Battle with Misaka Mikoto

"Sigh... why did I agree to fight you..." Luo Yifang stood on the riverbank, hands in his pockets, a look of helplessness on his face.

"Hmph, just say you're scared," Misaka Mikoto's eyes flashed with excitement, blue arcs crackling at the tips of her hair. "Let me see just how capable you are."

Before Misaka Mikoto could finish speaking, she hurled a spear of blue lightning at Luo Yifang. Luo Yifang didn't even dodge, letting the electric current engulf him. However, Misaka Mikoto didn't believe Luo Yifang would be taken down so easily. After all, he had taken a Railgun from her without a scratch that day. When the light faded, Luo Yifang stood unharmed. He took a step forward, stirring up a gust of wind that blew away the dust kicked up by Misaka Mikoto's lightning strike.

"Hey, give it your all, or you won't get another chance," Luo Yifang walked slowly towards Misaka Mikoto with a smile, looking more like he was taking a stroll than fighting.

"Damn it... what is his ability?" Misaka Mikoto tried to slow Luo Yifang's advance with her electric shocks while pondering his powers. "Currents are ineffective... let's try the Railgun again!"

Without further thought, Misaka Mikoto pulled another game coin from her pocket and squeezed it in her hand. The orange Railgun struck Luo Yifang once more. Unfortunately, just like last time, apart from the dirt and gravel thrown up by the shockwave, Luo Yifang didn't even falter. He shrugged, "Is that all?"

This guy is really asking for it. Misaka Mikoto gritted her teeth, her right hand clenched into a fist. Blue current flowed from her fingers and connected to the ground. With a crackling sound, countless tiny black iron filings were attracted by the magnetic force generated by the current, forming a black short sword. Misaka Mikoto swung the sword, saying menacingly, "Be careful, getting hit by this will draw blood!"

"Oh?" To be honest, Luo Yifang was quite impressed with Misaka Mikoto's application of her superpower. At least, this ability to control magnetism through electricity was far more complex than simple electric shocks. He saw Misaka Mikoto charging at him with the short sword and naturally understood her plan. As a Level 5 Electromaster, Misaka Mikoto could stimulate her cells with current to enhance their activity, thereby improving her close-combat abilities. She was probably trying to find an opening in close-quarters combat, which most espers weren't good at.

Misaka Mikoto's combat talent was strong, Luo Yifang admitted, but unfortunately, she had too little experience fighting opponents of the same level. She could easily crush delinquents, but when facing Accelerator, she was the one being crushed. Her only equal opponent might be that hot-tempered Aunt Mugino, Number 4. And the current Luo Yifang was capable of crushing the original Accelerator!

Would it be too much to end it directly? Luo Yifang pondered for a moment and decided to spar with Misaka Mikoto in close combat first. Speaking of close combat, Luo Yifang was no novice. As Accelerator, he indeed only used his ability for destruction, but Luo Yifang himself was a master of various martial arts! Remember, only his body was crippled; his brain could fully simulate various combat scenarios. With the support of some equipment, the Luo Yifang of his past life often passed the time this way, because only then did he feel that his hands and feet were whole.

Dodging Misaka Mikoto's vertical slash with a sidestep, Luo Yifang closed in. He formed his right hand into a blade and lightly struck Misaka Mikoto's wrist holding the sword. Under the pain, the magnetic field controlled by Misaka Mikoto was temporarily disrupted, and the iron filings scattered, filling the air. Seeing that the situation was unfavorable, she quickly accelerated away from Luo Yifang. Her pupils contracted. Was he even stronger than her in close combat? This guy was like a monster! Misaka Mikoto indeed hadn't used her full strength, but she believed Luo Yifang hadn't either.

"Do you want to continue?" Luo Yifang asked with a smile, though his smile looked incredibly annoying to Misaka Mikoto.

"Don't... underestimate me!"

Blinding electric light suddenly flared. Luo Yifang squinted slightly. He noticed that under the attraction of the magnetic field, the surrounding iron filings began to gather again. However, this time the iron filings became more agile, transforming into a rapidly vibrating long whip that cut through the air towards Luo Yifang. He extended his right hand and waved, directly disrupting the magnetic field. The iron filings immediately lost their power and returned to scattered sand, falling to the ground.

The magnetic field was disrupted?! A flash of inspiration crossed Misaka Mikoto's mind. She seemed to have figured out Luo Yifang's ability, but immediately felt a great sense of powerlessness. Her guess was too terrifying—could someone with such an ability at Level 5 really be defeated? Fortunately, this thought only flashed by. Misaka Mikoto rallied herself. Even if... even if she couldn't win, she would never surrender.

A hint of determination appeared in her eyes. Misaka Mikoto transformed into an electric spirit, enveloped in wildly surging electric light, and charged towards Luo Yifang. Luo Yifang raised an eyebrow slightly. He hadn't expected Misaka Mikoto to attack like this, but... it was all over.

The dark night sky was illuminated by flickering blue lightning. Then, the streetlights on the side of the road suddenly lost power. Immediately after, centered on the two of them, the power supply to the surrounding blocks was completely cut off, and the lights in every household went out. Luo Yifang looked at Misaka Mikoto, who had thrown herself into his arms, and twitched the corner of his mouth. "I say, what are you doing?"

Misaka Mikoto seemed to realize the impropriety of her posture. She suddenly pushed Luo Yifang's chest and moved away, her face slightly red as she said loudly, "Ha! You! This kind of cheating ability! Couldn't you have told me earlier?!"

"I'm truly sorry I didn't tell you," Luo Yifang said speechlessly. "You were the one who challenged me first, and you were the one who said you'd figure out my ability yourself."

"Shut up, shut up!" Misaka Mikoto shook her head vigorously, the arcs jumping on her body indicating her agitated state. "Manipulating physical quantities! How did you reach Level 5 with such a perverted ability?"

"Uh, sorry, let me correct that," Luo Yifang said very seriously. "I was born Level 5."

Misaka Mikoto let out a cute "hmph," crossing her arms. The index finger of one hand tapped her arm repeatedly, completely ignoring Luo Yifang's boasting. The lightning she had guided at close range moments ago still couldn't break through Luo Yifang's defenses. This guy was truly, despairingly powerful. Fortunately, he still had normal values, which made Misaka Mikoto feel slightly better.

"Are you Number 2 or Number 1?" Misaka Mikoto thought Luo Yifang was Number 1, but she still couldn't accept the fact that the gap between them was so large.

"Would you be very disappointed if I said I was Number 2?" Luo Yifang smiled, looking at Misaka Mikoto's crestfallen face. "Alright, alright, I'll tell you the truth. I am indeed Number 1."

"I knew it, Number 1 is indeed a pervert..." Misaka Mikoto looked at Luo Yifang with complex eyes.

"But not for long."

"Huh?"