This petite senpai is the only character in Tokiwadai who can almost be said to be Shirai's natural enemy. It's not because her ability just happens to restrain Shirai, but because she's not good at talking. This senior sister has her own values, and she has never intended to listen to Shirai, who stands on the side of the Discipline Commissioner.

For law enforcement officers, it is basically the most difficult object to deal with.

She didn't remember that the senior sister had been here before. Although there were so many people gathered here because of the fireworks display that she couldn't say it with great certainty. But no matter how you look at it, this senior sister seems to have appeared out of nowhere.

This alone is highly suspicious.

As a result, Shirai's words were not conveyed.

She did say something, or rather wanted to say something. But at this time, her lips were motionless. It was in this case that her "semantics" were indeed conveyed.

It's hard to describe the weird feeling, the only thing that's certain is that she can't move at all.

It's not just her, it's everyone around her who seems to be pinched.

(Time...... Stopped? ）

In her astonishment, she couldn't even move her eyeballs, and could only stay in front of her.

If she had been told two months ago that someone who had the ability could control her time, she would have laughed at the man's nonsense. But now, she knew it wasn't strange, and there was even one by her side. However, she didn't think Hoshikawa could do the same thing in the slightest.

("There is no such thing.") Although time can also be seen as a dimension in Hilbert's space, time is not something that I can control at will. You also know that there is only one person who can dominate it. What's more, if this were time, you wouldn't be able to see anything normally in a frame of reference that is different from you and me. Conversely, if we are in the same frame of reference, your actions will not be affected in any way. ”）

The voice sounded directly in his head, and the sentences were unusually coherent. This doesn't seem normal. As far as Shirai knows, due to the influence of the time at the Tokiwadai gymnasium in May, the petite senpai's ability to express herself in language should not have been restored.

Moreover, she is telling the truth.

If time stops, there's no reason to still be able to see what's outside.

That is, the thing that has changed is -

(Mental time...... Something like this? ）

This is often the case in kinematics, where in the case of high concentration, it is felt that the opponent's movements will slow down. While there is always a limit to how fast you can react, many times the senses seem to be able to override it. At this time, the situation is the same, but there is a bit of a bonus that overrides it.

It's not really changing, it's just that all the feelings are rushing along with the thoughts.

The problem is precisely the mind.

The so-called "thinking" is another expression of "mental time". People's perception and understanding of the passage of time are essentially directly related to thinking.

And this is the true meaning of the ancient Greek word "soul".

The earliest alchemy-related texts were often written in ancient Greek, as they were part of the context of ancient Greek civilization at the time. That is, people at that time thought in ancient Greek.

Although there is no model in the mind, and there is no simple language for thinking, the way of thinking is directly related to language. As a result, the vast majority of later alchemists made a fatal mistake when interpreting the ancient texts.

The word "soul" was not what it means today in ancient Greek. It refers to something simpler. Psych, which originally meant "the consciousness of the mind".

Is the human mind something that can be "accelerated" in the same way?

Can't do it, right?

("Not me, I just cut in and borrowed the girl's abilities.") ”）

In this case, sound does not seem to be the only means of communication. Even Shirai, who couldn't move or speak, could clearly understand what Hoshikawa didn't mean at this time.

Still, that girl?

("The human sense of time also comes from information, and the child can easily transmit and receive information in an entangled state...... No, strictly speaking, it is to interpret and change the information of the entangled state. For her, distance is meaningless, form is meaningless, and even the meaning of the information itself is meaningless. The only thing that makes sense is the arrangement of information, and nothing else matters. Normally, there may be no way, but now that her abilities are 'opened' to the greatest extent, I can intervene to change some projected variables in Hilbert's space, and cause some decoherence of information in an entangled state. This part of the decoherent information can be represented as I want it to be. Just like that's what we're doing now, so that we can communicate with you in this state. ”）

Hearing the subtle words, Shirai couldn't help but gasp.

("Shirai-san, there's no way you're going to notice, right?") Here, the chaotic and open entangled 'cloud' of 'information' is so dense that it can hardly be dissolved. That's why I can even do such a thing. ”）

In front of Shirai's eyes, Hoshikawa ...... No, it should be said that the shape that Xingchuan used to communicate stretched out his fingers, and the fingertips of his fingers that looked no different from ordinary people, and a faint streamer drifted out.

("Centered on that child's abilities, this has become a 'seedbed' for all possibilities.") So even here, it is possible to reproduce in your eyes only a self that is indistinguishable from the real me. Just decorate the information I need to express and connect it directly to your head. ”）

(Do you know what you're talking about?) Connect the message you want to represent to someone else's mind? Do you know the legal consequences of doing so? ）

This is the first time that a conversation without a voice has been held in the true sense of the word.

Of course, Shirai knew the danger involved, so her first reaction at this time was a legal problem. Maybe it's a bit of an occupational disease, but it's also at the heart of it.

The minimum rule required to maintain the existing order is the law. Therefore, at least theoretically, the law limits the lower limit that cannot be crossed, which can be said to be the last line of defense. And the facts that Hoshikawa said not only exceeded it, but it could even be said that it completely destroyed this line of defense.

This is not something that can be compared to the ability of mind control! Although it may seem similar, it really can't be compared.

You know, people's consciousness, thoughts, values, etc., are all information in the brain. Linking the information that a person wants to express to someone else's mind is tampering with the very existence of a human being!

Imagine what happens if you connect the message "it's right to kill" to someone's brain?

The point is that it's not about manipulating someone, it's about actually turning one person into something else.

("Unfortunately, this is the case. I don't want to know why, and I can't know why. All I know is the fact that this can be done in this 'seedbed'. That is to say, through that child's ability, in the form of quantum entanglement transmission, any information can be sent through a connection to any object in any place, whether it is a real object or ethereal information, whether the target is an empty and single wasteland or a small, complex human brain. ”）

(Even this kind of thing...... Can it be done? ）

("Refining consciousness deeper, broader, and thus more sophisticated.") Finally, Murphy's Law is broken, that is, the rule that "the reliability of a system decreases as complexity rises". As your senior sister, I would like to ask you to review it well. You've learned that, right? Historically, we've done that. On every LSI, we have reproduced countless times that defied Murphy's Law. This time it's no different, it's just a recreation of it all on a larger, more nihilistic quantum circuit. And that's the essence of Poltergeist. ”）

(Why are you so sure?) Do you have any basis for this? ）

("On the basis of?") Shirai-san, if you go and ask any blind person, when they read braille with their fingers, how do they assume that the Braille they read must be like this? What do you think they will answer you? ”）

Shirai was speechless for a moment.

For things that you are too familiar with, many times there is no need for evidence, and it is self-explanatory. Asking about the basis, the reason, or something, is undoubtedly ridiculous in this case. For certain people, specific knowledge is a kind of "common sense" that does not need to be relied upon.

It's easy to understand, but what she just said isn't as simple as a blind person reading Braille. Rather, this is already "common sense" that can only be achieved by non-human beings.

Shirai's mind kept going back to the events that took place at the Tokiwadai Gymnasium in May. Truth be told, she still doesn't know why.

Sort out information directly from the "cloud" of information, irrelevant content, and directly to the essence? After decoherence of the information in the entangled state, it is expressed in a way that ordinary people can understand?

Although this senior sister has long been considered to be second to the three LV.5 in Tokiwadai in terms of ability, how deep has she stepped into the realm beyond mortals in this regard?

A chill crept up his back. Of course, at this moment when the senses are highly accelerated, the reaction speed of the bodily functions is simply not enough to produce this kind of physiological response (it must be noted that everyone in Shirai's line of sight has only done what she thinks is only a second). The chill I felt at this time was completely psychological.

Although I have known for a long time that LV.5 is an existence that I cannot hope for, can some of them reach such an inhuman height even if they are capable of LV.4? It is not just a bird in the sky that flies with its wings, but an "eagle" that spreads its wings and chases the stars.

In any case, at least she uncovered the truth. Part of the truth about the riots that preceded, and the incredible things that happened here afterward......

（…… Wait a minute. ）

Suddenly, Shirai realizes something that is obvious, but that she has been overlooking.

Why did Hoshikawa explain this to himself?

No matter how you look at it, there are people present who are better suited to know the truth than themselves. The most suitable of them is undoubtedly the Umihara Dome No. Not only is she friends with Harukami, but she is also quite good with Hoshikawa himself.

(Isn't that right...... ）

Shirai, who finally understood, glared fiercely at him with a feeling of wanting to beat people.

The reason is actually very simple, because she is a member of the Discipline Commission.

("For Shirai, what do you have to do when you understand it?") I think so too. I don't want to be that villain, though. For you anyway, that's the duty. ”）

(I didn't expect to be so hated.) Sister Hoshikawa, you're really bad enough. ）

("Frankly, she's already a 'scourge' that can't exist in this world.") But that's not something I can say, only you can do it. Unlike me, you have a glaring flaw, and that is that you are very upright. ”）

(Hoshikawa-senpai, you hypocritical bastard.) ）

Shirai couldn't help but scold.

("I've always been hopeless, and I know that myself.") ”）

Hoshikawa pursed his lips and chuckled, as if he had heard something funny.

("Shirai-san, come to me when you're done with what you need to do, I have something to give you.) If there's a chance of reversing it, then what I have in my hand is the key—")

When the meaning of this sentence reached Shirai's mind, all the senses were instantly pulled back.