Manual Revolving Mahoraga

" I-If you can really get me out of here, then I... I can agree to it." Kazakiri Hyouka murmured, her longing for life in the real world plain to see.

If Aleister learned that one of the cores of his plan had been so easily talked away by Rod, he would probably be furious enough to cough up blood.

All according to plan! Rod's expression brightened with delight. He had never expected things to go this smoothly; he had thought Aleister and Aiwass might interfere.

Rod held out a hand toward Kazakiri Hyouka.

Seeing this, Kazakiri Hyouka frantically waved her pale hands, not knowing how to react, looking exactly like someone with severe social anxiety.

"Then the contract is formed. Whoever breaks it shall suffer the punishment of being devoured by rocks." Rod then raised his hand toward Kazakiri Hyouka's forehead.

The instant he touched Kazakiri Hyouka's forehead—

Technique: Idle Transfiguration activated!

A mark was etched into the core crystals of the AIM fields of 2.3 million people. Like a virus program planted within a vast network, it instantly spread across and covered the entire system. It took no more than an instant, much like how Kiyama Harumi had used Level Upper to construct a network.

Rod's brain connected to the computational network of 2.3 million espers.

Above his head, an arcane Dharma wheel emerged. Following Rod's thoughts, Mahoraga's wheel began to turn.

In no more than an instant, Mahoraga's computational ability underwent a qualitative leap after connecting to the computational network of 2.3 million espers.

Mahoraga had already completed its calculations. There was no longer any esper ability in this world capable of harming him.

Not to mention the increase in computational power—even attacks such as the ultimate secrets of magic would likely be adapted to in less than a second, followed by the optimal solution.

The manually turned-wheel Mahoraga was complete.

Everything was proceeding smoothly. Even if Aleister noticed something was wrong, it was already too late to mend things. He could not reshuffle the network of 2.3 million espers.

This was not something as simple as turning it off and back on again.

It was all Rod's open scheme. Even if Aleister knew he was making moves, he would have no way to stop him, because he could never have anticipated just how terrifying the nature of Idle Transfiguration was.

At the same time, while making use of the collective network's computational power, Rod discovered an unexpected gain.

And this gain might allow him to truly unleash a slash capable of severing concepts. When the time came to fight Magic Gods in the world of A Certain Magical Index, he might even be able to kill them within this world.

Enough to make those Magic Gods cry out—Holy shit, hacks!

Only a moment had passed in the real world when Rod's figure reappeared, accompanied by a high school-aged girl who materialized beside him.

Using Idle Transfiguration, Rod stripped the negative energy from ten thousand espers, then controlled their souls and returned them to their bodies one by one. The remaining negative energy converged in Rod's palm and took shape.

In less than a moment, an oddly shaped dagger appeared in Rod's palm.

Anyone who had watched Jujutsu Kaisen would recognize it. Fushiguro Toji had once nearly killed Gojo Satoru with this cursed tool.

Its characteristic was the forced cancellation of activated techniques. Upon coming into contact with cursed techniques, it could forcibly dispel them.

Cursed Tool—Inverted Spear of Heaven (Esper Ability Version)

Combining Mahoraga's calculations, Idle Transfiguration, and Sukuna's experience in creating cursed objects, Rod had made an anti-esper divine artifact.

"What exactly happened?" Looking haggard and travel-worn, Kiyama Harumi arrived before Rod with Uiharu Kazari supporting her.

Storing the Inverted Spear of Heaven in Ten Shadows Space, Rod replied.

"I used your plan to seize control of Academy City's core. Your Level Upper network carried the computational power of ten thousand espers."

"And Academy City's core carries the computational power of 2.3 million espers." Rod raised a hand and pointed at Kazakiri Hyouka, whose face was full of confusion and excitement.

"W-What do you mean? You mean this girl..." Kiyama Harumi stared in disbelief at the somewhat airheaded, innocent-looking girl before her, unable to believe her own guess.

"Yep. The person standing before you is the core of the AIM Diffusion Fields of Academy City's 2.3 million espers."

Rod looked at Kazakiri Hyouka, who was peering around at everything as though it were all incredibly new and fascinating, even reaching out to touch herself all over.

Speechlessly, he pinched her cheek. The girl cried out in pain, yet she still looked incomparably happy, like some kind of weirdo.

Though she looked like a high school student, her actual mental age was around ten. Her mind was far from mature.

"Hey, mister, who's this person who suddenly appeared?" The moment Rod returned, Misaka Mikoto had shocked Shirai Kuroko awake and immediately dragged her over to him.

With her hair blown into a frizzy mess, Shirai Kuroko's head was still spinning somewhat, but the instant she saw Rod, all of it vanished without a trace.

Shirai Kuroko pointed at Rod and shouted.

"Fine! You actually launched a sneak attack! You can't play fair, can you?!"

Wow, that one sentence fully charged my phone. Rod grumbled inwardly.

"Calm down, Shirai. The hospital has already sent word—the critically ill patients have all successfully awakened. It looks like they're out of danger." Uiharu Kazari hurriedly grabbed Shirai Kuroko before she could pounce on Rod and start wildly clawing at him.

"Don't think this settles things! This isn't over! You made me worry so much!" Shirai Kuroko was still furious, her beautiful eyes fixed fiercely on Rod.

"How about I treat you to a crepe?" Rod scratched his head helplessly, trying to soothe Kuroko's anger.

"Huh?! Do you take me for a child or something?! What kind of joke is that?!" If there had been a table in front of her, Shirai Kuroko would not have minded putting on a live performance of flipping it over in rage.

"Kuroko... calm down... Kuroko... Kuroko!?" Misaka Mikoto had originally wanted to talk Kuroko down, but seeing that her words still left Kuroko glaring at Rod like a puppy whose bone had been stolen, she irritably brought her fist down on Kuroko's head, raising a bump and finally quieting her again.

Uiharu Kazari and Kiyama Harumi both broke out in cold sweat.

"So, can you answer my question now, Ro... Rod..." Still wearing a tsundere expression, Misaka Mikoto crossed her arms and looked up at Kazakiri Hyouka, a faint hostility visible in her eyes.

Kazakiri Hyouka, who had inexplicably become the target of that stare, tilted her little head in confusion and pointed at herself. Her adorable expression seemed to ask, Me?—making Misaka Mikoto grit her teeth even harder.