"Shokuhou Misaki."
The instant Misaka Mikoto saw Shokuhou Misaki, her expression sank. The two of them had never gotten along.
"Oh my, if it isn't Misaka-san," Shokuhou greeted sweetly, raising a hand—and immediately launched a mental control pulse.
Bzzt—
However, the attempt was blocked by Misaka's electromagnetic barrier. Even so, the interference made her irritation spike sharply.
With clear annoyance, Misaka pulled a game coin from her pocket. "What's this? You looking for a fight?"
"No, no~ just a polite greeting," Shokuhou replied casually, setting down her teacup with an elegant smile.
Despite their mutual hostility, Shokuhou had always kept an eye on Misaka—not just because her electromagnetic barrier rendered Shokuhou's mental control ineffective.
It was because Misaka reminded her of an old friend—back from her days trapped inside the Clone Dolly Workshop. Back then, she had been assigned to befriend a girl named Dolly. Against all odds, they had truly become friends. Later, she learned that Dolly was one of Misaka Mikoto's clones.
Even though Dolly was a replica, Misaka herself lived freely and happily every day.
That realization had been a thorn in Shokuhou's heart ever since—and it was the root of the tension between the two since she'd transferred to Tokiwadai.
Changing the subject, Shokuhou suddenly asked, "Aren't you curious about Selene? We go to the same school, yet no one's ever actually seen her."
"Hmph, what's there to be curious about? Maybe she's just busy working hard. Not like some people who spend their time playing queen in some silly tea party."
Ignoring Misaka's thinly veiled jab, Shokuhou turned her gaze to the television screen in the lounge, where the event was being broadcast live. Her golden eyes sparkled with fascination—she had long admired the mysterious first-ranked esper.
Outside, the loudspeakers had already begun the announcement: the last Level 5 of Tokiwadai was about to appear.
...
"Hasn't Selene arrived yet?" the principal asked nervously from the VIP podium.
The massive platform had been constructed specifically for her. The school's entire plan hinged on Selene's performance—it was meant to be a grand showcase, something that would completely overshadow their rival, Nagatenjouki Academy, and boost Tokiwadai's prestige and enrollment.
But if Selene didn't show, all their preparations would go to waste. The school, however, couldn't exactly pressure her—after all, she was practically a living legend. If they didn't want her, others would.
At that moment, the announcer finished introducing Misaka's test results.
"Level 5—'Railgun'—Misaka Mikoto's test is now complete."
"With her, Academy City's strongest Electromaster—"
As Misaka's demonstration concluded, anticipation reached its peak. The true highlight of the day was about to begin.
Across Academy City, countless people turned their eyes toward the live broadcast as soon as they heard Selene's name.
In District 15, a luxurious hotel room, a brown-haired young man in a purple suit muttered to himself, "Why didn't she kill me that day... and even healed me instead?"
In District 7, within a hospital ward, a small, white-haired boy leaning on a crutch glared at the television screen. "The one who'll reach Level 6... will be me."
"Now entering the stage—Level 5, 'Will of Honkai,' Habsburg Selene!"
The broadcast cue finished—but no one appeared.
The crowd began murmuring among themselves.
Then, at the very center of the platform, faint violet light began to shimmer.
Suddenly—
Crack—crash!
The sound of shattering glass echoed through the entire arena. The spectators fell silent.
From the heart of the light, a distortion in space unfurled—a warped dimensional gate glowing with violet-red brilliance.
Tap... tap...
The clear sound of heels against the platform cut through the hush.
"She's here," the principal breathed out, finally relaxing.
...
As the saying goes, "To be powerful yet hide it away is like wearing brocade at night—beautiful, but unseen."
For Selene, concealing her strength was the same. Though cool and composed by nature, she was never one to hide what she had.
Call it pride, or perhaps vanity—but this time, during the evaluation, Selene intended to showcase nearly all of her abilities—except Electromagnetic Mastery and Honkai Manipulation. This was her moment to display power, to make a statement.
Of course, she wasn't going to reveal everything. She wasn't stupid. To intimidate was one thing—but to expose every secret would be reckless. A queen must always keep a few cards hidden.
Tap... tap...
With each step she took, a wave of oppressive pressure swept across the arena—like the descent of an abyss itself.
From the surging darkness, the first thing that came into view was a pair of black high heels with orange trim, stepping lightly upon violet crystal fragments.
Under the magnified lenses of countless cameras, Selene appeared clearly before Academy City for the very first time.
Her eyes alone left the audience breathless—her pupils, already diamond-shaped, now bore an intricate X-pattern crossed by a ring of gold. The complex structure gave her gaze a surreal, mesmerizing beauty.
Her long white hair cascaded down to her waist, adorned with twin feather ornaments tinted in prismatic hues. She wore a sleeveless short black dress layered beneath a flowing white outer skirt, its edges embroidered with violet-red threads. Black thigh-high stockings covered her shapely legs. Three trailing ribbons with glowing Honkai patterns extended from each side of her waist, the inner lining marked with crimson motifs. Her arms were wrapped in long dark gloves overlaid with white armor, and behind her, twelve Subspace Lances unfolded like radiant wings.
Selene's appearance stood in stark contrast to the other two Level 5s. That was everyone's first impression. If Misaka Mikoto and Shokuhou Misaki embodied minimalism, then Selene was pure opulent grandeur.
As she stepped forward, the entire stadium erupted into chaos—cheers, gasps, and murmurs intermingling in a rising storm of awe.
"Wow, look at her eyes! They're beautiful!"
"So that's the Number One? She's stunning!"
"I heard she's insanely strong—apparently, both the second and third ranks challenged her once."
"Seriously? What happened?"
"What do you think? Obviously she won. Otherwise, how would she still be Number One?"
"I also heard that massive crater in District 18? That was from her fight with Number Two."
"Damn... she's that powerful?"
...
Stepping out of the dimensional gate, Selene froze for a moment at the deafening roar of tens of thousands cheering her name. She quickly pieced it together. She had expected the event to be large—but this...?
Good grief. Tokiwadai had really gone all in this time—turning the evaluation into a full-blown performance. No wonder the principal had called her so insistently yesterday.
Still a bit taken aback, Selene teleported in an instant to the VIP podium beside the principal and asked softly, "What's going on? How exactly am I supposed to 'test' here?"
The principal, clearly a shrewd one, leaned close and whispered, "You're a Gemstone, so just focus on demonstrating your spatial teleportation range. Beyond that—feel free to improvise."
He added quickly, "But remember! The key is spectacle—make it grand, make it dazzling. The school went to great lengths to give you this stage, so use it well."