Dimensional Codex System: I'm really not a cultist!

Tokiwadai.

This is the garden of Academy City, the greenhouse of young ladies, and as you walk through it, you can see elegant girls everywhere. Among them, the figure of one blonde girl is the most eye-catching. She moves through the flowers like a butterfly, attracting attention.

”Lord Shihou.”

”Lord Shihou, greetings.”

”Greetings.”

With an elegant smile, the blonde girl nodded slightly, greeting the girls she passed by, and everyone who looked at her did so with admiration and respect. Not for anything else, but because this blonde girl is one of the only five LV5 superpower users reigning in Academy City.

Mental Grasp———Shihou Souki.

The girl walked to her dorm room door, opened it, walked in, and then closed the door.

Then...... she threw herself onto the bed.

”Ahhh! What is that man doing?!!!”

Unlike her elegant and calm demeanor outside, Shihou Souki was furious as she lay on the bed, angrily shouting and waving her arms, hitting the bed and rolling around. Her fair cheeks were flushed, and at this moment, Shihou Souki was practically the embodiment of ”ineffectual fury.”

Especially when she thought of that man, she was filled with anger!

He had rudely taken the girl’s first kiss!

It’s simply too much!

No, this is outright demonic behavior!!

But......why didn’t my mental manipulation work on that man?

After angrily hitting the bed and throwing a few pillows to vent her anger, Shihou Souki finally calmed down and began to think about this problem. She never thought her ability could fail. As one of the top LV5 superpower users in Academy City, Shihou Souki had full confidence in her abilities.

In fact, Shihou Souki initially sought out Fang Zheng only out of curiosity. She had heard from other faction members that Misaka Mikoto had been visiting a research lab frequently. Intrigued, she wanted to ask someone there about it, and even considered using her ability to play a small prank on Misaka Mikoto.

At the time, Shihou Souki was very confident her ability had taken effect, which is why she appeared in front of Fang Zheng. But to her surprise, even though it should have worked, he completely ignored her mental manipulation?

What’s going on?

Although Misaka Mikoto can also block her ability, it’s because she has an electromagnetic shield. Then what is it that makes that man immune?

In any case......this matter cannot end just like this!

With this thought, Shihou Souki angrily clenched her fist.

I must let that man know the price of trampling on a girl’s heart!

For Fang Zheng, it might have been a spontaneous idea, but for Misaka Mikoto, it was a disaster.

”What on earth is going on......”

Walking along the road listlessly, Misaka Mikoto couldn’t help but complain. Today, Kuroko and Hatsuharu had Discipline Committee work to do, so she had to go to the research lab alone. But what bothered Misaka Mikoto wasn’t the trip to the lab; it was Shihou Souki’s actions.

For the past couple of days, Misaka Mikoto didn’t know what was wrong with Shihou Souki, as she began to relentlessly tease her. Although Misaka Mikoto always found her annoying, these past two days her annoyance level had doubled. Fortunately......Misaka Mikoto wasn’t without clues.

After all, she was here today to figure out the reason.

”Seriously......hey, Mr. Fang Zheng, are you there?”

Skillfully entering the password to unlock the door, Misaka Mikoto pushed the door open and shouted, but at that moment, two calm voices echoed.

”Hello, welcome, dear guest.”

”Eh? Ah?”

Hearing these two voices, Misaka Mikoto was taken aback and finally noticed two girls in maid outfits standing on each side of the hall. Visually around her age, they looked almost identical, except one had red hair and the other blue. Their bangs obscured one eye, and from a distance, it was as if they were reflections in a mirror.

”Ah, you are......”

”Sister Dear, Sister Dear, it seems this guest is looking for Master.”

”Correct, correct, Rem, it appears this must be the rough and boisterous electric girl Master mentioned......”

”Wait, who are you calling rough and boisterous?!”

Hearing the maids’ nonchalant conversation, Misaka Mikoto instantly felt a vein pop on her forehead. Yet, before she could say anything else, she saw the red-haired girl turn and head deeper into the lab.

”Master is resting, please follow me, Miss Misaka Mikoto.”

”Ah, okay......”

Seeing the red-haired girl’s indifferent demeanor, Misaka Mikoto felt like she was punching air, unable to get angry, and could only sigh helplessly, following the red-haired girl into the lab.

”Speaking of which, how come I haven’t seen you before? Are you new here?”

”I am Lord Fang Zheng’s maid, Ram, and that’s my sister Rem.”

”A maid huh......”

Ram’s response didn’t particularly surprise Misaka Mikoto. After all, there are indeed housekeeping schools in Academy City with students often dressed in maid uniforms, though their designs differed from those of Ram and Rem.

However, Misaka Mikoto had never before met a maid who casually made sarcastic remarks to guests upon first meeting.

Soon, Ram led Misaka Mikoto to the front of the research room and knocked on the door.

”Lord Fang Zheng, Miss Misaka Mikoto has arrived.”

”Come in.”

”Yes.”

As Ram spoke, she opened the door, gesturing for Misaka Mikoto to enter. But seeing Ram’s behavior made Misaka Mikoto strangely nervous. Oddly enough, when no one was around, she would just push the door open and enter. Now that someone was here, it felt strange... awkward and uncomfortable...

Forcing down her feelings, Misaka Mikoto walked into the room, seeing Fang Zheng sitting leisurely in a chair, sipping coffee while looking at data on a screen. Noticing her arrival, he raised his cup to her.

”Hey, what would you like to drink?”

”Um...... tea, please.”

”Ram, prepare some tea.”

”Yes.”

Upon hearing Fang Zheng’s instructions, Rem nodded and then turned to leave. Only after Rem left did Misaka Mikoto finally breathe a sigh of relief and plop down on the sofa.

”When did you hire a maid?”

”A few days ago. They’re considered my personal maids. Ruiko and the others previously complained that the research institute was too lifeless, which is why I decided to bring a few people over.”

”I think it’s fine... But speaking of which, is it really alright for you to be here all by yourself?”

”Of course not... So is there something you wanted today?”

”Oh, right!”

Hearing Fang Zheng’s inquiry, Misaka Mikoto snapped out of the shock of seeing the two maids, slapped the table, and jumped up.

”What happened between you and that woman Shihou Souki? She’s been pestering me non-stop, driving me nuts. Oh, and she wanted me to tell you, ’Don’t think it’s over, the real show is yet to come’... What’s going on between you two?”

”Oh, it’s nothing significant.”

Fang Zheng, hearing this, turned back and continued typing on the keyboard, replying casually.

”She tried to manipulate me before, probably intending to ask about you.”

”Tch, that woman...”

Hearing this, Mikoto snorted unhappily.

”And then?”

”Well... It’s wrong to manipulate others’ minds, so I took her first kiss as a small punishment.”

”...Huh?”

Upon hearing this, Misaka Mikoto froze for a moment, then suddenly jumped up three feet high.

”Wait, what did you say? You took Shihou Souki’s first kiss...? You actually did that?”

”What’s the big deal? She brought it on herself, didn’t she? If she hadn’t tried to manipulate me, why would I bother with her?”

”But that’s just too much!”

”Am I too much, or is manipulating others’ minds too much?”

”This...”

Faced with Fang Zheng’s counter-question, Misaka Mikoto was tongue-tied, feeling this was a dilemma akin to choosing between saving her mom or boyfriend if both were drowning...

Now Misaka Mikoto finally understood why Shihou Souki wouldn’t let up; if she were in that situation, she’d have a lifelong vendetta too.

Though Misaka Mikoto indeed always disliked Shihou Souki’s casual mind manipulation, knowing it was wrong, taking away a girl’s first kiss because of it... Strictly speaking, it might not be a big deal, but thinking about it is quite troubling... But wait.

”You said you punished that woman. Does that mean her ability is ineffective against you?”

Finally, Misaka Mikoto realized, even though she disliked Shihou Souki, she knew Shihou Souki’s mental manipulation ability was top-notch. If she tried to manipulate Fang Zheng, Fang Zheng shouldn’t detect it, yet he did, and he even punished Shihou Souki...

”Of course, your abilities have no effect on me, whether it’s you or Shihou Souki.”

Fang Zheng answered casually while focusing on data.

And hearing this, Misaka Mikoto was utterly dumbfounded.

”Why?”

”Because the strength of your abilities isn’t enough.”

Fang Zheng was being honest; he was a True God now, but Misaka Mikoto and Shihou Souki were still merely human. Humans trying to harm a True God is inherently impossible. Not to mention, as the Time Dragon, Fang Zheng wasn’t even operating on the same level; it’s like 2D creatures trying to affect the 3D world—impossible.

Just like watching an anime, the protagonist’s powers could destroy worlds, while you sit in front of the screen sipping soda and eating chicken as you watch the world being destroyed.

No matter how hard they try, they can’t affect the real world outside the screen.

Hearing this answer, Misaka Mikoto was left speechless.

She always wanted to ask Fang Zheng how he counteracted her ability, but didn’t expect such an answer.

”I’m an LV5 superpower user; isn’t my ability strong enough?”

”Mm.”

Fang Zheng nodded.

”You can’t possibly be that legendary LV6, can you!”

”No way, that’s ridiculous.”

Fang Zheng scoffed at Misaka Mikoto’s guess; the so-called LV6 was at best an Angel Envoy, and that’s a 2D Angel Envoy; having an effect on him, a True God, would require a True God level being—not one from this small world, but from the Main World.

This world is ultimately just a fragment of the Third Coordinate Point; being mighty here is meaningless, like a lone wolf on an island boasting power but unable to survive on the African Savannah.

If Fang Zheng had to compare, these worlds couldn’t match the worlds of Nanoha and Asuna; this world is incomplete and merely a fragment, like superpowers with capped limits. Thus, individuals from this world may be strong here, but in a world with a higher cap, their strength diminishes.

For example, Misaka Mikoto and Shihou Souki are Lv5 here. But if Fang Zheng tossed them into a complete world, an Lv3 showing would be impressive.

After all, a 60-level instance and a 120-level instance differ significantly in intensity.

Soloing a 60-level group instance doesn’t mean you won’t struggle in a 120-level five-person instance.

For example, throw Misaka Mikoto into the EVA world; even with all her strength, she wouldn’t scratch an Angel’s AT field.

”If you won’t tell me, fine. One day, I’ll figure it out myself.”

Misaka Mikoto gazed indignantly at Fang Zheng, ultimately giving up interrogation.

”What are you going to do about that woman?”

”What can I do?”

Faced with Misaka Mikoto’s question, Fang Zheng chuckled.

”Decisive actions lead to gaining nothing, hesitation leads to defeat... Oh, tell her this: if she tries any tricks on me again, it won’t just be a simple punishment next time...”