"Year-end evaluation?"
On the phone, the principal of Tokiwadai Middle School expressed her hope that Selene would participate in the school's annual performance testing the following day.
Though the physical examinations were practically meaningless for an "original" esper like her—in their eyes—Selene was still the number one in Academy City, a living symbol, and an irreplaceable nameplate for publicity.
"Understood, I'll be there on time," Selene replied. It was basically a final exam anyway, and since the principal had always treated her with special courtesy, she should at least return the favor with some face.
Selene had already completed her first full academic year at Tokiwadai Middle School. Once this evaluation was over, it would mark the start of the winter break, and when she returned next year, she'd be a second-year student.
It was a little embarrassing, but despite attending the same school, she'd rarely interacted with Misaka Mikoto or Shokuhou Misaki—at most, she had only seen them from afar.
...
High above District 7 of Academy City, an oval-shaped airship balloon floated steadily along a fixed orbital path.
The balloon had been launched under the pretense of "helping students better understand current events," sponsored by the Board of Directors. On its hull was a massive, ultra-thin display screen broadcasting weather reports and news updates.
The ship was powered by solar energy, which fueled internal heaters to warm the carbon dioxide within, generating lift. Massive engines provided propulsion, making it a fuel-free, high-tech marvel.
"Announcement: Today's scheduled institutions for physical evaluations include: Tokiwadai Private Middle School, Sakugawa Middle School, and A Certain Middle-High School..."
In truth, the so-called physical evaluation was more of a promotional performance.
This time, Tokiwadai's testing event was on an unprecedented scale. Major media outlets from across Academy City gathered at the venue—the area teeming with cameras and journalists armed with "long guns and short cannons."
Each esper's testing demonstration was as dazzling as a pop idol's concert, drawing enthusiastic cheers from the crowd.
However, the media weren't there for them. The broadcasts weren't meant for the lower-level espers—the main event was yet to come.
Level 5 espers—the rarest of the rare. Out of Academy City's 2.3 million students, there were only eight. To the average student, they were living legends.
And Tokiwadai alone housed three of them:
Rank 1 — "Will of Honkai," Space Manipulation, Selene von Habsburg.
Rank 4 — "Railgun," Electromaster, Misaka Mikoto.
Rank 6 — "Mental Out," Psychological Control, Shokuhou Misaki.
This was the first time in Academy City's history that three Level 5 espers would appear together at a single evaluation venue.
The sheer scale of it was overwhelming.
To most students, high-level espers were akin to celebrities. For one school to boast so many was mind-blowing. Across the city, students watching the live broadcast had the same thought—I want to transfer to Tokiwadai.
It was clear that next year's admission competition for Tokiwadai—and other schools affiliated with the School Garden—would be fiercer than ever.
Once the Level 3 and Level 4 evaluations concluded, the main event began—the Level 5 demonstrations.
Naturally, Selene would be the final performer. Having surpassed Accelerator to become Academy City's strongest esper, she now stood at the pinnacle of power—not only as a Board Director but also as a leader with her own faction.
She was, without question, at the very top of Academy City.
After the previous tests concluded, the school's broadcast system announced: "Next, please welcome the Level 5 espers to the stage."
Thunderous applause erupted.
On the field below, an enormous platform—nearly a thousand square meters wide—had been set up, surrounded by stands packed with over ten thousand spectators.
Even the usually conservative Tokiwadai had gone all out, opening the campus to the public for this grand event.
The first to take the stage was a girl with long honey-blonde hair, a slender waist, graceful limbs, and a curiously mature figure for a middle schooler. Her delicate features shone beneath the stage lights, her uniform complemented by white lace stockings and gloves patterned like spider webs.
It was "Mental Out," Shokuhou Misaki.
Truthfully, her ability was one of the most complex in the field of mental manipulation, encompassing an enormous range of psychological phenomena. With it, Shokuhou Misaki could perform over 3,000 distinct mental effects—ranging from mind reading and brainwashing to cognitive alteration. It was difficult to demonstrate in a public setting, and often unsettling to witness.
Yet even so, the crowd's enthusiasm burned hotter than ever. After a lengthy explanation of her ability, Tokiwadai permitted Shokuhou Misaki to conduct a brief demonstration—one that allowed her to control the actions of a large number of people without reading their memories.
That first Level 5 test gave many students their first true glimpse of what a Level 5 esper could do. They finally understood what the term strategic-level asset meant—someone capable of confronting an entire army single-handedly.
Soon after, the second Level 5 test began.
The next figure to step onto the stage was a slightly younger-looking girl in perfect uniform, her shoulder-length chestnut hair framing a nervous expression.
With the commentator's timely introduction, the audience's eyes widened in disbelief as they realized who she was—the fourth-ranked Level 5, Railgun, Misaka Mikoto.
Compared to Shokuhou's mental ability, Misaka's power was far more direct. She was Academy City's strongest Electromaster—her known maximum output reached one billion volts, and rumor had it her offensive capability rivaled that of a cruiser-class warship.
Crack...
The platform split open, revealing a large pool beneath. Nearby, staff members were busy preparing testing equipment and instruments.
After all, the Railgun's demonstration required a body of water to buffer the destructive output—without it, the instruments wouldn't survive the shock.
"Alright, the test site is ready, instruments calibrated. Misaka-san, you may begin," the lead technician called out, signaling to her.
Misaka nodded, stepping forward. In her hand, several coins glinted under the lights—her signature projectiles, the so-called Railgun bullets. She flicked them lightly between her fingers.
Boom!
A blinding flash of lightning streaked across the water, blue-white arcs scattering in every direction.
The thunderous crack that followed shook the stadium as a massive column of water erupted upward, soaring fifty or sixty meters high. The explosion's reverberation rippled across the entire venue.
Zzzzt...
The falling water crackled with residual electricity.
Before the crowd could even recover—
BOOM!
Another explosion split the air, followed by yet another towering column of water.
By the time Misaka had fired seven shots in succession, the data had been collected.
"Record complete: projectile velocity—approximately 1,010 meters per second. Rate of fire—seven rounds per minute. Impact dispersion—18.9 millimeters. Overall evaluation—Level 5 Esper."
The broadcast carried the results throughout the venue, and only then did the audience finally snap out of their stunned silence. Waves of cheers, applause, and exclamations erupted in unison.
Misaka responded to the crowd with a polite bow, thanking them before stepping off the platform.
"Phew... that was nerve-wracking. Why were there so many people this year? Hopefully, I didn't mess up," she muttered to herself as she walked down the corridor toward the rest area.
But as she entered the lounge, she froze.
Sitting gracefully on the sofa ahead was a radiant, poised girl with long, flowing hair—and bright, starry eyes that turned toward her the moment she entered.