Chapter 87: Muroto Sumire—Now, It's My Turn
What should she do?
Of course, be loyal!!
Stand behind him, become his supporter, and watch as he drags these people out one by one to be shot!
There was no second option!!
Naturally, Seitenshi wouldn't do that.
However, after that day, Seitenshi never came to see him again, nor did she visit Arcadia, though she occasionally sent supplies there.
Her way of handling things also underwent subtle changes.
She began overriding objections with force, and her methods grew increasingly firm.
First, she dismissed the Shiko father and son police officers and, with the scant evidence barely sufficient for conviction, sent them to prison.
Then, she pushed forward with the New Gastrea Act, doing so with such force that even her aide, Tendo Kikunojou, could no longer remain silent.
While he was pleased to see Seitenshi's growth—after all, he had watched this child grow up—her recent actions left him deeply dissatisfied.
Thus, disregarding his own position, he engaged in several heated debates with Seitenshi.
Alas—
"This world has long since rotted into a cesspool. Nothing we do matters anymore..."
Yet during this time, life suddenly returned to its former tranquility.
Not only Seitenshi, but even Kisara fell silent.
Thus, Mahiro began pursuing his ambitions with sweeping momentum.
First, Enju transferred schools, enrolling in Arcadia. Then, he proceeded to gather all the scattered children of Tokyo Area into Arcadia. Even Shiba Miori quietly relocated parts of her enterprises there while assisting in the construction of Arcadia's infrastructure.
As the scope gradually expanded, occupying the entirety of District 39, he no longer hid this nation of the Cursed Children, exposing it fully to the world's gaze.
Because of this, the IISO visited several times, attempting to negotiate with him regarding the distribution of the Cursed Children.
But each time, they left empty-handed.
Neither the temptation of rankings nor the threat of Suppressant control had any effect on him anymore.
All of this was thanks to Dr. Muroto Sumire.
On a certain day after Sumire moved from the basement to Arcadia...
The enhanced serum crafted from the Stage V Gastrea virus, along with the Suppressant serum capable of permanently halting the progression of the erosion rate, was unveiled.
"This is it?"
Mahiro picked up one of the many small syringes laid out before him, his gaze fixed on the blood-red liquid inside.
"Indeed."
Sumire stretched heavily in front of him, unabashedly revealing the alluring curves of her figure beneath her white coat.
Even her pale waist and playful belly button were exposed as she stretched.
Only after a moment did she lower her arms.
"I've named it the AGV experimental serum. Its effects fully align with the results you desire."
Of course, he couldn't just take her word for it. He analyzed it with his own eyes as well.
The simulated results matched exactly what Sumire had described.
Not only could it instantly elevate a person's regenerative abilities to unprecedented heights, enhancing physical capabilities in every aspect, but it could also cure all existing ailments.
Its exaggerated effects even granted temporary immunity to the magnetic interference of Varanium.
Yet the drawback remained glaringly obvious.
The risk of Gastrea transformation still existed—an insurmountable flaw no matter what.
"A 98.74% success rate... Still, that's impressive enough, Dr. Sumire. Enough to etch your name into history."
Mahiro didn't hold back his praise.
"Now that you know, you'd better enshrine me properly from now on."
Sumire leaned against the desk, crossing her stocking-clad legs as she idly swayed them, the slender tips of her high heels tracing enticing arcs.
"Well, though I suppose you deserve some credit too, boy."
Hearing this, Mahiro looked up curiously.
Meeting the doctor's gaze, he then heard her speak again in a calm tone:
"It was the blood sample of Scorpio you brought back that contained the most primitive and original strain of the Gastrea virus. By decoding fragments and comparing it with the DNA catalogs and chromosome counts of other children, along with the blood of the Scorpio girl you retrieved, I discovered the differences..."
Completely incomprehensible, damn it.
Sumire was spouting a torrent of specialized terminology before him that would sound like gibberish to liberal arts students and even make science majors dizzy.
Sumire noticed this but didn't stop, almost as if she was teasing him.
Only at the very end did her tone shift.
"That's roughly how it is. It's fine if you don't understand. Just remember my payment—that's all that matters, boy."
The long-winded preamble finally reached its point—the dagger was unsheathed.
Knowing he couldn't avoid it—and not wanting to—Mahiro didn't play dumb.
Instead, he said bluntly, "Let me test the goods first, then we'll talk about payment."
With that, right under Sumire's watchful eyes, he picked up a syringe, plunged it into his arm, and injected the liquid.
"Quite bold, boy."
His decisiveness surprised Sumire, but Mahiro merely smiled faintly.
"What's the big deal? At worst, I'll turn into a Gastrea and gobble you up."
"That wouldn't be so bad~ A new kind of love suicide, perhaps?"
Before Sumire could finish, Mahiro's smile vanished, his expression twisting drastically in pain!
Pain!
Bone-deep, soul-rending pain!
Even worse than the agony of overwriting his information body's records!!!
His heart pounded violently, the thuds echoing so loudly in his chest he could hear them clearly.
The blood surging through his veins sounded like crashing waves.
His limbs—his entire body—felt like it was expanding, his brain as if it were being torn apart!
It was like being doused in gasoline and set ablaze, every cell in his body burning!
The drug's effects were anything but gentle—brutal, then even more brutal.
If he could speak or think straight, he'd have cursed:
"Is this shit for humans?! Wouldn't this just kill someone from the pain?!!"
But he didn't notice that his eyes had taken on a crimson hue, as vivid as a Cursed Child's—no, even brighter.
Yet the pain came fast and left just as quickly. After about ten seconds, it vanished without a trace.
In its place came relief and euphoria.
Slumped in his chair, drenched in sweat, he looked like he'd just been fished out of water.
"Hah... that was brutal..."
Though excruciating, the results were undeniable. He could feel his strength had increased significantly, as if he'd shattered human limits.
His mind was clearer than ever, filled with an unprecedented sense of exhilaration.
"Seems the experiment was a success... What a shame. We won't get to die together after all."
He first heard these words, spoken like a joke.
Then, he heard another rustling sound. Instinctively, Mahiro opened his eyes to find Sumire standing before him at some point.
Her white lab coat had already fallen to the floor.
All that remained was a sheer lilac blouse that revealed hints of color beneath, accentuating her curves, paired with a tight pencil skirt that showcased the allure of her black sheer stockings. She strode toward him in black high heels.
Yet before he could fully process the scene, Sumire lost her balance and tumbled into his arms, ending up seated face-to-face on his lap.
"Now, it's time for my reward, young man."
She whispered these words into Mahiro's ear, but the next second, she involuntarily took a sharp breath.
"Guh...."
"Guh? What kind of noise was that, Doctor?"
Mahiro's stamina gradually returned to its peak, shifting the dynamic from passive to overwhelmingly one-sided.
"But Doctor Sumire, are you the king of Impatient Land? Couldn't you at least let me take a shower first?"
"Heh... W-what does it matter?"
Sumire was panting, her arms tightly wrapped around Mahiro's neck.
"More importantly, you're so skilled... Just how many women have come before me?"
"Haha, Doctor, do you really care about that now? Doesn't seem like you."
"Haa... At the end of the day, I'm still a woman, Mahiro-kun. But you're right... this isn't like me... Mmm...!" Sumire choked back a gasp, nearly coughing as she swallowed air.
All because Mahiro shifted from reclining in the chair to sitting upright.
Naturally, Sumire's body slid downward from her own weight, only for Mahiro to swiftly catch her by the waist and pull her back up.
Their bodies collided, and Sumire inhaled sharply—perhaps from the impact.
Sumire: "..."
She fixed him with a resentful glare.
Who would have thought this usually lethargic doctor could be so alluring? It made him think of his so-called mother, Yotsuba Maya.
What would she be like in such a situation?
Hiss... Hard to imagine...
Knock, knock, knock!
Just then, the intimate moment was shattered by an abrupt sound—a steady, firm yet polite knocking at the door.
Sumire's body instantly stiffened, every muscle tensing as her delicate brows furrowed tightly.
Her mind, arguably one of the sharpest in the world, went completely blank.
Only one thought remained—
Who?
And at this hour?
After all, it was already bedtime—she'd specifically chosen this timing.
"Doctor, it's me, Tina. I'm sorry to disturb you so late. Is Mahiro-san with you?"
Tina?
She glanced at Mahiro, as if asking why Tina would come looking for him at this hour.
"What's this? Not satisfied with Kisara and Seitenshi, so now you're setting your sights on children too? You lolicon gentleman."
Sumire murmured teasingly into his ear.
But the next second, her body trembled slightly as she fought with all her might to suppress the gasp rising in her throat.
Knock, knock, knock!
It seemed that due to the prolonged lack of response, the knocking sounded again.
"Doctor, are you already asleep?"
If he just waited quietly for a while, the girl outside would naturally leave.
But with Sumire's mischievous personality, how could she possibly be so well-behaved?
So, suppressing her trembling voice that was on the verge of cracking, she called out to the door:
"...Not yet, what is it?"
"Oh, it's like this, Doctor. I wanted to discuss something with Mr. Mahiro, but he's not in his room. Is Mr. Mahiro here with you?"
"Hehe, no~ That little pervert must be enjoying some woman's tender embrace somewhere. You might want to check Kisara's house. Oh, and be careful not to get attacked by that person while walking at night... Gah!"
"Doctor? Are you okay?"
"...It's nothing, I just... bumped into the corner of the table."
Though he said that, the strength in her hands felt like it was about to strangle him to death.
"Tina, if there's nothing else... I need to rest."
"Alright, please take care, Dr. Sumire. I'll be going now."
After these words from outside the door, the sound of footsteps gradually faded into the distance.
"Hehe, what a little pervert you are, Dr. Sumire," Mahiro said with a forced smile, looking at the woman before him.
"What can you do to me~"
At this moment, Sumire was unlike her usual self—as if a switch had been flipped, transforming her into a completely different person.
The once languid and coldly beautiful aura had now morphed into something akin to a succubus's allure, not to mention her wavy brown hair partially obscuring her delicate face, which was adorned with a playful smile.
She looked even more enticing.
...
The "overtime" in the lab lasted well into the night.
"Are you satisfied now?"
"Hehe, not bad. I'm quite pleased, young man~"
Despite her words, Sumire—one of the so-called "Four Sages," hailed as the world's greatest mind and pursued by countless nations—now lay haphazardly sprawled on the lab sofa.
Her legs trembled uncontrollably.
Yet even in this state, she still managed to collect the samples she wanted into test tubes, sealed them, and stored them in the fridge before staggering toward the bathroom.
Not forgetting to extend an invitation along the way.
"Care to join me?"
Mahiro: "..."
Though this woman remained chaste, the stress had clearly gotten to her—and there was no doubt she was a mad scientist through and through.
The next morning, surrounded by the children, Mahiro arrived at the newly built training facility by Shiba Heavy Industries.
His opponent? Aihara Enju, whose twin pigtails resembled a pair of lively rabbit ears.
"Mahiro-nii! Enju is coming for you~"
"Bring it on."
Originally, he had intended to test his current abilities, but he hadn't expected Enju to volunteer for a sparring match.
Perhaps because Kisara hadn't been taking many jobs at the agency lately, and with someone as strong as Tina joining, Enju felt a sense of urgency.
Maybe she just wanted to prove herself?
That was the thought that crossed Mahiro's mind.
But now, with her powers unleashed, Enju bent her legs like a rabbit and kicked off the ground, instantly bursting forward with explosive speed—like an arrow loosed from a bow.
'She really is fast, this kid.'
Mahiro silently assessed.
This speed surpassed even Erika and Mari when they activated their acceleration spells. An ordinary person would only catch a blur.
But.
He was no ordinary person!
Swish!
"?"
Enju's eyes widened slightly, confusion flickering in her crimson pupils.
She had no idea what had just happened—only that her side kick had somehow been dodged inexplicably.
"Hiyah!"
The moment she landed, Enju launched another attack, a low-to-high kick that once again inexplicably grazed past Mahiro without connecting.
Every subsequent strike missed as if her movements had been completely read.
But the problem was—her fighting style was always erratic, with no discernible pattern.
"...Mahiro-san is amazing. He can keep up with Enju's movements."
Hearing that Mahiro planned to spar with the children, Kayo had put aside her work to come along.
Watching the scene in the training area, she couldn't help but murmur in admiration—though it also seemed somewhat expected.
"No."
Tina, who had just been practicing with her sniper rifle, gently shook her golden shoulder-length hair and said softly, "Big Brother Mahiro is just playing around with Enju-chan. He's not taking this seriously at all."
To be honest, Tina was genuinely shocked.
She knew Enju was strong—strong enough that she shouldn't be ranked outside the top 100,000, but easily within the top hundred.
But now, the speed Enju displayed... if it were Tina in that fight, she wouldn't stand a chance in close combat. She'd need to resort to tricks to even have a shot at winning.
And then there was Mahiro.
Aside from that bizarre, unanalyzable ability he'd shown before, the speed he was demonstrating now surpassed even Enju's.
Her sisters shared the same sentiment.
Beyond Enju's own strength, they were stunned to realize—
Compared to when he had captured them last time, this man seemed to have grown even stronger.
Especially Rita Southbury, the 21st-ranked [Pluto], whose understanding of this fact was carved into her very bones.
Even now, the memory made her small backside ache faintly, her buttocks muscles twitching involuntarily.
And seeing how effortlessly he handled a speed-type Cursed Child like Enju only brought back the terror of being dominated by Mahiro.
Her entire body trembled uncontrollably.
'There's... no way to resist this demon. Am I doomed to be pinned under this man for the rest of my life?'
Meanwhile, the match had reached its conclusion.
"Haaah!"
Enju unleashed a powerful high kick, the force of it roaring like a dragon through the air.
The angle, however, was... questionable.
"Enju, if you're going to wear a skirt, maybe avoid high kicks? Otherwise, everyone gets a clear view of your underwear."
Mahiro sighed as he effortlessly caught the attack, his grip firm around her slender ankle.
Enju froze at his words.
Her fair cheeks flushed crimson in an instant, and she instinctively clutched at her skirt.
But in that position, how could she possibly cover herself?
Seizing the moment of distraction, Mahiro spun on the spot, drawing a full circle before hurling Enju away.
The throw was just forceful enough to give her room to twist midair, but not enough to let her recover for another attack.
"Match over. That's enough."
Asaka, acting as referee, declared Enju's defeat.
Through this bout, Mahiro had gained a clear understanding of how much the AVG serum had enhanced him.
First, his strength now surpassed even that of the Cursed Children within Arcadia who specialized in raw power, like those with the Leaf Ant factor.
As for speed—well, as demonstrated, even Enju, the fastest Cursed Child, was no longer a match for him.
Beyond that, his mental faculties had also undergone a comprehensive upgrade. His computational abilities had skyrocketed.
At the very least, pulling down a meteor from Earth's orbit like last time wouldn't leave him nearly as exhausted.
And then there was his progress in deciphering the Philosopher's Stone transmutation formula—
Previously stuck at 32%, it had now surged to 60%.
Before, he could only transmute metals—turning substances into gold or rare metals like Promethium.
But now... the scope had expanded even further. He could recreate the AVG serum developed by Sumire with his own power, as well as produce potent Suppressants that could perfectly inhibit the Gastrea virus.
It was almost terrifying.
At this point, he might as well be a walking Philosopher's Stone, right?
And this was only halfway through the analysis progress. What could he achieve if it reached 100%?
Materialization from nothing?
Or creation of worlds?
Or perhaps, like a certain green-haired character in A Certain Magical Index, he could make any wish come true?
Mahiro didn't dare to imagine further.
----------
For advance chapters join my Patreon.
[email protected]/Aarvan