Editing Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item3 Chapter4 (section)

===Part 14===

The explosive boom was compressed and the flash of light twisted around.

For only a moment, Kinuhata sensed complete nothingness.

It was a strange floating sensation.

But time was still passing just the same.

She heard a dry sizzling sound.

And she wasn’t imagining it.

It was the sound of the skin burning off the surface of an outstretched palm.

The Judgment execution squad’s Asteroid Destruction Strategic Defense Laser Attack was not responsible. Mugino’s Meltdowner was so powerful it had started to destroy her own body.

In other words, she was losing control.

“Super Mugi-”

“''Interesting''.”

In a complete contrast to Kinuhata’s pale face, battle freak Mugino had a brutal smile on her face.

She had to be feeling pain.

She had to be feeling a fear different from being blown away all at once.

But.

She didn’t care.

“You attacked my sister and made her cry. I hope you aren’t expecting a quick and painless death. You’d better be ready to experience hellllllllllllll!!!”

Mugino’s perfectly maintained nails split and peeled back.

The intensity of the light grew.



''“As Class Rep, I end up hearing a lot of people’s problems. So if you’re ever in real trouble, you can come to me. I’ll do anything to help you out!”



Mugino suddenly remembered those words.

The words of another girl she might have called her sister if only they hadn’t encountered each other in the city’s darkness.



''“One day, I will rescue you from the darkness.”



Mugino roared more from her gut than her lungs.

She was ''sick of this.

She never again wanted to see a familiar face lose its color while the light faded from the eyes.

And she chose to believe.

She was a Level 5. She was Meltdowner.

That detective must have already discovered that Mugino held the power necessary to avoid that worst possible ending.



''“I don’t know what kind of world you’ve gotten yourself involved in! But I can tell you have something going on outside of school and I can guess that it isn’t anything as peaceful as working part-time at a convenience store after school.”



A sharp explosion erupted.

From directly behind Kinuhata.

Light and electrons. They both entered an intensely excited state that grew uncontrollably. As if avoiding a great pressure, the Asteroid Destruction Strategic Defense Laser Attack veered off in the wrong direction, blasting through a pyramid of containers and out through Reserve Meal’s outer wall.

Meanwhile, the massive beam was pushed straight ahead.

Takitsubo twisted around and got down on the frozen floor. Removing the Illuminate Fencer blade from the track suit girl’s throat had been a definite mistake. Inoue Fox could have at least prepared to fire after slitting her throat. Or maybe that was a villain’s idea that wouldn’t occur to justice.

The beam shot out and scorched the air.

The one attack didn’t obliterate Inoue Fox’s upper body, but probably only because Mugino had intentionally diverted it away.

Still, the intense heat caused the air to expand and the shockwave slammed into the white uniform girl.

She was sent spinning through the air.

This was Meltdowner.

This was one of Academy City’s seven Level 5s.

Satou Lycaon reached out her arms to try and catch Inoue Fox before she hit the frozen floor, so she was knocked down along with her. Tanaka Jackal was struck by the splinters of a broken box, knocking her out. Yamada Coyote looked between her collapsed teammates and the exit before crumbling to the floor with the simple shotgun still in her grasp.

At some point, Frenda had gotten back on her feet.

She was badly beaten up, but she could still stand.

She had struck the girl on the back of the head with the bottom of a detonator that had to be heavier than a phone.

“Heh. In the end, give me a chance to participate.”

Takitsubo got up from the frozen floor.

Frenda grinned and joined Takitsubo as they approached Kinuhata.

Kinuhata wondered what look she had on her face.

She didn’t bother searching for a mirror.

Mugino, who was still in her small arms, was refusing to look her in the eye for some reason.

Then the leader girl turned around and raised her palm.

“…”

It was the science cult that had killed the Judgment girl.

(You’re…)

It was Item and the Frees that had killed the Sadistic Dolls.

(…dead…)

And it was Item that had exterminated the Frees.

(…mea-)

And.

It was also Item that had killed Detective Shiratori Okibi who had discovered the truth of the case and revealed the presence of the execution squad.

“Tch.”

Mugino clicked her tongue and the light slowly vanished from her palm.

''“Malicious or accidental, any involvement in a Judgment death must not be tolerated. If you were there and capable of making your own choices, you should have saved her. No matter what.”

She recalled Inoue Fox’s words.

Like with so many other cases, it came down to this.

''“Then we would have used our lives and justice to repay your kindness.”

Had she made this choice because Kinuhata had gently grabbed her wrist just before she fired?

Or was it her memory of the Class Rep?

The leader girl irritably spat out her words.

“Then we’ve got no reason to kill you. We’ve got nothing to do with you and your pain-in-the-ass justice.”