Chapter 190: The Evolution of Superpowers

Compared to the Mass-Production Esper Project, the Absolute Power Evolution Experiment was far more cruel and twisted.

Absolute Power refers to Level 6 Espers, beings that transcend humanity and reach the domain of gods. According to calculations by Academy City's supercomputer, Tree Diagram, if the city’s top Level 5 Esper, Accelerator, could kill Misaka Mikoto, another Level 5, in 128 different battlefield simulations, he could evolve into a Level 6.

However, there weren’t 128 Level 5 Misaka Mikotos available, so they substituted 20,000 clones of her. These clones, the result of the Mass-Production Esper Project, were used in 20,000 battles against Accelerator. Once all 20,000 clones were killed, Accelerator was expected to ascend to Level 6.

The clone of Misaka Mikoto designated as No. 9981 was participating in the final indoor experimental battle when she was killed by Accelerator.

"Last time, I said I didn’t want to turn into another animal—I wanted a human body. But I meant male, not female!"

George slowly opened his eyes and looked down at himself. He was now wearing a school uniform complete with a short skirt. With a deep sigh, he muttered, "Seriously?"

Indeed, Misaka Mikoto was not a man but a girl—and not even an adult. She was a 14-year-old flat-chested middle schooler. Naturally, her clones were all young girls of the same age.

Looking back at his track record, George couldn't help but feel frustrated. His first avatar had been an 11-year-old boy, his second a magical cat, his third a giant panda, and now his fourth was a 14-year-old girl. None of these forms felt remotely normal.

"Would it kill the system to give me the body of a grown man for once?"

Still, he admitted one silver lining: the abilities. This new form came with a significant boost to his magnetic control powers.

Misaka Mikoto, also known as the Railgun, was ranked third among Academy City's seven Level 5 Espers and hailed as the city's strongest Electromaster. A second-year student at Tokiwadai Middle School, she was nicknamed the "Ace of Tokiwadai" and the "Invincible Electric Princess."

Her ability to control electromagnetism was fundamentally similar to George’s magnetic control, inherited from Magneto. While Mikoto focused on electricity generation, manipulating billions of volts at will, Magneto’s expertise lay in controlling metals for attacks.

Magnetism, being one of the universe’s four fundamental forces, held the potential for world-ending destruction if mastered. Unfortunately, simply having the ability didn’t equate to mastering it.

Magneto could lift ships, trains, and even stadiums, and after enhancement by Apocalypse, he had reversed Earth’s magnetic field. By contrast, George was currently limited to manipulating objects weighing around half a ton. Advanced techniques like electromagnetic waves and micro-controls were still beyond his grasp.

Although George had studied related scientific theories, applying them remained elusive. It felt like being handed a sword without the training to wield it effectively—just clumsy, aimless swinging.

The clone, Misaka 9981, was classified as a Level 2 Electromaster. However, upon merging with George’s magnetic abilities, the resulting power surged to Level 4 in this world. Through 9981's implanted knowledge, George also gained an understanding of Mikoto's methods for generating electric currents, electromagnetic forces, and waves.

As a result, George—and by extension, all his avatars—could now generate high-voltage electricity and perform Mikoto's signature move: coin-projecting railgun attacks.

"Huh? You, the emotionless puppet, survived my last attack?"

A cold, perplexed voice interrupted George’s train of thought. Looking up, he spotted a thin, white-haired boy whose eyes radiated madness and bloodlust.

This was Accelerator, Academy City's strongest Level 5 Esper.

"If you're not dead yet, let me fix that," he said, touching a broken pillar nearby. Instantly, the pillar shot toward George.

Without using magic for defense, George decided to test 9981’s knowledge. He converted his magnetic power into high-voltage electricity and extended a hand. The surge of current repelled the incoming pillar, which flew back toward Accelerator.

Yet the pillar stopped mid-air, blocked by an invisible force surrounding him. The attack caused no damage, but Accelerator’s eyes widened in surprise at the intensity of the electricity.

“Interesting... You're not a puppet. Puppets can’t generate electricity this strong. Are you the original? No, that’s not right. The original’s output would far surpass this.”

Accelerator’s lips curled into a crazed smile. "Fascinating! This just keeps getting better!"

He stomped on the ground, shattering the cement floor. Countless fragments shot toward George at bullet speed.

George swiftly summoned a nearby iron door, using it as a shield to block the debris. With a flash of his body, he darted behind the door and into the stairwell.

Accelerator’s vector manipulation made him a formidable opponent, capable of controlling the direction of any known energy. Fighting him recklessly was unwise, especially under the watchful eyes of numerous cameras monitoring the experiment. Scientists analyzing their battle were tracking every move.

George decided it was better to retreat, find a safe place, and strategize. Though 9981's implanted knowledge gave him a basic understanding of this world, many uncertainties remained. Drawing too much attention now was risky.

"Running away?" Accelerator blinked in surprise.

Typically, the clones followed orders like machines, never retreating or pleading. Killing them had always been a detached task for him, but this clone was different—it fled.

"Why? Is it fear?" he murmured, his eyes narrowing. “Do these puppets have emotions like humans?”

Dismissing the notion, he let out a chilling laugh. "No, you're just recalibrating your strategy. Fine, I'll play along!"

With that, four swirling tornadoes erupted behind Accelerator as he pursued George into the stairwell.

“Let’s see how long you can keep this up.”