That day was an ill-fated one.

For evildoers, it was a hellish day that could only be described as the absolute worst.

In mere hours, forty percent of the underground organizations infesting the Academy City had been annihilated, all members gruesomely killed to the point that recovery was no longer possible.

Without the slightest concern for research outcomes or profits, and refusing to engage in any negotiation, it was like a will-less disaster.

Its name—Zero.

A monster that, in just a few hours, was given the new title of Grim Reaper by the underground world.

However, the person herself was entirely unaware of such a thing.

In fact, strictly speaking, she wasn’t even Zero, but that didn’t matter.

She was currently in the midst of extracting information by directly interfacing with the brains of organization members.

“I really wish I’d finally meet someone who knows where the angel’s base is located.”

The handle of a scythe pierced clean through a person’s torso.

There was no opening for retaliation.

One member died before even drawing a gun, and Zero casually tossed the body aside with disinterest.

Within an underground facility owned by a certain organization. Down a long, dim corridor, Zero killed everyone who tried to confront her, and opened the door.

It was a sealed-off room, surrounded by gray walls.

At the center were countless members.

Among them, seated prominently in front, was a man in a flashy suit who stood out conspicuously.

Upon seeing Zero, the man clapped.

“Splendid, you’ve made it all the way here. As expected of Zero, shall I say?”

“…If this is just going to be meaningless chatter, I’m not interested.”

Zero raised her great scythe.

In response, the members stepped forward, as if to shield the man.

Only the man remained expressionless, a thin smile still stuck to his face as he continued speaking.

“Take the praise graciously. You’ve done well. You eliminated several of the organizations that were a thorn in our side.”

“You’ll be joining them shortly.”

“Ha ha ha. That spirited bravado must be due to your youth? It seems you don’t yet understand the fear adults can instill. Indeed, adults who are no longer Explorer’s often lose their power. But, they gain something else in return.”

So saying, the man stood and equipped a device resembling Dive Gear on his arm.

“That would be cunning and authority. Power that cannot be overcome by brute strength alone. Power that governs this world.”

“…Whatever, just tell me—do you know where the angel is?”

At Zero’s words, the man showed a moment of surprise, then dramatically spread his arms and laughed.

“Ahahahahaha! So, you’re chasing the angel!? Then arriving here was inevitable, huh!”

The man nodded in understanding and continued:

“I know where the angel is.”

“Good. I hope for your sake that isn’t a lie.”

Upon hearing that, the man raised his Dive Gear-equipped arm toward the heavens.

Cold air began to overflow around him.

“You know why I know the angel’s location? Because I was chosen by the angel. One of the three heroes selected by that being. That’s me!”

Before they realized it, the entire room had been encased in ice.

Zero recognized the ability.

“…Hyououdou Rei’s power?”

“Exactly. A certain woman successfully replicated it, but died partway through. The angel continued where she left off and mass-produced this S-Rank power. Isn’t that just awesome?”

“I’ve already analyzed that ability. I believe you’ll find resistance to be futile.”

“Ha! Did you all hear that? She thinks she can beat every last one of us!”

At the man’s command, every member put on identical bracelets.

The chill in the air intensified, enough to sting the skin.

“I told you, mass production. S-Rank is just kiddie stuff now!”

“…I see. A lowlife empowered by borrowed strength, then.”

At Zero’s remark, the man’s brow twitched.

Then he pointed at her and shouted.

“Go! Teach that ignorant brat the fear of adults!”

At his words, the members moved in unison.

Countless shards of ice were fired, cold air crawled along the ground, and a blizzard enveloped Zero—everything was on the level of S-Rank.

Yet, Zero didn’t move.

Even if she was up against mass-produced S-Rank abilities borrowed from others.

Still—

(Hmm, so this is all they’ve got.)

Zero remained standing, letting the attacks hit her.

But before they could touch her, all the ice was disrupted and nullified.

Yet, the members didn’t realize this and continued attacking relentlessly.

(I wonder how the proxy computation is being handled. With this many people using abilities, the angel might be bearing the load herself.)

Zero calmly considered this as she decided to go ahead and kill everyone.

And then, just as she moved—

“…!?”

Her strength suddenly left her body.

She dropped to one knee without meaning to, and the man let out a triumphant shout.

“See! In the end, just a brat! That’s what happens when you get cocky and think you can do it all alone!”

“It’s not your powers affecting me, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

So said Zero as she stood back up.

But her expression was troubled.

(…My mana supply just dropped sharply. What’s going on? That absurdly massive flow of magic—where did it go?)

Zero existed in this world through the medium of mana.

Thus, any disturbance to the source would cause immediate anomalies.

But even that was within Zero’s expectations.

(That’s what surveillance cameras are for, after all ^_^)

As she casually batted aside the ice attacks, Zero pulled up the surveillance camera footage.

Five cameras placed around the room displayed their feeds.

What she saw shocked her.

“…Huh?”

As expected, the troublesome fans had come to nurse the body.

The presence of Nameless was unexpected, but within tolerable limits.

What shook Zero’s brain more than anything—was the sight of her master as a little girl.

(Wha—what is this… what?)

Seeing her master giggling innocently while being piggybacked by Rinka, Zero immediately rewound the footage.

She then realized it had started with Nameless’s Trans-Anchor.

At the same time, she understood the cause of her body’s current malfunction.

(A massive mana expenditure caused by Trans-Anchor. I see, so that’s another way it can be used.)

Zero honestly praised Nameless’s tactics.

Then, she began—

(Let’s just watch a bit of the footage ^_^)

Even with enemies in front of her, there was no excuse not to watch her master in child form.

But Zero would soon regret that.

(W-what is this—it’s too cute! Huh? She’s this cute!? I want to hug her right now!)

An existence beyond any concept of beauty Zero had known until now.

It was too criminal to be called a mere preference, yet it was undeniably compelling.

More than anything, the gap between her usual self and this childish form held Zero’s heart captive.

(A mysterious beauty becomes a playful child… so that’s a thing. And then, that slightly sweaty partner… this is too lewd. In this case, it’s technically not “loli,” so maybe touching is okay?)

Using her Demonsgear-level computation abilities, Zero began to reconfigure her concept of beauty into the shape of a lolicon.

On that day, the monster evolved into an even higher-tier monster: a full-blown lolicon.

(Can’t waste time. Gotta kill these guys fast and get back to watching.)

For the first time that day, Zero decided to go all out.

That said, one strike was enough.

“…Eh?”

All the members, save the man, had their heads severed.

Blood gushed, painting the room red.

“W-what did you do!?”

“I just set the coordinates and fired converged shots from inside everyone’s necks. It’s a technique that kid can’t do yet, so I’ll have to teach her later ^_^”

With eyes wide and bloodshot, Zero slowly approached the man.

He raised his Dive Gear in panic, but the freezing ability had already been neutralized.

“W-why!? Why can’t I use my power!?”

“That toy? I can break it without even touching it. So fragile—tools made by adults.”

Zero took one step, then another, toward the man, speaking in a blissful tone.

“Children are nice too. Pure and innocent, they can reach places others cannot… Don’t you think so?”

Her voice came from behind.

From the man’s view, Zero had vanished, with only feathers drifting in the air.

As he reflexively turned, an intense pain struck his neck, stopping him cold.

“Gah… w-wait. I can give you all the information you want…!”

“I’ll learn it directly, so you can die.”

So said Zero, beginning to interface with the man’s brain.

This time, she delved even deeper than before.

The man died in the process, but that didn’t matter.

“If anyone’s shouldering the strain of all these powers at once, it must be the angel.”

Zero sought the destination of the burden caused by the members’ ability use.

Tracing an invisible circuit, an image of a certain building came to her mind.

And within a massive monitor—swam a turtle.

“Found you.”

Zero smiled.

Then, she pulled her hand from the man’s neck and tossed the body aside.

“…Hmm. Partner’s condition has improved, and the enemy wasn’t much either.”

With that, Zero sat down on the chair the man had occupied.

Using the dead body as a footrest, she opened a virtual window.

Displayed within—was her young partner’s form.

“Let’s watch a little more ^_^”

A choice that was clearly a waste of time and low in priority.

Yet Zero, driven by desire, failed to notice how human her actions had become.