"How could this be?"
The man facing Ruizi's expression changed drastically as he stared at her.
"That person clearly said that as long as we used this thing, Espers wouldn't be able to control their powers! How is this possible?!"
"Who knows? But I'm not letting you have your way now. Surrender quietly!"
"Urgh... Everyone, get her!!"
At Ruizi's reply, the man roared. Then, men carrying knives and iron bars rushed at her from every direction.
"Watch out, Saten!"
Seeing this, Misaka Mikoto and Shirai Kuroko's hearts leaped into their throats. They had trained with Ruizi before, so they knew something about her power. But Ruizi's ability had not been very strong at the time, and neither of them thought she possessed much combat capability. Now that they saw those armed delinquents charging at her, they naturally worried.
Yet what happened next made both of them stare in astonishment.
Facing the charging delinquents, Saten Ruiko appeared remarkably at ease. She bent low, gripped the longsword in her hand, then darted through the crowd like a cheetah. Amid cries of pain, the thugs who had looked so vicious moments ago wailed and collapsed.
When had Saten become this strong?
Watching Saten Ruiko effortlessly knock more than a dozen thugs to the ground, Misaka Mikoto and Shirai Kuroko were both dumbfounded. No matter how they looked at it, Saten Ruiko now seemed completely different from the impression she usually gave them... Then Shirai Kuroko saw the man from earlier reach into his coat, pull out a gun, and aim it at Saten Ruiko as she fought the other thugs.
"Saten, watch out!"
Bang!!!
The gunshot rang out.
But contrary to everyone's expectations, Saten Ruiko did not dodge. She merely swayed slightly where she stood, yet there was no sign that she had