Chapter 366: Finally Successful

Li An turned his head to look at Guo Yao and said gently, "All of this was for you." Just as the two were immersed in their joy, Tuyu Sect's Motoharu quietly walked out from the crowd. He looked at Li An, a glint of complicated emotion flashing in his eyes: "This kid is becoming more and more unfathomable. I need to find a chance to investigate him properly."

And in another corner of the arena, Kamijou Touma was staring at Li An, his heart filled with doubt: "This guy—I always feel there's a strange aura about him. Who on earth is he? Why do I always feel he's not as simple as he appears on the surface?"

The sky above Academy City was as azure as ever, and sunlight poured without reserve onto this land brimming with a sense of technology. Li An stood by the window of his small but tidy apartment, the document marking the enhancement of his esper ability clutched tightly in his hand, the corners of his mouth curving slightly upward into a confident smile. He had originally thought that the enhancement of his esper ability would be the start of his rise to prominence in Academy City, the stepping stone toward higher peaks. However, he never could have imagined that all of this was merely the brief calm before the storm.

"We finally succeeded, Guo Yao. Our efforts weren't in vain." Li An turned his head to look at Guo Yao sitting beside him, his eyes full of tenderness and relief. Guo Yao raised her head, her innocent face beaming with a joyful smile. "Yes, Li An. Now you'll definitely be able to develop even further in Academy City." Her voice was crisp and pleasant, like a mountain spring flowing through this little room.

However, before they could properly celebrate this hard-won glory, trouble came one after another. As usual, Li An headed to Academy City's advanced research institution, planning to use the cutting-edge equipment there to conduct in-depth research on his newly enhanced esper ability. But when he reached that familiar front gate, he was blocked by two security personnel in black uniforms.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Li An, but from today onward, you are prohibited from entering this research institution." One of the security personnel said with a solemn expression and an icy tone. Li An's smile instantly froze on his face. He frowned and asked in confusion, "Prohibited from entering? What's going on? I'm a participant of Academy City—my esper ability has just been enhanced, and I need the equipment here for research." The other security personnel replied expressionlessly, "This is an order from above. We don't know the specific reason either. Please go back."

An inexplicable fury welled up in Li An's heart. He shoved the security personnel aside, trying to force his way in. But just then, several laser beams shot out from the surrounding defense systems, firmly sealing off his path. Li An had no choice but to stop. He glared furiously at the research institution before him, his heart full of unwillingness. "I must get to the bottom of this!" he growled through gritted teeth.

Meanwhile, inside Academy City's administrative department, the atmosphere was oppressively heavy. Accelerator stood with his hands stuffed in his pockets, leaning against the wall, a disdainful cold smirk on his face. "Just because of that brat, he wants to make waves in Academy City? What a ridiculous overestimation of himself." His voice was low and icy, as if it could make one feel the coldness deep within his heart. Misaka Mikoto stood to the side with her arms crossed, a hint of worry on her face. "Isn't this going too far? He is, after all, a participant of Academy City. The enhancement of his esper ability is a good thing for him—why restrict him?" Her tone carried a trace of dissatisfaction, clearly not agreeing with the Academy City higher-ups' approach.