In Academy City, the Paradise Project begins.

Page 6

Ruiko seemed to remember something, her gaze shifting back and forth between Higashino and Hatsuharu, before she smiled with sudden realization.

"Oh~ I see."

She nudged Chu Chun gently with her elbow and said with a grin, "Chu Chun, is this the boyfriend you mentioned before? He's really handsome!"

The influence of cognitive abilities has added some memories that were not originally present to Ruiko's memory; this is a complement brought about by her abilities.

"Eh?!"

Early spring, already a little embarrassed by the introduction, blushed and became so nervous that she stammered.

"Tears, Tears, what are you saying?!"

“Hey…”

Lei Zi teased, leaning closer and asking in a low voice, "How long have you two been dating?"

She winked mischievously and raised her hand in a cryptic gesture.

Did he ever lift up your skirt?

"You, senior, would never casually lift up my skirt like you, Ruiko!"

In early spring, she stomped her feet in embarrassment and annoyance, completely defenseless against her friend's teasing.

"And we've only been dating for three months..."

Kuroko said angrily, "Hatsuharu was quite good at hiding it. I only met her in person for the first time today!"

Her memory only included the fact that Chu Chun did have a boyfriend, but she didn't have much more information. She only remembered that Chu Chun seemed to be too shy to introduce him.

Mikoto looked at Higashino suspiciously: "So he's Haru's boyfriend? Hmm, it seems so..."

Higashino Yu coughed at the right moment and explained gently, "I'm sorry, I was too abrupt."

He looked at early spring, a gentle smile in his eyes.

"I ran into Chu Chun at the library that day and saw her helping an elementary school student find a book... so I couldn't help but strike up a conversation."

The details provided by Higashino made Haru's eyes light up: "Yes! That was the day!"

She excitedly turned to her friends, recounting the scenes that had suddenly become clear in her memory.

"I haven't been to the library back home in ages. It took me forever to find a book. If it weren't for Higashino-senpai helping me, I wouldn't have been able to find it at all!"

Suddenly, Ruiko brought her face close to Haru's, their noses almost touching: "Haru~"

She drew out her words and winked at Chu Chun with a mischievous grin.

Your face is so red!

"No, no!"

In a panic, Chu Chun backed away and bumped into the bedside table with a "bang".

The fruit basket on top shook violently, and just as it was about to fall over, Higashino Yu reacted quickly and caught the basket, and in doing so, caught the hesitant Haru.

Ruiko covered her mouth and chuckled, "Hatsuharu's shyness is so cute~"

This is also why she likes to lift her skirt in early spring; she's so cute when she's shy that it makes you want to tease her.

Kuroko suddenly pulled out his phone: "How about this, Mr. Higashino wouldn't mind taking a picture with us, right?"

She added meaningfully, "This is the first time I'm introducing you to everyone in early spring, it's very memorable."

Higashino also thought the suggestion was quite good, and as his first photo after time travel, it would be quite memorable to take a group photo with the four members of Railgun.

If I had the chance to go back to my original world, posting this kind of photo would definitely make a lot of people envious, right?

Thinking this way, Higashino nodded without hesitation.

"I am honored to get to know everyone."

"Come on, everyone, stand still!"

Tears excitedly directed everyone to arrange their respective positions.

"In early spring, you're standing next to Higashino-senpai, Kuroko... Hey! Kuroko, don't squeeze so close!"

Kuroko had already clung to Mikoto's side, pressing close to her: "Onee-sama~"

This is one of the reasons why she suggested taking a group photo, so that she could find a reasonable excuse to get close to her older sister.

Mikoto sighed helplessly, "Kuroko..."

She felt somewhat helpless about her junior classmate; she was good at everything, except that her personality was truly indescribable.

Just as Kuroko raised her phone to take a picture, she suddenly activated her ability.

"Crack!"

In the photo, Kuroko is clinging to Mikoto like an octopus, while Haru has somehow been moved into Higashino Yu's arms. The two are in such an intimate pose that it's almost embarrassing. Mikoto's eyebrows are furrowed, clearly displeased by Kuroko's sudden approach.

"Kuroko!!"

Haru and Mikoto shouted at the same time.

Leizi was laughing so hard she couldn't stand up straight: "Hahaha...this photo is amazing! I'm going to post it in the group!"

"and many more!"

In a panic, Chu Chun rushed toward Lei Zi, trying to stop her.

"Don't send it!"

Kuroko suddenly remembered something: "Oh right, Higashino-senpai."

She stared at Higashino Yu with curiosity.

"You said you were a Primal Stone user? What exactly is that ability?"

Everyone looked at Higashino Yu with curiosity.

“Something related to mental intervention,” Higashino Yu replied after thinking for a moment. He looked at Ruiko and asked, “Saten-kun, can I borrow your hair clip?”

Ruiko curiously took off her hair ribbon and handed it over: "Here, what are you going to do with it?"

Higashino Yu placed the hair clip in his palm: "Look at this hair clip. When I count to three, you will temporarily forget its purpose."

"one two three."

Ruiko's eyes suddenly became blank: "What... is this for again?"

She fiddled with the hair clip, puzzled as to why she suddenly couldn't remember its purpose.

"It seems to be worn on the head... but specifically..."

Mikoto was full of surprise; this ability was very similar to that of a certain starry-eyed person.

"This is……?"

Five seconds later, Ruiko shook her head abruptly: "Ah! I remember now!"

She looked at Higashino Yu in surprise, never expecting that he could actually make her forget things she usually used.

"Wow! That's amazing! They really can forget!"

Mikoto narrowed her eyes, and asked somewhat uncertainly, "Is this ability... a mental ability?"

"Yes, that's why I chose to become a psychologist."

Higashino Yu returned the hair clip to Ruiko.

"Helping students with insomnia relax, guiding patients with anxiety to calm down... this is how I use it."

Kuroko exclaimed in admiration, "That's quite a dangerous ability."

After all, the ability to control the mind is extremely convenient for doing bad things.

She narrowed her eyes and warned Higashino, "You absolutely mustn't do anything strange to my older sister..."

"Kuroko!"

Mikoto shouted in dissatisfaction, while secretly glancing at Higashino Yu.

She recalled the feeling of their first meeting. Could this guy have secretly used his powers on her?

But that doesn't make sense either. I haven't changed at all. Or is it just my imagination?

Under the influence of Higashino's abilities, Mikoto subconsciously ignored many things that were not quite right, and even overlooked things that were obviously problematic, and quickly gave up thinking about the problem.

Ruiko suddenly raised her hand: "I have a question!"

Her eyes were full of curiosity, or perhaps gossip?

This was a question she was very curious about.

"Who confessed first, Haru or Mr. Higashino?"

"Eh?!"

Chu Chun froze, not expecting Lei Zi to ask so directly, and for a moment she didn't know how to answer.

"This, this..."

Higashino Yu picked up the conversation at the opportune moment: "It's me."

He looked tenderly at early spring, fabricating a non-existent past.

"I almost fainted from embarrassment in early spring."

"Wow... It really is early spring..."

Ruiko looked as if she had known it all along, already imagining that scene.

Mikoto coughed lightly: "It's getting late, we should go."

She looked at Chu Chun again and continued, "Do you want to come along?"

"I……"

Chu Chun hesitated, glancing at Higashino and then at the others.

"Go."

Higashino patted her on the shoulder.

"I'm much better now, and I can be discharged tomorrow."

Tears welled up with a mischievous smile: "Oh dear, I don't want to part ways~"

Chu Chun blushed and pushed her friends to leave, saying, "Let's go, let's go!"

After the four people left, the ward finally returned to silence. Higashino Yu leaned against the pillows, recalling the conversation, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.

Is it forbidden to use it on Misaka?

Sorry, Hei Zi, everyone just now was affected by my abilities.

As for your older sister, she's the first person in Academy City to be influenced by me...

Chapter 7 Ability Test

After everyone left, Higashino Yu sat alone on the hospital bed. Now he finally had time to sort out the abilities he had awakened after arriving in Academy City.

The power that caused that doll to disappear suggests this ability is more than just simple cognitive interference. Furthermore, after complete cognitive modification, it can cause mild cognitive effects on those connected to the modified individual; such abilities almost certainly involve causality…

So, to what extent am I capable of doing this?

He closed his eyes, recalling every detail of yesterday. He still felt a little dizzy, a side effect of overusing his ability. But it wasn't a big problem; the fainting spell was simply because it was his first time using that ability, and his body, or rather his mind, wasn't used to it, triggering his brain's protective mechanism and causing him to fall into a coma.

Moreover, after waking up, he could clearly feel that his abilities had improved slightly. However, if he used that domain on only one person, the consumption shouldn't be that great, like in Hatsuharu, though it might also be related to the individual's strength.

When he activated his ability, it seemed as if all his energy had been drained. In that realm, he dismantled the doll's very existence, not just making those around it "forget" it, but fundamentally erasing its "traces" in reality. Is this what they call reality distortion? No, there might be more than that…

Higashino opened his eyes, his gaze falling on the water glass on the bedside table. He reached out and gently touched the glass.

"disappear."

The water glass remained in its place, but he could clearly sense that if he continued to increase his power output, it seemed possible. With his current power level, making any object disappear out of thin air was more difficult than modifying an object.

"I do not exist in this world."

He was still clearly visible in the mirror. But had his reflection in the mirror momentarily blurred? Self-awareness didn't seem impossible to change; it was probably just that the energy expenditure was greater than he had imagined. His current abilities weren't strong enough, and forcing it might cause unforeseen consequences. However, if his abilities were stronger, he should be able to do it.