"What the hell!"

Mugino screamed at this... interference... in front of her.

"What the fuck do you think your doing! What did you do to my ability!"

The spiky haired boy in front of her slowly lowered his right hand.

"Does it matter if I respond? Haven't I made my position clear!"

"A ha... ha ha... ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

The 4th ranked Level 5 burst into maniacal laughter as she gazed at the sight in front of her.

Specifically the boy.

"Are you sure you want to take that kind of attitude with me, you little shit! Bow down and apologize with all your being, and I might let you walk away with your life... ah ha ha ha ha!"

Mugino Shizuri said this with a dangerous glint in her eye.

But that was just a front of sorts. Her real question, as well as the blonde girl sitting on the ground was...

(Who the hell is this kid...)

Kamijou stood there silently for a while...

"If I did that, would you let this girl go?"

"Hah?!? That's what your asking!?! You seriously have the balls to come here and play 'hero'! Who the hell do you think you are!?!"

Mugino said this, amused by his response.

"A hero? Ha ha... No, that's definitely not me."

A dry laugh followed his rebuttal.

"I'm just someone unlucky enough to find myself in this situation, but not arrogant enough to deem it somebody else's problem!"

The boy said this with a hardened pose.

"And as for me personally, I'm just a Level 0..."

"Oh...? So your gonna lie to me, is that it? Shattering my Meltdowner to nothing, is not something a Level 0 can do..."

"Even if I explained, would it make you any less forgiving? I have a hard time seeing the egotistical esper in front of me will call it quits because of a little honesty..."

"You've definitely got a pair, don't you? Well, your about to be shitting your pants when you find out who your dealing w-"

"Are you okay?"

Kamijou turned his back on the Level 5 and addressed Frenda.

It really couldn't be said which girl looked more shocked.

"Huh..."

Frenda tried to gather her thoughts as she attempted to sit up straight.

But she was not able to do so.

Her body was all bruised up, breathing ragged, and numerous cuts all over her face.

The boy knelt down to the confused girl and placed a hand on her shoulder...

"Would you... would you please tell me your name?"

Kamijou asked this question very seriously to the blonde girl, who was suprised at the proximity, but too weak to even think of pushing him away.

"Fren...da"

Kamijou got closer to the girl, looked into her eyes and smiled.

"Frenda... so that was you."

With a look of realization, the boy said this.

"Well then, Frenda. My name is Kamijou. And let me assure you, you are not going to die. Not today..."

Frenda looked at the boy in wonder.

She didn't know what to say.

She didn't know what to think.

She had cried out for someone to save her, spurred by the idea that she didn't want to leave her sister all alone in this dark unforgiving world.

And this boy came. Someone who had claimed to be a Level 0, but still chose to interfere anyway.

Some random stranger that did not have any reason to get involved in her affairs, much less opposing a Level 5.

Frenda's hoarse voice broke the silence.

"Why...?"

The boy looked at her, then broke into a smile.

"Why huh... you want a reason?"

Kamijou scratched his head, then responded with a stupid grin.

"How about, 'there is no reason why a girl like you needs to die today.' "

Frenda looked at the radiating essence of the boy's azure eyes.

(How can there be someone like this...)

In the cold world of darkness she was forced to grow up and adapt in, how was there someone like this? If their was someone like this then...

(Why did I-)

This boy's ridiculous reason only invaded her mind for about a second.

* Bzoom! Bzoom! Bzoom! *

Three glowing green orbs appeared in her vision, directly behind the boy.

Kamijou noticed her widened eyes and whipped around raising his hand instinctively.

With no time to spare, these deadly balls of light impacted with the boys right hand, then simply dispelled into nothing.

Then, a cold voice...

"Do you have any idea who the FUCK your dealing with!?!"

"..."

The girl with the tea colored hair had a beyond disturbed expression on her face.

Kamijou didn't bother coming up with a response. The Level 5, who saw this, laughed eerily.

"Well then, let me enlighten you. You have the extreme honor of meeting the 4th rank Level 5! Mugino Shizuri!"

The very same Level 5 announced this with a prideful expression.

Kamijou looked bewildered.

" Y-your a Level 5, a-and the 4th ranked?"

"Yes, and you just signed your death warrant, you little shit. Their is no taking anything back now. I'm gonna rip your fucking-!"

"Thank god... Ha ha ha..."

Kamijou said this as he sighed in relief. He relaxed his stance and laughed happily.

"..."

"Geez, don't scare me like that. With my misfortune and those damn stressful visions, I was scared out of my mind! For a second there, I thought you were going to say you were someone like the 2nd Rank..."

Frenda could not believe what she was hearing.

As there are only so many words to describe the look on Mugino's face, well... you can imagine her surprise.

Kamijou took her lack of response as confirmation.

He then started to laugh.

"Ha ha ha! Screw you misfortune! If all I have to do is defeat someone weaker than Misaka and Accelerator, then this should be easy!"

As usual, Kamijou shows his lack of subtlety, when it comes to other people's feelings.

More specifically, the feelings of Mugino.

(Who does this bastard think he is?!? Weaker than the 3rd and 1st rank... he is talking as if he knows them. Who-)

"Who are you?!?"

Appearances be damned, Mugino let out this question.

After waiting a few moments, Kamijou responded with a grin.

"My name isn't important. That's the kind of role I'm fulfilling. I'm just some misfortunate Level 0 who couldn't look the other way when someone was clearly suffering..."

Mugino grit her teeth at this boy's non-committal attitude.

(Either way... I'm ripping him apart, and I'm going to enjoy... every... bit of it...)

"You've done it now you fucking bastard. Killing you is not going to be enough for me. I'm gonna rip out your skull and beat you to death with it. Then, I'll kill the weak traitorous girl behind you!"

Mugino locked eyes with Frenda, grinning maliciously.

Kamijou blocked her vision.

"First of all, I don't think that's physically possible... And secondly, your not killing anyone, especially not her. "

Mugino frowned at this boy.

"I don't see what you can do to stop me...!"

And the battle picked up once again.

Mugino conjured 3 more beams of light, sending them at Kamijou instantly, then working on her next set.

The green orbs met the same fate as their other counterparts, all dissipated by Kamijou's right hand.

"Tch! What is your ability!"

Kamijou gave no response as he stood there, waiting for her next move.

"Okay, let's up the anty!"

Mugino formed 7 balls of green deadly energy and began to swirl them around her, creating a larger beam of light.

"Let's see you deal with this!"

Mugino sent it towards Kamijou, the energy of the power causing shockwaves. These waves interrupted Kamijou's balance but he stood his ground and rose his hand, supporting it with the other.

His Imagine Breaker met the orb and created a large shattering sound as it came into contact with the green energy.

This caused the shockwaves and smoke to disperse through the air, revealing Kamijou to be standing, unharmed.

Mugino was very annoyed with this, seeing as none of her basic attacks were dealing any damage to this supposed Level 0.

"Fine you bastard, I didn't think I'd have to waste this on a Level 0... but!"

Mugino said no more as she reached into her coat pocket and pulled out a transparent diamond shaped crystal, throwing it up into the air.

Kamijou looked at it anxiously, backing away slightly, thinking it was an explosive.

However...

"Its a gadget! It will spread her ability in multiple directions! "

"Shut the fuck up brat!"

Mugino roared this at Frenda, however, Kamijou got the message.

He quickly knelt down to the blond haired girl and covered her head with this left hand, then raising his right in the air.

The diamond shaped object flashed with a green color then...

* Zo Zo Zo Zo Zo Zoom! *

Several volleys of beams opened fire in the air, directly splitting from the crystal, like some sort of disco ball.

By some miracle, only three actually made contact with his hand, leaving the rest to explode into the surrounding walls and ground.

(Shit, that was close...)

Kamijou has these thoughts as the smoke cleared; but worry overtook him as he looked at the girl in his arms, pressed up against him.

"Frenda are you okay, did they hit you!"

Kamijou looked over Frenda's form, looking for any signs of bleeding.

The girl could only mutter meekly, her voice soft.

"B-basically, I'm fine."

The boy's anxiousness lessened a little at that, but he noticed her face was considerable flushed.

"He he he he he he he... Did you actually think that was the end of my move! It's a bit too naive for insects to assume their superior to humans!"

Mugino screamed in delight as Kamijou heard the sound of beams sounding off behind him.

Kamijou turned around to see... another crystal, about ready to fire...

Most likely, it was disguised in the smoke of the previous crystal.

(Shit!)

Now this was difficult.

Kamijou was knelt in front of Frenda. To intercept the barrage of green light coming from behind, he could put his hand in front of the girl...

But could he really risk a stray shot hitting anywhere else that his hand didn't cover?

"What are you gonna do now HERO!?!?"

Mugino's voice resounded over the incoming streams of death.

"Protect yourself of protect the damsel in distress? If your smart you'll chose yourself; after all, what is protecting this random girl going to do for you at the end of the day, huh? Make the right decision and- what are you doing!?!"

Kamijou didn't even hesitate as he pushed Frenda flat to the ground and crawled on top of her, shielding her from the incoming beams of Meltdowner.

Both Frenda and Mugino gaped in surprise.

"H-hey, Basically, these beams will kill you, what are you doi..ing."

Frenda was cut off by the boy's expression.

Sweat pouring down his face, gritting his teeth in anticipation, he smiled.

The boy smiled.

"Its going to be okay, Frenda."

And that's all he said as one of the many apllications of the Level 5 ability, SILICON BURN, rained down on the boy's unprotected back.

And this time, Kamijou was not so fortunate as to endure only three blasts.

Six searing hot blasts chipped at his shoulder, burned skin off his arm, scorched the back of his head, impacted into his left leg, grazed his side...

...and hit his lower back.

All in the span of ten excruciating seconds...

"GYAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Kamijou couldn't help but scream,

I mean, how could he not.

Although Mugino had no way of specifically guiding each blast, the overwhelming quantity that was released only left their targets up to chance.

An ability that is hotter than fire tore through his body like paper.

He collapsed over Frenda; his entire body sizzling in heat and smoke.

Bleeding profusely through multiple wounds across his form, the boy lay still, draped over Frenda.

Total silence went through the alley.

"... K-kami... jou...?"

Frenda scarcely made out this voice, her eyes widening; looking on in disbelief at the mangled mess of a boy on top of her.

Even Mugino was surprised.

"Wow... I honestly thought he would prioritize himself over you... that's just how people are... Well, I guess you truly had someone special there Frenda! Too bad he's dead! Ah ha ha ha ha ha!"

Mugino howled into the air as she truly laughed at the outcome of Frenda's plight.

Her wish for someone to save her.

Frenda felt new streams of tears as she looked at the boy on top of her.

"No...no.. no no no no no no no no no no NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!"

Frenda chanted this like a mantra as she painfully sobbed.

(Even though he had nothing to do with me...)

Her heart cracked...

(Even though he was just a Level 0...)

Her mind felt broken...

(He still... He still...)

Frenda's sobs shook her entire body as she closed her eyes tight, trying to pull the boy closer to her, in any attempt to draw out some warmth to him, for his or even for her own sake.

"Times up Frenda!"

Mugino had enough watching this pitiful scene; drawing ever closer to the girl.

(Why... why... why... wh-)

"Frenda... your squeezing... a little too tight..."

"!"

"T-thats not possible..."

Mugino stopped dead in her tracks as she heard his voice.

Frenda, couldn't believe her ears as she heard Kamijou speak.

She slowly opened her eyes...

To see a bloody spiky haired boy lift up his head, coughing up blood.

"Kamijou..."

The boy made eye contact with her. Blood dyeing part of his face, Kamijou curved his lips slightly.

"That's my name..."

Relief, shock, happiness, worry...

All these feelings that Frenda was not used to whirled around inside her. She didn't know what to do with these feelings. The warm tears appearing on her face did not help things either.

"Why... are you going this far... for me? You don't even know me... I'm pretty sure if we met on the street, I'd either completely ignore you or not give you the time of day at all..."

Frenda's broken voice carried incredible vulnerability.

Kamijou was listening to her every word, slowly trying to get up, but intensely struggling to do so.

"I'm not a good person either. I've done terrible things in this city, just so I could get some cash."

Kamijou managed to get on Frenda's level, directly facing her.

"So I don't understand why... why you would go so far for someone like me!"

Kamijou sighed.

"What are you talking about...?"

The boy reached over and wiped the tears from Frenda's face, her blue eyes glassy, crying even more at his touch.

"Do I need to meet some sort of requirement in order to reach out my hand to someone who is suffering?"

The boy repositioned his hand to her hair, beginning to pat it softly.

"So don't cry, okay...?"

The boy's soft voice and touch brought incredible warmth to her.

Frenda tried her best to stop her tears, nodding to the boy.

Kamijou got up from his position with his breathing labored, turning his back to Frenda.

He once again made eye contact with Mugino, who had a slightly anxious expression on her face.

(How the hell is this boy standing!?!)

That was the question indeed.

Kamijou had wounds spilling out blood, as well as some trickling out of his mouth.

His breathing was incredibly heavy; wheezing slightly.

The fact that this boy was still standing and breathing defied all logic. But even more than that...

The look in the boy's eyes.

Even with the half-dead state this boy was in.

Even though he could collapse at any moment.

Even though the blood he was losing was extremely concerning.

That look still didn't change.

Unyielding determination.

And to be honest, Mugino was a little scared.

"You just don't know when to give up! Do you!? Hero!?!"

The boy said nothing, except for taking a single slow step forward.

Mugino frowned at this action.

"You haven't landed a hit on me yet Hero! What do you think your going to accomplish fighting against a pure villain like me!?! Ah ha ha ha ha!"

Mugino said this, causing the boy to stop;

Kamijou looked at Mugino.

"Heroes and villains...?"

"What?"

Kamijou raised his voice and narrowed his eyes.

"Heroes and Villains! Are you kidding me?!? Grow up! Do you really think that is all we're allowed to be! Does that mean only a hero of justice can save people when their crying out for help!?! Does that mean that if you do a bad deed, you are a villain with no path to redemption!?!"

Kamijou Touma got truly angry.

"Is that what you've labeled yourself as, Mugino Shizuri! People took one look at your destructive power, and they labeled it darkness, so you saw yourself as darkness?!?"

Mugino activated a beam in her left hand and fired it, if only to shut the boy up.

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU KNOW!!!"

This did nothing to stop Kamijou as he slapped the beam away into nothingness, and kept walking forward.

"Did they take one look at Mugino Shizuri and say you were a monster!?!"

Mugino screamed into the alley.

"STOP TALKING!"

She then pulled at her hair and unconciously let out several beams of destruction.

Each one impacting into the walls, and nearby garbage; however, the ones coming for Frenda and Kamijou were dissipated by Imagine Breaker.

"Let me tell you what I see, Mugino! I see a scared girl who has seen enough death and suffering that she has gotten used to it... I see a prideful esper who everyone respected... until they didn't, until they became afraid of you!"

"I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS!"

Mugino put her foot forward and summoned a green aura of energy around her fist.

Noticing that long range attacks were doing nothing, she opted for close quarters instead.

In an exaggerated dash, she swung her fist at Kamijou.

He sidestepped the punch, taking the least possible movement. He tried to counter attack for the first time... but was met with a knee from Mugino.

It punctured right into the bleeding wound on his side.

"Gfhfhhfh!"

Kamijou coughed up more blood as an incredible amount of backlash reverberated throughout his entire body.

But Mugino still wasn't done.

Pressing the advantage, the girl jabbed a fist into the wound again and twisted her knuckles deep into the wound.

"Gahhhhh!"

Kamijou once again screamed in agony.

"How does that feel bastard! It fucking hurts doesn't it! There is a whole lot more where that came- Gah!"

Kamijou had enough of the one sided abuse as he slammed his head into Mugino's, leaving her dazed, taking several steps back.

She focused her eyes on the boy again to see him right in front of her, drawing back a fist.

Without anytime to defend herself, Mugino takes the killer right hook to her jaw, drawing blood to her mouth.

(Bastard!)

Kamijou lowered his fist, then addressed Mugino with his hair covering his eyes.

"Hey... Mugino. Let me tell you what I believe to be true. I believe that everyone has the opportunity to change..."

"I don't want to hear your preaching boy!"

She sent a lightning fast line of energy at Kamijou.

He deflected it with the back of his hand, and took limping steps closer to the girl again.

"I believe that everyone can smile, resting easy in the normal life that they work so hard to maintain..."

"I'll fucking kill you!"

Twelve consecutive Meltdowner beams were formed, then hurled straight at the boy.

Kamijou stood his ground, arm outstretched. Most made contact with his hand, disappearing into thin air; However, one grazed his cheek, causing a dark purple burn mark to appear there.

But he kept moving.

"SO! In order to realize the dream where you can live your life without being the villain, without killing, and without needless suffering, this Level 0 is going to set you straight! You need to despair struggle and despair again to find the right answer!"

Kamijou broke into a sprint, clenching his right fist.

Not with the intention to kill, but to save.

To save the girl behind him, who was fated to die today.

To save the girl in front of him, who was fated to be a villain.

"If you think you can kill without any repercussions and consequences!"

Kamijou pulled his right hand back, holding so tightly he thought it might break...

"No- stop, you don't know what your talking about!"

Mugino involuntarily took a step back.

"If you think that you were fated to be evil, just because you were seen as darkness!"

The spiky haired boy approached with a unbreakable desire, one so blinding that even the darkness couldn't retort.

"Wait, I-"

Mugino didn't know what to say to the unrelenting boy in front of her.

(Why hasn't he given up yet!?!)

(Why isn't he begging for mercy!?!)

(Why does he have that look in his eyes!?!)

Pressured both physically and mentally, Mugino tries one last ditch effort.

She conjures up a circular shield of green energy...

(He won't break this, it will shred anything it touches!)

"If you think that you have no chance at happiness, just because you've made bad decisions! Then!"

Kamijou did not stop as he thrusted his fist directly in the middle of the shield.

A certain noise range out as Mugino's eyes widened in disbelief, upon gazing at the shattered shield.

"I'LL SEND YOU ON THE PROPER PATH BY SHATTERING YOUR ILLUSIONS!!!"

A powerful bloody fist smashed into her face as she had one thought...

(My darkness... didn't win...?)

Mugino flew backwards and landed on the dirty floor of the alley, completely losing consciousness...

But not before hearing one last thing from the one who beat her.

"When you think your ready to smile and grasp onto your life with both hands, then I'll come running to help you with that. I promise..."

The surrounding then grew quiet, only hearing the heavy breathing of the bloody battered boy.

Kamijou suddenly turned around, facing the girl who was determined to die a gruesome death, the epicenter of his goal.

He faced the girl that he set out to save.

"Frenda... are you o...kay..."

After taking one step forward, the boy lost all energy and collapsed to the ground.

Laying still, a pool of blood began to flow from his body...

"Kamijou!"

A shrill scream accompanied by flashes of blonde hair were the last things he heard and saw.

(He did it...)

Frenda watched as the boy tried to reach out to Mugino. Mentally and physically.

She watched as he took countless blows that would make anyone scream in despair and bow in submission.

She watched as the boy clenched his fist, and released all of his feeling into that punch.

And she watched as the final blow was made, making a decisive end to the battle that she thought would be her last.

(He did it...)

Frenda once again repeated this in her mind as she gazed at the broad back of the boy.

Then...

"Kamijou!"

Frenda screamed his name as he collapsed to the ground, a pool of blood soaking his already soaked shirt.

"No no no no no no no! Your going to be okay!"

She tried to apply as much pressure to his many wounds as possible.

(He needs medical attention, desperately!)

Without shame, she screamed as loud as her voice could manage.

"HELP! SOMEBODY COME QUICK!"

She wanted to go find someone, get to a phone, anything but...

(Huh? A phone..)

She sighed in relief as she reached into one of the boy's pockets to find a shattered phone, surprisingly still working.

She wasted no time calling an ambulance.

With the necessary details said, she ended the call and brought the phone down, clenching it tightly.

She looked at the expression on the boy's face as he was dyed in blood.

A calm expression that suited a normal boy like him.

A normal boy; that did something truly unthinkable.

All to save a girl that he didn't have a reason to abandon...

Frenda stared at this face.

Without moving him more than necessary, Frenda gently lifted up the boy's head and placed it on her lap; then, began to run her hands through his hair...

"Thank you for saving me, for allowing me the chance to once again see my sister."

Then, her cheeks were dyed a little red as she muttered one final thing.

"My hero..."

LAP PILLOW STRIKES AGAIN!

I hope this was worth the wait. If you didn't know, prideful characters like Mugino and Frenda are hard to write. I'm probably going to do one more chapter, however, I might not do it immedialety. Don't know, depends on my mood..

Anyways...

Hope you you enjoyed!

Please review!

-EPSILON