A Normal Enemy (1) is the seventh chapter of Takashi Shiina's Zettai Karen Children.
Synopsis[]
Kaoru uses her Psychokinesis to destroy a tank, Minamoto comments that she is as powerful as ever. After Minamoto assesses that Kaoru is ready to continue, Chief Taizō Kiritsubo gives the order to start the next test. An ECM is activated as three more tanks close in. Kaoru confident in her ability, rushes towards the tanks, ignoring Minamoto's warning. She punches the tank and injures herself.
Minamoto explains to The Children about "ESP Counter Measures", devices to suppress psychic abilities. Kaoru expresses her anger that she has never had her powers quenched so much before. Minamoto continues that they took part in these test because ECMs can help The Children and other Espers to fit into society. Kaoru asks if that would mean that the normals get to decide when Espers are allowed to use their powers. Minamoto tells her not to worry about that, and Kaoru cuts in again asking if Minamoto thinks it would be better if Espers didn't exist and if it is frightening that there is a power out there that he can't control. Shiho reads Minamoto's mind and says that he thinks that it would make life easier, not having his mind read and being slammed into walls; but before she could finish her sentence, Kaoru has already slammed Minamoto into a wall. A call comes in to dispatch The Children on a mission.
The Children approach the scene in a helicopter near a river and assess the situation as two drunk high-level Espers having a fight. The decide to step in quickly to stop this event getting into the news and giving Espers a bad reputation. Aoi teleports the team out of the helicopter and Kaoru slams the two into the ground. Shiho reads the two culprits and is shocked to find out that they are not actually Espers and the explosions they saw earlier was just rigged gunpowder. A group of people appear from over the embankment and reveal themselves as an anti-Esper group called the Normal People, and explain that this was all a trap for Espers. The Children complain that their enemies this time are a bit too normal which outrages the Normal People who then charge forward to attack. Kaoru rushes in to attack but is knocked down and she realises that she can't use her powers. She then notices a large ECM, the same new model that she had tested earlier that day.