Mental Out 36.5

Chapter 36.5

01

Box: A certain day during the election
Text: This month we bring you an extra chapter!!
Mibuki: I'm back.

Junko: Mibuki-san.

Junko: You were at the Academy City Joint Sports Training Camp, right?
Junko: Run into any new skilled athletes?
Mibuki: Hee hee. No need to rush this.
Mibuki: I have a report, Queen.

02

Mibuki: I contacted Sogiita Gunha-shi's homeroom teacher.

Misaki: Sogiita-san...

Misaki: Level 5 Number 7 Sogiita Gunha
Misaki: I wanted him as an ace up the sleeve for the Previous Generation #1...
Misaki: but apparently he's gone missing.
Misaki: And?

Mibuki: "He has left on a training journey."
Misaki: Training!?
Mibuki: No one knows where to.
Misaki: How is that different from being missing?

03

Junko: Someone as powerful as Sogiita-san is seeking further strength?
Mibuki: Maybe someone managed to defeat him.

Junko: But who could be stronger than him!?

Junko: I must battle them to see for myself!
Junko(small): I won't believe it otherwise
SFX: Throb...
Mibuki: I will join you.

Misaki: Come to think of it, that guts freak is a naturally-occurring esper like the Previous Generation.
Misaki: What they call a Gemstone.
Misaki: A battle junkie?

Misaki: Reminds me of that day...
SFX: Wham bam crash

04

SFX: Bwoosh

SFX: Boom
SFX: Swish

05

Gunha: You're as quick as ever!
Gunha: But the attacks you really have to worry about...

Gunha: come from your blind spot!!
SFX: Twist

SFX: Boom

06

SFX: Shhh...

Junko: Indeed they do!!

SFX: Wham

Gunha: That ain't enough to break through my guts.

07

Junko: I knew a normal attack wouldn't cut it.
SFX: Land
Junko: So...

SFX: Clench

Gunha: Oh?

SFX: Twist

SFX: Boom
SFX: Nick

08

SFX: Slice

SFX: Land

Junko: I-I'm so sorry about your face!
Gunha: A punch that cuts with speed!?
Gunha(small): So cool!
Misaki: Oh, come on...

Misaki: You can't worry about a little cut after a battle like that.
Misaki: Although they called it sparring.

Gunha: A little guts is enough to heal that right up.
SFX: Squeeze

Gunha: See?
SFX: Pop

09

Junko: Well done!
SFX: Clap clap clap

Gunha: Was that a new move?
Junko: Yes! I call it...

Junko: Iai.
SFX: Shakeen

Junko: My Rampage Dress wears me out at full power...
Junko: so I learned how to draw on that full power for only an instant when I really need it.
Junko: Think of it like fully opening a faucet and then immediately shutting it off.
SFX: Twist twist
SFX: Pour

10

Misaki: The calculations for that have to be crazy hard.
Junko: Yes, which is why I link the calculations with motions...
Junko: so my body can learn them as a single "kata".

Misaki: Linking the calculations with motions, huh?
Misaki: Is that skillful or forceful?

Gunha: Hey.

Gunha: What's this about calculations?

11

Junko: Ehh!?
Misaki: Huh?
Gunha: I know they say in class...
Gunha: we're supposed to calculate a buncha stuff in our head when we use our powers.

Gunha: But I've never really done that.
Gunha: Using your faucet example...
Gunha: I can increase the flow with more guts...
Gunha: but I can't stop the water.

Gunha: I don't know how to stop it.
Gunha(small): Can it stop?

Junko: Th-that is a very unique power.
Misaki: Probably because...

12

Misaki: He's a Gemstone.
SFX: Zap zap zap zap
Text: Calculate with the brain and observe!
Misaki: We activate our powers by observing A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT REALITY FROM OTHERS.
Misaki: It's like forcing open a stiff faucet☆

Misaki: It's hard to open and hard to keep open.
Misaki: It wears us out the more we open it.

Misaki: Until we can't even turn the faucet anymore.
Text: Calculation exhaustion and drained battery
SFX: Pshhh

Misaki: But Gemstones don't find their alternate observations difficult.
SFX: Spin spin spin
Misaki: In fact, their faucet is so broken it doesn't turn on and off.

Misaki: Forced Constant Activation.
Misaki: That's the greatest trait of Gemstone espers.
Misaki: ...or so they say.

13

Misaki: The details aren't known due to the limited sample size.
Misaki: And Accelerator isn't a Gemstone.

Misaki: His brain's specs are just so broken he can apparently keep his faucet open all the time.

Misaki: In fact, if they could manage to keep their faucet always open like a Gemstone...
Misaki: maybe even a normal esper...
Misaki: could become as powerful as Accelerator?

Misaki: Is that oversimplifying it?
Misaki: But it might transform their actual power.

14

Misaki: It could even create a completely different kind of monster.

Misaki: But this is all a silly thought experiment to kill time.
Misaki: The idea of an esper gaining the traits of a Gemstone is absurd.

Misaki: And this is pissing me off because it feels like I'm praising that guts freak.
Misaki: I'm getting thirsty.
Junko: Yes, Queen.

15

Junko: Care to join us, Sogiita-san?
Gunha: Sorry! I have business to take care of.

Junko: I see...
SFX: Droop

Junko: I know! Do you like sweet things?
Gunha: Yup.

Junko: Then as thanks for sparring with me...
Junko: these have been popular at our school recently.

Junko: They're called Smile Pancakes.
Text: Where has Gunha gone and what is he doing?