Mash-up Anime World: Creating the SCP Foundation to Contain Anomalies-Chapter 328 - 322: Sixth Member of the O5

When Haruto caught up to Misaki, she was quietly walking along the edge of the beach.

Waves rolled onto the shore from time to time, gently washing over her ankles. Because of this, she left behind a trail of footprints in the sand. But under the touch of the waves, those footprints slowly disappeared.

Misaki had already recalled all of her past memories.

Including everything that happened in the Artificial Workshop.

In fact, the current ownership of the Artificial Workshop belonged to Misaki. The attack on the Workshop was also something orchestrated by her. And not all of her memories from that place were painful.

In the Workshop, she made her first friend.

That friend was Dolly.

A clone of Misaka—designated Zero.

When Misaki was first brought into the Workshop...

It was during the period when the Level 5 cloning plan had just failed. It was proven impossible to create a Level 5 esper through cloning alone. So, the Workshop turned its eyes to existing Level 5 espers.

Their goal: to develop a controllable and immensely powerful psychic device capable of hypnotizing Level 5s.

Thus, the "Exterior" system was born.

As the strongest telepath in Academy City, Misaki became the core of that project.

The device functioned by gathering mental and brainwave output from countless people, amplifying her own brainwaves.

This was to enhance her telepathy to the point of controlling other Level 5s.

Dolly—

Was one of the components of the Exterior.

The Misaka clones shared a special connection known as the Misaka Network. But in truth, that network wasn't something they were born with. It was constructed by the Workshop, based on the identical electromagnetic powers of the Misaka clones.

It was an esper-based artificial network.

During the development of the Exterior, Misaki met Dolly. The two, trapped within the Workshop, became close friends.

Until...

Until the day Misaki witnessed Dolly's death.

As a force-grown clone, Dolly had a very short lifespan to begin with. And being used as a component of the Misaka Network—

Her body was pushed to its absolute limit.

Finally, on the eve of the Exterior's completion...

She passed away, inevitably.

Misaki saw it with her own eyes.

Inside the incubation tank, her friend, even in her last moments—Was still hooked up to countless devices, her remaining life force being drained to the last.

And when death finally arrived, Dolly didn't even get the chance to open her eyes and look at Misaki one last time.

In that moment, Misaki's entire world seemed to shatter.

Afterward, Misaki used her abilities, her acting, and her fragile appearance—

Anything she could leverage.

She used to be a proud girl, but at that moment, she became a vessel for vengeance.

In the end, she succeeded.

She controlled nearly all of the Workshop's researchers.

The Artificial Workshop was done for.

It became her property.

The Exterior project was shut down, and 20,000 Misaka clones were released. Having accomplished all this, Misaki wandered alone through the streets of Academy City. She eventually came to a place where she could see the sea.

Because Dolly's biggest wish in life was to see the ocean at least once.

Guided by that thought, Misaki came to the beach but what she saw was a fog-covered sea.

—That was when Academy City underwent its relocation.

It felt like the final straw that broke her.

She pointed a remote at herself, then pressed the button.

Plop plop...

Footsteps on the beach echoed with a unique sound from the wet sand. The waves occasionally surged forward, submerging her ankles. Strangely, the icy cold water no longer felt bone-chilling.

Suddenly, her body felt weightless.

Startled, Misaki let out a gasp.

Only to realize that Haruto had picked her up.

Misaki tried to force a smile, wanting to ask Haruto if he had dealt with those dark side agents.

She needed to shift the topic fast—her current state was clearly off.

She didn't want him to worry.

But the words caught in her throat. Not a single syllable came out. Haruto carried her away from the edge of the waves.

He brought her to a stairway at the outer edge of the beach.

Without asking for permission, Haruto removed her shoes and socks. Her pale feet were now an unhealthy shade of white. Clearly frostbitten. If they didn't warm up soon, they'd turn deep purple.

Worse yet, blood flow would stop entirely, and the tissue could die.

Haruto gently massaged her feet, carefully controlling the heat generated by his cellular combustion.

Once her feet were warm, he pulled out clean socks and shoes from Kamui Space and dressed her feet.

Just as he finished, Misaki suddenly lunged into his arms.

Her suppressed sobs echoed across the beach.

Haruto silently stroked her hair.

The crying went on for a long time.

But the fact she could cry—was already a good sign.

Every tear was like making peace with herself.

People have to keep moving forward.

They can't be trapped by one person or one event, spending their lives drowning in fleeting memories.

Her sobs grew hoarse, then slower, and finally reduced to soft hiccups. After a long bout of crying, that hiccupping wouldn't stop so easily.

"I'm so... sorry... for showing you such an unladylike side of me. But this'll be... the last time I cry like this. From now on, I'll do my best to smile."

She hiccupped as she spoke, her voice broken yet firm.

Finally, she gave Haruto a smile.

Though tears still clung to her lashes—

That smile was dazzling.

Misaki was moving forward again.

Because she had met someone important.

"Want to join the O5?"

Haruto suddenly asked.

Misaki blinked, then pointed at herself.

Her chest still heaved slightly, the sobs not completely gone. She couldn't quite believe what she had just heard. Having studied the Foundation's basic knowledge at one of its sites—

Misaki knew exactly what the O5 represented.

They were the highest decision-makers of the Foundation.

They needed long-term vision, decisive leadership, and the courage to risk everything.

Misaki didn't think she had those qualities.

That she could ever be one of them. fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com

"You've got what it takes. You're the most resilient and brilliant person I've ever met," Haruto said seriously.

His words silenced all of Misaki's self-doubt.

After a brief moment of silence—

She nodded and smiled brightly.

"Alright."

Thus, the SCP Foundation gained its sixth O5 Council member.

Perhaps, compared to the others, she didn't have the power to destroy worlds or the experience of bearing humanity's fate.

But Haruto believed—

She was more than capable.

"Do O5 members get any perks? Don't tell me I'm doing all this work for free,"

Misaki asked as she rubbed her hands together, eyes full of anticipation.

Looking at her mischievous expression, Haruto couldn't help but laugh. He lowered his head and kissed her lips.

Her lips were cool and soft—like chilled jade, yet they melted like cotton candy.

Unlike the last time, which was a sudden ambush—

This time, Haruto led the kiss, deepening it until both of them were slightly breathless.

No one knew how long it lasted, but eventually they pulled apart.

Misaki gasped for air, her gaze dazed, waiting for Haruto's next move.

Then—

He flicked her forehead.

"What are you expecting, you little rascal?"

Haruto asked, amused.

Misaki really was still too young.

Some fruits, if eaten impulsively before they ripen would only leave bitter memories.

Clutching her forehead, she blinked her bright eyes, staring at Haruto with a watery gaze.

She felt like he had just rejected her again.

This grudge—she'd remember it!

One day, Misaki vowed, she'd grow up and use her developed assets to thoroughly smack Haruto in the face with regret!

"Are you leaving?"

Haruto asked.

Misaki shook her head.

"I've taken a long enough break from school. I'm going back to class! You're welcome to visit Tokiwadai anytime. It is called the garden of noble ladies. With my ability... heh, feeling tempted yet?"

Now that her memories had returned, Misaki had become completely at ease. She could even tease Haruto, turning the tables on him.

Hearing her playful banter, Haruto didn't get mad. In fact, he felt happy.

Er... of course, not because he was thinking of using her power to go wild in Tokiwadai.

But because—

Misaki truly had begun to move forward again.