Chapter 1052

Time dripped away, and soon half an hour had passed.

Su Han asked in the society and learned that the black cat and Bai Jing Heizi had both finished their personal matters; he immediately accepted the mission.

To Su Han's surprise, the society interface suddenly popped up an option—Please select the specific members to carry out the mission.

After thinking it over, Su Han checked all the personnel he wanted to include, based on the previous discussion in the society, and clicked submit.

A brilliant light enveloped Su Han's body.

In a single breath, Su Han's figure vanished.

...... The world of the protagonist girl.

Inside a modestly luxurious maid café.

Kasumigaoka Uta ordered two coffees, propped her cheek on her hand, and gazed at the golden-tailed girl across from her with a faint, teasing smile.

The golden-tailed girl was drawing, and she felt Kasumigaoka Uta's gaze.

She slightly furrowed her brow.

At first, out of politeness, the golden-tailed girl pretended not to notice Kasumigaoka Uta.

But as time passed, she realized Kasumigaoka Uta's gaze had not shifted an inch—its teasing quality had only grown stronger—and finally she couldn't take it anymore.

She suddenly lifted her head.

"...... Kasumigaoka Uta! Why are you looking at me with such a disgusting expression?"

Erii bared her small canine teeth and glared fiercely at Kasumigaoka Uta.

"Of course, I'm just seeing what kind of excellent illustrations the famous hentai artist, Artist Hakuro, can draw for my novel."

Kasumigaoka Uta smiled sweetly, "Isn't that right, the official illustrator my editor assigned to me?"

Erii's face instantly flushed crimson; she stood up, losing control, "Didn't you already promise me you wouldn't mention that name?!"

"Yes! That's why I only bring it up when we're alone together."

Kasumigaoka Uta remained calm, even taking the time to pick up her coffee and stir it slightly with a spoon.

Seeing Kasumigaoka Uta's calm demeanor, Erii's anger flared up even more.

But in the end, Erii deflated like a punctured balloon and sat back down.

After all, Kasumigaoka Uta had covered every angle perfectly; even if Erii wanted to be angry, she didn't know where to start.

"By the way, Erii, do you believe supernatural forces exist in this world?"

Kasumigaoka Uta sipped her coffee, asking as if casually.

"...... Huh? Supernatural forces? You mean like in manga?"

Erii realized she couldn't focus anymore, so she tossed her brush aside and picked up her coffee, taking a sip.

She said it carelessly.

"I'm personally very willing to believe! But that kind of thing... it's just impossible to imagine."

"...... A hidden power world beneath reality? That kind of setting has been worn out in every manga and light novel!"

Erii spoke as if she didn't believe it, yet a flicker of longing passed through her eyes.

Even though she had accepted reality, how many otaku who love the 2D world could truly let go of their fantasies? "Then... do you think Academy City is real?"

Kasumigaoka Uta's voice sounded strange.

Erii instantly grew wary, staring intently at Kasumigaoka Uta.

She felt Kasumigaoka Uta seemed to have ill intent, but she couldn't pinpoint exactly what was off.

All she could do was silently warn herself: stay alert around the scheming Kasumigaoka Uta.

"I remember! You hated that... writer who uses the pen name Kameda, didn't you?"

Erii suddenly remembered something and looked at Kasumigaoka Uta with suspicion, "Why are you suddenly changing your tune and bringing up that guy?"

"I hate that... writer! But that doesn't mean I don't like A Certain Magical Index!"

Kasumigaoka Uta's gaze grew distant, "Or rather... quite the opposite—I personally love A Certain Magical Index very much."

Kasumigaoka Uta's gaze grew distant, "Or rather... quite the opposite—I personally love A Certain Magical Index."

What the hell is going on? Erii was baffled.

Loving a work but hating the author? That's normal! But loving a work intensely while despising the author intensely? That's strange.

Just as Erii was about to ask further... she suddenly noticed the void behind Kasumigaoka Uta twisting violently.

Several figures emerged from nothingness, slowly materializing.

"...... My god."

Erii's coffee cup slipped from her hand, clattering onto the table, spilling coffee everywhere—even soaking her freshly drawn manuscript.

Hikari's coffee cup slipped from her hand, clattering onto the table as coffee splashed outward, soaking the sketch she had just finished drawing.

Her eyes went blank, her lips trembling.

Her scalp prickled.

"...... What's happening?"

"Did I just see those people suddenly appear there? Could it be some kind of magic trick or circus act?"

"No... it was definitely... the air just warped suddenly... but then again, I've heard that top singers sometimes use virtual projections during concerts to create impossible visuals!"

"So that's it... but I also heard virtual projections cost a fortune! Why would these people come here?"

A brief commotion spread through the café, but it quickly settled—though everyone still stared at Su Han's group with strange expressions.

"...... Wait! That white-haired guy in the plaid shirt... isn't he the character from A Certain Magical Index, which was just confirmed for anime adaptation? I remember this popular character—Accelerator! And wait... that girl! That's Bai Jing Heizi!"

.........."Holy shit... both of them look exactly like the character designs. Impossible? A Certain Magical Index hasn't even premiered yet—how could someone have cosplayed them this fast?"

"So lifelike! So incredibly lifelike! I heard A Certain Magical Index was popular... but I never imagined it'd be this popular... are all these people characters from A Certain Magical Index?... No, considering the huge cost of that virtual projection—could this be a live-action movie?"

"Too similar! So incredibly similar! I've long heard that the Index of Magical Forbidden Books is wildly popular... I never imagined it would become this popular... Are all these people characters from the Index of Magical Forbidden Books... Wait, considering the expensive virtual projection just made, are they trying to film a True Person version movie?"

The café chosen by Kasugano Shiho was a maid café.

Many of those entering this café were otaku.

At first, they were naturally stunned, and some even suspected they had encountered some supernatural phenomenon.

But gradually, some recognized the identities of Index and Bai Jing Heizi.

Instantly, a few felt disappointed, yet all calmed down.

If that was the case, then it had nothing to do with supernatural phenomena! Compared to the murmuring patrons of the café, Erinri felt her limbs turn icy cold.

Due to her family background, and because both her parents were otaku, Erinri had a deep understanding of so-called virtual projections.

Virtual projections were indeed feasible, but according to current technological standards, the equipment required for virtual projections was extremely massive.

Yet as she glanced around, she found no trace of such equipment.

In other words, this was not a virtual projection at all... What she had just seen was entirely real!