"That's roughly the situation. I'd like to ask you to let her stay here temporarily. Don't let her leave. Otherwise, I'm afraid she'll just return to the lab to be killed."
Yuuya explained the situation regarding the clones. He knew the only person in Academy City who could protect her—and who had the moral compass to do so—was Heaven Canceller.
The doctor listened quietly. He frowned slightly and sighed, a heavy sound that seemed to carry the weight of decades.
"It really is hell," he murmured. "How many more tragedies will this city produce before it stops?"
He looked at the boy who had walked through that hell to pull an innocent life out of it.
"Don't worry, child. As long as she is in my hospital, she is safe."
Heaven Canceller's voice was firm.
"I will not let the patient leave until she is recovered. And no one—not the Board, not the Dark Side—can take a patient away from my hospital against my will."
"Um... Doctor..." Yuuya scratched his head, looking embarrassed. "I don't actually have the money to pay for her treatment..."
Hospitalization in Academy City was expensive. For a Level 2 student on a stipend, it was impossible.
Heaven Canceller smiled. It was a kind smile, like a grandfather looking at a foolish grandson.
"Who do you think I am?"
"This hospital is my battlefield. I will not allow a patient to die just because they lack money. Saving lives comes first. The bill is irrelevant."
"Thank you very much!" Yuuya bowed deeply.
This doctor truly commanded respect. Even Aleister Crowley, who treated humans like disposable pawns, treated this man with deference.
"What will you do next?" Heaven Canceller asked, looking earnestly at the boy.
In his half-century of practice, he had seen many young heroes risk their lives to fight the city's darkness. Most of them didn't come back.
"Just like tonight," Yuuya said, straightening up. He looked at the dried blood on his sleeve.
"I will rescue them. I won't let them lose their lives over such a foolish experiment again."
"Is it going to keep repeating itself?" The doctor sighed. "You can't save everyone alone. You are fighting the city itself."
"Even if I can't save everyone... I have to try. If I have the ability to stop it and I do nothing, I'll despise myself."
Yuuya smiled.
Internally, he knew the truth.
He couldn't stop the experiment completely yet. Aleister needed the 20,000 Sisters. Not for the Level 6 Shift, but for the Misaka Network.
The Sisters' brainwaves were linked. Their combined AIM diffusion fields created the "Artificial Heaven" (Imaginary Number District). This field was Aleister's secret weapon to override the magic phases covering the world and summon Aiwass.
Because the ultimate goal was the Network, Aleister wouldn't care if Yuuya "rescued" a few clones or disrupted the Level 6 Shift. As long as the clones were created and alive, the plan worked.
In fact, Aleister might even prefer them alive and spread out across the world rather than killed by Accelerator.
"I see." Heaven Canceller closed his eyes. "I cannot help you fight. But as long as you send them to me, I guarantee their safety."
"Thank you, Doctor."
Yuuya felt reassured. Suddenly, he remembered something.
He reached into his pocket (System Inventory) and pulled out a green test tube.
"Oh, right! Doctor, I found this by chance. It's labeled 'Gene Repair Serum.' Maybe it will be useful for the Sisters."
He handed the vial over.
A shortsighted person would give it to Misaka 9982 directly. A smart person would give it to the greatest doctor in the world, who could analyze it and mass-produce it for all 20,000 clones.
"Gene Repair Serum?" Heaven Canceller took the vial, examining it under the light. He didn't ask where a high school student got such advanced tech. "Yes. I will analyze this immediately. It could stabilize their shortened lifespans."
"Go and see her," the doctor said softly. "As her savior, she needs to see you."
Heaven Canceller put his hands in his lab coat pockets and walked down the corridor.
Yuuya took a deep breath and opened the door to Room 7.
Inside, the lights were dim. Misaka 9982 was awake. She was leaning against the headboard, looking out the window at the night sky. She didn't seem in a hurry to leave.
Hearing the door open, she turned her head. Her brown eyes were unfocused and listless.
Even with bandages wrapped around her head and arms, her face was identical to Misaka Mikoto's. It made Yuuya's heart flutter slightly.
He walked over and sat on the stool by the bed.
"I'm relieved to see you're still alive, Misaka Sister. Your serial number is 9982, right?"
"Yes," the clone acknowledged. Her voice was flat. "Regarding the matter of Misaka being saved by you... Misaka wishes to verify the situation. Do, Misaka asks this."
"Oh~ what's there to verify? If you want to thank me, save it for later. I won't allow you to leave this hospital." Yuuya interrupted her firmly.
"It is amazing," 9982 murmured, ignoring him. "Misaka concludes that she should have lost vital signs at 20:00 hours. Yet, Misaka is still functioning."
She looked at the IV drip in her hand. She placed her bandaged hand over her heart.
Thump. Thump.
"Misaka has already missed the experiment window. Misaka cannot continue the next phase until vital signs recover. Do, Misaka sighs at the inefficiency."
"What's wrong with living?" Yuuya stood up.
He reached out and pinched her cheek—gently, but with enough force to stretch it.
"Feeling your heart beat... realizing the preciousness of life... do you really want to go back to the slaughterhouse?"
"I told you. I won't let you leave until the experiments are stopped. You're stuck with me."
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