Touma's heart raced as he glanced at time. The seconds were ticking away, and he knew he had to act fast if he wanted to catch the highly anticipated sale at the supermarket. With a determined look on his face, he ran through the busy streets, leaving behind a trail of swirling dust. People stared in awe as they saw a blur of movement rushing past them.
"The sale... I can't miss it! The fate of my empty wallet hangs in the balance!"
He burst through the door of the supermarket. He could see the hordes of shoppers clamoring for the best deals. The tension in the air was palpable, as if the fate of the world depended on this sale.
"Nothing can stand in my way! I will claim those discounted goods!" Steeling his resolve, Touma charged into the fray. He maneuvered through the battlefield, snatching items with lightning-fast reflexes. His cart filled up with an assortment of groceries, all marked with irresistible price tags.
"Yes, I did it," Touma celebrated as he was able to secure a week's worth of food, he could almost hear triumphant music playing in the background.
As Touma pushed his cart towards the checkout counter, he noticed a familiar face among the crowd of shoppers.
"Hey, Saten-san," Touma called out the girl. Saten turned in surprise, her face lighting up with recognition.
"Oh, Kamijio-san, Fancy meeting you here."
"Did you also come here for the sale?" Touma asked, curious.
Saten nodded enthusiastically, a gleam of excitement in her eyes.
"Of course, I couldn't resist the temptation of discounted prices. Gotta make those savings count!"
Touma chuckled, realizing they shared a common goal of making the most out of the sale. After checking out, Touma and Saten decided to tag along.
"Come to think of it, we haven't really had a chance to talk since the Daihasei Festival," Saten remarked.
"Yeah, my everyday misfortune keeps me pretty occupied. It even affects my school attendance," Touma replied, his tone laced with wry humor.
Saten looked skeptical, finding it hard to believe the extent of Touma's misfortune.
"Come on, it can't be that bad," she commented.
"Because of my misfortune, I'm constantly chased by thugs, I stumble upon stray empty cans on the street, cleaning robots devour my homework for no apparent reason, and I've had food spilled on me countless times. These incidents happen to me on a daily basis due to my misfortune," Touma explained, his voice tinged with resignation.
Saten was utterly incredulous at the sheer number of unfortunate events Touma faced every day.
Saten and Touma continue their walk as they talk about their daily life.
"So, how are things going between you and Mikasa?" Saten inquired, a mischievous glint dancing in her eyes. Having heard plenty about Touma from Misaka, Saten couldn't help but be curious. Misaka's affection for Touma was undeniable, although the specifics of their relationship and how they had initially crossed paths remained a mystery.
Touma's brows furrowed in confusion at Saten's question. "Things between me and Mikasa-san? What do you mean?" he replied, his voice tinged with uncertainty.
"Mikasa talks about you quite often, you know," Saten revealed, a playful smile adorning her lips. "I've even heard from Shirai-san that Mikasa-san occasionally murmurs your name in her sleep."
Touma's eyes widened, caught off guard by this unexpected revelation. "What! Does she enjoy electrocuting me so much that she even dreams about it?" That the conclusion Touma's dense mind is able to come up with.
"Help!"
A desperate cry for assistance echoed through the air, instantly alerting Touma to the urgency of the situation. His eyes swiftly scanned the surroundings, searching for the source of the distressed plea. His instincts led him to an alleyway, where the sound seemed to originate. Without hesitation, he dashed towards it.
"Wait!" Saten called out, following closely behind Touma, unwilling to let him face the danger alone.
As Touma reached the alleyway, a chilling sight greeted his eyes. A young boy had a girl pinned against the wall, her body was partially encased in ice. The boy's hand covered the girl's mouth, silencing her cries. The ice triggered a haunting memory within Touma—a memory of being buried alive in freezing ice. His body trembled involuntarily, and his breaths grew labored.
"Hey! Stop!" Saten's voice rang out, her words laced with determination and defiance. Saten's voice helped Touma snap out of his trance. The boy turned his gaze towards them, a mix of arrogance and contempt etched across his face. Touma clenched his teeth, pushing aside his negative thoughts and forcing himself to focus on the immediate danger at hand.
"Concentrate on the present, Kamijou Touma, concentrate," he repeated silently to himself, determined to break free from the clutches of his PTSD.
"If you don't cease your actions, I'll call Judgment!" Saten threatened, hoping to intimidate the boy. At the mention of Judgment, the boy reluctantly released the girl, though she remained trapped against the icy wall.
"I'd like to see you try," the boy sneered, suddenly launching ice crystals towards Saten. Touma's reflexes kicked in, and he grabbed Saten's hand, swiftly pulling her out of harm's way. The crystals missed her by a mere hair's breadth.
Now, the boy's attention turned towards Touma, a sly grin playing on his lips. "Attempting to play the hero when your entire body trembles with fear?"
Touma ignored the boy's taunts, his focus unwavering as he fought to regain control over his trembling form.
"I am not trapped in an endless hell anymore. He is not Othinus; he is merely an esper, and his ice can be shattered by my Imagine Breaker," Touma repeatedly reassured himself, seeking strength from within.
The boy unleashed another barrage of ice crystals towards Touma, who ran towards the projectiles. With a single, decisive swipe of his right hand, Touma shattered the crystal, defying the boy's disbelief.
"What the hell!" the boy exclaimed, his face contorted with astonishment. Undeterred, he formed another crystal and launched it towards Touma, only to be met with the same fate—destruction at the hands of Touma's right hand. With a swift left-handed punch, Touma sent the boy crashing to the ground.
Saten watched the scene unfold with awe, realizing that the rumors of an esper capable of nullifying other powers were indeed true.
The boy lay sprawled on the ground, while Touma wasted no time in rushing to the girl's side. With a gentle touch, he dispelled the ice that had encased her, freeing her from its icy grip. As the ice dissipated from her mouth, she coughed weakly and nearly stumbled to the ground, but Touma swiftly caught her, offering support.
"Thank you," the girl managed to utter between coughs, her gratitude evident.
"Don't worry, you're safe now," Touma reassured her, a sense of relief washing over him.
"Look out!" Saten's urgent voice alerted him just in time, allowing him to evade the boy's latest crystal attack. With his right hand occupied in supporting the girl, Touma had no choice but to rely on his agility to dodge the incoming assault.
Pulling the girl closer to his body, Touma swiftly rolled to the side, narrowly evading the crystal's impact as it collided with the wall.
"You will pay for this, you bastard," the boy seethed, placing his hand on the ground, causing ice to rapidly spread across the surface.
"Stay back," Touma commanded the girl. She quickly complied, seeking refuge behind him. As the ice advanced towards him, Touma placed his right hand on its icy surface, shattering it with a resounding shatter akin to breaking glass.
"What the hell are you?" the boy spat out in frustration that his power isn't working on Touma, his anger simmering.
"It doesn't matter, but I won't let you hurt her," Touma declared, determination burning in his eyes.
"We'll see about that," the boy sneered, his ability summoning several ice spikes that hovered around him. With a swift motion of his hand, he launched them towards Touma.
Touma swiftly destroyed the first spike with his right hand, but before he could react, a second spike came hurtling towards him. Leaning to the side, he narrowly avoided it, only to find a third spike coming at him from the side. With no other choice, Touma intercepted it with his left hand, feeling a sharp pain as the spike pierced his palm.
"Kamijou-san!" Saten called out in concern, her eyes widening. The girl he had rescued also expressed worry for Touma's well-being.
"Damn it!" Touma cursed himself for underestimating his attacker's strategy. The boy had realized that Touma relied on his right hand to destroy the ice, so he overwhelmed him with a barrage of spikes.
"Not feeling so cocky now, huh?" the boy taunted, a smug expression on his face.
Touma gritted his teeth and swiftly removed the ice spike from his left hand, trying to minimize any further damage. His left hand felt numb, but he couldn't let that stop him. As more ice spikes were launched towards him, Touma threw the spike he had pulled from his left hand, successfully taking down one of the spikes. He then ducked to evade the second spike and the charge towards his opponent.
With spikes coming at him from both sides, Touma's instincts kicked in, rolled on the ground, allowing him to dodge the spikes. The boy had run out of ice spikes as he desperately tried to form more. Seeing an opening, he lunged forward, quickly closing the distance between him and the boy. With a powerful right hook punch, Touma delivered a decisive blow, sending the boy crashing to the ground, unconscious.
Soon after defeating the boy, a member of Judgement arrived at the scene. While Touma was engaged in the fight, Saten had called Judgement and explained the situation to them.
"Konori-san!" Saten exclaimed upon seeing the Judgement member, recognizing her.
Konori's eyes widened as she took in the sight before her. Touma's left arm was bleeding, and a boy lay unconscious on the ground. "What just happened?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.
It was revealed that the boy named Hiro had been stalking the girl named Emi. A few days ago, he had confessed his love to her, but she had rejected him. Unable to accept the rejection, Hiro had resorted to harassment. Konori promptly handcuffed Hiro to ensure he couldn't use his powers.
"You should go to the hospital," Konori advised, her gaze shifting to Touma. "Ah, It's alright. I got through a lot worse than this," Touma replied.
"Konori-san is right, Kamijou-san. We should get your wound checked at the hospital," Saten chimed in, her concern evident.
"We?" Touma questioned, surprised by Saten's statement.
"Of course, we. I'm coming with you. Considering your luck, who knows what kind of situation you might get stuck in on the way to the hospital," Saten declared, a playful smile on her face. Touma couldn't even argue with her logic.
"Okay, then," Touma agreed, appreciating Saten's support.
"Be careful on the way," Konori advised as Touma and Saten exited the alleyway, heading towards the hospital.
Upon arriving at the hospital with Touma, Saten couldn't help but notice the mixed reactions from the staff. Some greeted them with cheerful smiles and waves, while others groaned or exchanged exasperated glances. It was a strange and puzzling sight, leaving Saten thoroughly confused.
Curiosity getting the better of her, Saten approached a nurse who seemed to be in on the inside joke. "Um, excuse me," she began, "why are some of the staff cheering while others seem... less enthusiastic?"
The nurse chuckled and leaned in to explain. "Well, you see, it's become a bit of a tradition around here. We've got a friendly little betting pool going on."
"Betting pool?" Saten repeated, her confusion deepening.
"Yes," the nurse confirmed. "You see, there's this ongoing wager among the staff about how long Kamijou-san can go without being hospitalized again. It's become a sort of running joke, given his... eventful history."
Saten's eyes widened in surprise. "Wait, seriously? They're betting on that?"
The nurse nodded, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. "Oh, yes. Some of the staff bet on the number of days, while others wager on the type of injury or the circumstances that will land him back here."
Saten glanced over at Touma, who had been listening to the conversation in silence. She could see a hint of resignation in his eyes as he let out a dry laugh, acknowledging the irony of it all.
"That's... quite something," Saten remarked, her voice filled with a mixture of amusement and concern. When Touma had first spoken about the daily misfortune he faced, she had thought he might be exaggerating. But now, hearing it confirmed by the nurse, Saten realized that wasn't the case at all.
After Touma had his wound stitched up, they sat together, waiting for the doctor's clearance. Saten took the opportunity to ask Touma about his power.
"Kamijou-san, how is it possible for you to possess a power even though you're a Level 0 like me?" Saten asked, her tone laced with a hint of hope.
"I've had this power since birth, and it's concentrated in my right hand," Touma explained. "As you can see, this power can negate any esper ability and, according to some, even luck. The reason I'm classified as a Level 0 is because my power doesn't emit an AIM field."
Saten listened intently, fascinated by Touma's explanation. Her mind raced with questions, and she couldn't help but ask another.
"Does it work against Level 5s as well?" Saten inquired, her curiosity getting the best of her.
Touma paused for a moment, contemplating his response. "Probably," he answered finally. "But honestly, I prefer not to find out. I'd rather not get entangled with Level 5s if I can help it."
Saten did not expect that would be Touma's answer. She thought he was going to say that it didn't work against high levels or something like that. She's friends with Misaka Mikoto, a number three Level 5. She knows how much power a level 5 has. But to know a Level 0 has a power to counter that, feels unbelievable.
"Doesn't it bother you that you possess such an incredible power but are still considered a Level 0?" Saten asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.
Touma shook his head. "No, it doesn't bother me. Numbers don't define who I am. Whether I have power or not, as long as I can bring a smile to someone's face, I'm content," he replied with genuine sincerity.
Saten fell into a brief silence, contemplating Touma's words. She didn't know what to say.
"Alright, boy, you're good to go," the doctor announced, interrupting their conversation. Touma expressed his gratitude to Saten for accompanying him, and they bid each other farewell.
As Saten walked back to her dorm, she couldn't help but think about Touma. "Kamijou-san sure is a unique individual," she mused to herself. "I hope I have the opportunity to get to know him better."
Meanwhile, as Touma stood outside his room, about to knock on the door, he realized something. He had forgotten to pick up his groceries from the alleyway.
"Such misfortune," Touma exclaimed, a hint of exasperation in his voice. Not only had he lost the groceries he had bought at a discounted price, but he also had to face Index's wrath for returning empty-handed after promising her a delicious meal.
In a dimly lit room, the glow of multiple computer screens illuminates the space. Seated in a chair, a person's fingers effortlessly dance across the keyboard. With a decisive press of the enter key, a pop-up window emerges, displaying the message: "Uploading 'Parameter List ' to the public server."