Editing Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume9 Chapter2 (section)

===Part 6===

The term “martial law” gained greater weight within Hamazura Shiage.

Not long ago, he had been able to stop by the local discount store, but now it took courage to even open the front door. This was different from Anti-Skill or Judgment lecturing him. He most feared the watchful eyes of their neighbors in this same apartment building.

Mugino Shizuri and Kinuhata Saiai were self-centered enough to just walk on out regardless, but they weren’t around at the moment.

What were they even doing out there when everything was so dangerous?

Knowing them, they may have seen value in that danger itself.

“I keep tapping, but the video always stops a second or two in… The phone network has really slowed down, hasn’t it?”

“Hamazura, I think everyone is messing around on their phones and tablets because they don’t have anything else to do.”

It wasn’t that he didn’t have a connection at all, but even a slight slowdown was frustrating when he was so used to more comfortable speeds. Thanks to that, he had left the old-fashioned TV on. As long as you didn’t use any of the net-connected channels, the TV always ran smoothly.

If only there was any useful information there.

When the city was under martial law, it didn’t do anyone any good to tease the audience with a special on the top 10 restaurants in the city. He understood they were just using up all their stockpiled shows, but it still felt so out of place. Didn’t they know no one could head out to visit these places?

What all was happening out there while he was stuck in here?

He was caught in the middle of it, but he could barely find any information.

“Will we be okay staying here?” asked track suit girl Takitsubo with an absentminded tilt of her head.

“It was whoever’s in charge that told us to stay in here. I’m all for having an officially-sanctioned excuse to keep the lazy holiday going.”

“Do we have enough food?”

“If not, the government will bring us some. They started this, so it’s on them.”

As soon as Hamazura said that, he heard a gentle electronic bell.

He checked the intercom screen and saw a drum-shaped cleaning robot slowly crossing the path. The machine spoke with an artificial feminine voice.

“This building is not an authorized shelter. Please check your maps and move to the nearest disaster shelter as soon as possible. Remaining here would be exceedingly dangerous to your lives and your property.”

“Ehhh!? But they’re the ones who told us to stay at home! They could at least run an emergency news broadcast telling us what’s going on out there!!”

“Let’s hope there are no hordes of zombies wandering around, Hamazura.”