Editing Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume7 Chapter1 (section)

===Part 4===

Kamijou’s biggest mistake had been using his right hand for the Aradia countermeasure. He was firmly holding her hand, but the high-voltage current running through his body was negated when it reached his wrist and none of it reached the Transcendent.

The pointy-haired boy was twitching on the gravel when one of the expressionless Sisters addressed him.

“Um.” In fact, she crouched down, grabbed at his jacket, and refused to let go. “Misaka heard about a New Year’s custom from another Misaka over the Misaka Network. Specifically, #10032, hints Misaka #10998 while fidgeting nervously.”

“Misaka wants to do that too, says Misaka #10777 to ask for a lovely memory.”

“Misaka wants in too, says Misaka #15009 while making sure you don’t get away.”

Kamijou looked puzzled.

For the Sisters, this truly was their first ever New Year’s. He had no reason to turn them away if they wanted to enjoy the holiday. There was hanetsuki, flying kites, and maybe karuta? He could think of a few New Year’s activities that a high schooler wouldn’t be all that into.

“Wait, #10032? You mean Misaka’s Sister? What did she tell you?”

Maybe it was their brainwaves being synchronized for the network, but they all nodded at once.

He shouldn’t have let his guard down. These were cursed words he had to avoid hearing at all costs.

But the gates of hell were already opening.

“Misaka #10032 told the Misakas about the custom of receiving New Year’s money, say the Misakas, bringing up the filthy topic of money.”

Kamijou was petrified.

Come to think of it. As his life started flashing before his eyes, he saw #10032 working as a guard at the east gate. It was true he had paid her a bribe to let him through while carrying tied-up Aradia and he had indeed claimed it was only a gift of New Year’s money, but did this mean every one of the Sisters knew about that thanks to the Misaka Network!?

The clone girls were inching closer with yen signs and dollar signs dancing ominously in their emotionless eyes.

“Wait, wait, wait!! N-New Year’s money? I get what you mean, but how many of you are there!? Even if I gave each of you 500 yen, there are almost 10 thousand of you, so…eh? Wouldn’t that be enough money to buy a car!?”

“Even an elementary schooler would click her tongue at her kindly grandfather if she opened the envelope and only found a single 500-yen coin in this day and age, warns Misaka #18000 with a glare.”

“Why are new numbers popping up!? C-can’t we simplify this by focusing on how much I’m giving to the Sisters as a whole? And you can share memories and experiences through the Misaka Network, so don’t I only need to give it to one of you?”

“But that wouldn’t be fair, says Misaka #19518 while pouting her lips to look cute.”

“Another new number… How many Sisters are wandering around this shrine!?”

“To begin with, the amount #10032 was given at the east gate was-”

He quickly reached his arms around the expressionless girl and covered her mouth with both hands.

“(Stop it, you idiot! That super-serious-looking twintails girl over there is wearing a Judgment armband, so please don’t let her know I smuggled Aradia into the city!!)”

But that choice backfired.

The various currency signs vanished from the Sisters’ eyes as they found something new to focus on.

“Misaka too.”

“Misaka wants to be held like that too, begs Misaka #10777.”

“Is the surprise New Year’s hug another Japanese custom? asks Misa-”

Kamijou’s pleas fell on deaf ears.

Mikoto took Shirai Kuroko’s hand and Shokuhou took Hokaze Junko’s and they swiftly escaped outside the encirclement.

Letting go of Aradia’s hand while being zapped had been a mistake. When the real possibility of death showed itself, she casually put some distance between them.

Index was too busy stuffing her face with free dangos to notice what was happening.

The Sister in charge of security here would have received an important warning when she was being trained in how to handle lost children, what to do with suspicious abandoned bags, and whether to call Anti-Skill or an ambulance first when someone needed emergency assistance for alcohol poisoning or whatever else.

Namely, she would have been told to avoid a domino effect when guiding people.

When more than 100 people fell in the same direction, the pressure could be destructive enough to crush a light truck.

An unpleasant squashing noise echoed across the New Year’s scene.

Imagine Breaker was powerless against the pressure caused by a crowd of girls.