In Academy City, the Paradise Project begins.

Page 43

Ruler of Laws

Truth Weaver

Reality Reconstruction

Custom name______

"These names..."

Higashino's lips twitched, and he couldn't help but rub his forehead.

"Who came up with this idea?"

It gives off a strong "chuunibyou" vibe, and it always feels so embarrassing to be yelled at during a fight.

"A naming committee specially appointed by the council!"

Yoshikawa's eyes lit up; he seemed quite pleased with the titles.

"The first one, 'Accelerator,' is such a cool name, right? And look how awesome the fifth one, 'Mental Master,' is! The third one, 'A Certain Scientific Railgun,' is also very unique!"

Index suddenly snatched the tablet: "This 'Truth Weaver' is pretty good!"

"turn down."

Higashino retrieved the tablet and immediately selected "Reality Reconstruction," the option that best suited his abilities.

Moreover, the four characters correspond to his superpowers, making him seem less special.

Yoshikawa sighed in disappointment: "At least add a subtitle, right? Like 'Reconstructing Reality, Rewriting Everything' or something?"

"No."

Wouldn't that be even more shameful? Was this the kind of person she was in the original story? She seems more like a rational woman.

"Shouldn't we show something new?"

Yoshikawa persisted, asking the same question relentlessly.

"The chairman has given special instructions, hoping to see your performance after your abilities have evolved!"

Higashino was somewhat speechless. Aleister had set up so many airborne circuits in Academy City, it was impossible for him not to know about the abilities he had displayed. But he probably wanted to understand them further, right?

But I'm not stupid, how could I possibly go all out to show a cunning old bastard like you?

"Then... I'll give a simple demonstration."

He walked toward the center of the testing platform, with Index following closely behind like a little tail.

When Yoshikawa hurriedly tried to stop her, the silver-haired girl had already nimbly slipped through the cordon and plopped down in the very center of the testing area.

"This is where you can see the clearest view!"

She declared it with absolute certainty. Since things had already come to this, Yoshikawa didn't try to stop her.

Higashino shook his head helplessly: "Don't run around later."

Turning towards Yoshikawa.

"Ready?"

As the notification sounded, all cameras simultaneously lit up red.

Higashino took a deep breath and snapped his fingers crisply.

"Gravity reverses here."

In an instant, all the debris in the testing grounds floated up. Yoshikawa's tablet hovered in front of her, the researchers' pens and notebooks spun in the air, and one unlucky guy's wig flew straight up to the ceiling. Index screamed and grabbed Higashino's trouser leg, and she floated up like a balloon.

"Higashino! I'm flying away!"

"pay close attention."

Higashino chuckled and grabbed the back of her collar, easily pulling Index back.

"Is it fun?"

Index's eyes shone brightly: "One more time! This time, we'll fly in circles!"

Yoshikawa awkwardly pressed down on her fluttering skirt: "This is astonishing! There's absolutely no detectable Am diffusion field fluctuation!"

She frantically recorded the data.

"Duration time? Maximum range?"

"Ten minutes, 800 meters in radius."

Higashino casually made up a number, which was obviously impossible, and he didn't actually know what his current limit was, since he was getting stronger every day.

Moreover, he used this trick to fly around with the bees just yesterday, so Aleister couldn't possibly not know about it.

"The physical form changes, and the apple transforms into a pear."

Higashino pointed at a prepared apple on the test table.

In an instant, the bright red apple twisted and deformed before everyone's eyes, its core structure clearly reorganized, transforming into a plump and juicy pear in the blink of an eye. The researchers gasped in astonishment.

This was because Higashino deliberately slowed down the transformation process; otherwise, with his power, he could have completed it in an instant.

"Matter transformation! It's a direct redefinition of matter's structure!"

One researcher shouted excitedly, his voice cracking, as he eagerly recorded the data.

Recording is prohibited here.

Higashino's gaze swept over the tablets in the hands of several researchers who were frantically taking pictures.

As soon as he finished speaking, the recording functions of all those tablets instantly failed, and after the screens flickered a few times, they displayed "Device Error".

Yoshikawa stared in astonishment at the device in his hand: "This...this is interference with the device's functional logic?!"

"Space folding".

Higashino didn't move a step, but he and Index, whom he was carrying, instantly appeared at the other end of the testing field, as if space itself had been folded and compressed. The next second, he was back in his original position.

"Teleportation? No... there's no force field reaction indicating spatial movement!"

The researcher in charge of the testing was sweating profusely; Higashino's abilities were truly bizarre.

"Let's come and see the meteor shower."

To make Index happy, Higashino snapped his fingers. The ceiling and parts of the walls of the entire testing ground instantly darkened, as if night had fallen, and countless dazzling shooting stars streaked across the "sky." Index clapped her hands in delight: "Wow! Stars!"

The researchers stared in disbelief at the incredibly realistic illusion that covered the entire test field, but the instruments could not detect any change in light source or energy radiation, and even the Am field sensor was barely perceptible.

"You can do that too, make something hard look like a twisted dough stick."

Higashino gestured towards a heavy alloy target used for impact testing on the sidelines. A researcher, following instructions, slammed a hammer down hard. The expected loud bang didn't occur; the hammer sank silently into the target, like striking a soft pile of cotton, leaving only a large dent.

The following tests were more like a surreal performance.

Higashino turned the walls of the test site into chocolate, the surveillance cameras into moving goose heads, and finally turned Yoshikawa's cold coffee into a cup of Fat Boy's Happy Water, from which a frog suddenly jumped out.

In short, do whatever is strange and unique to showcase the diversity of your abilities.

Each incredible demonstration elicited gasps and chaotic data recording from the researchers, while Index clapped excitedly, her eyes glued to Higashino.

"The final adversarial test!"

Yoshikawa wiped the sweat from his forehead, his voice a little strained.

"Please demonstrate your ability to fight!"

She pressed a button, and the ceiling emitted a heavy mechanical sound as three angular machines descended. These were state-of-the-art power-suppressing devices, their surfaces covered with intricate patterns and energy nodes.

Unlike the common goods circulating outside, this is something secretly researched by the upper echelons of Academy City, equipment specifically designed for Level 5 users.

However, it's not very practical, given its size; unless you're specifically setting a trap, it's generally not useful.

Higashino narrowed his eyes. This thing is very useful against ability users. He wondered how effective it would be on him.

"Academy City's latest Level 5 ability suppressor."

Yoshikawa tried to explain calmly, but the expectation in his tone was hard to hide.

"Theoretically, it can suppress the Am diffusion field of any superpowered individual and interfere with their computational power!"

This technology was actually developed to stop the riots of superpowered individuals, but that's certainly not what they would say to the outside world.

Index suddenly hugged Higashino's arm tightly, her face tense: "No!"

Although she didn't quite understand what a suppressor was, since it could interfere with Higashino, it must be something dangerous.

"Those machines look so dangerous..."

Higashino gently squeezed her hand, conveying a reassuring strength: "It's okay."

The moment the suppression device was activated, a bright blue light shone forth, and an invisible force field, like heavy shackles, instantly enveloped the entire test area!

Higashino felt a sharp pain in his temple. A powerful interference force targeting his computing core was trying to invade his mind and forcibly suppress his perception and reconstruction of "reality".

The ability was indeed weakened a little, but the effect was like a drop of water in a bottle of cola – it was practically negligible.

But I can't appear too relaxed; I need to make them think that this thing can suppress me to some extent.

Higashino's body swayed violently, as if struck by a heavy hammer, and his face turned pale.

He staggered, collapsing heavily to one knee with a dull thud. He gasped for breath, fine beads of sweat forming on his forehead, looking as if he were struggling terribly. He gritted his teeth and growled, each word deliberate and forceful:

"Reality definition: The ability suppression is nullified here."

These words seemed to carry a tangible force, echoing clearly in the silent testing ground.

Click! Bang—Sizzle!

The three enormous power suppressors were gripped tightly by an invisible giant hand, their surface glowing with a frantic, flickering blue light.

A series of ear-piercing metallic twisting sounds and bursts of energy overload rang out! The outer shell of the leftmost unit suddenly exploded outward in full view of everyone, billowing out thick black smoke; the middle unit seemed to be shattered internally by an invisible force, with various precision components and wires flying out; the right unit, although it did not explode, all the indicator lights went out instantly, and it was completely reduced to a pile of scrap metal.

The tablet in Yoshikawa's hand fell to the ground with a "thud," the screen shattered, and a scarlet message flashed wildly on it: [Error: Am position conflict detected! Core logic overwrite! Irreversible damage!]

The room fell silent. The researchers stood frozen in place, mouths agape, like sculptures frozen in time.

Index was the first to react. She jumped up and cheered, "We won! Higashino is the best!"

Kikyo Yoshikawa stared blankly at the three completely destroyed ability suppressors, emitting blue smoke. Her lips trembled, and after a long while, she finally uttered a dreamlike voice: "This...this is impossible...a conceptual level...rule overwriting...directly negates the existence of the suppressors..."

She felt that the guy she was testing today was too unscientific; even a Level 5 ability user shouldn't be able to do something like this.

"Send the bill to the General Council. I'm not responsible if this thing gets damaged."

After struggling to his feet, Higashino patted Yoshikawa on the shoulder, his tone carrying a hint of weak teasing, as if his earth-shattering performance just now was nothing more than a trivial matter.

"The test is over. I'll leave the registration to you, Yoshikawa. I'll be going now."

Index immediately skipped and hopped to catch up, not forgetting to make a mischievous face at the group of bewildered researchers along the way.

As the heavy automatic door slowly closed behind them, an incredible, intense discussion erupted inside, almost lifting the roof off.

As for what they were discussing, Higashino didn't care. His abilities had only revealed the tip of the iceberg. If someone were to use those data to fight against him, they would definitely fail.

"So when will my Level 5 allowance arrive?"

In the corridor, Higashino checked his newly updated ID card. The ability section had changed to [Level 5 Reality Reconstructor]. He nodded in satisfaction.

Wait, wasn't it four characters a moment ago? How come it's five characters now after the update?

Chapter 58 An Invitation from the Puritans

After leaving the ability testing facility, Higashino and Index wandered around for a while before returning to their apartment, where they lived alone.

The deserted apartment was destined to remain unoccupied, and Higashino didn't seem to care much about the situation, since he would choose to move out if given the chance.

At this moment, Index is intently poking at the perfectly shaped sunny-side-up egg on her plate with her fork at the dining table.

"Higashino, the yolk is leaking out!"

She exclaimed in surprise, realizing that she had never tasted many of the things she had eaten during her years of wandering. Or rather, even if she had eaten or seen something, she had no recollection of it after her memory was erased.

Higashino Yu peeked out from the kitchen. He was still holding a spatula covered in egg yolk, a helpless smile on his lips: "This is called a soft-boiled egg, it tastes better."

Higashino usually likes to eat this kind of egg, which has a unique flavor compared to a fully cooked one.

Just then, the doorbell rang abruptly.