computer, it shows multiple charts on the screen, "There are variant kinds of brainwaves from person to person, so the wave forms should be quite different across the board. However, I've noticed something surprising in this case. Each of the Level Upper victims have a common brainwave pattern."
"Why does their brain waves looked the same?" Kotaru asked.
"Maybe there was an outise influence," the doctor answered, "Someone else is forcing their brains into these particular patterns, and thus controlling the function of their bodies."
"So you're saying that someone who's controlling the Level Upper is tampering with their brains to put them all into a coma?" Misaka summarised
"Why in the world someone do that?" Touma asked while he clenching his fist.
"I'm just reporting my findings to all of you," the doctor answered, "you guys will be the one to find out their motives."
The group went back to 177th judgement branch, everyone gather around the computer right now to do a little research.
"If we does match a specific brain waves pattern," Misaka said.
"Then all we have to do is to ask Uiharu to find a specific one on the databank..." Kuroko said before she just realised something.
"Uiharu isn't here at all..." Touma interrupted.
"He was with doctor Kiyama right now." Kotaru added.
"Oops, i forgot about that," Kuroko said dejectedly.
"Why do you asked uiharu to check the data bank?" Sogita asked curiously?
"Ah, that's because Uiharu is the greatest hacker in judgement Sogita." Kotaru explained.
"Ahhh i see," Sogita said before he realised, "Wait, so she's the famous judgement hacker i've heard about?"
"Yep that's her," Kotaru confirmed, "But without her right now.."
"Is going to be a problem for us." Misaka finished.
"Jeez, why do you guys moaning and groaning right now?" Konori asked as she approached.
"Well, we have to explain the full story first, Konori-san." Kotaru replied.
After a while, Kotaru, Sogita, Touma, Misaka, and Kuroko explained everything to Konori.
After she heard everything, Konori started to search on the databank, while she's typing on her laptop, she explained, "I see, if that's true, we could access the data bank in order to get some information."
"But what if there isn't one in the databank?" Misaka asked.
"Don't worry onee-sama," Kuroko insisted, "Super power data isn't only for student, but there's also the adult that works in the hospital or taken a vocational aptitude test."
"This city watches everyone like hawks. If there's no information on it, it means that the information just can't be detected by Academy City's equipment," Touma added.
"I'm curious, how did the culprit used the Level Upper reprogram someone's brainwaves?" Sogita asked.
"I'm also curious how does that really work." Kotaru agree.
"Since i couldn't negate it with my right hand, it means that it was a natural phenomenon." Touma pointed out.
"Even esper level could increased, i don't understand at all." Kuroko confused.
"On the computer, using software doesn't mean it could increase it's performance," Konori explained, "But maybe it's different story for the network itself."
"So you're saying a connection could increase it's performance?" Sogita and Kuroko asked for a confirmation at the same time.
"I think it's not only one computer," Kotaru interrupted, "When using so many computer parallelly, it would increase their computing."
"I see! So someone create a brain waves with a level upper?"
"I guess that's the only conclusion we could go with." Sogita mused.
"But how does they connected their brainwaves together?" Misaka asked.
"Maybe it has something to do with AIM diffusion field," Konori suggested, "All Espers emit a force around themselves without even being aware of it. If those were to be connected…"
"But esper do that unconsciously." Kotaru pointed out.
"Besides, wouldn't different brains be like different operating systems, making it harder to be linked together?" Touma asked.
"Brain does like a computer system operator that's different." Misaka pointed out, "Is there something that has a meaning to all of it?"
"Each computer has a different system operator so they're not the same," Konori explained, "But a connection is create by a protocol isn't that right?"
"But if there was so much brains connected, they could a massive amount of computing," Misaka concluded.
"By plugging into the network, a person's ability would increase since the network lets them do much more computing and people sharing the same ability would allow them to better control their powers." Sogita finished.
"So your hypotesis is that the victims' brain activity is being used to power this network is that right?" Kotaru asked for confirmation.
"Exactly." Konori answered instantly.
Suddenly, the search on the data bank brought back a result of a 99% match. When they saw who's on the screen, everyone is shocked when they looked at who's show up on the search result.
"Is this real!" Kuroko asked in shock.
"Registered name: Kiyama Harumi!" Misaka read
"We've been played by her in this whole time Damn it!" Touma yelled, punched the desk with his right hand.
"Is there something wrong?" Konori asked concernly.
"Uiharu said she was on her way to Dr. Kiyama's office!" Mikoto explained while Kuroko tried calling her friend.
"She didn't pick up the call at all!" Kuroko said in concern.
"Contact Anti-Skill and have them take the doctor into custody!" Konori ordered, "But be sure to warn them there might be a hostage with her!"
"Damn it! We gotta find her now!" Sogita said while he rushed himself get out of the office.
"Wait for me Sogita! I'm coming with you as well!" Kotaru said while chasing Sogita.
"Gunha, Hikari, Wait!" Touma yelled calling Kotaru and Sogita.
"Damn it, how are they gonna find Uiharu now!?" Kuroko asked.
"Wait i remember!" Touma snapped, "He has his virtual watch so he could use it to track down Uiharu-san's phone!"
"Then it's time for us to go too!" Misaka insisted.
"I don't normally getting civilians involved, but having someone with your power around might giving us more benefit and advantage." Konori concluded.
After giving Konori a thanks nod, Misaka ran out from the office, followed by Touma and Kuroko behind her.
"Onee-sama, please wait!" Kuroko called out, "Don't forget, Uiharu is a member of Judgement, she can handle herself if she needs to… probably… if she's lucky."
"You're not really helping here, Shirai-san!" Touma said sarcastically.
"It's not that unlikely," Kuroko defended, "Besides, what could she do against those anti-skills? She's just a scientist.
"The lives of thousands of comatose Espers are in her hands, as we speak," Mikoto argued, "Plus, I've just got a bad feeling about this."
"You're right, this might gonna end up bad! That's why a judgement officer-!" Kuroko was cutted off by Misaka touched her shoulder, causing Kuroko to flinch and hold her injuries.
"Are you in good shape to go into an action right now, Kuroko?" Misaka asked.
"Onee-sama, could it be, you know about my injuries?" Kuroko responded.
"Of course i did, Kuroko." Misaka replied, she used her finger to poked her forehead, "You may be strong, but I'm still the older one here. It's been a rough week, so let your Onee-sama do it."
"All right onee-sama, thank you." Kuroko said with tears in the corners of her eyes and a very visible blush.
Mikoto noticed that Touma's giving her a warm smile, sho she asked him.
"Why do you give me that look?" Misaka asked.
"Well, it's just you've shown your older sister sides when you talk to Shirai-san just now, i understand why she called you Onee-sama." Touma reasoned before he admitted, "Which is kinda cute i ain't gonna lie."
Misaka was flustered by what Touma just said, she learned that Touma does like her big sister side and also he called it cute as well which mades Misaka embarrased.
"Th-Thanks, i guess..." Misaka whispered, but Touma still able to heard her.
"Anyway, we'll go together, Misaka!" Touma declared, "I'm also a judgement member and also older than you."
"Of course," Misaka replied, "Make sure you didn't hold me back okay?"
"Right back at you, since you never be able to defeat me once, Misaka!" Touma joked.
"We're counting all of you, now hurry up to catch up with Hikari-san and Sogita san now!"
"Okay! Let's go Misaka!" Touma said.
"Yeah!" Misaka respond fastly, both of them proceed themselves to catch up with Kotaru and Sogita who's already went ahead of them.
*End of chapter 14*