Hey guys chapter 16 is out now, this will be the time where Ruiko attend the level upper workshop, so enjoy the chapter.
Vegitta: Thanks for liking the chapter, and i'm glad you enjoy Ruiko and Kotaru were a couple. Well for you want to see my changes in the index arc, you might need to wait because not only it will take too long, there's also the beach episode, idk whether i want to make it or not. But Kotaru is gonna get involved to the magic side by 100%.
Well only one review eh? I hope you enjoy the chapter.
Chapter 16: Why numbers don't matter.
It was 18th July, the next day after the level upper case has finally closed, Misaka and Kuroko is currently at the Joshep's, they were discussing about what to do for the day, but nothing cames in mind for the girls. Kuroko suggested to watch a romance movie, knowing Kuroko, Misaka know what motives Kuroko has inside and she didn't interested at it, she denied it while misaka herself suggested going to a summer festival over at Seventh Mist after seeing an ad in a magazine. Kuroko immediately caught on and deduced that she want to go there because there's gekota involved and they began to argue over Misaka's live for the gekota itself, but they got interrupted by their friend arrival.
"Sorry," Uiharu interrupted, "Sorry to keep you waiting, i've missed the first bus so i'm late."
"Don't worry Uiharu-san, we've just arrived as well." Misaka said.
"Hey Uiharu, why is saten-san wasn't with you?" Kuroko asked notice for her friend didn't show up.
"Well, about that," Uiharu explain why Saten wasn't with her for a few minutes.
After the explanation, Misaka began to talk, "She must attend into an extra lesson even at sunday? Your school is really evil."
"The school wasn't only from our school," Uiharu pointed out, "It looks like a special study by gather so many students."
"Special lesson?" Misaka repeated.
"Yeah," Uiharu instantly replied, "Though i don't understand why they do that."
"Well she's pretty unlucky today." Kuroko deduced, "Even thought today the weather seems nice."
"You're right Kuroko." Misaka agreed before she realised something, "Speaking of someone unlucky, where is that idiot anyway?"
"You mean Kamijou-senpai, Misaka-san?" Uiharu asked.
"I heard from him that he's going to be busy today," Kuroko explain, "He said that the teacher in his school needed his assistance today, and Hikari-san also helped him today."
"Of course he would do that," Misaka huffed, "He always trying to help people no matter what happens to him, especially if his grades was on the line." Eversince Touma joined judgement, Misaka gets to know Touma more than before.
"I wonder what is he doing right now?" Uiharu wondered, want to know what Touma is doing now.
Meanwhile, Ruiko has just arrived at a certain high school, when she checking the invitation where she was supposed to meet, she met her friend Akemi, Muu, and Makochin, who also used the level upper. After they met up, they walked towards their class.
"Man, it really sucks," muu complained, "Making so many students come here on a holiday."
"I'll appreciate it if my level increased after followed the special program." Akemi hoped.
"I should be at the swiming pool right now.." Makochin complained.
"You also want to play with Uiharu-san and Hikari-san today am i right Ruiko?" Muu asked.
Ruiko suddenly stopped from her track at Muu question, but she replied. "Well, it can't be helped at all." Her friends stopped from their track as well, they were a bit dissapointed. Before they could say anything, Ruiko continued, "Well, i also happy to be here as well. This is my payback for Kotaru-kun for saving me from my desperation."
Ruiko looked at the sky and continued, "I hope that this workshop has something i could learned to be a better person than before.
Her friends was suprised of what Ruiko just said, they didn't expect that she also wanted to be here, Muu suddenly asked Ruiko, "Now you mention it Ruiko, how's your relationship with Hikari-san?'
Ruiko was startled and blushed by her question, before she could answered back, Akemi asked her, "Yeah i was wondering the same thing, did you finally confessed to him?
"You have confessed to Hikari-san right?" Mako-chin also wondered the same thing.
Ruiko got furiously blushed by their question, she's a bit hestitant, but she decide to reveal it to her friends, she turned around facing her friends and said, "Yes, you were right Muu. I confessed to him after i wake up from the coma when both of us are alone at the hospital rooftop so me and Kotaru-kun are going out now, a-and he also stole my first kiss as well."
Her friends mouths are wide opened after they heard after what Ruiko just said, not only Ruiko and Kotaru finally become a couple, but also the fact that Ruiko first kiss was already stolen by Kotaru as well. After they processed what Ruiko just said, the girls screamed in happiness before all of them congratulate Ruiko for finally made Kotaru fall for her and choose her as his girlfriend.
Looks like the rumor hunter herself realised that she's gonna be the rumored Elemental Burst's girlfriend, good luck with that.
After their talk about Ruiko and Kotaru's new relationship for a while, Ruiko and her friends finally arrived to their class, they didn't expect to see the variety of students that had showed up to the workshop. Not all student wore the same uniform like Ruiko and her friends, also the amount of student that attend at the workshop was lacking, it didn't reach half of the classroom even with the gang member here.
When the teacher comes into the class, everyone except Ruiko inside the class mistaken her as an elementary school, but she was extremely short, dressed in pink, and downright adorable. Her name was Tsukuyomi Komoe, she has a frightening personality considered how innocent she looks.
For the lesson itself, it was mostly standard fair. Komoe-sensei went over all of the basics of Esper abilities for most of the morning. It was nothing Ruiko had not heard before. It was Personal Realities and quantum theory all over again. However, things took an odd turn when Komoe stopped the lecture a few minutes ahead of time. Every student was shocked , they expected that the lesson at least went for another half hour.
"Allright everyone, that's enough for the morning lesson," Komoe said to the students inside the class, "Before we have a lunch, there's someone i would like all of you to meet. Both of them are a level 0 just like all of you, but they also count as the most ideal level 0."
Everyone asking on their mind who these person might be? Everyone except wonder these person might be someone that is strong even as a level 0.
"Alright, both of you could come inside now " Komoe-sensei called.
The door slide open, two person walked inside the classroom and Ruiko eyes widened, she recognize who got inside the room just now.
"Hello everyone, my name's Kamijou Touma," Touma introduce himself before point his finger towards Kotaru, "And this is Kotaru Hikari."
"It's nice to meet you all."
"Kotaru-kun? Kamijou-san? What are you doing here?" Ruiko asked in shock, she didn't expect to meet both of them here.
"Ah Ruiko-chan," Kotaru greeted his girlfriend calmly, "I'm just helping out Kamijou-senpai here."
"Ehem" Komoe-sensei fake coughing to remind Kotaru why he's here before she continued, "As for why Kamijou-chan and Hikari-chan is here, both of them will share their experience together as a level level 0, but still being find a fulfillment here. Anyway, ymboth of you got something to say right?"
"Yes sensei." Kotaru and Touma responed.
Touma decide to tell everyone about his power first, he decide to clear his throat before explained to all of them.
"Alright everyone, i don't want to hurt your feelings as a fellowe level 0, but i decide to come clean now," Touma said, "If you must know, i have an ability despite being a level 0, my right hand here could negate anything that is supernatural including any esper abilities. As for why i'm a level 0, the system scan cannot detected my hand and also this right hand negate my AIM field so i was labelled as the weakest level 0."
"THAT'S BULLSHIT!" The gang leader stand up from her seat as she yelled, "THERE'S NO WAY SUCH POWER EXIST ESPECIALLY YOU CLAIMED AS THE WEAKEST LEVEL 0!"
"Whether you believe me or not, i already tell what i must to tell to all of you," Touma replied calmly, "Despite having this power, it doesn't helped me when it comes to life in academy city, but i still tried my best. I come to school, hang out with my friends, manage to get a less amount of money as a level 0 esper and i always helped people around me no matter what's the consequences, also my power always brings me misfortune."
"As for me, i'm also a level a level 0 just like him," Kotaru began to talk, "I have a power coming from this gadget," Kotaru show them his vision to every student in the room, "With this thing, i manage to control electricity, fire, and wind, but this power wasn't originally mine because this power was from another world and it can't be detected by the system scan as well so i'm also a level 0 as well."
"So you're saying that your power is given by someone from another world Hikari-chan?" Komoe-sensei asked, she didn't kniw about Kotaru's original power.
"Yes Komoe-sensei, that's true." Kotaru answered, "But, even though this power is incredible, i hate it sometimes ... Because i obtain this power when i saw my best friend got hurt so much in Kyoto the place where i usually live before i go to this city and sometimes i have a nightmares where my friend got stabbednin the stomach which is something i alway try to avoid everyday. But i always try my best to live at it's maximum in this city no matter what happened just like all of you."
"You see, these two just like all of you as a level 0, despite their limitation as level 0, they tried their best of what they can be used to be and goes beyond what many people think their limitation are." Komoe-sensei added before she looked at the time. She decide to tell the class it's time for a lunch break before Komoe-sensei along with Kotaru and Touma leave the class.
After the teacher and the guests left, some people prepare their lunch, but some student gathered as well on one table.
"Ruiko, you know that other guy?" Akemi asked.
"Yes Akemi," Ruiko replied, "He is a new friend i meet one day, Kotaru-kun is familiar with that guy since he admits that Kotaru-kun wasn't able to beat him once and also Misaka-san never beat him for once too."
"I believe about Hikari-san, but the level 5 you hanging out with as well?" Muu asked in shock.
"That's right." Ruiko answered instantly, "One day Shirai-san don't believe that Kamijou-san claimed to beat Misaka-san and Kotaru even as a level 0, but to proof Kamijou-san is stronger than Misaka-san and Kamijou-san, Kotaru decide to having a spar with Kamijou-san at his dad's lab. The result was Kotaru-kun got knocked into the wall by him and fall unconscious for 2 nights only with a single punch from Kamijou-san."
Everyone who heard the conversation was suprised by how powerfull Touma was, especially for Ruiko friends who already know Kotaru as their friends as well as the strongest esper in their school who got knocked out for 1 day and 2 nights by Touma, but the most suprising one was he only got punch by him once.
Some student were also jealous especially for the gang member because Kotaru and Touma possessed a power that was equal or maybe above a level 5, but why both of them were labelled as a level 0 especially for Touma who claimed to be the weakest level 0?
Now everyone whoever believed or not about both Kotaru and Touma's power, the truth was out and confirmed to more people than before.
After everyone take have a lunch break, every students including Kotaru and Touma gathered around the field behind the school. Kotaru and Touma helped out set up a track for an insurance run. After Yomikawa-sensei who's in charge of the physical training introduced herself, she instructed everyone to make as many laps as possible at their top speed, when they can't keep running, the students have to raised their hands to tell Yomikawa-sensei that they can't keep running. When the student raised the hands to stop, Yomikawa-sensei told them to keep going which made the students not happy about it at all especially for the high school gang leader, but Kotaru and Touma keep continued because Touma got motivated by it while Kotaru has a comitment that he will be strong when he keep pushing his limits. When Ruiko is the last one to stop running, she finally sit down on the ground but Yomikawa told her to go one more lap again but she told Yomikawa-sensei that she can't run anymore due to her exhaustion, but Yomikawa-sensei keep told Ruiko to keep one more lap again.
"You really call this training?" The gang leader yelled at Yomikawa.
Yomikawa turned her head towards the gang leader and simply replied, "It is for me."
"Like hell it is, just tell us this is a punishment for all of us!" The gang leader grabbed Yomikawa-sensei tracksuit.
"It's nothing like that at all." Yomikawa said without skipping a beat.
"Then what's thr meaning for making us running like this?" Thr gang leader asked.
"It's for all of you to learn to keep pushing your limits. Just look at him," Yomikawa sensei pointed towards the student who Ruiko noticed that tried to buy a Level Upper off of a couple of thugs off the street, "He was the first one to ever raised his hand, yet he keeps running. And in front of him there's Kamijou and a few meters away from Kamijou was Hikari who keeps running faster despite how exhausted both of them and still keep running at the full speed. He's trying to set an example. When you convinced yourself you can't do any more, you're finished, even though you might still have some strength left that you're just unaware of."
This explanation caught the high school girl off guard, but she didn't let go of her grip. And at this time, Kotaru finally stopped behind Ruiko catching his breath.
"Even her," Yomikawa continued looking at Ruiko on the ground, along with Ruiko looked at Yomikawa-sensei, "She knew that she can't run anymore, but she manage to run for one more lap. Now what kind of power she has to keep running for one morr lap?"
"Just like developing our abilities," Kotaru interrupted after catching his breath, "The point of doing all of this right now was to teach us that we can't decide what our limits are, but we able to keep pushing ourselves to broke those limits everytime."
The gang leader is pissed by ehat Kotaru just said, she let out the grip on Yomikawa-sensei's track suit and walked towards Kotaru as she yelled at him, "Don't give me that crap!" She instantly throw a punch at Kotaru.
In response, Kotaru dodge to the left, grabbed her right hand using his right hand that she used to punch him and put his other hand on her back and pushed him to the ground.
Kotaru noticed that the wind is cold indicating it will rain soon, so Kotaru looked at Yomikawa-sensei and told her, "Sensei, it's gonna rain soon, i think it's best to end the lecture now."
Yomikawa-sensei looked at the sky that a dark cloud shows up in the sky, so she told everyone the physical training is over for today, she called everyone back inside to get changed and to have their afternoon lesson. However, Kotaru noticed that Ruiko stopped at the moment looked at Touma who's helping the young man who kept running make his way into the building. Kotaru use his virtual watch to project a virtual umbrella to approach his girlfriend to get inside the building.
When Ruiko noticed that Kotaru hold the umbrealla in top of her amd grabbed her left hand using his free hand, she turned around looking at Kotaru who's smiling at her, then Kotaru said, "Let's go inside Ruiko-chan, or you'll catch a cold."
Ruiko blushed by Kotaru sudden closeness, shenonly replied, "Yeah, let's go." After that, Kotaru and Ruiko went inside the building and separated on their way to their own changing room.
Before the afternoon lesson started, Komoe sensei told the students belief that the workshop was a punishment for Level Upper users was wrong, so she decide to talk about ot now.
"It appears that most of you have jumped into the wrong conclusion," Komoe began to talk, "Let me explain to all of you one more time again, this workshop wasn't only for a level upper user."
Everyone in the room including Ruiko (except for Touma and Kotaru) was shocked by what Komoe-sensei just said.
"I must admit that all of your action for using the level upper in order to get a power wasn't an commendable act." Komoe continued, "But all of you don't need to felt sorrow too much. If there was a punishment, it means you lost your realization."
"So it would be better for all of you think that as a positive experience right?" Kotaru interrupted. "All of you who have used the level upper has fallen into a coma as a side effect of using the level upper, so that fact alone was enough to be your punishment all of your punishment."
"All of you who have used the level upper have felt the sensation of using that power even though now it's only an illusion," Touma added, "But, the potential you guys used wasn't an illusion. The level upper shows you the potential that you guys believe you had, now it's time for all of you to break those limits no matter how long it would take."
After that, Komoe instructed them to close their eyes to remember the time when they use the power after they use the level upper, everyone already close their eyes except for Ruiko. Komoe sensei, Touma, and Kotaru noticed that Ruiko looked at three of them, they know she's a bit hestitant to do it remembering the mistake she did, but three of them gave Ruiko a nod with a smile saying internally to Ruiko saying 'it's okay.'
Ruiko smiled at them back and close her eyes now, try to think the personal reality once more, she remembered the time she used the power after she used the level upper, she also remembered the time Uiharu says that Ruiko will increased her level one time, Also misaka words to try one more time, and most importantly the promise Kotaru made for her to make sure to find the power she seeks in her life.
After the class was over, everyone was instructed to go for the system scan, Ruiko only hope doing what she could do.
At the end of the day, Ruiko told her friends no need to wait for her, she's currently waiting for Kotaru finished helping the teachers.
"Saten-san?" A voice called her, She looks to the right and saw Kotaru and Touma walked together after they finished helping the teachers, she walk towards them in response.
Kotaru saw in the distance that Ruiko is wating for him, so he walked closer to her after he put on his shoes and asked, "I make you wait for too long huh?"
Ruiko shook her head and replied, "Not really, i just wait for you about a minute." After she said that, Ruiko raised her left hand in front of her and ask him, "Shall we get going now, Kotaru-kun?"
Kotaru smiled back at her, grabbed her left hand with his right hand and answered back simply, "Yeah."
After Kotaru hold her hand, she pulled him walked outside the school followed by Touma behind wondered if Kotaru and Ruiko finally becime a couple because he saw how close both of them were now, so he decide to ask him about it later.
When they got ouside the school, three of them suprised by the appearance of Misaka, Uiharu, and Kuroko waiting for Ruiko at the base of the hill.
"Eh? We were waiting for Saten-san, but i didn't expect that Hikari-san and Kamijou are here too." Misaka said in shock.
"If you two we're here, does that mean this is your schoold, Kamijou-san?" Shirai asked.
"Yep, that's right!" Touma simply answered be fore he asked Misaka, Uiharu, and Kuroko. "What are you girls doing here anyway?"
"Well, we tried to pick her up since there's nothing we could do without three of you." Uihsru explained.
"Now that everyone is here, how about all of us see a movie?" Kuroko suggested.
"I still think that we should head to the event at Seventh Mist. Doesn't that sound fun?" Misaka offered.
"What about the pool then?" Saten suggested.
"You're not helping this at all, Saten-san." Uiharu yelled.
"Then how about you suggested us?" Kuroko fired back.
"Ara-ara," a voice interrupted, "It's quite lively here."
Everyone turn towards the voice and find out that Kotaru parents walked closer to the group.
"Mom, Dad? What are you two doing here?" Kotaru asked in shock, he didn't expect that his parents were here.
"Bot of us decide to pick you up after you helped out on the workshop today." Kokoro answered.
"And also we decide to invite you for a dinner since it's almost late now." Hisumi added.
"Can we join, Hisumi-san?" Uiharu asked.
"Of course all of you can," Hisumi answered.
"I guess that's settles it." Touma said before everyone stomach growled which made everyone laughed.
"Alright then, follow me everyone." Kokoro said before leading the group to where the dinner was settled to be.
It was already night, Kotaru and Ruiko walked together after having an eventful dinner both his parents, his friends, and of course his girlfriend. Kotaru and Ruiko holding their hands together, but Ruiko decide to talk in order to break the silence, she stopped from her track, turned her head looking at Kotaru and said, "Hey Kotaru-kun, there's something i want to talk with you."
"Okay, what is it?" Kotaru asked curiously.
"You know, after everything that happened, i realised something," Ruiko look to the stars in the sky before she continued, "When i used the level upper, i was happy i finally become an esper, someone who finally has a power that i could use to protect, but after i woken up from the coma yesterday, i still felt the sensation of using that power even though it's already gone. When you promised me to helped me to search the power i was seeking, i was really happy that you would be here for me. There is something i finally resolved," Ruiko then turned herselft at him, holding both of his hands with her hands, and continued, "I will protect you with my life, not only as my boyfriend, also as the most important person in my life."
Kotaru was touched by Ruiko's word, he's also happy by it because the reason why he's coming to Academy City was also to seek the hapiness he tried to find in his life, before he could say anything, a lights glowing at Ruiko's left hand.
Kotaru and Ruiko closed their eyes because the lights were too bright for them to see. When the lights finally fade off, both of them look at her left hand and their eyes widened as they realized what it was, they saw a glove at her left hand along with a vision attached to it.
"This is..." Ruiko said in disbelieve.
"A vision." Kotaru finished, "This means you finally able to use a power!"
As soon as he finished, Ruiko let go of his left hand and raised her hands to the air with her palms opened, try to use her vision power just like when she used the level upper. A leaf suddenly appeared on top her palm hovering along with a green wind. Ruiko let out her tears of joy, she's happy that she's finally have a power even though it's not an esper power.
Seeing this, Kotaru put his right hand on her shoulder, looked at her and said, "Congrats Ruiko-chan, looks like i manage to keep my promise."
Ruiko looked at him with her tears still flowing from both of her eyes, Kotaru used his free hand to remove the tears on her face, she began to talked, "It looks like both of us will be the duo Sakugawa middle school's Elemental Burst huh?"
Kotaru give her a wide grin and answered, "I guess so, i'll looking foward for our partnership."
Ruiko gave him a nod as she replied, "Same here."
Ruiko tiptoeing leaning her head closer to him and began to kiss him. Kotaru put his hand on her waist and his free hand on her head, pulling her closer and keep kissing for a few moments. Kotaru and Ruiko looking foward to fight side by side in the future.
*End of chapter 16*
Author note: Yes, i made Ruiko obtain a vision as well.