Date back to the 14th. Before meeting Accelerator in the Preceding Article.
After receiving the mission number XM73 and the content was to kill Tōma Jōjō, Accelerator relied on his memory at that moment to forcefully decipher the sender's address and send a reply.
"Who would obediently accept such a bastard mission? Besides, it's with that powerless person … Ha … Just imagining that scene makes my stomach churn. "
While muttering such words, Accelerator sneered and typed something along the lines of "request to speak directly with the higher-ups".
As the strongest person in Academy City, First One wasn't going to obediently follow orders from his superiors, and he was also quite confused about the content of this strange quest.
Since they wanted to exclude Tōma Jōjō, why did they arrange for him to act together with him? Moreover, the higher-ups should also understand the fact that he had fought against Tōma Jōjō three times and had never won. It would be inappropriate for him to appear again.
Then, with this question in mind, Accelerator found that the address soon sent a reply.
[Insufficient authority, request denied.]
"Insufficient authority?!"
Even the number one authority in Academy City couldn't reach the core — — it was easy to imagine just how deep the inside story was.
What was the meaning of traveling with Tōma Jōjō?
What was the meaning of killing Tōma Jōjō?
It was impossible for him to find out the truth with his authority alone. The higher-ups only used "One-way Passage" as a tool to help them achieve their goals, and they only wanted to use Academy City's strongest power.
"What kind of joke is this … You want to dismiss me with a mere 'insufficient authority' …?"
Accelerator's eyes instantly became ferocious.
The next action taken by the first person was to send dozens of threatening emails. For example, "If you can't obtain the right to talk, you will use an electronic virus to attack the upper system."
Although this action seemed rather childish, with the Number One of Academy City's abnormal way of thinking, if there was no response, she would probably resort to such a method.
Finally, after Accelerator sent out the 132nd email, the first person finally received a response.
This time, it was not an email, but a call request.
Without hesitation, he pressed the call button, and Accelerator went straight into the tunnel.
"Don't try to scare me with threats. I've already seen through all the tricks you bastards have up your sleeves. I only need to know one thing — what's with that damned XM73 mission? "
What came from the other side was a rustling sound that sounded like a bad signal.
Then, he replied with an emotionless voice.
"Confirming. Mission number XM73, Accelerator. The content is to monitor Tōma Jōjō and …"
"Alright, get to the point. I'm not here to listen to your nonsense."
The other party was silent for a long time before speaking again. This time, it was a straightforward refusal.
"Insufficient authority. Request rejected."
It was impossible to tell the gender of this voice, and there was no fluctuation in it at all. Although Accelerator knew that this was the result of using a voice changer, such a non-organic sound was still extremely unpleasant.
"It's the nonsense about not having enough authority again. Is this how you despicable people do things?! Tossing the troublesome matter to a certain someone, then being coy and being too lazy to explain, in an attempt to beat around the bush … Ahhh, I've had enough. What kind of boring mission is this? To be honest, it's basically impossible for me to accept it without knowing the reason!! "
Accelerator gritted his teeth as he spoke.
Although the life and death of that lowlife named "Tōma Jōjō" had nothing to do with him, and killing him was not difficult for the first person. But —
— He was very unhappy with the feeling of powerlessness of being played in the palm of his hand.
Just as he was thinking this, Accelerator heard the other party's voice.
"Then, if I explain it properly, will you accept the mission of monitoring Tōma Jōjō and killing him on the 26th?"
"… Hah, it depends on your commentary skills. But seeing how you don't even dare to reveal your original voice and use a voice changer, I'm afraid you're not telling the truth. "
Accelerator frowned slightly.
In short, he had to figure out what the group of old men in the upper echelons were thinking, and then act according to the circumstances. If necessary, he would get out of this matter in time — that was what the first person thought.
But he couldn't get out of it.
He was stuck in this quagmire from the beginning and couldn't get out.
The voice on the other side, which sounded like it had a bad signal and was disguised by a voice changer, said this.
"Then, take off the voice changer to show your sincerity."
"Of course, this is the most basic courtesy … Hah?!"
Accelerator made a short and shocked sound. This was quite a rare situation for the first person who was always calm in the face of change.
Because after the other party took off the voice changer.
It was a voice that he couldn't be more familiar with, a voice that belonged to "someone."
"Let's confirm again. If 'Accelerator' knows the contents of the plan, the regulations proposed here should be unconditionally followed … Misaka said."
Yes. That's right.
That voice belonged to the girl who he had cruelly killed ten thousand times.
"Hey, hey, what's going on …"
Accelerator's hand that was holding the terminal finally began to tremble uncontrollably. Only shock and anger remained in his contracted red eyes.
The upper echelons that Accelerator wanted to talk to were Misaka's clones who used voice changers to disguise themselves.
The enemy that the first person faced was the most cherished existence that he had always wanted to protect, the existence that he would risk his life to save.
Forced into a corner, they faced each other with swords.
The string called "rationality" in Accelerator's mind instantly snapped. A violent anger that could topple mountains and overturn seas, and an impulse to crush everything came crashing down on him.
"… What the hell is going on here!!"
—
"You … Is it a consciousness or something like that? No … That doesn't seem to be the case. "
Accelerator furrowed his brows.
Then he said viciously.
"Who … Who are you?"
This question was met with silence. Then, the emotionless voice that belonged to his sisters explained.
"It's a newly developed independent personality that is separated from the 9,970 individuals to ensure the implementation of the plan. Misaka's personality is a direct subordinate of Academy City, so it's completely under its control. "
The independent personality said.
There was no warmth for Accelerator at all.
"In other words, if Accelerator makes any suspicious movements, the independent personality can directly cut off the Osaka Networks' connection to you. This is to prevent you from acting rashly. "
In order to restrict Accelerator, Academy City created an "independent personality" under their control so that they could cut off the Osaka Networks' support to Accelerator's computing power at any time.
If the connection to the Osaka Networks was cut off, Accelerator would be unable to use his abilities. Even his movement, speech, and thinking would be paralyzed. Even an unarmed Lv0 player would be able to kill such a Vanguard.
"If I don't accept this mission … the network will be cut off? How interesting …!! "Accelerator clicked his tongue and said impatiently.
"Then, what's the deal with killing that powerless person called Tōma Jōjō?"
"He's an unexpected variable. In order to prevent his actions from interfering with the plan, you need to monitor his movements. Eliminating him is only a last resort. If he's really involved too deeply … "
"… we'll just kill him, right?"
Accelerator said with a cold expression.
"Alright, I understand your despicable ways very well. Now, tell me what the 'plan' is."
The independent personality was silent for a few seconds before he spoke.
"… the Floating Ranking Plan, also known as the 'Banquet Plan.' In order to successfully carry out this plan, the independent personality will complete the invasion of the Osaka Networks within a month. "
"At that time, all the Misaka individuals will be under the control of the independent personality and can only carry out the orders given by Academy City."
— -This was a shocking fact.
If the independent personality really completed the invasion of the Osaka Networks, the Misaka individuals, including the Final Work and the other individuals, would probably become cold-blooded machines that could only carry out missions.
In that case, the precious thing that Accelerator had been guarding for so long, those beautiful memories, would all vanish in an instant.
"How … how could we let them succeed."
Accelerator's slightly hoarse voice was trembling uncontrollably.
He was afraid. He was afraid that he would lose the Misaka individuals.
Since that was the case, he could only fall into an even darker abyss. In order to save the remaining ten thousand sisters, he was already prepared to sacrifice himself.
"… I will save you all."
Accelerator said.
"Misaka believes that it's impossible. If you really want to do that, you'll have to face the entire Academy City as your enemy. Furthermore, repairing the Osaka Networks isn't your specialty. Before the independent personality invades your consciousness, before the Floating Ranking Plan begins, you won't be able to do it. "
"I can do it. I will save you all."
The first personality stubbornly repeated.
"… The advice given by the independent personality is that if you cut off the Internet, you will die. Is it okay even if you face the threat of death? "
The independent personality reminded him in a calm voice.
"It's okay."
"Is it okay even if Huang Quan River Ai, Platycodon Fangchuan, the Final Work, and even the entire Academy City become your enemy?"
"It's okay."
"Is it okay even if these hands are stained with blood and can never return to the light?"
Facing the independent personality's barrage of questions, the white-haired, red-eyed monster laughed in a low voice.
He slightly closed his eyes. When he opened them again, his red eyes were filled with a sharp and unshakable light of determination.
"… I already said that I will definitely save you all. Even if you cry and beg me, I won't let go. So all you need to do is to obediently shut up and play the role of being saved by me. That's enough!! "
If the meaning of life was only to welcome the final death, if this death could retrieve something precious, it would be the end of the world.
Then, even if there was a bottomless abyss in front of him, he would not hesitate.
…
"But …"
Accelerator scratched his head in confusion and muttered to himself.
"These words really don't come out smoothly. The role of a villain suits me better …"
"It's not like that."
"Ah?"
Facing the surprised Accelerator, the independent personality's cold and emotionless voice had a bit of warmth for the first time.
"Misaka understands your intentions. This has nothing to do with playing the role of a villain or a hero. These words had an effect on Misaka's mood. If you really want to describe it, it should be 'happy' … something like that. "
The independent personality said with a bit of confusion.
Then, in the end, she let out a soft laugh. It was a pure laugh that came from the bottom of her heart.
Although it was a soft laugh, it was sad and sad as if she was crying.
This was probably her last, closest expression to a human.
"Then, please save me."
At the last moment, the independent personality entrusted all of her hopes to Accelerator.
For a bright and beautiful future, she bet all of her bets on this white-haired, red-eyed esper.
Cut off this cruel fate.
Then, welcome the best happiness that belongs to you.
End。
So Accelerator also responded like this.
With a confident smile and an arrogant attitude, he said with a confident attitude.
"Ah, ah, that's what I was thinking, you bastard!"
—
In front of the Underworld Soul Hunter, a white monster appeared.
As if he knew from the beginning why Accelerator came, the Underworld Soul Hunter still stared at the medical report in his hand and didn't even look up.
"So … you've decided to accept that mission? The mission to kill Tōma Jōjō. "
"Ah, that's true."
Accelerator said in a deep voice. "I know that with your personal feelings, you don't want me to accept this mission. After all, that useless person was one of your 'patients'."
The frog-faced doctor slightly raised his head, but the expression on his face didn't change much.
"Since you know what my bottom line is, you still came to find me. It seems like you have other intentions."
Accelerator had a difficult expression as if he was intentionally or unintentionally avoiding the Underworld Soul Hunter's question. Then, he walked to the brain diagram on the wall and looked at it.
Was there something that was hard to say?
Although the Underworld Soul Hunter thought this, he didn't ask. He could see that Accelerator was avoiding something, but since he didn't want to say it, he had no right to ask.
Suddenly, Accelerator muttered to himself.
"If you want to stop the invasion of the independent personality, you just need to stop the actions in Academy City."
"This is — — reverse inference. Indeed, the independent personality is under the jurisdiction of Academy City. To stop the invasion, you just need to stop the operator. "
The Underworld Soul Hunter instantly understood what Accelerator had been thinking about. For the first one, saving the sisters was the most important task. If he had to kill Tōma Jōjō for this … Accelerator wouldn't hesitate too much.
Accelerator continued.
"Then according to reverse inference, since the independent personality was created to restrict my ability and the floating ranking plan, you just need to stop the floating ranking plan. But, there's no time to wait for the plan to start."
The first one's slender pale finger lightly drew on the brain diagram. Then, Accelerator continued with a bored expression.
"Then the only choice left is to make those bastards realize that — — there's no need to restrict my ability."
Right at that moment. Right at that moment.
The Underworld Soul Hunter felt an indescribable sense of shock. An unprecedented sense of astonishment filled his heart.
He completely understood what Accelerator was going to do next — — this was a reality that defied all common sense.
"You …"
Even the Underworld Soul Hunter was so shocked that he couldn't say anything.
Accelerator's hand suddenly stopped on the wall. After a moment of silence, his pale and sickly wrist slowly drooped down.
Then, as if he had given up on himself, he let out a maniacal laugh.
"Ahahahahaha!!"
He opened his arms and looked up at the ceiling as if he was laughing at the world. His laughter was filled with despair and joy.
"Isn't that simple!! To stop the independent personality from invading, you just need to force the Osaka Networks to use it for other purposes! "
"A program that's so large that it's almost impossible to solve, such as Time.
Something like Lock would take 35 years to solve. As long as you set a program that's harder to calculate, even if you gather all the computing power of the Osaka Networks, you won't be able to solve it that quickly. "
The Underworld Soul Hunter stared at Accelerator in shock. After a long time, the white monster finally stopped his maniacal laughter and looked at the ceiling with tired eyes.
Accelerator raised his hand and made a gesture of shooting at his head.
So joyful, yet so heavy, he said.
"In other words, as long as you put the A-level password into my brain, my brain will become chaotic, and I'll lose my self-awareness!!"
This was the way to save nearly 10,000 sisters.
Let Academy City think that "cracking the A-level password in Accelerator's brain" was the best thing to do, and stop the independent personality from invading the Osaka Networks.
But this way, Accelerator would become a sacrifice, and he would even face being completely paralyzed and unable to regain his self-awareness.
But Accelerator's red eyes didn't show any signs of retreating.
Or rather, he was abnormally calm.
"It doesn't matter — — isn't this small price completely fine?! Or rather, in order to save nearly 10,000 people, this sacrifice is so cheap that it's nauseating! "
From the beginning, he had foreshadowed his own ending. It was just a simple matter.
At this moment, Accelerator finally understood the meaning of living as a human.
It wasn't living for the sake of living.
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