Editing Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun PSP SS (section)

===Part 11===

The Multiphase Straight Hammer was one of the methods developed to attack a single Level 5 with a group of Level 4s. It was unknown how effective it would be in an actual battle, but the researchers had predicted that it would be more effective if the projectile had intentionally increased air resistance.

In other words, they purposefully made sure the projectile would break apart partway through.

The shockwave would assault the target as a surface a few dozen meters across rather than in a single point, preventing the target from evading. It also functioned to hold them in place. As long as a portion of the initial attack struck the target, the target’s physical strength would be worn down enough to prevent any quick movements. Then the same shockwave would strike again and again while the target could only stand in place and have his or her life slowly but surely worn down.

The attack was straightforward, but it was repeated again and again and again.

Despite how it looked, it had no flashy effects.

It was a plain, stable, and – most importantly – surefire attack.

But that was when it was being used against the monsters that were known as Level 5s. If it was used against a mass produced soldier that had her defenses interfered with and could not function at full power, a single shot would be enough to blow her away along with the area of the facility behind her.

“Gh…bh…”

A crash. She may have used her little remaining power to create a low-elasticity substance to absorb the shock, but that was still the best word to describe how Aizono Mio looked. However, it could be said she was lucky to still be in one piece after an attack like that.

“See? Determination and guts aren’t going to get you anywhere,” said Maki as she continued to keep her distance from Aizono who looked like she had fallen some great distance.

At that point, approaching her enemy could only work to her disadvantage. While repeating one straightforward attack, keeping your distance was a good idea.

“I do have to commend you for giving up on evading or defending and simply taking it head on. Even if the shockwave creates a large surface, the fragmentation of the shell is effectively random, so the thickness of the wall can be inconsistent. Intentionally putting yourself into one of the thinnest portions may be effective, but it isn’t an idea any ordinary person would ever think of.”

“…”

A hard sound could be heard as Aizono created a blade from oil and tried to stand up using it in place of a cane. However, her puny weapon soon turned back into dripping oil. Her control had been taken.

“Well, this is the best arrangement direction-wise, so we can just continue this like normal. It looks like we might finish this without having to crush Saitou Souta.”

“…He…has nothing to do with this,” said Aizono, sounding like she had something caught in the back of her throat. “If this has to do with White Alligator…I can do it instead. Why are you…going this far…to involve him…”

“Don’t be silly. Our anger is primarily targeted toward Saitou Souta,” said Maki.

While breathing heavily, Aizono Mio frowned and muttered, “Why? He…has no connection…to the darkness. So he has no connection…to White Alligator…”

“Yes, he has no connection. ''That is exactly why we are angry''.”

A dark tone could be seen in her smile.

Just like with Aizono Mio, something hidden below could be seen in her smile.

“ ‘I want to save everyone. I want to hear the shouts of people’s hearts that have been overlooked. I want to heal the wounds of those who have become truly cornered. I want to hold out my hand even when I have so little strength. I want to save even those of White Alligator.’ …Saitou Souta’s words do sound wonderful and they bring light with their grounding in a proper worldview from a proper world.”

“What, are you saying he was a lying hypocrite? He showed he meant what he said with me. As a member of White Alligator, you should understand just how difficult returning one of us to being a normal person is.”

“''But Saitou Souta did not save us.''”

Aizono Mio froze in place.

Meanwhile, Maki’s words continued as if they were slipping into her ears.

“He was satisfied with saving you. He did not go any further. He proved he had the power to save those of White Alligator with you, but he abandoned us for his own personal reasons.”

“Did he just grow sick of it all? He may have been satisfied after having some fun, but surely his collector’s spirit would have been telling him to continue on. If you’re going to do something, lick the bones clean. Just picking at it a bit and calling it quits is rude to the cook and to the people who don’t have enough to eat,” added Kobina.

“It all started for us when our hopes were cut off in front of us. Surely you can imagine how you would react if he had told you one day that he had had enough and was calling it quits with you. We all experienced that same hell,” said Sayori.

A single girl had been saved from an inescapable hell. That alone would make for a lovely story, but how much pain would that cause for the others who had watched the hero leave without them.

Even after those in control of White Alligator had fallen to ruin, some had been unable to escape the darkness. Others had managed to escape, but had been unable to fit into normal society, so they were shown a different hell. And eventually, a portion of them had gathered in one place once more.

“We wanted to be saved too,” said Maki as if she was squeezing out the words. The ability to shed common tears had left her long ago. “We wanted to become a heroine like you. There were no clear conditions that decided it. Just because he was satisfied with only you, the gates of hell were slammed shut in our faces. How is that not reason to be angry?”

“You…idiots…” muttered Aizono. “In that case, baring your fangs toward him is the same as throwing away your last chance.”

“Weren’t you listening? We ‘wanted’ to be saved. In the past tense. We no longer have the ability to have such silly dreams.”

From the beginning, there had been no help for those in White Alligator.

It may have even been wrong for Aizono Mio to be pulled out of that situation. Even if that was such a warm and lovely mistake, it may have been wrong for Saitou Souta to have had anything to do with that world.

However…

When Saitou Souta saw what he saw in the depths of that hell, he was not the type of person to be afraid or disgusted; he was saddened. Aizono Mio was not about to let that miraculous movement of his heart lead to his death.

“…He did nothing wrong,” spat out Aizono as she stared sharply at the other three girls. “If anyone was in the wrong, it was me. If I had not been saved, this anger would never have come to be. So it is I that should receive your anger, not him.”

“Your ability to think like that shows that you really have regained your humanity. That will do nothing but make us jealous and regretful.”

The sound of straining rubber could be heard. The countless rubber bands that made up the Multiphase Straight Hammer gathered in once place.

“We will continue with the standard method that leaves you with no hope. We will not try to be the heroine and say we will beautifully finish this in one blow. We are the gators that crawl through the sewers, so we will tear at your flesh slowly but surely with the shockwaves. We will keep you from moving and rip you to pieces without giving you an opening.”

As she spoke, Maki used her power to create the special projectile.

And she gave signal of destruction.

“Fire. And continue firing.”