Calm returned once more to this utterly devastated battlefield.
Yet the scene was completely different from how it had been at the beginning.
The Dark Department unit specifically tasked with preventing the upper ranks, including the General Council, from spiraling out of control, as well as suppressing the sources of riots within Academy City—Item.
This squad, which possessed a Level 5 and several Level 4s, with enough combat power to capture a military Key Point, had now all collapsed onto the ground, unable to move another inch.
It was not because of physical injuries, but because of their mental state.
At that moment, whether it was Frenda, Kinuhata Saiai, or Takitsubo Rikou, all of them were staring at Fang Li with eyes filled with terror.
As for Mugino Shizuri, she had already lowered her head and no longer reacted at all.
They had not lost their ability to fight, but the members of Item clearly could not continue fighting any longer.
Including Mugino Shizuri.
Fang Li merely glanced at the girls who had completely lost their will to fight, then turned around and left without looking back.
Only then did Misaka Mikoto snap back to her senses. She was just about to chase after him when she seemed to remember something. After hesitating for a moment, she approached Frenda and Kinuhata Saiai.
"W-What are you doing?"
Frenda seemed to have started fearing even Misaka Mikoto.
Within Item, Frenda was the one who cared most about her own safety. If she encountered danger, she would surely be more afraid than anyone else.
Kinuhata Saiai, on the other hand, still seemed somewhat inclined to resist.
But Misaka Mikoto paid no attention to that. Crouching down, she reached toward the handcuffs behind Frenda and Kinuhata Saiai.
"Biri..."
A thread of electricity slipped into