On the light screen, the entire process of Misaka Mikoto's journey was laid bare before the audience: from her initial brimming confidence to her furrowed brows while browsing recruitment ads, then to the cold shoulders she encountered after contacting various Battle Gangs, and finally her descent into confusion and struggle.
In the real-world internet, after a brief silence, a wave of complex exclamations erupted —a mix of self-deprecation, sighs of pity, and "I knew it" realizations.
"Hahaha, I'm dying! Why does Misaka Mikoto's job-hunting experience look so familiar to me?!"
"It's too real, bro! This is basically a live-action version of 'having all the talent in the world but being rejected by every big firm (major Battle Gang) because of a stain on your resume (a massive bounty)'."
"It's so real I want to cry... You think you can walk tall just because you're capable? Turns out they don't just look at ability; they look at your background, your risks, and whether you can 'fit into the team' (be obedient). Even if you're a top-tier ability user, with a 200,000 bounty on your head, you're just an unstable factor in the eyes of an HR (Battle Gang leader)."
"The guy above summarized it perfectly! Isn't this just a magnified version of the Dark Forest Law of real-world job hunting? You want a high-paying 'proper' job? Sorry, high pay often means high risk or walking in gray areas. Want to earn 'clean' money? Then your compensation is going to be cut to the bone."
"I feel like I'm seeing my younger self just after graduation, clutching a diploma from a prestigious school (superpowered ability) and thinking the world was mine for the taking, only to be beaten down by society until I questioned my life... I didn't expect even the Railgun to be unable to escape this law."
"Big money isn't that easy to earn! If you don't do some 'real' work (dirty, tiring, dangerous work) and get a little gray on you, how can you expect to sit at the table and share the cake? The transcendent world seems to be the same, maybe even more naked about it."
"Ultimately, she's still too young and thought the world was too simple. She thought strength was everything, ignoring invisible thresholds like rules, favors, and risks. Misaka Mikoto didn't fall for nothing, the price is just a bit steep."
"Watching her struggle with 'holding onto her bottom line' actually makes my heart ache for her. This silly girl doesn't understand yet that in that dog-eat-dog world, a bottom line is the most expensive luxury of all."
"Then again, that 'bad record' of a 200,000 bounty is like having massive debt or a serious criminal record in the real world. Which regular big company would dare take her? Unless she goes for the kind of work where you keep your life pinned to your waistband."
"Being a corporate drone in the transcendent world isn't easy either... Suddenly, paying my mortgage every month doesn't feel so painful anymore (doge face)."
The online discussions were full of empathy and self-mockery. Misaka Mikoto's plight unexpectedly struck a chord with many ordinary people struggling in real life. Through this powerful Transcendent, they saw the job-hunting dilemmas, real-world pressures, and disillusionment they had once experienced or were currently facing.
The cruelty of the transcendent world shown by the light screen lay not just in the killing, but in how it presented many hidden, structural dilemmas of real society in a more extreme and naked way. Behind the slogan of'strength above all' was still a complex web of interests and risk calculations.
Misaka Mikoto's 'job-hunting failure' caused countless viewers to sigh, but it also gave them a deeper realization: the transcendent world was not the world of carefree vengeance they imagined; it also contained the bitterness of life and the roughness of the world.
(Just as Misaka Mikoto was staring at the rows of depressing replies on her phone screen, feeling lost and at a dead end, an unknown communication request came in.
She hesitated for a moment but chose to answer. A steady, capable male voice came from the other side:
("Hello, Miss Misaka Mikoto. We are the 'Scarlet Dragon Battle Gang'. Our boss highly appreciates your abilities and believes your previous 'little trouble' is merely a pearl covered in dust. We are willing to give you a chance. If the interview satisfies our boss, we can provide 400,000 gold coins to help you resolve your wanted status.")
(400,000 gold coins!)
(This number exploded in Misaka Mikoto's ears like a thunderclap. It was enough to cover her bounty and even leave a large surplus to help at home! The massive temptation made her heart skip a beat.)
(But her reason remained. There was no such thing as a free lunch, especially in this dog-eat-dog transcendent world.)
("...What do you need me to do?" She forced herself to calm down, her voice laced with caution.)
("The specifics need to be discussed in person with our boss. The address has been sent to your email; please ensure you arrive on time." The other party gave an address for a luxury commercial street famous for its opulence, located in the heart of Tokyo's Minato Ward.)
Hanging up the communication, Misaka Mikoto looked at the address, her mind in a state of conflict. Her intuition told her this was likely a trap. But her real-world predicament wrapped around her like cold chains—the crisis at home, her stalled revenge, the job search that hit walls everywhere... The Scarlet Dragon Battle Gang's olive branch was almost the only light visible in the darkness, even if that light might be coming from the abyss.
("I'll go check it out first... With my abilities, even if there's a trap, escaping shouldn't be hard." She eventually convinced herself, her confidence in her own strength (or perhaps a degree of wishful thinking) overriding her unease.)
She hailed a taxi and gave the address. The car drove through districts that were still somewhat chaotic, eventually stopping two hours later at a bustling street in Minato Ward, shimmering with neon lights and flowing colors.
The destination was a magnificent building with a massive neon sign flashing three large characters: "Ryugujo." It was a comprehensive entertainment venue featuring high-end bars, private casinos, top-tier restaurants, and luxury hotels. Luxury cars swarmed the entrance, and well-dressed men and women moved in and out.
Facing this place filled with the decadence and hidden atmosphere of the adult world, Misaka Mikoto —a clearly underage girl wearing a Tokiwadai uniform —instinctively felt a wave of discomfort and intimidation.
She stood at the entrance and took several deep breaths before gathering the courage to walk inside with somewhat stiff steps. To her surprise, the security guards in crisp uniforms and with sharp auras only gave her a brief glance and did not stop her, seemingly having already received notice.
The interior decoration was extremely luxurious, with crystal chandeliers reflecting blurred light, and the air was a mix of expensive fragrance, alcohol, and cigars. Misaka Mikoto feigned composure, walked to the front desk, and gave her name.
The receptionist was a lady with exquisite makeup and a professional smile. She also seemed prepared, immediately showing an even more respectful smile upon hearing the name: "Miss Misaka, the boss is waiting for you. Please follow me."
She guided Misaka Mikoto toward an internal elevator requiring special clearance and pressed the only button for the top floor. The elevator rose silently and swiftly.
With a "ding," the elevator reached the top floor. As the doors opened, a black-haired boy wearing a well-tailored black suit, with delicate features and looking to be about her age, was already waiting there. He had an appropriate smile on his face, but his eyes were calm and waveless, giving off a sense of steadiness that surpassed his age.
("Miss Misaka, please come with me." The boy bowed slightly, his voice clear.)
He led Misaka Mikoto through a hallway lined with thick carpets and decorated with expensive artworks, arriving before a pair of massive double doors carved with intricate dragon patterns. The boy stopped, reached out to push open the heavy doors, and stepped aside to clear the way.
("The boss is waiting inside. Please enter." He paused and added in a lowered voice, carrying a trace of an imperceptible warning, "Remember, the boss hates... people who can't distinguish between what's important and what's not.")
Upto 15 chapters ahead on patreon :-
patreon.com/Vristikk