Mental Out 17

Chapter 17

01

Margin: Shokuhou wakes to find Kobayashi, Iori, and a mystery cube in her hospital room.

Misaki: So I was asleep for a full day, huh?
Title: Chapter 17
Credit: Author: Kamachi Kazuma
        Art: Nogi Yasuhito
        Character Designs: Haimura Kiyotaka
Building: Tatsuki General Hospital

Kobayashi: You don't have to worry about your blood or hair being stolen at this hospital.
Kobayashi: They check people over thoroughly just for making visits.
Iori: It wasn't easy for us to get in.

Iori: I bet Judgment could gets a pass, though.
SFX: Jump

02

Misaki: What about Misaka-san and Mitori-san? Struck by dorm manager lightning?
Kobayashi: Given the situation, she actually went quite easy on them.
Misaki: Huh, that's unusual.

Kobayashi: Everyone involved received a summary execution via iron claw.
Misaki: Yikes.

Kobayashi: Your friend was allowed to leave safely.
Kobayashi: Since she was your invited guest, her WANDERING INTO the school was overlooked.
Kuroko: Have we met before?
Mitori: No, not at all.

Kobayashi: Misaka-san saw you to the hospital and then left.
Misaki: She came here?
Misaki(small): That's a surprise.

03

Kobayashi: She said she had fun seeing you in such a weakened state.
Kobayashi(small): And insisted I tell you as much.
Mikoto: Bye!
Misaki: Yeah, that sounds more like her.

Misaki: Hmph.
SFX: Sip

Kobayashi: Are you feeling well, Queen?
Misaki: Well enough to notice how good this Jin Xuan tea is.
Misaki: You've improved, Kobayashi.

Kobayashi: I only copied Asato-san's technique.
Kobayashi: I'm glad you are feeling better.

SFX: Yoink
Kobayashi: Now it's time for your lecture.

04

Misaki: Oh, you wanted a sip?
Misaki(small): Go ahead☆
Misaki: I can overlook some selfishness.
Kobayashi: Ignoring ability!?

Kobayashi: I watched the building you were inside collapse.
SFX: Crumble
SFX: Fall
Kobayashi: I came running as soon as I heard you were found.
Kii: Over there!
Mei: They're all okay!
Kobayashi(background): Kii! Mei!
Kobayashi: And I found you bloody and unconscious.
SFX: Faint
Kii: Kobayashi-san!
Kobayashi: Do you have any idea how that felt, Queen?

Misaki: You must have been very worried.

Kobayashi: Are you incapable of saying "I'm sorry"?
SFX: Hold up

05

Kobayashi: Do you think people have an endless supply of life, little girl?
Kobayashi: Maybe I should put you on a leash for your own safety.
SFX: Struggle struggle
Misaki: C-can you put that barbaric thing away!?

Iori: N-now, now!
Iori(edge): Calm down!
Iori: I know why you're upset, Senpai!
Iori: But it was unavoidable this time!

Iori: You see, Shokuhou had to...
Iori: deceive you along with everyone else.

Kobayashi: Deceive me?

06

Iori: Everyone thought Shokuhou had joined the election...
Iori: over a silly argument.

Iori: But that...
Iori: was all an act.

Iori: That's why we let our guard down.

Iori: She also pretended...
Iori: to be out of shape and even faked tripping and falling...
Iori: so Tatsuki had to be more cautious.
Iori: She's a genius at misdirection...
Iori: without even using her powers.

Iori: And she was so careful...
Iori: that not even you realized she was doing it!

07

Kobayashi: None of that was planned, was it?
Text: Telepathy
SFX: Brush
Misaki: Iori-san is such a smart girl☆
Kobayashi: Uh, huh.

Kobayashi: Why is she defending the Queen?
Kobayashi: She isn't being controlled.

Iori: Kobayashi-senpai!
SFX: Grab

Iori: Shokuhou earned this victory knowing she would be criticized.
Iori: Please understand how that must have felt for her!

08

Kobayashi: Oh? Does she just honestly think that's what happened?
Kobayashi: But no one could be that clueless, could they?

Kobayashi: But why does it seem so familiar?
SFX: Gasp

09

Kobayashi: The boar!

Kobayashi: Right! Iori-san must be as purehearted as Hokaze-san!!
Kobayashi: I suppose that's the standard for sheltered rich girls...

Kobayashi: but I never imagined the leader of that brainy clique could be such an airhead.
Kobayashi: And she trusts the Queen so much despite not being part of our clique.

Kobayashi: Is her trust greater than mine?

Iori: Please forgive her, Senpai!
SFX: Gasp
Iori: I know a genius's unconventional thinking can't be easy to work with.

10

Iori: But isn't it the confidante's job...
Iori: to always trust her easily misunderstood leader?

Kobayashi: She's right
SFX: Stab

Kobayashi: I will back off for now.
Kobayashi(outside): I let her get to me...
SFX: Bow
Iori: Thank you.
Misaki: Iori-saaan.

Misaki: I didn't expect to have such a hard time of it.
Misaki: I prepared for everything and you still managed to surprise me.
SFX: Reach
Misaki: You were impressive☆

11

Iori: Of course I was.

Kobayashi: Is that part messing with her and part true, Miss Genius?
Misaki: Did you say something?

Cube: So.
SFX: Huff puff huff puff
Cube: Can we talk now that you have calmed down?

Cube: #5 Mental Out.

12

SFX: Splash

Misaki: So are you...
Misaki: our enemy or ally?

Cube: Hm.
Cube: I am not your enemy, but I have no proof of that.
Misaki: I will trust you for now.

Cube: I was supposedly once known as the #1 Level 5.
Cube: I must apologize because...
Cube: I do not remember my name or how I ended up like this.

13

Misaki: Amnesia?
Cube: I have no body.
Cube: I am fortunate to retain my mind at all.

Cube: But I do have some fragments of memory.
Cube: The smell of burning air.
Cube: The sound of my body bursting.
Cube: My vision growing red.

Cube: A talking dog.
Cube: The ruler of Academy City.

Cube: I wandered the city's sky for a long, long time.
Cube: I think I devoured the supernatural as I did so.

Cube: And one day...
Cube: there was a clash of two forms of the supernatural far greater than ever before.

14

Cube: That power allowed me...
Cube: to be reborn into this world.
Cube: That happened last month.

Misaki: Last month. Is it related to THAT INCIDENT during the Daihaseisai?
Misaki: A lot of Shadow Metal was created then.
Misaki: But barely anyone knows because it was kept secret.

Misaki: Was this cube there?

Iori: Doesn't make any sense, does it?
SFX: Hold
Iori: And "he" is...
Iori: causing the metal to vibrate.

15

Misaki: This attachment to convert that to a voice...
Misaki: was created by Kobayashi-senpai! Cool, right!?
Kobayashi: Only because Iori-san decoded the frequency.

Both: Yay!
Misaki: They sure became friends while I slept.

Misaki: How can you touch something so creepy?
Cube: How rude.
Iori: I was hesitant at first too.

Iori: But solving these wondrous mysteries is what science is all about.
Iori: And there are two of him.
Kobayashi: That means this is likely reproduceable.

16

SFX: Eager eager
Iori: Don't you want to know who he is?
Kobayashi: I can't deny that I do.
Misaki: These mad scientists...
Misaki(small): They are useful, though.

Misaki: So there are two of you?

Misaki: Are you the 2nd...
Misaki: and a 1st existed before you?

Cube: Synthesize Grid and Absolute Leaf.

17

Cube: Those are the same power.
Cube: I only use the Absolute Leaf name to distinguish between us.
Iori: Are there no seams?
Cube: Can you put me down?

Misaki: So is Synthesize Grid the original name?
Misaki(small): This is confusing.

Kobayashi: They are likely the same person.
Kobayashi: The former #1 Level 5 was divided into two cubes.
Iori: I agree.
Iori(small): As crazy as it sounds.

Iori: So would we get more if we split him?
SFX: Chk
Kobayashi: Give the word and we will experiment.
SFX: Whirrr
Misaki: They let you bring those in?

Misaki: I'm fine with it if he is.
Misaki(small): I guess
Cube: Why would I be?
Both: Ehhhh?

18

Iori: Then can we shave off a bit?
Iori(small): Please♥
Kobayashi: Just to see what you're made of!
Cube: Please stop them.
Misaki: Why don't you do it?
Misaki(small): Using your vibrations.

Misaki: Okay, fine. Stop that.
Iori: Hmph.
Misaki: Anyway...
Misaki: Do you not remember how you were split in two?
Cube: Correct.

Cube: But I do know some things.
Cube: This body was...
Cube: made with Synthesize Grid.
Cube: I used my power to replace my lost body.

Kobayashi: High-Level matter manipulators can create prosthetics.
Misaki: That isn't really the same.

19

Misaki: For one thing...
Misaki: Is it possible to retain your mind and power if you lose your brain?

Misaki: What does Synthesize Grid do?

Cube: It controls the Starter Crystal at the base of all crystals.

Cube: It uses small metal particles as a core and grows.
Cube: The particles HE used were a weapon called Mimosa.

Iori: So like how snow crystals form from the dust in the air?
Cube: Correct.
Cube: A core is necessary.

20

Cube: It has an incomparable...
Cube: bonding power.
Cube: It can enter all forms of matter...
Cube: transform them and control them.
Cube: It practically takes control of the entire space around the user.
Cube: Nothing is immune.
Cube: Anything can be controlled.

Cube: Esper powers are no exception.
Cube: Nothing can stop Synthesize Grid.

Cube: Not even something beyond this world's laws...
Cube: can escape Synthesize Grid.

Kobayashi: Could he be bluffing?
Misaki: Based on what happened, I doubt it.
Misaki(small): I'll show you later.

21

Cube: The bonding power comes from a metallic bond.
Cube: So everything affected becomes a metal and shines like one too.
Iori: Tatsuki did say the water was silver.
Iori(small): Now I know why.

Cube: But it does more than that.
Cube: If the all-purpose crystal grows, it can create new matter.
Cube: For example, a metal created by consuming powers...
Cube: does not exist in nature.
Cube(small): And can't be created in a particle accelerator.

Cube: It can create fictional metals like orichalcum or hihiirokane.
Cube(small): Theoretically anyway
Cube: Hence, the Starter Crystal.

Cube: It can consume...
Cube: control...
Cube: and create.

Cube: That is Synthesize Grid.

22

Iori: Oh, c'mon. That's just cheating.
Iori(outside): Are all Level 5s like this?

Misaki: Why did it make things so cold and absorb our energy?
Cube: That sounds like hypoxia.
Cube: It can easily transform the air.
Cube: You were probably in a frigid hell similar to Everest.

Cube: But the strange view the Railgun saw...
Cube: I cannot explain.
Cube: It shouldn't be able to pry open the dimension.

Cube: Has he managed to...
Cube: develop to that extent while I was wandering?

23

Cube: Or do I simply not remember?

Misaki: Could he have been...
Misaki: such a dangerously powerful Level 5...
Misaki: that he was torn apart as a form of sealing ability?

Misaki: Was his power so great...
Misaki: that he couldn't be truly killed...
Misaki: even using the full force of Academy City?

SFX: Gulp

Misaki: This city has made some major blunders, so I could see it happening.
Misaki: And it's possible SCIENCE ALONE wasn't responsible for this.

Misaki: Those two have been teasing and joking around with it...
Misaki: but this thing...
Misaki: is an otherdimensional monster.

Misaki: All the cards in my deck aren't enough for this.
Misaki: Destroying it might only make more of it.

24

Misaki: I want to avoid a direct confrontation if possible.

Iori: That tells us what you two can do.
Iori: But what do you want with Tokiwadai?

Iori: You've been causing a lot of trouble.
Iori: And I don't care how much older than us you are.

Kobayashi: What is he trying to do?
Kobayashi: I doubt he cares about our student council election.

Cube: He cares quite a bit.

Iori: Eh!!?
Misaki: Sounds like a bad joke☆
Misaki: What do you mean?

25

Cube: His objective...
Cube: is to be resurrected as a Level 5...
Cube: and take revenge.

Cube: And it seems using...
Cube: Tokiwadai is the best way of doing that.

Cube: I am here to...
Cube: help you stop him.
Cube: Mental Out.
Cube: Current Level 5.

Misaki: Can't Misaka-san do it?
Text: She cannot. (Because we'd have to change the title)