Kakine 4

Chapter 4

115

Anti-Skill: Do not leave your room yet.

Anti-Skill: We have finished downstairs.
Kaibi: Take care of the one over there too.
Voice: Ahh, ahh. What a disaster.

Kakine: A dark side agent cares about their team's living arrangements?
Kakine: Trying to score extra points?
Voice: Now, now. Be nice.

Kakine: So that guy's one of Academy City's Kiharas, right? What did the higher ups say?

Voice: They said it was an accident due to a miscommunication between teams.
Voice: That means they hope to get something from his research.

Kakine: What?
Voice: Don't get so upset.
Voice: That also means it's only a hope.
Voice: They'll call it even by overlooking whatever kind of retaliation you send his way.

116

Voice: You and he are free to do as you like.

Kakine: Dammit. Abandoning us when it matters most, huh?

Yobou: That Kihara Souji guy is dangerous.

Yobou: But his methods felt thrown together at the last second.
Yobou: He was using brainwashed DA Arouse members...
Yobou: but that means he's acting alone and doesn't have his own team to work with.

Yobou: Not that many teams have a chance of winning a fight with School.

Yobou: Whatever he wants...
Yobou: Academy City's higher ups see his experiments as something that might possibly show results. In fact...
Yobou: Could his research provide something worth sacrificing Kakine-san for?

117

Souji: Hm, hmm.
SFX: Type type

Souji: Hmm, hm.
Souji: Hmmm.

Ringo: Ah.
Ringo: Gh.
SFX: Twitch
SFX: Ksh
SFX: Ksshh

Souji(outside): Hm, hmm♪
Souji: And we're go.
SFX: Type

SFX: Crash

118

Kakine: Hi.
Souji: Hello, hello. You got here fast.
Kakine: Not really.

Kakine: Because you "substituted" fake data in for everything from your position on the satellite maps to your package delivery records.
Kakine: So my team had to split up.

Souji: Well, good work all the same.
Souji: Still, you're just in time. I'm about to complete the specimen's tuning.

Souji: This experiment's gonna be a blast.
Souji: My theory says she'll be able to reproduce Accelerator's power exactly.

Souji: Amata-san's been feeling blue since the original got himself injured, but this should cheer him up!
Kakine: Sorry, but I really don't care.

Souji: Hm, that's mighty strange. I thought you were after data on Accelerator.
Souji: Doesn't this give you what you want too?

119

SFX: Step

Kakine: I'm looking for a person, not data.

Kakine: I'm here for Yuzuriha Ringo.

Souji: Oh, wow. Looks like we've got a knight in shining armor on our hands.

SFX: Grind grind
SFX: Beeeep

Souji: Have at it.

Souji: Your princess awaits.
SFX: Snap snap snap

SFX: Zap

120

SFX: Boom

SFX: Whoosh

SFX: Land
SFX: Crumble crumble

SFX: Slip

SFX: Thud

121

Kakine: Tch.

122

SFX: Boom

SFX: Twang

SFX: Boom boom boom

SFX: Slide slide

Kakine: I can't fully stop the force?
SFX: Rattle rattle

SFX: Jump
SFX: Boom boom

123

SFX: Clap clap clap

Souji: Ohh, it's just as I theorized, but seeing it live is so much more exciting!

SFX: Appear
Souji: Is this how Amata-san felt, I wonder?

SFX: Mutter mutter
DA: For justice.
DA: For absolute justice.

Souji: Oh! But, but.

Souji: My experiment is against real, live Level 5, so maybe my version is better.

SFX: Fwoosh

124

SFX: Slice

SFX: Stab
DA: Ugh.

Souji: Wow, an attack that only pierces people? That's nasty.
SFX: Lean

Souji: But that just means I've gotta substitute my shield for human flesh.

Souji: Taking out the enemy leader.
Souji: It's so standard I'd call it cliche, but you just had to take a stab at it, didn't you?

125

SFX: Boom

SFX: Roar

SFX: Zwoosh

SFX: Gween

SFX: Roar

Kakine: She deflected it.

126

Souji: Yeah, that ain't gonna work. You can't hold back or take things slow against her.

Kakine: I wasn't trying to hold back.

SFX: Rip

SFX: Roar

SFX: Slice

SFX: Jump

SFX: Slap

SFX: Crack crack

127

SFX: Snap

SFX: Zwoosh

SFX: Roar

SFX: Crash crack crack crack

SFX: Bwoosh

Kakine: I'm not bothering with every little thing!

Souji: Oh, he's way up there.
Souji: Hm?

128

Kakine: Be crushed.
SFX: Wave

SFX: Thoom

Souji: Oh, wow. What is this!?
Souji: It's like a giant foot on my back.

Souji: Fascinating!

SFX: Appear
SFX: Strain

129

Kakine: She's fast.
SFX: Pull back
Kakine: What's with her?

SFX: Wham

SFX: Strain strain
Kakine: It's like she doesn't care if she damages her own body.

SFX: Strain

SFX: Boom

SFX: Alight
SFX: Crash

Kakine: The Gs damage her as she uses her power to accelerate herself.

Kakine: That wouldn't happen with the real #1.
SFX: Pant pant
SFX: Wobble

Souji: What? Worried about Ringo-san's body?
Souji: She'll be fine.

130

Souji: I originally worked in cyborg tech.

SFX: Clack
Souji: So I can give her damaged body some substitutes afterwards.

SFX: Bam crash

SFX: Boom

SFX: Fly
Kakine: With her power, she could keep forcing herself to move even if I crushed her arms and legs.

Kakine: How can I stop her without killing her?
SFX: Boom boom boom

131

Kakine: Damn, it's never going to end.

SFX: Vanish

SFX: Appear
SFX: Strain strain

SFX: Reach out

SFX: Wham

132

SFX: Boom

Kakine: Gwah!

SFX: Crash

133

Ringo: I can't hear anything.

SFX: Fade
Ringo: Why?

Ringo: Things happen right in front of me, but I can't do anything about them.

Ringo: I can't take it anymore.

Ringo: Save me, Kakine.
SFX: Squeeze

Ringo: Kill me.

134

Souji: Oh, dearie me. Maybe she overdid that one.
Souji(small): This could be bad.

SFX: Twitch

Kakine: That hit told me all I need to know.

Kakine: She's pretty good as a substitute for Accelerator.

Souji: I am honored you think so.
Kakine: But only as a substitute.

Kakine: She isn't reproducing the Accelerator data I want.
SFX: Brush

135

Kakine: There's other research into temporarily boosting powers beyond the esper's control.
SFX: Pat pat
Kakine: And even with the cyborg substitute parts, the burden on her body makes it unlikely she can fight for all that long.

Souji: I already told you she was a substitute. So she inherits the same manufacturing problems the original has.

Kakine: Fair enough. I guess you don't want me picking apart your project when the research is still ongoing.
Kakine: But I do think you've done a decent job here.
SFX: Tug

Kakine: You temporarily got her fighting evenly with a Level 5.
SFX: Sway sway
Kakine: But Level isn't just a measure of fighting strength or power output.

Kakine: It's a combination of various sorts of potential...
Kakine: like technological growth or application to other fields.

Kakine: But that potential is harder to judge than fighting strength.
Kakine: You have to look to the future of something that's still undergoing research, after all.

Souji: What's your point?

136

Kakine: Do you...
Kakine: really understand the value of a Level 5?

Souji: Kh.

Kakine: You only view us through the lens of what you can understand...
Kakine: and tried to make a substitute using only the technology you knew.

Kakine: I'll show you the truth.

Kakine: Can your minds...
Kakine: keep up with my Dark Matter?
SFX: Fwoosh

SFX: Bright

137

Kakine: My Dark Matter is a type of matter that does not exist in this world.

Kakine: The natural world...no.
Kakine: Even this small space contains countless forms of matter and they create their phenomena based on various laws.

Kakine: But if I add in the new form of matter called Dark Matter...

SFX: Distort

SFX: Flash flash
SFX: Burn

Souji: If he adds in the new form of matter called Dark Matter...

Souji: each and every phenomenon will result in something entirely different from normal.
SFX: Freeze freeze

138

SFX: Bubble bubble
DA: Eek!
DA: Ohhhh!
SFX: Thud
Souji: Thus creating a space full of surprises for ordinary people.

Kakine: However.

Souji: The Dark Matter's user is an exception.

Kakine: I'm calculating what will happen in this space as I create it.

Souji: So this is a demonstration of the #2's possibilities.

Kakine: If you truly understand Level 5s...

Kakine: then comprehend these possibilities.

SFX: Flash

139

Souji: Wow.
Souji: Incredible!!

Souji: 1000...1500...1800.
Souji: So many phenomena are unfolding at once!

Souji: I understand it! I do!
Souji: This is the world as a Level 5 sees it!!

Souji: 2000...2200...2700...
SFX: Spark spark

SFX: Burn
Souji: It's still going.
Souji: The possibilities continue to expand!
Souji: 3000.

SFX: Sweat sweat
Souji: 3300.
Souji(thought): Yes, and...
Souji(thought): This is...

Souji(thought): My...
SFX: Drip
SFX: Freeze

140

Souji(thought): Limit.
SFX: Drip drip
SFX: Wobble
Souji(small): Hee hee hee
Souji: Goddammit.

SFX: Fall

SFX: Thud

SFX: Crunch crunch

SFX: Flash
Kakine: Hey.

SFX: Look up

Ringo: Why?

141

Kakine: They say the heart...no.
Kakine: The brain's electrical signals can be influenced by sound and light, so I copied that.
Kakine: Maybe you couldn't see or hear anything that was going on...

Kakine: but it could reach you through my Dark Matter.

Kakine: Still, using this power is a pain.

SFX: Grab

Kakine: So if you've got something to say, do it like normal.

142

143

SFX: Gasp

Kakine: Is your body okay?

Ringo: Kakine!
Ringo: Um.
Ringo: Sorry.
Ringo: I...

Ringo: I'm hungry!

Kakine: Pff

144

Kakine: Heh heh heh ha ha ha ha!
SFX: Growwwl

Kakine: Way to ruin the mood.
Ringo: Meat is fine, but I want a galette.

Kakine: Ha ha ha ha

Kaibi: I thought he'd gotten the better of us, but looks like you took care of it.
Kaibi(outside): What even was all this?
Yobou: You made a mess of things again.
Kakine: Only half of it was me. She did-

SFX: Bang

SFX: Fall

145

Kakine: People call you stubborn, don't they?
Kakine: Give up already.

Souji: Gh.
Souji: Ah.
SFX: Wobble wobble
Souji: N-no, I'm not giving up!
Souji: I'm a researcher, so I never give up!

SFX: Bang bang
Souji: How do those wings relate to your Dark Matter power?
Souji: My bullets bounce right off them!

Souji: Show me Dark Matter again! I'll understand it this time.
SFX: Pant pant
Souji: I'll keep trying until I do.

Souji: Oh, how exciting! What fun!!
SFX: Bang bang
Kakine: Sigh. Okay, fine.

Kakine: I'll show it to you again.
SFX: Step
Kakine: But just seeing it would be boring, right?

Kakine: I'll let you truly experience it this time.

146

SFX: Slice

SFX: Pour

Souji: So fast!
Souji: A human turned to sand!!

Souji: Your power is utter nonsense!
Souji: Is this sand my cells!?

Souji: An analysis...
SFX: Pour pour
Souji: of my...
Souji: composition...
SFX: Scatter

147

SFX: Blow

Ringo: What happened?

SFX: Rub rub

Kakine: The problems chasing you are gone.

148

SFX: Yawn

Kaibi: You dealt with him, so let's withdraw already.
Kakine: First, we need the Accelerator data that Kihara Souji put in Ringo.
Kakine: Although it won't be enough to make up for all this.

Yobou: Found the data.

SFX: Pop

SFX: Pop pop
Kakine: Hm, that's far from complete. Oh?
SFX: Pop

Kakine: A self-destruct program?

SFX: Bounce

149

SFX: Thud

Kakine: Hey, what's wrong?

Kakine: Ringo!

Kaibi: What happened!?
SFX: Focus

Yobou: Her organs are sent...
Yobou: a shut down command under certain circumstances?

Yobou: Odd. This part doesn't fit with the rest.
Yobou: The descriptions are entirely different from Kihara Souji's base program!

Kakine: Dammit all! Hey, wake up!
Kakine: Ringo!!

150

Kakine: Ringo!!

Kakine: Dammit.

Ringo: Kakine.

Ringo: Can you do something...for me?
Kakine: Don't act like you're about to die.

Kakine: Hey, can't you cancel the shut down command!?
Yobou: Probably not with the equipment we have here!

SFX: Clutch
Ringo: Kakine...please.

Ringo: I want you...
Ringo: to remember me.

151

Ringo: No one...remembered Tomoka's name.

Ringo: Ryuugou Tomoka...lived there.
Ringo: I still...
Ringo: remember her.

Ringo: I killed her...
Ringo: so I remember.
Ringo: So...

SFX: Touch

Ringo: I remember Tomoka...
Ringo: so you remember me.

Kakine: Is that your idea of salvation?
SFX: Clench

152

SFX: Let go
Kakine: To hell with that.

Kakine: I already remember everything about you.

Ringo: Really? Even Tomoka?

Kakine: Don't underestimate the Level 5 brain.

Researcher: You were implanted with a part of the #1.

Researcher: But this is an image of the #2.
Researcher: His thought patterns and calculation methods are of course entirely different.

153

Ringo: Wow! Wow!
Ringo: That's so pretty!
SFX: Point
Tomoka: Eh? Y-yeah.
SFX: Jump

Tomoka: It's amazing he can grow wings like that.
Tomoka: Just like an angel.

Ringo: An angel?
Tomoka: Um, they're like messengers of god maybe?
Tomoka: I'm not really sure, but I think they go around saving people.

Ringo: An angel, wow.
Tomoka: Those wings are a surprise. But he is the #2.
Ringo: The #2.

Tomoka: Weren't you listening? That's the #2 Level 5.
Tomoka: Kakine Teitoku.

Ringo: Kakine...Teitoku.

154

Ringo: I wish I had his thoughts...
Ringo: implanted in me.

Ringo: Remember that...
Ringo: I wanted...yours.
Kakine: Ringo!
Kakine: Hey, Ringo!

SFX: Touch
Ringo: Your wings...
Ringo: are...
Ringo: so pretty.

155

SFX: Thunk

SFX: Squeeze
Kakine: Goddamn it all.

Kakine: Don't look so damn satisfied!

156

SFX: Type type
Kuroyoru: Oh, that's good. This place hasn't been touched yet.

Kuroyoru: Man, School and the Hound Dogs were all over the other bases already.
Kuroyoru: I was only a victim caught up in it all, so they really should have left a consolation prize for me.
Kuroyoru: Oh!

Kuroyoru: Hmm, Kihara Souji-kun started out in medicine making artificial organs.
Kuroyoru: Got anything more than that?

SFX: Pop pop

SFX: Type

157

SFX: Rumble

Kuroyoru: Oh, what have we here?
Kuroyoru: Hmm.
Kuroyoru: I see.

Kuroyoru: These look pretty nice.

Yobou: I couldn't find any other code resembling the self-destruct program.

Yobou: Since School's intel network and authority turned up exactly zero leads...

158

Kaibi: This was city leadership. And at a very high level too.
Yobou: Correct.

Yobou: But I did figure out when it was added into Kihara Souji's program.
Yobou: It was just as we had secured Yuzuriha Ringo.

Kakine: So I was the target, not her.

Kaibi: But why?

Kakine: Who knows. Probably just one of many plans.

Rakko: What's been going on recently?
Yobou: I'll explain later.
Kakine: For him anyway.

Kakine: But.

159

Kakine: I refuse to accept that...
Kakine: our lot in life is to have everything taken from us.

Kakine: I'll show you first-hand that your rules...
Kakine: don't apply to me.
Text: Fin