Mash-up Anime World: Creating the SCP Foundation to Contain Anomalies-Chapter 322 - 316: Misaki: You have to take responsibility!

Misaki and Haruto had temporarily left the Talent Workshop.

At this point, the organization was already in a semi-paralyzed state. There was no more useful information to be found. And for now, it was no longer suitable for Misaki to access any more information either.

As for this dark organization—

The upper ranks of the Talent Workshop were no more.

They had been attacked, their plans in ruins.

More importantly, Haruto had requested Aleister to purge the darkness within Academy City.

So, there would be no return from the ashes.

Only destruction awaited the Talent Workshop.

The power sealing the world was undone, and time began to flow once more. The two walked along the street, with Misaki silently following behind Haruto.

Head lowered, holding onto the corner of his clothes. She looked like a girl who had lost her soul.

"Speaking of which, are you planning to go back to school?" Haruto suddenly asked.

Misaki blinked, then let out a hoarse "Eh?"

Her voice was distorted from crying earlier.

Still, the meaning was clear enough.

Haruto pointed at the students on the street. Coincidentally, a few Tokiwadai students were passing by nearby.

"You're only on a temporary leave from school, right? Once that ends, shouldn't you return to Tokiwadai?"

Hearing that, Misaki looked up and glanced at the laughing students on the street. It felt like there was a huge gap between her and them.

A rift so wide it couldn't be crossed.

"I probably can't go to that kind of place anymore... pretending like nothing happened, stepping into the sunlight or whatever."

She muttered softly.

Haruto reached out and gave her a light knock on the head.

"Is that your chuunibyou acting up? Then again, you are at the age for chuunibyou."

Misaki puffed up her cheeks in anger, grinding her teeth slightly.

She had the sudden urge to bite him.

"You're the one with chuunibyou! Why don't you go to school then!"

She demanded angrily.

In her mind, Haruto was the leader of the Foundation, head of a mysterious organization. Always elusive and never seen, like a dragon's head without its tail.

There's no way he lived like a normal person.

However...

"Who said I don't? I'm currently attending Shuchiin Academy. Once the exchange ends, I'll return to Sobu High. I've experienced the three top high schools in Japan. Go ask around—there isn't a school that doesn't know my legend."

Haruto said with a chuckle.

Misaki's eyes widened.

Huh!?

Why is a head of a secret organization going to school like it's the most normal thing in the world!?

Just as she was stunned, Haruto added,

"Not just me, most members of the Foundation have their own normal lives. You've seen Nao Tomori at the site, right? That kid studies at Star Sea Academy. At Star Sea, she has a whole group of friends and a bunch of little girls who admire her. You've met Mihari Oyama too, right? Besides her research work at the Foundation, she's also working on her PhD."

"If I remember right, she's graduating next year. I heard she's planning to travel with her best friend after graduation."

"And there's also..."

Haruto went on to list a bunch of names.

These were all people Misaki had met at Site-01.

As she listened, her expression shifted from anger, to disbelief, to confusion. She had seen many of the experiments carried out at the site. Some of the tests on D-Class subjects...

To some extent, even the Talent Workshop seemed more humane in comparison.

After experiencing all that, how could anyone still live like a normal person?

She couldn't understand.

Seeing her dazed expression, Haruto couldn't help but laugh softly and reached out to ruffle her hair.

"There's no contradiction there. Everything we do at the Foundation is for the sake of preserving life under the sunlight. So we won't be dragged into the darkness. When we look into our hearts, we can still face that light without guilt. So even if we've done things in the dark—"

"It doesn't affect how we live in the light. Darkness isn't something that once seen or touched, you can never return from."

"As long as you don't become the darkness, you can always come back after seeing or touching it."

"Do you think the things you've done... were filthy acts done out of greed or lust, harming others for personal gain?"

Hearing that, Misaki instinctively shook her head.

She would never do that.

Haruto nodded.

"That's why, you're not the darkness. Just walk out of it."

At those words, Misaki looked again at the laughing students in the distance.

Somehow, the knots in her heart began to loosen. The thoughts of giving up faded away completely.

After a moment, she suddenly rolled her eyes at Haruto.

"Trying to toss me out already? So you won't have to take responsibility?"

Haruto tilted his head.

"Take responsibility for what? I didn't do anything. Don't go making false accusations!"

But Misaki grabbed his collar and pressed herself up against him.

"You're the one who tricked a girl with amnesia out of a hospital—"

"Used sweet words and weird tricks to become someone important in her heart—"

"And now you think you can just walk away? Not happening! You have to take responsibility!"

As she said that, she suddenly pulled Haruto down, stood on her tiptoes—

—and the next moment, soft lips pressed against his.

Haruto's eyes widened, but soon a look of resignation appeared.

Crap. Looks like I accidentally seduced another girl.

Ah... my damn charm.

No idea how long passed, but Misaki suddenly pushed him away and began gasping for breath.

Clearly, this silly girl didn't know how to breathe while kissing.

Watching her pant, Haruto's lips curled into a smile.

So silly. Gotta love her.

Misaki let out a small "hmph," turning her head to hide her embarrassment.

"Well, anyway... let's go get something to eat."

Haruto said as he took her hand and headed toward a restaurant.

The food in Academy City wasn't anything special. Turns out, no matter how advanced technology gets...

It doesn't make food taste better.

Though, since it's Japan, it's still acceptable.

"Speaking of which, Misaka Mikoto... she's from Tokiwadai, right?"

Misaki deliberately changed the topic, avoiding the impulsive act she had just committed.

Haruto glanced at her and chuckled at her effort to change the subject.

Her cheeks turned red, and she grit her teeth at him. She had really been way too impulsive just now. Now, thinking about it, her toes wanted to dig through the floor in embarrassment.

"She is. She's Tokiwadai's ace... or rather, one of the aces. Same grade as you."

Haruto didn't tease her further and followed the topic.

"Same grade... huh? If I hadn't gone through all that, would I have become like that too? I can't even imagine it."

Thinking of the cheerful and energetic Misaka Mikoto, Misaki couldn't picture herself being like that at all.

"Who knows. I think you two would actually get along pretty well. Might even make a good couple. Two Level 5s from Tokiwadai. Tsk tsk..."

Haruto muttered teasingly.

Misaki instantly shook her head.

"No way! Absolutely not! The moment I laid eyes on that Biri-Biri girl, I knew we'd never get along!"

She wasn't just being stubborn, she genuinely had that feeling when she met Misaka Mikoto.

Maybe it was her subconscious acting up.

Hearing that, Haruto smacked his lips.

So this... is the pull of converging world lines!