Chapter 080: On a day in September, Ruiko is grocery shopping for some canned mackerel and after buying the last two cans a little blond girl is horrified that the store has run out. Ruiko, seeing her, tells her that she bought them because she saw a special on TV that says that it good for their looks. Frenda had none of that and demands to have the canned mackerel from her, so much so that Frenda follows Ruiko as she goes home. Frenda then tells that she will trade her for the cans, seeing as she only has her card with her, though her doll and missile, both of which she lies about its true purpose, is a miss to Ruiko. Ruiko then asks if Frenda really likes canned mackerel to which she espouses how she not only needs it, but has supported the industry and that people like Ruiko shouldn't have them because they saw it on TV.
With a sigh, Ruiko finally gives in and hands Frenda one can of canned mackerel, much to Frenda's delight, and with not a moment to lose, starts opening it to eat it on the spot in the middle of the sidewalk. However, Frenda opens it up with one of her igniters and it suddenly explodes before her, ruining her can of mackerel. Ruiko starts walking away but Frenda begs her to reconsider. Ruiko however wants the can of mackerel for dinner and is angry with Frenda for wasting food. Frenda pretends to cry to get her sympathy but Ruiko ignores her. Finally, after some whining from Frenda, Ruiko finally invites her to dinner at her place.
At first, Frenda is dismissive of mixing mackerel with curry but immediately changes her mind after tasting Ruiko's cooking. Before leaving, Frenda compliments Ruiko's cooking as well as her if she had the the Speech Bubble app, giving her ID to Ruiko after she reveals she does so. And so, Ruiko and Frenda maintained contact with one another, exchanging news about their daily lives even up to the height of the Indian Poker fad.
One day, Ruiko visits the Indian Poker card peddler, who sells to her a new card from someone who can pick up small things using chopsticks. Little did she know that the Darkness of Academy City has begun to stir. The Girl in the dress contacts the Boy with goggles, regarding the recent Indian Poker trend, and how scientists and researchers are using it to backup themselves as a form of insurance. It is later revealed that information regarding the Tweezers may have been leaked in one of the cards. The girl of the dress tells the boy to begin searching for it, and as he narrows the information down it leads him to a certain message left by Saten Ruiko.
Chapter 081: Frenda is window shopping and is looking at watches and clocks when she senses two thugs nearby, knowing full well that they aren't just mere civilians. She follows them and finds out that they have abducted Ruiko and took her into the van. Although she is reluctant to work for free, she still owes Ruiko for the dinner she cooked for her, and calls Hamazura Shiage to get her a car. In the van, the thugs take from the unconscious Ruiko what they abducted her for, her phone and the Indian Poker card. Deeming that she might still have information, they opt to take her back with them. One of them wonders if she is going to be tortured but his senior says that they have a superior that is an esper who can easily make anyone tell the truth. He warns him to be careful, much to his chagrin.
At the same time as this, Frenda is in a car being driven by Shiage, tracking down the van through the homing beacon she implanted on one of them. Frenda complains to Shige that he could have been much faster. Then as they approached their destination, Frenda finds out that they are above their targets, blaming Shiage for leading them there. With nothing for it, Frenda leans out through the driver seat, forcing Shiage to keep the car from going out of control after she accidentally turned the steering wheel through her movements. Analyzing the distance and wind speed, Frenda uses her missiles to strike on the buildings surrounding the vans where Ruiko is kept.
Meanwhile, the boy with goggles infiltrates a facility and manages to sneak into a room where there is a vault where, supposedly, information on the Tweezers is held within the contents of an Indian Poker card is kept. Seeing as it wasn't airtight, the Boy with goggles is able to use his ablity on fragrance components to skim the card and input information from it into the empty Indian Poker card he is carrying.
The boy then gets a call from the thugs that he ordered to collect Ruiko. They report to the Boy that they are being attacked by a someone though they could not see who, but tells him that they are being attacked with dolls with explosives. With the line cut afterward, the Boy believes that there still much deeper going on with Ruiko as she was supposed to be the easiest job that he ordered his men to do.
Frenda later defeats all of SCHOOL's thugs and wakes Ruiko, telling her to stay still as she burns off the cuffs on her.
Meanwhile, Yuimiya Rakko of Shidarezakura Academy, exits her school with a sigh. However, her classmates suddenly call out to her. She is invited by them to go out of School Garden for a little adventure. She gets excited but gets a call from the Boy with goggles. Despite her explanations, she is forced to decline their invitation. The girl, Yumiya Rakko, investigates the scene of the attack, and through her analytical skills is able to make a few observations of her target.
Back with Frenda, Ruiko complains that both her phone and Indian Poker card have been lost, though is told by Frenda that she should be thankful that is all she lost. Frenda then asks what the thugs that attacked her after her for, though she doesn't have a clue. Frenda then tells that since she rescued her then she should at least get a reward. She her that they should go to the supermarket and buy all of its canned mackerel for Ruiko to serve as dinner for her. However, little did they know that they have been followed, and that Rakko has finally found her prey. In an instant, Frenda is shot before Ruiko's very eyes.
Chapter 082: As the hunt continues, it is revealed that Rakko have a great sense of smell, allowing her to smell the blood of her targets from a great distance, and is the reason how she could track down Frenda. Rakko becomes envious at the friendliness between Frenda and Ruiko and is determined to kill the former while she captures Ruiko.
Back with Frenda and Ruiko, the latter notices what had happened with Frenda at which point she drags her to hide, determining that she has been attacked by a sniper. Seeing that she can still move a bit, Frenda tries to contact the rest of ITEM but her phone is shot by Rakko again, discovering that the sniper is close by. Frenda takes Ruiko inside a department store, and a little while later, Rakko arrives at the place where they were and complete analyzes all of Frenda's actions accurately.
Frenda tells Ruiko that she is being targeted and that they need to hide in the crowd. However, as she fixes herself up, she is once again shot by Rakko, showing that she's the one hiding in the crowd. Being at a disadvantage with their enemy within the crowd, Frenda and Ruiko start running under the belief that no one could help them. Frenda however notices that they are being driven into a more deserted place. Frenda notes that the way the sniper is hunting them down is similar to her, making her prey suffer from pure pleasure before taking them down. As Rakko watches down on them, Rakko recalls a hunt she had where the target in question begged for mercy, and she wonders what cry Frenda will make in her last moments. Meanwhile, Frenda figures out Rakko's own rules for herself, knowing that she won't be killed immediately so long as she follows those rules. Frenda concocts several plans. First by making a scene of her beating up an innocent bystander, splatters glue on the floor to throw her off (which Seiri and Aisa dodges), and then setting up a bomb trap for her. All of which Rakko evades, shooting half of Frenda's ear off. All the while Ruiko notices Frenda's suffering.
Back with SCHOOL, Yobou Banka, alias the Boy with Goggles, has arrived with an Indian Poker researcher, and wonders with the Girl in the dress if Rakko has fallen for her usual habit.
Frenda becomes exhausted, and wonders how Rakko is able to track them, being at the end of her rope. Rakko notices them again and decides to finally shoot her down. However, she notices her friends from her school, and becomes flustered, wondering what to do as she is in her assassin garments. They pass her by apparently not noticing her, much to her chagrin. This twist of fate however allows Frenda and Ruiko to escape her sight. However, Frenda is at her limit, and in that dark hour, she wonders why she is protecting Ruiko and not just use her to escape as the sniper wants her. Frenda tries to come up with a plan where she could split up with her, however, before she could speak, Ruiko is the one who advises her to split up instead.
Surprised by her actions, Frenda takes her aside and questions if she can even protect herself. A flustered Ruiko insists that they should not do nothing. Seeing her selfless actions, Frenda is determined once again to put a stop to the sniper, with Ruiko as bait. As Rakko continue her search, she notices Ruiko coming toward her in the crowd, where it is revealed that her tracking skills only allows her to follow her targets from behind and that she can't tell what her targets will do if they come toward her. As Rakko hypothesizes why Ruiko is coming toward her and mocking the "friendship" that Frenda threw aside with Ruiko, she notices that Ruiko is carrying the dolls that Frenda put bombs in. Rakko is horrified on Frenda's actions seeing as her actions will not only kill her, Ruiko, but kill all nearby bystanders, and would essentially make Frenda a pariah in the Dark Side of Academy City. Ruiko fumbles with one of the dolls, and in her paranoia, Rakko runs away behind a pillar.
This, however, allows Frenda to determine who the sniper is, and a physical confrontation finally takes place between them. Their battle does not go unnoticed, and the collateral damage it incurs, leads to the people nearby to run away. Frenda now having the edge over her, is determined to pay Rakko back for all the suffering she endured.
Chapter 083: As Ruiko flees with the crowds, she recalls her conversation with Frenda prior to unleashing her plan, where she warns Ruiko that if she is taken hostage she will not hesitate to abandon her. Frenda tells Ruiko that as they live in two different worlds then she should forget she ever met her. However, Ruiko is adamant and reminds Frenda that she has bought a whole bunch of canned mackerel in case she came by to eat with her again, and that she will wait for her to take responsibility.
The battle continues and both seem to be evenly matched, with Rakko using her collapsible rifle and Frenda using her small bombs. However, Frenda can't throw them properly because of the damage she incurred from being shot by Rakko earlier. Rakko later kicks Frenda down and believes she has won. However, Frenda reveals that she has planted bombs all over the department store, and she would be much safer on the floor. With all bystanders cleared, Frenda pulls the trigger. As Rakko wonders when the bombs were planted and what she intended to do, she realizes that the bombs were thermobaric. Thinking quickly, Rakko tries to go toward a hole that was made during their battle. She jumps and tries to breathe in deep the fresh air. However, she was caught off-guard, and it is revealed to be a trap by Frenda, shoving small bombs into Rakko's mouth. With a kick, Frenda makes Rakko fall down, and with parting gifts from Frenda: more bombs. With that Frenda defeats Rakko after triggering the bombs, creating an explosion.
Back with Ruiko, she is in her school being questioned about her involvement in the incident. Uiharu Kazari notes that she still needs to be protected by Anti-Skill and Judgment just in case. Ruiko asks Kazari about the department store, and Kazari tells her that though there has been explosions and a battle, no bodies were found there. With nothing more to be said, Kazari says that they should move now and that Judgment will provide everything for her. Ruiko then requests a new phone. At the safe house, Ruiko is dejected as she lies on her bed. However, she lights up when her phone gets a message. It is from Frenda who tells her that she'll meet her in a week to eat the mackerel she bought, making Ruiko happy.
The members of SCHOOL gather together for a meeting. The leader of SCHOOL, Kakine Teitoku, thanks his team for going to the trouble of collecting information on the Tweezers using Indian Poker cards. Teitoku begins to explain that the Tweezers will be used at a facility near Kirigaoka Girls' Academy in a few days but is interrupted by Yumiya Rakko, who is revealed to still be alive. Rakko, now wearing a mouth guard and eyepatch due to sustaining injuries from Frenda's bombs, demands to be able to hunt down Frenda but is silenced by Teitoku who tells her to focus on the upcoming operation.
One week later, Ruiko is in her room waiting for Frenda to come join her for canned mackarel after inviting her on the Speech Bubble app. However, Frenda hasn't responded and appears to be late. Ruiko's doorbell suddenly rings and Ruiko quickly rushes to the door and opens it, expecting it to be Frenda. Instead Kazari, now wearing a cast on her right arm, is at the door and has stopped by to give Ruiko a report on her protection status. A depressed Ruiko decides to invite Uiharu in for dinner, saying she made too much.
Chapter 084: Misaki uses a kid to get to Misaka, and they talked about some stuff, and Misaki wants Misaka to help her.
Chapter 085: Uiharu Kazari reports to several judgments (including Konori Mii, Shirai Kuroko and Yanagisako Aomi) about the recent information leaking from the School Garden; she concludes that it is related to the Indian Poker and a girl named Kuriba Ryouko. At another scene, Shokuhou Misaki tells Misaka Mikoto that she has entrusted Keitz Nokleben to launch an investigation on this Ryouko, and learned that Ryouko was involved in a human experiment: her body was split in two, and each half was complemented with artificial parts, forming two "Ryoukos" - each consists of half human organ and half artifical parts; one year later, the human parts in the two "Ryoukos" was assembled, restoring the human body of Ryouko, who seemingly kept the conciousness of the original Ryouko, with the memories of both "Ryoukos". Misaki concluded that this experiment aimed at "the creation of the soul" - the soul of Ryouko was doubled during the forming of the two "Ryoukos", in another word, one additional soul was created.
Chapter 086: Shokuhou Misaki asks Misaka Mikoto to infiltrate and investigate the facility where the human experiments involving Kuriba Ryouko were carried out. She tells Mikoto that, if such experiments were proved valuable, they might be subjected on more people, such as Child Errors or even clones. She further proposes a deal - she offers to use her Mental Out ability to facilitate the socialization of the Sisters, in exchange of Mikoto fulfilling her request; with her promise, Mikoto leaves. Then Kouzaku Mitori approaches Misaki in the form of liquid shadow puppet; she points out that actually without the deal, Mikoto will launch investigations on such abnormal experiments out of her own will, and Misaki will care about the Sisters; she comments that both Mikoto and Misaki are so tsundere that they cover their own wills with the form of that "deal". Mitori then informs Misaki that Keitz Nokleben has found out Ryouko's whereabouts.
In another scene, Mikoto starts to infiltrate the facility that carried out the experiments in question, located on the high floors of a skyscraper. In that facility, unbeknownst to Mikoto, a figure with the appearance of Kuriba Ryouko is being subjected to a physical examination, and the researchers report it's fine. "Ryouko" asks for activities outside the facility, stating that the re-assemble of her body has been completed for one month, and is rejected by the researchers. "Ryouko" returns to her room, passing by a Cleaning robot, which she perceives as a maid. In her room she accidentally breaks a mug. "Ryouko" recalls that the mug was her mother's gift when she entered the Academy City; but she then finds out she cannot recall other things about mother, and further, she has no memory of many things before; she can only recall the experiences during and after those experiments. It is then shown that her actual surroundings are different from what she perceives. "Ryouko" further doubts whether herself is Ryouko, and even doubts whether herself is human. And it is then revealed that this "Ryouko" is actually the artificial one - the product of the re-assembling of the two artifical halves from Ryouko's human experiments.
Outside the facility building, Mikoto is approaching the facility (climbing up along the outer wall of the skyscraper, using her Electromaster ability). Suddenly, an outburst occurs above her, and a figure with the appearance of Ryouko falls down past her. Mikoto turns back to track the falling figure, and manipulates two advertisement banners to try to catch it; but when she reaches the ground, the figure is nowhere to be found, leaving Mikoto in puzzle.
Chapter 087: News of "Kuriba Ryouko" escaping her holding facility has reached the scientists involved in the development of the cyborg. The researchers are alarmed at "Ryouko's" successful attempt to escape the facility, and the facility itself has suffered damage that affected much of the research data in the facility. As orders to retrieve the cyborg, hence called a "doppelganger", were initiated, the fugitive infiltrates the ruins of the Shinasame University DNA Map Analysis Laboratory in School District 20. After eliminating four thugs who occupy the area, one of which are selling fake Dream Ranker cards of famous people online, the doppelganger Ryouko retrieves some artificial skin to conceal her mechanical body and picked up a black dress to wear.
Meanwhile, with the help of Shokuhou Misaki, who controlled an employee of an apartment management company, Mikoto visits the original Kuriba Ryouko in an apartment complex within Academy City. Although initially uncooperative, Ryouko immediately recognizes Mikoto and agrees to talk with her and Misaki. Outside the apartment complex, Mikoto clarifies that her business is connected to Indian Poker. Ryouko, on the other hand, explains about the creation of her doppelganger and the dangers that the successful experiment could create.
In response to the request to retrieve the Kuriba Ryouko doppelganger, four girls, which comprise the organization Scavenger, track down the cyborg in Shinasame University DNA Map Analysis Laboratory.
Chapter 088: Misaka and Misaki controlling someone's body does look for Kuriba Ryouko to talk to about the Poker, later the Scavenger appears...
PS: Scavenger made their debut in Accelerator's manga and they appears here after the event in Accelerator's manga...
Rating: 8.5/10
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