I, Kurumi Tokisaki, Am a Wanderer

In a lavish, opulent hotel room, a blonde-haired girl lay on the bed, lazily kicking her legs as she muttered to herself. The phone screen glowed intermittently in the dark, displaying a large, bold name: "Stupid Dog."

The girl wore an elegant backless evening gown, with a deep V-cut that revealed a wide expanse of smooth, fair skin. She was Gokusai Kaibi, Measure Heart, the second-in-command of the dark organization known as School.

Of course, School only had four members in total.

Her ability allowed her to quantify the emotional distance between two individuals and arbitrarily alter that distance. Even with strangers, she could shorten the psychological gap between them, making them feel as close as lovers.

She often used her power to chat with clients, earning some extra cash on the side.

In Yumiya Rakko's words, that was "sugar-daddy work."

"With my ability, I don't even need to do 'that kind of thing,'" Measure Heart grumbled, her slender fingers tapping rhythmically on the edge of the bed as her legs kicked faster in irritation.

Recalling Yumiya Rakko's words, she grew increasingly uneasy.

"Oh, whatever... I might as well go check it out."

"She… she hung up on me." Squatting on the ground, Yumiya clutched her phone dejectedly, her expression dark and somber, as though a cloud hung over her entire being.

"Hey, are you alright?" A small pink-haired head peeked out from behind Kurumi, looking at Yumiya with concern.

"I'm fine." Yumiya forced a bitter smile, biting her lip as her eyes welled up with tears, looking every bit like an injured puppy.

"I… I just wanted a friend."

"Why does she always hang up on me?!"

Sigh…

Kurumi exhaled deeply.

As she thought: confirmed idiot.

Stepping off the so-called tallest roller coaster in the world, Misaka Mikoto's legs were trembling slightly.

Shirai Kuroko, on the other hand, looked pale as a sheet, wobbling unsteadily as she clung to Mikoto for support.

For once, Mikoto chose not to push her away.

"Where's Kurumi-senpai?" Mikoto asked, scanning the area. She realized that Kurumi had vanished after disembarking from the roller coaster.

This was because Kurumi had no intention of causing a spectacle by letting two identical girls stand side by side in public.

"That sneaky cat disappearing is just perfect," Kuroko muttered, her expression a mixture of relief and glee. "Now I can have sweet, uninterrupted time with my dear onee-sama!"

She leaned closer to Mikoto's chest, her actions becoming increasingly bold.

Mikoto calmly pushed Kuroko away.

"Kuroko. You just got off a roller coaster. Don't lean around recklessly, or you'll get dizzy." Her tone seemed caring, but her voice grew icier with each word.

"Onee-sama's concern! I'm so touched!" Kuroko exclaimed, wrapping her arms tightly around Mikoto's waist.

"But you don't need to worry so much about me, onee-sama. I underwent professional training when I was selected as a Judgment member. Even things like drop towers aren't an issue for me."

Entirely absorbed in the softness of Mikoto's waist, Kuroko failed to notice the growing aura of malice.

"And as a Teleporter, things like this are… are just… a small…"

She finally realized something was off. Her voice turned a little stammered, and Kuroko put on an awkward smile as she gently released the arms wrapped around Mikoto.

"'Just' what? Kuroko, go on, finish your sentence." Mikoto tilted her chin, raising her right fist.

Zzzzzt—

Crackling blue sparks lit up Kuroko's face.

"Just a small case!" Kuroko was on the verge of tears.

"You really never learn, do you?!" Mikoto grabbed Kuroko's cheeks, dragging her along with a trail of sparks and lightning.

"I'm sorry! I was wrong! I won't do it again!" Kuroko shouted in a mix of pain and twisted pleasure as she endured the electric punishment.

Mikoto sighed heavily and finally let Kuroko go, though something still felt a little off.

Just then, she spotted Kurumi returning from the direction of the outdoor café they had visited earlier—this time, with two more people trailing behind her.

"Kurumi-senpai?" Mikoto looked puzzled.

"Oh, I ran into two acquaintances on my way down, so I invited them to join us," Kurumi explained with a smile. "Is that alright, Mikoto?"

"No, no problem at all!" Mikoto waved her hands quickly. "Hello, I'm Misaka Mikoto. Nice to meet you."

Then Mikoto leaned closer to Kurumi, glancing at the trembling Yumiya Rakko and whispering, "Is she alright?"

"Probably," Kurumi replied, a hint of doubt in her voice.

Yumiya pressed her lips tightly together, her expression fraught with unease.

Unlike the others, she was well aware of who these two were: one, the newly minted No. 1 Level 5 esper; the other, the former No. 3 Level 5. Her natural instincts, as sharp as those of a small animal, made her feel distinctly uncomfortable standing near Mikoto.

Cautiously, Yumiya introduced herself. "Hello, I'm Yumiya Rakko, a first-year at Private Shidarezakura Academy. My biggest wish is to make a friend."

"Hello, I'm Rikuto Mika, a first-year at Nagatenjouki Academy," Rikuto said quietly, following suit.

"What?! Such tiny little ones, and they're senpais?" Mikoto exclaimed in surprise.

"Oh my, so small," Kuroko muttered with a strange tone, pouting. "And yet these two little ones have already surpassed Onee-sama in certain areas."

Crack!

Mikoto froze, turning stiffly to look at Rikuto.

Her well-proportioned figure was undeniably graceful. Though not as endowed as Shokuhou Misaki, she was still leagues beyond Mikoto.

Unwilling to concede defeat, Mikoto turned her gaze to Yumiya.

Yumiya nervously crossed her arms over her chest, the fullness nearly spilling out of her embrace.

And then... they bounced.

Mikoto was utterly defeated.

"Don't lose heart, Onee-sama! No matter what, I—Kuroko—will always love you!" Kuroko declared loudly, oblivious to their surroundings.

"So envious..."

"So bold…"

Yumiya and Rikuto murmured in awe.

After the brief introductions, the group set off on their adventure through the park.

But as they explored, Rikuto noticed something peculiar: Kurumi wasn't heading for any of the thrilling, terrifying attractions this time.

A dreadful realization dawned on Rikuto.

Kurumi-senpai had definitely been messing with her earlier.

"That's... that's too much!" Rikuto's eyes welled with tears.

But all she could do was trail pitifully behind Kurumi, fidgeting with her fingers. She couldn't fight back, she couldn't outwit her, and her attempt at tailing her had been exposed. All she had left was to tag along and look cute.

With her head bowed in thought, Rikuto didn't notice her surroundings until she bumped into Yumiya in front of her with a dull thud.

"S-sorry!" she stammered in a panic.

"It's fine." Yumiya's expression was peculiar; she had almost no experience being this close to someone before.

It was an odd sensation—half an hour ago, she had been intent on killing this girl, but now, she worried the mechanisms on her outfit might harm her.

The two stragglers at the back of the group finally realized everyone had stopped in front of a foreboding, shadowy mansion.

At the entrance, pairs of giddy couples lined up with eager anticipation.

From the exit, girls emerged teary-eyed, clutching their companions' arms tightly. Meanwhile, the boys—or girls—being held maintained serious expressions, soothing their partners with gentle words. Yet, the glimmer of delight in their eyes betrayed them. Whether the girls' fear was genuine or not was anyone's guess.

Until…

A tall girl appeared, cradling a trembling, tearful boy in her arms in a princess carry, eliciting astonished stares from the crowd.

...

"Onee-sama, you need not fear. Kuroko will stay by your side no matter what," Kuroko declared earnestly, holding Mikoto's hand in front of the haunted house.

"And should Onee-sama become truly frightened, Kuroko's arms are always open for you!"

Sssip—

It was obvious who had championed this stop on their journey.

"Tsk," Mikoto scoffed, casually pulling her hand away from Kuroko's grasp and boldly marching inside. "Afraid? Don't make me laugh."

Kurumi and Kuroko followed closely behind.

But when Yumiya and Rikuto tried to enter, the attendant stopped them.

"Apologies, dear guests. Please wait for the next group," she explained, pointing to the "Full Capacity" sign. Awkwardly, the two lingered outside.

...

Though Mikoto proclaimed she wasn't afraid, she still felt a flicker of tension as she stepped into the darkened corridors.

Clutching the little Gekota charm on her bag, her eyes fixed unblinkingly on the path ahead.

In the end, however, she was sorely disappointed.

The haunted house relied on a combination of advanced imaging technology and staff in costumes to create its scares. But all of this was laid bare to Mikoto, thanks to the reflexive echoes of her electromagnetic sensing ability.

Once again, she felt the burden of her powers.

She couldn't pet cats, and now even haunted houses felt like walking through a live feed from a thermal scanner.

Sensing Mikoto's disappointment, Kurumi chuckled softly. "If you'd like, Mikoto, I can take you to see real ghosts next time."

"Kurumi-senpai, you're joking—there's no such thing as real ghosts," Mikoto replied hesitantly, swallowing hard.

But deep down, a voice whispered to her that Kurumi was being completely serious.

Contrary to her earlier bravado, Kuroko was a wreck once inside the haunted house.

A fish-headed creature dropped from the ceiling, its lifeless eyes locking onto Kuroko's. Suddenly, its mouth stretched wide, revealing razor-sharp teeth resembling ice shards, as it lunged toward her.

"Eeeek!" Kuroko screamed, teleporting to appear in front of Mikoto, who caught her in an awkward embrace.

"Kuroko!" Mikoto exclaimed, exasperated, thinking her junior was faking fear.

But seeing Kuroko's pitiful expression, Mikoto sighed and gently set her back on the ground, reluctantly taking her hand.

Kuroko hung her head, but her face betrayed a triumphant smile—Plan A might have failed, but she still had Plan B.

They continued through the haunted house, stopping occasionally, until they arrived at the Demon King's Lair.

A dimly lit corner.

A pale-faced little girl in a bloodstained sailor uniform sat in the shadows. Beside her was a doll, its face patched and stitched, grinning eerily.

The doll's complexion was ghostly white, its lips painted with vivid crimson, forming a sinister smile.

Though the girl had her back to them, her head twisted a full 180 degrees to face them, tilting as she flashed a chilling grin.

The little girl's face was even paler, almost translucent like thin paper. Her pitch-black eyes fixed unblinkingly on the trio.

Even Mikoto had to admit, the scene was masterfully crafted—tension rippled through the air.

As they approached, the girl's head shifted slightly with faint, gear-like clicks, following their movements.

Mikoto's nerves tightened like a bowstring.

The girl turned her gaze to Kurumi, opened her mouth, and—

"Ruaaaaaah!"

It was the kind of sound a kitten might make while pretending to be a fearsome lion.

Pfft—

Kurumi burst out laughing, and Mikoto and Kuroko couldn't help but join in.

The carefully curated atmosphere of terror evaporated the moment the girl made her ridiculous sound.

"Wah! They're bullying me!" the little girl wailed, clutching the doll's sleeve with teary eyes.

Then, under Mikoto and Kuroko's horrified gazes, the doll's arms twisted unnaturally, righting its head with a series of jerky movements. The head rotated 180 degrees back to its normal position.

The doll turned to embrace the crying girl, cooing soft words of comfort. Mikoto and Kuroko stared, utterly dumbfounded.

...

...

"I'm Yelu," said the delicate girl, her voice carrying a mischievous lilt. She held the puffed-cheek little girl in her arms, poking her cheek repeatedly as she explained to the trio.

"I'm an LV3 physical ability user. Sorry about earlier." Her eyes sparkled with amusement.

This was the unique twist of this haunted house—they provided makeup artists and costumes, allowing the previous wave of guests to prank the next. It explained why they strictly limited the number of guests and purposefully separated small groups.

Hearing the rules, Kurumi's smile grew wider and wider, sending a chill down Mikoto's spine.

The thought struck her—weren't those two "junior senpais" next in line...?

She offered a silent prayer for them.

...

Staggering footsteps echoed from the doorway.

Embodying pure tension, with her teeth clenched tightly against her bottom lip, Yumiya Rakko emerged before the Demon King's Throne.

Her gait was unsteady, weighed down by what appeared to be a clinging passenger, though her figure was partially hidden by her Akari-like vanishing aura caused by sheer terror.

Yumiya held her right hand slightly raised, her posture taut as though she might fire at any moment.

The vast hall lay empty, the throne unoccupied.

"Wahhh, is it finally over?" A terrified cry broke the silence as Rikuto appeared out of nowhere. Surveying her surroundings with wide eyes, she clung desperately to Yumiya, practically hanging off her.

As though waiting for just this moment, the hall darkened abruptly the instant Rikuto's ability deactivated. Everything was draped in black and red shadows, dimming their view.

Pale silhouettes began to emerge from the darkness. They floated around the girls, flickering in and out of sight.

A chorus of layered, eerie giggles echoed around them, creating a chilling atmosphere.

Rikuto clung even tighter.

Black, visible wind brushed against her cheeks, as if someone was truly touching her. The two were too frightened to even breathe.

"Heeheeheehee," the laughter of girls emanated from the shadows. Rikuto and Yumiya tried to step back, but they realized with horror that something was binding them.

The girls froze, lowering their gazes to find pale, twisted arms stretching from the ground, gripping their ankles.

"Ahhh!" The two couldn't hold it in any longer and broke down into sobs.

"Huh... huh?" Kurumi, lounging on the throne with one leg crossed over the other, rested her chin on her hand.

They're... crying already?

She glanced at Yumiya and couldn't help but pinch the bridge of her nose.

Where are the dark side operatives? Someone, please come retrieve your embarrassing sniper.

Stop disgracing yourselves out here.

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