Chapter 135 - CHAPTER 135:Not an Arrogant Black Cannon

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Shen He stared at the figure of Misaka Mikoto Alter standing before him, an almost surreal disbelief swirling inside him.

This was the same boss-level opponent he'd once considered untouchable—and now, she had been captured so abruptly.

This wasn't a cliché fantasy world where powerful foes eventually devolve into cannon fodder. Not here. Not her.

"One-Way Road," Shen He said calmly as he stepped forward, addressing Accelerator by his project title, "please cool your head. Fairly speaking, yes—she defeated you. But she also saved a lot of the Misaka sisters in the process."

Accelerator's pale face twisted into an awkward, red-tinged expression—equal parts humiliation and frustration.

In the end, though, he had no choice but to withdraw his vector manipulation ability.

Truthfully, his resentment wasn't born from defeat. If anything, he was grateful for that. What truly gnawed at him was how Misaka Mikoto Alter had forcibly taken back the original Misaka and locked her into the nutrient capsule without consent—as if reclaiming stolen property.

"It's best to eliminate this woman." Despite backing down physically, Accelerator stood firm in conviction. "If her plan goes through, she'll take that child—Finale—by force. That alone makes her a threat we can't ignore."

Shen He said nothing.

His gaze shifted toward his backpack. As expected, the Servant Contract Card he had drawn from Chaldea's relic vault still hadn't activated.

The card's function was clear—it could forcibly summon Misaka Mikoto Alter, but only after the conclusion of this Forbidden Event.

In other words...

"Misaka Mikoto Alter," Shen He finally called out, his voice steady, "are you still planning to forcibly awaken Final Order so the Misaka sisters can be militarized again?"

According to the data he reviewed from Coulson and Chaldea's records, Misaka Mikoto Alter had seemingly abandoned her original plan of revenge.

Given the fact that the Misaka Network's locations had been scrambled through the interference of Skye's signal resonance field and Jeanne's divine barrier, she hadn't pursued them—but instead chose to fight alone in battle, unhinged and unyielding.

"What's an 'Alter' supposed to mean?" Misaka Mikoto Alter frowned deeply, her tone rising. "I am Misaka Mikoto, the Level 5 Super Electromagnetic Gun. If anyone here deserves a tag for distinction, it's her. What kind of freakish product is she? Has cloning tech already advanced enough to create Level 5s?"

Silence fell over the room.

Everyone said nothing, but their eyes betrayed the truth—pity. Deep, unspoken pity.

She still believed she was the original Misaka Mikoto. Still bore resentment for being the one whose genes were used to birth ten thousand clones. Still clung to the idea that her hatred was real.

But in reality… her identity, her rage, her very memories—were fabricated.

Crafted.

Implanted into her consciousness like a fictional backstory burned into an AI's core.

"I see now," Misaka Mikoto Alter whispered, her gaze scanning their eyes. "You all believe she's the real Misaka Mikoto, don't you?"

She wasn't angry. Not shocked either.

The decisions made by Shirai Kuroko and the others earlier had already made that clear to her.

Compared to the pale imitation representing her past, she was the one discarded.

"Regardless," Shen He cut in, steering the conversation, "answer me this. Our goals should align—to give the Misaka sisters a future where they can live freely. But your methods are unacceptable. The production of more sisters must stop, and none of them should be forced onto the battlefield."

To be honest, Shen He didn't see much value in turning Misaka Mikoto Alter into an enemy.

Sure, she was a vengeful spirit—but her target was the corrupt power core of Academy City. The Board of Directors, especially Chairman Aleister, were far from saints.

Still, this wasn't someone like Sister Pao who you could reason with in any traditional sense, so Shen He didn't expect much from diplomacy.

"I've already scrapped that plan," Misaka Mikoto Alter said without hesitation—taking Shen He off guard. Slowly, she struggled to her feet, blood trailing from her forehead, dripping past her eye.

"Some of your allies—like that demon girl Jeanne, and your so-called saints—can control normal humans freely. That means you already have enough expendable cannon fodder. The only reason I kept producing the sisters was because you lacked manpower. And I couldn't let the network be useless."

"You psycho," Accelerator's grin twisted unnaturally. "So in your eyes, powerless human soldiers are cannon fodder too? Hahaha… I'm starting to actually like you now."

"Hahaha," Misaka Mikoto Alter laughed as well, cold and sharp, eyes locked onto Shen He. "You took all the sisters, right? Didn't you notice what they are? Before the cannon fodder dies, I'd never—never—let my sisters go onto the battlefield."

She tilted her head, blood trickling down her chin.

"You treat me, and I'll keep doing what I do. I've cleared a lot of trash for you during this whole crisis. If you restrain me, then I'll break free. Either way, I'm not done."

Shen He said nothing.

This was the first time he'd truly come face-to-face with Black Cannon—Misaka Mikoto Alter—and there was something deeply wrong in how familiar she felt.

It was unnerving.

And in that strange silence, it clicked.

"You're not like Mikoto at all!" Shen He blurted. "You're not tsundere—you're just… ruthless."

"Tsundere?" Misaka Mikoto Alter looked at the real Misaka Mikoto with sheer disdain. "You think I'm still some naive little girl like before? That innocence was why the sisters were born in the first place. If we're to avenge the adults and tear down Academy City, we have to be just as brutal and calculated as they are. We have to match them, and outdo them—no matter the cost."

"You—!"

Misaka Mikoto's hair crackled with electric energy, her bangs flashing with white-blue lightning as her fists clenched.

She now regretted bringing this impostor back more than anything.

It was true that Shen He had not anticipated such a scenario—but if only the other party weren't so tsundere, this conversation might've gone smoother.

"In this situation, cooperation is essential to maximize combat efficiency," Shen He said clearly, with characteristic clarity and calmness. "You cannot fulfill your revenge with your current strength. You can't even approach Aleister. But we have Kamijou Touma on our side. Moreover, we possess the military force necessary to ensure the protection of the Misaka sisters."

Misaka Mikoto Alter fell silent. Hesitation and inner turmoil swirled in her eyes.

She had known all this for a long time. She understood the tactical advantage—but she didn't want to see Shirai Kuroko again. She didn't want to face Mikoto Misaka, didn't dare to confront the Misaka sisters again.

Shen He remained quiet, watching her without pressure or judgment.

Eventually, reason prevailed over personal emotion.

"Alright," Mikoto Alter conceded. "But I have one condition."

"What is it?" Shen He asked, genuinely curious.

"I want the hairpin she's wearing." Mikoto Alter pointed directly at Mikoto Misaka.

"What?!" Mikoto instinctively covered her head and stepped back. "Absolutely not!"

"You're lucky I'm not demanding Xiao Hei back, you liar."

The alter had misunderstood the original story—believing the other party was a sibling who took Xiao Hei from her.

"You gave it to me yourself!" Mikoto's face reddened with indignation. "And besides—it's a kid's toy! It's childish!"

"If you like it, you like it." Mikoto Alter calmly extended her hand. "If you don't, give it back."

"Why should I listen to you?!"

"You want to fight? You're still a defeated general…"

Shen He sighed quietly, watching the argument unfold between the two Misakas.

Both Tsundere Pao and Heihua Pao clearly harbored feelings for Gutai. They were like mirrored twins—bound by affection and ego.

"Enough," Shen He interjected, raising a hand. "Let's not argue. I have a similar hairpin. Mikoto Alter, you can have it."

Mikoto Alter stepped forward and accepted the accessory. Her narrowed eyes hinted at the joy she felt—though she said nothing.

Through this brief exchange, Shen He gained a clearer impression of the altered girl's nature.

She was no longer that proud child who masked her emotions in posturing. Now, she was blunt and easier to reason with—if not completely open.

The Avengers were no longer driven by anger either; their rationality was intact. They even seemed… playful, in their own way.

"Shen He." A calm voice called from behind.

Shen He turned to see Kanzaki Kaori, who had been facing off with Shokuhou Misaki, now lowering her weapon. "She's no longer the epicenter of chaos. The true catalyst is the Right Side of Fire. I must return and confront the confusion's source. I request your permission."

Per their prior pact, she required Shen He's approval to disengage before the battle's resolution.

"The Right Side of Fire may be a driving force behind this global conflict," Shen He said thoughtfully. "But even if you destroy him now, the war will not end. We will face him eventually—but if we don't understand the war's ultimate scheme, defeating him achieves nothing. Besides… you cannot defeat the Right Side of Fire."

According to the canon, the Right Side of Fire possessed apocalyptic strength. His right hand alone contained power "capable of destroying the world and saving it."

Though he'd once been weakened after redemption, he was now a villain again—and far beyond Kanzaki Kaori's current power level.

"I still fear he may attack British Puritanism first," Kanzaki pressed. Her sharp intuition sensed the unrest in her homeland. This war had amplified royal instability.

Second Princess Carissa was infamous for her militaristic solutions. She would never allow her country to face this threat passively—and might even stage a coup in response.

Shen He shook her head again, evaluating everything from the broader perspective.

But before she could speak—

Both Kanzaki Kaori and the water mage beside her suddenly coughed up blood.

"What's happening?!"

Shen He instinctively caught Kaori as she staggered.

"The power of the Saint… it's disintegrating…" Kaori's voice trembled in disbelief.

The impact wasn't isolated. Members of the Amakusa-style Church nearby were similarly afflicted—shaken, wounded, or collapsing.

Then realization struck Shen He. Her face grew sharp with alarm.

"Everyone, stop using magic immediately!"

Only magicians were being affected. Superpowered beings—like Accelerator—showed no reaction.

This could only mean one thing: Aleister's artificial heaven had activated.

Constructed by harnessing the AIM diffusion fields of espers, the artificial heaven was a fabricated boundary—unseen in Kabbalah, Buddhism, Christianity, Shinto, or Hindu cosmologies. Once fully established and globalized, it would render all traditional magic fatal. Magicians who attempted to cast spells would suffer spiritual backlash—or even explode.

A cruel mirror to historical heretic trials.

"My magic is unaffected." Jeanne ran over, healing Kaori. "As long as it's not used, there's no danger."

Thankfully, there hadn't been an intense battle when this activated—otherwise, many would've died instantly.

"Aleister has begun," Shen He muttered. Her brows furrowed. "Has he completed the artificial heavens worldwide already?"

During the recent chaos, Shen He hadn't monitored the global AIM field's growth. After all, many espers had been abducted during the war. Aleister no longer required the Misaka sisters to propagate the network—it had already spread.

"Even without casting spells, I'm still breaking down…" Kaori grimaced.

As a saint, her body contained divine resemblance—a partial mirror of the Son of God. But in the artificial heaven, that very trait now acted like poison. The system denied her power through belief and sanctity.

Spiritual conflict coursed through her being. Even as Jeanne continued treating her, cracks opened along Kaori's skin.

"Jeanne, seal her powers," Shen He ordered quickly.

"Yes!" Jeanne responded at once. "God Ruling—Activate."

Normally a technique for suppressing divine might, now it served as a lifeline—neutralizing the violent backlash.

Other magicians, as long as they refrained from spellcasting, would survive. But spiritual tools and magical artifacts were collapsing—the weapon held by the rear-water saint shattered on impact.

"This shouldn't have succeeded so fast…"

Shen He looked at Kaori's gradually stabilizing condition, murmuring to herself.

She had always believed the artificial heaven would take longer to complete. In the original records, it had taken the worldwide deployment of over 10,000 Misaka clones. Even then, during Aleister's final confrontation with Kamijou Touma, the system was merely a large-scale prototype.

Now, in the midst of world war, it was already fully deployed.

"…And more are affected…" Kaori's fingers weakly gripped Shen He's sleeve, her eyes drifting to the Amakusa members.

"They're stable," Shen He answered, though irritation crept into her voice.

He didn't care much about the future of this world's magic factions. In truth, Shen He believed a society founded on science and esper power would be better—less rooted in cruelty and bloodshed. But watching those he knew suffer helplessly stirred an uncharacteristic bitterness.

Still, this wasn't the time for frustration.

A violent, chilling presence suddenly surged from Academy City. It pierced the air like a blade—slicing down to the very soul. Even Shen He, with her immense strength, broke into a cold sweat.

And she understood.

The artificial heaven's completion had triggered something even worse:

The awakening of Fengzhan Binghua—now reborn as a scientific angel, Hugh Fengzhan, nurtured by this distorted world.

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