Prologue: Parallel World in Real World.
Today was August 28th, and the sky was clear.
High school student Kamijou Touma was awakened from his slumber by a girl's voice yelling, "Oniichan~!"
"What was that shrilly voice just now?"
Kamijou, still half-asleep, slowly opened his eyes. The blanket that should have been covering his body was crumpled at his side.
The source of the voice was beyond the door.
His glance sideways revealed a six-tatami-mat-sized Japanese room. Worn-out tatami mats stretched out along the floor. On the ceiling was a fluorescent lamp covered with an old square covering for electric lamps. The wooden door was layered with specks of dirt and had a simple lock, the type that looked like one commonly used at toilets. A discolored yellow electric fan ventilated the room instead of an air conditioner. He breathed in deeply, and smelled the scent of the sea.
This was not the room in his apartment, nor was it a place in Academy City.
This was a guestroom on the second floor of a beach lodge named Wadatsumi, located somewhere in a certain sea coast within the Kanagawa Prefecture. Kamijou's parents and Index each had a separate room.
"Ah, yeah, we're already outside."
Kamijou concluded with a half-functioning brain.
The Academy City where Kamijou normally lived in lay in the western part of Tokyo. Therefore, those people who were used to living inland might love the idea of going to the seaside (though they could still enjoy the waters if they go to the fishery schools, but not much).
As a countermeasure against abduction of students (samples) by a possible agent or spy, leaving the premises of Academy City was strictly prohibited. To leave, the student must first write up and turn in three written applications. After signing all of them, their blood has to be checked for authenticity of identity using a micro machine, and lastly, they need to have a guarantor to obtain a complete pass. However…
(I'm here right now.)
Kamijou stroked his right hand. The mark made by the mosquito needle that was used to draw his blood was barely noticeable even when touched.
Normally, the student was the one who'd beg the teachers for permission to leave, which somehow went like this: "Sensei, please allow me to leave~" However, it was a special case this time; the teachers actually ordered Kamijou to leave, like this: "Get out of the city, idiot!!"
Last week, Kamijou had defeated the most powerful Level 5.
The rumor regarding the denouement of battle had spread like wildfire despite the sparsity of students during summer break. With that, one might think that Kamijou's position had improved—but in reality, it had been the reverse.
"I see! If we defeat that Level 0, we can have Academy City's title of the strongest esper!" Because of that rumor, the town delinquents had gathered, and had gone after Kamijou, starting the game of survival hunt.
The higher ups, frazzled by this rumor, had contacted Kamijou, and said, "Hey, Kamijou Touma-kun, we'll handle the matters here by manipulating information, so in order to not cause any unnecessary uproar, can you go someplace else until the dust is settled?"
(They said that, but they were clearly showing their contempt by sending me here to a rundown lodge.)
Kamijou let out a big yawn. Even though it was summer, due to the outbreak of large jellyfish apparently inhabiting the waters near the shore, the number of customers visiting the place was close to zero this year. Putting that aside, leaving Academy City required accompaniment by a guarantor—in this case, his parents. Never mind if they were cute girls or sexy older women, but why would someone spend their precious vacation time with their parents at this age?
