Editing Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume5 Chapter3 (section)

===Between the Lines 4===

A voice whispered deep in the darkness below Academy City.

No one knew these depths even existed.

But was this really a voice? It was a lot like starting to find meaning after listening to any long, drawn-out noise, like a deep groan.

“You are weak, which places a greater burden on those around you.”

The words felt like a physical blow as several faces appeared and disappeared in the back of the young girl’s mind.

…The doggy she had met in the sewers and never seen again.

…Vivana Oniguma who had protected her from that big muscle man and later been reported dead.

…Drencher Kihara Repatri who had fallen to a bullet before her eyes.

…The older delinquent boy who had brought her and Sodate-chan to the surface and then been shot by a grownup.

“This will keep happening.”

The girl curled up and held her head in her hands so she couldn’t hear anything.

So she failed to hear ''the female voice'' that was weaker than the first voice but still tried to reach her. A grinding sound dragged her away from salvation. The sound of gears locking together and turning a chain.

“If you want to avoid any further sacrifices, you have no choice but to change yourself. Risako-kun, your only option is to make yourself strong.”

At first, that might sound reassuring.

But that was all the more reason to be cautious. The more reassuring the suggestion, the harder it was to emotionally reject it even if it made no sense.

“So ''use me''. As a Kihara, I can make you the strongest person in the entire dark side.”

Whether they were natural or artificial, ghosts did exist.

Ironically, that had been proven by Frillsand #G, who most wanted to protect this young girl.

In other words, ''death wasn’t necessarily enough to put an end to a true villain’s villainy.