Editing Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume5 Chapter4 (section)

===Part 5===

An unnatural amount of sparks scattered like a flamethrower and concrete fragments were launched out in a fan shape.

(He could actually negate the fragments with his right hand, but maybe there are too many for him to handle. Or did he get the wrong idea after touching the duct tape and mop without issue?)

Kihara Hasuu didn’t feel any need to check beyond the dust cloud.

He had wondered how much this boy could do since he had held a central position in the ''previous'' Board Chairman’s plan, but this was a real disappointment.

(The Taboo is a mixture of a physical space and the Imaginary Number District, but the items brought here are unaffected. I don’t know who had been in here, but Imagine Breaker won’t work on the regularly resupplied items like mops and detergent bottles.)

Or…

“In this case, Risako-kun’s special trait won out,” muttered Kihara Hasuu, all on his own now.

Operation Handcuffs had truly been hell on earth. He knew that all too well since he had lost his life at the very end. If anyone who played any role in those events manage to survive to the end, you had all the proof you needed that they were unusual.

And of all of those, Risako had the most impressive record since she had survived Handcuffs without fighting even once.

He had originally only wanted her to deter Frillsand #G, so now that she had refused to cooperate, he had no reason to include her in this.

Yet he had still done so.

Consciously or not, Risako changed something in her surroundings with her mere presence.

“Kihara Noukan was never seen emerging from the sewers.”

He whispered.

“Vivana Oniguma died protecting the child.”

He whispered.

“Drencher Kihara Repatri goes without saying.”

He whispered.

“Hamazura Shiage was shot accidentally at the very end.”

He whispered.

A smile spread across his face while he lifted the chainsaw in both hands.

Whether she wanted it or not, Risako’s weakness had dragged down everyone around her and given Handcuffs its ending. That was a fact. But if she picked up the plain power that was a chainsaw to overcome that weakness, she would become a new central point spreading even more death.

She had the drive to do what she set her mind to.

But she also accepted what people told her and obeyed the warnings strangers gave her.

She stayed true to herself while actively listening to others. Not many people could manage both like that. Not even professional journalists who made a living asking people questions and gathering information. For example, that dark side paparazzo had put too much emphasis on herself.

In terms of old stories, Risako was the honest person who benefited the most despite setting foot in another world.

Her actions must have seemed strange indeed on the dark side where everyone assumed ulterior motives in everyone else. Some of those villains and demons may have paid an unnecessary price there and then tilted their heads in confusion. Yes, a powerless and honest person could sometimes take down the strongest resident of the darkness. They would unwittingly eliminate their cruel neighbor using the rules of that other world.

Kihara Hasuu had wanted to destroy that here.

After she boiled her goodness down to the level of a complex and finally grasped the thread of hope, it would have only led her to the trap he had laid. Just like he had once told Ladybird she was an experiment for creating esper androids who could replace the children being harmed by Academy City. The look on her face when she learned she needed to consume other people’s brains to survive had been priceless.

He had learned so much leading up to this moment.

He had been looking forward to that ending, but Risako had ruined it all.

If not for that, she wouldn’t have needed to hang from the ceiling like a bagworm.

“Hee hee. ''But it’s all the same to me as long as it’s entertaining.'' Having a trump card like this is certainly interesting. And it’s such a minor factor, like sprinkling something into the pot to make it all boil. Risako-kun, you may have been the greatest monster in Handcuffs.”

That was when he heard a solid footstep.

In that moment, he forgot all about the brutal chainsaw he held.

He looked up without thinking and then froze in place.

That was how much of a surprise this was.

Handcuffs was not over yet.

[[Image:GT_Index_v05_BW9.jpg|thumb]]

This was a true continuation, with no need for the dead or for distorting the world.

The boy was sickly pale and looked to be at death’s door.

But he still jabbed his thumb back at his face and spat out the simplest logic necessary to break this spectral curse.

“''Guess who’s not dead.''”

The villainous Kihara was paid a visit by Hamazura Shiage, the very person who had killed him the first time.

One more boy had been reckless enough to put his one and only body into danger to protect the dignity of the young girl who had been struggling all alone against the worst possible dark side researcher.

He still wore a surgical gown and several tubes and cords hung from his arms and stomach. His lips were dry and cracked and his skin didn’t even have enough strength left to sweat.

Nevertheless.

Kamijou Touma was not the only one who had received Risako’s feelings and stood up to save her.

The failure of Handcuffs didn’t matter.

It was time for Academy City to grow and to let everyone know it had changed.