Baka-Tsuki - User contributions [en]

Template:Toaru:Brief

2024-11-21T15:45:21Z

January:

[[Image:To Aru Majutsu no Index new cover.jpg|250px|thumb|New Illustration Art]]
<p><span style="color:mediumblue"><u>'''''Toaru Majutsu no Index'''''</u></span> (とある魔術の禁書目録（インデックス）, lit. ''A Certain Magical Index'') is a Japanese light novel series written by [[:Category:Kazuma Kamachi|Kazuma Kamachi]] (鎌池和馬) and illustrated by Kiyotaka Haimura (はいむらきよたか). The series is published by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASCII_Media_Works ASCII Media Works] under their [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dengeki_Bunko Dengeki Bunko] imprint. There are currently '''{{#expr: 45 + 11 + 6}}''' published volumes of the novels, including '''6''' side story volumes. Regularly placing in the top 10 of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kono_Light_Novel_ga_Sugoi! Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi!] rankings, it was one of select few series inducted into its hall of fame from 2021 onward.

</p>A sequel novel series titled <span style="color:midnightblue"><u>'''''Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index'''''</u></span> (新約 とある魔術の禁書目録（インデックス）, lit. ''A Certain Magical Index: New Testament'') began publishing in 2011 and concluded in July 2019 with its 23rd installment. A new sequel novel series titled <span style="color:darkblue"><u>'''''Souyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index'''''</u></span> (創約 とある魔術の禁書目録（インデックス）, lit. ''A Certain Magical Index: Genesis Testament'') began publishing in 2020.</p>

<p>The series has produced a manga with '''31''' published volumes, three anime seasons based on the contents of the original novels and inspired a PSP game. The anime adaptation has also inspired an animated film titled <span style="color:purple"><u>'''''Gekijōban Toaru Majutsu no Index: Endymion no Kiseki'''''</u></span> (劇場版とある魔術の禁書目録（インデックス）エンデュミオンの奇蹟, lit. ''A Certain Magical Index the Movie: Miracle of Endymion'') which in turn inspired a PSP game tie-in and manga adaptation with '''2''' published volumes. Furthermore, the series has collaborated the Cyber Trooper Virtual-On series with a novel, a manga adaptation with '''3''' published volumes and a sequel PS4/Vita game.</p>

<p>The series has also produced a spin-off manga titled <span style="color:crimson"><u>'''''Toaru Kagaku no Railgun'''''</u></span> (とある科学の超電磁砲（レールガン）, lit. ''A Certain Scientific Railgun''), which currently has '''19''' published volumes and has also been adapted into three anime seasons and inspired an OVA and a PSP game as well as its own spin-off: <span style="color:lightcoral"><u>'''''Astral Buddy'''''</u></span>, which has completed serialization with '''4''' published volumes. A second spin-off manga titled <span style="color:darkslategray"><u>'''''Toaru Kagaku no Accelerator'''''</u></span> (とある科学の一方通行(アクセラレータ), lit. ''A Certain Scientific Accelerator'') has completed serialization with '''12''' published volumes and has recently been adapted into an anime. A third spin-off manga titled <span style="color:coral"><u>'''''Toaru Kagaku no Mental Out'''''</u></span> (とある科学の心理掌握(メンタルアウト), lit. ''A Certain Scientific Mental Out'') began serialization in mid 2021 and currently has '''3''' published volumes.</p>

Index Calendar

2024-07-10T09:56:26Z

January:

[[Image:A_Certain_Unified_Calendar.png|900px|thumb|none|An unofficial calendar of events in the Toaru Majutsu no Index franchise]]

==Current Dates Across Franchise==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Name!!Material!!Issue!!Current Date in Material
|-
|<span style="color:blue">'''Toaru Majutsu no Index'''</span>||'''Light Novels'''||'''GT10'''||7th of January (next year)
|-
|<span style="color:purple">'''Toaru Anbu no Item'''</span>||''Light Novels''||Item 3||31st of August (previous year)
|-
|<span style="color:blue">'''Toaru Majutsu no Index'''</span>||''Manga''||Ch. 193||~17th of October
|-
|<span style="color:crimson">'''Toaru Kagaku no Railgun'''</span>||''Manga''||Ch. 155||~15th of October (Ch. 130)<br/>April (current year, Ch. 155)
|-
|<span style="color:darkslategray">'''Toaru Kagaku no Accelerator'''</span>||''Manga''||Ch. 63||14th of September
|-
|<span style="color:deeppink">'''Astral Buddy'''</span>||''Manga''||Ch. 30||~3rd of October
|-
|<span style="color:darkviolet">'''Toaru Kagaku no Dark Matter'''</span>||''Manga''||Ch. 4||~8th of September
|-
|<span style="color:gold">'''Toaru Kagaku no Mental Out'''</span>||''Manga''||Ch. 25||October
|-
|<span style="color:purple">'''Toaru Anbu no Item'''</span>||''Manga''||Ch. 7||2nd of June (previous year)
|-
|<span style="color:blue">'''Toaru Majutsu no Index'''</span>||Anime||Ep. III-26||31st of October
|-
|<span style="color:crimson">'''Toaru Kagaku no Railgun'''</span>||Anime||Ep. T-25||~11th of October
|-
|<span style="color:darkslategray">'''Toaru Kagaku no Accelerator'''</span>||Anime||Ep. 12||~8th of September
|}

==Brief Notes not currently in Calendar==
===Index: Old Testament===
===Index: New Testament===
===Index: Genesis Testament===
===Railgun===
===Accelerator===
===Astral Buddy===
===Dark Matter===
===Mental Out===

Return to [[Toaru Majutsu no Index|'''Toaru Majutsu no Index Main Page''']].

Template:Toaru:Updates

2024-07-10T09:49:14Z

January:

*December 19, 2023 — [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume9|GT Volume 9]] — '''Completed.'''
*April 8, 2024 — Mikoto vs. Misaki — '''Completed.'''
*April 24, 2024 — [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume10|GT Volume 10]] — '''Completed.'''
*June 24, 2024 — Item Volume 3 — '''Completed.'''
'''All updates can be found on the [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Updates|Toaru Majutsu no Index Updates Page]].'''

Template:Toaru:Updates

2024-07-10T09:46:58Z

January:

*December 19, 2023 - [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume9|GT Volume 9]] - '''Completed.'''
*April 8, 2024 - Mikoto vs. Misaki - '''Completed'''
*April 24, 2024 - [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume10|GT Volume 10]] - '''Completed'''
*June 24, 2024 - Item Volume 3 - '''Completed'''
'''All updates can be found on the [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Updates|Toaru Majutsu no Index Updates Page]].'''

Toaru Majutsu no Index:Updates

2024-07-10T09:44:00Z

January:

==2009==
*February 27, 2009 — <u>'''Project page created.'''</u>

==2010==
*March 1, 2010 — Volume 12 — '''Completed.'''
*March 13, 2010 — Volume 7 — '''Completed.'''
*April 13, 2010 — Volume 9 — '''Completed.'''
*June 27, 2010 — Volume 10 — '''Completed.'''
*August 27, 2010 — Volume 8 — '''Completed.'''
*September 25, 2010 — Volume 13 — '''Completed.'''
*October 31, 2010 — Volume 11 — '''Completed.'''

==2011==
===January===
*January 25, 2011 — Volume 14 — '''Completed.'''
===February===
*February 10, 2011 — Volume SS1 — '''Completed.'''
*February 26, 2011 — Volume 15 — '''Completed.'''
===March===
*March 1, 2011 — Volume 16 — '''Completed.'''
*March 14, 2011 — Volume SS2 — '''Completed.'''
===April===
*April 7, 2011 — NT Volume 1 — '''Completed.'''
===May===
*May 3, 2011 — Volume 17 — '''Completed.'''
*May 4, 2011 — Volume 6 — '''Completed.'''
*May 9, 2011 — Volume 1 — '''Completed.'''
*May 21, 2011 — Volume 18 — '''Completed.'''
*May 29, 2011 — Volume 19 — '''Completed.'''
===June===
*June 13, 2011 — Volume 20 — '''Completed.'''
*June 21, 2011 — Volume 4 — '''Completed.'''
*June 22, 2011 — Volume 21 — '''Completed.'''
*June 23, 2011 — Volume 5 — '''Completed.'''
*June 23, 2011 — Volume 22 — '''Completed.'''
===July===
*July 3, 2011 — Volume 3 — '''Completed.'''
*July 7, 2011 — Volume 2 — '''Completed.'''
**'''First Series — Completed.'''
*July 12, 2011 — Love Letter SS — '''Completed.'''
*July 20, 2011 — Railgun SS: Liberal Arts City — '''Completed.'''
===August===
*August 18, 2011 — NT Volume 2 — '''Completed.'''
*August 28, 2011 — Toaru Jihanki no Fanfare — '''Completed.'''
===October===
*October 13, 2011 — Index SS: Norse Mythology — '''Completed.'''
*October 15, 2011 — Railgun SS2: Shopping Mall Demonstration — '''Completed.'''
===November===
*November 9, 2011 — Volume SP — '''Completed.'''

==2012==
*January 8, 2012 — NT Volume 3 — '''Completed.'''
*March 22, 2012 — NT Volume 4 — '''Completed.'''
*April 24, 2012 — Railgun SS: A Superfluous Story, or A Certain Incident’s End — '''Completed.'''
*October 23, 2012 — NT Volume 5 — '''Completed.'''

==2013==
*January 27, 2013 — NT Volume 6 — '''Completed.'''
*January 31, 2013 — A Certain Prophecy Index — '''Completed.'''
*March 8, 2013 — Road to Endymion — '''Completed.'''
*May 23, 2013 — NT Volume 7 — '''Completed.'''
*August 5, 2013 — A Certain Collaboration — '''Completed.'''
*September 25, 2013 — NT Volume 8 — '''Completed.'''

==2014==
===January===
*January 29, 2014 — NT Volume 9 — '''Completed.'''
*January 31, 2014 — A Certain Academy Index — '''Completed.'''
===February===
*February 4, 2014 — A Certain March Gift Exchange — '''Completed.'''
*February 6, 2014 — A Certain March 201st Volume — '''Completed.'''
*February 6, 2014 — I Don't Want This First Story of A Certain Magical Index!! or I Don't Want This Final Story!! — '''Completed.'''
===March===
*March 30, 2014 — Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Necessarius Special Entrance Exam — '''Completed.'''
===April===
*April 20, 2014 — <u>'''Yen Press announces A Certain Magical Index License Acquisition.'''</u>
===May===
*May 23, 2014 — NT Volume 10 — '''Completed.'''
===August===
*August 28, 2014 — <u>'''Toaru Majutsu no Index Project Page is Split.'''</u>
===September===
*September 8, 2014 — <span style="color:crimson"><u>'''First Series of Toaru Majutsu no Index is Abandoned.'''</u></span>
*September 12, 2014 — Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament SS — '''Completed.'''
===October===
*October 20, 2014 — NT Volume 11 — '''Completed.'''

==2015==
*March 27, 2015 — NT Volume 12 — '''Completed.'''
*April 24, 2015 — The Circumstances Leading to a Certain Magical Heavy Zashiki Warashi’s Simple Killer Queen's Marriage — '''Completed.'''
*July 23, 2015 — NT Volume 13 — '''Completed.'''
*November 19, 2015 — NT Volume 14 — '''Completed.'''

==2016==
*February 7, 2016 — Toaru Majutsu no Index: Shokuhou Misaki Figurine SS — '''Completed.'''
*April 25, 2016 — NT Volume 15 — '''Completed.'''
*August 21, 2016 — NT Volume 16 — '''Completed.'''
*September 26, 2016 — Toaru Majutsu no Index: A Certain Midsummer Return to the Staring Point — '''Completed.'''
*October 23, 2016 — Kamijou-san, Two Idiots, Jinnai Shinobu, Gray Pig, and Freedom Award 903, Listen Up! …Fall Asleep and You Die, But Not From the Cold☆ — '''Completed.'''
*November 24, 2016 — NT Volume 17 — '''Completed.'''

==2017==
*April 10, 2017 — A Certain Magical Virtual-On — '''Completed.'''
*April 31, 2017 — Toaru Majutsu no Index: Using Final Bosses to Determine a Sociological Threat — '''Completed.'''
*May 19, 2017 — NT Volume 18 — '''Completed.'''
*May 27, 2017 — New Testament 18 Bonus Short Story — '''Completed.'''
*September 29, 2017 — Toaru Majutsu no Index PSP — '''Completed.'''
*October 23, 2017 — NT Volume 19 — '''Completed.'''
*October 28, 2017 — Thus Spoke the Kumokawa Sisters — '''Completed.'''
*November 6, 2017 — Will the Spiky-Haired Idiot See a Piping Hot Dream of His Wife? — '''Completed.'''
*November 12, 2017 — An All-In "World" Tour of Academy City, the 37th Mobile Maintenance Battalion, and Ground's Nir!! — '''Completed.'''
*November 13, 2017 — We Tried Having a Group Blind Date, but It was an All Stars Affair and a World Crisis — '''Completed.'''

==2018==
*January 11, 2018 — Toaru Kagaku no Railgun: Cold Game — '''Completed.'''
*February 25, 2018 — Toaru Majutsu no Virtual-On: Vooster’s Cup, The Day Before — '''Completed.'''
*February 26, 2018 — Toaru Majutsu no Virtual-On: Misaka Mikoto's Dangerous Tea Party — '''Completed.'''
*April 30, 2018 — Toaru Majutsu no Index: Birthday Through the Glass — '''Completed.'''
*July 2, 2018 — NT Volume 20 — '''Completed.'''
*July 2, 2018 — New Testament 20 Bonus Short Story — '''Completed.'''
*September 13, 2018 — Toaru Majutsu no Index: Misaka Mikoto’s Teamwork — '''Completed.'''
*October 9, 2018 — Dengeki Island: A Girl’s Battle (Still Growing) — '''Completed.'''
*October 28, 2018 — NT Volume 21 — '''Completed.'''

==2019==
*March 25, 2019 — NT Volume 22 — '''Completed.'''
*July 22, 2019 — NT Volume 22 Reverse — '''Completed.'''
**'''Second Series — Completed.'''
*August 4, 2019 — Toaru Kagaku no Railgun SS3 — '''Completed.'''

==2020==
*January 29, 2020 — Kamijou Touma Visits Another World — '''Completed.'''
*February 14, 2020 — GT Volume 1 — '''Completed.'''
*March 9, 2020 — Index SS: Biohacker — '''Completed.'''
*May 11, 2020 — Toaru Majutsu no Index: Genesis Testament SS — '''Completed.'''
*July 19, 2020 — GT Volume 2 — '''Completed.'''
*November 22, 2020 — GT Volume 3 — '''Completed.'''
*December 27, 2020 — Index SS: Agnese’s Magic Side Work Trial — '''Completed.'''

==2021==
*April 3, 2021 — Index VS Durarara!! — '''Completed.'''
*May 21, 2021 — GT Volume 4 — '''Completed.'''
*December 27, 2021 — GT Volume 5 — '''Completed.'''

==2022==
*April 18, 2022 — GT Volume 6 — '''Completed.'''
*June 21, 2022 — Railgun — '''Completed.'''
*September 26, 2022 - GT Volume 7 - '''Completed.'''

==2023==
*March 18, 2023 - Item Volume 1 - '''Completed.'''
*May 29, 2023 - GT Volume 8 - '''Completed.'''
*August 26, 2023 - Item Volume 2 - '''Completed.'''
*December 19, 2023 - GT Volume 9 - '''Completed.'''

==2024==
*April 8, 2024 - Mikoto vs. Misaki - '''Completed'''
*April 24, 2024 - GT Volume 10 - '''Completed'''
*June 24, 2024 - Item Volume 3 - '''Completed'''

Template:Toaru:Series Overview

2024-07-10T09:39:57Z

January: /* Japanese */

===[http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/series/a-certain-magical-index/?yen English]===
<div class="mw-customtoggle-Eng" style="width:100%;background:#1d6ebf;cursor:pointer" align="center"><span style="color:white">'''<big>Released</big>'''</span></div>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:left;margin:5px20pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:100%" id="mw-customcollapsible-Eng">
'''First Series'''
*A Certain Magical Index 1 ---(November 18, 2014, ISBN 978-0-316-33912-4)
*A Certain Magical Index 2 ---(February 24, 2015, ISBN 978-0-316-25942-2)
*A Certain Magical Index 3 ---(May 19, 2015, ISBN 978-0-316-34040-3)
*A Certain Magical Index 4 ---(August 18, 2015, ISBN 978-0-316-34056-4)
*A Certain Magical Index 5 ---(November 17, 2015, ISBN 978-0-316-34059-5)
*A Certain Magical Index 6 ---(February 23, 2016, ISBN 978-0-316-34060-1)
*A Certain Magical Index 7 ---(June 28, 2016, ISBN 978-0-316-27223-0)
*A Certain Magical Index 8 ---(August 23, 2016, ISBN 978-0-316-35995-5)
*A Certain Magical Index 9 ---(November 15, 2016, ISBN 978-0-316-35997-9)
*A Certain Magical Index 10 ---(February 21, 2017, ISBN 978-0-316-35998-6)
*A Certain Magical Index 11 ---(May 23, 2017, ISBN 978-0-316-36001-2)
*A Certain Magical Index 12 ---(August 22, 2017, ISBN 978-0-316-36002-9)
*A Certain Magical Index 13 ---(November 14, 2017, ISBN 978-0-316-44267-1)
*A Certain Magical Index 14 ---(February 20, 2018, ISBN 978-0-316-44270-1)
*A Certain Magical Index 15 ---(May 22, 2018, ISBN 978-0-316-44272-5)
*A Certain Magical Index 16 ---(August 21, 2018, ISBN 978-0-316-44274-9)
*A Certain Magical Index 17 ---(November 13, 2018, ISBN 978-0-316-47454-2)
*A Certain Magical Index 18 ---(January 19, 2019, ISBN 978-0-316-47456-6)
*A Certain Magical Index 19 ---(June 18, 2019, ISBN 978-1-975-35756-6)
*A Certain Magical Index 20 ---(October 1, 2019, ISBN 978-1-975-33124-5)
*A Certain Magical Index 21 ---(December 17, 2019, ISBN 978-1-975-33126-9)
*A Certain Magical Index 22 ---(March 24, 2020, ISBN 978-1-9753-3128-3)
*A Certain Magical Index SS ---(November 17, 2020, ISBN 978-1-9753-1797-3)
*A Certain Magical Index SS2 ---(March 2, 2021, ISBN 978-1-9753-1799-7)
*A Certain Magical Index: The Old Testament Omnibus Edition ---(August 8, 2023, ISBN 978-1-9753-5158-8)
'''Second Series'''
*A Certain Magical Index NT 1 ---(December 12, 2023, ISBN 978-1-975-38065-6)
*A Certain Magical Index NT 2 ---(May 21, 2024, ISBN 978-1-975-38835-5)
</div>


===[http://dengekibunko.jp/?s=とある魔術の禁書目録 Japanese]===
<div class="mw-customtoggle-First" style="width:100%;background:#cee0f2;cursor:pointer" align="center">'''<big>First Series</big>'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:left;margin:5px20pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:100%" id="mw-customcollapsible-First">
*Toaru Majutsu no Index 1 (April 10, 2004, ISBN 978-4-8402-2658-5)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index 2 (June 10, 2004, ISBN 978-4-8402-2701-8)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index 3 (September 10, 2004, ISBN 978-4-8402-2785-8)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index 4 (December 10, 2004, ISBN 978-4-8402-2858-9)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index 5 (April 10, 2005, ISBN 978-4-8402-2858-9)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index 6 (July 10, 2005, ISBN 978-4-8402-2973-9)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index 7 (November 10, 2005, ISBN 978-4-8402-3205-0)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index 8 (January 10, 2006, ISBN 978-4-8402-3269-2)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index 9 (April 10, 2006, ISBN 978-4-8402-3385-9)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index 10 (May 10, 2006, ISBN 978-4-8402-3428-3)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index 11 (October 10, 2006, ISBN 978-4-8402-3581-5)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index 12 (January 10, 2007, ISBN 978-4-8402-3683-6)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index 13 (April 10, 2007, ISBN 978-4-8402-3801-4)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index SS (July 10, 2007, ISBN 978-4-8402-3912-7)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index 14 (November 10, 2007, ISBN 978-4-8402-4062-8)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index 15 (January 10, 2008, ISBN 978-4-8402-4145-8)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index 16 (June 10, 2008, ISBN 978-4-04-867086-9)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index SS2 (November 10, 2008, ISBN 978-4-04-867342-6)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index 17 (March 10, 2009, ISBN 978-4-04-867591-8)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index 18 (July 10, 2009, ISBN 978-4-04-867897-1)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index 19 (November 10, 2009, ISBN 978-4-04-868069-1)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index 20 (March 10, 2010, ISBN 978-4-04-868393-7)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index 21 (August 10, 2010, ISBN 978-4-04-868762-1)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index 22 (October 10, 2010, ISBN 978-4-04-868972-4)
</div>
<div class="mw-customtoggle-Second" style="width:100%;background:#f2cee0;cursor:pointer" align="center">'''<big>Second Series</big>'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:left;margin:5px20pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:100%" id="mw-customcollapsible-Second">
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 1 (March 10, 2011, ISBN 978-4-04-870319-2)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 2 (August 10, 2011, ISBN 978-4-04-870738-1)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 3 (December 10, 2011, ISBN 978-4-04-886240-0)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 4 (March 10, 2012, ISBN 978-4-04-886373-5)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 5 (October 10, 2012, ISBN 978-4-04-886978-2)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 6 (January 10, 2013, ISBN 978-4-04-891253-2)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 7 (May 10, 2013, ISBN 978-4-04-891604-2)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 8 (September 10, 2013, ISBN 978-4-04-891904-3)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 9 (January 10, 2014, ISBN 978-4-04-866222-2)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 10 (May 10, 2014, ISBN 978-4-04-866532-2)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 11 (October 10, 2014, ISBN 978-4-04-866938-2)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 12 (March 10, 2015, ISBN 978-4-04-869333-2)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 13 (July 10, 2015, ISBN 978-4-04-865244-5)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 14 (November 10, 2015, ISBN 978-4-04-865507-1)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 15 (April 9, 2016, ISBN 978-4-04-865884-3)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 16 (August 10, 2016, ISBN 978-4-04-892251-7)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 17 (November 10, 2016, ISBN 978-4-04-892486-3)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 18 (May 10, 2017, ISBN 978-4-04-892893-9)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 19 (October 7, 2017, ISBN 978-4-04-893405-3)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 20 (June 10, 2018, ISBN 978-4-04-893871-6)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 21 (October 10, 2018, ISBN 978-4-04-912025-7)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 22 (March 9, 2019, ISBN 978-4-04-912385-2)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 22 Reverse (July 10, 2019, ISBN 978-4-04-912667-9)
</div>
<div class="mw-customtoggle-Third" style="width:100%;background:#f2e0ce;cursor:pointer" align="center">'''<big>Third Series</big>'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:left;margin:5px20pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:100%" id="mw-customcollapsible-Third">
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: Genesis Testament 1 (February 7, 2020, ISBN 978-4-04-912809-3)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: Genesis Testament 2 (July 10, 2020, ISBN 978-4-04-913321-9)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: Genesis Testament 3 (November 10, 2020, ISBN 978-4-04-913500-8)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: Genesis Testament 4 (May 8, 2021, ISBN 978-4-04-913730-9)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: Genesis Testament 5 (December 10, 2021, ISBN 978-4-04-914135-1)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: Genesis Testament 6 (April 8, 2022, ISBN 978-4-04-914350-8)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: Genesis Testament 7 (September 9, 2022, ISBN 978-4-04-914585-4)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: Genesis Testament 8 (May 10, 2023, ISBN 978-4-04-915010-0)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: Genesis Testament 9 (December 8, 2023, ISBN 978-4-04-915384-2)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: Genesis Testament 10 (April 10, 2024, ISBN 978-4-04-915601-0)
</div>
<div class="mw-customtoggle-Item" style="width:100%;background:#D2B4DE;cursor:pointer;" align="center">'''<big>Item</big>'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:left;margin:5px20pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:100%" id="mw-customcollapsible-Item">
*Toaru Anbu no Item 1 (March 10, 2023, ISBN 978-4-04-914939-5)
*Toaru Anbu no Item 2 (August 10, 2023, ISBN 978-4-04-915081-0)
*Toaru Anbu no Item 3 (June 7, 2024, ISBN 978-4-04-915699-7)
</div>

<div class="mw-customtoggle-Others" style="width:100%;background:#e0f2ce;cursor:pointer;" align="center">'''<big>Others</big>'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:left;margin:5px20pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:100%" id="mw-customcollapsible-Others">
'''Collections'''
*<u>Toaru Majutsu no Index SP</u> (August 10, 2011, ISBN 978-4-04-870775-6)
**Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Stiyl Magnus
**Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Mark Space
**Toaru Majutsu no Index: Mars SS
**Toaru Kagaku no Railgun SS: Uiharu Kazari
*<u>Toaru Majutsu no Index: Gaiten Shoku 1</u> (June 10, 2020, ISBN 978-4-04-913201-4)
**Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Norse Mythology (eight-part side story, bundled with the Limited Edition DVDs of the Toaru Kagaku no Railgun anime)
**Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Necessarius Special Entrance Exam (eight-part side story, bundled with the Limited Edition DVDs/BDs of the Toaru Kagaku no Railgun S anime)
**Toaru Majutsu no Index: Road to Endymion (Limited release with the Miracle of Endymion movie)
*<u>Toaru Majutsu no Index: Gaiten Shoku 2</u> (August 7, 2020, ISBN 978-4-04-913202-1)
**Toaru Kagaku no Railgun SS: Liberal Arts City (eight-part side story, bundled with the Limited Edition DVDs of the Toaru Majutsu no Index anime)
**Toaru Kagaku no Railgun SS2: Ability Demonstration Trip (eight-part side story, bundled with the Limited Edition DVDs of the Toaru Majutsu no Index II anime)
**Toaru Kagaku no Railgun: Cold Game (December 27, 2017, Special novel bundled with the February 2018 issue of Dengeki Daioh marking the publication of the 100th Railgun manga chapter)
'''Special'''
*Toaru Majutsu no Index & Ore no Imouto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai Crossover
**Toaru Collabo no Girls' Talk (June 7 — 28, 2013, four web chapters on Nico's website)
**Ore no "Mikouto" ga Konna ni Abare Mawaru Wake ga Nai (September 5 — 26, 2013, four web chapters on Nico's website)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index VS Durarara!! (October 5, 2014, Special crossover story featured in Dengeki Bunko Official Bootleg Book Dengeki VS)
*Toaru Majutsu no Heavy na Zashiki Warashi ga Kantan na Satsujinki no Konkatsu Jijou (February 10, 2015, ISBN 978-4-04-869250-2, 10th Anniversary special novel)
*Toaru Majutsu no Virtual-On (May 10, 2016, ISBN 978-4-04-865945-1, Special crossover novel with Cyber Troopers: Virtual-On)
*Toaru Kagaku no Mental Out: The Queen's Play (January 10, 2024, Short novel bundled with the Special Edition of Volume 3 of the Toaru Kagaku no Mental Out manga)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index Gaiden: Ace Misaka Mikoto vs Queen Shokuhou Misaki!! (February 1 — April 8, 2024, Web novel published by Dengeki Bunko's web novel platform, Dengeki Novecomi+)
'''Uncollected'''
*Toaru Jihanki no Fanfare (special mini-novel by Baccano! and Durarara!! author, Narita Ryogho, bundled with the Special Edition of Volume 5 of the Toaru Kagaku no Railgun manga)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: Love Letter SS (side story released in artbook Rainbow Spectrum: Colors)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament SS (side story released in artbook Rainbow Spectrum: Notes)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: Shokuhou Misaki Figurine SS (Limited release with 10th Anniversary special Shokuhou Misaki Figurine)
*Toaru Kagaku no Railgun SS3 (eight-part side story, bundled with the Limited Edition DVD/BDs of the Toaru Majutsu no Index III anime)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Biohacker (three-part side story with the Limited Edition DVD/BDs of the Toaru Kagaku no Accelerator anime)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Agnese's Magic Side Work Experience (eight-part side story, bundled with the Limited Edition DVDs/BDs of the Toaru Kagaku no Railgun T anime)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: Genesis Testament SS (side story released in Hamikura Kiyotaka Artbook 3: CROSS)
*Toaru Kagaku no Railgun (June 10, 2022, ISBN 978-4-04-914455-0, Railgun manga 15th Anniversary special novel)
</div>

Template:Toaru Nav/Side Stories

2024-07-10T09:38:03Z

January:

{| class="mw-wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:100%; text-align:left; margin:1em auto 1em auto; clear:both; font-size:100%; background:#E6F2FF"
! style="background:#cee0f2; width:100%;" align="center"|<span style="float:left;" class="plainlinks"><font style="font-size:10px; font-family:tahoma;">[[{{fullurl:Template:Toaru Nav|action=view}} v] [[Template Talk:Toaru Nav|d]] [{{fullurl:Template:Toaru Nav/Side Stories|action=edit}} e]]</font></span>[[Toaru Majutsu no Index: Genesis Testament#Side Stories|Side Stories]]
|-
|
{| style="text-align:left; font-size:85%; background:transparent; width:100%"
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Volume SP|Volume SP]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Volume SP Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Volume SP Chapter1|Stiyl Magnus]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Volume SP Chapter2|Mark Space]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Volume SP Chapter3|Kamijou Touma]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Volume SP Chapter4|Uiharu Kazari]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Volume_SP_Afterword|Afterword]]
|-
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS1|Railgun SS1]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS1_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS1_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS1_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS1_Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS1_Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS1_Chapter5|Chapter 5]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS1_Chapter6|Chapter 6]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS1_Chapter7|Chapter 7]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS1_Chapter8|Chapter 8]]
|-
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |Kanzaki SS
! style="background:transparent;" |Illustrations - Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 - Chapter 3 - Chapter 4 - Chapter 5 - Chapter 6 - Chapter 7 - Chapter 8
|-
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS2|Railgun SS2]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS2_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS2_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS2_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS2_Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS2_Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS2_Chapter5|Chapter 5]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS2_Chapter6|Chapter 6]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS2_Chapter7|Chapter 7]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS2_Chapter8|Chapter 8]]
|-
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Road_to_Endymion|Road to Endymion]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Endymion_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Endymion_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Endymion_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Endymion_Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Endymion_Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Endymion_Chapter5|Chapter 5]]
|-
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |Necessarius SS
! style="background:transparent;" |Illustrations - Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 - Chapter 3 - Chapter 4 - Chapter 5 - Chapter 6 - Chapter 7 - Chapter 8
|-
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Virtual_On|Virtual-On]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Virtual_On_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Virtual_On_Preface|Preface]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Virtual_On_Prologue|Prologue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Virtual_On_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Virtual_On_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Virtual_On_Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Virtual_On_Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Virtual_On_Epilogue|Epilogue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Virtual_On_Afterword|Afterword]]
|-
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Kagaku_no_Railgun_SS3|Railgun SS3]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS3_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS3_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS3_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS3_Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS3_Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS3_Chapter5|Chapter 5]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS3_Chapter6|Chapter 6]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS3_Chapter7|Chapter 7]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS3_Chapter8|Chapter 8]]
|-
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Biohacker|Biohacker SS]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Biohacker_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Biohacker_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Biohacker_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Biohacker_Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Biohacker_Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Biohacker_Chapter5|Chapter 5]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Biohacker_Chapter6|Chapter 6]]
|-
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:AgneseSS|Agnese SS]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:AgneseSS_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:AgneseSS_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:AgneseSS_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:AgneseSS_Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:AgneseSS_Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:AgneseSS_Chapter5|Chapter 5]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:AgneseSS_Chapter6|Chapter 6]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:AgneseSS_Chapter7|Chapter 7]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:AgneseSS_Chapter8|Chapter 8]]
|-
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun|Railgun LN]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Prologue|Prologue]] - [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Epilogue|Epilogue]] - [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Afterword|Afterword]]
|-
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item|Item LN]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item Prologue|Prologue]] - [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item Epilogue|Epilogue]] - [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item Afterword|Afterword]] - [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item Ending|Ending]]
|-
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item2|Item LN 2]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item2 Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item2 Prologue|Prologue]] - [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item2 Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item2 Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item2 Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item2 Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item2 Epilogue|Epilogue]] - [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item2 Afterword|Afterword]] - [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item2 Ending|Ending]]
|-
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item2|Item LN 3]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item3 Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item3 Prologue|Prologue]] - [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item3 Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item3 Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item3 Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item3 Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item3 Epilogue|Epilogue]] - [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item3 Afterword|Afterword]] - [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item3 Ending|Ending]]
|-
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" colspan="2"|[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Railgun_Cold_Game|Toaru Kagaku no Railgun: Cold Game]]
|-
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" colspan="2"|[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Toaru_Jihanki_no_Fanfare|Toaru Jihanki no Fanfare]]
|-
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" colspan="2"|[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Toaru_Love_Letter_SS|Toaru Majutsu No Index: Love Letter SS]]
|-
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" colspan="2"|[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Railgun_PSP_SS|Toaru Kagaku no Railgun SS: A Superfluous Story, or A Certain Incident’s End]]
|-
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" colspan="2"|[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:NT_SS|Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament SS]]
|-
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" colspan="2"|[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Misaki_SS|Toaru Majutsu no Index: Shokuhou Misaki Figurine SS]]
|-
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" colspan="2"|[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Summer_SS|Toaru Majutsu no Index: A Certain Midsummer Return to the Starting Point]]
|-
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" colspan="2"|[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:NT17_Bonus|Toaru Majutsu no Index: Using Final Bosses to Determine a Sociological Threat]]
|-
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" colspan="2"|[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:NT18_Bonus|Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament Bonus Short Story]]
|-
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" colspan="2"|[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:NT19_Bonus|Toaru Majutsu no Index: Thus Spoke the Kumokawa Sisters]]
|-
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" colspan="2"|[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Virtual-On_SS|Toaru Majutsu no Virtual-On: Vooster's Cup, The Day Before]]
|-
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" colspan="2"|[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Virtual-On_SS2|Toaru Majutsu no Virtual-On: Misaka Mikoto's Dangerous Tea Party]]
|-
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" colspan="2"|[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Kagun_SS|Toaru Majutsu no Index: Birthday Through the Glass]]
|-
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" colspan="2"|[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:NT20_Bonus|Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 20 Bonus Short Story]]
|-
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" colspan="2"|[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Dengeki_25th_Leaflet|Toaru Majutsu no Index: Misaka Mikoto’s Teamwork]]
|-
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" colspan="2"|[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:KuroyoruSS|A Certain Magical Index: Genesis Testament SS]]
|}
|-
|}<noinclude>
{{Nav Doc|seriesname=Toaru Majutsu no Index: Side Stories|navname=Toaru Nav/Side Stories}}[[Category:Templates]]</noinclude>

User talk:January

2024-03-10T05:07:30Z

January: Blanked the page

IndexVSDRRR Crossover Preface

2024-03-10T05:04:30Z

January: wrong illustration

==Preface==

===Title Page===
[[Image:IndexDRRRCrossover1.jpg|thumb]]

10th Anniversary Special Crossover: A Certain Magical Index VS Durarara!! Preface: Narita Ryougo

Authors: Kamachi Kazuma, Narita Ryougo

Illustrations: Haimura Kiyotaka, Yasuda Suzuhito

This is a chaotic story.

A twisted, chaotic story.

They should have never converged.

A world where magic and science stride beside each other and the fate of the world is balanced precariously over the sharpened edge of a blade.

A world where fairies stride through cities and immortals and vampires quietly mingle with the people.

Two people who were never supposed to meet…do so. Worlds that were not supposed to meet, encounter each other, connect, mingle―――and then clash!?

With various factors becoming intertwined, the [urban legend] called [The Mystery of the Underground Tunnel] was born in Academy City and Ikebukuro.

Now that the two are connected through having the same urban legend, an unprecedented opportunity to visit each other’s worlds has arrived―――Nobody knows what will happen.

The world that opened, the time that closed.

What will “they” encounter, and what clashes will occur? Will their minds become distorted, or maybe even corrected?―――Not even the concerned parties have the answer to that.

Kamijou Touma and Celty Sturluson. How will both of them, embracing a lack of memories, get dragged into the distortion in their respective worlds?

If you want to know the answer, there’s no choice but to jump right in.

Into the never ending distortion born from the two worlds.

===Academy City Chapter===

[[Image:IndexDRRRCrossover2.jpg|thumb]]

'''A Certain Magical Index VS Durarara!! Academy City Chapter: Kamachi Kazuma'''

[Imagine Breaker] Kamijou Touma

[The Strongest Man in Ikebukuro] Heiwajima Shizuo

When the fists of these two men cross, the story begins.

What is the identity of the “threat” attacking Academy City———!?

===Ikebukuro Chapter===

[[Image:IndexDRRRCrossover3.jpg|thumb]]

'''A Certain Magical Index vs Durarara!! Ikebukuro Chapter: Narita Ryougo'''

Accelerator: "...So? Who the hell are you and where did you come from?"

Orihaya Izaya: "Well, even if it is Shizu-chan, it should be over now."

The conspiracy of Izaya, stirring in the shadows.

Accelerator's arrival at Ikebukuro.

This is a story of a distortion of time and space.

<noinclude>
{{Toaru_Nav|prev=|next=IndexVSDRRR_Crossover_Academy_City_Chapter}}
</noinclude>

Template:Toaru Nav/Majutsu GT

2023-12-19T23:49:28Z

January:

Template:Toaru:Side Stories/Long SS

2023-08-16T16:47:31Z

January: /* A Certain Dark Side Item 2 */

<div class="mw-customtoggle-Long mw-customtoggle-LongClose mw-customtoggle-LongOpen" style="background:#ecf2ce;cursor:pointer" align="center">'''<big>Long Stories</big>'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible" style="text-align:left;margin:5px5pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:100%" id="mw-customcollapsible-Long">
'''These are novel-length side stories published separately from the main series.'''

[[Image:SP.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===Toaru Majutsu no Index SP ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Volume_SP|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Volume SP Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Volume SP Chapter1|Stiyl Magnus]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Volume SP Chapter2|Mark Space]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Volume SP Chapter3|Kamijou Touma]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Volume SP Chapter4|Uiharu Kazari]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Volume SP Afterword|Afterword]]

[[Image:RAILGUN SS1 01 001.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===Toaru Kagaku no Railgun SS: Liberal Arts City ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS1|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS1 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS1 Chapter1|Chapter 1]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS1 Chapter2|Chapter 2]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS1 Chapter3|Chapter 3]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS1 Chapter4|Chapter 4]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS1 Chapter5|Chapter 5]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS1 Chapter6|Chapter 6]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS1 Chapter7|Chapter 7]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS1 Chapter8|Chapter 8]]

[[Image:INDEX Norse Mythology 01 001.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Norse Mythology===
::*Illustrations
::*Chapter 1: The Whereabouts of the Restraints — GLEIPNIR.
::*Chapter 2: When Will We Outgrow Tropical Countries? — YMIR's_ocean.
::*Chapter 3: The True Meaning of Environmental Protection — RULIC_letters.
::*Chapter 4: This and That About Life — ALFAR.
::*Chapter 5: Marine Prison — NAGLFAR.
::*Chapter 6: The Best Moment — BIFROST.
::*Chapter 7: The Destination of Salvation — GUNGNIR.
::*Chapter 8: The One who Teaches the Secret Rune — VALKYRIE.

[[Image:RAILGUN SS2 01 001.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]

===Toaru Kagaku no Railgun SS2: Shopping Mall Demonstration ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS2|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS2 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS2 Chapter1|Chapter 1]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS2 Chapter2|Chapter 2]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS2 Chapter3|Chapter 3]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS2 Chapter4|Chapter 4]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS2 Chapter5|Chapter 5]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS2 Chapter6|Chapter 6]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS2 Chapter7|Chapter 7]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS2 Chapter8|Chapter 8]]

[[Image:RAILGUN PSP.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===Toaru Kagaku no Railgun PSP===
'''All links below are external links to [https://jerutz.wordpress.com/ JeruTz Translations]'''
::*[https://jerutz.wordpress.com/railgun-psp-tutorial/ Tutorial]
::*[https://jerutz.wordpress.com/railgun-psp/railgun-psp-chapter-1/ Chapter 1: Longicorn of the Vacant Lot]
::*[https://jerutz.wordpress.com/railgun-psp/railgun-psp-chapter-2/ Chapter 2: Disciplinary Guidance]
::*[https://jerutz.wordpress.com/railgun-psp/railgun-psp-chapter-3/ Chapter 3: Grim Reaper Kakiko]
::*Chapter 4
::*Chapter 5
::*DLC Chapter

[[Image:INDEX RtE Cover.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===Toaru Majutsu no Index: Road to Endymion ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Road_to_Endymion|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Endymion Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Endymion Chapter1|Chapter 1]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Endymion Chapter2|Chapter 2]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Endymion Chapter3|Chapter 3]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Endymion Chapter4|Chapter 4]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Endymion Chapter5|Chapter 5]]

[[Image:INDEX Necessarius Cover.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Necessarius Special Entrance Exam===
::*Illustrations
::*Chapter 1
::*Chapter 2
::*Chapter 3
::*Chapter 4
::*Chapter 5
::*Chapter 6
::*Chapter 7
::*Chapter 8

[[Image:INDEX Virutal On Cover.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: A Certain Magical Virtual-On ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Virtual On|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Virtual On Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Virtual On Preface|Preface]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Virtual On Prologue|Prologue]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Virtual On Chapter1|Chapter 1]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Virtual On Chapter2|Chapter 2]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Virtual On Chapter3|Chapter 3]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Virtual On Chapter4|Chapter 4]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Virtual On Epilogue|Epilogue]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Virtual On Afterword|Afterword]]

[[Image:Railgun Cold Game Cover.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun_Cold_Game|Toaru Kagaku no Railgun: Cold Game]]===

<br style="clear:both"/>
[[Image:RailgunSS3 cover.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===Toaru Kagaku no Railgun SS3 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS3|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS3 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS3 Chapter1|Chapter 1]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS3 Chapter2|Chapter 2]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS3 Chapter3|Chapter 3]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS3 Chapter4|Chapter 4]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS3 Chapter5|Chapter 5]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS3 Chapter6|Chapter 6]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS3 Chapter7|Chapter 7]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS3 Chapter8|Chapter 8]]

[[Image:Biohacker_cover.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Biohacker ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Biohacker|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Biohacker Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Biohacker Chapter1|Chapter 1]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Biohacker Chapter2|Chapter 2]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Biohacker Chapter3|Chapter 3]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Biohacker Chapter4|Chapter 4]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Biohacker Chapter5|Chapter 5]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Biohacker Chapter6|Chapter 6]]

[[Image:AgneseSS_cover.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Agnese’s Magic Side Work Trial ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:AgneseSS|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:AgneseSS Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:AgneseSS Chapter1|Chapter 1]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:AgneseSS Chapter2|Chapter 2]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:AgneseSS Chapter3|Chapter 3]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:AgneseSS Chapter4|Chapter 4]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:AgneseSS Chapter5|Chapter 5]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:AgneseSS Chapter6|Chapter 6]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:AgneseSS Chapter7|Chapter 7]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:AgneseSS Chapter8|Chapter 8]]

[[Image:Railgun_cover.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===A Certain Scientific Railgun ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Prologue|Prologue: Four Girls]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Chapter1|Chapter 1: Shirai Kuroko Does Not Hesitate]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Chapter2|Chapter 2: Saten Ruiko’s Messy Bloodbath Paradise☆]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Chapter3|Chapter 3: Uiharu Kazari Can Do Real Work Too]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Chapter4|Chapter 4: Misaka Mikoto and the Death of Class]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Epilogue|Epilogue: Four Girls+α]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Afterword|Afterword]]

[[Image:Item Cover.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===A Certain Dark Side Item ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item Prologue|Prologue: Feminine, Dangerous, Bright]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item Chapter1|Chapter 1: The Fifth Girl]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item Chapter2|Chapter 2: >>Colosseum]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item Chapter3|Chapter 3: A Certain Display of Courage, A Secret Reward]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item Chapter4|Chapter 4: Roar of the Level 5]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item Epilogue|Epilogue: A Path Leading to Another Time, Another Place]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item Afterword|Afterword]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item Ending|?]]

[[Image:Item2 Cover.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===A Certain Dark Side Item 2===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item2 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item2 Prologue|Prologue: The Girls Resolve Their Job Like a Puzzle]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item2 Chapter1|Chapter 1: Level5_vs._Little_Honey_Queen]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item2 Chapter2|Chapter 2: The Storm Approaches]] (7/13)
::*Chapter 3
::*Chapter 4
::*Epilogue
::*Afterword
::*?

[[#toc|'''<small>Back to Contents</small>''']]
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Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume8 Chapter2

2023-06-01T16:26:00Z

January:

==Chapter 2: Transcendent Mut Thebes – The_Death_Penalty_WH.==

===Part 1===

It was all right there in her head.

When you got down to it, the old R&C Occultics magic database was no more than a collection of notes jotted down by Anna Sprengel herself. So journeying to District 15 and searching the database would only turn up Anna’s own knowledge.

The lights were off inside the cold metal box and the little wicked woman didn’t look away from the screen as she whispered to someone.

“What do you want, Aiwass?”

“Nothing really. Just noting how uncharacteristically patient you’re being.”

“Come to see me because I haven’t stepped on you recently, fool?”

After that, little Anna laughed but otherwise ignored him.

So only the unknown being’s voice continued.

“You finally have your body back from Madame Horos, so you can perceive this world as you like and go wherever you desire within it. I assumed you would be rejoicing in your newfound freedom, so I found this odd.”

Miss Sprengel clenched and unclenched her little hand.

“In this body?”

“You don’t seem all that fixated on fully reclaiming your original power and form.”

“Hmph,” snorted Anna.

Bull’s eye.

That being was meant to deliver divine knowledge to humanity, after all.

She wanted something else.

Something not found inside her.

“I will start with the Bridge Builders Cabal.”

“Not with Anna Kingsford?”

“I am starting with what I know I can do.”

She knew the Bridge Builders Cabal’s plan and was in the unique position to stop it, so she could negotiate (or threaten) them.

Furthermore, Academy City needed her for the same reason.

So traveling to District 15 was her best option.

On the other hand…

“I currently ''have no countermeasure for Kingsford.'' Even with the full power of my Secret Chief.”

Aiwass was supposed to be her trump card, but he hadn’t been enough to defeat Kingsford. What would have happened if she confidently used him to escape her human film canister form? The thought sent a small chill down her spine.

However…

“Maybe I can’t do it, but maybe that cabal of Transcendents can. And unlike Kingsford, I can take control of them. Either by manipulating Alice or by using the Shrink Drink that contains a portion of her power. They’ve left me a lot of openings for such a powerful group.”

“I see. Just as wicked a plan as I would expect from you.”

‘I wish I could have sent Alice Anotherbible against that woman, but how would that have influenced my current partnership with Kamijou Touma? Still, there are other Transcendents with bizarre specialties. Perhaps one of them is such a poor match for Kingsford that she goes down easily to them. Like a necromancer or a machine killer. Giving up doesn’t improve my situation, so my best bet is to keep struggling no matter how ugly it gets.”

So she would start with what she knew she could do.

She most likely had her Bridge Builders Cabal countermeasure constructed in her mind.

But that was why she wanted absolute certainty.

That meant comparing the idea in her mind with the database she had created.

She felt some nagging doubt because of how extraordinary the cabal’s plan was.

Even seen through Miss Sprengel’s eyes.

“Do you think they can pull it off?” asked Aiwass.

“I don’t know. But it’s never a good idea to immediately reject something because it sounds crazy. That reflex isn’t about a lack of validation or credibility – it’s you trying to deny the worst case scenario. When there is a very real threat out there, what could be more foolish than letting your fear take hold and shutting yourself away for peace of mind?”

That was why she wanted more than her own thoughts and emotions – why she wanted to rely on the cold, hard data.

She wanted objective corroboration that her prediction was in fact correct. Even if it was so horrifying that even a wicked woman like her didn’t want to think about it.

To repeat, Anna most likely had the answer already.

Now she only needed the final confirmation.

Then she only had to download it onto a physical medium she could present to a third party.

“It’s times like this that I curse my lack of a perfect memory.”

“It seems to me that would bring its own problems.”

Whether a disk or nonvolatile memory, all physical media deteriorated and eventually grew unreadable as time passed, but if she kept the information in her own mind, the pressure of her own self-restricting questions would distort the answer. And unlike someone with a perfect memory, her memories provided no objective trust or proof.

She knew their plan.

She was familiar with all of their Achilles heels, so she could crush them at any time.

“But you can’t negotiate with the cabal’s Transcendents unless you can ''objectively'' prove it,” said Aiwass.

“Isn’t that your specialty? You are a messenger who provides oracles while pretending to be some secret divine messenger. It all began when you borrowed Rose’s mouth. That message was then written down in a form anyone could read. And it became known as the Book of the Law.”

“But that was all a new seed you had me plant because you were so disgusted by the Golden cabal’s rapid decline after the Battle of Blythe Road. But…”

“Yes, fool.” Miss Sprengel sighed. “Negotiation is not my primary goal here.”

“That plan must not be brought to fruition. In your mind, anyway. I am honestly mildly surprised you see any room for negotiation left.”

That was why she had installed a backdoor in that unseen organization so she could throw them into disarray and crush them from within. All she had to do was tell Alice Anotherbible the “personal legend” of Kamijou Touma and make sure the girl adored him like a character from a children’s book.

(So what am I doing now?)

“Keep in mind I can hear your thoughts, Miss Sprengel. Because I am your Secret Chief and you are my priestess.”

She kicked her little foot at that.

But Aiwass was right. If she were focused primarily on destroying the cabal’s extremely dangerous plan, negotiation would be meaningless. It would be much faster to slash their Achilles heels without warning.

Was she here to save the world? Nonsense.

She had only just reclaimed her physical freedom from one of the greatest frauds in the history of Modern Western Magic. The little wicked woman should have been living it up and greedily taking everything she wanted from the world around her. So her battle against the cabal and her drive to crush their plan could not be classified as good deeds.

So what did she hope to protect?

What did she want most?

“My king,” whispered Anna Sprengel.

===Part 2===

January 4. Early morning.

Kamijou Touma awoke to a light slap on his cheek.

He first thought the calico cat had play swatted him, but he quickly realized that couldn’t be it.

It was Aradia.

“Wake up.”

“Ugh.”

He opened his eyes to find they were at a gas station. There was no clerk there thanks to the martial law, so they had refueled and he had taken a nap on the bench by the vending machines. Aradia was crouching next to the wooden bench and teasing him, so her face was a lot closer than strictly necessary. Her silver hair spilled down and tickled his cheek.

But that aside…

“It’s already 5:30. Based on the work schedule posted in the office, a manager normally arrives at about this time. If the concept of martial law is enough to make the ordinary citizens nervous, the manager might drop by to make sure their workplace is safe.”

“Wah, wamh, ah, arh?”

“Are you trying to be cute?”

He was simply so sleepy his tongue wasn’t working right, but she coldly criticized him for it.

(It’s January 4 and I’m being told it’s “already” 5:30 in the morning? Has the world gone crazy?)

“Hurry up. Your mind will clear once you get up.”

“Mhh.”

If she said he had to get up, that’s what he would have to do.

But right as he did, Aradia stuck her lithe hand between his back and the bench.

The timing was unfortunate.

Kamijou’s lips contacted something: Aradia’s cheek, which had moved unexpectedly close.

At first, he thought he had to still be dreaming.

“Hm? H-huh!? Wait, did I really just do that!?”

The fog in his mind instantly cleared away.

He doubted she would be kind enough to let him off with a simple head chomp. This was the Great Aradia who had already killed him more than once on December 31.

And yet…

“Relax. That was clearly an accident.”

“?”

Confused, Kamijou froze with his arms crossed in front of his face.

Aradia was avoiding his gaze a bit, but that was all.

The lack of any repercussions scared him in a different way. Like he was building up an unseen debt somewhere.

“You still need to get up. We can’t stick around here forever.”

They were on the run.

He had chosen this path for himself, so he couldn’t complain now.

His head felt super heavy, but he somehow managed to get up on his own. Thanks to the wooden bench, he ached all over. He left the vending machine area which had a blind pulled down over it and was greeted by the biting cold. He saw a white haze outside.

“Why do you seem wide awake at this hour, Aradia? I don’t know what country you came from, but are you jetlagged?”

“Witches follow a strict schedule and receive the blessings of nature – I just haven’t been able to do so recently because you had me tied up. It shouldn’t surprise you to see me up before sunrise.”

Aradia threw the response at him like a slap.

Then the witch goddess winked.

“What? You look like you have several things to say.”

That wasn’t true at all, but if Aradia had read too deep into his expression and opened the door to questions, he couldn’t pass up the chance.

Because wait.

Did this mean he could have her clear up the mysteries surrounding the Transcendents and the Bridge Builders Cabal?

“Um, uh! I-if you insist!!”

“Calm down. I’m not going anywhere, so relax your shoulders and try that again, boy.”

“A-are you actually a red android?”

“You’re starting there!? I suppose it’s best to be careful, but still!!” shouted Aradia, bristling at his question.

But she no longer had that air of a cool witch lady. Didn’t she seem more open to anything, and even a bit indulgent?

“Um, then to cover a more immediate issue, what do you know about Mut Thebes? I could be killed without knowing that. But I understand if you don’t want to give up info on a fellow cabal member.”

“You don’t have to worry about that. Not anymore anyway.” Aradia shrugged and sighed, the breath appearing white in the January morning. “Then I will start with the basics. Mut is a goddess found in Egyptian mythology.”

“Right.”

He was pretty sure H. T. Trismegistus had told him that at the consulate.

He wanted to know more than that.

“She is a war goddess who uses the vulture as her symbol. While the other gods promise happiness in a vaguely defined afterlife, she is a ‘physical goddess’ who actually fought on Earth and protected her people from their enemies. She is specifically said to have defended the ancient city of Thebes from an outside enemy.”

“Seriously? So she’s a god who specializes in war ''and nothing else''?”

“It was believed that was one of the many abilities of a protective mother,” Aradia subtly corrected. “Mut was special in that she was both a goddess and the wife of the Ancient Egyptian pharaoh. Technically, the queen and Mut were seen as one and the same. Of course, that would mean each pharaoh’s wife was Mut again, which would make her the pharaoh’s mother, wife, and daughter all at once.”

That sounded very confusing, but Kamijou decided it was silly to apply a modern conception of romance to Ancient Egypt which existed millennia ago.

“Also, some suspect that she was created later on because Amun, the top god, needed a wife. Of course, I’m Aradia, so I’m not one to talk there.”

“…?”

That was something that had bothered him for a while now.

Index had said the goddess Aradia was thought to have been invented by an Italian witch. Then what was this Aradia here?

What was the point of borrowing the name of someone who never even existed?

Had the witch actually been telling the truth, but the story had been so extraordinary that the man writing it down hadn’t recorded it properly?

“What’s wrong?” asked Aradia.

“Nothing…”

Why did he hesitate? She was willing to answer his questions. And even if she refused to answer, the fact that she had openly refused could act as a major hint.

Or was he afraid of receiving confirmation?

He felt like the temporary peace they had established would crumble before his eyes.

Anna walked in from outside and grinned as soon as she saw the witch.

“''Nice ankle.''”

“''I don’t want a word out of you.''”

“?” Kamijou tilted his head.

Come to think of it, why was she still doing that? Thanks to Kamijou’s hesitation, Aradia had switched modes. And given how prickly she was being now, he doubted she would answer even if he asked.

The fuel pumps were dangerous since they worked with gasoline. And they were located outside, so they would have been locked down separately to the office. But that hadn’t been much of an obstacle to Anna Sprengel’s technology.

The wicked woman gave a snort of laughter.

“In the end, single use passwords and two factor authentication are still patterns. Once you decode the pseudorandom number generator, it might as well not be locked at all. At least they seem aware that biometric data like fingerprint or eye scans are a lot less safe given how high quality cameras are these days.”

“I’m suddenly glad my dorm room uses an old-fashioned analog key.”

“Trying to set a new record for foolishness? That’s an even simpler combination of patterns. The best security system a fool like you can manage is being too poor to own anything worth stealing.”

Meanwhile…

Kamijou spotted an old-fashioned payphone nearby.

Even a high schooler like him knew using his phone was a bad idea while on the run, but since a payphone wouldn’t leave a record of who made the call, couldn’t he contact Index or Misaka Mikoto that way?

Little Anna glared up at him.

“Again, don’t even think about it, fool. Get us in trouble by trying it and I will kick your ass headfirst into a doghouse.”

“Alright, alright.”

It looked like he had to abandon that idea. She refused to explain why, but this must have been riskier than he thought. Anna had singlehandedly built up R&C Occultics as a global IT company, so he doubted he could outdo her when it came to computer knowledge. Academy City technology was 20 or 30 years ahead of the outside world, but Kamijou hadn’t designed that technology himself.

(I hope they’re okay. It’s so frustrating when they’re in the same city as me.)

He had to believe that the pursuers’ attention on him meant less focus on Index, Mikoto, and the others.

The mobile combat vehicle stood out thanks to its 8 wheels and swiveling tank gun, but they had shoved it inside the carwash on Anna’s suggestion. Apparently no one would notice it as long as it fit inside.

Little Anna unfolded a large paper map on the concrete ground. She and Aradia stared at the map through a magnifying glass they had found somewhere.

“Let’s see. Based on my scrying, it should look something like this.”

“Anyone’s spell would reveal the same thing. And it seems to be showing water-based danger on the horizon.”

They didn’t seem to be reading miniscule text or setting down small game pierces to simulate the enemy(?) formation. This sounded like occult divination. When Aradia slid the magnifying glass across the map, Kamijou noticed small flashes of light dancing inside the distorted lens.

“Don’t be shy. If you want to see the map, move in closer.”

Still crouching, Aradia scooted a bit aside.

Kamijou did as she suggested, but he still couldn’t tell what he was supposed to be seeing. He just didn’t want to be standing behind her because he felt guilty seeing her butt while she crouched like that.

The oblivious woman was still focused on the map.

“I’m using crystal divination. It’s a common enough technique in Wicca. You stare into the crystal and ''decode'' the information you want from the vision you see within. This is a variation on it. I bet you didn’t know the crystal doesn’t actually have to be a ball, did you?”

He was more interested in what she had discovered than the method she was using.

Aradia removed the magnifying glass from the map and raised it like an old-fashioned detective.

“Lend me your right hand.”

“?”

Kamijou held out his hand as asked and she touched the rim of the magnifying glass to it. It made a high-pitched cracking sound.

Aradia was apparently done with the magnifying glass now, so she spun it in her hand and brought her lips to the rim like it was a giant lollipop she was about to lick.

“Imagine Breaker makes this so much easier.”

“It does,” agreed Anna. “It lets you omit the entire process for exorcising the summoned power. And you don’t have to worry about the backlash if you screw up. The Golden cabal was a sorry excuse for a cabal that kept growing more bloated until it ruptured, but I can see why they had it stored deep within Blythe Road as a last resort.”

Kamijou wasn’t sure how to interpret this assessment. Should he view this like the young woman next door asking him to get a stubborn lid off of a bottle?”

…If so, he wasn’t going to complain.

“Wipe that smirk off your face, fool. And we should keep the divination to a minimum. Academy City might not know much about magic, but Mut Thebes or Kingsford might notice and use it to track us down. Like suddenly noticing a presence in some abandoned ruins.”

Little Anna pouted her lips and swiftly folded up the map.

“We are in District 6 now, so we still need to cross Districts 5 and 7. So, fool, let’s continue on toward District 15.”

“I get that,” said Kamijou while climbing for the hatch on top of the gun.

The interior was still cramped and the seats even more so. There was a reason they had refused to spend the night inside there.

“But I still can’t believe we got an armored vehicle inside the amusement park district. I would have thought they had a solid gate at the entrance to make sure no one gets in without a ticket.”

“You really are a fool. This is a mobile combat vehicle.” Anna made sure to correct him every time. “If you refuse to learn, I’ll start shoving the vocabulary sticks up your asshole.”

“…”

What was a vocabulary stick?

Whatever the case, he got the feeling she would also get furious over the debate regarding whether corn was a grain or a vegetable.

“Also, fool. Amusement parks have industrial vehicle entrances located out of sight of the guests. How do you think they receive all the food and souvenirs they sell across the entire park? Or what about replacing the heavy metal rails and thick wires for upkeep of the thrill rides? You didn’t think it was all carried in by hand, did you?”

“That’s not what I meant. District 6 is one giant amusement park, right? It just feels like the end of the world to see a military vehicle intruding on this land of hopes and dreams.”

“………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………Do not interrupt me again.”

“Most fairy tales are more like horror stories if you follow them back to their roots,” added Aradia.

Was that supposed to be helpful?

Also, the expert on witch stories spoke down from above the other two. The nature-loving mountain girl couldn’t stand being cooped up in that tin can all day, so she had her upper body sticking out of the hatch to enjoy the breeze. Which meant she had one leg on the ladder up to the hatch.

“Bwah, Aradia!? Have you no sense!? Don’t just show off that angle!!”

“?”

“If she isn’t aware, don’t bother her. And it’s her decision to do it or not. I know you are a hopeless fool, but you don’t have to tackle every single problem you come across with fists flying.”

A skirt-wearing girl version of a kasa-obake was staring down at them from above, but Anna Sprengel seemed a lot more interested in trying the mentaiko, corn, and mayo bread she had bought at a bread vending machine earlier. Even though they had stocked up inside the vehicle just yesterday. She was also enjoying a health drink that claimed to contain a trillion lactobacilli, which sounded to Kamijou like a battle manga with so much power level inflation nothing had any meaning anymore.

Generally, the other two let Anna operate the Predator Octopus.

Kamijou was still in high school, so he wouldn’t know how to operate a steering wheel. And this used a touchscreen, so it didn’t even have a steering wheel. Aradia was skeptical of technology, so she was out of the question too. That meant Anna was the one swiping her hand across the console monitor in front of the commander’s seat.

Kamijou Touma continued to pour all of his willpower into ignoring Aradia’s crotch that seemed unnecessarily conspicuous only a meter over his head. (Was this some kind of mental training!?)

“So is the plan for today the same as yesterday: look out for Mut Thebes while avoiding Anti-Skill’s checkpoints?”

“Thank you for pointing out the obvious, fool. Do I need to shove enough things up your asshole you look like a restaurant’s chopstick holder?”

She may have been even more foulmouthed than that human.

Kamijou couldn’t help but sigh, but…

“I notice you failed to mention Aleister’s group who have been concerningly silent. Do you want to die?”

The mood clearly changed when she mentioned Aleister.

Surprisingly, the majority of the tension came from Anna herself.

“Unlike a fool like you, Anna Kingsford seeks certainty. She goes beyond never making a wasted move. If any of her moves fails to accomplish anything, she will change her point of view to transform it into a useful card in her deck,” whispered Anna.

That little wicked woman was revealing her own weakness to someone else.

Kamijou didn’t see that as regression. It was only one step, but she was making progress.

“Even if she does locate us through divination, she wouldn’t launch an attack on that alone. She will increase the certainty of her information by relying on multiple sources, work out the most meaningful move she can make, and then make that move.”

“You mean…?”

“Yes, fool. We fought a highly conspicuous artillery battle to escape Mut Thebes last night. Word of that must have spread through Academy City. Assuming she intercepted those reports and has been analyzing the situation based on them, ''it won’t be long now.'' Kingsford will make her move soon.”

===Part 3===

Aleister Crowley, Anna Kingsford, and Kihara Noukan.

Since they looked like a foreign nun and a mysterious near-future glasses woman out walking a large dog (after martial law was declared), they had to make for quite a bizarre sight. Except they didn’t. When they walked right in front of an armed Anti-Skill group, not one person demanded they stop.

Was it Kihara Noukan who had said they were bound to be caught if they snuck into Academy City again?

Aleister sighed.

(This simple recognition manipulation won’t work on anyone with a deep knowledge of magic. That of course applies to the Transcendents, but also to the artificial demon working for Academy City – Qliphah Puzzle 545.)

He could imagine all this so easily, but he could never make sense of the human mind.

He was constantly making mistakes.

Meanwhile, Anna Kingsford curiously viewed the vehicles parked on the curb. The tanks and armored vehicles were all painted dark because they were meant for use in an urban environment.

They were closer than expected. Much too close.

The great knowledge goddess took small steps up to within a meter of one, looking just like a tourist with one of the red guards at a certain English palace.

If not for their magic, they would have been instantly discovered and forced to fight.

“Oh, how fun. It’s like a parade.”

“Don’t place too much faith in that preserved corpse. It might look just like a living body, but it’s still only a corpse being forced into motion. You can’t use any magical defenses, so if you were held in place by the ground collapsing below your feet or exposure to a high voltage current, an ordinary tank gun could blast you to smithereens.”

“Then am I relatively safe from the ones ❌ in a vehicle?”

“How did you find a way to ‘look on the bright side’ of that warning?”

When Kingsford pointed at an Anti-Skill group from less than a meter away, Aleister shut an eye and held a hand to his forehead.

That she went unnoticed was proof that she was the spell expert Aleister was not.

A true expert did not neglect these fundamental of magic.

Or rather, it was all part of a single large system. There were no unnecessary gears in the world of magic.

So instead of learning a single special move, you increased your overall strength by thoroughly honing your skills in all the most common spells until they were their own special moves.

An expert like Kingsford probably resented the very act of designing a spell exclusively for killing.

The golden retriever sniffed at the cigarette smoke exhaled by an Anti-Skill officer on break and reacted with disgust when he detected the vanilla additive.

”Explain it to her, Aleister. I would understand if you had explained it over and over and she refused to learn, but she can’t be blamed for her ignorance.”

“I know that, but still.”

The great knowledge goddess’s knowledge stopped in the 1800s, so while her magic knowledge was unmatched, she didn’t know much about the threat posed by science. The lack of knowledge wasn’t necessary a problem, but her inability to appreciate the threat was. She was too innocent, like a young child who had never touched a hot kettle.

Eventually, Aleister pointed up into the early morning sky.

“Academy City has developed 200mm self-propelled grenade launchers and multistage rocket launchers with a range of more than 30km. They can accurately drop a grenade on you anywhere in the city. And if they don’t care about damage to civilian facilities, a single Anti-Skill officer can give a signal by radio, laser, or even smoke to summon a downpour of explosives. A single volley of the rocket launchers will cover the designated area with ten thousand bomblets. Do you still feel safe?”

A sound like an electric shaver passed by overhead.

This one was not for aerial photography.

The 45cm plastic isosceles triangle was joined by hundreds more clustered together like a flock of starlings. From a distance, they appeared to undulate like a great serpent. These were self-destruct drones designed to spread out in the sky, locate their target, gather overhead, lock on, ignite their solid fuel, drop toward their target, and explode.

Aleister sighed.

“Each of those Snakeheads is loaded with as much explosive as an anti-tank rocket. The sky above is the hardest place for a ground vehicle to attack, so if those things attack from there, the tanks and armored vehicles don’t stand a chance. A person outside of a vehicle even less so.”

“My, my. The 🌍 has become a very ☠️ place in my absence.”

Anna Kingsford held a hand to her cheek and elegantly tilted her head.

She had lived in the late 1800s. That was before World War One, which meant a world without tanks, aircraft, and poison gas, so some might call it a nice place to live. Especially in an age where war without nuclear weapons sounded like something from an impossible fantasy world.

Of course, small drones commonly lost control and crashed due to signal interference and crosswinds. What would happen if those armed explosives were constantly flying through the city? As the numbers went up, what seemed like small odds of an accident would rise as well. Instead of launching a missile or artillery shell in response to a threat, explosives were ''already'' filling the sky above. Instead of avoiding the small odds of an accident, the city had ordered its people to stay home to avoid anyone coming to harm by the accidents. These next-generation weapons could only be used with martial law in place.

“What’s the plan for today?” asked Aleister right in front of the enemy.

“I 💭 it is about ⏰ to take this seriously☆”

===Part 4===

Kamijou’s group slowly drove the mobile combat vehicle through the District 6 amusement park.

There was a biting chill outside, but the cramped vehicle was filled with the sweet warmth of girls.

In the commander’s seat, Anna made occasional adjustments to the self-driving while she messed with the communications. Kamijou thought she was accessing a civilian frequency to listen to the radio, but she was apparently watching an online TV station displayed in a corner of the touchscreen. How much could she access with that thing?

“Today is January 4. Good morning and welcome to the Children’s Q&A Advice Show. You’re in for a treat because today’s New Year’s special is two hours long☆ Now, our first Scype call is a question from Azumi-chan, a 2nd grader from District 13. Happy New Year, Azumi-chan. What is it you want to know?”

“H-Happy New Year. Um, why do you catch a cold when it’s cold out?”

“That’s actually a really interesting question, Azumi-chan. But first I need to correct a misunderstanding there. It’s hard to tell because they’re too small to see, but colds are caused by germs you can find floating in the air any time of year. We see more cold patients in the winter because the air is drier. See, people have something called an immune system and…”

“Hee hee,” someone laughed.

It was Anna Sprengel with her hand over her mouth. It was an unusually gentle laugh for her how harsh she tended to be. It lacked her usual edge.

“Excellent. She honestly asks the question on her mind and then listens to the answer. She earns a perfect 100 as a student.”

“Really?”

“You need to be careful, you dull fool. All of you fools like to ask the question before even trying to think for yourselves. Instead, you need to listen, work to comprehend what you have learned, and – if you still do not understand – gather up what you know, put it in your own words, and feel no shame about asking. That is what I call perfect.”

So did he have to learn to act like a 7 or 8 year old to please Miss Sprengel? That honestly sounded way too hard.

“The problem isn’t how much or how little knowledge you have.”

Anna elegantly crossed her legs in the highest seat, rested her elbow on the armrest, and her head in her hand.

And she whispered in Demon Lord mode.

“Knowledge you never use grows rusty. If you avoid writing a word for fear of misspelling it, you really will forget how to spell it before long. So the greatest barrier to true knowledge is the silly pride that believes you are too good to study and master the fundamentals. Feel no shame, learner. The textbook lies before you. It might look intimidating, but your predecessors have proven that you will eventually achieve mastery if you take it slow and complete each step in turn. You must not skip past the basics and immediately attempt the practical side. Even worse is to fail to realize you have given up on thinking, fail to learn a single thing, and find all you have left is an inflated sense of pride.”

This advice had arrived unexpectedly.

He needed to listen, work to comprehend, and if he still didn’t understand, gather his knowledge, put it in his own words, and ask without shame.

Kamijou decided to put Anna’s advice to practice.

“So…what were you hoping to accomplish?”

“I didn’t have a lofty goal like guiding all of humanity in the right direction.”

Miss Sprengel’s thoughts had been transported elsewhere while she listened to that innocent exchange on the radio.

And the words spilled from her lips now.

“I wanted to share what I had if it could quench people’s thirst for knowledge. But only if they sought that knowledge in the proper way. In the end, that never came to pass. The incomplete knowledge I brought them only created hopeless conflict and self-proclaimed geniuses who arrogantly mocked everyone they met.”

“Let’s see,” continued the radio show. “Next we have Shunta-kun, a 4th grader from District 7.”

“Gyah! Wah!!”

“U-um, Shunta-kun? Shunta-kuuun?”

“What- ah ha ha! Wait, it’s about to start- (wham thud!!) Did you hear that!? Kya ha ha! Ah ha ha ha!!”

“…”

“You don’t have to get that upset!” shouted Kamijou. “It’s not like he’s your kid!!”

Kamijou quickly restrained little Anna who looked so furious she might utter a mysterious curse that not even the Anglicans were familiar with.

“That pissed me off almost as much as those self-proclaimed geniuses in the Golden cabal.”

“I’m really not sure what to say about that, but should I update my mental image of them?”

“Pant, pant. M-Miss Host,” said a new voice on the radio. “I’m a 47-year-old baby. Hee hee. C-can you tell me where babies come from? Bweh heh heh heh.”

“Yikes!” shouted the host. “H-how did this call get past the screening!? Producer!!”

“Anna? Him you can curse,” said Kamijou, staring into the distance and feeling very glad he didn’t have to deal with a live broadcast.

Maybe everyone just had too much time on their hands while forced to stay home all day. Choosing to stay home during the holiday and being told you couldn’t leave the house were two very different things.

(This martial law thing is scary. I never thought being able to go where you want could feel like a luxury.)

Anna wasn’t driving their vehicle at full speed, but not because she was focused on the online TV show playing on the screen.

“I don’t trust the quality of the pavement on private property. Worse, this looks like tile, not asphalt. I hope we don’t break through all of a sudden.”

“Break through to where?”

“That question earns you 0 points. You didn’t even try to think first.” The little wicked woman’s voice was ice cold. “There is more to an amusement park than what meets the eye. There is a lot built underground like the giant motors and industrial power transformers for the thrill rides. For example…yes. Just imagine it, fool. Have you ever seen an amusement park with power lines strung up overhead? Any realistic equipment that would break the illusion are buried underfoot.”

Was that how it worked?

Kamijou took a look at the monitor Anna was messing with.

“But it looks like the Ferris wheel and the other rides are all stopped. Is it just too early in the morning?”

“You have a fool’s imagination. The attractions are put through test runs before the park opens to ensure safety, so amusement parks are actually quite busy early in the morning.”

Anna poked at the touchscreen as she answered. The exasperated sigh was quickly becoming her default state. She was probably making an adjustment to the self-driving, but the lack of a steering wheel made it hard to think of her as operating a vehicle.

Their motionless surroundings made it look like the giant amusement park had frozen in the winter cold.

But did that mean the martial law was to blame? The amusement park was district-wide private property, so if the people at the top – the management? – decided to shut it down, it could be shut down in a matter of seconds.

“But aren’t there a lot of people here? This has facial recognition boxes popping up all over!”

“Do not breathe on me in your panic, fool. Do it again and I will shove yellow mustard paste down your dickhole.”

“I would’ve thought a wicked woman would understand male anatomy better than that! Do that and it would explode!!”

“It makes sense to me,” said Aradia, also sounding exasperated.

Kamijou bristled at the thought of her shoving something in there too, but that wasn’t what she was talking about.

“You can demand people stay home all you want, but some people are going to head out regardless.”

It was before the park even opened, so these people weren’t breaking the rules to enjoy a day at this land of dreams. They appeared to be here for work. About half seemed to be park staff and half seemed to be truckers. The sudden declaration of martial law hadn’t shut down District 17’s unmanned factories (because no one had to show up for work there) and what were they supposed to do about the cakes, twisted donuts, and other park exclusive foods they had prepared the day before? Maybe it was a good thing Kamijou’s group had left the gas station early on Aradia’s suggestion.

Anna shut off the online TV show and displayed the outside footage on the full monitor.

“Wow. Hey, Anna, what are things like outside? The lack of windows scares me.”

“Foolish fool. There is a periscope linked with a camera at your seat. That is the loader’s seat, so it has secondary 360-degree observation equipment separate from the gunner’s.”

“If you say so.”

“…………………………………………………………………………………………You’re the one who asked.”

“Wait, no, put that yellow tube away! You lost me at the peri-whatever part!! And unlike with my phone, I can’t exactly learn how this equipment works through trial and error! I could press the wrong button and launch some weapon or another!!”

“It’s called a periscope. You know, like on a submarine? Oh, are my words converting properly here?”

Aradia was actually speaking a mystery language called “common tones” rather than Japanese, but she still helped him out like a kind older sister. The way he could actually hear her saying two different things at once was kind of scary.

“Coddle him like that and his foolishness will only grow.”

“I didn’t start it. You can blame a certain Magic God for that one.”

Anna had no interest in a child with no drive to learn, so she ended up doing everything on her own. She poked her fingers boredly at the thin touchscreen from the commander’s seat.

“I’m still scared, Anna. Can’t you let me see outside too?”

“Sigh. Do you never shut up, fool? Here.”

Anna stood up from the commander’s seat and let him take it. He was worried about her leaving the controls, but she seemed fine reaching in from the side to make the necessary adjustments.

So the spiky-haired boy sat in the warm commander’s seat.

Then something happened.

Little Anna sat down in his lap.

What now? He was seriously unsure where to put his hands.

He ended up holding them overhead.

She also seemed weirdly smooth, so he looked down to discover she only had her baggy dress held up at her chest. This was more than he could have imagined. Her defenses from the rear were as nonexistent as with a naked apron!

His eyes widened further when Miss Sprengel did not hesitate to lean back against him.

“Um, Anna-san?”

“I’m kind of busy right now, so stay still. I don’t have time for questions. Besides, I doubt a fool like you would learn much from looking at the screen.”

“I thought you were being unusually accommodating, but you’re still upset, aren’t you?”

“Oh? Finally figured something out on your own, did you? Good job. I’ll have you know I am the type to hold a grudge.”

Kamijou felt a kick at the base of the seat bolted to the floor.

He looked over to see Aradia refusing to look his way. Nothing he did got any reaction out of her.

But he had bigger worries.

He took a look at the screen past Anna’s head and noticed a shocking development.

Ice filled his stomach.

“Those aren’t workers, are they? I knew Anti-Skill would be here. Yikes, that’s a lot!! And they have tanks!!”

The deep rumble of diesel engines approached from up ahead. One would be bad enough, but this was several lined up in a column.

Little Anna sighed in a bored way.

“Those are not tanks. They are infantry fighting vehicles.”

“What’s the difference? And that longer name sounds stronger if you ask me!”

“How many times must I remind you to think before you ask a question, fool? These are only about half the weight of a tank and they only use smaller guns with barrels the size of a clothesline pole. Those are 35mm autocannons. They might as well be peashooters compared to a 120mm. And the armor is aluminum to keep them lightweight enough for air transport.”

“Y-you mean they’re lower grade than ordinary tanks?”

“Yes, I do. Although they can still punch right through the Predator Octopus’s armor since it’s only armored vehicle class.”

“So I should still be terrified!!”

A sweet tremor ran through small Anna’s back while she sat in his lap. The wicked woman was apparently willing to be riddled with bullets if it let her torment Kamijou like this.

A convoy of tanks(?), armored vehicles, and military trucks arrived from up ahead. But they must have already been here. If not for the many military vehicles driving around this private property like they owned the place, the Predator Octopus would have aroused suspicion among the workers.

If Kamijou’s group was discovered, it would mean a battle, but the amusement park employees were all around. Not to mention that the Anti-Skill officers were all teachers.

If that deep siren began to sound, it was all over.

Aradia rubbed her bare feet together while still occupying the gunner’s seat. That was how she used her magic. The look on her face said she was willing to take action at a moment’s notice.

Kamijou gulped, but Anna casually flashed the headlights. Drawing attention to themselves like that sent ice down Kamijou’s spine, but the other vehicles returned the greeting in kind.

And they continued on.

The siren remained silent.

Apparently their identity wasn’t apparent from the vehicle’s exterior.

Did that mean it was better to move around like they belonged than to sneak in the shadows like a ninja?

Kamijou took another look around and saw a lot of Anti-Skill beyond the fixed checkpoints. They were stopping their vehicles in the area and receiving large artillery shells from the gunless tanks.

“Those are specialized ammo supply vehicles, fool. I believe they reused the same frame.”

“I feel like it would be more efficient to do this in the city.”

Was the risk of accidents lower if they kept things simple?

Anti-Skill was also gathering carts loaded with the kind of metal trays seen at all-you-can-eat buffets. More than hold food, they appeared to also heat the food with a heating element, allowing for cooking. The adults were gathering around and receiving breakfast from a strange vehicle that Anna smugly explained was a field kitchen. Unlike the students at school, they formed an orderly line without any fighting. ''This martial law thing is just like being at war,'' thought Kamijou (one of their prime targets), which would have angered certain people had they heard it. Anti-Skill really did look more like soldiers than schoolteachers here.

After nonchalantly driving by, Anna bit her thumbnail in his lap.

“Don’t relax yet, fool. They will discover who we are eventually. A military vehicle not found on the central datalink’s timetable is wandering around and loaded with live ammunition, after all.”

And there was no real reason they had to get through this without being discovered.

The fuse had already been lit. They only had to reach District 15 before the explosion.

“?”

The Predator Octopus came to a slow stop.

Not even Kamijou had to ask why.

He lowered Anna from his lap and grabbed the ladder. He opened the hatch and poked his head out to view the 50m-wide obstacle blocking their way.

“A river.”

“Failing to find the right answer while looking right at it is unusual indeed, fool. That is technically a canal since it was intentionally dug by the amusement park.”

Anna’s voice pursued him through the hatch smaller than a manhole.

River or canal, the 20tn mobile combat vehicle could not float in water. Crossing would require using one of the bridges and bridges were crucial for transportation. There was of course more than one, but even from here he could tell Anti-Skill had checkpoints set up on all of them.

They had built barricades from steel beams and barbed wire and they were shining large construction site lights. They also had the firepower of tanks and armored vehicles at their disposal. Were those stacks of boxes full of ammunition?

Approaching any of those bridges would be a bad idea.

Kamijou looked down into the vehicle which had become an oddly warm and sweet girl zone.

“Could we drive right by them in this vehicle like we did before?”

“That may have looked simple to an ignorant fool, but that was a risky gamble. And at an official checkpoint, they will not even let their own people through without an ID check for the vehicle and its occupants. Try it there and we will be exposed and forced to fight. …Which will lead the Bridge Builders Cabal and Kingsford right to us.”

Anna was right. If they could drive right through, they wouldn’t have had such a hard time last night either.

“If they’re watching all the bridges…oh, I know. Could we create a floating bridge or something?”

“With some wooden boxes and ropes we find lying around? I do appreciate the attempt to think for yourself, but anything sturdy enough to allow a 20tn vehicle across would be extremely conspicuous, fool.”

Aradia seemed unusually happy given he was letting the cold air in through the open hatch.

“Ugh, I can’t resist any longer. Move aside so I can get some fresh air too.”

“Wait, Aradia, there’s no room!”

With two of them, the small hatch was cramped indeed. There was only one ladder to stand on, so it was a lot like having two people crammed onto the same side of a kotatsu. What was she, a kind but weirdly careless big sister?

They were practically in each other’s arms while Aradia took a deep breathe of the chilly air.

But…

“What are you looking at, Aradia?”

“The park workers. They do us a great service by giving witches a positive image of magic and dreams, so I need to make sure they’ll be alright.”

''But you don’t care about Anti-Skill?'' wondered Kamijou, but did that mean he was too distracted by their surroundings? When he thought about it, if a normal person came to the amusement park, they wouldn’t be here to see the armed enemy force.

“For me, people watching is more than just a hobby.”

“?”

Kamijou looked puzzled, so Aradia changed the subject to the main topic at hand.

“Couldn’t we abandon this vehicle, cross the river on our own, and steal a different military vehicle on the opposite bank? This 8-wheeled thing can be remotely controlled to an extent, can’t it? We can send it into one of those dangerous bridge checkpoints as a diversion.”

“That can be our last resort,” said Anna. “I want to avoid stealing another vehicle if possible to reduce the odds of them noticing I hacked the datalink. Both because it robs us of transportation and because I don’t want to give them even the slightest hint that our goal is data related – that is, accessing the magic database in District 15.”

Kamijou felt they should also spend some time addressing the fact that crossing the river without a bridge during the middle of winter meant jumping into water that was near freezing and giving off a white steam. And wasn’t this river more than 50m across? The Transcendents might be fine going for a celebratory New Year’s swim since they were walking around in what might as well have been swimsuits, but an ordinary high school boy like Kamijou would freeze and be swept away before he made it across.

Anna kicked the ladder with her small foot as a warning, so the other two ducked back down and shut the hatch.

Kamijou heard the rhythmic sound of a Six Wings helicopter passing by overhead.

“We need to think up a way to safely cross the river.”

“I already told you it’s a canal. Get it right or I’ll drag you around town with a nose hook, fool.”

The other two tilted their heads with “what’s a nose hook?” written on their faces and Anna cleared her throat for some reason.

The girl(?) had stepped on the gas a little too hard, so she stammered a bit before continuing.

“But Academy City aren’t the only ones we have to worry about. Let’s just hope Mut Thebes and Kingsford are polite enough to wait for us to find a solution.”

===Part 5===

“Brr.”

Mut Thebes bent over, wrapped her arms around her shoulders, and shivered.

She was generally the strongest, but she was also a girl who couldn’t stand the cold.

She hated seeing her breath.

During her time in the cabal consulate, she had loved staying indoors and curling up next to the fireplace to keep warm. In fact, she had only ever gone outside to welcome Alice. Before going to bed, she would soak in the tub to warm her body, perform a thorough stretching routine to further increase her body temperature, drink some hot milk, cover her bed with three layers of blanket, and even set the air conditioner to 28 degrees. Not at all environmentally friendly.

(How are the Bologna Succubus and Aradia fine walking around dressed like that? Have they developed an insulation spell to keep themselves warm? And they didn’t tell me? No fair.)

She was in District 6.

But not because she had located the enemy here.

“You can move closer to the heater if you want, miss. Don’t be shy!”

“Thanks.”

“Are you part of the parade? I know it’s important to take the rehearsals seriously, but you’ll catch cold dressed like that this early. Make sure to wear your staff coat during off time! Y’know, the fluffy waterproof one!!”

“If you say so.”

“Oh, I know. Want some hot cocoa?”

“I would love some.”

[[Image:GT_Index_v08_BW2.jpeg|thumb]]

The Transcendent made sure to bow politely to the man with the gravelly voice of a smoker.

The board chairman at the top had declared martial law, but since it was a holiday, not everyone had been able to contact their employer. And employees couldn’t afford to be late the way students could. Thus, a decent number of employees and truckers had arrived at the amusement park for work and were now stuck there. Mut Thebes had joined one of the small groups that had formed across District 6. The people were gathered around an outdoor heater someone had dragged out from the back of storage. It was a giant metal umbrella containing the kind of compressed gas cylinder used for a portable stove and it was likely meant to be placed at a café’s outdoor tables or alongside the lines for the popular attractions.

“I’m a trucker myself, but I can sympathize with your situation. How can they declare martial law like this? How are you supposed to do your job if no one can reach the park, right!?”

“Well, I don’t actually work in the park…”

“Want some mochi? I have some left over from the holiday.”

“I will take four.”

“Oh, you’ve got an appetite. That’s what I like to see!”

The man shouted for someone to bring over a metal mesh. But how did a truck driver manage to cook these on January 1?

Mut Thebes dunked the fresh-cooked mochi in her hot cocoa for something resembling cocoa shiruko and enjoyed the multicultural flavor before looking into the sky above.

A giant craft flew by at surprisingly low altitude.

It looked like a large passenger plane with a giant plate on its head.

“An AWACS plane.”

The man appeared to be more traditional. He poured some soy sauce on a small plate and added sugar from a café-style packet to achieve the perfect tare sauce.

“It’s probably flying so low because District 23 is so close, but what’s the point of that thing in such a small city? Feels like a waste of tech, but maybe it shows how panicked the board of directors is. What’s the point of the martial law, for that matter? I’m not even sure who we’re supposed to be fighting.”

“What is an AWACS plane?”

“Basically a giant reconnaissance plane.”

“I’m not even sure what reconnaissance means.”

“Hm. It really just means you send it out to find the enemy. With the Academy City HsAWACS-05, that plate-like radome has a range of 1000km. It also has a big server and computer aboard, so it can order around its unit based on the data it receives. It can perfectly track more than 1500 enemy and ally craft and share lock info on 500 of them so its allies can attack them. If it gets a lock from afar, the fighters don’t even need to circle behind the enemy craft and carefully take aim. The thing is, it’s only meant to secure air superiority by circling the airspace in question from a distance. Oh, and I only know all this from video games. I love me some flight simulators! Lately, there’s been some great ones even on cheap smartphone VR.”

“Hm.” Mut Thebes looked overhead while poking her fork into and stretching the mochi she had dropped in her sweet mug.

This hobbyist had given her quite the lengthy lecture.

She hadn’t understood even half of it, but she didn’t need to understand every little thing.

The Bologna Succubus’s divination only worked once. She had already played that card. That meant her biggest necessity now was locating the enemy.

And she did not need to fly up into the sky and directly tear the parts from the craft.

It was early morning.

The holy sun had appeared in the eastern sky once more.

Its low altitude was convenient too. The AWACS plane’s large shadow was already moving across the ground and rapidly approaching her.

The brown girl crouched down and lovingly held the steaming mug between her hands. She took a sip of the sweet hot cocoa she had forcibly dunked her mochi in.

“Yes, this combination is a winner.”

===Part 6===

The first to feel a tremor up her spine was Anna Sprengel whose legs were gracefully crossed in the command seat.

A moment later, the Predator Octopus’s interior lighting switched to red.

“A radar signal? But wait – how wide range is it? You’re kidding. This entire area is awash with microwaves!?”

''Wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!

That din played outside again.

Academy City had detected something amiss. That siren signaled imminent death.

Kamijou paled.

“Can I speak? Explain to me exactly what the hell is happening and why!!”

Anna did not answer the idiot.

The 8-wheel mobile combat vehicle rapidly accelerated. They had been keeping their speed low to avoid suspicion, but that ended now.

Anna finally opened her mouth while glaring at the LCD touchscreen.

“Short answer: someone figured out where we are, fool. But that is a powerful signal… The worst part is we don’t know exactly who it was!”

“That’s not much of an answer! You’re only talking to yourself there!”

“Shut up. If you aren’t going to use your head to think, how about I squash your face below my butt?”

She had mentioned radar.

That would suggest Academy City since they were the science side, but Kamijou’s limited knowledge of the Transcendents was enough to know that wasn’t the only possibility.

Mut Thebes could absorb an object’s power by contacting its shadow with her own.

(And if Academy City noticed, they would have sent word by radio and Anti-Skill would move in from all of the checkpoints.)

Aradia frantically placed her hands on Kamijou’s shoulders, pushing him gently into his seat.

“We need to run because some dangerous tech is after us, right? But we can’t keep going because we can’t cross that large canal?”

That was correct.

So Anna was limited to the road running alongside the canal. By climbing the small bump and sending the entire 20ton vehicle onto the road.

But that wasn’t enough.

They knew some unseen person had located them and was closing in on them, but they couldn’t pull away from that pursuer and escape.

If this kept up, they would be caught eventually.

But if they charged across one of the bridges, Anti-Skill would notice them.

Anti-Skill had enough firepower to blow away their thinly-armored military vehicle in a single attack. The Predator Octopus had a tank gun atop 8 wheels, but it would have a hard time breaking through on the confines of the narrow bridge. They would have no escape from the concentrated fire coming from the checkpoint on the opposite bank. And if Anti-Skill blew out the bridge itself before the mobile combat vehicle’s full speed could get it across, they were done for no matter what its specs were. They wanted to avoid being trapped inside the thick tin can while it sank to the bottom of the frigid water.

Kamijou’s eyes widened.

“Anna, what’s the direction and distance of the enemy!?”

“I don’t know.”

“Maybe they’re from science and maybe they’re from magic, but they’re using microwave radar, aren’t they!? If they’re sending such powerful EM waves over such a wide area, ''they must be at the center point''!!”

Anna quickly jabbed her index finger at the touchscreen.

She updated the online map data. Like a typhoon prediction map, a large red circle was displayed with an X in the center.

“That was well done for a fool. I will reward you by gently stepping on you later.”

“Didn’t you threaten that as a punishment earlier?”

This wasn’t moving like an airborne AWACS plane. It was on the surface and moving along a District 6 street.

“So is it a truck?”

“It’s too powerful for that. This is at least AWACS level, but that would mean the size of a large passenger plane. It makes no sense for it to be on the ground.”

That settled it.

And she was close too.

“Mut Thebes!!” shouted Kamijou.

Something rounded a corner behind them with the movements of a speed skater.

It was white.

It looked like a giant object.

But it wasn’t. That was a girl with brown skin and long wavy blonde hair. The Transcendent was leaning forward and sliding along the ground with a massive rotating radome growing from her back. It was 9m across. That made it larger than a small bus, so her slight forward lean was enough for it almost entirely hide her from view.

Anna Sprengel was about as self-centered as they came, but she was left nearly speechless by this.

“It really is an AWACS. That radar rivals an antiair cruiser’s system and she’s really using it in heavily populated area at an altitude of 90m? It’s not as bad as a microwave oven, but that will at least burn anyone outside. It could even blind them.”

Explosive shockwaves shook the 20ton vehicle.

But not because someone was shooting at them

It was more like accidental explosions were occurring elsewhere all of a sudden.

“The powerful EM waves are setting off the artillery shells packed in boxes at the checkpoints. The exposed electric fuses are reacting.”

Aradia clenched her teeth at that.

Burns, blinding, and exploding ammo cases.

The witch goddess, who was bound by her conditions for salvation, gave a roar.

“Mut Thebes. You don’t deserve the title of punishment expert if you would cause this much collateral damage!!”

“Anna. Aradia too. We have to do this. We have to fight and stop her!!”

The 8-wheels continued racing along while the gun turned to face backwards.

Did Mut Thebes’s smooth movement come from using wheels she absorbed from a drum-shaped security robot? She gave a jerk of realization while she pursued them. With that radome larger than she was, she could see every movement their vehicle made.

“That isn’t going to hit, “ said Aradia. She was on the magic side, but she must have picked up on something.

They couldn’t afford to miss here.

The explosions triggered by the powerful microwaves were a serious threat. If even one shell detonated, the rest in the stacks of wooden boxes could go with it. That could easily kill some of the Anti-Skill officers or even the ordinary park staff.

“Don’t aim at her!” shouted Kamijou. “Aim at the road in front of her!!”

With a loud boom, the vehicle was hit by a sharp kick of recoil it couldn’t fully neutralize. Mut Thebes had been ready to dodge to one side or the other, so when a wide section of pavement was torn from the ground like a large wave, she stared with her jaw dropped before crashing right into it.

If she could predict their actions, their best bet was to create a wall fanned out in front her so there was no escape.

But that was unlikely to kill her.

Kamijou didn’t hesitate here because he had developed an odd trust in her.

But much to his surprise, the brown girl did not pursue.

Of course, this wasn’t because the attack had been effective. Something had crashed sharply into her from the side. A series of sharp crashing sounds arrived shortly after as she bounced several dozen meters along the road, taking her away from the canal. The vehicle’s interior lighting returned to white, suggesting the radar signal was gone.

That hadn’t been a metal artillery shell. Nor had it been a magic beam.

It looked like…a person.

“…”

Kamijou heard a small shaking sound.

It came from Anna Sprengel who had a cold sweat pouring down her brow.

“……………………………………………………………………………………………”

“Anna? Hey, Anna!!”

Kamijou quickly reached over and grabbed the thin touchscreen.

The Predator Octopus was currently racing alongside the District 6 canal at more than 100km/h. But he had no idea how to drive it without a physical wheel or lever.

He had leaned in toward the command seat, so he was nearly pressed up against Anna Sprengel. This let him hear her whisper.

She had seen something out there.

And the sight had broken her violent and arrogant pride.

“Anna…Kingsford?”

===Part 7===

Anna Kingsford’s method was quite simple.

She had not actually defeated Holy Guardian Angel Aiwass the day before. After fighting him enough to make it convincing, she had intentionally avoided a finishing blow and let him escape.

He belonged to Miss Sprengel.

By tracing his path, he would guide her right to Anna Sprengel.

“My, my.”

And Kingsford opted to spare the Predator Octopus for now and instead attack Mut Thebes first.

She had a clear and simple reason for this.

“You must ❌ do this, Transcendent. I don’t know what these ‘micro🌊’ things are, but you must ❌ harm the ordinary people who know nothing of 🪄.”

“What?”

Mut Thebes’s back was embedded in the side of a smashed tank and the white radome caught between her and the solid armor cracked before breaking apart.

Freed from the weight on her back, the brown girl extracted herself from the tank.

“Did you seriously pick a fight with a Transcendent over something like that?”

“🪄 was originally meant as a 🧰 to serve those around you,” replied Kingsford with a smile.

She was willing to bet her life on “something like that”.

Because she remained as dedicated to her magic name now as she had been a century before.

“…”

Mut Thebes’s silence did not mean she was overwhelmed by the great goddess of knowledge.

Her area of expertise was punishment.

And Transcendents could be heartless when someone did not fit their conditions for salvation.

She could separate herself from her emotions and present condition in order to coldly gather information on her target. In this case, she heard the rumble of a diesel engine driving away.

She used that to estimate her target’s location.

(I can’t use the AWACS anymore. And I don’t have direct line of sight, so I have to rely on sound. I will lose them if I can’t resume the pursuit within three minutes.)

“That is ❌ a good idea.”

Kingsford’s soft but smooth voice interrupted Mut Thebes’s thoughts.

She placed her finger on her slender chin.

“Do ❌ ignore the immediate threat to focus on your distant 🎯. For that matter, what makes you 💭 you can win this at all?”

“Are you Anna Kingsford?”

“I am indeed☆”

“''The original''?”

“''Of course ❌.''”

She didn’t even try to claim otherwise.

Casually abandoning that legend may have been something Miss Sprengel could never do.

“I am well past worrying about that. She too is an original. She has done a splendid job of achieving what I can ❌. Although she seems unaware of that fact. So I am willing to let her be the main ‘Anna’ in the history of Modern Western 🪄. I am ❌ more than a spell user. As long as I can serve those around me, I am ❌picky about what form that takes or what people call me.”

“Hm.”

Transcendent Mut Thebes’s behavior was unchanged.

With a dull sound, the color white burst from her right shoulder. She had absorbed the tank she had crashed into, so a 120mm gun suddenly emerged.

“I absorbed the shadows of the laser targeting and microwave radar this time.”

''Kaboom!!'' She didn’t hesitate to fire.

The shell tore through the air and was compressed to the absolute limit before its course veered to the side in front of Anna Kingsford. It looked so natural Mut Thebes nearly overlooked how odd it really was.

“?”

“True understanding is ❌ found in ⚔️.”

Anna Kingsford shook her head.

With that large witch hat on her head.

She was not bragging. The eyes behind her glasses displayed the look of a teacher marking a question wrong on her student’s test.

“Sadly, all you will find there is misunderstanding. I did ❌ do a thing. It was you that missed the shot, Transcendent, ❌ me.”

“Nonsense. That kind of pedantic argument can’t alter my spell.”

“My. My. We are both wielding the uncertain system of techniques known as 🪄, so how can you claim anything is reproducible or absolute, Transcendent?”

That meant Mut Thebes either had to overwhelm her with enough attacks or physically tackle her to break through whatever barrier had sent the shell off course.

But Mut Thebes was a moment too slow.

Kingsford clapped her hands together in front of her large chest.

“'' 🪄 power.''”

That was all.

There was no light, sound, color, or shape. But the brown girl sensed something – an unseen, unknowable field of oppressive density – appear between the two of them.

Anna Kingsford did not use flashy special attacks.

She took the common magic and ceremonies that even the beginners were sick and tired of and she honed them past the limit.

No more than that. But no one else could achieve this, so it allowed her to overwhelm all others.

It even let her gather up and harness the immorality, tragedy, and misfortune found all throughout this incomplete world.

“What did you do?”

“Nothing really. Hee hee. This rebuilt body appears to be more fragile than my original one. If I refined 🪄 power at my full 💪, it would destroy the ⚙️ parts. So I emit all the excess energy outside my body, which makes it easier for ‘nonexistent things’ to manifest. Think of it like how ⬆️-ing the humidity with a humidifier makes it easier for frost to form on the 🪟.”

A true expert did not normally say much.

So when the 2nd Anna did so, she was doing it for her opponent’s benefit.

The brown girl still didn’t understand, so the expert gave her a look of pity.

“''In other words, it is ❌ me who will defeat you.''”

A heavy footstep rang out.

It came from a blonde woman in a beige habit. …But was that really who this was? If so, how was her footstep powerful enough to shake the world around her?

The unknown entity approached with head lowered and radiating a bestial aura.

She held her hand straight out.

“Your number is 333, your nature is dispersion. You obstruct all bonds and I ask that you mercilessly tear apart this force building a tower of immorality and sacrifice.”

Something beat hard against the air.

A pair of bat wings had emerged from her back.

She slowly raised her head to pierce all with her gaze.

“Lend me your identity, ''Great Demon Coronzon''!!!”

“Kee kee ee ha ha! You would willingly use me, human? That’s quite the taboo you’re breaking. Feeling like naming yourself the wickedest man in the world again, Aleister!!?”

A series of bright lights and explosions followed.

An even more colorful spectacle had to be playing out in a territory invisible to human eyes.

===Part 8===

Kamijou Touma jumped within the mobile combat vehicle.

He had heard that explosion even through the Predator Octopus’s armor. It had sounded like a nearby lightning strike.

“D-did one of them get the other? But which one got which!?”

“That’s no cause for celebration! Once this three-way battle ends, the winner will be after us!! And they’ll have just proven they’re the most dangerous of the bunch!!” snapped back Aradia.

Anna Sprengel remained dazed. She had met that woman – Kingsford? – yesterday too, but her reaction today was entirely different. Her head rocked with the movement of the vehicle, almost look like a doll.

The tiny arrogant wicked woman was nowhere to be found.

(Aiwass, was it?)

Kamijou Touma desperately grabbed at the touchscreen inside the moving vehicle.

(She used her final trump card, but Kingsford is still walking around just fine. She doesn’t even seem injured. That means Anna’s secret weapon didn’t work at all! ''She had her worst fears proven correct''!! So the dread she was feeling turned to actual fear all at once!!!)

She had been turned into a face on a film canister – with no arms, legs, or even a torso.

In fact, there had to be something between the two Annas going back ''before that''. Something involving their overwhelming difference in power.

But for now, Kamijou had to gain control of the vehicle or it would plunge right into the freezing canal. Whether Mut Thebes or Kingsford emerged victorious, they would catch up the instant they resumed their pursuit if the vehicle wasn’t across the 50m width of the canal first.

But a high school boy like Kamijou didn’t know how to operate the vehicle using the flat touchscreen. He didn’t even know how to apply the brakes. He could guess it probably worked similar to a 3D game, but he was terrified of touching the wrong thing and firing the gun. Things never ended well when Mr. Misfortune left matters up to luck.

“Anna…”

He clenched his teeth and shouted into the little wicked woman’s ear.

“This isn’t over yet!! I don’t know what happened between you and Kingsford, but it’s not too late to turn things around!! But if you’re going to get over this, you have to make the attempt yourself. So wake up, Anna Sprengel!!!”

“To hell with this!!” shouted Aradia, fed up with it all.

But she moved to the ladder, not the commander’s seat.

“What are you doing!?”

“I’m not interested in figuring out this hunk of tech. But we’re in trouble, so I have to do something about it! And I can only think of one way!!”

Aradia shouted back her answer before pushing up the hatch.

The icy wind of their 100km/h movement rushed inside and the witch goddess climbed on out.

A yellow warning appeared on the edge of the console monitor. A laser emitter had detected an error. It was meant to detect slight deviations in the gun barrel caused by the heat distribution when firing and Kamijou couldn’t make heads or tails of the displayed message.

When he returned his attention to the external footage on the screen, he saw Aradia straddling the gun barrel.

Just like a witch might ride a broom.

“A witch’s life is at risk here.”

“Aradia?”

“Don’t you dare underestimate the goddess of all witches!!!”

The 20 ton mass began to float.

[[Image:GT_Index_v08_BW3.jpeg|thumb]]

In Shibuya on December 31, Kamijou had seen Aradia fly on a crosswalk signal. But still. Nothing could have mentally prepared him for her flying on the entire vehicle with him inside. He made sure to bite his right hand. He felt he deserved some credit for remembering to avoid touching the walls or floor.

If the LCD monitor was to be believed, the 8-wheel mobile combat vehicle had crossed the 50m canal. They hadn’t used a bridge, so they had slipped past Anti-Skill’s checkpoint network.

Aradia was right outside, but he heard her voice coming through the screen.

That helped it seem all the more unreal.

“Ah ha ha!! How about that, Kamijou Touma? This is a witch’s spell – the essence of witchcraft! It’s a liberating power that frees all men and women’s hearts from the world’s bonds!!”

“Hey, are you sure this is safe? Hey! Being this high up is terrifying!!”

Kamijou felt the same tension as if a cramped elevator had stopped unexpectedly.

But the witch goddess was in complete control, so she basked in the elation of soaring through the sky. These things were a lot easier for the one holding the reins.

“Hey. We’re already flying, so do we even need to land on the opposite bank? Seems to me flying all the way to District 15 would be faster.”

Now that she mentioned it, maybe she was right.

And now that they were this high up, the fear of heights vanished. Had they risen 400m? The average building rooftop was below them at this point.

Kamijou Touma was just starting to entertain the idea when the vehicle’s interior lighting went red again.

That meant radar.

The fast approaching sounds of rotors came from an entire group of Six Wings unmanned attack helicopters.

“Take us down right this instant, Aradia, you stupid sexy banana woman!! The airport radar detected us and decided we’re an enemy aircraft!!!”

“Uh, oh! Will this city’s stupid tech never give us a break!?”

===Between the Lines 3===

Mut Thebes’s right half was embedded in a wall. And not close to the ground either. That wall was on the side of a bungee jump platform.

Aleister and Kingsford had already moved on.

Academy City’s focus must have followed them because the siren had stopped.

“………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………”

The brown girl cracked her neck as she extracted herself from the wall and used the simple elevator to reach the ground.

(Ordinary airbags are surprisingly useful.)

She tore away the deflated white shape tangled around her skinny frame.

A difference in strength was a nonissue. ''No matter who she was up against, she would eventually fill the gap in strength with a snowball effect.'' She was a Transcendent of the Bridge Builders Cabal. That meant she used a broken spell that could singlehandedly achieve victory against the entirety of the magic side if used right.

So more than that, she felt surprise from the side of her that was a punishment expert.

(She didn’t even check to see if her defeated enemy was dead? That Anna Kingsford must be ''too'' strong. A strange concept.)

“Brr, it’s cold.”

Mut Thebes shivered and held herself. She wanted to get this job done with and head back home where it was warm. Hopefully the consulate still existed.

The commotion had grown a lot.

Those Anti-Skill people had decided their checkpoints weren’t working and had started to spread out more. They used tanks, armored vehicles, and what were those other ones called? Whatever they were, Mut Thebes doubted those ''puny tools'' would be enough to repel Kingsford.

That woman was not Mut Thebes’s target, but it was worth coming up with a plan for her if she insisted on interfering with this punishment job.

Needless to say, Kingsford did not fit the brown girl’s conditions for salvation.

(But this could be a problem. Kingsford isn’t a Transcendent, so the Shrink Drink won’t work on her the way it will for the other Anna.)

She could protect something by killing. It was all for a free and fair society.

Mut Thebes fought to protect whatever she had decided was her territory. ''For now'', she was the goddess and queen who did everything in her power to protect the Bridge Builders Cabal from external threats.

Which was also why she had made no move to stop the internal conflict between the cabal members in the consulate.

“Hm,” muttered the girl as she took a look around. Was there anything here she could use?

She wanted something larger and more bizarre. She wanted something on an irreversibly large scale.

This amusement park district was lacking in reality. She spotted something while walking alongside the canal. Something was moored to the side of the canal by several chains thicker than her arm.

Was this an amusement park attraction? But it didn’t appear to be a movie replica.

A nearby sign gave the specs of the new prototype being displayed.

Next Generation Aircraft Cruiser – Fugaku

Length: 300m

Full Load Displacement: 106,000 tons

Speed: 50 knots

Power System: fluid dynamic power generator + support diesel engine (Output: 45,000 kW)

Based on a “bigger is better” philosophy, the ship produces unrivalled firepower and extraordinary long range with 35cm guns and large cruise missiles. But it does not end there. All excess rear firepower was removed to make room for an electromagnetic catapult. This allows it to also carry 40 HsF/A-49 Sharp Frame single-seater multipurpose stealth fighter craft. The latest version is also equipped with 200 laser attack units, allowing it to fully neutralize any airborne objects, including enemy aircraft and ballistic or cruise missiles.

The fluid dynamic power generator is exactly what it sounds like. The resistance of traveling through a fluid such as the air or the seawater is utilized to generate energy. A cargo ship weighing tens of thousands of tons can be broken in two by a storm or large wave if the containers are loaded poorly. This demonstrates the unimaginable power carried by waves, so by harnessing that power, limitless power can be acquired while effectively only floating in the ocean.

The aircraft cruiser classification went out of style for a while, but it has been revived as the world’s most powerful warship using the latest Academy City technology, which allows for direct and indirect attack and defense using its various armaments. In particular, the antiair radar and ballistic prediction supercomputer provides the ship with strategic-level missile interception infrastructure even if it is cut off from the central datalink by an attack on the land facilities or by high-level electronic warfare.

“Hmm.”

The sign was exceedingly long, so Mut Thebes didn’t bother reading past the 4th line before nodding.

“300m. It should at least catch them by surprise, right?”

<noinclude>
{{Toaru_Nav|prev=Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume8_Chapter1|next=Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume8_Chapter3}}
</noinclude>

Index Calendar

2023-05-31T17:21:55Z

January: /* Current Dates Across Franchise */

[[Image:A_Certain_Unified_Calendar.png|900px|thumb|none|An unofficial calendar of events in the Toaru Majutsu no Index franchise]]

==Current Dates Across Franchise==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Name!!Material!!Issue!!Current Date in Material
|-
|<span style="color:blue">'''Toaru Majutsu no Index'''</span>||'''Light Novels'''||'''GT8'''||4th of January (next year)
|-
|<span style="color:purple">'''Toaru Anbu no Item'''</span>||''Light Novels/Manga''||Item 1||July (previous year)
|-
|<span style="color:blue">'''Toaru Majutsu no Index'''</span>||''Manga''||Ch. 181||~17th of October
|-
|<span style="color:crimson">'''Toaru Kagaku no Railgun'''</span>||''Manga''||Ch. 145||~15th of October (Ch. 130)<br/>October (previous year, Ch. 146)
|-
|<span style="color:darkslategray">'''Toaru Kagaku no Accelerator'''</span>||''Manga''||Ch. 63||14th of September
|-
|<span style="color:deeppink">'''Astral Buddy'''</span>||''Manga''||Ch. 30||~3rd of October
|-
|<span style="color:darkviolet">'''Toaru Kagaku no Dark Matter'''</span>||''Manga''||Ch. 4||~8th of September
|-
|<span style="color:gold">'''Toaru Kagaku no Mental Out'''</span>||''Manga''||Ch. 18||October
|-
|<span style="color:blue">'''Toaru Majutsu no Index'''</span>||Anime||Ep. III-26||31st of October
|-
|<span style="color:crimson">'''Toaru Kagaku no Railgun'''</span>||Anime||Ep. T-25||~11th of October
|-
|<span style="color:darkslategray">'''Toaru Kagaku no Accelerator'''</span>||Anime||Ep. 12||~8th of September
|}

==Brief Notes not currently in Calendar==
===Index: Old Testament===
===Index: New Testament===
===Index: Genesis Testament===
===Railgun===
===Accelerator===
===Astral Buddy===
===Dark Matter===
===Mental Out===

Return to [[Toaru Majutsu no Index|'''Toaru Majutsu no Index Main Page''']].

Template:Toaru:Side Stories/Long SS

2023-03-20T09:08:58Z

January:

<div class="mw-customtoggle-Long mw-customtoggle-LongClose mw-customtoggle-LongOpen" style="background:#ecf2ce;cursor:pointer" align="center">'''<big>Long Stories</big>'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible" style="text-align:left;margin:5px5pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:100%" id="mw-customcollapsible-Long">
'''These are novel-length side stories published separately from the main series.'''

[[Image:SP.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===Toaru Majutsu no Index SP ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Volume_SP|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Volume SP Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Volume SP Chapter1|Stiyl Magnus]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Volume SP Chapter2|Mark Space]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Volume SP Chapter3|Kamijou Touma]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Volume SP Chapter4|Uiharu Kazari]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Volume SP Afterword|Afterword]]

[[Image:RAILGUN SS1 01 001.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===Toaru Kagaku no Railgun SS: Liberal Arts City ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS1|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS1 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS1 Chapter1|Chapter 1]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS1 Chapter2|Chapter 2]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS1 Chapter3|Chapter 3]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS1 Chapter4|Chapter 4]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS1 Chapter5|Chapter 5]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS1 Chapter6|Chapter 6]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS1 Chapter7|Chapter 7]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS1 Chapter8|Chapter 8]]

[[Image:INDEX Norse Mythology 01 001.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Norse Mythology===
::*Illustrations
::*Chapter 1: The Whereabouts of the Restraints — GLEIPNIR.
::*Chapter 2: When Will We Outgrow Tropical Countries? — YMIR's_ocean.
::*Chapter 3: The True Meaning of Environmental Protection — RULIC_letters.
::*Chapter 4: This and That About Life — ALFAR.
::*Chapter 5: Marine Prison — NAGLFAR.
::*Chapter 6: The Best Moment — BIFROST.
::*Chapter 7: The Destination of Salvation — GUNGNIR.
::*Chapter 8: The One who Teaches the Secret Rune — VALKYRIE.

[[Image:RAILGUN SS2 01 001.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]

===Toaru Kagaku no Railgun SS2: Shopping Mall Demonstration ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS2|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS2 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS2 Chapter1|Chapter 1]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS2 Chapter2|Chapter 2]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS2 Chapter3|Chapter 3]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS2 Chapter4|Chapter 4]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS2 Chapter5|Chapter 5]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS2 Chapter6|Chapter 6]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS2 Chapter7|Chapter 7]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS2 Chapter8|Chapter 8]]

[[Image:RAILGUN PSP.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===Toaru Kagaku no Railgun PSP===
'''All links below are external links to [https://jerutz.wordpress.com/ JeruTz Translations]'''
::*[https://jerutz.wordpress.com/railgun-psp-tutorial/ Tutorial]
::*[https://jerutz.wordpress.com/railgun-psp/railgun-psp-chapter-1/ Chapter 1: Longicorn of the Vacant Lot]
::*[https://jerutz.wordpress.com/railgun-psp/railgun-psp-chapter-2/ Chapter 2: Disciplinary Guidance]
::*[https://jerutz.wordpress.com/railgun-psp/railgun-psp-chapter-3/ Chapter 3: Grim Reaper Kakiko]
::*Chapter 4
::*Chapter 5
::*DLC Chapter

[[Image:INDEX RtE Cover.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===Toaru Majutsu no Index: Road to Endymion ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Road_to_Endymion|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Endymion Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Endymion Chapter1|Chapter 1]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Endymion Chapter2|Chapter 2]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Endymion Chapter3|Chapter 3]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Endymion Chapter4|Chapter 4]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Endymion Chapter5|Chapter 5]]

[[Image:INDEX Necessarius Cover.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Necessarius Special Entrance Exam===
::*Illustrations
::*Chapter 1
::*Chapter 2
::*Chapter 3
::*Chapter 4
::*Chapter 5
::*Chapter 6
::*Chapter 7
::*Chapter 8

[[Image:INDEX Virutal On Cover.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: A Certain Magical Virtual-On ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Virtual On|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Virtual On Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Virtual On Preface|Preface]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Virtual On Prologue|Prologue]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Virtual On Chapter1|Chapter 1]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Virtual On Chapter2|Chapter 2]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Virtual On Chapter3|Chapter 3]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Virtual On Chapter4|Chapter 4]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Virtual On Epilogue|Epilogue]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Virtual On Afterword|Afterword]]

[[Image:Railgun Cold Game Cover.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun_Cold_Game|Toaru Kagaku no Railgun: Cold Game]]===

<br style="clear:both"/>
[[Image:RailgunSS3 cover.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===Toaru Kagaku no Railgun SS3 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS3|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS3 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS3 Chapter1|Chapter 1]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS3 Chapter2|Chapter 2]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS3 Chapter3|Chapter 3]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS3 Chapter4|Chapter 4]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS3 Chapter5|Chapter 5]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS3 Chapter6|Chapter 6]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS3 Chapter7|Chapter 7]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS3 Chapter8|Chapter 8]]

[[Image:Biohacker_cover.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Biohacker ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Biohacker|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Biohacker Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Biohacker Chapter1|Chapter 1]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Biohacker Chapter2|Chapter 2]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Biohacker Chapter3|Chapter 3]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Biohacker Chapter4|Chapter 4]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Biohacker Chapter5|Chapter 5]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Biohacker Chapter6|Chapter 6]]

[[Image:AgneseSS_cover.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Agnese’s Magic Side Work Trial ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:AgneseSS|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:AgneseSS Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:AgneseSS Chapter1|Chapter 1]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:AgneseSS Chapter2|Chapter 2]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:AgneseSS Chapter3|Chapter 3]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:AgneseSS Chapter4|Chapter 4]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:AgneseSS Chapter5|Chapter 5]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:AgneseSS Chapter6|Chapter 6]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:AgneseSS Chapter7|Chapter 7]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:AgneseSS Chapter8|Chapter 8]]

[[Image:Railgun_cover.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===A Certain Scientific Railgun ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Prologue|Prologue: Four Girls]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Chapter1|Chapter 1: Shirai Kuroko Does Not Hesitate]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Chapter2|Chapter 2: Saten Ruiko’s Messy Bloodbath Paradise☆]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Chapter3|Chapter 3: Uiharu Kazari Can Do Real Work Too]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Chapter4|Chapter 4: Misaka Mikoto and the Death of Class]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Epilogue|Epilogue: Four Girls+α]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Afterword|Afterword]]

[[Image:Item Cover.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===A Certain Dark Side Item ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item Prologue|Prologue: Feminine, Dangerous, Bright]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item Chapter1|Chapter 1: The Fifth Girl]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item Chapter2|Chapter 2: >>Colosseum]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item Chapter3|Chapter 3: A Certain Display of Courage, A Secret Reward]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item Chapter4|Chapter 4: Roar of the Level 5]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item Epilogue|Epilogue: A Path Leading to Another Time, Another Place]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item Afterword|Afterword]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item Ending|?]]

[[#toc|'''<small>Back to Contents</small>''']]
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Template:Toaru:Brief

2023-03-18T22:34:02Z

January:

[[Image:To Aru Majutsu no Index new cover.jpg|250px|thumb|New Illustration Art]]
<p><span style="color:mediumblue"><u>'''''Toaru Majutsu no Index'''''</u></span> (とある魔術の禁書目録（インデックス）, lit. ''A Certain Magical Index'') is a Japanese light novel series written by [[:Category:Kazuma Kamachi|Kazuma Kamachi]] (鎌池和馬) and illustrated by Kiyotaka Haimura (はいむらきよたか). The series is published by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASCII_Media_Works ASCII Media Works] under their [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dengeki_Bunko Dengeki Bunko] imprint. There are currently '''{{#expr: 45 + 7 + 6}}''' published volumes of the novels, including '''6''' side story volumes. Regularly placing in the top 10 of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kono_Light_Novel_ga_Sugoi! Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi!] rankings, it was one of select few series inducted into its hall of fame from 2021 onward.

</p>A sequel novel series titled <span style="color:midnightblue"><u>'''''Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index'''''</u></span> (新約 とある魔術の禁書目録（インデックス）, lit. ''A Certain Magical Index: New Testament'') began publishing in 2011 and concluded in July 2019 with its 23rd installment. A new sequel novel series titled <span style="color:darkblue"><u>'''''Souyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index'''''</u></span> (創約 とある魔術の禁書目録（インデックス）, lit. ''A Certain Magical Index: Genesis Testament'') began publishing in 2020.</p>

<p>The series has produced a manga with '''27''' published volumes, three anime seasons based on the contents of the original novels and inspired a PSP game. The anime adaptation has also inspired an animated film titled <span style="color:purple"><u>'''''Gekijōban Toaru Majutsu no Index: Endymion no Kiseki'''''</u></span> (劇場版とある魔術の禁書目録（インデックス）エンデュミオンの奇蹟, lit. ''A Certain Magical Index the Movie: Miracle of Endymion'') which in turn inspired a PSP game tie-in and manga adaptation with '''2''' published volumes. Furthermore, the series has collaborated the Cyber Trooper Virtual-On series with a novel, a manga adaptation with '''3''' published volumes and a sequel PS4/Vita game.</p>

<p>The series has also produced a spin-off manga titled <span style="color:crimson"><u>'''''Toaru Kagaku no Railgun'''''</u></span> (とある科学の超電磁砲（レールガン）, lit. ''A Certain Scientific Railgun''), which currently has '''17''' published volumes and has also been adapted into three anime seasons and inspired an OVA and a PSP game as well as its own spin-off: <span style="color:lightcoral"><u>'''''Astral Buddy'''''</u></span>, which has completed serialization with '''4''' published volumes. A second spin-off manga titled <span style="color:darkslategray"><u>'''''Toaru Kagaku no Accelerator'''''</u></span> (とある科学の一方通行(アクセラレータ), lit. ''A Certain Scientific Accelerator'') has completed serialization with '''12''' published volumes and has recently been adapted into an anime. A third spin-off manga titled <span style="color:coral"><u>'''''Toaru Kagaku no Mental Out'''''</u></span> (とある科学の心理掌握(メンタルアウト), lit. ''A Certain Scientific Mental Out'') began serialization in mid 2021 and currently has '''2''' published volumes.</p>

Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun PSP SS

2023-02-27T02:19:30Z

January: typo

==Toaru Kagaku no Railgun SS: A Superfluous Story, or A Certain Incident’s End==

Note: This SS was written by Kamachi Kazuma, was published in PSP Toaru Kagaku no Railgun: The Complete Visual Guide, and acts as an epilogue for the Railgun PSP game.

===Part 1===

The term White Alligator could be dug up on the level of an absurd rumor, but the accuracy of information on that mysterious unit would decline rapidly once one attempted to find out what exactly it was.

The first thing to come to one’s mind upon hearing the name would be the white alligators said to live in sewers.

One theory said it was an experiment forcibly training children based on the stories of those alligators having undergone a mutation in response to their harsh environment.

Another theory said it was a unit that mainly used the sewers for surreptitious movements.

A third theory said it was using the sewers as a metaphor for the “darkness” that would draw in and devour the unprepared.

Yet another theory said it had started as a powers development program created to destroy the restrictions set by a certain list whispered of in secret among researchers, but had developed into a business model that mass produced stable Level 4s to be used against Level 5s.

Each of those theories had a certain level of credibility and yet had enough conjectures added in to make absolute confidence impossible. The very existence of White Alligator seemed like nothing more than an unsure rumor spreading among the children.

Presently, only one thing was certain.

The identity of White Alligator was unclear, but those such as her definitely existed.

===Part 2===

Academy City was wrapped in the darkness of night. That description was only appropriate for that highly populated city filled with artificial light because it was referring to the industrial District 17. No unnecessary decorative lights were present and only the bare minimum of streetlights were present. The countless lights in the automated factories created the characteristic scene of an industrial area at night, but the darkness was still greater.

“This is the place,” said Misaka Mikoto. “According to the urban legend Saten-san picked up on, a refrigerated storage facility that already used massive amounts of electricity is being used to hide the power usage of the life support device that is controlled by a special amperage. And this is the only refrigerated facility that’s actual power consumption is ''off some from its spec sheet but still has stable usage''.”

In the darkness of the night, a pale light lit up Mikoto’s face. It came from the screen of a PDA. Even as the display continued to scroll automatically, she put the device back in her skirt pocket.

“…‘The Whereabouts of Saitou Souta’, hm?,” said another girl standing next to Mikoto. The girl had brown hair and wore the summer uniform of Nagatenjouki Academy, one of the most prestigious schools in Academy City. She was a Level 4 with a power known as Military Oil. She was a former elite of the dark side whose history as a member of White Alligator had made sure she had dealt with plenty of dirty jobs.

She was Aizono Mio.

She had undergone first aid, but she still had fresh wounds. However, they both understood that they did not have time to carry out any more thorough treatments.

“What were you looking at that PDA for?”

“I was checking on something. I’m waiting for the results of some analysis.” It was then Mikoto’s turn to check with the other girl on something. “Listen up. Saitou-sensei is being held in here in a comatose state. Once we rescue him, you will turn yourself in to Anti-Skill as you promised. If you try to run away, I will not hesitate to fire this time.”

“I know, I know. More importantly, I have no time. Even now, Anti-Skill and Judgment are doing their best to track me down. Even a generous estimate gives me only this night. If you slow me down even slightly, I will leave you behind and finish this on my own.”

“Okay.” Mikoto punched her lightly clenched right fist into her left palm. “Then let’s get started. Let’s tie up all the loose ends.”

===Part 3===

Despite what Mikoto had said, they did not charge straight into the refrigerated storage facility. This was due to a comment made by Aizono Mio.

“This facility is likely a trap.”

“Whose trap?”

“Someone who doesn’t want anyone coming after Saitou-sensei. For one thing, I can’t believe that a rumor about his location would so conveniently pop up right when everything else was finished. I can only imagine that someone purposefully spread the rumor.”

“Do you think this someone knows who we are?”

“I doubt there are many other people that Saitou Souta would work as bait for.”

“Then what is our enemy planning to do? I doubt this person is going to think normal firepower is going to be much help against a Level 5 and a Level 4 working together.”

“True, true. If it was me, I know what I would do. I’d set nerve gas to be triggered the instant we stepped into the refrigerated storage facility. Once it was obvious our minds were too muddled to activate our powers, I would then immediately blow the building to smithereens with a bomb. Kaboom!!”

As usual, the change in her tone of voice sent a shiver down Mikoto’s spine.

“I’ve been wondering. Why does your tone of voice always change at times like this?”

Aizono Mio cleared her throat and said, “That’s just the way I am. I am automatically set to be interested in that type of thing.”

“And I don’t like how you talk down to me.”

“If you say a word more, I’ll turn you into a chunk of wax.” Aizono then changed the direction she was headed. “Anyway, entering the facility isn’t going to help, so let’s check the surroundings. If this was done according to the standard, we should find a vehicle.”

“Why?”

“Explosions are a bit noticeable. They’ll have had an escape vehicle prepared before setting up the explosives. They will! It’ll be at a point distant enough to not get wrapped up in any counterattacks from their target but close enough to immediately pick up their comrades and escape.”

“I told you not to talk down to me.”

“Shut up about that or I’ll dissolve your bra and panties and give you an oil massage.”

Feeling a strange chill, Mikoto fell silent. She only then realized that she was in danger of being left nude in the Floating Garden Observatory of the twin towers.

After circling around the refrigerated storage facility, they spotted a 4-door car oddly parked on the street. Aizono approached the driver’s side and…

With no forewarning, the 4-door family car was suddenly sliced in two.

The shape of Aizono’s hand had changed. More accurately, the black oil wrapped around her arm had formed the silhouette of a sword. Her clothes had also changed at some point. She now wore a special dress that was both a liquid and a solid.

“Yessss☆ Thanks for your hard work, you brave maid. Now, could you tell me where the hideout is? Where were you told to bring your companions in this piece of junk?”

“Wait…W-wh-what are you…!?”

The driver frantically pulled a handgun out of the dashboard.

However, he then noticed that something was wrong.

He felt a sticky feeling on his palm like he had picked up chocolate left in the car during the summer. Before he could even frown in confusion, the feeling slipped off of his hand. It took him a few more seconds to realize the handgun made of layered plastic that was harder than a hammer had melted.

“Hurry. Up. And. Tell. Me.”

“E-ee!? No. I’ll never talk!”

“Sigh. So you’re so far down on the chain of command that you don’t even understand how outmatched you are here.”

A sound like a rope being bent was heard. The next thing the driver knew, gasoline flowing from severed pipes surrounded his body, covering even his face.

“I suppose a nice oil massage would get the message across a little better. Have you ever wanted to be burned at the hands of a high school girl? Hmm. It’s a bit dark and hard to see. I think I’ll borrow that lighter of yours.”

“Burn!? A-are you an idiot!? I really will burn!”

“Now, it’s time for the bride and groom’s candle service!!”

Mikoto realized Aizono might actually do it, so she cut in.

“W-wait a second!! The wires were severed when you cut the car in two and this will be no joke if that’s ignited by the lighter!!”

“Ahh!! You idiot! Don’t come toward me while sending sparks everywhere like that!!”

“Eh?”

“Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!!”

With a great explosive noise, the turkey that was the star of the party was served up.

Aizono immediately slid backwards along the ground as if pushed by the orange explosion while Mikoto used magnetism to jump back as far as she could.

The experienced former elite’s face had gone slightly pale.

“I-I can’t believe you. Roasting a completely defenseless underling for a gag is an off the charts level of cruelty. …Can I call you mistress?”

“No, please don’t!! Also, this wasn’t my fault! The explosion came from the trunk. A detonation signal was sent an instant ahead of time!!” Mikoto shouted back indignantly.

At Mikoto’s feet, the relatively strong driver who normally would have declared his victory over the hardships of life was lying in a daze like a girl who had been knocked over and licked all over by her undisciplined pet dog.

Just before the explosion, Mikoto had used iron sand to absorb and isolate the gasoline surrounding the driver’s body, and had then used magnetism to operate his seatbelt buckle and pull him toward her.

“Nnyah?” Aizono tilted her head to the side in confusion before the younger girl. “So that explosion was planned ahead of time?”

“Yes. If they finished us off in the facility, that would have been that. But they also put a bomb in the trunk if it wasn’t enough. This double trap makes it seem more like they’re only trying to buy time rather than seriously trying to defeat us.”

“But what is the person behind this trying to do with the extra time?”

Mikoto and Aizono looked over toward the rescued driver. As the large man sat on the ground, he had tears in his eyes.

“N-nooooooooooooo!! I’ll talk. I’ll tell you anything, just don’t hurt meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!! I don’t wanna buuuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrnnnnn!!”

“Mistress, it seems you’ve awakened the maiden within this tough guy.”

“I told you it wasn’t my fault! If you give even one more unnecessary comment, I’ll surround your body in a low frequency hell!!”

===Part 4===

Apparently, those gathered to be members of White Alligator had all been girls in their early teens. Supposedly, this was based on a theory that things like high sensitivity, the durability girls had in order to withstand the pain of childbirth, and the unstable mentality of early puberty would be optimal for that special type of powers development. However, none of this is known for sure either.

The fact that this selection of members for White Alligator was made for purely logical reasons rather than for vulgar desires may have saved those girls from a worse fate.

However, these logical reasons led to their powers development being carried out such that their bodies were worn down and built back up, so their actual fate could hardly be said to be a good one.

The members making up White Alligator were all Level 4. This perfect equality was too much to be a mere coincidence, so it clearly must have been planned.

If White Alligator really was a project meant to mass produce Level 4s as a stable source of strength, then the cruelty of those in control of the project came into view.

The members making up White Alligator all had one thing in common.

And this thing in common could not merely be explained by the fact that they were developed in a special project.

===Part 5===

Mikoto and Aizono hid within a manhole.

“For a sewer, it doesn’t smell too bad in here. And the water looks nice and clear.”

“In the third generation sewer system, microbe purification plants are being tested out. They’re fairly large so the microbes have air to breathe. I’d say the water quality is better than the public pools full of chlorine.”

“With such a clean environment, this looks like it would be heaven for bugs.”

“It’s actually ''too'' clean for them. With no foundation for the food chain, bugs can get in but they can’t live here. The difference between the general idea of a sewer and what this actually is made it an excellent place for us to hide or move around in.”

“Us?”

“The gators of White Alligator. I doubt I have to tell you what story the name comes from.”

With the talk of microbes and purification, Mikoto was a bit worried their feet would be eaten into, but Aizono started walking through the water, so there must not have been any issues of that sort. In fact, the mere idea of some kind of killer amoeba was a bit farfetched.

“So does anyone else use White Alligator’s sewer routes?”

“Yes, according to the driver’s smartphone,” said Aizono as she waved around the small device that was doubling as an information source and a light source.

Mikoto frowned and said, “If that facility was a decoy, then the real thing must be elsewhere.”

“Assuming this smartphone isn’t a part of some further trap in case the driver was defeated, Saitou-sensei being transported is true. The refrigerated storage facility was just a diversion to buy them enough time to cut off any pursuit.”

“So they’re moving him at this very moment?”

“In this clean sewer, yes. But,” added Aizono cautiously, “I still can’t see what they’re after.”

“?”

“Saitou-sensei only has value as something to keep me in line. Saitou-sensei himself is a completely normal person with no connection to the dark side of the city. I don’t see why they would merely change his location rather than use him as a hostage or eliminate him now that he is no more use.”

“Come to think of it, when you were targeting Academy City with the Magnetic Debris Cannon, I didn’t see anyone come forward trying to use him as a shield.”

“I had complete control of the cannon, so they may have been unwilling to show themselves for fear that I would alter its aim and specifically target them. But now it seems we need to consider a different possibility.”

“You mean that there is some value in having Saitou-sensei apart from using him against you?”

“Yes, but I have no idea what that could be. As I said, he has nothing to do with the darkness. In fact, him being a completely normal person is what made him such an effective hostage.”

“It doesn’t really matter. Let’s just stop them and rescue him.”

“…It doesn’t matter?”

“I mean that it doesn’t matter what their reason is. We just have to save him, right? I wasn’t saying anything about Saitou-sensei himself.”

“I see. Yes, yes. You’re right. Ha ha. Sorry about that.”

Aizono quickly put on a forced smile, but something like a black blade was wrapped around her right hand. She had tried to play it off as a pure maiden, but something more than that could be seen.

The blade wrapped around her right hand then returned to being a portion of her uniform.

“I suppose now we just need to provoke those behind this to get them worked up. We can send out an email to them all. Let’s see, something like ‘an informer told us where you are, so we’ll be right there’. What wording would be best to get the boss mad and suspecting his subordinates? This would be best if it spreads. What phrase would seem to fit anyone on a cold reading?”

“…You’re terrible,” muttered Mikoto.

===Part 6===

Academy City’s infrastructure networks were designed on the theme of decentralization. The wind turbines throughout the city were a well-known example, and the third generation sewer system was another example. Instead of centralized treatment plants, microbe storage and cultivation facilities were scattered throughout the sewers. If the number of microbes increased too much like in a red tide, ultraviolet sterilization lights placed in important points of the sewers would activate to regulate their numbers.

Even if those decentralized infrastructure networks were targeted in a terrorist attack or the like, Academy City could continue functioning. The system had enough redundancy built in that the rest of the system could easily deal with the excess burden left if a single location was destroyed. That allowed them to avoid the worst possible situation.

This was within one of those microbe storage and cultivation facilities.

The area was about as large as a school gym and it had multiple metal pipes lined up within it. Each pipe was as wide as a school classroom and about three stories high. With stairways built next to the pipes and midair passageways crisscrossing above, the area seemed cramped despite how large it was. The area was said to have once been used by White Alligator as an indoor shooting practice range. However the “practice” in question involved espers firing at each other with real bullets.

On one of those strangely clean midair passageways that had absorbed plenty of blood which had subsequently been broken down by the microbes, a girl wearing pants under a short dress leaned her back against the metal railing.

The cell phone in her hand had no static over the connection even in that underground space.

“…Yes. A job’s a job, so we’ll finish this. There is no need to worry about Saitou Souta, but is he really that valuable?” she said into the phone.

“It is not your job to determine anything’s value, Hyoudou-kun.”

“True. Well, I’ll play my part as the soldier and do the physical work. I wasn’t given a life with anything to live for besides the reward for a completed job.”

With that simple reply, the girl called Hyoudou ended the connection and called out to a colleague down below. The colleague was a girl wearing a brightly colored sports brand track suit.

“Kobina, how are things with the ‘cargo’?”

“A real pain in the ass! In fact, you help too, Maki!! Just the person would be fine because I could stuff him in a body bag and carry him like that. But he needs this life support device with him, so we need this inflatable boat. I have to crouch down, grab it with both hands, and push. As I said, it’s a real pain in the ass! I’m going to have back pain at my age!!”

“Sorry, my job is to go ahead and make sure everything is all clear. What about Sayori and Yuri? Are they complaining again?”

“You’re the same as them, you wage thief! I’m the only one doing any work around here! Sayori said she was the rear guard and has just been lazing around behind and Yuri keeps saying it’s too dark or too scary or that there aren’t any guys around here and walks off!! I can tell she’s lying! That’s not how you’re supposed to use fake tears!!”

“The mission will be over soon enough, so stick with it until then. I’ll give you these potato sticks. They’re cheese flavored.”

“You’re not going to win me over with potato sticks!! And don’t bring out strong smelling things like that in the middle of a mission!!”

“Then I’ll just have to throw them away. And there are so many left.”

Kobina fell silent for a bit before saying, “Th-the potato sticks did nothing wrong.”

“Negotiation complete.”

Hyoudou threw the box of snacks over the railing where Kobina caught it with a sulky expression and started munching on the contents.

“Really, our job is already done. Just wrap up Saitou Souta, boat and all, and stuff him in the storage and cultivation tank. Then we just have to leave some obvious signs for our pursuers and leave with the dummy boat. Once no one is after Saitou Souta, a different unit disguised as cleaners will come recover him.”

“Heh.” A twisted smile appeared on Kobina’s face. “I’m not really one to talk, but you’re pretty twisted. That produces nothing. Do you like the taste of other people’s misfortune that much?”

“I don’t want to hear that from someone rampaging right along with me.”

“What did you think I meant by ‘I’m not really one to talk’? Anyway, if you want revenge, why don’t you carry it out with your own hands? That’s much more healthy. And then it might actually be worth helping you.”

“That would be too boring.”

“You really are twisted. You’re on the same level as someone who can only get turned on by seeing their lover assaulted by some stranger.”

Silence fell.

Silence only interrupted by the crunching of snacks being consumed.

And then the two sensed it at the same instant.

Most likely, Sayori and Yuri had sensed it too, wherever they were.

“…This smell.”

“Napalm!?”

Just as she cried out, Aizono Mio’s Military Oil exploded without restraint.

===Part 7===

And Misaka Mikoto cried out.

“Have you never heard of the concept of restraint!? This time, every person there must have been roasted black. And even if they escaped the explosion itself, the leftover toxic gases like carbon monoxide filling the area will take them out!! And what about Saitou-sensei!?”

They were at the entrance of the facility, but they could not peer inside. A roasting wind and gases were bursting out through the entrance. Oddly enough, the flames themselves could not be seen, but that may have been because all the oxygen in the area had been consumed.

“Don’t worry, don’t worry. I gathered all the information I needed. I can hear voices from quite a distance by spreading out a thin rubber membrane. Saitou-sensei is inside a metal tank.”

“…You can do that?”

“It also works well for contraception☆ But maybe you’re a bit young for that.”

“From some of the things you’ve said, I’d say you’re a virgin, too”

“Oh, are you hoping for a catfight? I’ll have you know I’m undefeated when it comes to oil wrestling!!”

“Things like that are exactly what I was-…”

Mikoto trailed off and took a step back.

At the same moment, countless beams of light ran through concrete wall separating the facility from the sewer. With the wall sliced to pieces, a great amount of oxygen was sucked into the facility.

The flames that had been forced out flared back to life, but the flow of fresh oxygen also diluted the toxic gases such as carbon monoxide.

Of course, Mikoto and Aizono had not done it.

It was those inside the facility who had wanted the fresh oxygen.

“What?” said Mikoto with a displeased frown.

She was not surprised at the mere fact that someone inside was still moving around after that explosion. After all, she could name a person or two who could withstand a direct hit from a napalm attack.

Aizono Mio could do the same.

In fact, with her Military Oil power, she likely knew even better how many people could survive it.

“…Seriously? Ahh, I should have realized this. It makes sense. I may know how the dark side works as a former member of White Alligator, but I should have been more cautious given how perfectly I was able to predict the enemy’s actions.”

Black figures appeared amid the orange flames on one of the midair passageways.

A total of four enemies appeared.

It was not just the flames lighting them from behind that made their coloration seem black.

They wore the same composite armor dress made of oil that Aizono Mio wore.

“We’re up against other former White Alligator members. That is why I was able to so accurately predict their actions.”

===Part 8===

All of the currently confirmed members of White Alligator have the power to directly control oil and other petroleum products as well as freely change their properties. Technically speaking, it is possible they should all be given different esper names, but those controlling them simply refer to them all as Military Oil.

However, this is odd when you think about it rationally.

Even if you ignore the fact that their ultimate strength and utility only reaches Level 4, if White Alligator is a project meant to mass produce Level 4s as a stable source of strength, then the individual types of powers should vary from person to person. For example, there could easily be a Level 4 that controls fire or a Level 4 that controls wind in the unit.

However, the reality of the situation is that every member of White Alligator has the Military Oil power.

Why?

In the beginning, there must have been Level 4s with powers other than Military Oil. But those in control put them through anti-Level 5 training that went beyond harsh. Not all of the children had powers that could break through those tests. Almost as if those in control had put them through a sieve aligned to their own tastes, only the Military Oil espers survived.

That alone is astounding enough.

It does not sound like something that could occur in the country of Japan.

The Military Oil girls felt nothing but pure fear for those in control who had thrown them into that hell, but they also managed to retain a stable mentality by realizing they had special value for surviving. They had special powers. That had been why they had survived no matter what circumstances they had been put in. In Academy City, the strength of one’s powers determines everything, so they did not feel they had been wrong to abandon their other comrades. Those in control felt no need to correct this thought process because it was actually quite convenient for them.

At that stage, those in control began calling the Military Oil espers “beasts”.

This term was a simple way of expressing what their characteristics had become. A ferocious power had awoken inside them, yet they never thought of turning that power on those in control who were “raising” them. Their powers only had value in being beneficial for those in control and attacking those in control for the sake of freedom was taboo. In that way, the girls drove themselves into a corner without even having to be taught these things.

If they had rebelled, it is unlikely those in control would have fared well, but for the above reasons those likely powerless people in control never underwent any damage from that group of espers.

Apparently, a few of the discovered Military Oil espers had lost all ability to speak human language. However, in that twisted community, those were the best students who were held up as role models for the rest of the group.

===Part 9===

They stepped forward into the orange light. Into the facility colored by flames. The four figures showed no surprise at Mikoto and Aizono’s entry. They may not have known the exact method, but they seemed to have been expecting some kind of attack.

“There are other survivors of White Alligator besides you?”

“Originally it was a platoon of 40 or 50. The ideal situation was to wear down a single Level 5 as a group. We really might have been piranhas more than gators. By the time those in control collapsed, about half of that number was left, but I have no idea what the others have been doing since. …And it looks like I’m being reunited with a few of them in the worst possible way.”

Mikoto felt a chill run down her back at those smoothly spoken words.

Aizono Mio had done so much on her own.

Mikoto could imagine how bad the situation would be if she was undergoing a coordinated attack from 40 or 50 of them.

In response, Aizono Mio’s “brethren” smiled thinly.

They had the same power and wore the same dress.

And yet they had the smile of those who stood in a decidedly different place.

“Since you so readily tried to roast this entire area, I take it you already know about our diversionary tactic.”

“Maki, from how loudly you were talking about it, I thought you wanted me to hear. If you flee now while leaving obvious hints, I’m not going to follow you.”

“This plan to hide Saitou Souta in an immovable tank inside an old White Alligator shooting practice range was actually given to us. It’s almost like we were given a reason to have to fight to the death like this.”

“…Well, as long as I can bring an end to this, I don’t care. Destroying everything with the Magnetic Debris Cannon would have been fun, but having everything finished in one big happy ending would make me want to redo things.”

The way they spoke, no dissatisfaction or discontent with the current situation could be seen.

Was that the true face of White Alligator?

No.

Most likely, it was just the tip of the iceberg of a darkness that went much deeper.

“Why?” muttered Mikoto. “If it hadn’t been for the incident with Saitou-sensei, Aizono Mio would have continued her normal high school life. She had cut herself off from this dark past. You all aren’t like Aizono. I don’t understand why she had to go back to the darkness. Why?”

Despite being the one with a connection to them, Aizono herself showed no sympathy for her “brethren”.

In fact, only scorn could be seen on her face.

“Perhaps I just couldn’t forget the taste of blood. Up until I changed ‘masters’, my environment ''only gave me any value when I was on the side doing the killing''. I may have given that environment priority. There were no principles or ideologies behind it. I just rampaged as much as I wanted and let others justify it for me. …Honestly, it’s like I was trying to be the best gator student.”

“Do you feel more sophisticated now that you’ve woken from that dream?”

“More than you idiots who are still tripping out in a nightmare.”

The girl called Maki shrugged.

Mikoto frowned and said, “So Saitou-sensei himself isn’t your objective?”

“That’s a tricky question to answer. The one thing I can say is that our objective is clearly different from that of the higher ups. The higher ups seem to want Saitou Souta in order to obtain a control manual.”

“A control manual?”

“For you, Aizono Mio.” Maki placed a hand on the midair passageway’s railing and grinned. “The goal of White Alligator was to gain stable control of great power by lowering a human mind down to the level of a beast. It had a certain level of success, but it wore down the people’s mentalities too quickly. In other words, after all the cost spent on their soldiers, those soldiers were short lived and control could not be regained after a certain point.”

Despite having been one of those soldiers, Maki showed no sign of hesitation while speaking of them in that way. Mikoto sensed a hint of bitterness in her tone. She was reminded of the military clones she had seen somewhere.

“And then came Saitou Souta. He brought humanity back to Aizono Mio and succeeded in accurately controlling her. He both lowered the rate her mentality was worn down and also prevented any betrayal or rebellion. …This goes beyond White Alligator. All of those who want to control high level espers as soldiers would see this as a dream come true. That is why there is nothing unnatural about them wanting this control manual he built up as a school counselor.”

That was why any trace of Saitou Souta had disappeared so thoroughly. Nagatenjouki Academy had been desperate to cover up the accident, so they must have asked someone else for help. Maki and the others’ higher ups had not wanted to make Saitou Souta disappear. In the process, they had naturally taken his personal possessions and searched for any data that could lead them to this “control manual”.

It was only because they had not found anything that they wanted the man himself.

They might wake him up and question him. They might be developing some kind of technology to suck the information out of his brain while still comatose. Or they might have even been getting the help of a Psychometer.

“…Those idiots,” muttered Aizono Mio without thinking.

They had pressed a dangerous button by bringing those old memories back to her.

“They never learn. There’s no conspiracy behind what happened to me. What saved my human side was something much simpler yet much more difficult to pull off.”

“We know that. But the higher ups who want to bring back White Alligator and restart the development of the unit do not have the humanity needed to properly analyze the miracle that Saitou Souta caused. The way they see it, if he was able to change you in the way he wanted, there must be some kind of manual or flowchart with which it can be reproduced.”

“So you all are risking your lives on a project you know has no hope of succeeding because you know the higher ups’ thinking is skewed? That’s wrong in and of itself. It isn’t normal.”

“Whether the higher ups are right or wrong, we just need something that allows us to accomplish our own objective. In fact, an organization like that isn’t going to last long. I’d say they will be devoured by another portion of the darkness before long. We’re just using them while they are still there.”

“…Your own objective?”

“Yes. Those idiots’ methods are quite convenient for us.”

Maki smiled.

Her smile was evil and yet somehow childish. The smile had an obvious sense of intimidation on the surface, but a lust for battle could be sensed hidden below. Mikoto felt a great difference between it and the smile she had seen on Aizono Mio’s face when she had chosen to abandon all and fight for Saitou Souta, even if her methods had been wrong.

“Really, we just didn’t like it. We didn’t like how you and Saitou Souta ended everything without getting anyone’s permission.”

“What…?”

That was the first time Aizono had shown any kind of confusion during that conversation.

Suddenly, the ceiling collapsed and dissolved directly above Mikoto’s head. She frantically tried to jump back, but the floor beneath her feet had become soft as mud. She sank knee deep into the floor and the liquefied ceiling covered her like an avalanche.

“This is what happens when you gather so many espers that can freely alter petroleum products. Did you not think we might have altered the terrain itself? …Well, we did put metal and concrete around it to make it harder to notice, but that issue was pointed out back when we were in White Alligator.”

With the noise of a viscous liquid being sucked down a drain, the thick black liquid sank down while covering a number of the midair passageways and tanks. Still enveloped in the stuff, Mikoto was quickly sucked down. Most likely, a pitfall a few dozen meters deep had been created. It was too deep for Aizono to see the bottom.

Maki glanced down into the darkness from the edge of the hole.

“Down below is a multipurpose drain meant to help prevent floods. Yuri, head down to make sure the bonds don’t break.”

“Roger that.”

One of the girls unhesitatingly jumped down into the giant hole. She was likely planning to use some kind of rubber power. Maki did not even send a glance her way.

“How long do you think she can hold her breath? 5 minutes? 7 minutes? Lasting 10 minutes would be close to a miracle. But what do you think the odds are of you getting away from us and rescuing Misaka Mikoto in that time?”

“Would 100% be too high?”

“A bit.” Maki’s expression did not change at Aizono’s cheap provocation. “After all, White Alligator was meant to mass produce stable Level 4s to use against the irregular Level 5s.”

“…”

“From that look on your face, I guess you aren’t an idiot. Yes. Our strengths as individuals are kept equal. ''Doesn’t that mean the victor will be decided simply by who has the greater numbers''?”

Eliminating Misaka Mikoto from the battlefield had been the turning point for them.

Now that it was done, the rest was easy.

One against three.

Their strength was simple and therefore lacking in openings, and they now mercilessly wielded it against Aizono Mio.

===Part 10===

Espers who reached the higher levels could mostly be divided into two types.

The one-point types that used one exceedingly powerful attack.

And the all-purpose types that put together many different varied forms of attack.

Military Oil espers like Aizono Mio and Hyoudou Maki fell into the latter category. Their single power gave them strength by having many different ways it could be used offensively.

And of course the number of different means of attack increased overwhelmingly when more than one such esper worked together.

Starting with Maki, the three girls jumped over the railings of the midair walkways without hesitation. Wing-like parts grew from their backs and thighs, slowing their speed and angle of descent. When their feet came in contact with the sides of the tanks or stairways, a highly-elastic rubber-like power repelled them along through the air. Together, they formed a ring surrounding Aizono, and they tried to disturb her with the changes in speed and angle.

As the Military Oil girls approached accompanied by rapid explosive sounds that were similar to a machine gun firing, Aizono clicked her tongue.

Aizono Mio had been trained to fight the #7 who could move faster than the speed of sound, the #4 who could freely use extremely high-speed projectiles, the #3, and others, so she did not feel threatened by pure speed.

The problem was…

(Shit. Their feints are clearly coordinated to work against me specifically! They’re throwing off their timing and going with the hardest speed and angles for me to deal with!!)

They may have resented her as a fellow White Alligator member. Trying to follow each one individually by eye while within that spiral of movement would be playing right into their hands. Aizono chose to get some distance and then attack them one by one, so she used oil at her feet to move at high speed as if sliding along the ground.

Or that was what she had meant to do.

Instead, her body came to a stop like she was bolted to the ground.

“We control the same oil,” said Maki with a smile and a giant blade on her arm. “So the precedence of control will be decided by numbers. I don’t think you can win in a game of tug of war.”

“!!”

Before Aizono could take her next action, the other three girls counteracted her attempt.

With an unpleasant noise, Aizono Mio’s silhouette split into multiple pieces.

Lightly swinging the blade on her right arm, Kobina spoke to Maki.

“Did we do it?”

“I definitely felt the resistance of slicing through her backbone,” added Sayori.

“We didn’t.”

Maki pointed toward the remains of what had been sliced to pieces by giant blades. The surface seemed like that of a human, but the inside visible where it was sliced was black.

“It’s a silicone doll made to look like her. To make it feel real, she even divided up the parts to make fat and muscle.”

Maki swung her huge blade and the instrumentation for a large refrigeration unit was sliced diagonally. The blade itself had not cut it; something like a guillotine had flown out.

This was followed by a hard thunk.

The instrumentation had been sliced through, but Aizono Mio had stopped the guillotine-like object with an attack of her own from within the instrumentation.

While shutting one eye, she said, “They may be life-sized, but they’re quite cheap. You’ll never have to worry about lonely nights again.”

“Since you’re purposefully keeping your chatter light to keep your mind stable, you must be more worried than you let on,” said Maki in a blunt analysis.

Kobina added, “It looks like we can’t completely take away her control of the oil even with three of us. But the data from this battle will tell us how much it weakened her.”

“Yes. And since she did not use that substitution technique (tentative name) from the beginning, it must have been something like a last resort. In other words, she can’t use it freely.”

With the sound of the air being sliced, the three Military Oil girls held their blades up once more.

“We’ll start with that composite armor. We’ll strip you bare in front of your precious teacher.”

Aizono tilted her head a bit and said, “Hmm. Maybe I should have tried something more heavy-handed like that to get through that good, thickheaded smile barrier of his.”

An explosive noise roared up.

As the three figures approached at close range, Aizono transformed the oil at her feet into something like highly elastic rubber and she jumped straight up. She jumped higher and higher landing on the tanks and the hanging remnants of walkways destroyed by the napalm before jumping again. Of course, the other Military Oil users interfered with her control of the oil, but it was not enough to rob her of all control. If she added the interference into her calculations, she could control the oil just fine even if she was weakened somewhat.

With their prey escaped, the other three immediately changed their direction by 90 degrees to pursue her.

Aizono had expected that.

“Ah?” said Sayori in confusion.

Aizono Mio had affixed a thick rubber panel near the ceiling and headed forcefully toward it. The rubber shot her like a bullet in the opposite direction. With the sound of wind roaring in her ears, she flew toward Sayori at a speed much greater than Sayori had expected. She was unable to evade. Aizono’s feet were pressed together side to side, and the soles of her shoes slammed mercilessly into Sayori’s face.

A great roar exploded out that did not sound like something that could come from two people colliding.

Still in midair, Aizono Mio gave a slight smile at the dull feeling she felt through her shoes.

“Rope techniques are the best of pro wrestling, baby!”

“…But if you fail, you open yourself up to a lariat.”

“!?”

An unpleasant noise vibrated through the soles of her shoes. Aizono saw two eyes glare out at her through the gaps in the black coloration covering the pale skin. The black oil armor had accurately distributed the force of that blunt impact.

Sayori’s lips writhed.

“One can counterbalance you.”

Aizono heard the sound of something slicing through the air on her left and right. Maki and Kobina were approaching fast.

“Three can overwhelm you.”

“Tch!!”

Aizono sent another kick toward Sayori who was beneath her feet and used the repelling force of rubber to jump up high. By ascending, she avoided the blades approaching from left and right and the spear thrust up by Sayori. She landed on top of one of the three-story tall tanks.

Meanwhile, the other three once more smoothly planted their feet on the facility floor.

Maki opened her mouth to speak.

“If you’re hoping to retrieve Saitou Souta and flee, give up now. Your prize does not lie in that tank and you could never lose us while carrying such a heavy burden.”

“I suppose I should praise you for not using him as a shield.”

“That would be too boring.” Maki turned the giant blade made of processed petroleum products back into its original dripping oil. “If we wanted to, we could finish Saitou Souta off on our own, but we would do it in a rather predictable way. There is a limit to how cruel we can be. However, the higher ups who seriously wanted to create and control something like White Alligator and then actually did it are a different matter. They would surely put an end to Saitou Souta in some twisted way we could never even imagine.”

“…”

Aizono remained silent and Kobina continued for Maki.

“It would be something like having your lover assaulted by a stranger. And while it may be horrible, it would still be effective. After all, those adults are the ones who messed us up so badly. Whatever it is you’re waiting for, there is no help there. If you were honest with yourself, you would know that.”

Then Sayori spoke. “Even if we sliced you to pieces, we’d keep it at the level where you could still be hooked up to some horrible life support machine. After all, just finishing off Saitou Souta would be too boring. It’s only any fun if it comes with someone to scream as they watch.”

Their chatting was silenced by the sound of something slicing through the air.

Aizono Mio strongly swung the blade in her hand.

“…I’ll turn you into gator food.”

“You idiot. You really are stupid. What did you learn in that hell? I thought we learned more than we wanted back in White Alligator that this is not a world where being more determined or having more guts is going to get you anywhere.”

In response to the three girls’ wills, the oil in the area all started writhing at once. A number of black bands were being created. The ends of the bands connected to the metal tanks or the midair walkways. The center portion of the bands bent in U-shape and gathered in Maki’s hand.

It looked something like a huge strange flower or a giant slingshot, but it was something else.

“The Multiphase Straight Hammer. Well, you were in White Alligator, so I don’t really need to explain it to you, but it combines the elasticity of rubber, the explosive power of burnable oil, and super high speed propellers to fire a projectile at high speed.”

“…”

“Originally, five of them would be prepared by a group of 8 of us each. The remaining ten people would hold down the target while the massive high speed projectiles would fire from multiple directions and reliably kill the target. That was a strategy to be used against the #4 or the #3. I have no idea how much the power will be reduced with only three of us, but the technical numbers don’t really matter. As long as it’s powerful enough to break through the metal tanks that are the greatest cover around here, we can shoot you down wherever you try to run.”

The sound of straining thick rubber could be heard.

With a thin smile, Maki said, “Your composite armor isn’t working as well as it should be, so you’re going to have to pull this off with determination and guts. How about you give this a nice, moving ending that will bring a tear to people’s eyes?”

“So you’re just a carbon copy of how things were back then. I hadn’t expected you to change much, but I never thought it would be this-…”

“Achoo!”

A tremendous vibration that seemed to penetrate the entire facility exploded out.

===Part 11===

The Multiphase Straight Hammer was one of the methods developed to attack a single Level 5 with a group of Level 4s. It was unknown how effective it would be in an actual battle, but the researchers had predicted that it would be more effective if the projectile had intentionally increased air resistance.

In other words, they purposefully made sure the projectile would break apart partway through.

The shockwave would assault the target as a surface a few dozen meters across rather than in a single point, preventing the target from evading. It also functioned to hold them in place. As long as a portion of the initial attack struck the target, the target’s physical strength would be worn down enough to prevent any quick movements. Then the same shockwave would strike again and again while the target could only stand in place and have his or her life slowly but surely worn down.

The attack was straightforward, but it was repeated again and again and again.

Despite how it looked, it had no flashy effects.

It was a plain, stable, and – most importantly – surefire attack.

But that was when it was being used against the monsters that were known as Level 5s. If it was used against a mass produced soldier that had her defenses interfered with and could not function at full power, a single shot would be enough to blow her away along with the area of the facility behind her.

“Gh…bh…”

A crash. She may have used her little remaining power to create a low-elasticity substance to absorb the shock, but that was still the best word to describe how Aizono Mio looked. However, it could be said she was lucky to still be in one piece after an attack like that.

“See? Determination and guts aren’t going to get you anywhere,” said Maki as she continued to keep her distance from Aizono who looked like she had fallen some great distance.

At that point, approaching her enemy could only work to her disadvantage. While repeating one straightforward attack, keeping your distance was a good idea.

“I do have to commend you for giving up on evading or defending and simply taking it head on. Even if the shockwave creates a large surface, the fragmentation of the shell is effectively random, so the thickness of the wall can be inconsistent. Intentionally putting yourself into one of the thinnest portions may be effective, but it isn’t an idea any ordinary person would ever think of.”

“…”

A hard sound could be heard as Aizono created a blade from oil and tried to stand up using it in place of a cane. However, her puny weapon soon turned back into dripping oil. Her control had been taken.

“Well, this is the best arrangement direction-wise, so we can just continue this like normal. It looks like we might finish this without having to crush Saitou Souta.”

“…He…has nothing to do with this,” said Aizono, sounding like she had something caught in the back of her throat. “If this has to do with White Alligator…I can do it instead. Why are you…going this far…to involve him…”

“Don’t be silly. Our anger is primarily targeted toward Saitou Souta,” said Maki.

While breathing heavily, Aizono Mio frowned and muttered, “Why? He…has no connection…to the darkness. So he has no connection…to White Alligator…”

“Yes, he has no connection. ''That is exactly why we are angry''.”

A dark tone could be seen in her smile.

Just like with Aizono Mio, something hidden below could be seen in her smile.

“ ‘I want to save everyone. I want to hear the shouts of people’s hearts that have been overlooked. I want to heal the wounds of those who have become truly cornered. I want to hold out my hand even when I have so little strength. I want to save even those of White Alligator.’ …Saitou Souta’s words do sound wonderful and they bring light with their grounding in a proper worldview from a proper world.”

“What, are you saying he was a lying hypocrite? He showed he meant what he said with me. As a member of White Alligator, you should understand just how difficult returning one of us to being a normal person is.”

“''But Saitou Souta did not save us.''”

Aizono Mio froze in place.

Meanwhile, Maki’s words continued as if they were slipping into her ears.

“He was satisfied with saving you. He did not go any further. He proved he had the power to save those of White Alligator with you, but he abandoned us for his own personal reasons.”

“Did he just grow sick of it all? He may have been satisfied after having some fun, but surely his collector’s spirit would have been telling him to continue on. If you’re going to do something, lick the bones clean. Just picking at it a bit and calling it quits is rude to the cook and to the people who don’t have enough to eat,” added Kobina.

“It all started for us when our hopes were cut off in front of us. Surely you can imagine how you would react if he had told you one day that he had had enough and was calling it quits with you. We all experienced that same hell,” said Sayori.

A single girl had been saved from an inescapable hell. That alone would make for a lovely story, but how much pain would that cause for the others who had watched the hero leave without them.

Even after those in control of White Alligator had fallen to ruin, some had been unable to escape the darkness. Others had managed to escape, but had been unable to fit into normal society, so they were shown a different hell. And eventually, a portion of them had gathered in one place once more.

“We wanted to be saved too,” said Maki as if she was squeezing out the words. The ability to shed common tears had left her long ago. “We wanted to become a heroine like you. There were no clear conditions that decided it. Just because he was satisfied with only you, the gates of hell were slammed shut in our faces. How is that not reason to be angry?”

“You…idiots…” muttered Aizono. “In that case, baring your fangs toward him is the same as throwing away your last chance.”

“Weren’t you listening? We ‘wanted’ to be saved. In the past tense. We no longer have the ability to have such silly dreams.”

From the beginning, there had been no help for those in White Alligator.

It may have even been wrong for Aizono Mio to be pulled out of that situation. Even if that was such a warm and lovely mistake, it may have been wrong for Saitou Souta to have had anything to do with that world.

However…

When Saitou Souta saw what he saw in the depths of that hell, he was not the type of person to be afraid or disgusted; he was saddened. Aizono Mio was not about to let that miraculous movement of his heart lead to his death.

“…He did nothing wrong,” spat out Aizono as she stared sharply at the other three girls. “If anyone was in the wrong, it was me. If I had not been saved, this anger would never have come to be. So it is I that should receive your anger, not him.”

“Your ability to think like that shows that you really have regained your humanity. That will do nothing but make us jealous and regretful.”

The sound of straining rubber could be heard. The countless rubber bands that made up the Multiphase Straight Hammer gathered in once place.

“We will continue with the standard method that leaves you with no hope. We will not try to be the heroine and say we will beautifully finish this in one blow. We are the gators that crawl through the sewers, so we will tear at your flesh slowly but surely with the shockwaves. We will keep you from moving and rip you to pieces without giving you an opening.”

As she spoke, Maki used her power to create the special projectile.

And she gave signal of destruction.

“Fire. And continue firing.”

===Part 12===

Meanwhile, Misaka Mikoto was wrapped in oil composite armor down in the multipurpose drain that looked like a giant tunnel. Also down there, Yuri was attacked by an unknown chill down her back. It had been longer than 10 minutes, so Mikoto had surely suffocated, but Yuri was a member of White Alligator and knew very well that common knowledge did not always apply with Level 5s.

And then something happened.

Specifically, Yuri realized a strange vibration was repeating within the oil composite armor that should have been under her control.

(Don’t tell me she mixed a bunch of iron sand in with the oil. But where is she getting the oxygen she needs for her brain to-…Wait, is this vibration…!?)

There was oxygen in oil. It was just that human lungs could not make use of it. By vibrating the iron sand, Misaka Mikoto was accurately breaking down the oil and carrying only the oxygen, nitrogen, and other components of air to her mouth.

And it did not end there.

When those components of the oil were removed, the oil had changed enough to lose its characteristics as oil.

Military Oil was the power to freely control the properties of oil and petroleum products.

If what she was controlling lost its characteristics and composition as oil, she lost her control over it. Yuri did not have the power to directly control hydrocarbons or sulfur.

“Wh-what…!?”

With a disconcerting sound, the giant black mass split vertically down the middle. A singe level 5 appeared from within, shaking off the power of a group of Level 4s.

“Honestly, this was one hell of a result.”

The #3 was not even looking at her enemy.

She was focused on the PDA in her hand. Misaka Mikoto spoke to Yuri, but it was almost as an afterthought.

“Did you know this? The story was that Saitou-sensei had disappeared without a trace from Nagatenjouki Academy, but the security guard had been given a few of his belongings as lost items. I found some interesting data in his cell phone charger.”

“From the firmware’s memory area…?”

“Right. Anyway, I analyzed the seemingly random numbers in there and got the key code to a cloud service. I’m in the middle of downloading all the data he had on the internet there.” Mikoto lightly waved the PDA. “It seems to be information on this White Alligator that Aizono Mio mentioned before. He has a file on all the eyewitness reports, one on his overall conjectures about the organization, and even a member list. It does seem none of this ever left the area of conjecture even for Saitou-sensei though.”

This information had not been what he had used to search out the hospital Aizono Mio had been in and bring her to the path of recovery.

The dates of the files were simply too recent.

“Aishima Hitomi, Aizono Mio, Olosun, Francisca Obidos, Kawamo Ryuubi, Kochonwon, Konoha Yayoi, Sakasama Yuri, Ilenia Sagileska, Shirokabe Renka, Suzunari Yuuhi, Sejou Aika, Catherine Hardclass, Hyoudou Maki, Maruiwa Kurumi, Mishou Yui, Irelia Mordman, Yumesaki Saibi, Yoake Sayori, Yosegi Misato, Raidou Yuuko, Wajiku Kobina… Does that list sound familiar? I expect it’s a list of the members at the time White Alligator collapsed. Most of their whereabouts are unknown, but the ‘suggested sites’ list at the end of the file makes it seem he was working on tracking them down.”

That meant…

“Even as I look at this, I find it hard to believe. Even while he was taking care of all the complaints from those parents, Saitou-sensei was tracking down White Alligator after its collapse all on his own. For years and years.”

“…No…”

There was no need to ask why he had been doing it.

In the end, that was the kind of person Saitou Souta was. Even while trapped in an environment anyone would want to be rescued from, his conviction did not waver. In fact, he did not even view their troubles as ‘evil things’ that would cause his conviction to waver.

It was true that he had not made it in time.

It was true that an outspoken ill will had gotten in the way and led to an unfortunate accident occurring before he could reach out his hand.

However, Saitou Souta had not given up on rescuing those in White Alligator. He had not been satisfied with his success with Aizono Mio and abandoned the rest.

“Can you hear me, Aizono Mio?”

Misaka Mikoto had put the PDA back in her skirt pocket as it continued to download the data, and had then pulled out her cell phone. She had then used her thumb to call a different former elite than Yuri.

Mikoto smiled while holding a coin up with her other hand and aiming at Sakasama Yuri.

“It seems the teacher you trusted so much was the real deal.”

===Part 13===

White Alligator was an organization born within the deep darkness of Academy City. Getting ahold of everything about it is not easy.

It may be impossible for me to learn everything about it.

And I do not care if that is the case.

Many lives were lost in the process of its foundation and I have heard that many of the surviving members’ lives were lost when the organization collapsed. From the beginning, there has been no way for me to play the part of some idealized hero. The only path left to me is to find the few children who have survived, heal the wounds in their hearts, and bring them back to society.

I may not be strong enough to accomplish this, but I cannot abandon them.

There is no such thing as a time machine, so I cannot change the past, but there is something wrong when people continue to suffer without even realizing that they have already been freed.

Some people referred to those girls as “beasts”.

However, I doubt those very people knew of those girls’ true strength.

In Aizono-kun’s case, I learned of a portion of that strength.

That strength is the hope Academy City holds even as it also holds such deep darkness.

I can do no more than help, but I am sure something will change within Academy City’s darkness if I am one day able to teach the rest of White Alligator about that hope. And then I will be able to find pride in myself.

I will be glad that I have lived to that day.

===Part 14===

Aizono Mio heard that report. Paying no heed to the approaching threat, she silently reflected on the information reaching her through her cell phone and the will of the teacher who had once stood beside her.

“…There was just no helping him,” she muttered

That was all she said, but that slight comment was accompanied by a small change in Aizono Mio’s expression. This expression was different from when she had been seeking revenge and from when she had overcome that and was determined to save
Saitou Souta. It was the expression she had in her happiest time.

And then that expression changed to something different yet again.

She blew through it all.

Tossing the cell phone aside, she directly faced the Multiphase Straight Hammer that had been nothing but a symbol of fear and death.

“This isn’t like me, but with the ''real protagonist'' down for the count, I have no choice. Even if it’s out of character, I’ll get serious here in place of that prince.”

“What…?”

“''I’m saying I’ll kick all of your asses and save you, baby!”

While making an indecent gesture with her middle finger, Aizono Mio made that announcement as Saitou Souta’s student.

Hyoudou Maki’s cheek twitched slightly.

“Are you saying you, a member of White Alligator, will do what Saitou Souta did?”

“I can be pretty strict.”

“That was a miracle that man performed. After all the blood you have soaked up and all the flesh you have consumed while crawling through mud and blood in White Alligator, do you really think you have enough hope to perform that same miracle!?”

“Just let me save you already. We’re actually relying too much on him. Like this, we can’t complain about all those parents. …How about we actually try to give him some rest?”

“I thought you had learned that we do not live in a world where determination and guts will get you anywhere.”

“No, those things have more power than I thought. After all, they are what saved me from that darkness.”

“Kobina, Sayori.”

As if to cut Aizono off, Maki called the names of her comrades.

The one to end a conversation when it seemed overpowering was the one at the disadvantage.

“Let’s wear her down until she sinks into a sea of blood. Continue firing as planned.”

“Understood.”

“Crushing a single irregular is the ideal way to use White Alligator.”

Greater than 10 thick rubber bands strained as they pulled back from where they were connected to the metal tanks, the railings of the midair walkways, and other locations. The straining noise was proof of the overwhelming energy being stored. It looked like a sinister flower. Its destructive power came from the projectile it fired being torn apart in the air and spreading out as a wall-like shockwave.

Maki had control of the device as she announced, “Wherever you try to run, the surface will knock you down. Whatever defenses you put up will be worn down. The surefire tactics of White Alligator leave no room for vague concepts such as hope.”

“What a boring announcement.” With a thin smile, Aizono Mio controlled the black oil around her to create a long whip. “At least say something fun like that you’re going to cut through me with this one attack☆”

“…”

Moments later, a roar great enough to shake the entire facility was mercilessly let loose.

===Part 15===

In that instant, the air within the facility roared up. The metal objects such as the metal plates of the tanks and the railings of the midair walkways were blown to pieces. The sound seemed to come after the sight.

However…

This was not caused by the Multiphase Straight Hammer’s projectile breaking up in midair and creating a surface from the shockwave.

Aizono Mio had swung the black, whip-like blade to slice apart the tanks, walkways, and floor the thick rubber bands were attached to. Military Oil itself gave greater control to the enemies because of their greater numbers. However, the objects holding the rubber bands in place were normal objects. Even Aizono’s power was enough to slice them apart.

And…

When the rubber bands holding so much power suddenly lost one of their supports, the rubber bands naturally flew in the opposite direction with the heavy metal fragments still attached.

In other words, countless weights flew toward Hyoudou Maki as she held the projectile.

“Eh…?”

It was for just an instant, but she froze.

Immediately afterwards, the weights stabbed in from almost every direction with overwhelming speed. The power was much less than when all the energy was collected in one point, but it was more than enough to crush a human body.

“Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!?” Maki screamed, but that also meant she was still in a state where she ''could'' scream.

She had used her Military Oil composite armor dress to avoid a fatal blow.

Meanwhile, Aizono headed forward.

She headed toward the other three girls.

“It seems one means of counteracting Military Oil is to mix other objects such as metal into the oil. Well, my version was a bit more attack oriented.”

“D-damn you…!!”

“It’s true that all members of White Alligator are equally powered Level 4s, so pure numbers will decide the victor. However, I am no longer a member of White Alligator. I did not continue growing in the same direction as you did afterwards.”

In a way, that was the last thing Maki, Kobina, and Sayori wanted to hear.

It started having an effect greater than a simple mental one.

“I’m not stupid enough to boast about it, but I learned a lot over the course of that incident. ''Now let’s settle this using what we weren’t just given by those filthy adults''.”

“!! Kobina, Sayori! We can’t use the Hammer anymore. Let’s overwhelm her with numbers and speed!!”

“Understood!!”

“…!!”

No response came from Sayori.

Maki frantically spun around to find Sayori convulsing while still standing. A thick, severed cable laid at her feet. It was a piece of the instrumentation used as the weight when the thick rubber bands had attacked Maki. The capacitors must
have still had some power left in them which was now attacking Sayori.

As the others watched on, Sayori finally collapsed to the floor.

“Even while using the Military Oil composite armor dress, an electric current with a high enough voltage can still get through. I learned that the hard way.”

As she spoke, Aizono took a large step forward.

She made it seem she was headed for Maki, but her real target was Kobina.

A sound like a gas being expelled was heard and a characteristic irritating smell seemed to stab into Kobina’s nose.

“This smell…napalm!?”

Kobina immediately tried to gather up oil to strengthen her defenses, but…

“It was a feint. By the way, did you know that lowers your mobility?”

“!!”

Before Kobina could take another breath, Aizono used the black whip to grab and lift up the severed cable.

“And as I said before, a current with a high enough voltage can penetrate that composite armor!!”

A zapping noise exploded out.

Kobina convulsed before collapsing to the floor. The way her composite armor dress turned back into oil showed that she had lost consciousness.

“Now then.”

“Kh…!!”

With the sound of sliced air, Aizono and Maki formed blades at the same moment. One was an intentional offensive action and the other was a reflexive defensive reaction. Even if it was the same act, their stances were clearly different.

“Three can overwhelm me. But one can only counterbalance me. Wasn’t that it?”

“Yes, but even if you have improved your situation, a draw is still the best option remaining for you.”

“No, what we obtained after White Alligator will decide this. I am proud of what I did during that kind time, but can the same be said for you?”

“…!!”

“You continued to fight in the darkness as you wanted. Even without White Alligator, you gained your own kind of growth. However, that growth was of the worst kind. I will show just what power there lies in being saved by Saitou-sensei. And I hope that you all will also receive the same one day.”

The clash of blade on blade repeated a few times before it came to a quick end.

===Part 16===

By the time Misaka Mikoto crawled back up from the multipurpose drain while carrying Yuri’s unconscious form over her shoulder, it was already over.

“Did you take care of everything here?”

“There was nothing you need to worry about.”

“Things were pretty close on my end. She tried gathered up all the oil she could and truly almost stripped me nude.”

With a grunt of exertion, Mikoto lowered Yuri to the floor.

Aizono gave a light sigh and said, “It seems the higher ups have decided that Saitou Souta has developed a control manual for the minds of the former White Alligator elites. They were using these four to retrieve that manual. Without taking care of these higher ups, his safety cannot be guaranteed.”

Maki had said they would be “devoured by another portion of the darkness before long”, but that was no guarantee.

“Could you get the higher ups’ identities from your former comrades?”

“That could be difficult. Are who they think the higher ups even really the higher ups? They could be dealing with some middleman or body double for all we know.”

“I see. But it isn’t like we have no hints whatsoever.”

“?”

Mikoto pulled a cell phone out from the half-melted oil dress Yuri was wearing.

“Whoever is in control will have control of the communications network and will have a superiority complex. We just have to send fake emails between the White Alligator members. Maybe have them tell each other to flee because they have no way of winning. When whoever is behind this intercepts the emails, they are sure to do something. And they will be panicked. With a great force like White Alligator gone, the organization will be lacking manpower. Most likely, people who normally would never show themselves will make an appearance.”

“So you’re saying we just have to capture the ones who show up to silence them?”

“That will be my job. You have something you need to do first,” said Mikoto lightly as she gathered the cell phones. “So where’s Saitou-sensei?”

“He’s most likely in that metal tank. From the way Maki was speaking, it seemed to be a safe zone.”

“By the way, what happened here? Most of the tanks have been destroyed and the midair walkways are a complete mess.”

“Just a hellish independent lesson that would shock anyone in an after school special.”

Aizono practically had to drag herself along as she walked step by step up the stairs wrapped around the side of the metal tank. Mikoto followed her. At about three stories up, they reached the top where they found something like a giant hatch. After turning the round handle to unlock it, Aizono used both hands to open the hatch.

The tank was filled almost up to the full line with a clear liquid. A single small inflatable boat was floating on top of the liquid. Close enough to reach out and grab was a man in a hospital gown connected to a life support device. His eyes were closed and he was completely unmoving. However, the monitor display showed that he was indeed alive.

For Misaka Mikoto, it was her first time seeing Saitou Souta.

And for Aizono Mio…

“…”

The black dress she wore changed shape. It became a normal high school uniform. It was the symbol of her connection with the man. Along with her clothes, Aizono Mio’s expression also changed. That expression Mikoto had not seen on her before may have been the greatest thing Saitou Souta had once given her.

What was going on within Aizono in that instant?

What was she thinking now that she had finally acquired the greatest result for her efforts?

Most likely as a means of waterproofing the life support device, something made of clear plastic covered the entire inflatable boat. Aizono Mio’s slender hand timidly touched and stroked Saitou Souta’s cheek trough the plastic. There was a slight change in the readings on the monitor, but that was it. Saitou Souta did not even twitch.

Even so, Aizono Mio gave a satisfied smile.

“I have to say goodbye for a while, sensei.”

===Part 17===

Saten Ruiko lazed about in her dorm room. Not long before, she had helped resolve a major incident, but as soon as things got dangerous, she was left out completely. Misaka Mikoto was the #3 Level 5, and Shirai Kuroko and Uiharu Kazari were both in Judgment, so she knew it was only natural for them to be the ones in danger. She knew that, but…

“Hmm. But I have a feeling the information I dug up on ‘The Whereabouts of Saitou Souta’ was pretty important.”

Complaining was not going to help.

She puffed out her cheeks and moved the mouse to dig through yet another urban legend site. (Whether she was laughing or crying, her actions did not change much.) Besides stories about an explosion in a sewer facility and a mysterious, bluish-white flash of light half-destroying a counseling facility, she also found one other thing of interest.

She thought it was just a variation of a certain story, but it seemed to be a completely new story.

After Saten read through what was written, she looked back up at the title and her shoulders sank.

“…‘What Happened to Saitou-sensei Afterwards’?”

<noinclude>
{{Toaru_Nav|prev=Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Toaru_Love_Letter_SS|next=Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:NT_SS}}
</noinclude>

Toaru Majutsu no Index: Genesis Testament

2023-02-27T00:09:46Z

January:

{{Status|Active}}

{{Toaru:Brief}}

'''<big><big><span style="color:green">This page is for the third series of Toaru Majutsu no Index.</span> [[Toaru Majutsu no Index|Click here for the <u>''first''</u> series.]] | [[Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament|Click here for the <u>''second''</u> series.]] <span style="color:red"><big>***</big></span></big></big>'''

==Alternative Languages==
The ''Toaru Majutsu no Index'' series is also available in the following languages:
*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index (Indonesia)|Toaru Majutsu no Index ~ Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)]]
*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index ~ Russian:NT|Toaru Majutsu no Index ~ Русский (Russian)]]
*[[To Aru Majutsu no Index ~ (Spanish)|Toaru Majutsu no Index ~ Español (Spanish)]]
*[[To Aru Majutsu no Index ~ Deutsch (German)|Toaru Majutsu no Index ~ Deutsch (German)]]
*[[To Aru Majutsu no Index ~ Italiano (Italian)|Toaru Majutsu no Index ~ Italiano (Italian)]]
*[[To Aru Majutsu no Index Polski|Toaru Majutsu no Index ~ Polski (Polish)]]
*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index - Français|Toaru Majutsu no Index ~ Français (French)]]
*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index ~Brazilian Portuguese~|Toaru Majutsu no Index ~ Português Brasileiro (Brazilian Portuguese)]]

(Note: Translation progress varies for each version.)
----
Visit the [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/index.php Baka-Tsuki Project Forum] to discuss this series and other information from Baka-Tsuki.

==Story Synopsis==


<big>''This series is a direct sequel and continuation of '''[[Toaru Majutsu no Index]]''' and '''[[Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament]]'''.''</big>

Science and magic exist side by side in this world.

This is the peak of the science side with a curriculum for espers, Academy City. In this city where 80% of the population are students, the season has finally come when all residents are excited and fidgety!

It's Christmas Eve.

Amidst the city showing a cheerful hustle and bustle, ordinary boy who can’t keep up with school, Kamijou Touma, also doesn’t intend to miss this event! He was hard at work in his supplementary lessons...

A backward glance from the default misfortune-prone bastard, the silver-haired sister freeloading in his dormitory, Index, in the heart pounding scene different from the usual, activates a new gluton skill!? While Kamijou tries to desperately stop that, Misaka Mikoto taken in by the Christmas Eve atmosphere appears before him.

==Awards==

{{Toaru:Awards}}

==Translation==
'''Translators Needed'''

If you would like to help translate this series, please post in the forums [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=3505 here], and we will help you get started. Thank you.

===Registration===

Those who wish to contribute are asked to notify a supervisor beforehand.

Translators are asked to <big>'''<u>[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Registration Page|register]]</u>'''</big> which chapters they're working on.

===Format Standards===
'''Every edited chapter must conform to not only the general format guidelines, but also this project's own guidelines.'''
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Names and Terminology Guideline|Project-Specific Guidelines: Format, Names, and Terminology]]

'''All edited translations are to be in American English.'''

==Updates==

{{Toaru:Updates}}

==Terminologies==

All terminologies, character information, and other series details are hosted on [http://toarumajutsunoindex.wikia.com/wiki/Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index_Wiki this wiki].

{{Toaru:Mtoggle:GT}}

==The '''''Toaru Majutsu no Index: Genesis Testament''''' series by Kazuma Kamachi==


<div class="mw-customtoggle-Genesis mw-customtoggle-GenesisClose mw-customtoggle-GenesisOpen" style="background:#f2e0ce;cursor:pointer" align="center">'''<big>Genesis Testament</big>'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible" style="text-align:left;margin:5px5pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:100%" id="mw-customcollapsible-Genesis">

[[Image:GT vol 1.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 1 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume1|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume1 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume1 Prologue|Prologue: At an Early Christmas Eve Intersection — Prepare_for_Xmas_Eve!]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume1 Chapter1|Chapter 1: Just Like an Amusement Park — Red_Wear,Big_Bag,and_Flying_Sledge.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume1 Chapter2|Chapter 2: A Changing Academy City, the Night Before — the_24th,Showdown.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume1 Chapter3|Chapter 3: A Dark Conspiracy and a Barrier Gone — Enemy_Use_XXX.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume1 Chapter4|Chapter 4: Interaction with Another World, the Starting Point — “R&C OCCULTICS Co.Ltd.”]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume1 Epilogue|Epilogue: Snow and Crimson Cover All — White_End.(and_Merry_Xmas!!)]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume1 Afterword|Afterword]]

[[Image:GT vol 2.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 2 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume2|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume2 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume2 Prologue|Prologue: The Bloody Christmas Begins — 12/24_to_12/25.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume2 Chapter1|Chapter 1: This is the Real Battle — Home_Ground_Hospital.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume2 Chapter2|Chapter 2: Black Pill, White Snow — and_RED_Rose.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume2 Chapter3|Chapter 3: In the Void of Zero — Contact_6.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume2 Chapter4|Chapter 4: The Phenomenon of Kamijou Touma — Not_Right_Hand.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume2 Epilogue|Epilogue: Greeting Through the Bars — Matching_Complete.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume2 Afterword|Afterword]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume2 Ending|?]]

[[Image:GT vol 3.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 3 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume3|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume3 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume3 Prologue|Prologue: Look What Under I Found Under This Big Rock — OP.“Hand_Cuffs”]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume3 Chapter1|Chapter 1: A Scab Torn Away — City_Warfare.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume3 Chapter2|Chapter 2: Dark Side — Ghost, Android, and…]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume3 Chapter3|Chapter 3: Academy City’s Greatest Taboo — Safety_Zero, Control_Free.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume3 Chapter4|Chapter 4: The Demon Lord’s Young — the_LIGHT.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume3 Epilogue|Epilogue: Cry of a Newborn Darkness — Over_the_C. Point, Now.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume3 Afterword|Afterword]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume3 Ending|?]]

[[Image:GT vol 4.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 4 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume4|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume4 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume4 Prologue|Prologue: A Picture Book that Slipped through the Cracks – Magic_Side,Open.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume4 Chapter1|Chapter 1: The Full Population of Los Angeles is Missing – 26_the_West_Coast_Warfare.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume4 Chapter2|Chapter 2: Suspected and Alone – Los_Angeles.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume4 Chapter3|Chapter 3: The Counterattack Begins – Boy_not_“Dark”.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume4 Chapter4|Chapter 4: Beyond the Two Choices – Duel_Against_R∴C∴O∴(for_Save_Mother).]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume4 Epilogue|Epilogue: That Human Returns – Science_Side,Interrupt.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume4 Afterword|Afterword]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume4 Ending|?]]

[[Image:GT vol 5.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 5 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume5|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume5 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume5 Prologue|Prologue: Visitor from Picture Book Land – Girl_Name_is_“ALICE”.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume5 Chapter1|Chapter 1: A Year Ending, a Wallet Emptying, a Struggle Ensuing – Winter_Vacation.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume5 Chapter2|Chapter 2: The Rescue Puzzle Sits Before You – Travel.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume5 Chapter3|Chapter 3: Welcome to a World Without the Goddess’ Protection – Difficulty_the_ABYSS.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume5 Chapter4|Chapter 4: If Someone Remains to be Saved – Final_Exams_“Handcuffs”.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume5 Epilogue|Epilogue: Even If Your Hand Leaves Mine – Not_Enemy.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume5 Afterword|Afterword]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume5 Ending|?]]

[[Image:GT vol 6.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 6 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume6|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume6 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume6 Prologue|Prologue: You Lose Less Weight Than You Would Think – Dying_Hungry.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume6 Chapter1|Chapter 1: Go Get That New Year’s Eve Job – Away_SHIBUYA,31.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume6 Chapter2|Chapter 2: Goddess of the Night, the Moon, and Witches – “ARADIA”x03.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume6 Chapter3|Chapter 3: The Transcendent Blossoms – Sabbat_VS_Witch_Hunt.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume6 Chapter4|Chapter 4: What’s Wrong With Being Only Human? – Save_the_Stray_Devil.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume6 Epilogue|Epilogue: The Record Needle Skips – Irregular_Counter.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume6 Afterword|Afterword]]

[[Image:GT vol 7.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 7 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume7|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume7 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume7 Prologue|Prologue: Capture the Powerful Witch – Happy? New_Year!!]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume7 Chapter1|Chapter 1: Happy New Hell, Another Year of Panic – KOTATU_Syndrome.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume7 Chapter2|Chapter 2: Which of Them was Caught? – the_Consulate.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume7 Chapter3|Chapter 3: The Next Move – Witch_Trial.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume7 Chapter4|Chapter 4: Hear the Name of Thy Ruin, World – Call_"XXXXX".]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume7 Epilogue|Epilogue: Saving Her is Unconditional – Join_to…?]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume7 Afterword|Afterword]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume7 Ending|?]]

[[#toc|'''<small>Back to Contents</small>''']]
<div style="clear:both;"> </div>
</div>

==Side Stories==

{{Toaru:Side Stories}}

==Official Parody Stories==

{{Toaru:Parodies}}

==Story Calendar==

{{Toaru:Calendar}}

==Project Staff==

*Supervisor: ''None Designated''
*Project Manager: '''[[User:OH&S|OH&S]]'''

===Translators===
'''ACTIVE'''
:*'''[[User:Js06|Js06]]'''

===Editors===

'''All editors that can speak and write English proficiently are welcome.'''
:*''Editors list has been cleaned due to inactive editors. Editors are welcome to add their names again if they are still editing or proofreading.''--[[User:OH&S|OH&S]] ([[User talk:OH&S|talk]]) 11:44, 11 April 2017 (CEST)

==Series Overview==

{{Toaru:Series Overview}}

==More Information==
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index The wikipedia article]
*[http://www12.atwiki.jp/index-index/ とある魔術の禁書目録　Index] (日本語、そしてネタバレの危険性がある！)
*[http://toarumajutsunoindex.wikia.com/wiki/Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index_Wiki Toaru Majutsu no Index Wikia]
*[http://r-s.sakura.ne.jp/w/i_m.htm Kiyotaka Haimura website]

[[Category:Light novel (English)]]
[[Category:Dengeki Bunko]]
[[Category:Kazuma Kamachi]]

[[Category:Genre - Action]]
[[Category:Genre - Comedy]]
[[Category:Genre - Fantasy]]
[[Category:Genre - Harem]]
[[Category:Genre - Sci-Fi]]
[[Category:Genre - Supernatural]]

Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun

2023-01-07T19:50:20Z

January:

==Novel Illustrations==
{{:Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Illustrations}}
{{:Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Prologue}}
{{:Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Chapter1}}
{{:Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Chapter2}}
{{:Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Chapter3}}
{{:Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Chapter4}}
{{:Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Epilogue}}
{{:Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Afterword}}

<noinclude>
{{Toaru_Nav|prev=Toaru Majutsu no Index:AgneseSS|next=}}
</noinclude>

Toaru Majutsu no Index:AgneseSS

2023-01-07T19:49:23Z

January:

===Novel Illustrations===
{{:Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:AgneseSS_Illustrations}}
{{:Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:AgneseSS_Chapter1}}
{{:Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:AgneseSS_Chapter2}}
{{:Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:AgneseSS_Chapter3}}
{{:Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:AgneseSS_Chapter4}}
{{:Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:AgneseSS_Chapter5}}
{{:Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:AgneseSS_Chapter6}}
{{:Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:AgneseSS_Chapter7}}
{{:Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:AgneseSS_Chapter8}}

<noinclude>

<references/>
{{Toaru_Nav|prev=Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Biohacker|next=Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun}}
</noinclude>

Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Illustrations

2023-01-07T19:47:21Z

January:

<gallery>
Image:Railgun_cover.jpg|'''Cover'''
Image:Railgun_003.png
Image:Railgun_004.png
Image:Railgun_005.png
Image:Railgun_006.png
Image:Railgun_007.png
Image:Railgun_008.png
Image:Railgun_009.png
Image:Railgun_contents.png
Image:Railgun_BW1.jpeg|'''Prologue'''
Image:Railgun_BW2.jpeg|'''Chapter 1'''
Image:Railgun_BW3.png
Image:Railgun_BW4.jpeg|'''Chapter 2'''
Image:Railgun_BW5.png
Image:Railgun_BW6.png|'''Chapter 3'''
Image:Railgun_BW7.png
Image:Railgun_BW8.png|'''Chapter 4'''
Image:Railgun_BW9.png
Image:Railgun_BW10.png
Image:Railgun_BW11.png
Image:Railgun_BW12.png
Image:Railgun_BW13.png|'''Epilogue'''
Image:Railgun_BW14.png
</gallery>

<noinclude>
{{Toaru_Nav|prev=Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:AgneseSS_Chapter8|next=Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Prologue}}
</noinclude>

Toaru Majutsu no Index:AgneseSS Chapter8

2023-01-07T19:45:56Z

January:

==Chapter 8==

===Part 1===

Tu.

Albert Dying.

Their final enemy awaited them at the center of the chapel shelter below St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City.

“Fine then.” The man grinned. “Then this shall be a duel. We are both disposable pawns bound to a particular mythology or religion. We shall wear down our lives for a temporary thrill and to the victor go the spoils. I have no problem with that.”

“Sisters Lucia and Angelene.”

Agnese did not even listen.

Anything coming from that dreamer’s mouth was nonsense.

“''Our top priority is the pope and the cardinals. Blow them away''!!”

A giant wooden wheel exploded on its own and coin bags larger than clenched fists gave a roar of motion.

The splinters and the blunt weapons rushed toward the unconscious old men, but that was the correct choice.

Those VIPs were guarded by largescale spiritual items they wore as clothing, so it would take a lot to kill them. It was best to let the momentum of an attack launch them toward the exit to get them off the battlefield as soon as possible.

Stray attacks from Tu were much more of a threat.

(We got all the cardinals. That just leaves…)

In this case, his defenses worked against him.

One old man remained on the floor where he had fallen.

(We just need to collect the pope!!)

“Oh, dear,” Tu belatedly whispered.

Agnese gave a flourish of her silver staff and the angel curled up at the head spread its wings. The Lotus Wand could control fire, water, wind, earth, and even ether and it was now ready to use.

To reiterate, their opponent was a dreamer.

Nothing he had to say was worth listening to.

“Sisters Lucia and Angelene, use staggered attacks to keep him in place. I will use that opening to get the pope out of-”

“Theory: Angerona I”

By the time the explosive roar slammed into Agnese’s left ear, her vision was already spinning fast. By the time she realized she had been blown away, her feet had left the floor and she could not control herself.

She had been interrupted.

She could not even begin to analyze his very first attack.

“Sister Agnese!?”

Tall Lucia frantically held out her arms to catch her while Angelene unleashed her four coin bags to hold back the man.

But…

“Theory: Faunus III”

They exploded.

No one had done anything, but the coin bags burst from within. Then all the scattered gold coins froze in midair before rushing toward Angelene like bullets.

The stooped and freckled girl could not even scream as they pummeled her.

From there, it was like dominoes.

Angelene slammed into Lucia, preventing her from catching Agnese. All three of them ended up crashing down to the hard stone floor.

The breath was knocked from them.

But Agnese kept her grip on the Lotus Wand. The pain in her back forced out all of her air, but she managed to gasp in just enough to get out her voice.

“What…just…”

“…”

“What just happened? Sister Lucia, answer me. I can’t defend against something I don’t understand!!”

Lucia could not hold her head steady or get her voice out, but she did manage to move her trembling lips.

''Space…opened up.

''Massive jaws…tried to crush you.

Albert Dying did not need to wait for them to finish there. He had not moved a step and he smiled down at them.

“Care to see that one again?”

“!?”

She saw it this time.

Agnese immediately slammed the bottom of her wand against the floor just as a vertical line split through empty space and a pitch black hole opened within. The impossible hole was longer vertically than horizontally and had to be around 2m tall.

The right and left sides snapped back shut like massive jaws.

The crack distorted and then vanished with a great snapping sound, but the pressurized air had nowhere to go and roared outwards. That was what had knocked Agnese from her feet before.

Her wrists hurt as she held the rattling wand.

She grimaced as she realized she could not resist this with brute force. It was even possible Tu would notice the balance of power and work to ''contaminate her from within using the vibrations''. She forced out her voice.

“Angerona…is…”

“Hm?”

“Angerona is the goddess of the returning sun from Roman mythology. She normally keeps her mouth shut and ‘seals’ it by pressing her finger against it, but once a year, she opens her mouth to unleash the power gathered within to overcome the winter solstice when the sun has weakened.”

“Oh, I see now. Agnese and Lucia have an Italian ring to them. Then again, the idea of giving power to the dying sun is hardly unique to Rome. You can find the motif in all sorts of cultures. I should have expected you to recognize something so well known.”

All of a sudden, Agnese noticed the man was holding a disc a bit larger than his palm. She thought it was a pocket watch at first, but it was not. It was a compass carved from an oily wood and with a glass cover placed on top.

(What is this sweet smell?)

Albert flicked open the glass cover with his thumb and the compass needle popped out. It would have been an extremely pointed diamond shape to begin with, but the twisted hunk of metal no longer showed any sign of that.

Directions were very important in the magical world, so had the needle destroyed itself by drawing an impossible power from an impossible direction?

''Two'' such needles had fallen to the floor.

The one from just now she understood. That would be the Faunus needle. But when had he discarded the Angerona needle that had twisted into something like a distorted spring? She dug through her memories yet could find nothing. Even though she had been watching him the entire time.

“But no one actually knows where Angerona came from. Why does she gather power in her mouth and why does her power grow the longer she remains silent? None of it matters to anyone now. No one cares about some ancient queen.”

“…”

All of a sudden, Albert Dying was holding a sickle in his other hand. That was the Sickle of Saturn. But if the compass was all he needed for his spells, he would not need that.

She could not let its shape distract her.

That sickle was not designed for offense using its sharp edge. It was meant to create a controlling field around the ground it stabbed into. If he was showing that off, then he must have created a field to his liking.

(Is his magic so powerful that he needs that field to protect himself?)

“And Faunus is a god of treasure. The horns on his head were enough to have him overwritten by the Greek myths of Pan and the Satyr, but that does not erase his logic that prophesied a victory for Rome in a great battle.”

Albert had called this a duel.

But despite what the term implied, the people who used it most often were always certain in their own victory. They would fire up the crowds with talk of ‘a one-on-one battle’, ‘don’t be late’, and ‘let’s fight fair and square’, but they really wanted to ensure the poor victim could not escape while they were tortured to death in public. When a less-than-honest person challenged someone to a duel, they might as well have been demanding a public execution.

Tu had called this a duel when he was outnumbered three-against-one.

That meant he was confident he could win and preserve the execution format with three opponents. If he had thought it at all possible he would be harmed, he would have called them cowards in order to reset the game until he had all the cards needed for his victory.

(Well…)

Agnese wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth.

Her nose picked up a sickly sweet aroma, like a raisin with the sourness removed. It was not unpleasant, but she found it disgusting once she realized it was the oily wood mixing with the sweat on the man’s hand.

(This might still be better than trying to beat the house at a casino.)

“Are you…trying to preserve the pure Roman mythology before it was washed away by Greek mythology? Is that what you’re…so desperate to protect?”

“''Not really.''”

He did not even give a strong denial.

He responded dismissively while holding the large compass and sickle.

“''Just so you know, I am not a Roman mythology believer.''”

“Kh.”

She had been wrong.

The hook dangled below the water had failed to catch in the fish’s mouth.

“During the Roman age, it was Roman mythology. During the Christian age, it was Christianity. I blend in with the victor of the current age to keep myself safe and protect myself. Just like someone dressing in all the latest fashions and throwing out piles of usable clothing each season. Not even I know the answer. All I can do is line up endless ‘theories’ that no one can prove correct or not.”

Analyzing your opponent was everything in the magic world.

If you did not secure what clues you could in the few chances you found, you did not stand a chance. Just like a mountain climber following all the easiest routes only to run across a cliff face with no handholds whatsoever.

Agnese heard a scraping of metal against metal. It came from the compass.

Once again, she had failed to see it, but he had definitely “loaded” the next one.

“Theory: Larvae II.”

This was a new one.

Agnese Sanctis only survived because someone shoved her aside.

She was saved by her fellow nun, Sister Angelene.

A change came over the girl’s freckled face. She covered it with her small hands, but it was still visible through the gaps. Something crucial – maybe water and maybe fat – was drained from her body. It looked like her skin was clinging directly to bone.

“Sister Angelene!?”

“The same applies to what I am using here.” The man spoke calmly while swinging his sickle just enough to keep the side effects from reaching him. He did not seem to care about the commotion around him. “This is not what we had initially hoped to pass down. As the many mythologies and religions mixed together, the original forms were entirely lost. But I will still win. I will survive. The Guild will always view the world from the side of the winners.”

That was all the Guild did.

They did not want any particular side to win. Nor did they hope to gain something through winning.

They only wanted to preserve their status of “winning”.

Everyone had their ups and downs. They would win some and lose some. But the Guild refused to let that happen, so they distorted themselves and others to force a result that defied that law.

With a solid clink, a twisted compass needle hit the floor, having used up whatever its effect was.

That was the empty cartridge.

But by then, Albert had already loaded the next round and snapped the glass cover shut with his thumb. He squeezed the compass made from an oily wood – probably palm.

And he spoke his words of power.

“Theory: Venus Genetrix I.”

“?”

Agnese briefly froze.

That divine name did not immediately bring a form of attack to mind like Mars or Jupiter would have.

The air was split open by something too strong to call a whip. It was probably some kind of tree branches intertwined in a complex but powerful way. It would tear through flesh and bone on contact.

And Agnese was slow to react.

She immediately backed out of its range, but then something burst from it. The solid fruits attached to the branches burst and created a wall of sharp shards, like a grenade blast.

She had very clearly been too late to react, so her survival was not the result of her own skill. The dense wall of sharp shards had been forcibly pried apart at the last second by the explosion of Lucia’s giant wooden wheel.
“Let’s ignore the Genetrix part for now.” The young man smiled thinly. “Everyone thinks of Venus as a goddess of beauty, but did you know she was originally an agricultural goddess of gardens? Also, a historical figure was absolutely fixated on her productive powers: an ancient Roman general by the name of Julius Caesar. Perhaps you’ve heard of him?”

“!?”

“Venus, Goddess of the Harvest, was known as the personal guardian deity of that strongest military man. Venus was a protector of Rome, but adding the Genetrix gives her name a special meaning. Caesar had thoroughly developed his abilities for harming and killing, so when he wanted to expand the Roman Empire, he may have been drawn to that productive power he lacked. He was hailed as the strongest when it came to military might, but that created a blind spot he hoped to fill with the divine mother of Aeneas. He wanted a solid protector who would gently support him. ''So that goddess will rush in toward any opening that presents itself.''”

“Sister Lucia!!”

The force of the shards was doubled.

The sharp shards from the many fruits closed back together to form a wall and rushed toward Lucia. This spell was a lot like a carnivorous plant without eyes or ears letting itself be bit to accurately locate its target.

It was a like a giant pair of jaws lined with sharp teeth and fangs.

Agnese’s warning was drowned out by a great boom as if from a drum taller than she was. Lucia had barely managed to avoid being fully caught between the closing jaws, but she had not escaped unscathed. She had been hit from the right.

The many shards that did hit her slammed her against the wall, where she slid down to the floor and stopped moving.

Agnese heard the clack of metal against metal.

She looked over without thinking, but with her life on the line, she subconsciously kept Tu in the corner of her vision.

Nevertheless, she did not have time to intervene.

He had clearly replaced the compass’s needle and he should have been defenseless while he did so. She knew she could take away his weapon if she intervened at that moment.

“Now, then,” he said. An oddly sweet aroma hung in the air as he gripped the loaded compass. “How are you enjoying this safety bought with your friends’ destruction? Unfortunately, you have no one else to take the next attack, sister.”

“!!”

She immediately leaped forward because Tu had stepped his foot on the pope’s stomach and raised his sickle.

The old man already had a sharp stake against his chest, but Tu did not hesitate.

As soon as she moved in the way, scorching heat assaulted her back.

This was not just a blade wound.

The Sickle of Saturn created a field of control over the land it was stabbed into.

(Is he trying to tear away my inner world!?)

“Ha ha ha. You help the pope after doing nothing for your friends?”

“Gahh!!”

A straining sound came from within her.

This was not just her physical body tearing apart. Her skeleton itself shook, her individual organs wriggled like slugs, and she feared she was transforming into another creature altogether. She could imagine her shoulder blades splitting as wings sprouted from her back, webs growing between her fingers, her canine teeth growing disconcertingly long, and her mind deteriorating too far for bipedal movement.

Was she only imagining all that?

It all may have been possible with the Sickle of Saturn.

Albert Dying smiled.

“You did the right thing. If I pry open the pope’s chest here, no one can stop the spread of the Sickle’s field. But that also proves that people are not equal under your system. Thank you. Your bravery has shown me that this era must be destroyed.”

“Shut up!!” she snapped back.

He kicked at her side, placed a foot on her small back, and pulled out the Sickle of Saturn like he was removing a nail. The sensation of the blade pulling from so deep inside her made her shudder far more than when it had stabbed into her.

“Now, a question: are people still equal?”

“…”

Stabbed and stepped on, Agnese still lay protectively over the unconscious old man.

The pope might have been killed if she had not acted.

Nothing might have changed for her own little world if a new era had begun.

They lived a life of oppression, suspicion, and odd jobs that underestimated their abilities. It wore at them more every day they continued to live as outsiders without a real home.

But she still wanted to avoid this.

She did not want everything to change.

She had learned to relax during the short breaks between jobs. The Anglicans gave her the absolute worst jobs, but the group from Italy had worked to come up with recipes they could cook in the women’s dorm. She still felt out of place in London’s mixture of old and new, but she had not disliked her days off when she could munch on biscuits and watch video makers perform with a phone in hand.

Yes, yes. She would admit it.

Maybe they were being tamed and maybe they were being used.

But Agnese Sanctis liked those bland days that were too forgettable to even write in a diary!!!!!!

(Yes.)

She thought about the Roman Catholic Church. They had abandoned her, but she could not have them collapse here. Just like she had her own world, this old man had his own world.

She could not let anyone trample that underfoot with a thin smile on their face.

They might live in very different places, but she was the only one who could stop it, so it was up to her to protect him!!

(This may be my arrogance talking, but I wonder if this is what it feels like to forgive someone.)

Albert Dying, the man who had nothing of his own, laughed.

“Then I’ll keep at it until they are equal.”

===Part 2===

To be honest, Tu had no real reason to talk.

The more he revealed about his spells, the more of his hand his opponents could defeat. Telling the truth gained him nothing.

(Well.)

But he did it anyway.

(I have plenty of needles. ''If I can convince her'' that I can only use one of a few options, then my next move can take her by surprise.)

It was all to help him win.

It was all to remain in a constant state of winning.

He never would have bound himself with the term “duel” unless he thought his victory was assured. That term was a double-edged sword that would prevent him from escaping if he unexpectedly found himself losing.

And he had the next needle loaded.

(Now, what is your battle plan?)

Albert Dying thought to himself while gripping the large compass in his hand.

The Sickle of Saturn was the foundation of his offense and defense.

The compass was sufficient if he only wanted to crush and kill his opponent.

A battle plan appeared to eliminate the unnecessary options while building up an optimal route to victory, but it really only narrowed your field of view. And the narrower that field, the easier it was for an attack to slip in through a blind spot.

(If she thinks I was simply defeating them one at a time, then she will die next time. Keeping a set distance to fire projectiles creates a blind spot right in front of you. But protecting that old man does not restrict her quite enough. If I want to move in close enough, I should wear down her stamina a little further. I will wait two or three more moves.)

“Theory: Juturna IV.”

This one was a high-pressure water cutter.

The horizontal sweep could easily slice through the girl’s torso.

The attack played out properly, but it did not provide the expected result.

“''Too slow.''”

“!?”

Why hadn’t it hit? Albert Dying took a step back while opening the transparent cover. He dropped the twisted needle to the floor and inserted the next one.

Or he should have.

“Hold up.”

He was interrupted by an absurdly casual voice.

Agnese Sanctis was no longer just protecting the helpless old man.

When had she moved so close?

“How can you keep up with me!?”

His hand was blocked from loading the compass, like someone had grabbed his wrist just before he made an iai strike.

To rid her grip from his arm, he clicked his tongue for the first time and swung the sickle with his other hand. He just barely escaped her restraint, but the needle he had intended to load slipped from his grasp.

The following unpleasant sound would not stop ringing in his ears.

The small sharp piece of metal hitting the floor was not part of his own battle plan.

(Wait.)

Once the thought entered his mind, he came to a shocked stop.

He had violated his own rule.

(Outside my “battle plan”? You mean I too was narrowing my view with one of those?)

“The individual spells weren’t what worried me.”

Bloody Agnese Sanctis did not force herself in closer.

Was she being cautious?

Or was she confident?

“That compass ''was missing'' its ejection and reloading phase. Which makes sense because that’s the part you would most want to hide. You might have a million cards available to you, but you can only use one at a time. And you have to use that ‘theory’ incantation to activate it.”

“…”

“I might not know what’s coming next, but that’s nothing to fear as long as I know when it’s coming. If I can dodge just one of them, then the time it takes to reload allows me to fight back. The million different cards were just meant to overwhelm us, weren’t they? The real trick here was how you ''shifted the timing''. Figure that out and neutralizing you is easy!!”

“………………………………………………………………………………………!!!!!!”

He took immediate action.

He had to load a needle in the compass to use it.

To keep Agnese away, he scattered several of the sharp metal pieces on the floor. Her high-soled sandals worked against her here. Afraid of tripping, she came to a brief stop and Albert managed to stick the needle inside and close the glass cover.

The loading was complete.

“Theory: Dius Fidius I!!”

“Easily dodged.”

She had been late to respond, but she dodged the formless divine punishment with a snort of laughter.

Even though he had spoken the name of “another chief god” said to be on the same level as Chief God Jupiter – who corresponded to Zeus in Greek mythology – but had vanished into the shadows of history.

“You always keep that round compass in your hand. I thought maybe you could keep casting the spells as long as you had the needles, but it’s awfully large. In an age of smartphones, you don’t often see compasses too large to fit in the palm of your hand. That means you have some secret hidden in there, doesn’t it? Something that warrants its larger size.”

The young man said nothing.

Agnese interpreted that as an admission he could no longer play games.

“You would open the glass cover, throw out the old needle, set the new one in the center, and then close the cover again.”

She paused between each step as if checking over them in her head.

And…

“That would take a few seconds, wouldn’t it? But that doesn’t make any sense. While the Amakusas use everyday objects for everything, a combat spiritual item has generally been so optimized that it looks strange to the untrained eye. That unnecessary structure is needlessly delaying your actions.”

Agnese did not hesitate.

The look in her eyes said she already knew the answer. That young man used nice-sounding words to deceive and manipulate people, so that was the last thing he wanted to see.

“So what’s the trick here? The palm wood? Did you include that important religious symbol to create an acceleration spell that lets you move too fast for the eye to follow? Or is it the sweet smell? Are you using some kind of chemical to make me hallucinate? No, no, no, it’s none of that. This isn’t about any of the mysterious hints you’ve created to lead me astray. The answer is much simpler. Because the simpler the structure, the less risk of malfunction. I know what a coward would choose when his life is on the line.”

So she presented him with the decisive words.

“''There never was a glass cover.'' With a silly scam artist’s trick, you greatly reduced the time needed to reload while deceiving anyone watching it happen. Right?”

Time stopped.

Yes, the “glass” cover was no more than a frame.

That part was not needed to activate the magic.

Albert Dying would ignore the cover altogether to push the needle in with a finger and then exaggeratedly open and close it with his thumb.

That was why Agnese had always overlooked when the reloading happened.

No matter how carefully she watched as he popped open the glass cover, she was never going to see it happen when the reloading was already complete at that point. Just like staring at the train track was meaningless when the train had already passed by.

That was all it was.

The silly trick had ''eliminated'' the deadly few seconds when he was most defenseless.

They both viewed a duel as a chance for a dishonest person to hold a public execution and they both knew someone would only call for one when everything was set up to ensure their victory.

“…”

This revelation had erased his advantage.

But Tu still had a chance. Agnese had already stated this did not tell her what was coming next.

(You assume anything I use will be another projectile. Narrowing your vision like that creates a short-range blind spot. I will use your own battle plan to kill you. I will emerge victorious here and I will remain forever victorious!!)

As long as she remained trapped in her “battle plan”, Agnese would not even notice the blind spot she had created. She could only grimace from the wound she had taken to the back and struggle to keep her legs steady below her.

Yes.

The tides could turn against Tu here, but she had only revealed the ancient god spells used through his compass. His true power lay elsewhere.

He did not hesitate.

He sliced down his own arm with the sickle.

“Wha-!?”

Agnese tensed with surprise.

No, he had sliced his own shadow on the wall from shoulder to elbow. That damage was then transferred to Tu himself, just like someone injuring a doll to harm the target.

And that was an accurate comparison. The Sickle of Saturn overwrote who controlled the land it stabbed into and set up a more convenient field.

So it could also be used like this.

By slicing and tearing into oneself, it could overwrite the inner world of the human body. And by tearing down the wall between the micro inner world and the macro outer world, he could wield magic unusable by mere humans.

Such as…

“Theory: Saturn 0!!!!!!”

He did not need the compass needle this time.

And people could not respond to something that caught them by surprise.

===Part 3===

Nothing was more frightening than a lack of tricks.

Or rather, than being pushed to the point that all tricks were off limits. Magic was a logical system. It could be hard to tell since none of it was visible, but it was no different than sticking a branch below a big rock to lift it with leverage.

So if a magic user was pushed to the point that they could not use that kind of trick, they had truly been pushed to the limit.

Tu, Albert Dying, heard something soft being squashed.

He felt a dull sensation in his fingernails when it happened. In Roman mythology, Saturn was the king who usurped heaven, but before he was overwritten by Cronus of Greek mythology, he had been an ancient god named Satus. He was an agricultural god who controlled seeds and sickles. His name, his role, and even his world may have changed, but he had kept that weapon through it all. That suggested it was the only real thing he had left.

Thus, it retained the symbolism of the sickle that sliced open the earth and let a bountiful harvest grow.

However.

Tu’s gaze wavered somewhat.

He looked down at his own fingertips. The deadly nails were split open and his fingers were bent in disconcerting ways.

Simply put, he had been stopped.

By the silver staff Agnese Sanctis had pulled back toward herself.

“Gahhh!?”

“Oh, dear. Did what I say lead you to believe I had only analyzed your compass? You were the one who stabbed me with your Sickle of Saturn to mess with my inner world, remember?”

She grinned.

But she shouldn’t have been able to dodge this even if she understood it. His speed had been absolute. She could not have responded to his attack in time, so how had this happened?

“Saint…Amandus…”

Something had happened.

But the groaning whisper had not come from Agnese Sanctis.

“He was a regionary bishop without a diocese of his own. But he built more churches than anyone else and provided many people with a place to rest.”

It was Sister Lucia.

Angelene also recited the words from the floor.

They crawled because they could not even stand up with all the pain and agony filling their bodies.

But.

They clenched their teeth and set self-care aside in order to support the girl with whom they had shared the good times and the bad.

They spoke in unison now.

“His passion and powerful legs were second to none. Traveler with a worthy cause, feel the push at your back as you continue your journey. You will find your feet move quicker than anyone else’s!!”

That spell created a literal tailwind.

No matter which way you moved, the tiny miracle would summon a wind to assist you.

Agnese was not alone.

Their old home had relied on numbers for everything. And it was Tu who had called this three-against-one arrangement a “duel”.

He could not call it unfair now.

Lucia and Angelene had already fallen, but that did not make them insignificant. If this man would laugh them off as ignorable, Agnese would show him the power they had granted her.

She would show him that the very thing he had dismissed as insignificant could sometimes be the trigger needed to save the world!!

“''Telling the truth gains you nothing.'' Isn’t that a standard principle in magical combat?”

Whether it failed to activate or merely injured her, his foolproof attack had failed to kill her.

She had never before seen Theory: Saturn 0, yet it had not worked.

That surprising result led Tu to change his battle plan once more. He clung to what he knew had worked before. He forced his aching hand to pop open the compass’s glass cover in order to load the next needle, but…

“That movement is an illusion.”

The words cut him off before he could act.

“Now that I know that, I have nothing to fear from your spells. I can ignore the compass and your movements. If I wait for you to speak the incantation, I can get the timing right. It doesn’t even matter if you use your compass or sickle to activate it.”

With a distorted clang, the end of Agnese’s staff knocked the new needle from the young man’s bloody hand.

He thought he could keep going even without the Sickle of Saturn, but…

“Yes. The Lotus Wand is a Symbolic Weapon capable of controlling fire, water, wind, earth, and ether. And in my case, I’ve constructed a further spell on top of that.”

She crushed that possibility.

“You could say it’s like the wax dolls used for curses. If I hit the wall or a chair with this, the damage to the wand is transferred to the linked target.”

Agnese Sanctis did not make a second strike.

There was no need.

“So I don’t even have to do anything. The wand was hit, so it’s already over.”

After a short delay, a heavy impact rattled Tu’s head.

“Gah!?”

He fell hard to his knees. That was proof of greater damage than if he had been thrown backwards.

He glanced down at his spiritual items for a brief moment, but before he could do anything more, Agnese kicked the large compass from him and stepped down on the sickle lying on the floor.

“I said it’s already over,” she bluntly stated.

“I…” Even so, Albert Dying was not done moving. “I will win. I must always be winning. I will do…do anything to ensure it.”

“You must always be winning?” She seemed to spit out the words. “But you gave into your anger and executed the bloodline investigator named Brax Mizhine, didn’t you? Our research suggests he was a pathetic scammer, but killing him did nothing to affect your score, did it?”

“…”

“Did you really hate Stiyl Magnus that much? Admittedly, he’s a condescending asshole constantly polluting his surroundings with cigarette smoke, but that isn’t why you hate him. Then why?”

That question crossed a line.

There was no kindness in her voice.

“You blame them both for your failed ceremony that forced you to go into hiding.”

Agnese Sanctis was still inexperienced.

When slapped on the right cheek, she would reflexively throw a punch. And she had a smile on her lips as she said this.

“You claim you must ‘always be winning’, but that died long ago. If you ask me, revenge is the last resort of a loser.”

A disconcerting sound filled the chapel.

“Ah…kh…”

What happened next defied logic. Albert Dying had already been hit by the finishing blow, but he got back up. His hands and feet dug into the stone floor to rise up like a beast.

“This isn’t…this isn’t over!! No one ever protected me, so I had to protect myself. Do you have any idea how hard it is to always be winning? I came all this way because I couldn’t allow a single loss, so…so I…!!”

But…

“Loser.”

Agnese’s voice was ice cold.

He was threatening her, but there was no dignity behind it.

He leaped at her, presumably to take back the Sickle of Saturn pinned below her foot, but she caught his face on her elbow, slammed her silver staff into his back while he curled up holding his nose, and then stepped on the back of his head after confirming he had collapsed to the floor. Finally, the wand’s attack hit him again.

He was like a ghost who had forgotten how to return to the graveyard.

His rash attempt to never face a loss was a lot like a senile old fool forgetting when to stop and struggling for much too long. His greatest misfortunate was in not encountering anyone who was willing to end this earlier. So now he scrambled vainly at the floor.

Agnese sighed as she looked down at him struggling like a roach with a pin through it.

(Well, I might have shown more mercy if he hadn’t hurt Sisters Lucia and Angelene.)

“From here on, you can start counting up your losses. One by one.”

===Part 4===

Agnese Sanctis quietly sighed.

It was all over.

The pope was safe where he lay on the floor. With the defeat of Tu, aka Albert Dying, the Violator of the Peace spiritual item trying to force its way through the old man’s holy garb had stopped resisting. Agnese only had to crouch down and grab it for the X-shaped belts to unravel from the pope’s chest like no more than ribbon.

She tossed the Violator of the Peace aside and it hit another of the culprit’s spiritual items with a solid clang. It looked like nothing more than a small sickle made from crude materials, but even that could destroy the world.

That was what made magic so frightening.

She pressed a communication card against her ear and spoke into it.

The method used by the card had existed before the invention of electronic devices, but most people would assume she was operating a phone. Most cars around the world had round steering wheels and there was no real reason to make showerheads X or star shaped. Most everyone would settle on similar shapes because those were easiest for people to use.

“The Sickle of Saturn has been retrieved. Yes, yes, you check on things outside. Eh? It’s going to be stored and preserved in the British Museum? No, I’d rather destroy it here. Hand this to you Anglicans and who knows what your black-hearted Archbishop will do with it!”

She remained crouched and gently stroked the pope’s forehead with her empty hand while holding the conversation.

Lola Stuart at the top of the Anglicans was entirely different from this old man. That woman loved power games and kept her good and bad deeds perfectly balanced, so there was no point in worrying on her behalf.

“Stiyl, you agree that would be best, don’t you? Yes, yes, I know a poor middle manager like you isn’t allowed to say so out loud, so just dock my pay already. Ugh, I swear the world is edging toward destruction because saving it only gets you punished. Bye.”

That ended her magical call.

Now she spoke to someone in the same room as her.

“Hey, Sister Lucia. You still alive?”

“…Barely.”

“You too, Sister Angelene. I took out the bad guy, but do you also need some recovery magic?”

“Already working on it. Ugh, don’t those Larvae things suck all the fat out of you once they latch onto you? The legends say they also leave weird marks all over your body, don’t they?”

The three girls stopped talking there.

So when they heard a groan, it did not come from any of them.

“Uhh…”

There was no reason to stay here until he woke up.

Every last part of Agnese’s body was aching and she had been stabbed in the back to protect the pope, but she had not risked her life to place him in her debt.

Reluctant to leave, she rubbed the old man’s forehead once more.

That was enough.

“Sister Agnese, it’s time.”

“C-come to think of it, we’re in the country without our passports, aren’t we?” said Angelene. “E-eeek! There’s only one exit from here and if they find us, we’ll be thrown in jail for sure!”

Agnese Sanctis pulled her hand away and silently stood up.

“The pope is fine. What about the cardinals?”

“That shouldn’t be a problem. There is only one exit, so we check on them as we leave.”

“Then there’s Tu – Albert Dying.”

“Eh? We’re in the country illegally and now we have to carry an entire person back with us!? I-isn’t an unconscious person really heavy?”

Angelene started to fidget nervously.

But if they left him with the Catholics and he later escaped, it would be their fault. Anti-magician combat was the Anglicans’ specialty, so it would be safest to take him back home with them.

Back home.

Agnese smiled at that phrasing.

This was supposed to be their home. It was the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church. So how could they go “back home” from here?

She knew the answer.

And she knew what to say next. They needed to choose who would carry Tu on their way home.

“Rock, paper…”

“!?”

“!?”

“Everyone but me loses!!”

“Who put you in charge!!!???”

“Who put you in charge!!!???”

===Part 5===

Agnese Sanctis had made a serious error by disobeying orders and acting on her own.

Destroying the Sickle of Saturn without permission was especially concerning.

Her meals were reduced from three a day to two and she was forbidden from snacking in between. And this was to continue until further orders were given.

“Ugh…”

The girl in the black nun’s habit looked half dead.

She had been prepared for punishment, but the higher ups knew her weaknesses too well. The ban on snacks hurt far more than the lost meal. How was an Italian girl supposed to live without her coffee? Solitary confinement would have been preferable to this.

She was back in London, England.

The world continued to turn despite everything that had happened. London’s famous colorful payphones were being removed and loaded onto trucks and the taxis polished as bright as leather shoes were being converted to electric models. Even the world’s most famous clocktower was apparently no longer named Big Ben.

Humans were like tuna that had to keep swimming or they would die.

Something unseen was pouring down on the world.

Anything that came to a stop – be it a culture or a mythology – would be sealed in that stratum, just like a specimen encased in clear plastic. History may have had no more weight than a long-forgotten meme.

The Guild and Albert may have found that absurd. They had wanted to reclaim what was buried in the stratum. But after slowly and carefully excavating it, they realized it was small enough to hold in their hand.

Was that why he had wanted to wield it to its fullest?

To prove it was more than that?

(And what about me?)

She sighed.

Not even she understood why she had rejected the idea returning to the Catholics. It was more than just her principles. She may have made the decision out of fear.

Fear that she would lose something if she returned there.

“Sister Agnese!!”

Lucia and Angelene rushed over to her.

The perfectionist girl was punctual and always kept her promises, so she continued to work hard even during their unfair punishment.

“We’re being scrambled to Piccadilly Circus,” said Lucia. “When people look inside a boxy ashtray left on the side of the road, they are sucked in and go missing. There were similar
urban legends back when technology was shifting from CRT TVs or analog cameras, but it appears someone is copying those stories to feed their ''collection'' obsession. A battle is about to begin at the gathering point, so you need to get fully equipped and move to your post, Sister Agnese.”

“What is our job?”

“This magician keeps escaping because they are sensitive to the faint magic of a people clearing field, so the Anglicans want to do the same job through physical means. The ordinary people will be kept away by feigning drainage problems and covering the road with filthy water.”

Agnese Sanctis looked up toward heaven.

[[Image:AgneseSS_8.jpg|thumb]]

She had suspected it would be something like this.

They were still the bottom rung.

You didn’t get any extra allowance for saving the world.

“How can that be sanitary?”

“We need to wear full-body raincoats with rubber gloves and boots. But wearing that would stand out when it’s so nice out, so a bomber will soon be passing by overhead to support us by creating some artificial rain with dry ice. Sudden downpours not found on the long-term forecast are hardly uncommon these days.”

That strict girl had failed to read between the lines.

Her obsession with cleanliness had led her to focus entirely on how to defend themselves from the filth. Surely there had been other options.

Agnese winked over at Angelene.

“We need phone and social media countermeasures. The risk is especially great since we can’t use a people clearing field. There are so many cameras around these days and I don’t see why that would ever change.”

“Um, actually, I’ve already done that,” said Angelene. “All we need is for you to join us, Sister Agnese. Why do you think we ran over to get you? Because the phones aren’t working here.”

Agnese scratched her head at that.

She had hoped to find a flaw in the plan so she could boycott it, but it turned out Lucia and Angelene were the type to do everything right even when they gained nothing from it.

Agnese had no choice now, but there was a note of enjoyment in her voice as she replied.

“Then let’s get going. The time for some captivating service work is upon us!!”

<noinclude>
{{Toaru_Nav|prev=Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:AgneseSS_Chapter7|next=Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Illustrations}}
</noinclude>

Toaru Majutsu no Index X Apocalypse Witch X Heavy Object Crossover SS

2023-01-07T19:44:31Z

January:

TL: botman

The cherry blossoms were in full blossom.

A certain park had been filled with pink cherry blossoms.

However, in this scene, where it was difficult to be erotic, the heroines remained silent. There was no need to do so reluctantly, because they weren't old enough to drink, so they wouldn't be able to drink until they passed out, exposing their pink skin!!

Finally, Hime, who had tossed her short blond hair aside, spoke up.

"I heard that the cherry blossom is also a type of rose."

"Cherries are delicious, and roses are delicious when made into sauce! I also know that these cherry blossoms can be eaten after being salted. There are also cherry leaf cakes made of cherry leaves and cherry soup made out of the cherry petals!"

Index, who was under the cherry blossom tree, opened her hands, welcoming the falling petals enthusiastically, said.

The ravenous nun, as always, was focused on eating. (Couldn't she just use her perfect memory to store the feelings of taste and satiety? Since she could remember everything, she could just recall those feelings), but that's not what Hime, who was wearing a special, tight-fitting uniform, wanted to talk about right now.

Towards the short blond girl who was sitting on a railing beside a path in the park in a western-style blue uniform with a crystal flower on her chest, a girl said:

"Since the new generation still has to break a flower to transform, why not make it a cherry blossom? It's prettier, don't you think?"

"Marika-sama, I think that makes sense."

"....Don't get carried away, Aine-chan.”

Although the highschool girl was wary, the gorgeous crystal girl with flowing silver hair in a white dress sighed darkly.

"Obviously, the theme of the sword that is derived from the rose is a bit strange. If it's the cherry blossom, then the styles can be unified, so let's do it for the sake of the theme."

"You shut up about what's the theme, the center of the universe is of course, me, Marika Amaashi!"

Incidentally, the crystal magic Amaashi Marika used was a reference to the Aztec God Tezcatlipoca's one-handed sword and armor. No matter if it was a rose or a cherry blossom, the styles didn't match up at all.

“Hmph.”

"Aine-chan, don't puff up your expressionless face like that."

"It's time to give way to this beyond-mysterious queen of beauty, that's surpassed the realm of human, creatures."

"Then how about turning this beautiful carbon-based girl thing into that cold and stubborn inorganic body pillow. And then the heroine of this great universe will only be me, Lady Marika!!"

"Ugh, why are you like this as well?"

"They’re relying on one influence to get to the key to the world. Calling it something out of folklore wouldn't be too far off."

Slice! The curly-haired twintails girl intended to gain the title of "heroine" without putting in any effort, so those who had been left behind by the world stared fixedly at her.

"Then again, Aine-chan, it seems a little ominous to have the cherry blossoms scatter around every time. It's like being a student again!!"

Silver-haired was dumbfounded, but she grabbed a good opportunity from the strawberry colored curly twintails girl, and began to bite Aine, not letting go.

Hime, on the other hand, looked out over the blooming cherry blossoms, a look of indifference on her face.

"So this is how your life is."

"Pffft, no!! I passed the exam, and it wasn't easy! It's just that as soon as I started going to school, it all turned to shit and crashed into the sea!!"

<noinclude>
{{Toaru_Nav|prev=Toaru Majutsu no IndexXApocalypse Witch Crossover SS|next=}}
</noinclude>

Toaru Majutsu no IndexXApocalypse Witch Crossover SS

2023-01-07T19:43:33Z

January:

[[File:E5908de7a7b0e69caae8a8ade5ae9a1.jpg|thumb]]

TL: botman

Flying was prohibited.

Amaashi Marika, whose long hair was dyed a strawberry gold in the shape of curly twintails said.

“Wouldn’t taking the high ground be advantageous?”

“…I don’t think it’s that simple.”

At about 400 meters, Utagai Karuta, who was at the same height as the observation deck of the giant radio tower, murmured after hearing his childhood friend’s comment. By the way, this young man couldn’t fly on his own, so he was being carried by Crystal Girl Aine.

Unexpectedly, he was being princess carried.

Although it didn’t look too good, magic was still magic. If you were scared and shrunk back in fear, if you were too shy, it would result in death, and that was no laughing matter.

The ground.

They were in an unfamiliar city, in which for some reason, lined with a great amount of wind turbines. On an asphalt road in between the many high rise buildings, there was someone looking over at them, shouting loudly. A spiky haired highschool student.

“What is he saying?”

“How should I know. We’ve long exceeded the limit for how far sound can travel.”

At these times, he would not be negligent. Utagai Karuta, held by Aine, narrowed his eyes to try to read his lips. Although 400 meters was on the level where you had to use binoculars from the observatory tower to see, this was just a normal training height for Karuta, who gave orders to Aine from a distance. Although their eyesight was no different from ordinary people, there were ways to derive answers by focusing on places that should be observed, and then combining a small amount of extra context with it.

Marika on the other side for some reason made a victory pose with her arms on her hips.

“Ahaha! Although I don’t know how powerful it is, the trump card on that side has gotta be that right hand, right? But up against Marika-sama, all four limbs are useless!!”

“I. Am. Extremely. Sorry. But. It. Seems. Like. Your. Panties. Are. Visible…?”

“Get ready to die.”

Martika's cheeks instantly turned red (she was wearing a miniskirt that came with her uniform), and she summoned her rapier-shaped weapon from thin air. Just like that, she got ready to dive.

How annoying.

Kamijou Touma was feeling extremely annoyed.

“Waaah!!”

After confirming that they were diving directly at him from the blue sky, the highschool student of Academy City ran away. The magician (?) covered in shiny crystal armour, easily went past the speed of sound. Those kinds of speeds could only be achieved by Saints. But they were also flying in the sky, which was an exceptional circumstance.

The Imagine Breaker on his right hand would not be enough.

Just before getting hit, Kamijou Touma did his utmost to jump down the stairs of a nearby subway station.

Rumble!! A shock similar to an earthquake emanated horizontally.

“What the hell!? Are the enemies this time using meteor magic, or is this the special secret technique, Meteor Smash!?”

“Since you’re an outsider, don’t just create a new magic system without permission, human…Simply hearing that name, I feel a bit dizzy.”

The 15 centimeter god riding on his shoulder, Othinus, sighed in amazement.

“…However, it was a magic I didn’t know about. Could it have come from another dimension? It wouldn't be a limited parallel world similar to a rubber band on a nailed wooden board, but it would be more like the ”outer side.””

“Please explain it in simpler terms!”

“Wasn’t there something for the tenth anniversary? Since It’s the fifteenth anniversary, it’s not that surprising that it’s happening again.”

“Hm? Hmmm???”

Kamijou’s eyes widened. It looked like he understood it easily.

But this wasn’t the time to listen to explanations about the mechanics of the world.

Khhh. The sound of a tip of a knife rubbing against a wall resounded through the subway tunnel.

No matter what, this was also a monster that could penetrate the ground at supersonic speeds. On the other hand, this wouldn't be the case now. Because of their high speeds, they would not be good at navigating the intricate and narrow underground area.

But that was naive thinking.

Long silver-white hair flipped in the air. A girl wearing a showy white dress with many slits in it filled the space. She looked about 13 years old, a pale skinned Crystal Girl. But this was not the time to be engrossed with admiring her. The sword in her hand was aimed at Kamijou’s neck.

That blade that had absorbed the light added color to the afterimage of the horizontal slash.

“Eh, ahhhhhhhhhhhh!?”

He already couldn’t manage this much.

There was no way to avoid it now. Kamijou clenched his right hand, and directed it towards the blade that was cutting the space that was approaching his neck.

Immediately after.

That happened.

Kabang!!

Not only the Crystal Girl’s blade, but even the dress she was wearing was immediately destroyed, disappearing into thin air.

A question.

The Magic Library Index. Why was the habit she wore held together safety pins?

It was impossible for Kamijou to know that, as he lost his memories, but this was the correct answer.

Imagine Breaker.

It could negate all supernatural abilities.

Even if it was Kamijou, he would have expected this to an extent. Even though they were using some sort of magic he had never seen before (?), he knew that there was a way to deal with this supernatural blade.

But why were they linked?

Even the white dress was destroyed in one go, was that normal?

Everything was destroyed, and the Crystal Girl who barely had a thread on her body did not try to hide anything. Even her eyebrows didn’t move.

No action was taken to protect the important areas with her hands, instead continuing to use both hands maintain her stance.

And then she said something that was extremely accurate, coming from what just happened.

“Ew, pervert.”

Pervert…!?

At the corner of the subway, using his phone as a mirror to monitor the situation, Karuta felt that his throat was a bit dry.

Karuta used a crystal magic named Aine.

He could summon her, just like how Marika used magic to to cover her entire body in a sharp crystal armour. But the Crystal Girl was completely separate from his body.

Looking at it from this perspective.

(Aine doesn’t have a core. From the blade to her heart, it’s all her. But what was that attack? Just now, before it spread to her whole body, it “seperated”, but if that right hand comes into direct contact with her skin, then it might completely destroy…!?)

At first, when Aine came out of Karuta, she was wearing the dress and holding her blade. But now, it was destroyed, only leaving behind fragments. If that right hand touched Aine’s face, it might have the same effect.

This was an unexpected situation.

Of course, he had experienced magic being bounced off before- that was the unprotected spiky haired boy even being subject to the world strongest’s magic that didn’t die on the spot. He understood this from accumulated information. That was why he intentionally chose to observe from a distance. But he never thought it’d be this dangerous.

And now, Aine (who wasn’t human), who was only following orders, became a problem. If Karuta did not give out instructions now, confronting the mistakes he had made, he might fall into paralysis, or repeatedly make mistakes.

Karuta played with the Crystal Blossom in his chest. She would be in danger if he did not communicate quickly using magic.

“Aine, get away from that pervert!! That pervert is dangerous!”

“I can hear you, I can hear everything you say no matter how loud you say it!!”

For some reason, the spiky haired kid shouted with tears in his eyes.

Now, another thing had been determined.

Not only Aine’s, but even Karuta’s position had been revealed to that person. Originally, he would have let Aine retreat, and then issue instructions at a safe place. That was the best way of doing it.

Of course, Karuta had prepared a weapon for himself near his chest.

The military flashlight could be used to blind, or it could be used as a baton. But the most important weapon he had was his Crystal Magic, Aine. If that fell, then he couldn’t even think of trying to overturn the situation with just himself.

(This is the worst…)

How did this happen? Karuta began to think about tactics to regroup and other unbeneficial things. Maybe it was to escape from the fear.

Meaningless conflict did not occur.

Yes, the reason why Karuta Utagai suffered such an uncalculable risk…

“Do it now, Human, or we’ll be the ones who will be defeated!!”

“Wait, Othinus, can you please stop for a while? In front of a near naked girl with only a ribbon or a band aid, saying we should do this, or do that, that’ll deliberately push her over the edge!!

Kamijou Touma’s face was already red, and looked like he was ready to explode from the inside, but the problem was the Crystal Girl in front of him who still looked super energetic. Sparkling brightly. Her attack power didn’t increase in an instant because of embarrassment. Instead, she had a normal empty handed posture, a normal distance between the legs while standing, and a normal lowering of the center of gravity.

She was probably a child that could attack like normal even when empty handed.

If this was the case, he couldn’t avert his gaze. In order to survive, he had to pay attention, and in order to pay attention, he had to focus on the center of his field of view. But that made it awkward. This couldn’t even be considered as a V-Shaped swimsuit! Super awkward!!

“What kind of female ninja logic is this. Ah, this is scary. If Index was here, my skull would already be crushed…!!”

“Although I don’t know why you think you’re safe, God will punish you as usual.”

“Ahhhhhh, don’t put your hand in my ear!? That's scary!!”

This wasn’t the time to be playing around with the 15 centimeter tall goddess.

The person who was unmoved even when her dazzling skin was entirely exposed. Her lovely lips which could make people fall for her, mechanically moved.

“It’s time to go.”

“First use a low spinning kick to pin them down and then drop your heel!?”

“This is such an embarrassment, can you please keep quiet?”

“I already know, the concept of embarrassment. If you are aware of the basis of it, you can endure it….!”

As if having witnessed a new world, Kamijou Touma wore a frightened expression.

The cloths around the Crystal Girl’s waist, which had already reached the boundary of what you can call a rag, made a groaning sound and then fell down, along with the dropping her heel.

How did it come to this?

The super dangerous cloth swaying in slow motion in front of him snatched Kamijou Touma’s soul away from him.

Yes.

This was a development that he never expected when he was on the streets of Academy City just 10 minutes ago.

“So, if you push the limits of Crystal Magic, even dimension hopping is possible.”

Talking to Karuta and the others was the wheelchair bound student council president Omotesandou Kyouka.

“Saying it like that might be a bit hard to understand. This is not the strongest possible magic in this world. It’s a technique that can be taught to the students in the Magic Academy Grimnoah. Basically, Karuta-san, you already have it within you. You just don’t know how to use it. It’s similar to owning a TV, but losing the remote, you know?”

But why had this topic suddenly come up?

Brushing away her long hair on her shoulders, the glamorous senpai continued.

Smiling.

“After all, Karuta-san, you seem to have lost control of your body and become translucent☆No problem, even if it is “dimension hopping,” you can still use the theory of relativity to explain it. Marika seems to be complaining, but don’t give up because you got corrupted due to unfaithfulness, and come back to this dimension safely, alright?”

It was a hard-earned holiday.

A special sale was being held in a nearby supermarket.

This was the moment Kamijou Touma was waiting for. He carefully saved important fliers, and waited a long time for this. Only one box of egg per person. He knew this, of course, and he followed the rules well. So he first mobilized the Index living with him, and on his shoulder, this 15 centimeter goddess who would be counted as a person as well! Like the aunt working multiple jobs, after negotiating with the muscular male manager to determine whether the tricolored cat could be counted as a human or a cat, he finally came here.

…Oh.

Why was it that he had to pull out unneeded memories from the wrong drawer in this sort of important situation?

No.

There was a big connection with all this. In other words, this was where it all started.

“Rumble rumble…!!”

(No, I can’t forgive this…!)

Thinking back now, Kamijou still could not understand it.

Was this part of his misfortune as well?

He was transporting many eggs. After all, Kamijou Touma was Kamijou Touma, and he was used to being in all kinds of misfortunate situations. So he carefully paid attention to everything. The kid that suddenly jumped out, the ball that suddenly flew over, the sudden attacks of the crows and the stray cats, he was very careful.

But, was it really possible?

Suddenly, space was split open, and then some kid appeared, colliding with the eggs. In the end, four boxes of eggs fell onto the floor and were completely destroyed. How could he be careful of that sort of thing!!!!!!

(Is it that hard to just live once as a man with money! World’s strongest magicians my ass. Wow, those curly twintail sure are swaying. If I’d wanted to extort you for compensation, I’d at least be holding a bottle of premium red wine…!!)

And so.

The male Kamijou Touma. Only at this moment, before the half naked girl who came down with a heel drop, he forgot to be scared. What he had wasn’t a nosebleed, it was tears of blood. No amount of that kind of happy preservation could change the cruel reality that it was only possible to do shelled scrambled eggs now. The spiky haired boy was hereto the incarnation of Asura.

“Arghhhhh!”

Accompanied by a bold cry, he kicked the legs of the Crystal Girl that supported her center of gravity.

The girl who lost her balance after dropping her heel fell easily.

Her cute butt fell onto the floor and created an M shape with her legs. Like an ATM, the Crystal Girl mechanically said.

“Kyan.”

“Aine!?”

Another person involuntarily rushed out of the corner of the underground subway. When his partner was in trouble, he didn’t fall into chaos or panic, the only thing he could do was “involuntary.”

“Although I’m already used to it. But be careful, human, that person might be hiding something!!”

Utagai Karuta was shuddering

(He’d challenge the world’s strongest because of a grudge over eggs. What is the nutritional value of them in this world? That’s way too tragic even if this is in a different sense than us!!)

Kamijou Touma was furious.

(Anyway, what kind of strength ranking is this? The strongest is that number 1, and that's already enough for me. So what now? Some random people crawling out all over the city calling themselves the strongest? What kind of ridiculous time and place did they come from!?)

Those two people didn’t have much extra room to move.

The right fist and the modified military flashlight. The two trump cards interchanged blows with overwhelming vigor.

<noinclude>
{{Toaru_Nav|prev=IndexVSDRRR Crossover Ikebukuro Chapter|next=Toaru Majutsu no Index X Apocalypse Witch X Heavy Object Crossover SS}}
</noinclude>

IndexVSDRRR Crossover Ikebukuro Chapter

2023-01-07T19:42:43Z

January:

==Ikebukuro Chapter==
Translation: botman/Dracoslayer123

Edit/Proofread: Dracoslayer123/Pablusky/SandyBoi/Fullmetal
===Part 1===

Tokyo | Ikebukuro | Summer

"Such misfortune..."

Kamijou Touma, under the sweltering sun, spoke his catchphrase.

However, there was just one thing that was different from normal.

He was neither in his usual stage known as "Academy City,” nor in the sky above Russia, nor in the eternal darkness made by the Magic God.

It was a place that wasn't that far from Academy City. He was in a city only a few kilometers to the northeast of one of the entrances of the "Outer Wall.”

Ikebukuro, Toshima City, Tokyo.

Although it couldn't compare to Academy City, Kyoto, or Akihabara, it was one of the most famous cities in Japan.

"Ikebukuro, huh... Come to think of it, I don't think I've been to many cities in Japan apart from Academy CIty..."

Kamijou deliberately added the word "Japanese" because he remembered that he had been to several cities outside of Japan in just the past few months. It was ironic that he had never been to a much closer city in Japan, yet he had been to Russia and Italy.

"Though if I wanted to shop, I could just do it in Academy City..."

At that moment, something similar to a news commentary could be heard from the side.

"...President to be at the summit..."

When he turned around toward the sound, he saw a prototype laptop displayed in an electrical appliance store, converting the news images from the TV to high definition and then broadcasting them.

The news of the summit between the President of the United States and the Prime Minister of Japan came on, and at that time, Kamijou tilted his head and said,

"Huh? He’s not that old guy?"

After a while, Kamijou, surprised at the appearance of a man who looked nothing like the Hispanic president Kamijou had known, suddenly noticed something and said,

"His approval rating didn’t drop because of that incident in Denmark...right?"

After he spoke with such anxiety, he heard a sudden beeping sound in his head.

Then, in the next instant, he had a question about what he had just said.

Huh?

"That incident in Denmark…” What was that again?

"Well, that old guy was really one of a kind... I guess he finally got the sack."

Kamijou, who easily accepted his acquaintance's sacking even while cocking his head in worry, started walking forward, and then sighed deeply once again.

"Why on earth would I want to spend my hard-earned days off on something that feels like what an envoy would do?"

In the bag hanging from his hand, there was a cylindrical protective case made of stainless steel and some sort of cushioning material.

It seemed to have been found at a station at Academy City, and after being bounced between various organizations, it ended up in the hands of the troubled Kamijou as usual. And now it had to be sent back to Ikebukuro.

“Anyway, all you have to do is casually walk around with it. It’s bound to be reclaimed soon enough thanks to the law of causality.”

"At least, that's what Birdway said, but I really don't get it. That bartender guy beat me up so bad yesterday that I can't even straighten my back anymore, and she had the nerve to oh-so-politely help me fill out my application to exit Academy City? No matter how you think about it, it can’t be anything other than her using me. Speaking of which, isn’t she spending way more time in Japan than in England…?”

Whining, Kamijou took a look at the box. There were signs that it had already been opened, but there was no way to know if the person who found it had drunk any of the "something" inside. As the transporter, Kamijou, who was a minor, didn't even think about the option of "drinking" the thing.

"Ahhh, seriously, will there never be a chance for me to relax other than on a hospital bed...?"

Beside the sighing Kamijou, one of his classmates opened his mouth with a happy smile.

"Don't say that, Kami-yan. I'm looking forward to it, you know? Ikebukuro is filled with a different flavor of chaos than Akihabara. The mere mention of the word "Otome Road" alone transforms my heart into a great-journey-gangster-gold-mine!"

The boy who spoke such nonsense was none other than Aogami Pierce.

Just as his nickname suggested, he was a blue-haired boy with perpetually closed eyes and pierced ears.

Although this bad friend of his had also applied to leave Academy City, it seemed as if he had applied to go out in the name of "external training experience instead of supplementary lessons," and in order to meet the requirements, he had to have a tutoring partner.

"Anyway, I'm going to leave the tutoring to you… or should I?"

As Kamijou expressed his unease, another fellow student smirked mischievously at him.

"Nyaa~ As soon as I said I was going to Ikebukuro, my step-sister told me to "hurry up and go to the butler cafe to have the essence of a gentleman carved into your spine." But before that, I should pop into a cosplay cafe, and in there, I'll think about world peace and the safety of my sister: that's the real essence of being a gentleman!"

The upbeat boy with dyed blonde hair and a Hawaiian shirt was Tsuchimikado Motoharu.

These three were a group of delinquents known as the "Delta Force" (“Idiot Trio”), famous among their classmates in a very small subsection of Academy City. Because Kamijou was always covered in blood, their characteristically red, blue, and yellow colors may have given them the nickname "Academy City's traffic light trio."

Those three were striding through the streets of Ikebukuro, but--

"Anyway, the subway to Ikebukuro was surprisingly crowded..."

The moment Kamijou said that, he noticed something strange—

Huh?

Subway?

That was strange. Was it even possible to reach Ikebukuro by subway from Academy City?

The last time he was able to leave Academy City so easily was that time on the beach in Kanagawa—

He was pretty sure...that leaving the city would require walking through the ‘gate’.

Kamijou, who had been repeatedly manipulated by various organizations, had gone to many countries like England and Italy through questionable means, having even been thrown out of planes, needing to stick a parachute landing. That was why he didn't think there was any point in formalities like "having to walk out through the gate" at all.

However, even so, he didn't think there was such a thing as being able to leave Academy City using the subway.

In order to go outside, students had to prepare an application and a guarantor. Before they went out, they had to accept the procedure of getting a nano transmitter injected into their bodies.

They say the extra security protocols were countermeasures against industrial espionage, but to students, it gave the illusion that Academy City was actually a prison and that they were applying for parole. Therefore, was it even possible that they could’ve gone through all of that and not remember any of it?

That... Eh?

In the first place, why didn’t he realize something so important until now?

Anyway, what was today’s date again?

He realized that even such simple facts had become so vague for him and was suddenly filled with unease.

"Hey, hey, it's not like we’ve been hit by some mind-altering magic or psychological esper power, right?"

Kamijou touched his head with his right hand just to be on the safe side, but didn't seem to notice any significant change.

After all, his right hand could dispel any supernatural ability and restore the world to its proper form. If his right hand, named "Imagine Breaker," touched it, any illusion or the like should have been dispelled at once. However, it seemed like his memories and vision haven't been tampered with.

He began to relax about that, but then another bout of unease arose.

"I don't think I went through any procedure, no matter how much I try to think about it. I don't even think I took a subway at all..."

Was this really Ikebukuro? He looked around in a panic, wondering if he had mistakenly gone to the downtown area of District 15.

Then, in just a few seconds, he found a subway station entrance marked "Ikebukuro station.”

"Huh? Am I even more tired than I had realized…?"

Looking at Kamijou, who was breaking out in cold sweat, Tsuchimikado whispered quietly.

"(Calm down nyaa~ Kami-yan. I also feel like something is out of place here.)"

"(Hey now, don't tell me it's some trick you Anglicans are pulling!? If I get taken away somewhere again, I'm actually going to be held back a grade at this point...)"

“(If that were the case, I wouldn't have done any of this. I would have just kidnapped you quickly, nyaa. In any case, if this is some kind of attack, panic is what they would want you to feel, so pretend like you’re totally fine. This is perfectly normal, okay?)"

"(What about Aogami Pierce?)"

Kamijou focused on his friend who was just an ordinary person, despite being an esper, and Tsuchimikado straight up gave a thumbs up.

"(That’s not a problem, nya. He’s an idiot, so he probably has no inkling as to what’s really happening!)"

"(Wait, that's true.)"

Saying something like that made one wonder if they were really friends—

Aogami Pierce suddenly stopped and said to Kamijou and Tsuchimikado.

"Hmm? By the way, we never went through the “gate,” did we?"

"Ohhhhhhhhhh! I can't believe this guy just said it aloud!"

"Nyaa!! This guy really can't get with the program!"

Faced with inexplicable spite from his two evil friends, Aogami Pierce silently clenched his fists and prepared to defend himself while not even knowing why.

"Wait a minute! I have no idea what you’re talking about, but I can definitely at least read the mood! Say if some president’s voluptuous secretary, who’s wearing glasses and has an air of maturity, and some depressed-looking, blonde, Nordic girl appeared in front of my eyes, even if they looked like mother and daughter, I would politely say "did you sisters come to see the sights around here?" while desperately fantasizing about those two as my older and younger sister. See, I can read the mood on that level of making a paradigm shift and turning it into a paradise shift!"

He was probably trying to say that he could be polite enough to refer to an older woman as much younger than she actually is, but the entire message was soiled by his later words.

"As expected from Aogami Pierce. Choosing to be the middle sibling of three instead of being a lover—I'm impressed by the depth of your skills."

"The moment you use the words "depressed-looking" and "president's voluptuous secretary" while trying to explain how you can be polite to women, you’re just proving that you really can’t read the mood…”

"No, that’s the key. By imagining our positions in detail, we can make our delusions more realistic and our hearts more satisfied."

“Oh, I see you know your stuff! See, I’ve already fantasized away and came up with this. The two sisters are actually assassin sisters who were sent here to kill me, but thanks to that lucky pervert Kami-yan, they got their breasts fondled somehow, and as a result of their mental shock, the brainwashing that had been placed on them got lifted, and the plot of escaping their evil organization begins! Then, 80 years later, surrounded by a total of 128 heroines that I met in my journeys, including eternally young mothers, maid robots, and shota step brothers, I die from pure moe overload!

“That’s a surprisingly long life you live in that fantasy… More than that, don’t just casually put other people inside your own perverted fantasies!”

"Though, Aogami Pierce... in order to differentiate each person, it's important to set up costumes for everyone! Also, is there really a need for the "shota step brothers" thing, nyaa?"

"What are you talking about! I've said this before, but no matter if its a step sister, a stepmother, a stepdaughter, twins, widows, (omitted), soldiers, secretaries, lolis, shotas, tsunderes, cheerleaders, (omitted), non-humans, ghost girls, or animal-eared girls, I can accept them all! As long as you feel attraction, trivialities like gender cease to matter, don’t they?"

“Well, homosexuality is indeed a form of love, but the moment you do anything with a child, it’s a crime whether or not you’re a man or a woman.”

“Mmmm, and the dream that allows us to bypass the wall known as the law is called the second dimension. After all, I firmly believe that as long as it’s only in 2D, even lolis and shotas are totally acceptable. Of course, if you bring that dream over into the 3D world, you’re really suspicious.”

“You know, I had a phase where I thought like that as well, but now that I’ve seen some guy who manages to build a harem with every single girl in his class, his loli teacher who looks like she’s still in grade school, some little nun he found somewhere, and the ojou-samas in some fancy middle school, I’ve come to realize that the wall between 2D and 3D is basically nonexistent.”

“Exactly. And then he always uses the “I like older women” card to spread the fake news that he doesn’t have a harem or anything like that, like he’s some kind of messenger from hell! What’s more, even though there should be no way he could develop a relationship with her, he’s been calling my sister by her first name from the very start, nyaa!”

"Hey, watch it."

Because the debate seemed to be perpetually ongoing and because he felt like he was being insulted to his face, Kamijou decided to change the subject by voicing a concern he had had for some time now.

"Anyway... Who in the world are you?"

The three of them focused their attention to one place where there was a man who had somehow so naturally joined the conversation.

"Ah, hey guys. I'm Yumasaki Walker."

The teen, who seemed to be the happy-go-lucky type, cheerfully gave out his name.

"Wow, to see the Kamijou Touma in the flesh, it's such an honor to meet you!"

===Part 2===

Hikoboshi II | Zero Gravity Biological Impact Laboratory.

A young woman strongly felt that something was very wrong.

The shape of a certain city on Earth had become completely different from what it had been just a few hours ago.

The person floating weightlessly in space while curled into a ball was a girl who was probably in her late teens.

That alone was anomalous enough for "this world,” but the fact that she was wearing a junihitoe made that fact all the more so.

However, for the "world she resides within," what she was wearing wasn't anything too special.

It may be that the only thing that had become abnormal was our benchmark. At least, it was this girl who noticed the abnormality just now.

To her, the Earth, including its seven billion people, was just “something to observe."

Whether it was a war on the surface, the disappearance of national borders, or even a nuclear explosion, it was merely someone else's business to her.

For her, who was, in a sense, watching a live documentary while in the luxury of a first-world environment, such a disturbance would not go unnoticed.

Having a unique life rhythm, she woke up a few hours ago and found that the earth had changed significantly between the time she had gone to bed and the time she had woken up.

The only place she had been "connected to” on Earth—Academy City—had disappeared from Japan.

Although the surface of the earth looked like a neat little collage, to make a collage of its scale in real time would require a being on the level of a god, a demon, or someone who had completely surpassed the boundaries of esper powers.

Located in the western part of Tokyo, the isolated circular world of Academy City contained 2.3 million people.

The developed city within that circle had disappeared, replaced with a completely different topography.

After about 0.5 seconds of her debating whether to try contacting someone in Academy City to judge whether this was some sort of "attack” or if it was too rash to reveal her location just like that, a communication signal came to her as if it had been deliberately timed.

It had all the right codes and the same patterns as the hidden line she usually used, but the voice was of a man she had never heard from before.

[Hey.]

"Yo."

The girl, named Amano Kaguya, who spoke back in a rude way that was completely contrary to her appearance, did not show any particular worry about the disappearance of an entire city.

"So, who are you?"

[Ah, sorry, I'm Tsukumoya Shinichi. Nice to meet you.]

"That name doesn’t show up in either my memory or my records. So, what do you want from me, a person in space who has deliberately abandoned the Earth? Though in this situation, it seems more like I've been abandoned by the Earth."

[To be honest, in your eyes, your situation isn’t something to be so pessimistic over, right? You’re basically embodying that saying about how if there is a god that throws you away, there is a god that picks you up.]

"Using the word “god” to represent the people of Academy City? I see you really are an outsider."

As if she had figured something out, she smiled and spat out the words that got directly to the heart of the matter.

"Before we talk, I just want to confirm one thing... Are you a human being?"

[Well, I'll just say this. I sort of emphasize with Kazakiri Hyouka of Academy City.]

The man named Tsukumoya replied in a voice whose emotion could not be read, which was not to say it was emotionless.

It was like a voice that had mixed together and averaged the happiness, anger, and sadness of millions of people.

[If she is considered by someone to be "human," then I guess I could also be regarded as some nameless human.]

===Part 3===

Celty Sturluson was definitely not human.

She was a "Dullahan,” who were fantastical spirits who lived between Scotland and Ireland—and who visited the houses of the dying to declare their deaths.

They visit the house of a dying person with their severed head in their arms, in a two-wheeled carriage drawn by a headless horse called the Cóiste Bodhar. And if you carelessly opened your door, you would be showered in blood. As the main example of ominous harbingers along with banshees, they have been passed down various European mythologies and folklore.

Some stories claim that they were actually figures of fallen Valkyries from Norse mythology, but whether that was actually the case was unclear even to her.

It was not that she didn't know.

Precisely speaking, it was that she could not remember.

She had been robbed of her "head" in her homeland, and her memory of her own existence had disappeared from her.

In order to retrieve “that,” she had come to this place called Ikebukuro, following the faint signs of her own head.

The headless horse transformed into a motorcycle, the armor into a skintight suit, and lingered around the city for decades.

In the end, however, she was unable to get her head back, and her memory had not been restored to this day.

She already knew who stole her head.

She also knew who the person was that prevented her from finding her head.

However, in the end, she had not been able to find the whereabouts of her head.

Celty, now, thought that even if that was the case, it was okay, since she could be with the person she loved.

It was because she was able to live with people who loved her, and who accepted her for what she was.

If that was what happiness was, she reckoned she'd be better off living how she was living now.

A headless woman who hid her firm determination in her heart, replaced her non-existent face and expressed her will through her actions.

That was it -- the existence of Celty Sturluson.

Then, and now.

She was in an abandoned factory on her home turf of Tokyo, confronting "something" even less human than herself.

"So...? Who are you, and where did you come from?"

Even though he was talking like a gangster, there was an air that was completely different from that of normal street urchins.

"Though, it doesn't matter anyway. If you get in my way, I'll destroy you too."

She realized he must have gone through many kinds of hell, where he had to kill or be killed.

And that was a number that couldn't be counted using 2 or 3 digits.

The boy who was staring at her fiercely had a neutral face, but he was nothing more than a "boy"

That's right, he looked like a human being from the outside, as if he were a teenager.

He had beautiful pure white hair, that didn't look like it had been dyed.

No matter from where you look at it, it looked so natural, and yet everywhere you looked, it seemed to be full of some sort of scientific chemical, that sort of mysterious white.

Apart from that, he did look human in appearance, and didn't feel anything less than human.

The problem was, the actions he took, and the results of those actions.

A part of the floor of the abandoned factory was covered with steel plates, but there were many "human-shaped holes" in them.

To be more precise--

Heiwajima Shizuo. Half of his body was stuck in the floor of the abandoned factory, and he was not moving.

Although his body was still upright, his head was hanging slightly down. It was impossible to tell whether he was still conscious or not.

When Celty came into the factory for whatever reason, she heard a loud noise, and took a look inside. What she saw was the impossible to understand scenario of the man widely regarded as Ikebukuro's strongest, buried in the ground.

That "boy" -- The one who buried Heiwajima Shizuo into the ground, staring hard at her and said those words just now--

Even if he asked who she was and where she came from....---

She... she was the one who wanted to ask that!

Celty, who came just in time to witness the moment of Shizuo being buried into the ground.

Shizuo's body was hit by the teenager countless times with the metal plate, and as he finally stood up, several tons of industrial machinery floating in the air came crashing down at high speeds.

In the next instant, the industrial machinery was violently compressed, and Shizuo's body was driven into the ground like a nail.

"...Say, what the heck is going on with this product? From my experience, it should be the human body that would be compressed."

Startled, the boy shrugged and said to Celty.

"This isn't some cartoon about a mouse! I've blown so many people away so far, but this is the first time I've seen a guy who can hit a man-shaped hole in a metal plate. This is clearly beyond the scope of an ability that strengthens the flesh. It also doesn't look like he's got nitrogen or oxygen armor, or anything like that."

With a bored sigh, the white-haired boy asked Celty.

“Are you a “gemstone” or something? While I’ve heard that the “#7” is something like that, but at least now it makes sense why I was brought into do the dirty work—”

"Gemstone"? "#7?" What was he talking about?

"Don't play dumb."

Seeing Celty who seemed to have major doubts about it all, the teenager clicked his tongue and continued.

"I can tell from your outfit that you're related to Academy City. How can someone from outside the city have a suit that absorbs 100% of light?"

Facing the agitated teenager, Celty took her PDA out, and entered text with great trepidation.

[What's Academy City? Are you talking about Ōizumi-gakuen?]

He probably was thinking that he was being made fun of when he was shown the text, and so the boy silently reached his hand out and touched Celty's helmet.

"I can't sense the flow of blood in your vessels, or the movement of your muscles, so this is another type of special equipment. But it's been a long time since I've been played for a fool like this!"

The complaining teenager who had a cold tone--

Just like that, he blew the helmet off of Celty's head in an instead--!?--

Wha, wh-wh-wh, what was going on!?

Celty couldn't understand what was happening.

He didn't use gunpowder or anything like that. The helmet merely bounced off, as if it moved by itself.

If Celty had a head, she would have stared, eyes wide.

Similar to how the boy in front of her was looking at her.

"...Ah?"

Furrowing one of his eyebrows, the boy said.

"I thought I had overexerted myself and chopped your head off... What's this all about?"

[I, I know now! You're that, aren't you, a vampire! There are vampires I know who can use this kind of ability with your mind!]

"It's not Psychokinesis."

The white-haired teenager dismissed the vampire or whatever she was saying as a joke, and continued.

"What's up about that body of yours? Long range manipulation?... Doesn't seem like it either."

Facing the presence of something that had nothing from the neck up, the teenager maintained his hostility, and continued questioning.

"...Hey, I'll ask one more time."

"Who are you, and where are you from?"

That moment--

Creak. An exaggerated sound could be heard from the abandoned factory.

Then, as if it was from the depths of hell, the dull sound made the surrounding air stir.

"Oi..."

As Celty and the boy looked towards the source of the sound, the man in the bartender's uniform appeared, half of his body buried in the ground, craning his neck, looking relaxed.

"To be honest, I don't know what you've done to me... but you made me a bit dizzy."

Although he gave the impression that his body was all battered, he put his hands on the ground, pulling his body out, which had been knocked into the ground, with just the force of his palms.

"I don't know what happened, but I was blown away by the force of the blow.... Then, for some reason, my blood pressure suddenly shot up, and a headache came on..."

The white haired boy frowned at Heiwajima Shizuo, the man in the bartender's uniform, who continued to twist his neck by gently pressing on his head.

"Although I've used quite a bit of energy to force your blood flow backward, in the end, you've just got a headache. Are you really human?"

"Ah, forget it, it doesn't matter how you did it. After all, I've been done to death by some corrupt politician using Aikido or something... The important thing isn't that."

Shizuo, who had his blows all reflected back to him, was wounded by his own wrist, and then had his blood vessels and internal organs ruptured by the manipulation of the vector of his blood flow. Even then, he said it was trivial, with his voice boiling in anger.

"If it's just me, then I'd let it go. Although I don't know why, I suddenly succumbed to provocation and was beaten, but even this wouldn't make me so angry."

"Is that so!?"

Shizuo, who was staring at the white-haired boy with the face like a demon, continued without acknowledging Celty's surprised words.

"But, you smashed the helmet of my friend, who just happened to be walking by..."

"So you're saying, even if you get killed you won't have any complaints?... That's what you mean, right...?"

===Part 4===

Somewhere in Ikebukuro | A parking lot.

"It's Kamijou Touma..."

In front of the station wagon, she dropped the things she bought onto the floor and said, stunned.

"Hey? That..."--

Had he met her somewhere before?--

No, was it an acquaintance from before his memory disappeared...!?

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh sheeeeeeeeeeeeet!"

It was a woman in her early twenties who was making that strange sound.

The moment their eyes met, an unprecedented light shone from her eyes, and then they made a strange sound.

"Kami...K-k-k-kami, Kamijou!? It's Kamijou, right!?"

"Eh? That's me, yes."

"I,I-I-I-I-I, I'm Karisawa Erika,it’s a real pleasure to meet you for the first time and please take good care of me!"

The woman named Karisawa Erika, who was holding the hand of the confused Kamijou, called out as she waved her hand back and forth.

"Alive! And walking!"

"Seriously, Karisawa, you're acting like a kid who met his dead grandmother using a time machine!"

The man named Yumasaki said that he'd "make sure someone would meet him,", so Kamijou and the others came to the station wagon, but--

"Hey... What the heck is going on here?"

"This isn't a high-precision cosplay or anything like that... It's the real deal! The real thing is right in front of me!"

"No, I don't get it at all.... Hey, why are you crying!?"

Kamijou Touma was swept deeper and deeper into the whirlpool of confusion as he stood in front of Karisawa, who began to spill tears.

"Karisawa's emotions are peaking."

"Haha, this is the first time I've seen someone this happy!"

In the wagon where they could hardly hear their conversations except for Kazawa's screams, the two men, Tokusa and Honda, tilted their heads and said.

"Who's that guy, Kadota?"

"I feel like I've seen him before... Judging by Karisawa's happiness, he's probably some young Seiyuu or something, right?"

"Ah! That's probably it!"

"Well, it's not a good idea to disturb them. Let's give them time to talk."

The two people in the driver's seat and shotgun who were nodding to each other, silently got out of the car, and left the parking lot.

Kadota didn't notice it.

That boy, in the novel that Yumasaki and Karisawa highly recommended and read- he said that he was "a good guy with backbone", the protagonist Kamijou Touma himself.

On the other hand, this Kamijou, the protagonist, was surrounded by his two evil friends, eyes closed, laughing.

"Heh heh.... Hahaha! Kami-yan... has finally learned the hax skill of "The big sister who he met for the first time but has already been flagged down"...?"

"Nya, besides, I like the "elder sister" trope anyway, nya, Kami-yan must be loving it, though I don't understand it well, the talents he has are only for the sake of getting popular..."

"Nonononono, nononono! It's not like that!"

Even if he wanted to defend himself, Kamijou could only keep saying "No," as he didn't know what was happening, but--

This was cut off by the woman named Karisawa.

"Well, it's obvious at first glance though! You must be Aogami Pierce, and Tsuchimikado Motoharu, right? Wow, that's amazing... it's the same as my imagination! You're both so tall!"

"Gwah!?" "Nya!?"

Aogami Pierce and Tsuchimikado Motoharu, who did not expect to receive pieces of the flag themselves, looked at each other, and panicked.

Leaving the two in their bewilderment, Karisawa decided to take advantage of when Aogami Pierce asked Yumasaki, “What kind of flag is she raising with me?” and said something that rang all sorts of alarms in Tsuchimikdo’s head.

"Well, you know. Tsuchimikado, you started wearing sunglasses when you changed your appearance, but now they've become a symbol of your identity, and in reality, they look real good on you!"

"!?"

Kamijou and Tsuchimikado both stiffened up.

They remained in this state, shied away from Karisawa and the others, turned around, and whispered, shoulder to shoulder.

"{Hey! This person knows about Angel Fall! So it really is your contact over there! What are you going to get me involved in this time!)"

"(No, no, no, wait, Kami-yan, wait! I'm just as confused as you are, I have no idea who this person is!)"

"(So, then... could she be from the Russian Orthodox Church? If she knows about Angel Fall, it's unlikely she's related to Academy City, no matter how you think about it!"

"(The key thing is that we don't know. I've told you about the glasses, Kami-yan, so the information must have leaked from you somehow!)"

"(Bruh, there is a literal spy here, and he doubts· THE· Kamijou Touma!? Obviously you’re more suspicious than I am!)"

"(Why would I be surprised if it's the information that I leaked, nya?)"

While they were throwing out their suspicions like this, Karisawa, who was approaching behind them, unnoticed, said this with a refreshing smile.

"It's alright, I'm not a spy for Gremlin or the Kihara family! At least, I'm not an enemy of GROUP!"

"I can't believe it, she just casually said two phrases relating to the dark side of Academy City, nya... Speaking of that, what's that Gremlin that can be said on the same level as those two?"

"Huh?"

The sense of disharmony was wandering in Kamijou's brain--

Hmm? Tsuchimikado, was he playing dumb? --

Gremlin. Tsuchimikado was, of course...--

..... Hmm?--

When was the last time he had spoken to Tsuchimikado... When did that come...?

At that moment, Kamijou's mind began to play a flashback of Tsuchimikado's face.

He appeared in a completely different air from the current Tsuchimikado, with an expression as cold as ice...

Hmm? Strange. If Tsuchimikado was here right now... really stra....nge?

The voice of Aogami Pierce rang out as if to ride the wave of confusion that was going on in the mind of Kamijou.

"Hey, hey, Kami-yan. I just realized that I can't see Endymion in Ikebukuro."

Endymion.

The space elevator, pride of Academy City.

This elevator, which extended beyond the atmosphere, should have been visible as a thin line, even at a distance as far as Ikebukuro-- But Kamijou knew that it would never be visible now.

"...What are you talking about, Aogami Pierce? Isn't Endymion already..."

"What? Did I, uh, say something strange?"

A chill spread behind Kamijou's back.

No.

Something was wrong.

He could feel a distinctive "dislocation" from both Aogami Pierce and Tsuchimikado.

"Right! Speaking of Endymion, there's something I wanted to ask you about Meigo Arisa!"

"Oh, you've got a good eye, Arisa is related to this! I, ah, think she'll come? This Endymion concert is really something to look forward to!"

"Huh? Is it time for that concert again?"

Aogami Pierce seemed to have become indifferent to the fact that he could not see Endymion, and returned to the unique conversation he was having with Yumasaki.

On the other hand, Kamijou was convinced by what Aogami Pierce had just said.

There was something wrong after all--

There was a misalignment between himself and Aogami Pierce's "perception"--

...Arisa's concert on Endymion, it had ended, clearly!

It wasn't that those two were imposters. They were undoubtedly the real Aogami Pierce and Tsuchimikado.

Even so, he was sure that something was "distorted".

It was obvious that they were the real people, but something was "distorted", so what did that mean?

Thinking about this, Kamijou suddenly realized something.

It was possible that he himself might have been "distorted" with the world--

The president.

The TV image he saw when he first came to Ikebukuro.

On that note, Kamijou didn't recognize the man who was supposed to be the president.

Gradually, the sense of dissonance became clear about all this.

It was like waking up and then gradually being able to distinguish between reality and dreams, the feeling of one's brain gradually becoming clear, and waking up.

Moreover, this city named Ikebukuro, or actually, the whole of Tokyo.....

Suddenly, he turned towards Karisawa and asked.

"That! What happened to the dragon... that attacked this city before?"

"Ah! You know about that, huh? I see, I see. You've already experienced "that", right? Have you experienced that honeymoon in Denmark?"

"Dragon? What are you talking about?"

Contrary to Kamijou who nodded his head like he had figured it out, Tsuchimikado's face was full of his confusion.

At that moment, his phone rang.

"Ugh, it must be Maika. I'm a little concerned about all this, but a call from a loli takes precedence over anything else, that's my 35th rule of life."

Tsuchimikado picked up his phone while walking to the corner of the parking lot. Looking at his back walking away, Karisawa said with passion:

"The fact that you can categorically say that your sister is also a loli is impressive. Having said that.... look at him, which time is this Tsuchimikado from?"

"Wait a second, explain quickly. What the hell is going on here?"

"Ahhh, mhm. Yeah, if you're unsure about a situation, it's natural that you'll feel uneasy."

Nodding her head while speaking in an understanding tone, Karisawa continued.

“Well actually, before we actually saw you, we were half-believing. We are probably the ones who could accept this the fastest, as I heard the details of the matter from the father of an acquaintance..."

Karisawa, who said this, looked at the entrance of the parking lot, and leaked out an "ah"

"Look, they're here. The person who can explain."

"Eh?"

When Kamijou looked over--

The man who was walking towards him, wearing a white gas mask in broad daylight in addition to a white lab coat, raised his hand in a friendly manner, and said.

"Aha! You're that "otherworlder"! Nice to meet you. How are you? (Written in English). Be careful not to get infected with bacteria that doesn't exist in your world and die suddenly!"

Looking at this man who greeted him with surprise, Kamijou--

"Defi..."

"Defi?"

Ignoring the "otherworlder" comment first, he shouted out what he was feeling at that very moment.

"You definitely have a connection with Academy City--!"

===Part 5===

A few minutes ago | In satellite orbit | Hikoboshi II | Zero Gravity Biological Impact Lab

"What about the "tunnel" with the other world?"

[There's a theory that the neutrino and Higgs particle experiments in both our worlds has something to do with this, but as far as I know, your world has a Magic God who has changed the world through the phases that filter the physical world, your boss has also forcibly teared apart the "thin film of the world", and our side has an existence known as the Dullahan, and began to overuse its powers. It's probably all these sorts of accidents that came together, that just happened to connect these two worlds together…]

"The accumulation of these unfavorable conditions, huh."

The girl who was near the top of the system called Academy City said with a sigh.

"Hng, let's not talk about whether parallel worlds exist or not, but this "tunnel" that just happened to be created is rather unbelievable. And it does not explain the fact that Academy City has disappeared off the earth."

Amano Kaguya, accepting the explanation of the man who called himself Tsukumoya Shinichi, nodded as she floated in mid air.

"However, the disappearance of Academy City on that side should be on this side."

[That's probably the case. However, not many people can remember and have that sense of dissonance. To fill that void of dissonance, it seems that the Earth where Academy City exists right now also has a 380 meter long aircraft named "Sky By Fire" flying around, like nobody's paying attention to it. No, maybe it's actually because of the appearance of this aircraft that you've suffered a loss.]

"I got squeezed out through that distortion, so I was transported here without going into the "tunnel"?"

[Yes, the "Sky by Fire" was originally developed by a company called Niblo in this world 50 years in the future. By connecting with a world like Academy City, which has technology a hundred or two ahead of its time, it was able to materialize in the world as a "thing that should exist". So basically, to replace that Queen of the Sky, and to achieve balance, the Princess of the Universe was chosen.]

Kaguya, who was floating upside down from the Earth, shrugged at Tsukumoya's words.

"Is that flattery or sarcasm? It's hard to read your feelings just from your voice."

[Even so, I'm still anxious right now. if the two worlds completely merge together, it'll become all kinds of bad.]

"If you look at it from the perspective of rapid development of science and technology, shouldn't it be a good thing for your world?"

[It's not like that. At the very least, there are tens of thousands of "Vampires" in this world. If the girl named Himegami, the carrier of "Deep Blood" from your side, comes here, the vampires will flock to her, and then we'll be in a crisis. We’ll need to sacrifice the girl's life to save the extinction of the vampires. But, what's troubling is that there's a lot of good people among the vampires. I can usually accept any outcome, no matter what, but what if someone I know, or an innocent girl dies as a result of an "outside" influence? That wouldn't be very interesting.]

Even for Kaguya, who knew about the dispute between Science and Magic, the sudden mention of a topic like "vampires" was unexpected, but--

But she, who looked at the world as it were someone else's business, dismissed it as "Of course that exists", felt relieved, and calmly accepted the request to help resolve the situation.

"Well, that's fine. I think it'll be interesting, just standing by and seeing how things develop, but I can't leave Academy City alone in this situation. So I'll help you get things back on track."

[That's a big help, thank you.]

"I'll take care of Tsuchimikado, who has come to this world. Probably because of his back and forth between the Magic and Science sides, and the outside and the inside of the City, his tolerance is quite big, as long as his sister is not in trouble. Even if he does look like that. I'm sure he'll accept this and help us."

"Ahah, that's true. Better start acting as soon as possible."

There was a slight pause here from Tsukumoya, and the presence of a certain man was mentioned.

[The troublemaker who's grasped the situation and accepted it readily is preparing to take advantage of it for his own personal gain.]

===Part 6===

Somewhere in the city | Orihara Izaya's office

"Well, even if it is Shizuo, it should be over by now."

In his office, Orihara Izaya, who was happily sitting in his chair, spinning around, talked about this, eyes shining.

"I'm having a hard time trying to make connections with the other world. Although we share the language of Japanese, there's a significant difference in science and technology, and there's 2 billion people in the Roman system alone."

Izaya, who seemed to be speaking to his assistant in the office, kept talking, half to himself, without waiting for a response.

"From a girl obsessed with urban legends named Saten Ruiko to the media queen of the other side of the world named Olay Blueshake, I was most satisfied to know someone is named "Loki". Me, I'd feel some empathy towards these types of people. But it seems he was recently betrayed, and got beaten up by his comrade. So even if he believes in what I say, he won't have any trust in me."

“If there’s someone who can trust you on a personal level, they can probably be considered a saint.”

Ignoring the sarcasm of his assistant, Izaya continued.

"In any case, with his cooperation, he managed to infiltrate part of the system in Academy City. After that, he gave a false command that relies on some condition to the most powerful Esper over there."

"False command?"

"Ahah, it's all true, up to the midway point at least. The two worlds are gradually merging together. And on top of that, add a hypothetical such as "If an important man goes to Academy City, the worlds will merge together. If that happens, the other world would be an obviously unnatural existence... For example, for the 10,000 or so clones, their existence will disappear, and other similar changes may occur." That kind of condition--"

There was a slight pause there, but he continued with a pleasant smile.

"The "strongest man in Ikebukuro", the point of deviation related to the metamorphosis of the world, rendered useless, with no chance of resurgence.... That kind of order. Additionally, I gave him the information that the man in the bartender's uniform is actually a nasty piece of work with a penchant for kidnapping young girls. Even if it is that physically overpowered Shizuo, in front of that "Level 5", who is literally beyond the stage of what you call an ability, he is nothing more than a baby."

"And who's this superpowered person?"

With a half-hearted look, the woman who was his assistant, Namie Yagiri, looked at the information in her hands.

"You write it as "One Way Road", and read it as Accelerator?"

"Yup. Well, it's the same as an animal's Japanese name as compared to its scientific name. Although names are used to represent identity, don't you think that this name suits him in every sense? And his old name is also very interesting."

"Compared to his actual ability name, "Vector Manipulation".... What is this?"

"It means what it means, literally. The ability to observe the "direction" of various phenomena, and manipulate them according to one's own will, such as kinetic energy, light, sound, heat, and electricity. The ability to trick the world, changing gravity energy into buoyancy, and in extreme cases, to manipulate the vector of time, in a limited sense.”

In the face of Izaya's exaggerations, Namie responded with a sigh.

"Even though you don't understand the concept of time very well, you still said that..."

"It's that sort of illogical ability. Although it's probably logical for a place like Academy City, in our world, it's something beyond our logic."

"Illogical ability, huh."

Namie narrowed her eyes slightly, and said with a hint of annoyance, as if she recalled something.

"That person’s "shadow" is no more logical than he is."

===Part 7===

An abandoned factory

"If I had complaints about being killed, I wouldn't have come here."

The white haired boy replied with a bored, but serious tone, saying something that reeked of self-deprecation.

"I never thought I'd hear such brave words after all this."

"....."

"You're not a normal human being. If you obediently lie back down, your chances of survival will grow."

In contrast to Shizuo, who emerged, veins bulging, the white-haired teenager kept a cold expression.

Celty, in the middle of those two people, firmly interrupted.

[No, wait a minute. Why are you doing this to Shizuo!]

"Why? It's just a job."

Speaking indifferently, the white-haired teenager lightly put his foot on the floor of the factory.

The next instant, the "action and counteraction" that existed in Celty's own brain, that common sense, completely collapsed.

The iron plate that lay on a part of the abandoned factory bounced up and began to turn in the air magnificently, as if it was dancing.

"And, if you get in the way, you'll get destroyed. I've said this before, right?"

The white haired teenager pushed the iron plate gently in the direction of Celty.

Then, as if the rotational force of the plate became propulsive force, it shot at a straight line towards Celty.

A direct hit with the iron plate that weighed dozens of kilograms onto a normal human wouldn't be something that you could shake off.

But, Celty wasn't human, and she definitely wasn’t normal.

Countless shadow tentacles reached out from her own body, and caught the iron plate that was flying at high speed.

"!"

Looking at Celty's shadows, the white-haired teenager narrowed his eyes slightly.

"...What, is that?"

If a normal person had seen it, they would have been open-eyed in shock, but the teen wasn't ordinary in any sense.

He changed his expression as if he had seen a strange cat, nothing more, and he then continued with a soft tone.

"...Do you use the same power as that #2?"

Celty muttered to herself, hearing the teenager's words--

What the hell was this #2 and #7 just then!?--

Nevermind, she had to suppress him first.

Celty immediately stretched out her shadow, and tried to wrap it around the boy's body at high speeds.

However, he dodged it with a jump that was beyond the physical limits of a human, and lightly slapped away one of the tendrils that got close with his left hand.

"...."

In an instant, the front end of Celty's shadow started spinning around, disappearing as if it had been swept into a tornado.

Uwah--

What was that feeling she felt just then!?

It wasn't a natural disappearance, as it took Celty's own will to disperse her shadows.

It was because she felt a creepy feeling, something like the flow of power being doubled and sent back in full. She judged the danger in an instant--

This guy… He really is using psychokinesis?--

This wasn't good, as this was much more powerful than even the vampires she knew.

Contrary to the anxious Celty, the teenager's body language didn't give away any signs of anxiety at all.

Maybe he had experience fighting against an opponent similar to herself before.

If that was the case, it would be impossible to maintain a dominant position here, right?

Would he allow him to surrender? To retreat? As she was contemplating that--

"Oi."

The voice of Shizuo rang out, and both Celty and the teenager's attention turned his way.

Then, Shizuo picked up the remains of the vending machine that had somehow been abandoned in this abandoned factory.

"Your opponent... Is meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!"

In the next instant, the vending machine flew towards the teenager with substantial force behind it.

The action taken by the teenager in response was--

Ignored.

The teenager once again looked at Celty, and assumed the attitude that there was no need to respond to Shizuo's attack

However, in realty, the moment in touched the special "barrier" thinly covering his body, the vending machine jumped back like a bouncy ball hitting a wall--

Shizuo!

Although Celty hurriedly stretched her shadow out, it failed to reach him.

Those who are immersed within their own abilities shall drown in them. The overwhelming force that matched this metaphor was heading for Shizuo's body--

"Ora!"

And with that, Shizuo struck it again--

....What?

"Ah?"

Even the white haired teenager couldn't help but look back at his opponent.

This teenager, so far, had bounced back all kinds of enemy attacks with his "ability"

He had experienced multiple crises before. Such as, people who could nullify attacks, people with special energy such as the "shadow", as well as getting overwhelmed with attacks from different dimensions.

But was there anyone who could forcefully reflect an attack back by using only the force of his hands?

Although he observed a flow of a force field, he didn't think that he was using any sort of ability--

What was going on? Who the hell was this guy?

He felt that this level of sturdiness was a bit weird, never mind the fact that this was beyond the realm of humans in the first place. Although there had been battles with durable opponents before, this man's body was half the size of the leader of Skill Out that he fought before, so how the hell could he do such things that were so far from common sense?

Although he thought so, he soon realized that it was pointless.

Because even if he could get the vending machine back at him, he could just reflect it back again - totally risk free.

Just as he predicted, the vending machine bounced back at Shizuo--

And then, once again, the man in the bartender''s uniform punched it back.

"...."

Crack! Pop! Once again, the exaggerated sounds of destruction resounded throughout the abandoned factory.

Between the bartender and the white-haired teenager, a vending machine rally began.

And, the speed of it was gradually increasing.

But in the end, it finally stopped.

It wasn't because the man in the bartender uniform had run out of energy. Instead, it was because the vending machine couldn't bear the brunt, and finally broke apart in mid-air.

"...."

"...."

There was a silence, with only the sound of the bartender-suited man's breathing that echoed through the factory.

Then, the white haired boy began to take a step towards him, and he said casually.

"Honestly, people who boast of their strength I see as fools usually... But, the truly outstanding ones are enviable. Since I have no need for physical exercise over here."

"...."

"If I could have 5% of your strength...."

In the teenager's mind, the face of a certain spiky-haired teenager flashed through.

He put on a bitter face, and said with a distracted look.

"Though I probably wouldn't be who I am now in any sense."

And then, for the first time, the teenager spoke of his reason for taking that step forward.

"Although it may seem a bit unreasonable.... But for today and tomorrow, if you were to wander around freely, that guy I know may disappear from the world."

The white haired teenager continued, as he walked over, step by step.

Was it because he was in an overwhelmingly favorable position, or was it because of some other reason that he became more talkative?

"Direct reversal of the flow of brain signals. If I keep your consciousness suppressed for three days, that'll be enough. However, if you're careless, you might die... Although I'm not going to apologize, if you've got any resentments to express, I'll listen to them."

However, Shizuo replied to this with a smile.

"Although I can't understand the implications of this all, this is extremely unreasonable."

Despite the blood flowing from the corner of his mouth, Shizuo persisted.

"But I can't fall like this without so much as a whimper. I'll lose my face against the spiky haired boy who beat me yesterday."

"....Spiky haired?"

Hearing that word, a bad feeling flashed through the teenager's mind.

But, thinking about it wasn't going to help, so he took another step closer.

Celty, overwhelmed by the vending machine rally, finally realized that Shizuo was in true danger.

Up to now, has Shizuo ever been pushed against the wall like this?

Whether it was getting sent flying by a dump truck, a train, a hundred people trying to cut his head off, getting attacked by a huge tiger, even though he could survive all that, he was in a truly life-threatening situation now.

Heiwajima Shizuo was about to be killed by someone who came out of nowhere.

Something that seemed as ridiculous to Celty that it could have been a joke to her was happening before her eyes, and she was having a hard time trying to understand it.

Celty looked at the Shizuo whose body was covered in wounds--

===Part 8===

Izaya's office

"To be honest, I'm still only half convinced."

Namie looked at the information in the laptop and said once again.

"Connecting with parallel worlds. That's an idea so old that even SciFi novels don't use it much anymore."

"You're the one who's delved into the mythical realm and studied the head of the Dullahan, so are you sure you can say that?"

"Eh, course I do. The head of the Dullahan is an actual thing, and it's been confirmed."

"And in fact, it's also true that people from the other world have come here, right?"

Izaya, who said this, handed over some papers to Namie.

"Kamijou Touma, Tsuchimikado Motoharu, Aogami Pierce. These names don't have any sort of records in this world. These three people, who existed in Academy City, came to this world through the subway in order to transfer something."

"High school students?"

"They aren’t just any high school students. Especially this kid, Kamijou. He’s a real hero who has saved the world multiple times. It's probably only in a world of advanced science as well as magic that a person can become that sort of savior. For me, I'm very interested in the kind of state such a rare human being is living in."

Looking at Izaya, who was laughing, Namie said, bored.

"It's like you think you're a god. You don't even have all the information about this world yet, so can you really understand the information about this so-called "other world" correctly?"

Although she was still doubtful about the connection with this other world, she had experience of studying the existence of an unnatural being such as the "Dullahan" using the common sense of science, so she might not have been so doubtful if not for that.

"Ahah, the intelligence level in that world is much higher. It's a world where you can even see the memories of the dead if you want to collect it. It's even easier to get information there than in this world."

Then, the corners of his mouth lifted in pleasure, and he said something unbelievable.

"In fact, I think it's fine to let the worlds merge like this. I think it's better for them to be integrated. When a new variable or an alien existence that is completely unmanageable appears in front of them, what kind of action will the humans take? Even if it's just limited to the people in this city, if I can observe them, one by one, it'll be enough for me to enjoy this life."

"Although what you said was that you've abandoned the struggle with a kindly tone, what you just said was extremely bad."

"There are a lot of interesting people over there too. Especially the Kihara clan's way of life, which makes me wonder about new possibilities for human beings. I don't think it's an exaggeration to call it beautiful."

"I think it's sad that these children are being treated like precious specimens by people like you. ...Eh?"

While looking at the information, Namie sarcastically said that, but she frowned suddenly.

"Hey, what's this "Aogami Pierce" thing?"

In response to Namie's light question, Izaya looked up at the ceiling, and giggled.

"Ahaha, this kid's information is well collected."

Then, without looking at any of the info, he began to talk about it.

"He's an Esper who freeloads in a bakery in Academy City. Although he's the class president of Kamijou Touma's class, he's also known as one of the "three idiots", along with Kamijou and Tsuchimikado. He's a strange fellow who's over 180cm tall. He takes supplementary classes, but not because he's dumb. Instead, it's because he wants to have as much interaction with his class teacher as possible. The possibility of this is pretty high. He’s been questioned regarding his occupation 43 times… no, it would be around 40 times regarding the time from when he came over to this city."

Without pause, Izaya droned on, as if he were speaking a tongue twister about the boy named Aogami Pierce.

Instead of boasting his knowledge--- it seems like he was trying to hide something.

"Ah, yes, that guy's fetishes concerning the opposite sex really is impressive. "I have a wide range of acceptance when it comes to women: not just fallen female main characters but also foster sisters, foster mothers, foster daughters, twins, widows, senpais, kouhais, fellow classmates, teachers, childhood friends, ojou-samas, blondes, brunettes, brown-haired, silver-haired, long-haired, medium-haired, short-haired, girls wearing bobby pins, wavy-haired, twintails, ponytails, one-sided ponytails, twin braids, ahoges, curly-haired, girls in sailor clothes, blazers, judogi, kyuudougi, kindergarten nurses, maids, policewomen, witches, shrine maidens, nuns, military women, secretaries, lolis, shotas, tsunderes, cheerleaders, stewardesses, waitresses, goth girls wearing black, goth girls wearing white, girls in China dresses, frail girls, albino girls, fantasists, girls with split personalities, queens, princesses, thigh-high socks, garter belts, girls who cross-dress as guys, girls who wear glasses, girls who wear an eyepatch, girls who wear bandages, girls in school swimsuits, one-piece swimsuits, bikinis, V-shaped bikinis, bikinis that barely cover anything, youkai, ghosts, animal-eared girls, etc.- any female is within my area of acceptance." That seems to be his mantra. Although some aspects of the opposite sex aren't in my personal domain, I admit that he is also an existence that can expand the possibilities of mankind."

"That guy, and you as well, who actually memorized that all, are perverts."

Namie said with an icy gaze, flipping through the information, page by page, in contrast to Izaya reciting it.

"And then?"

"And then, what?"

"That, the real name of that kid Aogami Pierce. It's not in the file."

"...."

Orihara Izaya was silent."

It was probably the first time she had seen him with such a quiet expression.

"There are various things... When downloading information from there, that kid's information was broken in a few places."

"What the heck, you don't even know his real name, but you've got the nerve to claim that you've been collecting information well!"

"Well. Although I don't think this kid is anything special, but as a human being who loves everyone equally, let me show you."

And so, Izaya took his laptop out and connected it with a special cord.

After a long list of unusual codes floated across the screen, a data file detailing some kind of roster was displayed.

"This is the roster of students in Kamijou's class. If you compare that with other conditions, you can immediately find the real name of Aogami Pierce, or something..."

In the next moment, the screen was completely flooded with images of flowers.

At the flower garden in the middle of the screen, a cartoon image of a character wearing a bouquet of flowers on her head appeared, and text emerged from the dialogue box that extended from there.

"Stop right there! Inappropriate access behavior!"

"Ah, fuck."

Sensing something, Izaya hurriedly shut the laptop down, and cut the line.

"Fuck me that was dangerous! It was almost like I've been stripped naked on this side!"

"Are you not going to run?"

""Anti-skill", the policing unit of Academy City, won't come to Ikebukuro. I don't think I need to even mention the police force of Ikebukuro here."

After that, Izaya tried various means of getting into touch with Academy City, but--

The information about Aogami Pierce was obstructed or corrupted before he reached it, and so the key information was not obtained.

"Does that mean that this kid is actually related to some sort of super important confidential information?"

In response to Namie's question, Izaya just shook his head.

"If that were the case, the information itself would have been protected. The reason we can't get information about it so far is because, although it seems far-fetched to say this, is all by chance. No, is it possible that there's a protection system in Academy City that pretends to be like this? Well....but...."

After a brief moment of confusion, Izaya stood up with a soft sigh.

"There's no helping it. He's here in person. Let's go collect some fresh information."

Although he seemed to be whining, his expression was that of a smile.

With a face full of anticipation as if he had never seen a new "human" before, Orihara Izaya happily left his office.

After calmly watching him leave, Namie said softly.

"This is looking like the pattern where he comes back empty handed. You reap what you sow."

===Part 9===

Somewhere in Ikebukuro | Station Wagon

"Isekai!? This Ikebukuro?"

Karisawa said that "it would be bad for Aogami Pierce to hear", and so she brought him back to the station wagon. After hearing the explanation from the man with the gas mask, Shingen Kishitani, Kamijou Touma accepted it, half in doubt.

"Though, now that you say it, I feel like I was involved in a similar incident yesterday..."

"You're the one who's in the other world to us. The company I belong to, Niblo, has been conducting various investigations to this, and both the technological might of Academy City and the magic outside of it are excellent. The idea of sending a corporate spy there was on my mind, but I thought it would be impossible to hide the discrepancy since we're of a different world, so I cancelled it."

"If it were you, you probably won't feel any sense of being out of place even if you were walking around the research area..."

The right hand of Kamijou clenched tightly, after Shingan said that, and stared at him.

"Whoa!? What!? What's the matter!?"

"Mhm. That's the "Imagine Breaker" that's become a topic of conversation over there. So. Since you're here in this world, wanna try dissecting it?"

"I refuse!"

Shingen, a fully grown adult, proceeded to prostrate himself while in the back seat of the station wagon before Kamijou, who had merely given the only sensible response.

"Please think about it!"

"Although there have been various people who have turned their sights on this right hand so far, this is the first time I've heard of such a direct request from someone sitting right in front of me! How!? Don't tell me that this is how this world operates!?"

Facing the confused Kamijou, Karisawa replied.

"Well, this guy is pretty special. His son is a special guy who likes girls who's got nothing above their neck."

"What kind of hobby is that!? Even Aogami Pierce's list of fetish doesn't include it!:"

"Ah, I guess I'll put it in the category of "not a human" for now."

Putting aside the Karisawa who calmly roasted someone, Shingen pressed on the subject of Kamijou's right hand.

"Money isn't a problem, we've got all the money you need! It's not as if we're going to cut that hand off and take it away. As long as we can do all sorts of experiments with you under anesthesia, we can guarantee a minimum of 20 million yen!"

"Twenty million!?"

After hearing the exact amount, Kamijou's brain circuit short circuited for a while--

Damn it... if this was about a billion or two, something that's extremely far from the reality Kamijou knew, it wouldn't have any effect, but when it comes to the ten thousands of yen, it felt surprisingly realistic...!--

Ahhh.... Speaking of this, how much would the repair of his dorm cost? With that big hole caused by Birdway and Lessar...---

And, that much money would render his food problems...

It seemed like the magic of money couldn't be dispelled by his right arm, and Kamijou staggered drunkenly in delusion--

Eh? Wait a minute. Food expenses?

The moment he thought of that word, "food", his mind went straight to, "Touma, where's the food", and the scenario where she made her way through 20 million yen worth of food in half a month. Kamijou couldn't help but shake his head vigorously as he thought of that.

Nononononono, he needed to pull himself together!--

If he believed that money on that sort of magnitude could have any effect on his misfortune, he had to destroy that illusion of his!

Kamijou slapped his face with his right hand, and awakened his consciousness with the sensation and clarity that came with the pain.

"...Well, better forget about it. Knowing me, the 2nd day I get that amount of money, I'll need to pay a 20 million yen compensation, or something will eat it, etc. That's my fate."

Although he hadn't yet given up on life, he had given up on his own fortune, and faced with the Kamijou who carried such sadness in his eyes, Shingen shook his head in pity.

"Ah... So that's the case. It's nothing, even if you hadn't said that, I understand. If you can't save someone who was in crisis during the time when your freedom of use of your right hand was taken away, you'll regret it for the rest of your life, right...! How noble!"

"Ah, no, I'm not thinking about such a grand thing..."

"Anyway. We'll want to avoid the cause that will be caused by the merging of the worlds. If all the people of the Academy City group, including you, can go back, the distortion will be more or less reduced, right?"

Nodding vigorously, Shingen once again began to explain the situation

"Actually, a boy who called himself Jörmungandr was raging all over the place with huge wounds covering his body, but apparently a group of vampires somehow appeased him, and there was also a woman who called herself Hel who could control the 'cause of death,' but a gang of immortals managed to calm her down."

"No, I don't get it at all, even if you tell me that."

Ignoring Kamijou, who was tilting his head, Shingen continued.

"Then, there's also...two people who are also confirmed to be here."

"Who? Do I know them?"

"One of them, I hear, is someone you know quite well."

At that instant-- The window of the station wagon made a clanging sound.

Looking over, what he found was Tsuchimikado, who was looking confused.

"What's wrong, Tsuchimikado?."

Kamijou opened the window of the car and looked over, while Tsuchimikado whispered.

"Ah... Just now, the boss gave me an order, nya."

"Order?"

"It seems like... someone's impersonating the Board of Directors, and are issuing false orders.”

A stuttering Tsuchimikado finally managed to spit out the true identity of one of the “visitors of Ikebukuro.”

"As a result of those false orders, the "1st Ranked" came over here, and because communications are unstable, I can't connect to him... so we'll have to get in direct contact with him and drag him back before shit gets real."

===Part 10===

Abandoned Factory

"....?"

The white-haired teenager stopped in his tracks, as he felt a powerful change in the flow of power behind him.

Turning back--he found half the factory filled with "darkness".

It was the large amount of shadows that Celty Sturluson sent forth, swallowing up the entire abandoned factory.

Shizuo, who saw this, shouted out!

"You fucking idiot... Celty! This is my fight, so hurry up and return it to me!"

[I refuse!]

"Wh..."

Seeing Celty, who was typing in words with an unprecedented forcefulness, Shizuo couldn't say anything--

Honestly, it was impossible to understand what was going on--

Because it was not understandable, they had to stop this situation in order to understand it--

If there was any chance of stopping it, it would only be herself.

Celty, who was calmly weaving those words in her mind, wanted herself to calm down.

However, the passion that came out was completely uncontrollable--

The most important thing was....

The headless horseman, Celty Sturluson, clenched her fists--

How could she stay silent as she saw a friend being treated like that, right in front of her eyes!

For her, this was an extremely rare emotion.

Pure "Anger"

That was to say, a clear "hostility" towards the boy in front of her.

She didn't think she could win.

Her opponent was an existence that was outside of common sense, even to her as a Dullahan.

And she feared that he hadn't even shown his full strength yet.

Even so, the option of abandoning Shizuo there and running away on her own did not even exist in the mind of Celty at the moment.

She was a Dullahan. A fairy who didn't become a human.

As a result of her integration into human society and learning about humans through various mediums, the "human" heart that had developed inside her had made up its mind to attack the threat in front of her.

And since that was the case, it didn't matter if that "ordinary human being" made fun of her for being tactless.

"You don't have a head, but you still make such a determined face. Well, at least it shows that you understand the situation better, as you're not getting on the ground and begging."

And after those words dripping with sarcasm--

The white haired teenager manipulated the vectors of the wind around him, and instantly whipped up a tornado.

He compressed it into a blade of wind, and shot it straight at Celty.

However, the protective shadows completely blocked the wind, and moved forward, through the new shadows being generated from within.

The shadows had taken root in every corner of the factory, and the half-hearted wind attack probably wouldn't budge at all.

"..."

Bang! The white haired boy understood the situation. Bang! And he tapped the floor with his foot.

After that, he somehow manipulated vectors to allow the steel in the abandoned factory to float, one by one, and then as if they were being pulled to his side, they flew.

And then, as if to dust off the steel off his body, he knocked them, one by one.

The simple action made the iron accelerate like a cannonball, and with the momentum of a rain of bullets, they flew towards Celty.

However, all of them were absorbed as if they fell into a swamp, and the shadow continued to expand, like a giant slime.

"Tch... it really is the same sort as the #2!"

While clicking his tongue, the white haired boy raised his hand to the sky.

The wind began to compress in front of him at a high density, creating a small body of plasma.

Just as the teenager was about to throw the plasma at the "shadow" without hesitation--

"Take this!"

Shizuo threw one of the nearby chunks of iron, the same way he had through the vending machines before.

However, if it were only on this level, the teenager would not panic and misfire the plasma.

"Watch and learn, old man."

Of course, his reflection worked properly, and bounced the iron back just like before.

However, it was a little different than before.

Shizuo, after throwing the piece of metal, burst forward towards his opponent himself.

Then, in the same way, he hit the iron back at him.

If that was it, the results would not differ from before.

And because there was no difference--

Shizuo hit the piece of iron into the ground.

"!"

The piece of iron completely destroyed the ground, and stabbed itself into the underground warehouse of the factory.

And the white haired boy started to fall.

If it was only this, it wouldn't be considered on the level of a crisis.

However, when he felt that the ground in front of him was darker than he thought, he couldn't help but click his tongue.

He sensed it.

Was it that Celty read Shizuo's intention, or was it that she was prepared to take hold from the very beginning- passing through the cave where half of Shizuo's body had been buried into, she filled the ground with a number of large shadows.

Then, just a moment before he was going to escape from the air through vector manipulation--

The shadows that covered the top, bottom, left and right of the abandoned factory wrapped up the boy completely.

"...What's this, huh?"

What was in front of Shizuo's eyes was a giant sphere that was about the size of a small car.

It didn't make contact with the ground, but it was completely stationary in the air.

[For the time being, I kind of locked him up....]

Instead of having the shadows directly twisting on him, it was akin to being locked up in a soap bubble.

Judging that he could manipulate kinetic energy freely, she didn't move the sphere immediately, but just kept it stationary in the air. Of course, if he kicked at the walls, he would be able to generate energy, right? So that was why Celty divided the sphere into dozens of layers, and wrapped it up like a Russian matryoshka doll.

Even if an inner layer was destroyed, a new one could be generated from one of the outer layers to cover it immediately. Although she had prepared for this specifically, nothing happened yet.

If this was ordinary matter, no matter what kind of technique was used to construct it, as long as the teenager used his ability, he would be able to tear it apart easily.

However, this was no ordinary matter that wrapped up the teenager.

It was "shadows"

Originally, shadows were areas where there was no light, and since they weren’t even considered matter, they didn’t have mass, or thickness.

Celty was manipulating the "shadow" as if it were an object with mass - the important thing here was that although "thickness" could be created through this, the concept of "thickness" could also be ignored.

This was something Celty herself did not realize, that she was actually able to materialize her shadows with varying degrees of thinness.

In other words, it could be kept at zero thickness, but also could be stacked infinitely to increase its strength.

Therefore, if Celty Sturluson had actually knew about this--

The "Shadow" could be a spear and a shield more powerful than any other material on this planet. It could even be the thread used to connect Earth and Mars together.

It was a power that had completely surpassed the common sense of science and the laws of physics. Celty herself was not able to understand it properly. It was a shadow of absolute strength that was created unconsciously.

In order words, she was able to do this because of the anger she felt.

If the underground doctor, who lived with her, knew about this, there would be no doubt that he would be jealous of Shizuo.

"This, how are we going to deal with him?"

[I don't think he can be defeated by physical means. Let's just wait for him to enter a state of hypoxemia.]

Celty made the density of the shadow bigger than usual, thus blocking the supply of oxygen by blocking the air.

This "suffocation attack" created by the interweaving and overlapping of various special conditions could be said to be one of the rare weaknesses of the invincible reflection.

If it were a normal person, this would be enough to decide who was the winner, and the loser. But--

This young man was the existence known as the #1 of Academy City -- [Accelerator]

He was another existence that wasn't ordinary, even within the category of Espers.

Bang..... Celty and Shizuo felt the sound of the air shaking.

In the next instant, alongside a violent sound of destruction, the top of the black sphere was torn by something unseen.

"What!?"

This....

Next to Shizuo who shouted out loud, the headless Celty's "vision" felt it.

From the top of the sphere, two colorless wings grew out--

....He hasn't even shown his full strength yet!

The thing that destroyed Celty's shadow, something that ignored the laws of physics, was indeed something "from another dimension" that also did not obey the laws of physics.

What was this... this thing, it was almost like...!

Celty probably associated the pair of wings with something else.

Just before she continued to think about it, the crack of the sphere widened, and the invisible wings, (were they white or black?), were rendered in another color for just a moment--

"Please don't fight over me anymore! Says Misaka as Misaka remembers the lines she recently saw in the morning at the theatre, and tries to pretend to be the heroine in the swamp!"

Such words, which were completely incompatible with the atmosphere of the scene, resounded throughout the abandoned factory.

When Shizuo and Celty looked over, there was a girl of about 10 years of age standing there, with an ahoge on the top of her head.

"A kid...?"

In contrast to Shizuo, who frowned, Celty, who saw who the girl was, panicked and took out her PDA, pointing it at her.

[I told you to wait near the motorcycle!]

"Who is it?"

Before answering Shizuo's question, Celty typed something in order to ensure the girl's safety.

[It's dangerous! Get out of here!]

But the girl, looking up at the black sphere, asserted with her hands crossed.

"It's not dangerous anymore, says Misaka as Misaka tries to send the words of objective truth to the strange sphere with hopeful observation."

The young girl had the voice of a child, but with the words of an old man.

Then, in the next instant, the "transparent wings" disappeared completely from Celty's vision, and the voice of a teenager who had become tired in every sense came from inside the sphere.

"Oi... I'm no longer in the mood for messing around. Hurry up and get rid of this damn ball."

A few minutes later.

After the shadow cage was lifted at the urging of the girl who called herself Misaka, the boy stared at them but didn't attack.

"Why are you here, you idiot?!"

“Because of numerous reasons, announces Misaka, Misaka somehow came into this world, but there were also signals from a satellite that talked about how several people were involved in a conspiracy."

"Say it so that I can actually understand."

The teen said, annoyed. Shizuo had to have suppressed his anger and urge to interject from behind.

"Hey...Although you guys seem to be pushing the topic on your own over there, I'm totally not convinced...."

Probably because there was a kid in front of him, he held back desperately. But the moment Celty tried to calm Shizuo down, whose face was twitching with anger--

"The reason is Orihara Izaya."

Because of what that girl said, Shizuo's movements halted.

"Misaka says as Misaka tries to convey this crucial piece of information that's at the core of everything."

"What are you on about, Last Order?"

Then, the girl named Last Order weaved around Shizuo's back and continued.

"It's all lies! About this person wandering around and the network, they're lies! They're all false orders given by that person named Orihara Izaya, pretending to be Academy City's Board of Directors, says Misaka as Misaka tries to peek at a certain person to see if his reaction is different than normal when he sees Misaka hiding behind this bartender, as Misaka peaks Misaka’s head out to confirm."

"Cut the bullshit and tell me."

After a few minutes, after the girl had explained everything, Celty's shoulders slumped--

In the end, there he was again, with his usual evil plans!

The man who did this thing purely because he hated Shizuo was none other than Orihara Izaya.

She understood this, but this time she actually really wanted to beat him up.

However, above that, there was a worry.

If she had that kind of thought, what kind of boiling state was Shizuo's mind in right now?

"Seriously, anyway, you should say sorry to the person you hurt first, Misaka says as Misaka thoughtfully teaches you the common sense of society."

Faced with the teenager who kept his face stiff, the young girl urged him to apologize to Shizuo and the others.

Just before the teenager said something, Shizuo said.

"Ahah... No, no need to apologize...."

Even though the #1 kid didn't use his ability, he could feel that Heiwajima Shizuo's anger vector had completely switched direction. But it also increased by several times then when he was facing him.

"Do you know where that fungus Izaya is?... Girl."

The girl answered without panic to the face of Shizuo, who was seeping with a ghost-like anger.

"Although I don't know why, because Hikoboshi II has also come to this world, I can observe his location in detail if I connect to the network! Misaka says confidently."

===Part 11===

——

Distortion.

The reason for all this was the distortion of space-time.

For example, even if Yumasaki or Karisawa went to Academy City tomorrow or yesterday, and met Index, but didn't realize it was her, that could be explained by that phrase, that it was all caused by the distortion of space-time.

In the past, when Yumasaki was thrown into the other world called Dengeki Gakuen, there had been a miracle, where he had met Index, and Burning-Eyed Shana themselves - perhaps the Yumasaki who went to Academy City was actually the Yumasaki from before in that point in time, so during his time in "that other world", that was why he judged Index to be a cosplayer.

And in this situation with distorted space-time--

Yumasaki and Karisawa were still going their separate ways.

"So, if you get Shokuhou-chan to remove the psychological scars of Awaki-chan, would it allow her to become a Level 5? Kamijou, try doing that please."

"What good would that do to Misaki-chan, huh?"

"Nonono, what are you talking about! And who's Awaki!?"

"She's a shotacon girl!"

"Even if you say that!"

While Tsuchimikado was trying to find out where Accelerator was, this argument continued. Shingen left the station wagon, saying that he had to go back to the office to report on the situation, and Aogami said that he was going to meet some girl on the Otome Road and left, so only Kamijou was left to savor this unreasonable situation--

Why do these people know so much about Kamijou and Academy City?

"Actually, I have even more questions..."

When Yumasaki tried to take out some books, he accidently dropped his backpack, and several Light Novels dropped out of the opened pack.

"Huh? What books are these?"

Seeing the cover that said "A Certain Magical Index," Kamijou frowned.

Index of Forbidden Books. A word that he often heard. So adding that "Index" on there was pretty redundant.

T/N: The Japanese title reads: "Toaru Majutsu no Kinsho Mokuroku", with Kinsho Mokuroku, with that meaning "Index of Prohibited Books", but there's Furigana above those Kanji, which tells the reader that it's supposed to be pronounced "Indekkusu", so that's why it's redundant

And, the cover art of these books of the characters all matched with the people he knew, even the outfits.

"Ah, this is..."

While Yumasaki was thinking of how he should explain it, Kamijou picked up one of the books nearest to him, and turned the pages noisily.

Then--

"W....what the hell is this!?"

Electrical current swam throughout the grey matter in Kamijou's brain.

Actually, it was the same kind of shock, as the time when he was gently hit by Misaka Mikoto's electrical attacks.

After seeing the word "Kamijou" in the novel, reading it with a frown, he found that it was as if his previous experiences in the past had been recorded in the form of a novel.

"This, what the hell is this!? Is it some stalker's diary or something? Did I make some enemies in some kind of strange organization unknowingly!?"

"Ahhhh... That.... That's.... something like the Akashic Records. About the Akashic Records, maybe Index or Birdway can explain it in more detail."

"Wait a second! You not only know Index, but also Birdway!?"

In the book labeled Volume 2, the events relating to Himegami and the Misawa Cram school were described.

Then, it suddenly occurred to Kamijou--

Hmm? This means...--

Wouldn't the first volume... be about the events before he lost his memories?

Moving his eyes down, he found a book with no number after the title, lying on the floor.

Gulping, he slowly stretched his arm out, but--

Karisawa held her hand out.

"No."

"Hey..."

This book was a very good example of the kind of book that could be used to make a person's life easier.

Putting that book away in his backpack, Yumasaki, with a serious face, said.

"Kamijou, we'll also be talking according to the situation. About your past, just like the flower on Uiharu's head, it's a sacred area that must not be touched. So I'm sorry."

"Hey, so my past, though I don't get it at all, it's on the same level as the "flower on the head" or something...?"

"After all, we're just mere spectators. Even if we can cheer you on, we don't have the right to change your life."

Karisawa said, hugging the Kamijou who had no choice but to calm down.

"It's alright, even if you don't have your memories, there are still people who love you. No matter what happens to them, we're the same. Who we love is the ‘you’ who can move forward now!"

"That's right, in this city, there is someone who has lost her head, not to mention her memories, and that person is now living a fulfilling, loving life."

"...."

He didn't understand what all this was about.

Although this was the case, he could feel that the warmth in their words was genuine, so Kamijou said this, though he was still confused.

"Thank....you."

"Ooooohhhhhhhhhh! Kami-yan!"

Completely destroying the fantasy-like atmosphere, from outside the station wagon came the voice of Aogami Pierce.

"What's wrong, what's wrong!?"

After Kamijou opened the car door, it revealed the tearful Aogami Pierce."

"You listen to me, Kami-yan! Even if I talk to the girls on Otome Road, all they say to me is that "Wow, that's so cool, this cosplay suits you"! What??? Did someone steal my iconic hair and earrings that I've put so much faith into! I didn't think it would be so humiliating to be asked if it was a cosplay or not, but this seems to have awakened a new fetish in me, ohonononononoononono."

"Okay, just calm down! The one feeling embarrassed is me now!"

Kamijou was made aware of the eyes surrounding them and used his hand to press on Aogami Pierce's mouth.

Pushing Kamijou's hand away from him, and complaining to Yumasaki, whom he had just established a friendly relationship with, Tsuchimikado sighed as he watched Aogami Pierce running around.

"Not good, nya. The line with Hikoboshi has become mixed up, and so I can't figure out where that guy is."

"Are you saying that there's others communicating? With that satellite?"

"Well, there's a lot of confusion over on the other side as well. Even so, if we don't find Accelerator soon..."

"You want me to tell you what?"

Kamijou and the others looked back at the place where the voice suddenly appeared, and there stood a man wearing a black fur coat.

"...Who are you?"

"An informant that's just passing by. You guys are worried because you can't find where Accelerator is, right? Then allow me to sell you that information."

"You... know about what's going on?"

"Sort of. Honestly, I've already looked into the situation. After all, this incident is of great interest to me as well."

The man who called himself the informant looked at the teenager near the door of the station wagon, expertly weaving his words together.

"There's just one thing, to be honest. Although I’ve collected all kinds of information, I don't know why I can't get the real name of Aogami Pierce over there."

With a self deprecating smile, the informant continued.

"Although it isn't a big deal, I'm pretty unsatisfied having such a hole in my information. If you can tell me this, I'll give you the information you want."

"What, what? It's not such a big deal. I'm not even listening, and you're talking about it so casually?"

Aogami Pierce, who heard his nickname being called, started to listen to the conversation midway, saying to the informant, determined.

"Oh, tell me my real name, Kami-yan! With gusto! Let this second-rate informant, who doesn't even know my real name, see the cruelty of reality!"

Aogami Pierce, who was pointing a finger at Izaya with a strange pose, Kamijou could only respond with silence.

"...."

"Kami-yan?"

An unprecedented cold sweat seeped out of his face, and Kamijou said some words, as if he were talking to himself.

"Once, despair was inflicted."

"?"

"That was when the whole world became my enemy. Even you and Fukiyose tried to kill me. Imagine it as some sort of dream."

"Hey? Ah, so you're talking about a dream?"

"In such a horrible, horrible situation, to you who tried to kill me... I called you ‘Aogami Pierce’... Even in such a situation, I could only use your nickname..."

"What are you talking about, Kami-yan? What are you trying to say?"

"Hey, wait, you guys, are you serious!? Are you kidding me!? Nononono, really, are you guys trolling me?"

Aogami Pierce accepted his friend's reaction as a joke, standing in front of the informant.

"Fine, I'll do it myself! Dig the shit out of your ears, and listen to me carefully!"

Aogami Pierce took a big breath, getting ready to say his name out loud to all these people around him.

"My name is..."

And in the moment after that, space-time distorted.

To be precise, it was an attack that gave the illusion of space-time distortion, that wrapped up an entire space.

The one that flew here, aiming at Orihara Izaya, crushed the asphalt beneath him, blowing the body of the Aogami Pierce next to him away, through the pressure of the wind alone.

"Arghhh--!?"

Looking at the Aogami Pierce, who was rolling around, grunting, Kamijou went after it with his unsteady body.

He glanced to the side -- A small impact crater had been created, and a man in a bartender's uniform with a face that looked like it belonged to a demon lord was standing in it.

Because of the overwhelming sense of pressure, Kamijou continued to chase after Aogami Pierce, as if he had seen nothing.

The man who had dodged the impact just in time howled like a monster.

"I don't know if this world is distorted or whatever... But you're ready to have your body squished into a ball, right...? I---Za----Ya----Kun------ OOOOOOHHHHHH!"

===Part 12===
"Goodbye, and thank you so much for today, says Misaka as Misaka shows kindness in the place of the cold edgy guy."

[Ahah, take care on your way back.]

Celty entered that text gently, to the girl who was smiling innocently.

Then, she took a look at the boy named Accelerator.

He manipulated Shizuo's strength, which far exceeded that of a normal human, blowing his body directly towards where Izaya was. Although this was Shizuo's own request, Celty couldn't help but think that this kid who could do this was so far beyond common sense that it wasn't even funny.

At the same time, if that girl hadn't arrived, who knows what would have happened.

Shingen suddenly said "You should accompany this child to find someone" and then because of this girl "Felt that he was this way, thought Misaka as Misaka tried to look for that person's distinct traces of AIM surrounding him", Celty followed those ambiguous instructions and ran up and down the streets.

When she came into the abandoned factory because of Shizuo's guttural roar, she told the girl to wait at the motorcycle, and so she went to see what was going on, but ended up getting involved in it--

After all, she didn't know about the white hair... So she didn't think that it was the person that the kid was looking for.

"Why are you staring over here... Uh, oh wait, you've got no eyes."

The girl began to lecture the teenager when he said such things to Celty--

Ignoring the lecturing, he said this to Celty.

"....Oi."

[What?]

"About your power... There should be a better way that you can use to kill me in an instant, right? Why didn't you use it?"

Celty responded after thinking a little, typing out the text.

[Why do you think... Wouldn't it be better to settle things without killing anyone? No one would lose any sleep at night because of it.]

Hearing that, the teenager frowned, muttering.

"Even a monster like you is this indecisive."

After that, with a slightly unimpressed expression, he messed with the girl's hair.

"We're going back. This isn't my city."

[Nonsense. As long as you don't go crazy like before, Ikebukuro welcomes you]

The teenager didn't respond to Celty's words.

As if to replace the reply, he once again ruffled with the girls' hair.

It was as if he was claiming that the place where the teenager would go was the place where he belonged.

===Part 13===

Ikebukuro station | On the subway

"Ahh, what bad luck. It's the same as yesterday. I didn't even finish one of the external research..."

After all that chaos, Kamijou and the others got on the same subway they took here because of Shingen's urging.

After that, they got caught in a fight between the man in the bartender suit and the informant, and when they managed to escape, they found out that Accelerator had already gone back to Academy City, so everything was settled.

"Honestly, I have no idea what just happened, but suddenly everything is alright now... Well anyway, if it's all solved, then it's for the best..."

Kamijou, who got involved in the incident, and yet didn't become the center of it, felt the fatigue coming on, after relaxing for a bit.

Speaking of which, was it really all over?

Although he wasn't so sure about it, once you got on this subway, people of the "Academy City World" would automatically go back to the original world.

Aogami Pierce, who did not understand what was happening, and Tsuchimikado, whose last encounter with Kamijou was a little earlier back in time. Each of them would go back to their respective times and places, across the distorted space-time.

No matter if it was a distorted path or not, all one could do was to move forward.

Suddenly, Kamijou, who had made his mind, felt a sense of unease, and said,

"I feel like I've forgotten something... What could it be?"

===Part 14===

Hikoboshi II | Satellite Orbit | Zero Gravity Biological Impact Laboratory

[We've finally solved the problem]

In response to the message from Tsukumoya Shinichi, Kaguya maintained her floating position as she replied.

"The scale of the merging seems to be larger than expected."

[Yes. So there's nothing better than getting in touch with you, who can observe the earth from the most objective perspective, and getting your assistance on top of that.]

"But the important thing is that I'm still here in this world."

[If the distortion of the Sky by Fire can be resolved, you should be able to return to your original world in a few days.]

"I said that I couldn't leave Academy City on it's own, but I don't really care about it. Looking at a different Earth is a good way to pass the time. It's like a spot the difference game."

To the not particularly troubled Kaguya, Tsukumoya Shinichi told the truth.

[Well, also, since you think it's fine like that, then I better not say anything more...]

[But your presence here has sent the surface into panic.]

===Part 15===
Somewhere on Kawagoe Street | Shinra's apartment

"Celty! You're back! What a day it's been today!"

[Really!... Suddenly something unbelievable has happened.]

When she finally returned home, she found a paper bag on the table.

[What's this?]

She took a peek with her hand, and saw something that looked like a wine bottle in some special packaging.

"Ahhh.... That seems to be something that my dad's guest forgot. He says that he wants you to send it back through the subway tunnel tomorrow..."

[???]

Why did she have to go through the subway tunnel to send back something that someone forgot?

Just as Celty was about to ask the obvious question, a report about an astonishing event just came, blaring from the news on the TV.

[And for the next piece of news. We have received an astonishing image. A huge artificial structure, 5,000 meters long, has appeared in the sky over Tokyo. There is no record of such a satellite being sent up, as far as we know--]

Suddenly, Celty dropped the goods onto the couch.

[Ohh... Are these aliens ahhahaguukayadshaaghdsdkgh]

"Calm down, Celty! Celty!?"

After that, she couldn't get her work done well because of the news, and the next day, she passed through the underground tunnel, confused. She arrived at "Academy City", but--

But this is another story, for another time.

===Part 16===

'''Epilogue'''

Ikebukuro's west gate park was covered in a thin, crimson, sunset.

In the corner of the park was a man with long, thin eyes, as well as a European shaped face, sitting on a metal tube bench.

Although it wasn't a rare presence in Ikebukuro, where there were many foreign tourists, the unique atmosphere that surrounded this man was a presence very rare indeed, both in Japan, and abroad.

However, a person who could detect this atmosphere would also be a very rare existence in this world.

"Can I sit next to you?"

"It's a public bench. You don't need to ask me for permission..."

The man said with a shrug, after glancing in the direction of the girl.

"Whatever."

"It's not just whatever. This side or that side, how much confusion do you think has been created? There were several conflicts in places you didn't see. Of course, you know all that, right?"

"So, is it, or is it not? After all, it would be boring if I knew everything. Life is meant to be a challenge."

"What are you talking about, cheater?"

The girl said that, sitting down violently on the bench

To this girl, the man said.

"Why did you come here? The bottle should have been returned to Kamijou Touma, right, girl?"

"It's like you asked me to come here yourself. I didn't expect that someone like you could blend in with society in general. How can you not be interested in something like that?"

The young girl, who was about 12 years old, spoke loudly. The leader of the magic cabal, the Dawn Colored Sunlight, Leivinia Birdway. To this, the man softly replied.

"Even so, he was a senior member of an underground organization. It's hard to say that he's someone with a normal status."

"It doesn't matter if it's the triads, the Camorra, or the 'Ndrangheta, to us Magicians, they're all the same."

"From how I can see it, Magicians and Espers are just the same."

"Don't get so passive aggressive. What are you, a child?"

The man of the underworld giggled at Birdway's words.

"It's not something to laugh at. Have you seriously prepared a solution to this mess?"

"Don't need to do anything. In the infinite cycle of the chicken and the egg, the chick will go on it's own way."

"Are you going to play this game of words to deceive your way through? If that really would work, what a chaotic play it would be."

After a little more words exchanged, Birdway slowly stood up.

"There's not much to be gained from how I live my life. It's time for me to return, Alchemist."

"Yeah? I'm sorry to see you go, but I won't keep you any longer."

The man named the Alchemist continued to speak to the magician girl.

"It's hard to form ties. In the end, I'd like to leave you a piece of advice, about your actions this time. Although it's something that the majority of people from this world can feel."

"What? Advice from a "being" like you would be interesting. Let's hear it then."

In response to Birdway's words, the Alchemist said with a blank expression.

"I don't think you came here because you were interested in what I was doing, but simply because you were chasing after Kamijou Touma, right?"

"Wh...."

"You're actually a brocon, aren't you?"

"...."

For a moment, the silence that seemed like that time had stood still dominated these two.

After several seconds of silence that could be described as forever, the corners of Birdway's mouth twitched, and she said.

"....If I become a magic god, I'll come over to this universe and destroy you, you bloody bastard. Keep that in mind."

"What a horrible thing to say...Fine"

Smiling while shrugging his shoulders once more, the Alchemist laughed.

"When that time comes, I'll ask Kamijou Touma for help."

===Part 17===
After the girl disappeared from the streets of Ikebukuro with an appalling anger, the man, still sitting on the bench, looked up at the sky, and muttered to himself.

"A chaotic play. In some sense, maybe that's true. But where in the world can you get the words to explain this event."--

"If you could explain it with words, then a phenomenon of this magnitude can't really be truly called "Absurd"".... Ha--

This, again, was the words of something outside of this dimension, from elsewhere--

Whether he understood it or not, this incident was, in other words, something like that.

"Oh well."

After saying that, the man's figure disappeared.

The space where the man was originally located dissolved into "nothingness" - like a film reel being scattered in the air.

Then, one part of the film distorts, beginning to form a circle, and the film, which had become a shape of a mobius ring, further shifted into the shape of ∞ Infinity, beginning to rotate.

As if to say that the event neither had a beginning, nor an end, from the very start.

The view of the city, too, continued to rotate like a film.

Knock knock, click click--

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––-––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––--––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Translator's note - Here's a note on all the origins of the characters (and terms) that appeared or were mentioned:

'''A Certain Magical Index (Kamachi Kazuma)'''

Kamijou Touma, Othinus, Roberto Katze, Leivinia Birdway, Aogami Pierce, Tsuchimikado Motoharu, Tsuchimikado Maika, Fukiyose, Himegami Aisa, Tsukuyomi Komoe, Index Librorum Prohibitum, Misaka Mikoto, Shokuhou Misaki, Amano Kaguya, Kazakiri Hyouka, Accelerator, Meigo Airsa, Aleister Crowley, Saten Ruiko, Olay Blueshake, Utgard Loki, Misaka Imouto, Sogiita Gunha, Kakine Teitoku, Komaba Ritoku, Kihara clan, Aiwass, Uiharu Kazari, Lessar, Jörmungandr, Hel, Last Order, Musujime Awaki

'''A Simple Series (Kamachi Kazuma)'''

[Absurd]

'''Durarara!!! (Narita Ryougo)'''

Yumasaki Walker, Tsukumoya Shinichi, Celty Sturluson, Heiwajima Shizuo, idk who this is, Karisawa Erika, Kyohei Kadota, Saburo Togusa, Shingen Kishitani, Shinra Kishitani, Orihara Izaya, Namie Yagiri

'''Vamp! (Narita Ryougo)'''

Viscount -- Gerhardt von Waldstein, The Organization

'''Baccano! (Narita Ryougo)'''

Prohibition Era Groups, Alchemy of the Abyss, Alchemist (Ronnie Schiatto)

'''Shakugan no Shana (Takahashi Yashichiro)'''

Shana

<noinclude>
{{Toaru_Nav|prev=IndexVSDRRR_Crossover_Academy_City_Chapter|next=Toaru Majutsu no IndexXApocalypse Witch Crossover SS}}
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Template:Toaru Nav/Parody Stories

2023-01-07T19:39:40Z

January:

Template:Toaru Nav/Side Stories

2023-01-07T19:35:06Z

January:

{| class="mw-wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:100%; text-align:left; margin:1em auto 1em auto; clear:both; font-size:100%; background:#E6F2FF"
! style="background:#cee0f2; width:100%;" align="center"|<span style="float:left;" class="plainlinks"><font style="font-size:10px; font-family:tahoma;">[[{{fullurl:Template:Toaru Nav|action=view}} v] [[Template Talk:Toaru Nav|d]] [{{fullurl:Template:Toaru Nav/Side Stories|action=edit}} e]]</font></span>[[Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament#Side Stories|Side Stories]]
|-
|
{| style="text-align:left; font-size:85%; background:transparent; width:100%"
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Volume SP|Volume SP]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Volume SP Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Volume SP Chapter1|Stiyl Magnus]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Volume SP Chapter2|Mark Space]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Volume SP Chapter3|Kamijou Touma]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Volume SP Chapter4|Uiharu Kazari]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Volume_SP_Afterword|Afterword]]
|-
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS1|Railgun SS1]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS1_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS1_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS1_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS1_Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS1_Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS1_Chapter5|Chapter 5]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS1_Chapter6|Chapter 6]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS1_Chapter7|Chapter 7]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS1_Chapter8|Chapter 8]]
|-
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |Kanzaki SS
! style="background:transparent;" |Illustrations - Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 - Chapter 3 - Chapter 4 - Chapter 5 - Chapter 6 - Chapter 7 - Chapter 8
|-
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS2|Railgun SS2]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS2_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS2_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS2_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS2_Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS2_Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS2_Chapter5|Chapter 5]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS2_Chapter6|Chapter 6]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS2_Chapter7|Chapter 7]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS2_Chapter8|Chapter 8]]
|-
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Road_to_Endymion|Road to Endymion]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Endymion_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Endymion_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Endymion_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Endymion_Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Endymion_Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Endymion_Chapter5|Chapter 5]]
|-
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |Necessarius SS
! style="background:transparent;" |Illustrations - Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 - Chapter 3 - Chapter 4 - Chapter 5 - Chapter 6 - Chapter 7 - Chapter 8
|-
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Virtual_On|Virtual-On]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Virtual_On_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Virtual_On_Preface|Preface]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Virtual_On_Prologue|Prologue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Virtual_On_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Virtual_On_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Virtual_On_Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Virtual_On_Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Virtual_On_Epilogue|Epilogue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Virtual_On_Afterword|Afterword]]
|-
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Kagaku_no_Railgun_SS3|Railgun SS3]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS3_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS3_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS3_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS3_Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS3_Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS3_Chapter5|Chapter 5]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS3_Chapter6|Chapter 6]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS3_Chapter7|Chapter 7]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:RailgunSS3_Chapter8|Chapter 8]]
|-
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Biohacker|Biohacker SS]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Biohacker_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Biohacker_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Biohacker_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Biohacker_Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Biohacker_Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Biohacker_Chapter5|Chapter 5]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Biohacker_Chapter6|Chapter 6]]
|-
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:AgneseSS|Agnese SS]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:AgneseSS_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:AgneseSS_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:AgneseSS_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:AgneseSS_Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:AgneseSS_Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:AgneseSS_Chapter5|Chapter 5]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:AgneseSS_Chapter6|Chapter 6]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:AgneseSS_Chapter7|Chapter 7]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:AgneseSS_Chapter8|Chapter 8]]
|-
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun|Railgun LN]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Prologue|Prologue]] - [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Epilogue|Epilogue]] - [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Afterword|Afterword]]
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! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" colspan="2"|[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Railgun_Cold_Game|Toaru Kagaku no Railgun: Cold Game]]
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! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" colspan="2"|[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Toaru_Jihanki_no_Fanfare|Toaru Jihanki no Fanfare]]
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! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" colspan="2"|[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Toaru_Love_Letter_SS|Toaru Majutsu No Index: Love Letter SS]]
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! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" colspan="2"|[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Railgun_PSP_SS|Toaru Kagaku no Railgun SS: A Superfluous Story, or A Certain Incident’s End]]
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! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" colspan="2"|[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:NT_SS|Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament SS]]
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! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" colspan="2"|[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Misaki_SS|Toaru Majutsu no Index: Shokuhou Misaki Figurine SS]]
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! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" colspan="2"|[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Summer_SS|Toaru Majutsu no Index: A Certain Midsummer Return to the Starting Point]]
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! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" colspan="2"|[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:NT17_Bonus|Toaru Majutsu no Index: Using Final Bosses to Determine a Sociological Threat]]
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! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" colspan="2"|[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:NT18_Bonus|Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament Bonus Short Story]]
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! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" colspan="2"|[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:NT19_Bonus|Toaru Majutsu no Index: Thus Spoke the Kumokawa Sisters]]
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! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" colspan="2"|[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Virtual-On_SS|Toaru Majutsu no Virtual-On: Vooster's Cup, The Day Before]]
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! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" colspan="2"|[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Virtual-On_SS2|Toaru Majutsu no Virtual-On: Misaka Mikoto's Dangerous Tea Party]]
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! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" colspan="2"|[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Kagun_SS|Toaru Majutsu no Index: Birthday Through the Glass]]
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! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" colspan="2"|[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:NT20_Bonus|Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 20 Bonus Short Story]]
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! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" colspan="2"|[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Dengeki_25th_Leaflet|Toaru Majutsu no Index: Misaka Mikoto’s Teamwork]]
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! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" colspan="2"|[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:KuroyoruSS|A Certain Magical Index: Genesis Testament SS]]
|}
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|}<noinclude>
{{Nav Doc|seriesname=Toaru Majutsu no Index: Side Stories|navname=Toaru Nav/Side Stories}}[[Category:Templates]]</noinclude>

Template:Toaru:Awards

2023-01-03T18:20:18Z

January: 2023 update

<big><div class="mw-customtoggle-2008 mw-customtoggle-2010 mw-customtoggle-2011 mw-customtoggle-2012 mw-customtoggle-2013 mw-customtoggle-2014 mw-customtoggle-2015 mw-customtoggle-2016 mw-customtoggle-2017 mw-customtoggle-2018 mw-customtoggle-2019 mw-customtoggle-2020" style="width:420px;background:black;cursor:pointer" align="center">
<span style="color:white">'''Switch OPEN and CLOSED Sections'''</span></div></big>

<div class="mw-customtoggle-2008" style="width:420px;background:#cee0f2;cursor:pointer" align="center">'''Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! 2005 - 2008'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:left;margin:5px20pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:420px" id="mw-customcollapsible-2008">

<center><u>'''Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (このライトノベルがすごい!) 2005'''</u></center> 
*22nd Place in Best Novel Series, Kamachi Kazuma

<center><u>'''Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (このライトノベルがすごい!) 2006'''</u></center> 
*43rd Place in Best Novel Series, Kamachi Kazuma

<center><u>'''Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (このライトノベルがすごい!) 2007'''</u></center> 
*14th Place in Best Novel Series, Kamachi Kazuma
*9th Place in Best Male Character, Kamijou Touma

<center><u>'''Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (このライトノベルがすごい!) 2008'''</u></center> 
*15th Place in Best Novel Series, Kamachi Kazuma
*3rd Place in Best Male Character, Kamijou Touma
*29th Place in Best Male Character, Accelerator 
*11th Place in Best Female Character, Misaka Mikoto 
*5th Place in Best Character, Kamijou Touma 
</div>

<div class="mw-customtoggle-2010" style="width:420px;background:#cee0f2;cursor:pointer" align="center">'''Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! 2009 - 2010'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:left;margin:5px20pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:420px" id="mw-customcollapsible-2010">

<center><u>'''Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (このライトノベルがすごい!) 2009'''</u></center> 
*4th Place in Best Novel Series, Kamachi Kazuma
*2nd Place in Best Male Character, Kamijou Touma 
*11th Place in Best Male Character, Accelerator
*5th Place in Best Female Character, Misaka Mikoto
*3rd Place in Best Character, Kamijou Touma
*9th Place in Best Character, Misaka Mikoto

<center><u>'''Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (このライトノベルがすごい!) 2010'''</u></center> 
*9th Place in Best Novel Series, Kamachi Kazuma
*12th Place in Best Illustrator, Haimura Kiyotaka
*1st Place in Best Female Character, Misaka Mikoto
*3rd Place in Best Male Character, Kamijou Touma
*11th Place in Best Male Character, Accelerator
*3rd Place in Best Character, Kamijou Touma
*6th Place in Best Character, Misaka Mikoto
</div>

<div class="mw-customtoggle-2011" style="width:420px;background:#cee0f2;cursor:pointer" align="center">'''Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (このライトノベルがすごい!) 2011'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:left;margin:5px20pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:420px" id="mw-customcollapsible-2011">
*1st Place in Best Novel Series, Kamachi Kazuma
*1st Place in Best Illustrator, Haimura Kiyotaka
*1st Place in Best Male Character, Kamijou Touma
*2nd Place in Best Male Character, Accelerator
*11th Place in Best Male Character, Hamazura Shiage
*28th Place in Best Male Character, Acqua of the Back
*1st Place in Best Female Character, Misaka Mikoto
*3rd Place in Best Female Character, Index
*7th Place in Best Female Character, Itsuwa
*14th Place in Best Female Character, Last Order
*1st Place in Best Character, Kamijou Touma
*2nd Place in Best Character, Misaka Mikoto
*3rd Place in Best Character, Accelerator
</div>

<div class="mw-customtoggle-2012" style="width:420px;background:#cee0f2;cursor:pointer" align="center">'''Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (このライトノベルがすごい!) 2012'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:left;margin:5px20pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:420px" id="mw-customcollapsible-2012"> 
*2nd Place in Best Novel Series, Kamachi Kazuma
*2nd Place in Best Illustrator, Haimura Kiyotaka
*2nd Place in Best Male Character, Kamijou Touma
*4th Place in Best Male Character, Accelerator
*23rd Place in Best Male Character, Hamazura Shiage
*1st Place in Best Female Character, Misaka Mikoto
*15th Place in Best Female Character, Index
*24th Place in Best Female Character, Last Order
*2nd Place in Best Character, Kamijou Touma
*3rd Place in Best Character, Misaka Mikoto
*5th Place in Best Character, Accelerator
</div>

<div class="mw-customtoggle-2013" style="width:420px;background:#cee0f2;cursor:pointer;cursor:pointer" align="center">'''Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (このライトノベルがすごい!) 2013'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:left;margin:5px20pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:420px" id="mw-customcollapsible-2013">
*2nd Place in Best Novel Series, Kamachi Kazuma
*3rd Place in Best Illustrator, Haimura Kiyotaka
*1st Place in Best Female Character, Misaka Mikoto
*12th Place in Best Female Character, Index
*26th Place in Best Female Character, Last Order
*2nd Place in Best Male Character, Kamijou Touma
*3rd Place in Best Male Character, Accelerator
*28th Place in Best Male Character, Hamazura Shiage
*2nd Place in Best Character, Misaka Mikoto
*4th Place in Best Character, Kamijou Touma
*5th Place in Best Character, Accelerator
</div>

<div class="mw-customtoggle-2014" style="width:420px;background:#cee0f2;cursor:pointer" align="center">'''Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (このライトノベルがすごい!) 2014'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:left;margin:5px20pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:420px" id="mw-customcollapsible-2014">
*3rd Place in Best Novel Series, Kamachi Kazuma
*'''1st Place in Best Novel Series of 10 Years, Kamachi Kazuma'''
*1st Place in Best Illustrator, Haimura Kiyotaka
*1st Place in Best Female Character, Misaka Mikoto
*5th Place in Best Female Character, Index
*13th Place in Best Female Character, Shokuhou Misaki
*2nd Place in Best Male Character, Kamijou Touma
*4th Place in Best Male Character, Accelerator
*30th Place in Best Male Character, Tsuchimikado Motoharu
*1st Place in Best Character, Misaka Mikoto
*3rd Place in Best Character, Kamijou Touma
*6th Place in Best Character, Accelerator
</div>

<div class="mw-customtoggle-2015" style="width:420px;background:#cee0f2;cursor:pointer" align="center">'''Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (このライトノベルがすごい!) 2015'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:left;margin:5px20pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:420px" id="mw-customcollapsible-2015">
*4th Place in Best Novel Series, Kamachi Kazuma
*2nd Place in Best Illustrator, Haimura Kiyotaka
*2nd Place in Best Female Character, Misaka Mikoto
*5th Place in Best Female Character, Othinus
*6th Place in Best Female Character, Index
*9th Place in Best Female Character, Shokuhou Misaki
*2nd Place in Best Male Character, Kamijou Touma
*4th Place in Best Male Character, Accelerator
*21st Place in Best Male Character, Thor
*2nd Place in Best Character, Kamijou Touma
*4th Place in Best Character, Misaka Mikoto
*8th Place in Best Character, Accelerator
*10th Place in Best Character, Othinus
*13th Place in Best Character, Index
</div>

<div class="mw-customtoggle-2016" style="width:420px;background:#cee0f2;cursor:pointer" align="center">'''Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (このライトノベルがすごい!) 2016'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:left;margin:5px20pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:420px" id="mw-customcollapsible-2016">
*7th Place in Best Novel Series, Kamachi Kazuma
*2nd Place in Best Illustrator, Haimura Kiyotaka
*1st Place in Best Female Character, Misaka Mikoto
*9th Place in Best Female Character, Othinus
*10th Place in Best Female Character, Index
*16th Place in Best Female Character, Shokuhou Misaki
*3rd Place in Best Male Character, Kamijou Touma
*4th Place in Best Male Character, Accelerator
*2nd Place in Best Character, Misaka Mikoto
*5th Place in Best Character, Kamijou Touma
*6th Place in Best Character, Accelerator
*16th Place in Best Character, Othinus
*18th Place in Best Character, Index
</div>

<div class="mw-customtoggle-2017" style="width:420px;background:#cee0f2;cursor:pointer" align="center">'''Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (このライトノベルがすごい!) 2017'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:left;margin:5px20pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:420px" id="mw-customcollapsible-2017">
*3rd Place in Best Novel Series, Kamachi Kazuma
*1st Place in Best Illustrator, Haimura Kiyotaka
*1st Place in Best Female Character, Misaka Mikoto
*9th Place in Best Female Character, Index
*10th Place in Best Female Character, Othinus
*12th Place in Best Female Character, Shokuhou Misaki
*1st Place in Best Male Character, Kamijou Touma
*3rd Place in Best Male Character, Accelerator
*30th Place in Best Male Character, Kamisato Kakeru
*1st Place in Best Character, Kamijou Touma
*2nd Place in Best Character, Misaka Mikoto
*5th Place in Best Character, Accelerator
*16th Place in Best Character, Index
*18th Place in Best Character, Othinus
</div>

<div class="mw-customtoggle-2018" style="width:420px;background:#cee0f2;cursor:pointer" align="center">'''Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (このライトノベルがすごい!) 2018'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:left;margin:5px20pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:420px" id="mw-customcollapsible-2018">
*26th Place in Best Novel Series, Kamachi Kazuma
*1st Place in Best Illustrator, Haimura Kiyotaka
*1st Place in Best Female Character, Misaka Mikoto
*10th Place in Best Female Character, Othinus
*20th Place in Best Female Character, Index
*21st Place in Best Female Character, Shokuhou Misaki
*23rd Place in Best Female Character, Shirai Kuroko
*3rd Place in Best Male Character, Kamijou Touma
*5th Place in Best Male Character, Accelerator
*14th Place in Best Male Character, Kamisato Kakeru
*20th Place in Best Male Character, Aleister Crowley
*1st Place in Best Character, Misaka Mikoto
*4th Place in Best Character, Kamijou Touma
*6th Place in Best Character, Accelerator
*22nd Place in Best Character, Othinus
*30th Place in Best Character, Kamisato Kakeru
*35th Place in Best Character, Index
*37th Place in Best Character, Shokuhou Misaki
*39th Place in Best Character, Shirai Kuroko
</div>

<div class="mw-customtoggle-2019" style="width:420px;background:#cee0f2;cursor:pointer" align="center">'''Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (このライトノベルがすごい!) 2019'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:left;margin:5px20pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:420px" id="mw-customcollapsible-2019">
*9th Place in Best Novel Series, Kamachi Kazuma
*2nd Place in Best Illustrator, Haimura Kiyotaka
*1st Place in Best Female Character, Misaka Mikoto
*13th Place in Best Female Character, Index
*16th Place in Best Female Character, Othinus
*25th Place in Best Female Character, Shokuhou Misaki
*1st Place in Best Male Character, Kamijou Touma
*6th Place in Best Male Character, Accelerator
*1st Place in Best Character, Kamijou Touma
*3rd Place in Best Character, Misaka Mikoto
*7th Place in Best Character, Accelerator
</div>

<div class="mw-customtoggle-2020" style="width:420px;background:#cee0f2;cursor:pointer" align="center">'''Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (このライトノベルがすごい!) 2020'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:left;margin:5px20pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:420px" id="mw-customcollapsible-2020">
*18th Place in Best Novel Series, Kamachi Kazuma
*'''2nd Place in Best Novel Series of 10 Years, Kamachi Kazuma'''
*6th Place in Best Illustrator, Haimura Kiyotaka
*3rd Place in Best Female Character, Misaka Mikoto
*22nd Place in Best Female Character, Othinus
*3rd Place in Best Male Character, Kamijou Touma
*7th Place in Best Male Character, Accelerator
*5th Place in Best Character, Misaka Mikoto
*6th Place in Best Character, Kamijou Touma
*14th Place in Best Character, Accelerator
*41st Place in Best Character, Othinus
</div>

<div class="mw-customtoggle-2021" style="width:420px;background:#cee0f2;cursor:pointer" align="center">'''Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (このライトノベルがすごい!) 2021'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:left;margin:5px20pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:420px" id="mw-customcollapsible-2021">
*7th Place in Best Female Character, Misaka Mikoto
*7th Place in Best Male Character, Kamijou Touma
*18th Place in Best Male Character, Accelerator
</div>

<div class="mw-customtoggle-2022" style="width:420px;background:#cee0f2;cursor:pointer" align="center">'''Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (このライトノベルがすごい!) 2022'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:left;margin:5px20pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:420px" id="mw-customcollapsible-2022">
*17th Place in Best Female Character, Misaka Mikoto
*18th Place in Best Male Character, Kamijou Touma
*37th Place in Best Male Character, Accelerator
</div>

<div class="mw-customtoggle-2023" style="width:420px;background:#cee0f2;cursor:pointer" align="center">'''Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (このライトノベルがすごい!) 2023'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:left;margin:5px20pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:420px" id="mw-customcollapsible-2023">
*27th Place in Best Female Character, Misaka Mikoto
*22nd Place in Best Male Character, Kamijou Touma
*40th Place in Best Male Character, Accelerator
</div>

Template:Toaru:Series Overview

2022-12-30T13:43:32Z

January: /* Japanese */

===[http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/series/a-certain-magical-index/?yen English]===
<div class="mw-customtoggle-Eng" style="width:100%;background:#1d6ebf;cursor:pointer" align="center"><span style="color:white">'''<big>Released</big>'''</span></div>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:left;margin:5px20pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:100%" id="mw-customcollapsible-Eng">
*A Certain Magical Index 1 ---(November 18, 2014, ISBN 978-0-316-33912-4)
*A Certain Magical Index 2 ---(February 24, 2015, ISBN 978-0-316-25942-2)
*A Certain Magical Index 3 ---(May 19, 2015, ISBN 978-0-316-34040-3)
*A Certain Magical Index 4 ---(August 18, 2015, ISBN 978-0-316-34056-4)
*A Certain Magical Index 5 ---(November 17, 2015, ISBN 978-0-316-34059-5)
*A Certain Magical Index 6 ---(February 23, 2016, ISBN 978-0-316-34060-1)
*A Certain Magical Index 7 ---(June 28, 2016, ISBN 978-0-316-27223-0)
*A Certain Magical Index 8 ---(August 23, 2016, ISBN 978-0-316-35995-5)
*A Certain Magical Index 9 ---(November 15, 2016, ISBN 978-0-316-35997-9)
*A Certain Magical Index 10 ---(February 21, 2017, ISBN 978-0-316-35998-6)
*A Certain Magical Index 11 ---(May 23, 2017, ISBN 978-0-316-36001-2)
*A Certain Magical Index 12 ---(August 22, 2017, ISBN 978-0-316-36002-9)
*A Certain Magical Index 13 ---(November 14, 2017, ISBN 978-0-316-44267-1)
*A Certain Magical Index 14 ---(February 20, 2018, ISBN 978-0-316-44270-1)
*A Certain Magical Index 15 ---(May 22, 2018, ISBN 978-0-316-44272-5)
*A Certain Magical Index 16 ---(August 21, 2018, ISBN 978-0-316-44274-9)
*A Certain Magical Index 17 ---(November 13, 2018, ISBN 978-0-316-47454-2)
*A Certain Magical Index 18 ---(January 19, 2019, ISBN 978-0-316-47456-6)
*A Certain Magical Index 19 ---(June 18, 2019, ISBN 978-1-975-35756-6)
*A Certain Magical Index 20 ---(October 1, 2019, ISBN 978-1-975-33124-5)
*A Certain Magical Index 21 ---(December 17, 2019, ISBN 978-1-975-33126-9)
*A Certain Magical Index 22 ---(March 24, 2020, ISBN 978-1-9753-3128-3)
*A Certain Magical Index SS ---(November 17, 2020, ISBN 978-1-9753-1797-3)
*A Certain Magical Index SS2 ---(March 2, 2021, ISBN 978-1-9753-1799-7)
</div>


===[http://dengekibunko.jp/?s=とある魔術の禁書目録 Japanese]===
<div class="mw-customtoggle-First" style="width:100%;background:#cee0f2;cursor:pointer" align="center">'''<big>First Series</big>'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:left;margin:5px20pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:100%" id="mw-customcollapsible-First">
*Toaru Majutsu no Index 1 (April 10, 2004, ISBN 978-4-8402-2658-5)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index 2 (June 10, 2004, ISBN 978-4-8402-2701-8)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index 3 (September 10, 2004, ISBN 978-4-8402-2785-8)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index 4 (December 10, 2004, ISBN 978-4-8402-2858-9)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index 5 (April 10, 2005, ISBN 978-4-8402-2858-9)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index 6 (July 10, 2005, ISBN 978-4-8402-2973-9)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index 7 (November 10, 2005, ISBN 978-4-8402-3205-0)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index 8 (January 10, 2006, ISBN 978-4-8402-3269-2)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index 9 (April 10, 2006, ISBN 978-4-8402-3385-9)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index 10 (May 10, 2006, ISBN 978-4-8402-3428-3)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index 11 (October 10, 2006, ISBN 978-4-8402-3581-5)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index 12 (January 10, 2007, ISBN 978-4-8402-3683-6)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index 13 (April 10, 2007, ISBN 978-4-8402-3801-4)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index SS (July 10, 2007, ISBN 978-4-8402-3912-7)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index 14 (November 10, 2007, ISBN 978-4-8402-4062-8)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index 15 (January 10, 2008, ISBN 978-4-8402-4145-8)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index 16 (June 10, 2008, ISBN 978-4-04-867086-9)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index SS2 (November 10, 2008, ISBN 978-4-04-867342-6)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index 17 (March 10, 2009, ISBN 978-4-04-867591-8)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index 18 (July 10, 2009, ISBN 978-4-04-867897-1)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index 19 (November 10, 2009, ISBN 978-4-04-868069-1)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index 20 (March 10, 2010, ISBN 978-4-04-868393-7)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index 21 (August 10, 2010, ISBN 978-4-04-868762-1)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index 22 (October 10, 2010, ISBN 978-4-04-868972-4)
</div>
<div class="mw-customtoggle-Second" style="width:100%;background:#f2cee0;cursor:pointer" align="center">'''<big>Second Series</big>'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:left;margin:5px20pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:100%" id="mw-customcollapsible-Second">
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 1 (March 10, 2011, ISBN 978-4-04-870319-2)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 2 (August 10, 2011, ISBN 978-4-04-870738-1)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 3 (December 10, 2011, ISBN 978-4-04-886240-0)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 4 (March 10, 2012, ISBN 978-4-04-886373-5)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 5 (October 10, 2012, ISBN 978-4-04-886978-2)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 6 (January 10, 2013, ISBN 978-4-04-891253-2)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 7 (May 10, 2013, ISBN 978-4-04-891604-2)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 8 (September 10, 2013, ISBN 978-4-04-891904-3)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 9 (January 10, 2014, ISBN 978-4-04-866222-2)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 10 (May 10, 2014, ISBN 978-4-04-866532-2)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 11 (October 10, 2014, ISBN 978-4-04-866938-2)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 12 (March 10, 2015, ISBN 978-4-04-869333-2)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 13 (July 10, 2015, ISBN 978-4-04-865244-5)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 14 (November 10, 2015, ISBN 978-4-04-865507-1)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 15 (April 9, 2016, ISBN 978-4-04-865884-3)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 16 (August 10, 2016, ISBN 978-4-04-892251-7)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 17 (November 10, 2016, ISBN 978-4-04-892486-3)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 18 (May 10, 2017, ISBN 978-4-04-892893-9)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 19 (October 7, 2017, ISBN 978-4-04-893405-3)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 20 (June 10, 2018, ISBN 978-4-04-893871-6)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 21 (October 10, 2018, ISBN 978-4-04-912025-7)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 22 (March 9, 2019, ISBN 978-4-04-912385-2)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament 22 Reverse (July 10, 2019, ISBN 978-4-04-912667-9)
</div>
<div class="mw-customtoggle-Third" style="width:100%;background:#f2e0ce;cursor:pointer" align="center">'''<big>Third Series</big>'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:left;margin:5px20pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:100%" id="mw-customcollapsible-Third">
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: Genesis Testament 1 (February 7, 2020, ISBN 978-4-04-912809-3)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: Genesis Testament 2 (July 10, 2020, ISBN 978-4-04-913321-9)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: Genesis Testament 3 (November 10, 2020, ISBN 978-4-04-913500-8)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: Genesis Testament 4 (May 8, 2021, ISBN 978-4-04-913730-9)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: Genesis Testament 5 (December 10, 2021, ISBN 978-4-04-914135-1)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: Genesis Testament 6 (April 8, 2022, ISBN 978-4-04-914350-8)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: Genesis Testament 7 (September 9, 2022, ISBN 978-4-04-914585-4)
</div>

<div class="mw-customtoggle-Others" style="width:100%;background:#e0f2ce;cursor:pointer;" align="center">'''<big>Others</big>'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:left;margin:5px20pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:100%" id="mw-customcollapsible-Others">
'''Collections'''
*<u>Toaru Majutsu no Index SP</u> (August 10, 2011, ISBN 978-4-04-870775-6)
**Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Stiyl Magnus
**Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Mark Space
**Toaru Majutsu no Index: Mars SS
**Toaru Kagaku no Railgun SS: Uiharu Kazari
*<u>Toaru Majutsu no Index: Gaiten Shoku 1</u> (June 10, 2020, ISBN 978-4-04-913201-4)
**Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Norse Mythology (eight-part side story, bundled with the Limited Edition DVDs of the Toaru Kagaku no Railgun anime)
**Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Necessarius Special Entrance Exam (eight-part side story, bundled with the Limited Edition DVDs/BDs of the Toaru Kagaku no Railgun S anime)
**Toaru Majutsu no Index: Road to Endymion (Limited release with the Miracle of Endymion movie)
*<u>Toaru Majutsu no Index: Gaiten Shoku 2</u> (August 7, 2020, ISBN 978-4-04-913202-1)
**Toaru Kagaku no Railgun SS: Liberal Arts City (eight-part side story, bundled with the Limited Edition DVDs of the Toaru Majutsu no Index anime)
**Toaru Kagaku no Railgun SS2: Ability Demonstration Trip (eight-part side story, bundled with the Limited Edition DVDs of the Toaru Majutsu no Index II anime)
**Toaru Kagaku no Railgun: Cold Game (December 27, 2017, Special novel bundled with the February 2018 issue of Dengeki Daioh marking the publication of the 100th Railgun manga chapter)
'''Special'''
*Toaru Majutsu no Index & Ore no Imouto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai Crossover
**Toaru Collabo no Girls' Talk (June 7 — 28, 2013, four web chapters on Nico's website)
**Ore no "Mikouto" ga Konna ni Abare Mawaru Wake ga Nai (September 5 — 26, 2013, four web chapters on Nico's website)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index VS Durarara!! (October 5, 2014, Special crossover story featured in Dengeki Bunko Official Bootleg Book Dengeki VS)
*Toaru Majutsu no Heavy na Zashiki Warashi ga Kantan na Satsujinki no Konkatsu Jijou (February 10, 2015, ISBN 978-4-04-869250-2, 10th Anniversary special novel)
*Toaru Majutsu no Virtual-On (May 10, 2016, ISBN 978-4-04-865945-1, Special crossover novel with Cyber Troopers: Virtual-On)
'''Uncollected'''
*Toaru Jihanki no Fanfare (special mini-novel by Baccano! and Durarara!! author, Narita Ryogho, bundled with the Special Edition of Volume 5 of the Toaru Kagaku no Railgun manga)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: Love Letter SS (side story released in artbook Rainbow Spectrum: Colors)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament SS (side story released in artbook Rainbow Spectrum: Notes)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: Shokuhou Misaki Figurine SS (Limited release with 10th Anniversary special Shokuhou Misaki Figurine)
*Toaru Kagaku no Railgun SS3 (eight-part side story, bundled with the Limited Edition DVD/BDs of the Toaru Majutsu no Index III anime)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Biohacker (three-part side story with the Limited Edition DVD/BDs of the Toaru Kagaku no Accelerator anime)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Agnese's Magic Side Work Experience (eight-part side story, bundled with the Limited Edition DVDs/BDs of the Toaru Kagaku no Railgun T anime)
*Toaru Majutsu no Index: Genesis Testament SS (side story released in Hamikura Kiyotaka Artbook 3: CROSS)
*Toaru Kagaku no Railgun (June 10, 2022, ISBN 978-4-04-914455-0, Railgun manga 15th Anniversary special novel)
</div>

Template:Toaru Nav/Majutsu GT

2022-09-27T18:11:30Z

January:

Index Calendar

2022-09-27T14:04:13Z

January: /* Current Dates Across Franchise */

[[Image:A_Certain_Unified_Calendar.png|900px|thumb|none|An unofficial calendar of events in the Toaru Majutsu no Index franchise]]

==Current Dates Across Franchise==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Name!!Material!!Issue!!Current Date in Material
|-
|<span style="color:blue">'''Toaru Majutsu no Index'''</span>||'''Light Novels'''||'''GT7'''||3rd of January (next year)
|-
|<span style="color:blue">'''Toaru Majutsu no Index'''</span>||''Manga''||Ch. 174||~17th of October
|-
|<span style="color:crimson">'''Toaru Kagaku no Railgun'''</span>||''Manga''||Ch. 142||~15th of October (Ch. 130)<br/>May (previous year, Ch. 142)
|-
|<span style="color:darkslategray">'''Toaru Kagaku no Accelerator'''</span>||''Manga''||Ch. 63||14th of September
|-
|<span style="color:deeppink">'''Astral Buddy'''</span>||''Manga''||Ch. 30||~3rd of October
|-
|<span style="color:darkviolet">'''Toaru Kagaku no Dark Matter'''</span>||''Manga''||Ch. 4||~8th of September
|-
|<span style="color:gold">'''Toaru Kagaku no Mental Out'''</span>||''Manga''||Ch. 12||October
|-
|<span style="color:blue">'''Toaru Majutsu no Index'''</span>||Anime||Ep. III-26||31st of October
|-
|<span style="color:crimson">'''Toaru Kagaku no Railgun'''</span>||Anime||Ep. T-25||~11th of October
|-
|<span style="color:darkslategray">'''Toaru Kagaku no Accelerator'''</span>||Anime||Ep. 12||~8th of September
|}

==Brief Notes not currently in Calendar==
===Index: Old Testament===
===Index: New Testament===
===Index: Genesis Testament===
===Railgun===
===Accelerator===
===Astral Buddy===
===Dark Matter===
===Mental Out===

Return to [[Toaru Majutsu no Index|'''Toaru Majutsu no Index Main Page''']].

Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume7 Epilogue

2022-09-26T07:10:32Z

January: Added missing punctuation for abbreviations

==Epilogue: Saving Her is Unconditional – Join_to…?==

Shortly before the ending.

“Gh,” someone groaned.

It was Aradia, goddess of the night and the moon.

She had been quickly cut down by H. T. Trismegistus in the clash between Transcendents, but she remained vaguely aware of how the battle progressed afterwards. Since Alice made an appearance toward the end, perhaps she should have been thankful the young butler had cut her down when he did.

She found it hard to believe she now found herself in a carefree morning with an ordinary sunny sky overhead.

She slowly sat up.

(Good, Old Mary’s skill is as scary as ever.)

Her witch’s clothing was torn and bloody, but her skin didn’t have a single scratch. Although Good, Old Mary herself claimed the way she used death for her own purposes differed from a doctor who solely fought to save the patient’s life.

Aradia grabbed a needle and some thread from among the scattered rubble and sewed up her torn clothing while the entire consulate grounds continued to shake.

That boy was one of the witches Aradia was meant to protect.

The eyepatch god had informed her that he met her conditions for salvation.

But if Alice Anotherbible had ''released the seal of her safe and friendly children’s book'', then a normal Transcendent like Aradia would be killed instantly if she tried to intervene. That would be meaningless.

(So what else can I do?)

Waterproof duct tape was crudely wrapped around her feet.

She would regain her power as a Transcendent if she removed that, but she frowned. She took a deep breath and stopped herself. She would be removing the tape eventually, but she could wait until she had put that boy’s mind at ease first.

She had already detected something else.

(''Alice isn’t the only threat here''!!)

She used her unsteady legs to take her away from the consulate where all the fierce fighting was taking place. It would have been impossible not to notice these people. They were probably hiding their presence to an extent, but they had to know it wasn’t enough to fool a magician with good instincts.

She could sense their insolent intent to silence anyone who discovered them.

She could hear them.

They blended into the crowd like they belonged there, but their group was possibly even more horrific than the Transcendents. They were whispering with a thin smile on their faces.

“I see it now.”

One was a woman in a beige habit with blonde hair roughly cut to shoulder length.

One was a golden retriever.

One was a goddess of wisdom created by stuffing a preserved corpse full of precision machinery.

One was…what even was that? A villain’s face sealed inside a large film canister?

And it almost looked like someone else’s face was visible in the shining hair on the back of the beige habit woman’s head.

“Aradia uses the triple goddess, Trismegistus creates a false god, and Good, Old Mary has her Tribikos. I can’t say for sure about the Bologna Succubus, but I can make some guesses based on the data we have so far. And it looks like Alice is using a children’s book as a seal.”

Not a single member of that bizarre group was an ordinary human. They were all monsters who could bring disaster or pestilence upon you if you so much as laid eyes on them, but they were rationally analyzing the world’s darkness.

They were revealing the secrets of the Transcendents.

“They might be an ''unlucky'' magician who was born to the human world yet acquired a spell that most people wouldn’t dare even consider because it breaks all the limits, is much too risky to use, and should kill you the instant it is activated. They might never have been human to begin with. And they might be a cunning priestess who can safely draw on the power of an abnormal being like that.”

The relevant terms had been seen in the magic side a few times already.

Even that boy may have heard them, although he may not have known the great meaning they held.

“They are all linked to the Holy Guardian Angels or Secret Chiefs in some way. Some by controlling them, some by receiving their grimoires or knowledge, and some by allowing one to reside in their body.”

Aradia was close enough to clearly hear the voice containing a self-deprecating smile.

“Come to think of it, my Aiwass was much the same. And he moved from me to you during the confusion of the battle against Coronzon in the UK. Whether you call him an intelligent extraterrestrial lifeform or a messenger of Thoth, you did indeed deserve the title of Transcendent if you had become his priestess.”

The film canister sang.

Almost like it was enjoying its own ruin.

“He belonged to me to begin with. And you don’t think that’s all there is to it, do you?”

Aradia froze while listening in.

But not because Anna Sprengel was leaking their information. No, this information clearly came from the woman in the beige habit.

“Yes, if Aiwass was ''all'' it took, then I would have taken the title for myself. Even if I was only temporarily borrowing him from you, Miss Sprengel. Trying to brag about him does seem kind of silly at this point, though.”

She didn’t hesitate to touch on the crux of the issue.

“All people can create a monster and become a god. Wasn’t that how you defined the Aeon of Horus before?”

The film canister laughed in response.

“But I was not talking about Alice Anotherbible.”

The beige habit woman clicked her tongue in annoyance.

And she said more with the look of someone being presented with a past failure.

“The microcosm and macrocosm are always linked. So anything that can be done in an individual human body can also be done in the world as a whole. For example, the magicians who serve the rose believe they can create a medicine to heal the world’s sickness in the same way ordinary medicines can heal human sickness.”

She did not stop.

She revealed even more.

“Are the Transcendents of the Bridge Builders Cabal a group meant to create a special being? Just as the position of the moon affects the tides, the positioning of those extraordinarily powerful Transcendents in their lab is meant to create something with an otherwise impossible deviation.”

That led to an obvious question.

And if she got past that question, Aradia and the others were truly done for.

“Every man and every woman is a star. If each of the Transcendents stands in the ceremonial ground with a perfect understanding of their role, they could act as a complex device to create something extremely powerful. An understanding of Crowley-style Magick is enough to reach that conclusion. …But what is it the Bridge Builders Cabal is trying to create? What is the intended end result of the precise positioning of all their powers, ''including Alice’s''?”

That was where they stopped talking. They had noticed Aradia’s presence. And what did the witch goddess herself think that meant?

That group hadn’t thought they could remain hidden to the end. Their plan was to keep their secret by killing any troublemakers who discovered them.

Their eyes met.

The beige habit woman frowned just a bit while holding the film canister in her hands.

“You?”

“Uh, oh,” said Aradia, too late.

Anna Sprengel had made such a mess of the Bridge Builders Cabal, yet she had been so thoroughly defeated. Even if Aradia had been in top form, she may have had trouble escaping the onslaught of the beige habit woman and her gang.

But.

''That wasn’t what concerned her at the moment.

“Quick question.”

“What makes you think we will answer it?”

“Since you’ve turned her into a face on a film canister, I can assume you and Miss Sprengel are enemies, right? This isn’t some big moral issue. I just need to know: is Kamijou Touma one of the people you hope to save?”

“Again, what makes you think-”

“''If so, you need to get out of here immediately''!! Damn, I really screwed this one up. This isn’t an issue of logic or rules. If he notices I’ve disappeared without a word to him, he’s going to follow me here. And that will bring him to the hidden side of the world where he doesn’t belong!!!”

But it was too late.

If Aradia had been told then that the beige habit woman was in fact Aleister Crowley, this may have made a lot more sense to her.

That ''human'' worked out his plans more carefully than anyone and they always ended in failure.

No matter where he started from, he would always fall victim to misunderstandings and confusion.

And this was no exception.

Kamijou Touma had chased after Aradia, so he saw everything here.

He didn’t know how it had happened, but he saw what remained of Anna Sprengel pasted to the surface of that film canister.

He roared.

By the time that mass of sound exploded out, Kamijou Touma was already rushing in with fist clenched.

Alice and the Bridge Builders Cabal had made it clear they intended to kill Anna Sprengel. They had prepared the Shrink Drink spiritual item for that purpose and called Mut Thebes, an execution expert, to Academy City.

And now he found Aleister’s group had taken away Anna’s body to hold her captive.

This was the boy who had clenched his fist and opposed the young butler and even Alice herself in his fury over their treatment of the witch who had personally killed him several times.

He of all people would do this.

He didn’t need a reason. He didn’t even need to like her. He only needed to learn of a cruelty playing out before his eyes and see someone backed into a corner.

He could find a reason to want to save her later.

He had said as much already.

Ordinarily, Aleister could have fought back in any number of ways. Or if that human couldn’t act, he could have given a command to the preserved corpse magician by his side and she could have defeated the boy without lifting a finger.

But he was caught off guard.

He had the look of a child after being struck out of nowhere by a trusted family member.

But Aleister wasn’t even Kamijou’s target.

Kamijou was focused on the film canister in Aleister’s hands.

His punches could destroy any illusion. With a comical “poof!!” sound, the little villain reappeared, clutching her baggy dress to her flat chest.

“Damn.”

Kamijou himself appeared to be biting his lip.

Miss Sprengel was undeniably a bad person for all the suffering she had caused on a whim.

But Aradia knew exactly what the boy was going to say next. He wanted to eliminate all hard feelings between him and his defeated enemy. He wanted to avoid a situation that would require killing her. The waterproof duct tape around Aradia’s feet was in fact a reaction to his failure with that villain.

So…

His hand moved right past the ''human'' to grab someone else’s hand.

“Run away with me, Anna Sprengel!!!”

Kamijou Touma ran through Academy City, pulling the little villain along by the hand.

Witch Goddess Aradia was with him too.

(Where are Index and Othinus? They were with me at the consulate, but what happened after that, dammit!?)

He was worried, but there was no turning back now.

A lot of people were gathering at the consulate, so he had to hope those two could escape in the confusion.

For now, he had to ensure Aradia and Anna were safe. Once that was done, he would have attention to spare on seeing if Index and Othinus were alright.

That said, he wasn’t sure where he could actually go.

Academy City, Alice’s Bridge Builders Cabal, and now Aleister. Too many people wanted Anna Sprengel dead. There might not be anywhere she would be safe.

“Why?”

Anna Sprengel was baffled.

She had chosen the path of evil for her own enjoyment and looked arrogantly down on everyone else, but now she had encountered something that made no sense at all to her.

“Why would you put yourself at risk to help me escape?”

“Shut up. I’m not happy with you, but I can yell at you once we’ve escaped. Make no mistake. I haven’t forgiven you for what you did to St. Germain, what you did to Helcalia and Melzabeth, or anything else! ''But that’s not enough of a reason'' to take someone’s life!!”

“But you have no reason to help me. Do you have any idea how many enemies you’ve made with this move? You should have stayed out of it and let me die, or at least pointed and laughed while I was shown off as some kind of living mouth of truth.”

“I don’t care!! ''Maybe I don’t have a reason now, but that just means I have to find one later''!!!”

Kamijou crouched and reached for Aradia’s feet. Or more accurately, toward the waterproof duct tape covering everything from her ankles on down.

“Are you ready? I’m going to remove this, Aradia.”

Aradia narrowed her eyes.

It was true that relying on Aradia was about his only option at the moment. This was well past the point where Imagine Breaker alone was enough.

She assumed that was his reasoning, but…

“I can’t get you caught up in this. I’ll unlock your magic, so get as far away from here as possible. Do you think the Bridge Builders Cabal would let you back in? If not, find somewhere else to go.”

“…”

“Just please don’t hurt any innocent people while you- ''gyahhh''!?”

His weird shout at the end came from Anna and Aradia punching him simultaneously.

“O-owwww…”

“This fool’s nonsense doesn’t count obviously, so what are we really going to do?”

Aradia winked and directed the question toward the villain who even she saw as a traitor.

“There’s something off about his neck and arm. That one sleeve is torn away too. It’s hard to tell since the arm is back, but I’m guessing his right arm was severed. I would suggest we not use this idiot who’s so fired up about saving anyone and everyone. Not when he can’t get Good, Old Mary’s help anymore. Besides, I’ve seen reports that the body starts rejecting her resurrection if she uses it too many times.”

“So the body remembers something about it like with anaphylactic shock?”

“More or less.”

Good, Old Mary’s resurrection only magically tricked the body. If she could truly resurrect people without any risk or downside, she would have been deified under a different name.

Furthermore…

“The Bridge Builders Cabal has more Transcendents than just the ones in the consulate. One word from Alice and plenty more dangerous characters will gather from around the world. And don’t forget that the ‘drink me’ Shrink Drink and Mut Thebes are still out there. Not even you can avoid all of that.”

(Technically speaking, the group that was binding Anna is not Kamijou Touma’s enemy. ''For now anyway''.)

Aradia understood how twisted the big picture had gotten here.

And with that in mind…

(But if Kamijou Touma tries to convince them to let Anna Sprengel go free, they’re going to say no. She escaped them even after they went as far as to turn her into a film cannister, so they won’t have many options left. They won’t see any option but to kill next time.)

Meanwhile, Anna Sprengel whispered to herself.

“That’s right.”

They were surrounded by enemies on all sides, but there were holes in that encirclement.

For example, Academy City was Anna’s enemy, but what about Kamijou’s personal friends? The same applied to the Bridge Builders Cabal. The Bologna Succubus and Good, Old Mary had chosen to stay with unstable Alice, but Kamijou might be able to convince them to take his side.

No one else could do it.

But after coming this far, Kamijou Touma had a chance.

The odds were not zero. And taking the life of someone stupid enough to fight for the losing side would not satisfy Anna Sprengel’s mischievous heart. For better or for worse, she was searching for ''a ruler'', so she wasn’t interested in adding insult to injury.

The little villain made up her mind about something and then raised her hands as if in surrender.

“Fine, fine. Just this once, I will use my trump card.”

“Anna?”

“I had been saving this one to wipe the smirk off Aleister’s face after he used Kingsford to seal me in that film canister, but your right hand dealt with all of that for me. Using my trump card here seems like a fair trade.”

She made it sound so simple.

Then she pulled out her trump card for battling Kingsford.

In other words…

“Hear the voice of the Secret Chiefs’ priestess and show yourself, Holy Guardian Angel Aiwass. Behold the power of the Transcendent who refuses to side with the Rescuers or Killers and is, in a way, ''even more unusual than Alice'' within the Bridge Builders Cabal☆”

===Between the Lines 5===

However, the witch’s story is not over yet.

The girl of the red rose continues her journey even now.

<noinclude>
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</noinclude>

Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume7 Chapter4

2022-09-26T07:09:41Z

January: Added missing punctuation for abbreviations

==Chapter 4: Hear the Name of Thy Ruin, World – Call_“XXXXX”.==

===Part 1===

Kamijou felt the entire world raise a groaning cry in that moment.

===Part 2===

The gloomy young butler known as H. T. Trismegistus pushed his cane sword up with a thumb and attacked.

They had more than 10m between them, but it didn’t matter. The boy only saw it as something like a tremendous explosion.

A silver explosive blast formed a sharp, straight line.

That wasn’t possible when swinging an ordinary blade, so it had to be some kind of twisted magic.

“!!!???”

Kamijou felt a tension strike him on the cheek. A moment later, the air burst, blasting him in the right eardrum. He couldn’t even tell if that was a sound or a rapid pressure distortion.

But he had dodged it.

Kamijou Touma had just barely dodged it.

At the last second, he had concluded Imagine Breaker and its ability to negate all supernatural powers wouldn’t be enough. A memory he shouldn’t still have throbbed in the back of his mind. Had something happened long ago that gave him a powerful fear of ''iaijutsu and other sword-drawing techniques''?

He could hear something.

Despite the vibration of his aching eardrum, some distorted common tones reached him from head on.

He knew he couldn’t afford to miss this.

“''No more holding back. Risk 4: Releasing the numberless seal – leaving human territory. Rapidly renewing myself using a trio of great beings.''”

“…”

Kamijou gasped, forgetting even to frown.

It wasn’t exactly the same, but he recognized those words. When Witch Goddess Aradia was pushed to the limit in Shibuya on the 31st, she had attempted to draw on something.

Kamijou’s Imagine Breaker had shattered it that time before it was complete.

But not this time.

“My right hand contains Zeus. My left hand contains Indra.”

''From the very first move, Transcendent H. T. Trismegistus was taking this to the level of tearing down half of the world supported by science and magic!?

“Thus I am renewed. ''Z. I. Trismegistus'' conversion complete.”

“Really!?”

“Think about it.”

The young butler silently pushed his thumb up against the head of the cane that hid a blade.

A few millimeters of the deadly glint emerged once more.

“Common sense says I have no reason to hold back. If an enemy is being a nuisance, you should kill them right away, don’t you think?”

“…”

“The drowning man grasps at straw. An excellent saying. The proverbial man is earnest about survival and, no matter how pathetic he might appear, he is not causing anyone else any trouble. …But with a plank of Carneades, the drowning man must snuff out the life of another in the fight over the plank floating in the ocean.”

That was probably what led him down this path. Or a small glimpse of it.

Hadn’t he said that, no matter how logically you explain your academic theories, there is nothing you can do when people brush them aside based on emotion?

But using that reasoning to ban people from having emotions wasn’t going to create an ideal world.

“Have you heard that people once believed madness was caused by a stone of folly inside the head and victims actually had their heads cut open in a serious attempt at medical treatment? How about the baseless legend that all medieval castles have cruel dungeons or long, hidden escape routes? This is not unique to any one era. Superstitions always find their way into the world of academia and they are extremely hard to extricate once they have taken root. They cause so much harm to the human world. So someone must prevent these farces from altering common sense. And the distortions that my Alice would bring to the world are the greatest such example. Someone must put a stop to it.”

This probably wasn’t about Carneades. If he simply hated that story about a plank, he wouldn’t be trying to solve this by killing Kamijou. Trismegistus was a throwaway penname shared by academics in an older age. So who was this guy?

Kamijou stepped on a frozen puddle.

He didn’t have time to prepare for the impact.

They had more than 10m between them, but since Aradia had been cut down in front of him, he could tell the length of the cane sword and the range of the actual attack did not match.

From there, Kamijou Touma recalled something else.

He had to set aside the intense fear of death trying to numb the back of his mind and the uncontrollable racing of his heart. He couldn’t forget what really mattered. What did he need to focus on most here?

Transcendent Aradia.

First and foremost, he needed to prevent any further attacks on her while she lay motionless on the ground.

It was distorted.

To Kamijou, the deadly slash flying straight toward him looked a lot like an exploding firework.

The roar of bursting air arrived after a short delay. The explosive sound crashed into his right eardrum as he just barely dodged to the side. The green grass was torn through and a zigzagging line of destruction sent dark soil soaring into the sky.

This time, he had done it with his own willpower.

Time had seemed to stretch out infinitely, but it soon returned to normal.

The rose hedge behind him was torn through.

(Damn, I can’t let this scare me so much. Aradia’s in trouble if I don’t move in and negate this with Imagine Breaker!!)

“Tch!!”

“I feel like clicking my tongue as well. I clearly have a long way to go as a Transcendent if I fail to kill my target with the first attack, even if outdoor battles do add in many complicated environmental factors. I cannot look my Alice in the eye after this.”

More small explosions followed. And some shattering glass sounds. The garden’s streetlights and bug zappers were scattering sparks, but Kamijou knew he was dead the instant he looked toward them.

He didn’t have time to stand around.

He kept his momentum going as he charged toward the small woods in the garden. They were only decorative and would not even function as a windbreak, but this was still better than out on the open grass.

Kamijou ducked down after just barely surviving, but he was also smiling.

(H. T. Trismegistus is focused on me, which means he won’t attack Aradia again.)

Some words were already escaping the young butler’s mouth.

“Shall I call Alice?”

Kamijou heard the young butler’s footsteps from beyond the thicket. He also heard the rubbing of metal hinges, so the man was presumably opening a storage case and pulling out a notebook or pocket watch or something.

He was confident.

But that made Kamijou smile even more. ''What luck.'' Even Mr. Misfortune himself couldn’t help but think that.

H. T.? Or was it Z. I. now? Whatever it was, Trismegistus was pursuing Kamijou. Luring him away from collapsed and unmoving Aradia was the right thing to do here. What was this if not a silver lining to his predicament?

“There is no common sense at all in your attempt here, but I suppose it is the only option that could possibly allow you to defeat me. But either way, I will have this dealt with before Alice arrives.

Common sense.

Kamijou hadn’t heard the details, but was that the starting point for this Transcendent calling himself Z. I. Trismegistus? It was possible he had seen the moment when a major ''disturbance'' in that concept had led to a vast tragedy.

Just like Witch Goddess Aradia had roared after witnessing the persecution of so many witches.

Just like the Bologna Succubus’s soul had been burned by the false accusations her name pointed to.

Z. I. Trismegistus was the same.

“…”

Was it Zeus and Indra?

But Kamijou didn’t have Index with him. And he had thrown 15cm Othinus to go seek help. On his own, Kamijou was only a high school boy, so he didn’t know what these magical words meant. Even though he knew they had to contain the key to a miraculous upset here.

He heard a metallic sound at his feet.

His throat went dry. He had stepped on the stainless steel cover over a drainage ditch.

He sensed his impending death.

“''There you are.''”

“''!!!???''”

The instant after he rolled to the side, a long-range slash lashed out. In fact, it circled around the large tree he had been leaning against and sliced right through the stainless steel cover, sending sparks flying.

(That didn’t even move in a straight line!? This is bad. I can’t even imagine what kind of path it can take!!)

The young butler’s voice came from somewhere in the windy artificial woods.

“Hm, so I missed. Then I should visually confirm your location first instead of relying solely on intuition. I do not want to destroy the beautiful garden I created for Alice.”

(Does that mean he wasn’t using any kind of clairvoyance or precog? No, wait. He’s a Transcendent. He might just be trying to trick me into lowering my guard that way!!)

Hiding behind the trees was relatively useless if the slashes could move around obstacles. But running out into the open garden would be suicide. So…

(I need to get inside the consulate!!)

He tackled the back entrance opening out into the woods and tumbled inside. If he had knocked or even grabbed the knob, a slash from behind probably could have sliced horizontally through him along with the door and the stone wall.

But he had survived. He got back up and ran down the long hallway.

(I don’t like the idea of relying on this.)

Kamijou gulped and pulled out his old folk’s smartphone while still crouched low.

He used the device to connect to R&C Occultics’s official website.

And to the magic database that had been leaked to the public.

If you typed in a term and ran a search, it would pull up a list of webpages, especially ones selling related products, but when Kamijou tapped the link now, he only got a simple “this service has been shut down” message. He realized he should have expected that after he destroyed the giant IT company during the incident in Los Angeles.

But a few external sites apparently still had cached versions of the website. That would only contain fragments of the vast database, but it was better than nothing.

Staying on the 1st floor too long could get him killed by a horizontal attack since that slash’s range was unknown, so Kamijou made his way to the nearest stairway before the young butler made an appearance.

(Zeus at least sounds vaguely familiar. He’s some kind of god, right?)

He ran a search and found Zeus was a Greek god.

He was the final child of Cronus and Rhea. He was the ruler of heaven and symbolized by the blessing of the rain. On the other hand, he was also known for the lightning bolt he held in his hand which obliterated all of the gods’ enemies and meted out divine punishment.

(A lightning bolt?)

He tapped another link in the explanation to delve deeper, but none of it was very clear. He could tell Zeus had an ultimate weapon symbolized by lightning, but nothing said whether it was a spear, a bow, a sling, or a magic bullet. One sculpture of Zeus showed him holding something rodlike, but that was only meant to be the lightning itself and other art depicted various designs for his weapon.

A formless weapon.

Bright light, an explosive sword drawing, streetlights and bug zappers destroyed just because they were nearby…

“!?”

Outside the window, a slash suddenly flew Kamijou’s way.

If he had left the stairs and entered the 2nd floor hallway lined with windows, that would have hit him. He fell on his rear and the horizontal line sliced through the walls just above his head. Was the attack aimed solely on a vague figure visible through the window? But the windows remained shut and the glass intact.

How ''disturbing'' that was belatedly crawled up Kamijou’s back.

(How does that work!? Is it not just the blade extending out through space!?)

Z. I. Trismegistus must have been able to see him from outside, so he needed to move elsewhere. He quickly turned around and fled further up the stairs.

(Dammit, I can’t do that. If I hide on the 3rd floor, I’m putting the Bologna Succubus at risk!!)

He turned around again.

Surrounding the consulate’s White House-style mansion were several walls and towers straight out of a fairy tale castle. If he wanted to keep anyone else from getting hurt, he had to avoid the main structure and escape into one of the towers.

Indra.

When he typed that other foreign term into his old folk’s smartphone, he found that was a god from the Hindu religion spread across the Indian region. That felt like it had nothing to do with Zeus, but apparently there was a cultural connection. For example, the names of the Indian god Dyaus, the Greek god Zeus, and the Roman god Jupiter all came from the same name. And Indra used lightning too. But Kamijou doubted the pair had been chosen for that alone.

Most likely, there was some other rule at play. Something that would be obvious if he could only look it up in some kind of magic or occult ''dictionary''.

(Do Zeus and Indra have something in common?)

The site said the form of the Hindu lightning weapon was just as unclear. For example, Indra’s weapon was known as the Vajra. When the stories arrived in China and Japan, the Vajra was said to be shaped like a five-pronged club or a pestle with a blade on the ends. But those were only exorcism weapons designed by Indian artists and priests because “lightning is difficult to explain without giving it some kind of shape”.

Both traditions incorporated the same name.

Both had weapons symbolizing formless lightning.

Weapons that could later be given form by someone else – even mere humans.

(Is that it!?)

Kamijou ran up a tower’s spiral stairs and exited through the skylight leading to the roof. At first glance, the height made this a dead end, but there were still a few paths he could take, like the tall castle walls or the roofs of the elevated passageways. And useful items could be found anywhere.

For example…

“A solar power cable!!”

Z. I. Trismegistus could freely change his name and his attacks were undeniably frightening. Both for their simple power and range, but also because the slashes could change direction and circle around cover. They moved too quickly to react to, so they would be deadly when combined with iaijutsu, which could be so hard to predict.

But those attacks had to follow some kind of rules.

(That stainless steel ditch cover in the artificial woods.)

What connected the Greek Zeus and the Hindu Indra?

(I’m pretty sure the window frames on the 2nd floor were metal too. That means his sword strikes follow paths of electrical conduction!!)

“And if his weapon is lightning, I should be able to redirect it!!”

“Sigh.”

The young butler’s voice softly but bluntly interrupted him.

“''This is not Zeus.'' Common sense should have told you that right away.”

How – and when – had he arrived on the tower’s roof?

Something flashed. The person using the Trismegistus name had flicked up a clear plastic cocktail pin with his thumb.

Then the cane sword was released from its scabbard and light surged out.

Kamijou held his right hand out, but it wasn’t enough. He definitely felt something being negated, but when the blade’s light hit the cocktail pin overhead, the light scattered as if from a disco ball.

That light carried the sword strike.

This didn’t follow the rules of electricity at all.

The victim didn’t even have time to feel a chill on his spine. More than eight glowing slashes rushed toward his neck from different directions.

His death was a silent one.

His vision spun around.

It wasn’t Zeus’s lightning bolt or Indra’s Vajra.

And he was punished for his wrong answer.

After failing to find the key to a miracle, the boy could only look back up at his own headless body, still standing there.

(Aradi-)

===Part 3===

Kamijou’s vision restarted.

===Part 4===

The best Kamijou could describe the feeling was having the film of his memories forcibly linked together. And he only knew one person capable of something so absurd. She was so convenient she could eliminate the very tragedy of death, but she would utterly destroy your world the instant you started to ''assume you would receive her help''. This monster – this Transcendent – had complete control over an artificial miracle.

“Good…” he groaned.

His right shoulder felt funny. Had she severed that arm again?

He couldn’t even get up, so he held his throat and looked up at the woman in a large hat and a maternity dress who stood next to him like shimmering heat or a ghost.

“Good, Old Mary?”

“Do not worry.”

Good, Old Mary did not assume she would give her help either.

And she knew what that puny boy most wanted to hear.

She remained entirely motionless even in the biting wind.

“Aradia is safe. Since you managed to distract H. T.? Z. I.? ABC? Random Letters Trismegistus, mama could complete the process in peace.”

That was all it took.

Kamijou Touma felt so much relief he nearly let go of the consciousness he had reclaimed.

But he couldn’t do that.

Z. I. Trismegistus – that monster who was not Zeus and did not wield a lightning bolt – was still out there. Leaving him be would give him a chance to use his cane sword against Aradia again.

So Kamijou had to do something.

Even if nothing he had done had worked so far!!

“Mama said not to worry.”

Kamijou’s anxiety motivated him to try and force himself up on the tower roof, but Good, Old Mary bluntly interrupted.

“You have met mama’s conditions for salvation. By managing that, you and Aradia’s gamble paid off. So stay here and accept your victory prize. Mama will defeat him. You are not needed.”

“Really? First Aradia and now Kamijou Touma? You would give your miracles out to just anyone, wouldn’t you? I can’t let Alice see this.”

On a different roof, the young butler gently returned the sword to its scabbard and tapped his finger against the hilt like he was timing something.

The air between the two Transcendents seemed to electrify.

“Good, Old Mary. Your conditions are too broad and lax. Do not forget that we are the Transcendents who accompany Alice. Did you think you could avoid the ‘monster’ label if you played at being a doctor?”

“Have you gone so senile you cannot tell the difference between a proud doctor who pours all of their efforts into helping any suffering people they come across and mama who blurs the line between life and death for her own purposes?”

Her sigh sounded exasperated.

Z. I. Trismegistus’s fingers toyed with his cane sword.

“''Common sense says not everyone deserves these grand miracles.''”

“''Who says miracles only belong to a chosen privileged class, you fuck.''”

These were their starting points.

The very cores of these Transcendents clashed head on.

A moment later, something shining exploded from the distant young butler’s cane sword, but it was clearly thrown off course. That wasn’t lightning or light. It was pressurized water. The deadly water jet targeted Kamijou’s neck while he was unable to get up, but its path changed when it hit something else and sliced diagonally through a different tower.

A huge explosion of orange sparks occurred a moment later.

The leaves floating in the air were all sliced through when the splashing droplets hit them.

If Kamijou had tried to block that with Imagine Breaker, the main water jet would have exploded, drenching him. And if each drop could slice through solid objects, his entire body would have been shredded.

Kamijou couldn’t tell what Good, Old Mary had done.

He only saw her slender fingers occasionally toy with the camping kitchen tools hanging from her belt ''which looked vaguely weaponlike'': the tea kettle, the gas burner, the multitool, the sandwich toaster, etc.

“Random Letters.”

“Please state my identity accurately. Alice is going to start calling me that.”

“That name is too long. But you have nothing to worry about. Mama will resurrect you even if you die. However, mama must punish you, so you will be resurrected into a state with all your bones removed and your organs crushed. It is time you crawled this earth like a worm in a state of constant, undying pain, Transcendent. Maybe then you will understand what it feels like for those who can only look up from below.”

“…”

“Do you understand the consequences if you lose? Then do take this seriously. Life is such a wonderful thing, so make sure to thank mama, Random Letters.”

“I don’t even care if you get it wrong, at least try to say my name right!!”

Good, Old Mary was still toying with the kitchen tools in her hands.

She did not actually use any of them or try to hit him with any of them.

Yet far below, a massive fissure formed in the ground and orange lava erupted sharply upwards. It looked like a disturbing glowing serpent. The young butler jumped up to avoid it, but then a mass larger than a dump track crashed into him from the side. The massive blunt object might as well have been one of the wrecking balls used by cranes to demolish buildings, but it was actually a hunk of ice weighing more than 30 tons.

A deadly attack split the ice into three pieces.

Trismegistus didn’t even wait to reach the ground. He landed on one piece of ice and continued slicing through the bed and desk that crashed through a window and the storm of pebbles torn from the white wall, ''before solidifying it all.'' What even was that? Clear crystals jutted from where he sliced through the objects, linking together Good, Old Mary’s projectiles, and pinning them in place in midair.

Based on what Kamijou had seen, those sword strikes came in more than one variety.

Lightning.

Light.

Water.

Crystal.

How did it have so much variety? The young butler himself had said ''it wasn’t Zeus'', but even knowing that, Kamijou couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

Aradia and the Bologna Succubus’s spells were supposedly powerful enough to fight the entire magic side on their own. Same for Good, Old Mary’s resurrection.

Was Trismegistus the same?

He could infuse his sharp blade into any phenomenon, so if he wasn’t afraid of cutting himself, could he fill this entire universe with ''miniscule'' death and destruction?

“Do not worry. Mama has a scorching hotplate double slap with that gloomy butler’s name on it.”

“I’m thankful that you’re helping me, but how am I even supposed to respond to something like that!?”

Kamijou trembled and shouted back at her, but the Transcendent didn’t seem to care.

As if this wasn’t enough to surprise Good, Old Mary.

“Trismegistus. Who is currently in your right hand? And who do you have serving within your left hand? Did you attack Aradia before your top priority target because she uses a similar spell and you were afraid she would see through it?”

''Flash.

''Boooooooooom!!!

This time, it wasn’t a long range slash. Was it lightning? With cane sword in hand, Trismegistus himself dropped sharply down like a flash of light. But he was forcibly stopped right in front of Good, Old Mary who stood atop the tower with her large hat swaying.

There was an invisible wall there.

The one Transcendent revealed the other’s secrets from such close range.

“Mama knows your trick. You are not borrowing a portion of a god’s power and you are not making yourself identical to a god to wield their power. You place one god in your right hand and another in your left. Including you, that creates a large triangle that implants the world with ''a false definition'' saying you yourself are a god too. That is your method of leaving human territory. So instead of borrowing an existing god’s name, you create a brand new god and make yourself that god. You use the correspondences of the Liber 777 to accomplish this. Thus, you are not Zeus or Indra and you were not Hermes or Thoth. In the end, you never could love anyone other than yourself.”

“Tch!! “My right hand contains Odin. My left hand contains-”

“Mercury? Or maybe Anubis or Loki?”

“!?”

“Weren’t you listening? Mama knows your trick. Anyone who understands Crowley’s correspondence table can predict your next move. And that means your sword is no longer a threat. You cannot freely transform your blade into whatever you want. It operates on a predictable pattern.”

Aradia had mentioned the triple goddess in Shibuya.

Kamijou still didn’t know what that meant, but Trismegistus was another Transcendent whose power was based on the number 3.

“I too am a Transcendent who serves Alice. I know you do not have as much an advantage as you claim to.”

The young butler’s trick had been revealed, but he still smiled and pressed his sword against the invisible barrier.

“Your surefire plan has already failed from the moment I got this close. Not too surprising really since you are no more than the kitchen manager. Food is meant to be carried out to the guests; you do not want them entering your territory.”

A slight cut ran down Good, Old Mary’s cheek visible below the brim of her hat. A few red drops formed and dripped down to color her face.

The young butler could apparently ''infuse'' his sword strikes into a variety of ordinary phenomena like light and water. So could he apply a cutting edge to the an electric ''field'' and not just to a lightning strike?

“Good-”

Kamijou gasped just before an explosion burst out.

Trismegistus was sent spinning away. He forcibly applied the brakes by stabbing his cane sword into the flower garden on the roof of a midair passageway connecting the sharp tower to the large mansion. A storage case similar to a tackle box spilled from his cloak and he couldn’t return it to its pocket. He tilted to the side with his right half covered in blood, but he was definitely smiling.

He was focused on Good, Old Mary’s right hand back on the tower.

She held an ordinary sandwich toaster like it was weapon.

“Ha ha ha!! I’ve peeled back another layer, Good, Old Mary! How many more until I break through that calm façade? You might be the kitchen master who can create a microcosm contained to a glass container, but not even the greatest chef can cook without her tools. I will keep peeling back those layers. And with each tool I take from you, the more powerfulness you will be!!!”

The previous rules no longer applied.

Good, Old Mary took a step forward.

“''Steam.''”

The word came after the fact.

Her tall body suddenly disappeared.

It wasn’t a simple issue of speed. Unlike with Saints such as Kanzaki or Acqua, there was no roar or blast of wind as she tore through the air. Maybe this was the light physically bending and maybe she had constructed some kind of trick that placed her in a preexisting blind spot found in human vision, but she must have surrounded herself in something that prevented anyone else from seeing her.

(You’re kidding, right?)

Kamijou recalled how Good, Old Mary had appeared out of nowhere when called back Shibuya on the 31st. What if she hadn’t teleported from afar and had already been standing in that scramble crossing?

By the time the powerless boy realized a blade had been against his throat at the end of the previous year, Good, Old Mary had approached Trismegistus.

She was already making her next move.

“!?”

Transcendent clashed with Transcendent.

They reduced the distance between them to zero, several explosions erupted, and each time, a tea kettle or gas burner dropped to the ground far below.

It looked a lot like Good, Old Mary was overwhelming her opponent while appearing from and vanishing into the background. With each explosion, Trismegistus took a powerful blow and the rusty scent in the air grew stronger. The flurry of attacks was too great to block with a cane sword alone.

But who was really making progress here? Hadn’t Trismegistus said his goal was to take away all of her tools?

Kamijou Touma was concerned, but his imagination proved insufficient.

“Mama is going to allow herself a risk of 4. Releasing the singular seal – leaving human territory,” said Good, Old Mary. “Show yourself, Tribikos – the tool mama used to contain a complete universe.”

Kamijou felt some shaking.

He thought it was an earthquake, but apparently not.

“…”

He looked up toward the sky without thinking, but in this case, the foolish pointy-haired boy hadn’t been hopelessly left behind.

Trismegistus did it too.

He reacted just like Kamijou even as he sneered despite his battered body. He silently looked overhead. Yes, even though ''they were at the top of a tower or in a rooftop flower garden.''

Three distorted legs – each one taller than the average transmission tower – supported a squashed sphere resembling a domed baseball stadium. Was it supposed to resemble chemistry equipment like beakers and flasks? Or was it supposed to resemble a living, breathing creature? Kamijou wasn’t sure, but the very core of his body was ruled by a dreadful shaking. Even at the top of a tower, the sky overhead was entirely blotted out.

It was as hard as thick porcelain.

But it was also clearly pulsating from the inside.

What did it contain? A collection of energy as massive as the sun or even the big bang? An all-consuming black hole? Good, Old Mary had called it a universe. Was that a metaphor, or was it literally true? Looking up at it, Kamijou could no longer tell what was a joke and what wasn’t.

“The red stone, a panacea that provides immortality, pure control over the five elements, rearranging the universe.”

Good, Old Mary accepted what she had summoned like it was nothing. She did not even glance up at it.

That Transcendent calmly viewed her enemy from below the brim of her hat.

Calmly but strongly.

“But a creator must do more than complete their research. They cannot make any progress without first inventing the necessary tools. Mama is Good, Old Mary. The Bain-marie insulated pot, the Kerotakis reflux device, and the Tribikos distiller are all the basic tools needed to create a universe, so do not underestimate the one who rules ''the very foundation'' of those tools, long-named one.”

The giant mass did not attack.

She was going to use the brand new death and destruction contained within.

How far did it go? This was something from a brand new category than all the types of magic and elements Kamijou had seen before. What if it pushed even a bit past the limits of what the 103,001 grimoires covered? Wouldn’t this be magic that ''not even Grimoire Library Index could defend against''?

Did this simply make Good, Old Mary frightening, or was the real threat Trismegistus for requiring something so powerful to deliver the finishing blow?

“Ha…ha ha ha. Good, Old Mary, you are rebelling against Alice at this point.”

“You are a Transcendent, making you more powerful than the average person, but mama heard what you childishly said to this high school boy, knowing he is forced to walk a path of greater-than-average misfortune because he lives in this city and is unfairly shunned by god’s miracles. You said common sense says you have no reason to hold back and, if an enemy is being a nuisance, you should kill them right away.”

“There, that’s the final layer. Once I survive this, you are done forrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!”

“Mama sends those words right back at you. Since you wield your own miracles to trample on the less fortunate, you do not meet mama’s conditions. Thus, she will not hold back. So bring it on, you depressing butler. Mama will kill you quickly like the worm you are.”

There was a sharp clash of metal. Trismegistus had remade himself into a brand new being by swapping out the names of the gods wielded by his hands and he rushed toward Good, Old Mary, slicing through even the wind with his cane sword. Whatever he planned on infusing his sword strike into, he pushed the sword up from its scabbard with his thumb and tons of rusty sewing needles spilled from the blade.

Good, Old Mary had told him to come to her, so she was unfazed. A massive piece of lab equipment covered the sky overhead and she only needed to release what it contained. All she did was pull back her index finger while standing in the flower garden.

This time, they both attacked in a straight line.

The two Transcendents clashed after tearing through the seals which kept them human.

And…

===Part 5===

Light flashed.

A wet explosion rang out.

===Part 6===

“…”

It took Kamijou Touma a moment to realize nearly all sound had vanished.

Was that short rhythm he heard his own shallow breathing?

The destruction was so bad he just about forgot he was on the roof of a tower on the consulate grounds. The ground was torn up, orange lava spewed out, and a few of the other towers had collapsed. It looked like the end of the world. He was all the way at the top of a tower, but he felt dark soil on his head.

His entire body was stiff and he had trouble simply moving his head. So he instead moved just his eyes while slumped on the roof.

The wind blew and dust scattered through the air.

He saw a silhouette through that dust cloud. It was lying on an elevated passageway that looked ready to collapse at any moment. Kamijou gasped when he noticed how dark the silhouette was, but he could make out some other features too. It wasn’t feminine. It only looked dark because of the old-fashioned tailcoat and cloak it wore. It looked a lot like a crushed cicada. A tiered storage case similar to a tackle box sat partially open and crushed.

That was Trismegistus.

Kamijou couldn’t say whether he was H T, Z I, O M, or whatever other combination at the moment.

He wasn’t moving anymore.

But Kamijou Touma remained frozen. He couldn’t relax yet. Of course he couldn’t. Not when he could see another silhouette collapsed a short distance away from the motionless young butler.

That one was Good, Old Mary.

The giant Tribikos’s three legs had shattered, its smooth squashed sphere was split in two, and its pieces leaned against the consulate.

But this wasn’t a case of mutual destruction. If the threat was gone, Kamijou’s paralysis would have gone with it. He would have found some way to run to Good, Old Mary and see if she needed medical care. And if she was fine, he would have tried to restrain Trismegistus.

But he couldn’t.

He couldn’t bring himself to move while on the top of the tower. The deadly paralysis showed no sign of going away.

Because something else had happened here.

This ''was not'' two Transcendents attacking and defeating each other simultaneously.

“Court, court, court.”

Far below, a small silhouette walked along the ground. And the girl was saying something.

Her words formed a rhythm like she was humming an improvised song.

Hers was the last voice Kamijou had wanted to hear right now.

“The girl’s court is in session.”

This was Alice Anotherbible, the true tyrant who had obliterated those ''ordinary'' Transcendents in the blink of an eye.

With a roar, the tower and the rooftop flower garden collapsed. Kamijou could tell grabbing onto something wasn’t going to be enough here, so he steeled himself and aimed for a body of water that had survived the devastation. He couldn’t re-aim after being thrown into the air. So instead, he leaped from the crumbling tower himself to reach a garden pool that was even more bent than a gourd.

“Gahh!?”

He landed in the water, but he still ended up bloody. The extreme chill seemed to slice through his skin. But he had made the right choice. He couldn’t let the pain or chill stop him now. He didn’t have time to safely run down the spiral staircase.

Because Good, Old Mary and Trismegistus were in danger if he didn’t reach them immediately.

What would happen to them if Alice reached them while they were helpless?

(Ugh. Not to mention…)

He realized he should have seen this coming.

Trismegistus had been using his cane sword to produce supernatural blades ''not found in any mythology'' and Good, Old Mary had produced a piece of lab equipment so massive it covered the sky. With that going on, there was no way the young master of the consulate would fail to notice.

The idea of “ordinary Transcendents” was absurd, but she was so overwhelmingly unusual that he felt the need to apply that “ordinary” qualifier to Trismegistus and Good, Old Mary. She was so extraordinary that even other Transcendents feared her.

(It’s not use.)

Kamijou forgot to even breathe.

He was entranced.

(Mut Thebes is an execution expert and has that “drink me” item capable of killing Transcendents, but not even she can defeat Alice. Even thinking about fighting her is the wrong move!!)

Alice’s cute lips had uttered the words “court is in session”.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland was a global best seller, but Kamijou was ashamed to admit he didn’t know that much about it. He knew there was a tea party with a hatter and a march hare, he knew there was a cricket game at the castle with the queen of hearts, and he thought there might be a court scene too. Was that related to the hysterical queen who yelled “off with their head” at the drop of a hat?

That would mean this trial meant death for the accused.

The odds of a guilty verdict and immediate death were greater than 99.9% and any other result had such slim odds it deserved to be called a miracle. On the other hand, there was no possibility at all of harming Alice herself. Not even a 0.1% chance.

It was that unilateral of a massacre.

“A-Alice?”

“Yes, teacher?”

“That’s enough. This is already over. So you need to calm down and-”

“''No.''”

A dull popping sound followed.

But it was wetter than an explosive going off.

The young girl hadn’t even directed her small palm in that direction. She hadn’t even glanced that way.

But Trismegistus was still launched from the ground. His already injured body twisted further in midair, crashed helplessly back to the ground, and kept rolling.

“Alice!!!”

Was he alright? Not the physical impact or pressure. Was he alright on the level of the fundamental definition of a Transcendent!?

And it didn’t end there.

Alice’s shadow pulsated at her feet. She wanted another sacrifice.

She wanted the other Transcendent lying motionless on the ground.

“The Trismegistus stuff is over!! Good, Old Mary didn’t do anything! In fact, she saved my life! So-!!”

“''No.''”

Kamijou moved between them.

Alice’s usual smile was gone. She kept the blank expression of a noh mask as she silently tilted her head.

That was far more terrifying than if her face was red with fury.

She opened her eyes unnaturally wide and spoke without blinking.

“Teacher. There is blood on the ground. It smells like you.”

“…”

“Good, Old Mary was too slow. She did not risk her life to protect you. She failed to see the threat coming and then patched things up afterwards. That ''isn’t good enough.'' She neglected her duties. The girl told everyone in this secret base – consulate? – that you are an invited guest and they were not to harm you. But these two failed to keep the most basic of promises: ''don’t kill people''.”

More pulsating.

But this time it came from inside Alice’s children’s book dress.

She could not restrain her power anymore. Kamijou clenched his teeth knowing what lay at the foundation of it all.

Alice was frustrated.

She was frustrated that someone she cared for had come to harm. She was frustrated that the Transcendents who lived with her had done it. And she was frustrated that she had failed to stop them and save his life.

I’ve come to play, teacher.

What if Alice’s first words to him had really and truly been ''the whole story'' for her?

The thought made him grimace.

This wasn’t good.

It went beyond Trismegistus and Good, Old Mary. Based on Alice’s current rules, Shibuya on the 31st was a problem too.

Aradia had killed him and the Bologna Succubus had failed to prevent it.

This one seam threatened to tear down everything around her.

Hence the tyrant title.

That immature ruler had tremendous power but could not protect the world because she was too easily manipulated by her emotions.

“You can’t, Alice,” said Kamijou without thinking.

She was acting entirely on a child’s logic, so he maybe could have chosen to simply hear her out instead of rejecting what she was feeling. But he still made his move since it looked like the tiny tyrant was ready to explode at any moment.

And losing everything here would be far too painful.

Aradia, the Bologna Succubus, Good, Old Mary, and Trismegistus. If he was being honest, none of the Transcendents had been perfect. He couldn’t fully accept the inhuman way they each set their own conditions for saving people.

But they still cared deeply for the Bridge Builders Cabal.

Trismegistus had been utterly terrifying, but even he had only wanted to eliminate Kamijou so he could protect Alice. He had been willing to bloody his hands and take Kamijou’s life because he cared about the home he had found in the Bridge Builders Cabal more than anything.

Maybe he had gone about it the wrong way. But now the man who had gone to so much misguided effort, and the woman who had tried so hard to stop him but just barely failed, had both been badly injured. There was no reason to punish them further.

The young tyrant needed to learn that forgiveness was another option.

“You can’t do it this way, Alice.”

“Are you going to fight the girl? To protect Good, Old Mary who is lying there close to death?”

But with her head still tilted, noh mask Alice immediately rejected her own question.

“No, teacher. The girl can tell from your eyes. You are also looking at Trismegistus. That means ''you’re talking about saving them both.''”

Good, Old Mary had saved his life, so it made sense with her.

But he had no reason to insist on saving the young butler known as Trismegistus. Even if he had done it for Alice, he had cruelly cut down Aradia and attempted to do the same to Kamijou.

But Kamijou didn’t even need to think about his response.

“So what if I am?”

“Why would you do that?”

“If I don’t have a reason, I’ll find one. At the very least, I don’t have it in me to abandon someone to die and then smile like nothing happened.”

He directed his right fist toward her.

There was a dull cracking sound, but not from his fist.

It came from Alice Anotherbible’s tilted head. The angle of the tilt had passed a certain threshold. Her thin neck continued making strange cracking noises, but no hint of pain was visible on her face.

She spoke from that abnormal angle and from the noh mask that seemed entirely devoid of life.

“You too, teacher?”

Something more frightening, and much more painful, than tears of blood spilled from her eyes.

“''You’re afraid of the girl and her power just like all the others? But the girl hasn’t said anything wrong. The girl hasn’t done anything wrong.''”

That was probably close to the very core of that young girl.

This was something Anna Sprengel’s whisperings had implanted in her and something she had ended up clinging to.

“I’m sorry…Alice.”

It was true Kamijou had kept his eyes on both Good, Old Mary and Trismegistus to ensure no stray shots would hit them. And Alice had seen right through him.

But did she realize that it wasn’t ''only'' those two.

They were confronting each other head on. They were clearly enemies. But it was an indisputable fact that Kamijou Touma had kept that young girl in the very center of his vision this entire time.

He would save Alice too.

If he didn’t have a reason to, he would find one.

He was making the choice that none of the Transcendents had dared make.

“The Bologna Succubus and Good, Old Mary told me about this too.”

“…Did they?”

Their eyes met.

He couldn’t look away now.

“They said I was the only person in the world who could hold an ordinary conversation with you and the only one who could get you to accept your mistakes if you did the wrong thing. If that’s true, then this is my job. Alice Anotherbible, it doesn’t matter if you hate me now or not. Don’t ever think that’s enough to stop Kamijou Touma!!!”

“Enough, teacher. ''Just shut up.'' You’re completely helpless once you get caught up in a few ''wonders''. That puny fist of yours would shatter if you tried to break through the wall you’re facing now, so don’t think the girl is going to start bawling just because you threaten her with it!!!”

Her picture book dress completely tore away, revealing soft skin and leather overflowing with immorality.

The psychedelic sight would destroy the souls of all who ignored their instincts and attempted to attack her. Alice Anotherbible’s fury had easily dealt with the entirety of Academy City’s dark side, but now it was manifesting in full to crush just one boy.

He realized this may have been the first time Alice had ever directed real hostility in his direction.

It scared him.

People trying to survive a bombing or shelling could apparently feel so much fear they bled from their heart. The pressure bearing down on Kamijou was reaching that level.

Nevertheless, the puny boy chose to fight back against this deadly barrage. He knew that, deep down, Tyrant Alice wasn’t looking for someone unnaturally kind who would bake her a birthday cake every single day. She wanted someone who would do this without hesitation.

He had to believe that.

''If he wasn’t sure what to do, he only needed to listen to his will.

He could not take a single step away. He was certain he stood in the position needed to save Alice.

And that had to be enough to give him the strength to fight against such great power!!!

===Part 7===

Alice Anotherbible.

Bits and pieces of her power had been seen in Academy City on December 29. There were the direct examples like the hedgehog balls and flamingo bat, there was the Executioner with unknown attack conditions, and even the Bridge Building that constructed bridges between the world’s logic and laws to distort the world as she saw fit. Seeing as she had created a reality where the dark side’s survivors all worked together to fight a powerful foe, her power had reached the point of forcibly creating impossible results.

Also, her body was immune to bacteria, bugs, curses, and all other forms of internal damage, both scientific and magical. As for external damage, she would always remain unscathed thanks to the hedgehogs and flamingo protecting her. Moreover, this didn’t come from a fear of shedding blood. She protected herself that way because if anything obstructed her actions, she might get angry and kill someone.

It was unknown if it was even possible to defeat her.

Kamijou couldn’t guess what punching her with Imagine Breaker would accomplish.

And with all that in mind…

(My top priority is that world-distorting power.)

Kamijou set his sights on that.

(I have to avoid ''being sucked into a fake happy ending where I forget all about fighting.'' But as long as I can avoid that, I can at least continue to fight back. That means-)

“''Gryphon, clean this up.''”

Everything blurred.

Kamijou’s vision grew distorted as he was tossed more than 20m backwards. Alice’s already small form looked so much smaller due to the greater distance.

Horrific snapping and cracking sounds came from inside his body. He belatedly realized he was basically being squeezed within a giant press.

Giant feathery wings spread wide before his eyes. That was definitely a sharp beak and talons holding him. Overall, it reminded him of a hawk or eagle, but that was no bird. When his eyes finally managed to focus again, he realized he was pinned down by a lithe body covered in feline muscles.

Hadn’t Alice mentioned a gryphon?

He estimated it was more than 7m long. The spread wings made it look nearly three times as large. A lion was 2.5m and a Siberian tiger could reach 3m, so how strong was this beast!?

(Damn, I’m not sure what a gryphon is supposed to be! And since this came from Alice, is it a specific one from that children’s book? I need Index’s knowledge here!!)

“Bh?”

''He hadn’t known about this.

''Kamijou hadn’t heard a thing about this trump card!

“Gahh!! Cough, cough, agh! Alice!!!”

Held between a giant beak and pressed roughly to the ground, “cornered” didn’t adequately describe Kamijou’s plight.

“Gryphon.”

Alice wasn’t even looking his way with her leather and soft skin exposed.

She only held out a hand and observed her nails.

“The girl is bored. Entertain her with the usual lobster dance.”

“!?”

Kamijou’s vision turned to flowing lines and gravity seemed to vanish.

It took him a few seconds to realize the giant monster was shaking its head side to side with him still in its beak. By then, he had already been slammed into the dark soil. He heard a disconcerting cracking sound deep inside him. He couldn’t have survived a second or third time, but he instead slipped from the beak, flew through the air, and tumbled along the ground. Thankfully, the beak wasn’t good at gripping. With a jaw with rows of teeth or fangs, he would have been pummeled until he didn’t even look human anymore.

Some kind of massive vortex approached him with rumbling sounds reminding him of artillery fire.

Was that the lobster dance?

That told him nothing! He couldn’t even predict what was flying his way! He was up against incredible power wielded in seemingly meaningless ways, so he had the feeling anything he tried to do to escape would backfire!!

He put off worrying about his inability to breathe. He instead rolled to the side to escape.

It didn’t help.

He felt something catch on his back and then the world around him lost shape again. By the time he realized, a birdlike talon had caught him, he slammed into the ground, tearing up the grass. He forgot all about breathing. He couldn’t resist in the slightest as the sharp break grabbed him again.

Kamijou couldn’t win. Or more accurately, ''he couldn’t even start to fight.'' He had badly misjudged this. After running around Academy City’s darkness with Alice on December 29, he had tricked himself into thinking he understood the girl.

Aradia, the Bologna Succubus, Good, Old Mary, Trismegistus, and all the other Transcendents were each said to rival the entire magic side on their own, so did he really think what he had seen before was enough to terrify them?

How many more trump cards did Alice have?

In fact, this giant monster with a lion’s body and a bird of prey’s beak, wings, and talons – had she called it a gryphon? – had been tossed out so thoughtlessly he wondered if Alice Anotherbible even considered it to be a trump card. Could this be her idea of ''teasing him'' with her little finger instead of one-shotting him like she had the others?

“Teacher.”

Cold wasn’t the right word.

Alice’s words were empty, like she didn’t care at all if he lived or died, which tore into Kamijou’s heart.

“You don’t need to worry about that. There is no way you can escape the Gryphon.”

“Aghhh!?”

“Do not underestimate the girl’s Gryphon. He is an embodiment of destruction who insists everything is a boring illusion and strips all things of value.”

Alice made it sound like no concern of hers. The Gryphon may have been the one who got rid of any nuisances bothering her.

It appeared whenever Alice didn’t feel like playing and it swiftly cleaned up whatever was ruining her fun. No, it was more than that. That monster would also perform the aforementioned lobster dance to cheer up the small girl. It destroyed only the simplest of hurdles. Its job was to give her a change of pace when she was done playing with someone and wanted them removed in a hurry.

The Gryphon hadn’t made an appearance on December 29.

Because Alice hadn’t felt the need.

Did that mean, ''in Alice’s opinion anyway,'' the Gryphon was even more dangerous than Academy City’s entire dark side!?

(A-)

Still in its mouth, Kamijou reached out his hand.

Toward the girl in the unsuitable leather outfit who was trying to display no interest in him.

He couldn’t reach her.

He knew that.

But if he died here, what would happen to her?

(Al…ice.)

A dull crunch rang out.

The gruesome sound of crushed flesh and bone echoed across the area.

He had known this. He had known Imagine Breaker wasn’t enough to battle a Transcendent without anything else prepared. That was an undeniable fact when he had already been killed multiple times by Transcendents like Aradia and Trismegistus. And he doubted Good, Old Mary was going to conveniently get up and resurrect him right now.

If he died, it was all over.

That basic fact of life applied to everyone equally…but it did not bare its fangs against Kamijou Touma here.

He was not dead.

The crunch had not been the Gryphon mercilessly shutting its giant beak. The gruesome sound of crushed flesh and bone had contained another sound as well.

''An explosive blast.

The flesh and bone belonged to the Gryphon, not to Kamijou.

But this wasn’t just a sniper shot. The abnormal bird of prey was more than 7m long and it was blasted so hard from the side that it forcibly spat Kamijou from its beak. That couldn’t have been a simple 12.7mm anti-materiel rifle. It had to be something large enough to deserve the title of “cannon” rather than “gun”.

“Bwah!! Cough, cough. Ughh!?”

Kamijou rolled along the ground trying to get air in his lungs again, but all he found was a rusty flavor. He heard definite cracking sounds from inside his body. He may have broken a few ribs.

Alice looked away from her nails.

And she spoke in a dry, emotionless voice.

“Hm. An antique.”

===Part 8===

Identical clone girls were focused on their binoculars at a position about 1.5km from the Bridge Builders Cabal Consulate.

“The target was hit, reports Misaka #10777.”

“Hitting without an initial test firing is not easy, says Misaka #15000 to boost morale through self-praise. Even if it was a test shell without any explosive inside.”

“The hot combustion gas is constantly changing the metal barrel, repeats Misaka #18009 while preparing the next shell. Adjust the targeting grid up and right by 25 degrees for the 2nd shot.”

One of the Sisters held a giant hammer over her shoulder.

But it was not meant to break down a building wall or work in a mine.

It was used to drive in the metal spikes needed to secure an old weapon to the ground.

And unlike a department store or shopping mall during a good sale going on, the public museum was relatively quiet during the New Year’s holiday. This was often when the displays were maintained and aired out.

“Flak 18,” whispered the hammer Sister, her breath visible in the cold.

That was an oft-romanticized weapon that had once been used for both antiair and antitank combat.

“If you need to shoot something, you can’t go wrong with an Acht-Acht, says Misaka #19090, wiping sweat from her brow.”

Misaka Mikoto, still not used to the Japanese clothes she was wearing, was taken aback on a building rooftop.

And here she had thought she could enjoy a peaceful time with the Sisters over the holiday.

“H-how can you fire an 8.8cm cannon horizontally through an urban area, you stupid sisters!?”

“Misaka doesn’t want to hear that from the girl who starts blasting railguns everywhere the instant anything irritates her, calmly retorts Misaka #10032.”

“Gh. Th-that’s different…”

“Also this right here is the maintenance plan for the Acht-Acht given to us by the District 2 Firearm Museum, says Misaka, smugly showing off a fancy tablet since we live in a paperless era. We were asked to keep it in fireable order, so we have done so. And they do say that a machine must be used periodically if you want it to remain functional.”

“That’s a superstition! And I thought these things had internal parts severed to prevent them from being fired!? Curse that new board chairman. Why would he approve something like this? He’d better not be doing everything you ask out of guilt.”

“(Misaka thinks his approval had more to do with ''him'' than with us.)”

“?”

“…says Misaka while running a meaningless simulation based on fictional parameters to have fun with the Misaka Network. Some might call it fantasizing about amusing scenarios.”

Anyway.

There was of course only one possible destination for the two identical girls.

Misaka realized it was unusual for the two of them to accompany each other like this.

“We got that thing to spit ''him'' out, but this is still a crisis situation. The details and size of the enemy force are unknown. And the known enemy appears unharmed by an artillery blast to the side, reports Misaka, sharing the information taken from the other observers.”

“So what is it? I’m reluctant to fight a fluffy animal for different reasons than a human. But if it’s as big as you say it is, I’ll probably get over that reluctance real quick once I see it for myself.”

“The best tactic with monsters is to avoid making contact with them in the first place, says Misaka, trying her hand at counseling. So what should we do? This monster did not shed a single drop of blood after a direct hit from an Acht-Acht.”

Misaka Mikoto’s answer began with a quiet metallic sound.

She had flicked up an arcade coin with her thumb.

“Then we’ll have to try a cutting-edge railgun.”

In the blue sky above, an irregular demon girl floated in defiance of gravity. She did have wings reminiscent of marine animals on her back, but they clearly weren’t large enough to provide enough lift for her to fly.

“Kee hee hee. Look at ‘em go. Well, he’s not the type to let someone go through with murder just because they’re in a consulate protected by international law.”

A consulate represented an entire country, so attacking one wasn’t that simple.

But a consulate could also freely move around within the host country. And once it had moved, the former site of the consulate was no longer bound by the same legal restrictions.

So that was what he had done.

In exchange for some economic support, the new board chairman had gotten the consulate moved to Academy City’s District 1, a much nicer part of the city.

This was a gray zone.

The original Condroniard Republic had been bought by the Bridge Builders Cabal. Their bureaucrats would behave very differently depending on who came out on top here – Academy City or the cabal. Instead of ending the legal protections once the move was complete, they were holding off on doing anything for today, waiting to see how it turned out.

But the board chairman only needed this one day.

Academy City could deal with the rest.

Floating next to Qliphah Puzzle 545 was her opposite: a scientifically-created angel.

“What do we do now?” asked the busty glasses girl.

“Well,” said the demon in a newspaper dress, grinning. A demon’s logic was always the same: “We do whatever we want.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“It’s looking like our current job is to deal with anyone who steps outside the bounds of humanity,” whispered Qliphah Puzzle 545, her tail whipping side to side.

The teacher’s pet and the mischievous girl.

They held opposite positions, but they were already forming a new bond between themselves.

“And in that sense, Alice Anotherbible has made herself an obvious target. ''Sometimes being too powerful invites further danger.'' Now, let’s show her how we do things here in Academy City!!”

There was also movement on the consulate’s grounds.

“Hey, have you managed to analyze Alice Anotherbible yet? Without that, heading out there will only get you killed! It’s meaningless!!”

“Sphynx, bite that pagan god the next time she says anything pessimistic.”

“Yikes, yikes, yikes!!” shouted 15cm Othinus, her hair bristling.

“I’m close. So close,” said Index sullenly.

“So are you ready to accept it now? The Index Librorum Prohibitorum doesn’t mention any of the spells used by the Transcendents of the Bridge Builders Cabal.”

“No, not that,” interrupted Index.

Never underestimate her. They had seen a lot of special types of people – Saints, God’s Right Seat, angels, demons, Magic Gods, and now Transcendents – but none of them made the grimoire library any less valuable.

“This isn’t just about Alice Anotherbible. I’m so close to seeing a common factor between them all. I’m so close to having a definition for what a Transcendent is!!”

“…”

“If I get closer and actually confront her, I might get the last piece of the puzzle. And we can’t wait any longer anyway. Touma’s going to die!!”

“Yes, I’ll grant you that one. And none of this means anything if that human dies. But let me ask one last time: are you sure this is the choice you want to make? Don’t regret this after the fact, human girl!!”

===Part 9===

Someone was coming. Kamijou’s woozy mind managed to hear several footsteps approaching. They were on their way despite the laws and treaties protecting the consulate and despite the fact that it was a monstrous place guarded by countless Transcendents, including Alice herself.

They were on their way to bring an end to all this trouble.

They were on their way to protect Kamijou Touma.

“Damn.”

(I appreciate it, but I can’t get them involved in the battle against Alice. If they go up against her without any real chance of winning, who knows what kind of trick she’ll reveal she still has up her sleeve!!)

That meant he only had one option.

He couldn’t rely on kindness, warmth, or the good of the world.

He had to crawl back to his feet if he wanted to protect them himself.

And if he wanted to prevent Alice from becoming that kind of enemy!!

“Bh.”

He had no way of knowing what was going on inside his body.

A rusty flavor filled his mouth.

Maybe this was what it meant to fight a Transcendent without a plan. With Aradia, Trismegistus, and Alice, simply being with them meant risking your life and directly facing them meant unavoidable death.

All the more reason why he couldn’t let anyone else get involved.

He moved his body despite the disturbing sounds it made when he did so and he dug his fingers into the dark soil.

He was painfully aware of the birdcage his ribs formed in his chest. Something hot was exploding inside that cage.

He had pushed himself too hard.

The blood went wild in the core of his being and he collapsed back to the ground.

“Gahh!?”

How much longer would he be able to move?

10 minutes? 5? Maybe not even 1.

But.

He gathered strength in his deteriorating body once more.

He was willing to cough up blood, break some bones, or damage his internal organs if that was what it took.

As long as he could keep himself moving for another minute.

As long as he could stand back up and clench his fist again.

His right hand wandered.

He touched Trismegistus’s sword on the ground and it shattered. With Good, Old Mary’s outdoor kitchen tools, he wasn’t sure how they were even used as weapons.

Nevertheless…

“Gahh!!”

He stood up.

He threw his right firt forward.

Toward the giant monster rushing toward him. The difference in their strength had already been proven beyond a doubt. The Gryphon opened its large beak and bit at the boy’s right arm.

He heard an unpleasant tearing sound.

He felt searing heat.

But.

His arm exploded.

''Something'' burst from within his torn-off right arm and rapidly expanded within the bird of prey’s mouth.

The Gryphon’s silhouette burst like a balloon.

“Ah, ahh, ahhh, ahhhh, ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!”

(This isn’t over.)

He staggered to the side.

His vision faded due to all the blood gushing from his arm.

(Alice is still there.)

He still had to deal with the hedgehog balls, the flamingo bat, the executioner, and the small girl herself.

He knew that.

He wasn’t going to last much longer.

Defeating the giant Gryphon wasn’t the end of it. it probably didn’t even qualify as one of the main cards in Alice Anotherbible’s deck. Kamijou was already battered before even arriving in front of her. If he couldn’t defeat her at his best, what hope did he have in his current state?

Still.

Kamijou Touma used his remaining arm and his mouth to tie a handkerchief tightly around the shoulder just above where his arm had been torn off.

He couldn’t afford to pass out yet.

He knew people were rushing to his aid, but he couldn’t expose them to the threat that was Alice. If this had all begun with the two of them meeting on that adventure in the dark side, he had to be the one to end it.

“Al…ice.”

He couldn’t even straighten his slanted stance.

But he still clenched his bloody teeth and took a step forward.

“Forget about the others. Pretend they’re not even here.”

He moved forward.

He moved of his own free ''will'' to stand before that young monster whose innocence was what made her so terrifying.

“''So fight me!! Alice Anotherbible!!!''”

And…

“…”

Alice looked away from him in her inappropriate leather outfit. She was instead focused on the many footsteps surrounding them.

On all the people attempting to eliminate her to protect Kamijou.

Then she let out a visible breath with resignation on her face. It was the look of a child who had been so excited about going to the amusement park but, once she arrived, got lost, was taken into custody by the park officials, waited and waited for her parents to come get her, and as the sun began to set, finally realized that her parents had abandoned her.

That face stabbed into Kamijou Touma’s heart far more painfully than anger or the noh mask ever could.

“Forget it…”

''Uh, oh,'' realized Kamijou, but it was too late.

He had already seen the clear drops growing in the corners of her eyes as she pouted her lips and turned away.

And the girl said one last thing now that she was truly alone.

“Stupid teacher.”

===Between the Lines 4===

The girl thought she would be happy if she became something special.

She thought she wasn’t happy now because she hadn’t done enough to set herself apart.

Maybe she could be like Cinderella. Or like Snow White.

So she specialized herself more and more and more. To a dangerous degree.

She innocently improved herself.

She became someone who did what no one else could.

Now, let’s take a peek at the answer.

How did that turn out for the girl?

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Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume7 Chapter3

2022-09-21T04:20:34Z

January: Added missing punctuation for abbreviations

==Chapter 3: The Next Move – Witch_Trial.==

===Part 1===

“The girl is ready to eat!!”

“…”

Alice put on a perfect smile and made her announcement as the center of the world.

She had taken the seat of honor at a very long table inside the white castle’s large dining hall. An impressive array of food covered the table as if that was just the way of things here. Everything clearly followed Western culture, but each course of the meal was not brought out separately. And the silverware only included a single knife and fork per plate.

“Here, Alice. Make sure to wear a napkin.”

“Nh.”

“Wouldn’t it be best to cut this up on a separate plate? You prefer using a plastic cocktail pick instead of a fork, don’t you?”

“I want a bento food pick! The shiny see-through ones are so grownup and cool!!”

The young butler H. T. Trismegistus’s cloak seemed to contain anything and everything. He also swiftly took care of Alice without getting in her way. He had denied it himself, but the way he looked after her sure made him look like her tutor.

“(Hey, Othinus. What does Trismegistus mean? Some kind of god?)”

“(There is of course a story behind the name, but the legend that still remains in the current world doesn’t point to a specific individual. It’s something like a shared penname ancient scholars would use to release their papers anonymously.)”

So was the concept of a throwaway account a modern continuation of an ancient tradition? But what did that mean for this young man using the name?

Kamijou didn’t have a clue about Western etiquette (was there even such a thing as a singular “Western” etiquette when, even limiting your definition of Western to only include Europe, that category included everything from Greenland in the west to Russia in the east?), but the man had hung the head of his black cane from the back of his chair.

“Alice does not like having each course brought out in turn. Yes, common sense says she prefers to do things trattoria style.”

“Ooh, meatballs! They’re made from almost the same thing, but they still seem so different from the small hamburger steaks in a bento.”

“If you ask mama, the distinction is similar to the difference between gyoza and shumai, Alice.”

“Yay, there’s Chinese food too!”

Kamijou had trouble focusing on the food when Mut Thebes, the Transcendent punishment or execution expert, was eating at the same table as him, but when their eyes met, she silently passed him the French dressing. Apparently she wasn’t in a bad mood – that was just how she always looked.

Othinus, meanwhile, was worried about being drugged and had the cat try the food first, but Index started chowing down immediately.

“Yum. This home food is just as good as restaurant food.”

“Yeah, can’t say I expected home cooking here,” replied Kamijou.

“(Why is it such a surprise? Mama only wants everyone to feel at home.)”

Kamijou hesitantly dipped his spoon into his soup. So that woman was the ultimate magical healer, could fight according to Kumokawa-senpai, and was willing to do all the housework? Was there anything she couldn’t do?

He had a feeling the Transcendents wouldn’t try to poison the food. If they wanted him dead, they could have obliterated him with simple brute force.

“You eat too, Aradia. You’ve missed mama’s cooking, haven’t you?”

“…”

The witch goddess looked uncomfortable.

She knew the others weren’t going to suddenly attack since Alice was against it, but she wasn’t sure where she stood in the Bridge Builders Cabal.

“H. T. Trismegistus, you aren’t going to eat your fries? Then the girl will take them.”

“I am saving them to eat after my baked potato, Alice. And I see you are stealing them with your fork despite my explanation!”

The young butler tearfully protested, but Kamijou was curious what the difference was between these Western-style baked potatoes and Japanese-style buttered potatoes.

It looked like H. T. Trismegistus let himself be bullied while Good, Old Mary tried to control Alice through her stomach. As Kamijou noticed each cabal member’s strategy, what might have looked like an enjoyable meal seemed a lot more like a game of chess or shogi surrounding Alice.

But even that wasn’t perfect.

So whether they were a Rescuer or a Killer, the Transcendents all feared the boy who could freely influence Alice.

Kamijou glanced to the side. It was already dark outside the window. The sun set early at the start of the year, but it was already well into the night.

Q. Why was he doing this?

A. “Eh? Because you’re spending the night at the girl’s house, teacher.”

Alice had made it sound like a foregone conclusion.

He could have refused and he doubted she would have stopped him from leaving. But doing that would have made it even harder to predict the actions of the other Transcendents who were so interested in Alice Anotherbible’s moods.

“Hm. The girl’s soda water has gotten warm.”

“Shall I pour you a new glass, Alice?”

“No!! The girl wants this glass!”

“Very well. Your wish is my command.”

The young butler was clearly accustomed to her childish demands. He opened a tiered storage container he pulled from his pocket and then held an icepack of dry ice against the glass to cool its contents. Kamijou got the feeling the guy had a canister of carbon gas in there too.

H. T. Trismegistus’s job was to look after Alice (and clean up the mess she made while eating), but the food preparation was handled by Good, Old Mary.

Othinus, who was being careful to only eat something she had seen another human or the cat eat first, whispered to Kamijou with a piece of bread in both hands.

“(Human, have you figured out who you need to keep an eye on?)”

“…”

“(In this case, ''it isn’t Alice''.)”

He agreed with that.

He didn’t know the exact number of Transcendents staying in the Bridge Builders Cabal Consulate, but the one who terrified him the most was Good, Old Mary.

Resurrection.

Even death could be reversed.

Aradia and the Bologna Succubus’s mysterious spells had appeared to be purely destructive in nature, but this would bring great chaos to the world in a different way entirely. For example, if all of humanity came together and used up all of Earth’s natural and human resources to defeat a single Transcendent, it might not end there. If Good, Old Mary used her resurrection, that Transcendent would be good as new while everyone else remained worn down. Kamijou didn’t even want to think about that possibility.

So as dangerous as the Transcendents were on their own, they might push past their usual limits ''on the assumption they could be resurrected''.

It felt like having the frog doctor on your enemy’s side. Kamijou felt ungrateful since she had already saved his life more than once, but it was those rescues from beyond the verge of death that told him just how abnormal Good, Old Mary was.

(On that note, Alice’s abilities seem so depthless she could handle both destruction and resurrection.)

“This bread is good. I didn’t know just bread could taste good, but it does.”

“That is because mama baked it from scratch herself.”

It sounded like Index and the mama were hitting it off. Or rather, the latter was winning over the former with food.

Then Kamijou noticed a silver cart next to Good, Old Mary. It contained portions of the same food Alice was eating.

“What’s that for?”

“Mama is willing to forgive people for not showing up at the table for mealtime. Especially when they are recuperating in their room like the Bologna Succubus is.”

“…”

This was something he had hoped to see for himself. He had been told she was fine, but still.

“(Do not take the bait, human. Did you learn nothing from Los Angeles? Hopes can quickly transform into vulnerabilities.)”

“(But…)”

The Bologna Succubus had seemed different from the rest of the Bridge Builders Cabal (including Alice). She looked wild with the horns on her head and wings on her back, but of all the members he had met so far, she had had the most solid head on her shoulders.

“(Mama has been perfectly reasonable with you at every turn and I still rank below Miss Walks-Around-In-Her-Underwear?)”

Good, Old Mary was squirming for some reason, but he decided to ignore it…which must have shown on his face because an even deeper shadow fell over her face.

But for now, he was focused on the Bologna Succubus. He still had trouble believing some things.

For example, there was that traitor Anna Sprengel.

The rise and fall of R&C Occultics he could understand. That had been Anna’s personal toy. But even as an outsider, he could tell it meant a lot that Alice Anotherbible had appeared before him.

“We are not like the Magic Gods,” said H. T. Trismegistus.

Was the silent tension in the air coming from Mut Thebes, the executioner Transcendent?

“What I mean is, we do not attempt to gather the people’s faith or be worshiped as gods. I have no desire to spread the name of my beloved master among the people. Simply put, the fact that our presence is so widely known is a major failure in and of itself.”

If Alice hadn’t appeared out of nowhere and followed Kamijou around in the dark side of Academy City on December 29, the world never would have known the name of the Bridge Builders Cabal. If the Transcendents were gathering to fulfill some master plan, then that alone was a significant mistake.

For the Transcendents like Aradia and the Bologna Succubus, the battle in Shibuya on the 31st had been a highly unusual occurrence. Internal conflict hurt them far more than it benefited them. And dragging all of Shibuya into that conflict set things up so the entire cabal looked like villains.

It made sense the cabal would want to punish Anna Sprengel.

But was that reason enough to kill her?

Kamijou thought about it for a bit.

Setting aside his feelings, was it even possible to physically attack and kill that monster?

He guessed it was possible. Those Shrink Drink spears contained a special liquid in the head. Being pierced by one and forcibly injected with the liquid was supposedly game over for Anna Sprengel, so she probably really would die. It wouldn’t just defeat her or aggravate her. It would kill her.

Anna was certainly a fearsome magician, but she couldn’t vanish into thin air or pass through walls. In a 1-on-1 battle, a dense enough barrage would make it impossible for her to dodge and she could take a direct hit. Kamijou had defeated her on the 25th because fighting with St. Germain’s help had given him more options to use.

But that realistic path toward killing her was the entire problem.

The cabal was not split into Rescuers and Killers over the question of striking back at Anna. The entire cabal agreed with it (except for Aradia who they hadn’t ben able to reach until now). Did that mean the Bologna Succubus agreed too? After she had thrown away her own life to protect a stranger like Kamijou?

But…

“O-oh, right. Alice, what about your vegetables? If you do not want them, I can put them in a container and eat them as a late night snack.”

“No, these aren’t just any vegetables. They were steamed in butter! This is the good kind!!”

“I see. You are such a good girl with plenty of common sense. Ah ha ha.”

Kamijou’s mind was entirely focused on the Bologna Succubus, but something in a corner of his mind stopped him. Could he really ignore everything underway here?

H. T. Trismegistus was saying a lot to Alice with a smile, but he had given up on actually influencing her on his own.

At first glance, the consulate was heaven for Alice. It was filled with things she liked.

But the Transcendents’ actions were rooted in fear.

The young butler called her his “beloved master”, but he appeared to be standing on a foundation of fear.

No matter how close any of them got to her, they could never have a real connection that way. Even if none of them actually harmed her, none of them could save her from her loneliness either. It was like an automated store run by polite prerecorded phrases. The smiles here were only for show.

Which of them was the real monster?

Could he really conclude that it was exposure to this environment that had twisted Alice?

Good, Old Mary glanced over at the cart of food.

“Please excuse mama for a bit.”

“Oh, if you’re going to the Bologna Succubus, I’ll join you.”

This was what Kamijou wanted all along.

But there was no rule limiting him to only wanting one thing.

“''You come too, Alice. We can visit that dumbass and see how she’s doing.''”

“Yes, teacher!!”

Alice sprang from her seat of honor.

Index was still working at the food and looked confused why anyone would want to leave the table and 15cm Othinus slapped her forehead while seated on the table.

But the seating arrangement no longer mattered. Now Alice was just another part of the crowd like Kamijou.

Good, Old Mary tilted her head with her eyes still hidden by her large hat.

“Mama doesn’t mind and the Bologna Succubus was worried about you too.”

H. T. Trismegistus’s jaw dropped while various tools spilled from his cloak, so Kamijou doubted inviting him was a good idea. Instead, Kamijou turned to the witch goddess who looked just as shocked.

“What about you, Aradia?”

She vigorously shook her head.

Things were awkward for her in the cabal after losing her battle, but she must have decided being surrounded by her old cabal-mates was better than ending up 1-on-1 with Alice.

But Kamijou ignored that and grinned.

“''Oh? You’re that opposed to staying here?'' Yeah, I can see why. After everything you did on the 31st, it would make sense to go apologize to the Bologna Succubus.”

“I-”

“Right, teacher? We all need to get along.”

“~ ~ ~!?”

Aradia tearfully gnashed her teeth. She looked like someone whose escape route had been cut off by a horizontal line of landmines.

And with that settled…

“(Index, you can eat every bit of this food, so you look after things here.)”

“Hm? But this food already belongs to me.”

“(Just listen. I want you and Othinus to observe H. T. Trismegistus. Things should relax in here after Alice and I leave and I want to know if he lets anything slip as soon as he doesn’t have to look after Alice anymore. With your perfect memory and Othinus’s knowledge of inhuman magic, you might be able to figure something out together.)”

“(Not so fast, human! Don’t leave me behind with that cat!!)”

The god was unusually tearful and shaken, but with all this food on the table, he didn’t trust Index alone to keep watch even if she did have a perfect memory.

“Don’t worry.”

“Yikes!!” yelped Kamijou, jumping on the spot.

Mut Thebes had ended up right behind him without him noticing. That was super scary with an execution expert.

This was also his first time hearing her speak. She had a lovely, almost musical, voice.

“I will watch over them. If that gloomy butler tries anything, I will end his life on the spot, so there is nothing to worry about.”

“I-Is that so?”

“Make no mistake. I simply do not want anything to ruin my meal time. I happen to like sharing my meals with people who are enjoying themselves.”

Apparently Transcendents these days came equipped with a tsundere mode.

Good, Old Mary pushed the cart out of the dining hall, so Kamijou and Alice followed after her (while dragging along an empty-eyed Aradia whose soul was starting to escape through her mouth). Preventing Alice from swiping food from the cart became Kamijou’s job.

He sensed someone’s gaze and found Good, Old Mary was looking back at him while pushing the cart. …Oh? It was hard to tell which direction she was facing with the large hat hiding her eyeline, but could she really safely turn her head that far?

“…”

“Wh-what do you want? It’s hard to breathe when you stare silently like that.”

“Nothing.” She shook her head and the large hat on her head. “I was simply noticing that you really do have the power to get Alice to obey.”

“Of course he does. Because he is the girl’s teacher!!” replied Alice while he restrained her. Really, he was lifting her up like a stuffed animal while she waved her arms and legs in delight.

(The girl’s teacher, huh?)

Anna Sprengel had apparently done something to Alice, but what exactly had she done to make Alice so obedient?

“…”

Then Aradia glared quite harshly at him. Come to think of it, hadn’t she been with the Killers who were trying to take his life to prevent Alice from turning out this way?

She had been temporarily stripped of her magic by the duct tape around her feet, but that wouldn’t last forever.

Regardless, the demoness was his priority right now.

On the 31st, Kumokawa Seria and Good, Old Mary had worked to save the Bologna Succubus, but apparently she was still too weak to leave the consulate or even show up to dinner in the same building. What was her condition like? Hopefully she didn’t have casts on all her limbs with tubes and electrodes covering the rest of her.

Kamijou continued following Good, Old Mary and the cart down the hallway. She never entered any of the rooms. Instead, she opened an accordion door and pushed just the cart onto a small elevator. Apparently she didn’t use magic to make the glasses and plates float around.

Kamijou felt like he had lost his chance to lower Alice to the floor, so he held onto the playfully squirming girl while looking up at the ceiling.

“Is the Bologna Succubus up there?

“Yes, we were free to choose our own rooms and that idiot insisted on having one on the top floor. She was still better than Alice who wanted to stay in the basement storeroom or attic, though.”

The casual insults helped make them sound like friends.

They walked down a hallway lined with giant flower pots and goddess statues that probably had some meaning which was lost on Kamijou. On the way to the stairs, they passed by someone Kamijou didn’t recognize. Since Aradia looked away awkwardly and used Kamijou as a shield, he guessed this was another Transcendent.

How many Transcendents were there in all?

Hopefully they were a chosen few like with the Level 5s and Saints, but that was really only wishful thinking on his part. They might not have a set number like with God’s Right Seat. The thought of those extraordinarily powerful beings numbering 10 or 20 thousand like the clones was too terrifying to consider.

Good, Old Mary whispered to him while walking silently.

“(Aradia is acting just like a girl in a haunted house. Make sure you check this out. It isn’t often you’ll find a young woman’s vulnerabilities so clearly on display.)”

“I can hear you, you know?”

Aradia shut her eyes and stuck up her nose, but she continued clinging to Kamijou’s right arm with all her might. That could be cute with a small girl like Alice, but he wasn’t sure what to do with someone who gave off as many pheromones as Aradia. His spine tensed every time he felt that soft sensation bumping into him.

Good, Old Mary collected the cart from the elevator in the third floor hallway. Unlike an apartment building or student dorm, the hallways took lots of twists and turns (which meant the number and size of the rooms wasn’t standardized). They made their way through the labyrinthine consulate before stopping at a door.

Good, Old Mary knocked thrice and called out.

“Bologna Succubus.”

There was a keyhole in the door even though it was an interior door.

“Mama is here with your dinner.”

But apparently the occupant was willing to leave the key with someone else.

Good, Old Mary lifted her large hat with one hand and pulled out an old-fashioned key that had been balanced(?) on her head. It was just the one key, not a ring of them, so it was probably a master key.

This may have been a hint of how much camaraderie there was in the Bridge Builders Cabal.

The click of the lock opening sounded awfully loud.

“?”

Alice looked curiously up at Kamijou. Maybe because he had quickly put her down on the floor.

He audibly gulped.

Every tube in his neck was so dry they seemed to catch.

How bad were the Bologna Succubus’s injuries really?

She hadn’t needed to go through any of that. If Kamijou hadn’t been so weak or if he had recognized the dangers of being killed repeatedly, she wouldn’t have had to replenish his opportunity for resurrection like that.

“We are coming in,” announced Good, Old Mary.

And she opened the door.

“Take this! And this! Yes, yes! Bang! Bang! Bang!! No, why was the southern tank units wiped out? What, a drone loaded with aerial bombs? Uh, oh. Is that a playable unit and not just an indiscriminate NPC for the event!? Did this nincompoop buy all the new units in the shop the instant the new update went through!? Gyahhhh!!”

She was there.

Sitting cross-legged on the bed.

She didn’t see any of them because she was playing an FPS game with VR goggles on.

She was making the most of life in Academy City where technology was said to be 20 or 30 years ahead of the outside world. Beyond her usual one-piece corset, she also had bandages all over her body, but she was going nuts on the bed there. She would lean to the side in her cross-legged position and swing the controllers around quite dangerously. Stepping too close was liable to get you slapped in the face with a tail or a wing.

Good, Old Mary silently pushed the cart into the room, casually grabbed a curly pink goat horn, and slammed the wounded woman onto her back. She kept rolling back from there, so she ended up with her butt sticking up in the air while still in her cross-legged pose.

“Show some appreciation for the food and respond when people talk to you, Bologna Succubus. Hmph!”

“Gwahhh!!”

The Bologna Succubus’s tail flailed wildly with her butt sticking up. The impact had knocked the VR goggles out of place, so the room’s fluorescent lights had dazzled her eyes.

“Oh, the lad. Long time, no see.”

“Hey, Good, Old Mary? What’s happening? Her common tones are sounding all 8-bit. Does yanking on a demon’s horn break their brain that badly!?”

“This is her idea of a joke. Taking it seriously will only encourage her, so please don’t.”

Then the Bologna Succubus noticed something else: Alice was staring all sparkly-eyed at the VR game set. The young girl was fixated on the flatscreen TV linked with the goggles.

“What is this? Hee hee. Yay! The girl wants to play too!!”

“''Bologna Succubus''!!” shouted Good, Old Mary, uncharacteristically(?) raising her voice.

Unseen tension filled the room.

This was Cold Mistress, the Bologna Succubus’s Transcendent spell. Didn’t it replace hunger, lust, sleepiness, and all other pleasure signals with pain?

And if used correctly, it was supposedly the only spell with the possibility of rivalling Alice.

“?”

Alice seemed like an embodiment of joy as she rushed for the device with a huge smile, but then she slowed.

The Bologna Succubus spread her pink wings wide to get in the way.

“Halt, cease, desist!! I forcibly added an unofficial blood & guts processing pack to the downloadable version on Steal, so the actual rating would be well into adults only territory. It’s great for playing online matches, but you can’t use it in the official tournaments. Nothing this gory would be a good match for a gal a doll like you, Alice.”

The Bologna Succubus must have concluded this wasn’t actually going to stop Alice’s charge because she crawled to the edge of the bed, let her upper body fall to the floor, and grabbed the main power cable to the power strip. She yanked that out, bringing down all the gaming equipment at once. Only her butt remained on the bed, so it looked a lot like she was sticking it out.

Alice tilted her head.

“I can’t play?”

“Alice, this game is a lot more suitable for a noble lady like you. It’s called Manju Crossing!”

“?” Kamijou looked confused.

He agreed that a small girl (she was a small girl, wasn’t she?) shouldn’t be playing a ridiculous FPS which made a point of representing war in a hyper realistic way and then turned around and let the player fire N, B, and C weapons, but why were the Transcendents all panicking over it?

“We said Alice must never get her hands on a smartphone or tablet, Bologna Succubus,” said Aradia with fear written on her face. “Letting her watch an online drama or Hollywood movie would not end well.”

“You’re the ones that barged in here with her,” argued the Bologna Succubus, pouting her lips.

There was a clattering sound.

The Bologna Succubus had a red tube extending from the inside of her elbow. It was connected to an IV stand next to her bed. The bag hanging from that contained a red liquid with a gemlike shine. It was strange, but Kamijou didn’t feel any kind of biological reaction when he saw all that red contained in a hygienic pack instead of flowing from someone’s body or splattered on the floor. He recalled that the demon couldn’t receive a transfusion of human blood with a normal blood type, so was this something special, like her own blood or artificial plasma?

She must have noticed him staring.

The bandaged Bologna Succubus returned to her cross-legged position on the bed and placed her other hand on the inside of her elbow.

“You don’t need to worry about this, boy. In fact, what are you doing this deep in the Bridge Builders Cabal so soon after that mess?”

“What is that stuff”

“What? It’s only some transfusion ''fluid''. Really, what doesn’t make sense here is you. Did you even go to the hospital? Aradia there killed you several times and Good, Old Mary forcibly resurrected you in a way I can’t explain. Aren’t you concerned about your health?”

He could only look away and cough.

Were the hospitals even running on New Year’s? The usual frog had to be his best bet!!

“(All mama has done is go around saving people and now you act like I’m a land mine to be avoided.)”

She didn’t seem completely out of it, but Good, Old Mary was looking depressed as she swiftly sliced up some round bread and cheese with her multitool that had a seal mascot attached.

The Bologna Succubus rubbed her hands together and licked her lips while observing all the food that Good, Old Mary lined up on the small bedside table.

“So how deep ''have'' you gotten in this, boy?”

“Anna Sprengel. I heard she was the cabal’s top priority. Something about protecting your secrets.”

Kamijou pulled up a seat and cautiously broached the subject while the Bologna Succubus grabbed some of the bread.

“Yeah, and Anna started that whole kotatsu syndrome thing which is even affecting us.”

“Eh?”

''That didn’t come from Alice Anotherbible?'' thought Kamijou as he watched her laugh and take a sip of milk. (Aradia let him know that succubi loved milk.) She finally continued while smiling and sharing her cheese with Alice.

“She let R&C Occultics run wild to start up a global anti-elite movement and then used Alice as a trigger to shake everyone up even more. Thanks to that, our collection of Transcendents is seen as an evil organization that threatens the stability of society.”

There were two mysteries here.

First, the Bologna Succubus and Good, Old Mary hadn’t demonstrated any kind of extreme cruelty during the Shibuya battle on the 31st. In fact, they had selflessly assisted a stranger like Kamijou. Why were they now in agreement with the other Transcendents about executing Anna Sprengel?

And second, what would happen to Aradia once that top priority issue was dealt with? He couldn’t have them turn around and decide to silence her since she could also leak their information.

The Bologna Succubus glanced over at Alice.

Alice had found something she liked more than Manju Crossing. She sat on Kamijou’s lap looking as pleased with herself as a king, but she tilted her head curiously when the Transcendent looked her way.

Kamijou decided he needed to ask, but couldn’t build up much momentum and remained hesitant.

“What…do you plan to do about it?”

She was as close to a good guy as there was in the Bridge Builders Cabal.

She was the reasonable member of the group.

But the next thing she said overturned that image Kamijou had constructed.

“''’Probably kill her. I mean, the accusations against Anna Sprengel are anything but false and I’m not so nice that I’m going to head out and save the guilty criminal who betrayed us all.''”

Kamijou really did stop breathing – and even lost consciousness – for a few seconds.

He felt like he had gone to the biggest police station in town in search of help, but they slammed the metal shutter in his face and told him to get lost. This proved that H. T. Trismegistus hadn’t been putting words in the Bologna Succubus’s mouth. They really did all agree on this point. She had said it herself: she wasn’t going to save a criminal.

“…”

“You’re asking mama now?”

Not so much out of strategy than out of desperation, Kamijou turned to look at the other more reasonable cabal member, but Good, Old Mary only tilted her head in the large hat.

She seemed to be asking why he had so much trouble understanding something so simple.

This was all it took for them to use the spiritual item left in Mut Thebes’s care. The countless javelins bound in an X-shape within a single binder. The words “drink me” taken straight from Alice in Wonderland. They hadn’t created the Shrink Drink in order to threaten Anna into obeying. They truly meant to kill her.

“''This case does not match mama’s condition either. So like it or not, I simply have no reason to save Anna Sprengel.''”

Kamijou’s mouth flapped like a goldfish but no words came out.

Her condition?

What was that about?

What was this powerful sense of wrongness roiling in his chest?

“I take it you’ve noticed,” whispered Aradia by his side.

She was the very enemy who had attempted to take his life on December 31. In fact, she had killed him. Quite thoroughly and more than once. She was supposed to be the last one he could hold a reasonable conversation with, so why did she seem like the only one he could actually speak with anymore?

“Each Transcendent has their own reason for joining the Bridge Builders Cabal. And that reason is always about protecting something beyond ourselves. That is even true for me and for H. T. Trismegistus. But on the other hand, we never do anything on a whim. We gathered with a clear purpose, so whether or not an action advances that purpose is crucial information when we make a decision.”

“But…but.”

“If it fit our search criteria, one of us would save Anna. But none of us have stepped forward to do so. I expect that is ''the whole story'' here.”

“What do you mean you don’t do anything on a whim? What about you, Bologna Succubus!? You risked your life to save a stranger like me!!”

“''Yeah, but only because you were falsely accused.''”

“And you, Good, Old Mary!?”

“''Mama is only freely distributing the saving substances that shouldn’t be limited to the privileged class who were chosen by a miracle.''”

This is what our search result says.

So why are you still questioning it?

“…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………”

Kamijou realized he was drenched with sweat.

This wasn’t right.

These Transcendents were fundamentally different from the powerful foes he had faced before. They weren’t like Accelerator, Fiamma of the Right, Magic God Othinus, Kamisato Kakeru, or Great Demon Coronzon. It wasn’t about good or evil. It wasn’t about what they liked or disliked. They simply saved whoever met their conditions. And it wasn’t some condescending thing where they chose to do it on a whim. If someone happened to meet the conditions, they would turn against their oldest allies or even sacrifice their own life to carry it out.

So what if Kamijou hadn’t met just one of the Bologna Succubus’s conditions on the 31st? What if he hadn’t matched Good, Old Mary’s rules?

Or what if someone else who met their conditions showed up and he was an obstacle to saving that person?

(This isn’t working.)

Aradia, the Bologna Succubus, and Good, Old Mary.

Why had he thought they were safe?

Everyone else in this lockable room were Transcendents of the Bridge Builders Cabal.

He felt like he was in a space ruled by the inhuman – like he was inside a ferocious beast’s cage at the zoo.

(It might look like we’ve gotten closer, but deep down we’re kilometers apart. This isn’t just about Aradia or H. T. Trismegistus. I thought the Bologna Succubus and Good, Old Mary were on my side…but I just didn’t understand how Transcendents work!!)

And…

“Teacher, teacher, teacher!”

Alice smiled and kicked her legs in Kamijou’s lap.

She was Tyrant Alice, the greatest irregularity who all the other Transcendents feared.

But this new information changed how he viewed her. Who said the winner of a majority vote was always correct? Why had he never considered the possibility that it was all the other Transcendents who feared Alice that were wrong? And after seeing firsthand how often her whims had saved lives in Academy City’s dark side!!

For example, ''what if Alice Anotherbible was a young and incomplete Transcendent in the sense that she had yet to decide on the conditions for her salvation?'' That would explain why her actions seemed so capricious and not based on any consistent rules. Some people would be saved as a result and others might die. It was also possible that the sweet words that little villain girl had whispered in Alice’s ear may have shifted the scales there.

A lack of consistent rules was a scary thing at first glance.

That was unavoidable when people’s lives were at stake and you couldn’t predict what she would do next.

But was that really so bad? Since you couldn’t tell what Alice was thinking, she might decide on a whim to save a kitten on the roadside. Meanwhile, the other Transcendents viewed everything through the lens of their conditions and would abandon someone to die if they failed to meet even one item on their list. Which one of those was more messed up?

You couldn’t tell what she was thinking.

You couldn’t perfectly predict what she would do next.

But…wasn’t that how it worked for normal human beings?

“Aradia.”

“What?”

“What about you? Does Anna Sprengel meet your conditions?”

“It’s a tricky one. I might consider it since she’s a woman who uses magic, but she also has the financial power to singlehandedly build up a global IT company. She just doesn’t feel like a poor witch being unjustly persecuted by the wealthy Christian church. So my internal scales would be 2-to-8 between saving and killing. I could possibly change my mind if you had additional conditions for me to consider, but if I had to make up my mind right this instant, I would go with the latter option.”

Kamijou smiled a little.

Finally.

He felt like he was speaking with space aliens here, but did Aradia realize what she had said?

She said it was “a tricky one”.

So she couldn’t overturn her 2-to-8 decision, but she was willing to call it ''tricky''. To Kamijou, that word hinted at a fragment of something beyond the cold judgment – something unnecessary and inefficient.

(What is happening here?)

None of this changed that Alice saved his life on the 29th and both the Bologna Succubus and Good, Old Mary saved his life on the 31st.

So why was he having a much easier time reaching an understanding with Aradia who had killed him more than once?

(Is it just that Aradia has a more reasonable set of conditions? Does it help that I’ve sealed her Transcendent abilities with the duct tape on her feet? Or did something in her change while being separated from the cabal for a time?)

He could come up with a number of theories, but no answers were forthcoming.

For one thing, he didn’t know what a Transcendent really was. How were they different from a normal magician, from a Saint, or from ''something special'' like Fiamma or Othinus? It made sense he couldn’t find an answer when he didn’t have a clear definition for them.

“Alice.”

The room froze over when he spoke to the girl in his arms.

He was the one and only person who could control Tyrant Alice. That was where his value lay for the Transcendents. It may have been even more important than Imagine Breaker here.

Alice kicked her feet while he held her in his lap and she looked up to meet his gaze.

“What is it, teacher?”

“I want to know what you think. You knew Anna Sprengel, didn’t you? I saw her take you back to the Bridge Builders Cabal on the 29th.”

“Yes!”

“So what do you want to do with her? I get why the cabal as a whole wants to do this, but I know you’re not bound by any of that.”

“The girl doesn’t really care.”

That was about as much of a non-answer as you could get.

That may have been a response a completed Transcendent could never give.

“''But the girl doesn’t like liars and traitors very much.''”

“…”

That was much more of an answer.

The eyes looking up into his while she leaned back into his chest were pure as could be. She was deciding someone’s fate with the logic of a child.

Sure enough, if the Shrink Drink spears meant to kill Anna came from Alice in Wonderland, then it was reasonable to assume Alice had helped Mut Thebes make those.

Alice’s internal scales were probably wavering between whether Anna Sprengel’s betrayal was directed at the cabal as a whole or at Alice personally. If the former, then Anna was the friend who taught her a fun game the grownups didn’t want her to know about. If the latter, Anna was the sack of shit who had made a mockery of the trust Alice had placed in her.

To repeat yet again, no one could predict what Alice would do next.

Say Alice held a red flag in one hand and a white flag in the other. One hundred times in a row at a rate of once per second, Alice would raise whichever flag she wanted. If she ever raised the red flag even once – whether on a whim or for a calculated reason – Anna would lose her head. And all the Transcendents around Alice would be begging her to raise the red flag the entire time. Now, under those circumstances, was it really logical to rely on the possibility of Alice saving Anna on a whim?

Kamijou loathed Anna Sprengel. He couldn’t find any reason at all to like her.

Not after what happened with St. Germain and seeing the disaster in Los Angeles with his own eyes. And she may have been involved in the recent tragedies within Academy City too.

But was he willing to kill her? That he wasn’t ready to say.

It wasn’t the solution he had in mind. If capricious Alice was guided by the other Transcendents to kill Anna, Kamijou couldn’t help but feel like that decision didn’t come from Alice’s personal morals.

A small child with a knife could possibly kill someone.

But how could you push that small child toward bloodying their hands like that? And how could you act like Alice was the fearsome monster in that scenario?

Kamijou suddenly remembered what the Bologna Succubus had said on the 31st.

(I’m the only person who can get through a normal conversation with Alice Anotherbible without being killed and I’m the only one who can scold her when she does the wrong thing.)

That was a clearly unnatural situation.

He had a strong feeling Anna Sprengel had a hand in setting it up, but…

(That doesn’t mean I want Anna dead. And I don’t like the idea of Alice killing someone.)

That may have been an impossible goal from the beginning.

Kamijou didn’t know a thing about Alice Anotherbible’s past. If she had been in this environment for long, it was possible she had already killed someone. Based on how terrified the Bologna Succubus had been of her in Shibuya, it seemed likely she had killed, or nearly killed, in the past.

But if he was still going to choose that as his goal…

(That sounds like a decent stance to me. And if I stick with the Bridge Builders Cabal, which is dead set on executing her, could I possibly help Anna escape at the last second?)

Anna Sprengel was of course one of history’s worst women.

Even if he did help her escape execution, letting her go free was much too dangerous.

He already knew from experience that she would simply escape her cell if he punched her and left her with Anti-Skill.

He honestly didn’t know what he could do about this.

He only knew he needed to stand up against what he was certain was wrong.

These people intended to use Tyrant Alice to kill someone they wanted gone.

''Be the kind of person who can stand up and say that’s wrong, Kamijou Touma.

===Part 2===

Kamijou’s visit with the Bologna Succubus came to and end without any real results. In fact, the more information he gathered, the more confused he felt.

He left the room following Good, Old Mary as she pushed out the cart loaded with empty dishes and he asked a question of Aradia by his side.

“What are you doing about a bath? It looks like each room has their own.”

“Why are you, a boy, asking about that? No, never mind. You don’t have to explain it for me. Keep that right hand away from me, Kamijou Touma!!”

He doubted there was any getting out of staying the night at the consulate and he did want to get as much information as possible while he had a chance to stay in contact with the Bridge Builders Cabal. They could also keep an eye on each other and he definitely wanted to know what Mut Thebes, the execution expert, was up to.

Hence his curiosity about Aradia’s bath. Needless to say, Aradia’s spells used her bare feet. Her power could return if she got the duct tape off her feet while he wasn’t paying attention.

“Guess I’ll have to ask Index to handle that again.”

“Could you not strip me of my rights as casually as coming up with tomorrow’s menu?”

“Eh? But who other than Index could-”

“The girl!”

“………………………………………………………………………………………………………………Uh, oh.”

This idea must not have even occurred to Witch Goddess Aradia because she sounded like someone watching a dump truck about to hit her in slow motion.

And so…

“Ahhhh!? No, wait, Alice. I can do that on my own. I can wash myself there, I promiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiise!!!”

“But the girl’s teacher asked her to do this. Look, this is the natural sponge everyone recommended. The girl also has this loofah and this bumpy silicon one! We can try them all out tonight! Scrubby scrubby☆”

“Bologna Succubus, aren’t you going to stop this? Or at least remove the duct tape from her feet?”

“Can’t you see me holding her in place to support her scrubbing assault, Good, Old Mary? She beat me up last year, but now she’s all tied up and begging for attention. Besides, I know firsthand the accusations against her aren’t false, so I have no reason to help her.”

“Mut Thebes. What about you?”

“I believe in the importance of communal bathing.”

Kamijou listened to the female Transcendents through the door.

(They certainly sound like they’re enjoying themselves. But is that only an illusion? The real problem with Transcendents is that this isn’t enough to know who they are deep down.)

He sighed out in the hallway.

It was like they could understand each other’s words, but there was some fundamental difference in their viewpoints.

But based on what he heard, he didn’t have to worry about the duct tape being removed from Aradia’s feet. He didn’t need to stand watch over the door, so he chose to leave.

Now was no time for being in such a quiet mood.

(Wait, if Mut Thebes was in the bath with them, then who’s looking after Index and Othinus!?)

Could you not trust a verbal promise from a Transcendent, or was that a problem with Mut Thebes in particular?

He returned to the 1st floor dining hall to find H. T. Trismegistus clearing away the dishes left on the table. He opened another storage case he pulled from a pocket and pulled out a rag, cleaner, and a large tray. Could he fit his black cane in there too?

Index must have eaten a prodigious amount because she was now resting her head on the table in utter satisfaction. 15cm god Othinus hopped up and down on the table to catch his attention. The fearful looks she kept giving the calico cat said she wanted to reclaim her spot on his shoulder immediately.

“(Human, I got a few pieces of information out of H. T. Trismegistus, but…)”

“(But this is a lot more dangerous than you thought? My findings say the same thing. Although those findings are mostly just even more things I now know I don’t know about the Transcendents.)”

H. T. Trismegistus glanced their way while they whispered to each other.

He was a Transcendent as well.

It didn’t matter if he could understand the ''words'' they spoke. How much could they actually ''communicate''?

“I began clearing the table when my master showed no sign of returning to eat.”

The young butler prioritized his master Alice above all others, so he must have decided dinner was over when she did not return to the table.

“We all grabbed something in the Bologna Succubus’s room. …There isn’t much food left, is there? Let me guess: Index ate it all.”

“She is a very eco-friendly person.”

“I don’t think that’s what that means.”

The problem was not leaving food behind. The problem was that not enough food made it to everyone. Eating several people’s worth of food on your own, even if it was close to expiring, was not the same thing as being economical. Confusion there was what led to meaningless announcements about “creating a sustainable society by reducing the number of unused take home boxes thrown out”. It was the restaurant that spent year in and year out buying more than they could possibly use and then throwing them out, so why did they sound so smug about cutting that waste in half? And why were they even throwing out take home boxes like it was a seasonal trend?

But the young butler didn’t seem particularly interested in the planet’s future.

“Mental exercise helps digestion as much as the physical type. So how about a game of chess? Alice and the others enjoy playing too.”

“Sorry, but I don’t know the rules to chess.”

The young butler had been partway through pulling out collapsible table and chairs when Kamijou answered and he ended up dropping everything to the floor.

His eyes shook as badly as a university professor who visited a supposedly haunted location with all the latest tech necessary to disprove the existence of ghosts and then started getting some very ghostly readings.

“C-common sense says you can’t possibly have lived 15 or 16 years without learning the rules to chess. E-even Alice knows how to play.”

“Oh, yeah? And when is knowing how to play chess going to help me find the loophole needed to win a battle, you fancy-pants butler?”

Kamijou Touma also didn’t know anything about the cricket game that Alice’s bat came from, but he now knew that was a secret he had to take to his grave.

“Besides, I’m Japanese, so what do you expect? A lot of people pretend to know, but only a handful of people can actually play chess without a set of instructions on how the different pieces move.”

This time, H. T. Trismegistus really did physically collapse backwards. Just toppled over like a felled tree.

The loud sound made Kamijou jump, but the butler himself didn’t even notice.

He rolled onto his side and clawed at the carpet while muttering to himself. Icepacks, headache medicine, and other similar items spilled from his cloak and scattered across the floor around him. He apparently didn’t have a chess rulebook on him and that failure came as something of a shock. To him, chess was apparently as basic a game as rock-paper-scissors or tag.

“C-common sense is not…common to everyone? No, that can’t be. It is absurd. I knew Academy City was a devilish place, but I never imagined it could be this bad. Grgbhdfbeewrby…”

“Hey, Transcendent? Your common tone thingies are breaking down.”

This confirmed H. T. Trismegistus was as eccentric as the rest, but Kamijou’s thoughts on the matter were cut off.

“This is the plank of Carneades.”

“?”

“I saw something like that long ago. The world is a cruel place indeed when people lose their ability to treat the concept of justice with care. No matter how logically you explain your academic theories, there is nothing you can do when people brush them aside based on emotion.”

The young butler didn’t seem intent on saying anything more.

It had come up several times when he spoke, so it sounded like H. T. Trismegistus measured his actions using the idea of “common sense”, or at least his definition of it. He normally felt untouchable there, but once that concept was shaken, it affected the very foundation of his thoughts.

Kamijou couldn’t afford to forget.

Aradia, the Bologna Succubus, Good, Old Mary, Mut Thebes.

And Anna Sprengel.

It wasn’t clear what kind of spells H. T. Trismegistus used, but he was definitely on par with those monsters. And this felt like a case of “better the devil you know than the devil you don’t know”.

It wasn’t as simple as duking it out to compare strengths.

This really was a wonderland.

===Part 3===

It was January 3.

Kamijou Touma had spent the night at a girl’s house.

It was somewhere around 9 or 10 AM and he was eating a lazy breakfast on this vacation day.

“Aradia, hold out your feet.”

“Sigh.”

Aradia was starting to grow accustomed to this, so she sat on the billiards table in the Bridge Builders Cabal Consulate’s recreation room and held her right foot out toward Kamijou on the floor.

The pointy-haired boy held a thick roll of duct tape in his hand.

Wrapping that around her ankles and feet was necessary to seal her powerful magic. But this was only a temporary fix and it wouldn’t last forever. The duct tape had to be periodically replaced, just like bandages.

“Okay, I’m going to take off the old tape. It might hurt some.”

“If you know it’s going to hurt, then don’t do it.”

“You’re the one who freaked out when I tried to use a knife.”

“Of course I did when you aimed a big box cutter at my ankle! Were you not aware that the Achilles tendon is a classic weak point!?”

Aradia snapped at him, but Kamijou was honestly relieved. As long as she didn’t have her Transcendent magic, a simple box cutter was enough to scare her.

He thought back to what happened in the dark side on December 29.

He doubted Alice would be so easily weakened.

He was afraid Aradia would make a run for it if he removed the tape from both her feet at once, so he did it one a time: removing the tape, wiping the foot off with a wet tissue, and then wrapping new tape. The witch goddess on the billiards table scowled at him the entire time, but she did let him do it.

Aradia grabbed a nearby tablet and browsed through the website for a new museum that was linked on the top page of a search engine that doubled as a news site.

“Why am I the only one receiving this kind of treatment when this place is crawling with Transcendents? Taking away my magic doesn’t change much overall.”

“I’m still doing it.”

Kamijou wrapped duct tape around Aradia’s left foot too and then made sure none of the sticky side was exposed and none of the tape was coming off.

“There, all done. After dealing with the more immediate problems, I need to find a more fundamental solution here. In a house like this that lets you walk around in shoes, maybe it would be easier to have you wear some cheap shoes and tape up the ankles real good, but…”

“?”

Aradia looked confused.

But when she looked down, she found her answer. Sitting on the billiards table and holding her leg out toward the kneeling boy placed her crotch right at his eye level.

“…”

“Wait! I didn’t do it on purpose, I swear! And I’ve been meaning to ask – is that sexy outfit a swimsuit or underwear? Seems to me the answer to that should influence your response here!!”

Apparently that true idiot was unaware it wasn’t okay to stare at a girl’s crotch even if she was wearing a swimsuit or pants.

Aradia jammed her foot into his mouth quite forcefully.

The lovely reward only tasted of rubber.

===Part 4===

Aradia stepped out into the hallway, leaving Kamijou Touma dizzy on the recreation room floor.

The witch goddess looked right, then left, and sighed.

Finally, she shut one eye.

An individual could only remain focused for so long. She had thought he would leave an opening eventually if she pretended to obey for a few days. Her Triple Reload spell was triggered by a witch’s ointment made by mixing several powdered herbs with the sweat and sebum from her own bare feet. That meant she could not use the spell with her feet duct taped up, but that changed if she could be alone for a while.

Anyone could remove the duct tape given enough time.

With a fighter nearby, she would be attacked while attempting persistently trying to remove it, but she could get rid of it safely right now.

She crouched down and brought her hands to her right ankle.

“God, you can tell what an amateur he is from the way he thinks he can keep an enemy indefinitely restrained without some kind of organized power. If he wanted to take my power away for good, he only needed to chop my feet off while I couldn’t resist.”

“''That’s what I said.''”

Aradia literally jumped from the floor.

The gap between her giant wimple and long silver hair widened and a 15cm god’s exasperated face emerged. The god stood on the witch goddess’s shoulder and whispered into her ear. Which meant she was in the perfect position to jab her arm in Aradia’s ear.

“But that human isn’t willing to do that, so he chose to accept the risks of keeping you around. Do try to pay attention, you overstudying witch.”

“Okay, okay. I get it.”

Aradia slowly raised her hands without straightening back up.

She doubted it would be difficult to crush 15cm Othinus in a hand, but if the tiny god threw out her pride and screamed, she had no idea who would come running. She could guess how Kamijou Touma would react, but she wasn’t sure what Alice or the other Transcendents would do if she exacted violence upon a guest of the consulate. Especially when her position in the group was on shaky footing after losing.

Aradia smiled.

“So are you the organized power tagging along to make up for that foolish high school boy’s mistakes? Surely you know these half-assed restraints aren’t enough to defang me.”

“Why do you think I warned him to remove your feet if it ended up killing you? He’s seen countless times that his foolish efforts go unrewarded, but he still bets his own life on this crap every single time. It makes my head hurt.”

“?”

Aradia looked puzzled and Othinus sighed.

“You can lower your hands. So why do you think that human chose to do this the hard way?”

“Because he isn’t willing to slit his defeated enemy’s throat or at least cut off their limbs to keep them from using magic?”

“Got it in one, dammit.”

Aradia had meant that as an obviously silly reason, so she was taken aback when it turned out to be right.

Othinus went on, sounding a bit sulky.

“Or more accurately, he wants things to end when he defeats an enemy. No matter how harsh the battle, he thinks the end of the fight should signal a new beginning where both sides can throw out their hard feelings and get a fresh start.”

“…”

“Anna Sprengel has shaken his confidence in that idea. He defeated her himself on December 25, but when he left her with Academy City, she easily escaped her cell. And if that weren’t enough, now Academy City and the Bridge Builders Cabal have concluded that killing Anna is the only option. …It all must have come as quite a shock for that kindhearted idiot. That’s why he’s so desperate to prove using you that defeating a powerful enemy is all you need to have a nice happy ending.”

Aradia stared at her right ankle while crouched down like she was retying her shoelaces. She stared at the crude safety device made from the waterproof duct tape the boy happened to have on hand.

“He knows this isn’t the smart thing to do,” said Othinus, looking down on Aradia for scoffing. “But he does it anyway because he thinks he can protect you if he finds a nonlethal way to neutralize a Transcendent. He’s doing all this because he believes your life can still be saved as long as he doesn’t give up, no matter how hopeless it seems. …And here you are mocking him for it. Just goes to show truly selfless acts go unappreciated. Is that one of the cruelties you see in this immature world? Is this one of your complaints with the current world, Transcendent?”

“I never asked him to do this.”

“Then are you going to tear off that duct tape and join your old pals in the Bridge Builders Cabal? You already know they don’t need you as much as you think they do. They have no reason to accept the risk of taking you back in unless you bring them back a souvenir that more than makes up for your failure. Because the fact that he defeated you becomes a vulnerability or backdoor for the cabal as a whole. I don’t know what the cabal’s ultimate goal is, but if they decide you would be a hindrance, they’ll just kill you.”

“I will still become a goddess who is a protector to all witches!! That is the only way I can live my life!! You think you can remove the fangs I need to save people and call it a nonlethal way of saving me? That only leads to a future where I have to watch helplessly as so many others die. You can’t force this compromise on me and assume I’ll just accept to abandon the less fortunate to their suffering. You think too little of Aradia, goddess of witches and ruler of the night and the moon!!!”

This wasn’t about her magic power or spells. That Transcendent’s way of life and determination gave her words enough power to crush someone’s soul.

But it had no affect at all on Othinus.

She may have lost her powers, but she was still a Magic God.

“You say you’re the goddess people expect to save all the witches being unjustly persecuted by the wealthy Christian church?” asked Othinus as if seeking confirmation. “Then you have made a fundamental misunderstanding here.”

“?”

“You didn’t know? That boy is far from unscathed. He carries the scars of all the idiotic stunts he’s ever pulled. To be fair, he chose to do those things on his own, but the majority of them were related to that Index Librorum Prohibitorum. In other words, the Christian church is using an innocent high school boy to protect their ultimate weapon. Oh, and I haven’t seen any sign of them rewarding him or paying him for everything he does. And as a result, he’s missed class so often he’s at risk of having to repeat the year.”

Time stopped within Aradia.

It took more than 5 seconds of actual time for her to get the next word out.

“…What?”

“Also, he has, just once, used magic of his own free will. It happened in his battle against Anna Sprengel on December 25. Of course, he didn’t refine his own lifeforce into magic power and it was mostly done by the microscopic St. Germain infecting his body, but he still chose to use magic to protect everyone in Academy City even though he knew it could mean his death.”

“!!”

Aradia completely stopped breathing for a moment.

Yes.

If she was to truly live the life she had defined for herself…

“And the word witch can also be applied to male practitioners of heretical magic. Just think back to the Bologna Succubus’s story. The person killed at a witch trial for the absurd crime of running a succubus brothel was a man. …Doesn’t this mean that human is someone who was forced to using magic at the risk of his own life because the Christian church took advantage of his kind heart and sent him into battle time and time again? Oh? Aradia, wouldn’t that make him a poor witch unjustly persecuted by the wealthy Christian church? So isn’t it very odd that he’s the one you’re attacking here?”

Originally, witches did not call themselves witches.

They did not seek fame or fortune.

They simply gave nearby villagers advice and secretly dealt with those villagers’ problems using special means unavailable to most people. So no matter how many people a witch saved, they would never be understood or rewarded for their actions.

Just like Aradia had thoughtlessly pushed Kamijou away here.

The witch goddess paled.

“A-are you kidding me!? Do you have any idea how many times I’ve killed him? And I’m supposed to be a guardian to all witches! Sure, maybe I was in no state to think it through on the 31st, but I kept antagonizing him today on January 3! Why didn’t he say anything!?”

“''Because saying something would bind you.'' So he has chosen to abandon the trump card of borrowing your power. He really is betting his life on the absurd idea that one day everyone will come to an understanding without the need for any of those special conditions.”

“…”

The long history of witches was, by and large, a depressing one, but there were some people accused of being witches whose hellish trials were overturned or who were protected by the people and lived out happy lives. For example, there was Biddy Early, a bottle magician who healed injury and disease without asking for any kind of payment, and there was Kyteler, a marquis’s wife who used her authority to fight back against a bishop abusing his own authority. No one determined to be a witch could survive in those days, yet they had done so because the people hadn’t forgotten what their local witch had done for them, had refused to provide false testimony, and had never succumbed to the great pressure of the church that had such power over people’s lives back then.

Aradia had failed to do the same.

Was a violent mob deceived by misinformation the real threat? That wasn’t the only way people could respond. The true saints who saved the lives of the desperate were ordinary people who didn’t think they had done anything special. Crossing that tightrope was second nature to them, so they didn’t see it as something to be proud of.

“That human smiled.”

When Aradia fell silent, the girl known as a god clicked her tongue and made her point even more clearly.

“On December 31, I mean. You probably don’t remember since you had just been punched out, but when he learned that covering your feet would keep you from using your magic, Kamijou Touma breathed a wholehearted sigh of relief. Once he knew how to switch your supernatural power on and off, ''he didn’t need to fear you anymore.'' The witch goddess was an extraordinary monster, but he could finally say that cutting off your feet and killing you wasn’t the only option. Sure, the possibility was slim, but you were still savable.”

“……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………”

Something replayed in the back of Aradia’s head.

What was it the Bologna Succubus had told her on December 31?

''“If you could only calm down some and recall the kinds of hell the witches of yore experienced in those sorry excuses for trials, you would have gone out of your way to become the good goddess of the silent night who would protect Kamijou Touma.”

Othinus had one more thing to say to the dazed witch goddess.

In a tone that said she hadn’t thought Aradia was this dense.

“But your rudeness destroyed even that faint hope. You should thank me, foolish goddess. I’ve chosen to save a stranger like you even if it means smashing up that human’s dreams. Because if you do tear that tape from your feet and kill that human again – and this time doing a thorough enough job that not even this city’s doctors or Good, Old Mary can reverse the process – then you will no longer be able to call yourself a goddess to all witches.”

===Part 5===

Kamijou had lost track of Aradia after taking his eyes off her for only a moment.

He was legitimately worried as he stepped out into the garden’s bright green grass. The building was so big and labyrinthine he had decided it would be faster to look in through the windows and see if he saw her that way. That was no guarantee of finding her, of course, but he would at least know she wasn’t anywhere visible through the windows.

Of course, this was all assuming she remained at the consulate at all.

“Hey, human.”

Out of nowhere, someone called out to him.

It wasn’t Aradia. He looked back to see the 15cm god giving him a look of exasperation and pity from the witch goddess’s shoulder, as if to say she had found the child he had lost.

“She isn’t going to run away, so don’t worry about that,” said the small but arrogant god. “The deal was for you, the grimoire library, and me to take turns looking after her, remember?”

“Hmph.”

Aradia was in a very bad mood as she entered the garden.

But while she did refuse to look Kamijou in the eye, she didn’t leave either.

When she spoke, it was in a somewhat sulky voice.

She also restlessly toyed with her silver hair.

“You want to stop Anna Sprengel before Mut Thebes can, don’t you? And without killing her if possible.”

Kamijou blinked.

And he tilted his head.

“Aradia, have you mellowed out?”

“Do not even suggest such a thing. I am a Transcendent. I am the goddess of all witches. Do you really think my nature would change so easily?”

Aradia swept her hair back with a hand and glared icily at him.

She and Othinus on her shoulder whispered something back and forth.

“(You’re sure he counts as a witch?)”

“(Why are you getting cold feet and questioning it now? I know you’d prefer it if he was.)”

“?”

Aradia still had waterproof duct tape wrapped around her feet, which meant she hadn’t tried to tear it off while she was alone.

“You don’t have to worry about that.”

Aradia sounded a bit irritated.

And she continued from there.

“The Bridge Builders Cabal has settled on killing Anna Sprengel for being a traitor. Since the Shrink Drink execution spiritual item is already complete and Mut Thebes has already arrived, they would be hard pressed finding a reason not to go through with it. I imagine you think you can hide your true purpose and stick with them so you can find some way of letting that little devil escape at the last second, but that isn’t enough. The Bridge Builders Cabal has hideouts across the globe and can freely travel between them. So even if she escapes for now, they will just send in more and more Transcendents until she can’t possibly escape. Saving her in the here and now isn’t enough to end the threat to her life.”

“So how many Transcendents are there in all?”

“That isn’t important. What matters is that you can’t save Anna Sprengel by rushing in once something has already happened.” Aradia winked. “So you need to get what you want before anything happens. That’s the standard method for preventing harm.”

“Before anything happens?”

“Did you forget, human? The Bridge Builders Cabal is run by the Transcendents gathering together and talking things out,” said Othinus, walking down Aradia’s arm to reach him.

She was right. It was easy to forget with Anna Anotherbible and all the other Transcendents being so extraordinarily powerful, but the Bologna Succubus had said they discussed what path to take the world down and made adjustments accordingly. And the other Transcendents were having trouble because Alice’s child logic was ruining all that.

“You must control the discussion held between the Transcendents,” firmly stated Aradia.

“…”

Kamijou didn’t say anything, so she continued.

“That is the only way to prevent Mut Thebes from executing Anna Sprengel with the Shrink Drink she was lent.”

“I-I’m all for talking things out, but how exactly do we make that happen?”

“I’d like to know that too,” said Othinus. “Aradia, you said yourself that the Bridge Builders Cabal has bases all around the world and we haven’t even seen how many Transcendents are hiding out here. We don’t know who to argue our case to or how many people we have to convince to gain a majority. How do we control the discussion like this?”

“You’re both idiots. Didn’t I say that isn’t important?” interrupted Aradia. “It’s not about how many votes you get. The actions of Alice Anotherbible always hold an important meaning within the cabal.”

“Wait, you mean…?”

“Only you can do this,” said Aradia even as she was distracted by the sight of Mut Thebes walking by a 2nd floor window.

This was a choice that not even the Bologna Succubus or Good, Old Mary could make.

“But to be extra certain, it would be safest to convince anyone here capable of influencing Alice’s actions. There still aren’t very many Transcendents here in the consulate. And only one of those serves as Alice’s aide: H. T. Trisme-”

“Talking about me?” calmly asked the young butler with a cane.

He didn’t seem to have any trouble walking, but that wasn’t enough of a reason to conclude the cane was a spiritual item for his magic. Since it was so conspicuous, it could have been bait to distract from the real spiritual item.

Kamijou wondered what kind of work a butler did in the garden, but there was a table set up in a corner decorated by green grass and colorful flowers. The gardener wouldn’t be in charge of maintaining that.

The young butler smiled thinly when he noticed what Kamijou was looking at.

“I agree it is cold out here during January, but Alice still prefers to drink her tea outside. Heh heh. Sounds like something straight out of a children’s book, doesn’t it?”

“Perfect timing,” said Aradia.

By then, the young butler had already pulled a new table and several chairs from his cloak and finished setting them up. The witch goddess sat down in one of the chairs like this was normal.

“Kamijou Touma, you can gain the Bologna Succubus and Good, Old Mary’s cooperation ''if you make your request in the correct way.''”

Potable water that didn’t need to be boiled was apparently more valuable than something like tea. H. T. Trismegistus handed Kamijou a bottle of ice-cold mineral water, but Kamijou was grimacing at what Aradia had said.

He still couldn’t forget what the Bologna Succubus had said in her room.

“But aren’t they full-on ready to kill her already?”

“Then you need to remove Anna Sprengel from their conditions.”

“Human, take the Bologna Succubus for example. She is a Transcendent who will save anyone, whether she likes them or not, as long as they have been falsely accused. No matter how specious the argument, she should back down as long as you can place Anna in that category.”

Othinus’s explanation made Kamijou frown.

Even if she looked like a winged exhibitionist who walked around town in her underwear, she had still saved his life in Shibuya on the 31st. ''Even if the Bologna Succubus said otherwise,'' he wanted to believe there was a deeper meaning and connection between them.

Aradia breathed an exasperated sigh at the pointy-haired boy.

“Stop thinking about what you like and dislike and start thinking about what is correct and incorrect. Not even Good, Old Mary saves everyone indiscriminately using her composite miracles. She only resurrected you in Shibuya because you met her conditions. Figure out for yourself what those conditions are. She doesn’t keep them hidden, so she should have mentioned them already.”

“…”

“There seem to be a few other dangerous Transcendents in the consulate, but you really only need one more. With H. T. Trismegistus here’s help, you would have decent control over everything around Alice. If you have a majority of those in the consulate and Alice herself on your side, the rest of the cabal members around the world should choose to go your way. Mut Thebes can’t act alone because she is a Transcendent who only kills in accordance with her rules. For better or for worse, she only acts according to the organization’s decisions. Everyone fears Alice. She technically only has one vote, but ''that vote determines how most everyone else votes''.”

“Umm, I get the feeling you are dragging me into something messy,” said H. T. Trismegistus. “Especially when you keep mentioning Alice.”

“We will not cause any trouble for your beloved Alice.”

The young butler tilted his head, took a sip from his water bottle, and pulled a notebook from his pocket.

Kamijou’s group explained everything from the beginning.

The angle of H. T. Trismegistus’s head tilt grew as the explanation continued.

“So you wish to retract the order to execute Anna Sprengel with the Shrink Drink?”

“Simply put, yes.”

“But why, Aradia? Setting aside the cabal’s own issues, we all know that villain causes global disasters wherever she goes. She has even interfered with Alice. Why would you work so hard to make her fit your conditions?”

Aradia only shrugged.

H. T. Trismegistus was not being coldhearted. Anna had already done so much. Most likely, the entire 6 or 7 billion population of the Earth would question this decision.

So only Kamijou could answer that question.

“''I don’t need a reason now. I can come up with one later.''”

“…”

“''It was the same in the fights against Accelerator, Fiamma of the Right, Magic God Othinus, Kamisato Kakeru, Aleister, Coronzon, and even myself. If I don’t have a reason to save them, I find one by getting to know them better while we fight.''”

Academy City would never forgive Anna Sprengel for what she did to it.

And the many Transcendents of the Bridge Builders Cabal were constructing a practical method of killing Anna.

Kamijou wasn’t interested in forgiving Anna either. What had she done to St. Germain, Los Angeles, and Academy City? If she intended to cause even worse tragedies in the future, he had to stop her even if it meant knocking her out with his fist.

But was blood and death the only possible ending?

Was that really the conclusion Kamijou Touma had sought this whole time?

“I see, I see, I see. So this is the Kamijou Touma that Alice has grown so attached to.”

The young butler sighed in deep exasperation.

“Don’t act like you already understand him,” said Othinus on his shoulder, furious for some reason.

Aradia also viewed Kamijou again with an unreadable expression.

“Hey, H. T. Trismegistus,” said Aradia.

“What do you want?”

“I would like to start by confirming we’re on the same page here. Everything with Anna Sprengel was outside of our plans. Both the changes to Alice’s settings and Kamijou Touma unwittingly becoming Alice’s controller. Do you agree with me so far?”

“I do.”

“Then if we distort the Bridge Builders Cabal and its definition over whether or not we should kill Anna, haven’t we already lost to her? If we kill the traitor and that changes something fundamental about the cabal’s nature, then we are accepting that loss for nothing in return. Anna Sprengel can go to her grave sticking out her tongue and mocking us.” Aradia took a sip of her cold mineral water. “I sense danger in the very fact that we are having a Transcendent create a tool for executing Transcendents. Everyone is too furious with Anna to think about it rationally, but what guarantee of safety do we have if a third party steals that Shrink Drink spear and directs it at us? If this goes wrong, Anna’s ghost will haunt us forevermore.”

“Aradia. I must ask something for my master’s sake,” said the young butler. “I am here to save the majority who believe in the strength of common sense. And I am here to prevent the tragedies that would follow if common sense itself were to be shaken. But that does not mesh with the conditions of your salvation. …That means I am in no position to judge whether or not this boy and Anna Sprengel meet your conditions. So please think of this as a purely hypothetical question.”

“Get on with it.”

“What would you do if one or the other of Kamijou Touma and Anna Sprengel no longer met those conditions? Then this dangerous tightrope walk shaking the power balance of the entire cabal will have been for nothing.”

“True.” The witch goddess laughed, took a deep breath, and gave her answer. “If that were to happen, I might just act on a whim the way Alice does.”

“Is that so?” said H. T. Trismegistus. He held a hand to his thin chin in thought. “The way Alice does, you say? Then common sense can only lead to a single solution.”

Even Kamijou could sense the tension draining from the witch goddess’s shoulders and neck.

Making this suggestion must have been a nerve-wracking experience even for another Transcendent. Kamijou couldn’t keep up with it all since he was an outsider to the cabal. And as an outsider, he didn’t even get a vote in the discussion.

The young butler tapped his cane against the ground and glanced down.

He looked below the table.

He noted the duct tape sealing Aradia’s feet.

He tore a page from his notebook and slowly stood from his seat.

“Transcendent Aradia, I can prevent a lot of future problems by killing you here and now.”

The table and chairs were all blown away.

Something flashed from the young butler’s hand.

It all happened so fast the boy’s understanding and perception were delayed and shredded. At first, Kamijou saw it as an incredibly long whip of light or as a white serpent, but that wasn’t it.

It was a sword.

How long did it take Kamijou to realize that flash came from the sword H. T. Trismegistus had drawn from his black cane? And the powerful sweep of the drawn sword ''covered a range longer than the cane had been.''

So he was much too late to react.

He could only watch while blood erupted from Aradia and she crashed to the ground.

With her feet covered, she couldn’t even defend with her magic.

The young butler had blatantly checked on that before drawing his cane sword.

It was all the result of Kamijou’s own actions.

“Aradiaaaaaa!?”

“You idiot! You need to move away, human!!”

Othinus shouted something into his ear, but Kamijou simply stood there in the garden.

Fight? Against who? Didn’t he need this man’s cooperation?

What about Aradia?

How bad was her condition after erupting with blood and collapsing!?

“You should have seen this coming.”

The young butler actually looked confused.

He returned the beautifully shining blade to its scabbard that doubled as a black cane.

“Aradia, any Transcendent who has already lost contains the risk of losing again and again and again. What does my Alice gain by including such a vulnerability in the cabal? And based on what you have told me, it is obvious you intend to include Alice in your plans. This time, it would not be accidental. Kamijou Touma has begun to consider manipulating Alice Anotherbible’s actions for his own purposes. Any Transcendent with common sense would not let that continue.”

That young butler had said he would not allow any tragedies caused by common sense itself being shaken.

Were his interests incompatible with Aradia’s as she tried to manipulate the votes and trends in her favor?

No, this was deeper than that.

“Don’t tell me…”

“Yes. ''I am one of the so-called Killers when it comes to you, Kamijou Touma.'' View the issue with common sense and it could not be more obvious that you are the most dangerous person in the world for your ability to control Tyrant Alice.”

“…”

“I decided to hold off on judgment until I had seen it for myself. You were also Alice’s hope, after all. So until yesterday, I merely observed. I would feel bad if I beheaded you over a baseless rumor, after all. But now you are showing signs of controlling Alice for your own ends. And thus you must die, Kamijou Touma. You cannot avoid my blade.”

Aradia wasn’t moving.

She didn’t even groan in pain while coloring the grass red around her.

Something in her had finally started to change.

Kamijou had no way of knowing what had caused it, but Aradia had clearly changed from when he had seen her in Shibuya. It was obvious enough even he could tell. Her conditions? Her rules? What did it matter if someone didn’t fit one of the items on her list? What was wrong with wanting to save someone on a whim!?

But H. T. Trismegistus hadn’t allowed it.

He had nipped that change in the bud ''like this was a standard process''!!!

“Why not me?” asked Kamijou.

“What about you?”

“I’m Tyrant Alice’s controller, aren’t I? If you Killers are so damn scared of me, why did you cut down Aradia first!?”

“You are indeed my top priority target, you loathsome illegitimate controller.”

Mut Thebes was nowhere to be seen.

Hadn’t she said she would kill the young butler if he tried anything? Did she never keep her promises, or did only Index and Othinus meet her conditions?

“However, I have done some research into that bizarre Imagine Breaker you call a right hand. While you did receive considerable support from the Bologna Succubus and Good, Old Mary, the fact remains that you defeated Aradia – a Transcendent. Did you think I wouldn’t show the utmost caution around you? Common sense says the most effective method is to ''prepare a landmine to trip up the intruder'' before making your attack.”

“…”

That was all?

He had attacked Aradia, a fellow cabal member and a fellow Killer, for nothing more than that?

“Also.”

The young butler glared down at Aradia while holding his black cane – or the murderous tool disguised as one.

He now had pure contempt in his eyes.

“I have noticed some changes in the other Transcendents, not just in Tyrant Alice. You are causing Alice and the world around her to crumble. Witch Goddess Aradia, you stopped caring if Kamijou Touma and Anna met your conditions, didn’t you? You felt relieved when you found a way to make him fit your conditions, didn’t you? Did you perhaps want to try living outside your own rules? Did you decide you wanted to save them even if they did leave your conditions? ''That is a problem. Transcendents must provide salvation in a fair and evenhanded fashion.''”

Was that…?

Was that really so wrong?

She had told Kamijou how to save Anna when he didn’t know how.

Was it really so wrong to feel your convictions shaken when they told you to say nothing as someone died!?

“Aradia trusted you. She must have.”

“Yes, I am aware.”

“She trusted you enough to share this secret with you! And this is how you repay her!?”

“That has no bearing on the conditions for my salvation. It’s common sense really.”

Kamijou clenched his teeth harder and harder.

When a Transcendent got like this, they could understand your words, but actual communication wasn’t possible.

Kamijou had sensed this same thing when visiting the Bologna Succubus. The Transcendents chose who to save based on a programmatic list of and, or, and not operations. Tyrant Alice, meanwhile, would reach out a hand carrying indescribably great power on a whim when she saw a tragedy playing out before her. Which of those was more normal?

The goddess of witches had decided on her own definition of and conditions for salvation.

To hell with this. All she had done was feel a desire to save someone who didn’t fit those self-imposed rules! Was that really so heinous a crime it deserved being summarily executed by a trusted companion!?

“…H. T. Trismegistus.”

“Now, prepare to die.”

A metallic sound whispered from the black cane.

The young butler held the cane scabbard next to his hip, no longer making any attempt to hide that there was a sword within.

That Transcendent was superficially polite but filled with killer intent and he kept a thin smile on his face.

“Aradia has fallen, Anna will be executed before long, and common sense leads me to conclude I would be doing the world a favor if I swiftly and surely eliminated you here. Therefore, this is the end for you.”

“To hell with that!! How is this any form of salvation!?”

“My actions only look cruel because you do not meet my conditions. That is always how it works with us Transcendents.”

Kamijou had heard enough.

Some kind of flimsy thread snapped in his head.

He immediately grabbed Othinus from his shoulder and flung her to the side.

“Human!?”

His top priority was rescuing badly injured Aradia, so he needed someone who could bring Good, Old Mary here. And Othinus was small enough that she could hide within the grass and flowers if she crawled.

Of course. H. T. Trismegistus wasn’t about to overlook this. It was possible he could draw his sword and slice her into confetti before she even landed.

But Kamijou wasn’t going to let him do that.

''Transcendent H. T. Trismegistus.

''Don’t assume you can get away with anything just because you have so much power!!

“Oooooooaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!”

The time for words was over.

The boy clenched his right fist as hard as a rock, roared, and charged toward the Transcendent.

He wasn’t letting Aradia die.

He refused to let this end with her death!!

That was the only thing he needed in his heart right now!!!

===Between the Lines 3===

No one trusted the witch.

No one praised the witch.

No one knew who the witch really was.

The path to success was right there in front of them, she carefully explained it to them over and over, and they all would have found happiness if they had simply followed her instructions.

But the people still failed.

But the people still fell and suffered for no reason.

Why did these things happen?

…Did they think there was a shortcut?

She had them taking such a long route because anything shorter would be too dangerous.

…Did they think it was a dead end?

It might look that way at first, but they would find a hole in the wall if they kept going.

…Did they think the stone bridge would collapse below them?

Such a kind witch would never tell them to take a path as dangerous as that.

Again and again, nothing she did was ever rewarded.

But she still pointed out the way.

No matter how horrifically she was treated.

No matter how muddy and bloody she ended up.

She knew no one would believe her, but she still pointed out the way for the troubled people she encountered.

She simply pointed to the answer right in front of them.

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Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume7 Chapter3

2022-09-19T03:36:28Z

January: Added missing punctuation for abbreviations

{{Incomplete|parts=1|tparts=6}}
==Chapter 3: The Next Move – Witch_Trial.==

===Part 1===

“The girl is ready to eat!!”

“…”

Alice put on a perfect smile and made her announcement as the center of the world.

She had taken the seat of honor at a very long table inside the white castle’s large dining hall. An impressive array of food covered the table as if that was just the way of things here. Everything clearly followed Western culture, but each course of the meal was not brought out separately. And the silverware only included a single knife and fork per plate.

“Here, Alice. Make sure to wear a napkin.”

“Nh.”

“Wouldn’t it be best to cut this up on a separate plate? You prefer using a plastic cocktail pick instead of a fork, don’t you?”

“I want a bento food pick! The shiny see-through ones are so grownup and cool!!”

The young butler H. T. Trismegistus’s cloak seemed to contain anything and everything. He also swiftly took care of Alice without getting in her way. He had denied it himself, but the way he looked after her sure made him look like her tutor.

“(Hey, Othinus. What does Trismegistus mean? Some kind of god?)”

“(There is of course a story behind the name, but the legend that still remains in the current world doesn’t point to a specific individual. It’s something like a shared penname ancient scholars would use to release their papers anonymously.)”

So was the concept of a throwaway account a modern continuation of an ancient tradition? But what did that mean for this young man using the name?

Kamijou didn’t have a clue about Western etiquette (was there even such a thing as a singular “Western” etiquette when, even limiting your definition of Western to only include Europe, that category included everything from Greenland in the west to Russia in the east?), but the man had hung the head of his black cane from the back of his chair.

“Alice does not like having each course brought out in turn. Yes, common sense says she prefers to do things trattoria style.”

“Ooh, meatballs! They’re made from almost the same thing, but they still seem so different from the small hamburger steaks in a bento.”

“If you ask mama, the distinction is similar to the difference between gyoza and shumai, Alice.”

“Yay, there’s Chinese food too!”

Kamijou had trouble focusing on the food when Mut Thebes, the Transcendent punishment or execution expert, was eating at the same table as him, but when their eyes met, she silently passed him the French dressing. Apparently she wasn’t in a bad mood – that was just how she always looked.

Othinus, meanwhile, was worried about being drugged and had the cat try the food first, but Index started chowing down immediately.

“Yum. This home food is just as good as restaurant food.”

“Yeah, can’t say I expected home cooking here,” replied Kamijou.

“(Why is it such a surprise? Mama only wants everyone to feel at home.)”

Kamijou hesitantly dipped his spoon into his soup. So that woman was the ultimate magical healer, could fight according to Kumokawa-senpai, and was willing to do all the housework? Was there anything she couldn’t do?

He had a feeling the Transcendents wouldn’t try to poison the food. If they wanted him dead, they could have obliterated him with simple brute force.

“You eat too, Aradia. You’ve missed mama’s cooking, haven’t you?”

“…”

The witch goddess looked uncomfortable.

She knew the others weren’t going to suddenly attack since Alice was against it, but she wasn’t sure where she stood in the Bridge Builders Cabal.

“H. T. Trismegistus, you aren’t going to eat your fries? Then the girl will take them.”

“I am saving them to eat after my baked potato, Alice. And I see you are stealing them with your fork despite my explanation!”

The young butler tearfully protested, but Kamijou was curious what the difference was between these Western-style baked potatoes and Japanese-style buttered potatoes.

It looked like H. T. Trismegistus let himself be bullied while Good, Old Mary tried to control Alice through her stomach. As Kamijou noticed each cabal member’s strategy, what might have looked like an enjoyable meal seemed a lot more like a game of chess or shogi surrounding Alice.

But even that wasn’t perfect.

So whether they were a Rescuer or a Killer, the Transcendents all feared the boy who could freely influence Alice.

Kamijou glanced to the side. It was already dark outside the window. The sun set early at the start of the year, but it was already well into the night.

Q. Why was he doing this?

A. “Eh? Because you’re spending the night at the girl’s house, teacher.”

Alice had made it sound like a foregone conclusion.

He could have refused and he doubted she would have stopped him from leaving. But doing that would have made it even harder to predict the actions of the other Transcendents who were so interested in Alice Anotherbible’s moods.

“Hm. The girl’s soda water has gotten warm.”

“Shall I pour you a new glass, Alice?”

“No!! The girl wants this glass!”

“Very well. Your wish is my command.”

The young butler was clearly accustomed to her childish demands. He opened a tiered storage container he pulled from his pocket and then held an icepack of dry ice against the glass to cool its contents. Kamijou got the feeling the guy had a canister of carbon gas in there too.

H. T. Trismegistus’s job was to look after Alice (and clean up the mess she made while eating), but the food preparation was handled by Good, Old Mary.

Othinus, who was being careful to only eat something she had seen another human or the cat eat first, whispered to Kamijou with a piece of bread in both hands.

“(Human, have you figured out who you need to keep an eye on?)”

“…”

“(In this case, ''it isn’t Alice''.)”

He agreed with that.

He didn’t know the exact number of Transcendents staying in the Bridge Builders Cabal Consulate, but the one who terrified him the most was Good, Old Mary.

Resurrection.

Even death could be reversed.

Aradia and the Bologna Succubus’s mysterious spells had appeared to be purely destructive in nature, but this would bring great chaos to the world in a different way entirely. For example, if all of humanity came together and used up all of Earth’s natural and human resources to defeat a single Transcendent, it might not end there. If Good, Old Mary used her resurrection, that Transcendent would be good as new while everyone else remained worn down. Kamijou didn’t even want to think about that possibility.

So as dangerous as the Transcendents were on their own, they might push past their usual limits ''on the assumption they could be resurrected''.

It felt like having the frog doctor on your enemy’s side. Kamijou felt ungrateful since she had already saved his life more than once, but it was those rescues from beyond the verge of death that told him just how abnormal Good, Old Mary was.

(On that note, Alice’s abilities seem so depthless she could handle both destruction and resurrection.)

“This bread is good. I didn’t know just bread could taste good, but it does.”

“That is because mama baked it from scratch herself.”

It sounded like Index and the mama were hitting it off. Or rather, the latter was winning over the former with food.

Then Kamijou noticed a silver cart next to Good, Old Mary. It contained portions of the same food Alice was eating.

“What’s that for?”

“Mama is willing to forgive people for not showing up at the table for mealtime. Especially when they are recuperating in their room like the Bologna Succubus is.”

“…”

This was something he had hoped to see for himself. He had been told she was fine, but still.

“(Do not take the bait, human. Did you learn nothing from Los Angeles? Hopes can quickly transform into vulnerabilities.)”

“(But…)”

The Bologna Succubus had seemed different from the rest of the Bridge Builders Cabal (including Alice). She looked wild with the horns on her head and wings on her back, but of all the members he had met so far, she had had the most solid head on her shoulders.

“(Mama has been perfectly reasonable with you at every turn and I still rank below Miss Walks-Around-In-Her-Underwear?)”

Good, Old Mary was squirming for some reason, but he decided to ignore it…which must have shown on his face because an even deeper shadow fell over her face.

But for now, he was focused on the Bologna Succubus. He still had trouble believing some things.

For example, there was that traitor Anna Sprengel.

The rise and fall of R&C Occultics he could understand. That had been Anna’s personal toy. But even as an outsider, he could tell it meant a lot that Alice Anotherbible had appeared before him.

“We are not like the Magic Gods,” said H. T. Trismegistus.

Was the silent tension in the air coming from Mut Thebes, the executioner Transcendent?

“What I mean is, we do not attempt to gather the people’s faith or be worshiped as gods. I have no desire to spread the name of my beloved master among the people. Simply put, the fact that our presence is so widely known is a major failure in and of itself.”

If Alice hadn’t appeared out of nowhere and followed Kamijou around in the dark side of Academy City on December 29, the world never would have known the name of the Bridge Builders Cabal. If the Transcendents were gathering to fulfill some master plan, then that alone was a significant mistake.

For the Transcendents like Aradia and the Bologna Succubus, the battle in Shibuya on the 31st had been a highly unusual occurrence. Internal conflict hurt them far more than it benefited them. And dragging all of Shibuya into that conflict set things up so the entire cabal looked like villains.

It made sense the cabal would want to punish Anna Sprengel.

But was that reason enough to kill her?

Kamijou thought about it for a bit.

Setting aside his feelings, was it even possible to physically attack and kill that monster?

He guessed it was possible. Those Shrink Drink spears contained a special liquid in the head. Being pierced by one and forcibly injected with the liquid was supposedly game over for Anna Sprengel, so she probably really would die. It wouldn’t just defeat her or aggravate her. It would kill her.

Anna was certainly a fearsome magician, but she couldn’t vanish into thin air or pass through walls. In a 1-on-1 battle, a dense enough barrage would make it impossible for her to dodge and she could take a direct hit. Kamijou had defeated her on the 25th because fighting with St. Germain’s help had given him more options to use.

But that realistic path toward killing her was the entire problem.

The cabal was not split into Rescuers and Killers over the question of striking back at Anna. The entire cabal agreed with it (except for Aradia who they hadn’t ben able to reach until now). Did that mean the Bologna Succubus agreed too? After she had thrown away her own life to protect a stranger like Kamijou?

But…

“O-oh, right. Alice, what about your vegetables? If you do not want them, I can put them in a container and eat them as a late night snack.”

“No, these aren’t just any vegetables. They were steamed in butter! This is the good kind!!”

“I see. You are such a good girl with plenty of common sense. Ah ha ha.”

Kamijou’s mind was entirely focused on the Bologna Succubus, but something in a corner of his mind stopped him. Could he really ignore everything underway here?

H. T. Trismegistus was saying a lot to Alice with a smile, but he had given up on actually influencing her on his own.

At first glance, the consulate was heaven for Alice. It was filled with things she liked.

But the Transcendents’ actions were rooted in fear.

The young butler called her his “beloved master”, but he appeared to be standing on a foundation of fear.

No matter how close any of them got to her, they could never have a real connection that way. Even if none of them actually harmed her, none of them could save her from her loneliness either. It was like an automated store run by polite prerecorded phrases. The smiles here were only for show.

Which of them was the real monster?

Could he really conclude that it was exposure to this environment that had twisted Alice?

Good, Old Mary glanced over at the cart of food.

“Please excuse mama for a bit.”

“Oh, if you’re going to the Bologna Succubus, I’ll join you.”

This was what Kamijou wanted all along.

But there was no rule limiting him to only wanting one thing.

“''You come too, Alice. We can visit that dumbass and see how she’s doing.''”

“Yes, teacher!!”

Alice sprang from her seat of honor.

Index was still working at the food and looked confused why anyone would want to leave the table and 15cm Othinus slapped her forehead while seated on the table.

But the seating arrangement no longer mattered. Now Alice was just another part of the crowd like Kamijou.

Good, Old Mary tilted her head with her eyes still hidden by her large hat.

“Mama doesn’t mind and the Bologna Succubus was worried about you too.”

H. T. Trismegistus’s jaw dropped while various tools spilled from his cloak, so Kamijou doubted inviting him was a good idea. Instead, Kamijou turned to the witch goddess who looked just as shocked.

“What about you, Aradia?”

She vigorously shook her head.

Things were awkward for her in the cabal after losing her battle, but she must have decided being surrounded by her old cabal-mates was better than ending up 1-on-1 with Alice.

But Kamijou ignored that and grinned.

“''Oh? You’re that opposed to staying here?'' Yeah, I can see why. After everything you did on the 31st, it would make sense to go apologize to the Bologna Succubus.”

“I-”

“Right, teacher? We all need to get along.”

“~ ~ ~!?”

Aradia tearfully gnashed her teeth. She looked like someone whose escape route had been cut off by a horizontal line of landmines.

And with that settled…

“(Index, you can eat every bit of this food, so you look after things here.)”

“Hm? But this food already belongs to me.”

“(Just listen. I want you and Othinus to observe H. T. Trismegistus. Things should relax in here after Alice and I leave and I want to know if he lets anything slip as soon as he doesn’t have to look after Alice anymore. With your perfect memory and Othinus’s knowledge of inhuman magic, you might be able to figure something out together.)”

“(Not so fast, human! Don’t leave me behind with that cat!!)”

The god was unusually tearful and shaken, but with all this food on the table, he didn’t trust Index alone to keep watch even if she did have a perfect memory.

“Don’t worry.”

“Yikes!!” yelped Kamijou, jumping on the spot.

Mut Thebes had ended up right behind him without him noticing. That was super scary with an execution expert.

This was also his first time hearing her speak. She had a lovely, almost musical, voice.

“I will watch over them. If that gloomy butler tries anything, I will end his life on the spot, so there is nothing to worry about.”

“I-Is that so?”

“Make no mistake. I simply do not want anything to ruin my meal time. I happen to like sharing my meals with people who are enjoying themselves.”

Apparently Transcendents these days came equipped with a tsundere mode.

Good, Old Mary pushed the cart out of the dining hall, so Kamijou and Alice followed after her (while dragging along an empty-eyed Aradia whose soul was starting to escape through her mouth). Preventing Alice from swiping food from the cart became Kamijou’s job.

He sensed someone’s gaze and found Good, Old Mary was looking back at him while pushing the cart. …Oh? It was hard to tell which direction she was facing with the large hat hiding her eyeline, but could she really safely turn her head that far?

“…”

“Wh-what do you want? It’s hard to breathe when you stare silently like that.”

“Nothing.” She shook her head and the large hat on her head. “I was simply noticing that you really do have the power to get Alice to obey.”

“Of course he does. Because he is the girl’s teacher!!” replied Alice while he restrained her. Really, he was lifting her up like a stuffed animal while she waved her arms and legs in delight.

(The girl’s teacher, huh?)

Anna Sprengel had apparently done something to Alice, but what exactly had she done to make Alice so obedient?

“…”

Then Aradia glared quite harshly at him. Come to think of it, hadn’t she been with the Killers who were trying to take his life to prevent Alice from turning out this way?

She had been temporarily stripped of her magic by the duct tape around her feet, but that wouldn’t last forever.

Regardless, the demoness was his priority right now.

On the 31st, Kumokawa Seria and Good, Old Mary had worked to save the Bologna Succubus, but apparently she was still too weak to leave the consulate or even show up to dinner in the same building. What was her condition like? Hopefully she didn’t have casts on all her limbs with tubes and electrodes covering the rest of her.

Kamijou continued following Good, Old Mary and the cart down the hallway. She never entered any of the rooms. Instead, she opened an accordion door and pushed just the cart onto a small elevator. Apparently she didn’t use magic to make the glasses and plates float around.

Kamijou felt like he had lost his chance to lower Alice to the floor, so he held onto the playfully squirming girl while looking up at the ceiling.

“Is the Bologna Succubus up there?

“Yes, we were free to choose our own rooms and that idiot insisted on having one on the top floor. She was still better than Alice who wanted to stay in the basement storeroom or attic, though.”

The casual insults helped make them sound like friends.

They walked down a hallway lined with giant flower pots and goddess statues that probably had some meaning which was lost on Kamijou. On the way to the stairs, they passed by someone Kamijou didn’t recognize. Since Aradia looked away awkwardly and used Kamijou as a shield, he guessed this was another Transcendent.

How many Transcendents were there in all?

Hopefully they were a chosen few like with the Level 5s and Saints, but that was really only wishful thinking on his part. They might not have a set number like with God’s Right Seat. The thought of those extraordinarily powerful beings numbering 10 or 20 thousand like the clones was too terrifying to consider.

Good, Old Mary whispered to him while walking silently.

“(Aradia is acting just like a girl in a haunted house. Make sure you check this out. It isn’t often you’ll find a young woman’s vulnerabilities so clearly on display.)”

“I can hear you, you know?”

Aradia shut her eyes and stuck up her nose, but she continued clinging to Kamijou’s right arm with all her might. That could be cute with a small girl like Alice, but he wasn’t sure what to do with someone who gave off as many pheromones as Aradia. His spine tensed every time he felt that soft sensation bumping into him.

Good, Old Mary collected the cart from the elevator in the third floor hallway. Unlike an apartment building or student dorm, the hallways took lots of twists and turns (which meant the number and size of the rooms wasn’t standardized). They made their way through the labyrinthine consulate before stopping at a door.

Good, Old Mary knocked thrice and called out.

“Bologna Succubus.”

There was a keyhole in the door even though it was an interior door.

“Mama is here with your dinner.”

But apparently the occupant was willing to leave the key with someone else.

Good, Old Mary lifted her large hat with one hand and pulled out an old-fashioned key that had been balanced(?) on her head. It was just the one key, not a ring of them, so it was probably a master key.

This may have been a hint of how much camaraderie there was in the Bridge Builders Cabal.

The click of the lock opening sounded awfully loud.

“?”

Alice looked curiously up at Kamijou. Maybe because he had quickly put her down on the floor.

He audibly gulped.

Every tube in his neck was so dry they seemed to catch.

How bad were the Bologna Succubus’s injuries really?

She hadn’t needed to go through any of that. If Kamijou hadn’t been so weak or if he had recognized the dangers of being killed repeatedly, she wouldn’t have had to replenish his opportunity for resurrection like that.

“We are coming in,” announced Good, Old Mary.

And she opened the door.

“Take this! And this! Yes, yes! Bang! Bang! Bang!! No, why was the southern tank units wiped out? What, a drone loaded with aerial bombs? Uh, oh. Is that a playable unit and not just an indiscriminate NPC for the event!? Did this nincompoop buy all the new units in the shop the instant the new update went through!? Gyahhhh!!”

She was there.

Sitting cross-legged on the bed.

She didn’t see any of them because she was playing an FPS game with VR goggles on.

She was making the most of life in Academy City where technology was said to be 20 or 30 years ahead of the outside world. Beyond her usual one-piece corset, she also had bandages all over her body, but she was going nuts on the bed there. She would lean to the side in her cross-legged position and swing the controllers around quite dangerously. Stepping too close was liable to get you slapped in the face with a tail or a wing.

Good, Old Mary silently pushed the cart into the room, casually grabbed a curly pink goat horn, and slammed the wounded woman onto her back. She kept rolling back from there, so she ended up with her butt sticking up in the air while still in her cross-legged pose.

“Show some appreciation for the food and respond when people talk to you, Bologna Succubus. Hmph!”

“Gwahhh!!”

The Bologna Succubus’s tail flailed wildly with her butt sticking up. The impact had knocked the VR goggles out of place, so the room’s fluorescent lights had dazzled her eyes.

“Oh, the lad. Long time, no see.”

“Hey, Good, Old Mary? What’s happening? Her common tones are sounding all 8-bit. Does yanking on a demon’s horn break their brain that badly!?”

“This is her idea of a joke. Taking it seriously will only encourage her, so please don’t.”

Then the Bologna Succubus noticed something else: Alice was staring all sparkly-eyed at the VR game set. The young girl was fixated on the flatscreen TV linked with the goggles.

“What is this? Hee hee. Yay! The girl wants to play too!!”

“''Bologna Succubus''!!” shouted Good, Old Mary, uncharacteristically(?) raising her voice.

Unseen tension filled the room.

This was Cold Mistress, the Bologna Succubus’s Transcendent spell. Didn’t it replace hunger, lust, sleepiness, and all other pleasure signals with pain?

And if used correctly, it was supposedly the only spell with the possibility of rivalling Alice.

“?”

Alice seemed like an embodiment of joy as she rushed for the device with a huge smile, but then she slowed.

The Bologna Succubus spread her pink wings wide to get in the way.

“Halt, cease, desist!! I forcibly added an unofficial blood & guts processing pack to the downloadable version on Steal, so the actual rating would be well into adults only territory. It’s great for playing online matches, but you can’t use it in the official tournaments. Nothing this gory would be a good match for a gal a doll like you, Alice.”

The Bologna Succubus must have concluded this wasn’t actually going to stop Alice’s charge because she crawled to the edge of the bed, let her upper body fall to the floor, and grabbed the main power cable to the power strip. She yanked that out, bringing down all the gaming equipment at once. Only her butt remained on the bed, so it looked a lot like she was sticking it out.

Alice tilted her head.

“I can’t play?”

“Alice, this game is a lot more suitable for a noble lady like you. It’s called Manju Crossing!”

“?” Kamijou looked confused.

He agreed that a small girl (she was a small girl, wasn’t she?) shouldn’t be playing a ridiculous FPS which made a point of representing war in a hyper realistic way and then turned around and let the player fire N, B, and C weapons, but why were the Transcendents all panicking over it?

“We said Alice must never get her hands on a smartphone or tablet, Bologna Succubus,” said Aradia with fear written on her face. “Letting her watch an online drama or Hollywood movie would not end well.”

“You’re the ones that barged in here with her,” argued the Bologna Succubus, pouting her lips.

There was a clattering sound.

The Bologna Succubus had a red tube extending from the inside of her elbow. It was connected to an IV stand next to her bed. The bag hanging from that contained a red liquid with a gemlike shine. It was strange, but Kamijou didn’t feel any kind of biological reaction when he saw all that red contained in a hygienic pack instead of flowing from someone’s body or splattered on the floor. He recalled that the demon couldn’t receive a transfusion of human blood with a normal blood type, so was this something special, like her own blood or artificial plasma?

She must have noticed him staring.

The bandaged Bologna Succubus returned to her cross-legged position on the bed and placed her other hand on the inside of her elbow.

“You don’t need to worry about this, boy. In fact, what are you doing this deep in the Bridge Builders Cabal so soon after that mess?”

“What is that stuff”

“What? It’s only some transfusion ''fluid''. Really, what doesn’t make sense here is you. Did you even go to the hospital? Aradia there killed you several times and Good, Old Mary forcibly resurrected you in a way I can’t explain. Aren’t you concerned about your health?”

He could only look away and cough.

Were the hospitals even running on New Year’s? The usual frog had to be his best bet!!

“(All mama has done is go around saving people and now you act like I’m a land mine to be avoided.)”

She didn’t seem completely out of it, but Good, Old Mary was looking depressed as she swiftly sliced up some round bread and cheese with her multitool that had a seal mascot attached.

The Bologna Succubus rubbed her hands together and licked her lips while observing all the food that Good, Old Mary lined up on the small bedside table.

“So how deep ''have'' you gotten in this, boy?”

“Anna Sprengel. I heard she was the cabal’s top priority. Something about protecting your secrets.”

Kamijou pulled up a seat and cautiously broached the subject while the Bologna Succubus grabbed some of the bread.

“Yeah, and Anna started that whole kotatsu syndrome thing which is even affecting us.”

“Eh?”

''That didn’t come from Alice Anotherbible?'' thought Kamijou as he watched her laugh and take a sip of milk. (Aradia let him know that succubi loved milk.) She finally continued while smiling and sharing her cheese with Alice.

“She let R&C Occultics run wild to start up a global anti-elite movement and then used Alice as a trigger to shake everyone up even more. Thanks to that, our collection of Transcendents is seen as an evil organization that threatens the stability of society.”

There were two mysteries here.

First, the Bologna Succubus and Good, Old Mary hadn’t demonstrated any kind of extreme cruelty during the Shibuya battle on the 31st. In fact, they had selflessly assisted a stranger like Kamijou. Why were they now in agreement with the other Transcendents about executing Anna Sprengel?

And second, what would happen to Aradia once that top priority issue was dealt with? He couldn’t have them turn around and decide to silence her since she could also leak their information.

The Bologna Succubus glanced over at Alice.

Alice had found something she liked more than Manju Crossing. She sat on Kamijou’s lap looking as pleased with herself as a king, but she tilted her head curiously when the Transcendent looked her way.

Kamijou decided he needed to ask, but couldn’t build up much momentum and remained hesitant.

“What…do you plan to do about it?”

She was as close to a good guy as there was in the Bridge Builders Cabal.

She was the reasonable member of the group.

But the next thing she said overturned that image Kamijou had constructed.

“''’Probably kill her. I mean, the accusations against Anna Sprengel are anything but false and I’m not so nice that I’m going to head out and save the guilty criminal who betrayed us all.''”

Kamijou really did stop breathing – and even lost consciousness – for a few seconds.

He felt like he had gone to the biggest police station in town in search of help, but they slammed the metal shutter in his face and told him to get lost. This proved that H. T. Trismegistus hadn’t been putting words in the Bologna Succubus’s mouth. They really did all agree on this point. She had said it herself: she wasn’t going to save a criminal.

“…”

“You’re asking mama now?”

Not so much out of strategy than out of desperation, Kamijou turned to look at the other more reasonable cabal member, but Good, Old Mary only tilted her head in the large hat.

She seemed to be asking why he had so much trouble understanding something so simple.

This was all it took for them to use the spiritual item left in Mut Thebes’s care. The countless javelins bound in an X-shape within a single binder. The words “drink me” taken straight from Alice in Wonderland. They hadn’t created the Shrink Drink in order to threaten Anna into obeying. They truly meant to kill her.

“''This case does not match mama’s condition either. So like it or not, I simply have no reason to save Anna Sprengel.''”

Kamijou’s mouth flapped like a goldfish but no words came out.

Her condition?

What was that about?

What was this powerful sense of wrongness roiling in his chest?

“I take it you’ve noticed,” whispered Aradia by his side.

She was the very enemy who had attempted to take his life on December 31. In fact, she had killed him. Quite thoroughly and more than once. She was supposed to be the last one he could hold a reasonable conversation with, so why did she seem like the only one he could actually speak with anymore?

“Each Transcendent has their own reason for joining the Bridge Builders Cabal. And that reason is always about protecting something beyond ourselves. That is even true for me and for H. T. Trismegistus. But on the other hand, we never do anything on a whim. We gathered with a clear purpose, so whether or not an action advances that purpose is crucial information when we make a decision.”

“But…but.”

“If it fit our search criteria, one of us would save Anna. But none of us have stepped forward to do so. I expect that is ''the whole story'' here.”

“What do you mean you don’t do anything on a whim? What about you, Bologna Succubus!? You risked your life to save a stranger like me!!”

“''Yeah, but only because you were falsely accused.''”

“And you, Good, Old Mary!?”

“''Mama is only freely distributing the saving substances that shouldn’t be limited to the privileged class who were chosen by a miracle.''”

This is what our search result says.

So why are you still questioning it?

“…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………”

Kamijou realized he was drenched with sweat.

This wasn’t right.

These Transcendents were fundamentally different from the powerful foes he had faced before. They weren’t like Accelerator, Fiamma of the Right, Magic God Othinus, Kamisato Kakeru, or Great Demon Coronzon. It wasn’t about good or evil. It wasn’t about what they liked or disliked. They simply saved whoever met their conditions. And it wasn’t some condescending thing where they chose to do it on a whim. If someone happened to meet the conditions, they would turn against their oldest allies or even sacrifice their own life to carry it out.

So what if Kamijou hadn’t met just one of the Bologna Succubus’s conditions on the 31st? What if he hadn’t matched Good, Old Mary’s rules?

Or what if someone else who met their conditions showed up and he was an obstacle to saving that person?

(This isn’t working.)

Aradia, the Bologna Succubus, and Good, Old Mary.

Why had he thought they were safe?

Everyone else in this lockable room were Transcendents of the Bridge Builders Cabal.

He felt like he was in a space ruled by the inhuman – like he was inside a ferocious beast’s cage at the zoo.

(It might look like we’ve gotten closer, but deep down we’re kilometers apart. This isn’t just about Aradia or H. T. Trismegistus. I thought the Bologna Succubus and Good, Old Mary were on my side…but I just didn’t understand how Transcendents work!!)

And…

“Teacher, teacher, teacher!”

Alice smiled and kicked her legs in Kamijou’s lap.

She was Tyrant Alice, the greatest irregularity who all the other Transcendents feared.

But this new information changed how he viewed her. Who said the winner of a majority vote was always correct? Why had he never considered the possibility that it was all the other Transcendents who feared Alice that were wrong? And after seeing firsthand how often her whims had saved lives in Academy City’s dark side!!

For example, ''what if Alice Anotherbible was a young and incomplete Transcendent in the sense that she had yet to decide on the conditions for her salvation?'' That would explain why her actions seemed so capricious and not based on any consistent rules. Some people would be saved as a result and others might die. It was also possible that the sweet words that little villain girl had whispered in Alice’s ear may have shifted the scales there.

A lack of consistent rules was a scary thing at first glance.

That was unavoidable when people’s lives were at stake and you couldn’t predict what she would do next.

But was that really so bad? Since you couldn’t tell what Alice was thinking, she might decide on a whim to save a kitten on the roadside. Meanwhile, the other Transcendents viewed everything through the lens of their conditions and would abandon someone to die if they failed to meet even one item on their list. Which one of those was more messed up?

You couldn’t tell what she was thinking.

You couldn’t perfectly predict what she would do next.

But…wasn’t that how it worked for normal human beings?

“Aradia.”

“What?”

“What about you? Does Anna Sprengel meet your conditions?”

“It’s a tricky one. I might consider it since she’s a woman who uses magic, but she also has the financial power to singlehandedly build up a global IT company. She just doesn’t feel like a poor witch being unjustly persecuted by the wealthy Christian church. So my internal scales would be 2-to-8 between saving and killing. I could possibly change my mind if you had additional conditions for me to consider, but if I had to make up my mind right this instant, I would go with the latter option.”

Kamijou smiled a little.

Finally.

He felt like he was speaking with space aliens here, but did Aradia realize what she had said?

She said it was “a tricky one”.

So she couldn’t overturn her 2-to-8 decision, but she was willing to call it ''tricky''. To Kamijou, that word hinted at a fragment of something beyond the cold judgment – something unnecessary and inefficient.

(What is happening here?)

None of this changed that Alice saved his life on the 29th and both the Bologna Succubus and Good, Old Mary saved his life on the 31st.

So why was he having a much easier time reaching an understanding with Aradia who had killed him more than once?

(Is it just that Aradia has a more reasonable set of conditions? Does it help that I’ve sealed her Transcendent abilities with the duct tape on her feet? Or did something in her change while being separated from the cabal for a time?)

He could come up with a number of theories, but no answers were forthcoming.

For one thing, he didn’t know what a Transcendent really was. How were they different from a normal magician, from a Saint, or from ''something special'' like Fiamma or Othinus? It made sense he couldn’t find an answer when he didn’t have a clear definition for them.

“Alice.”

The room froze over when he spoke to the girl in his arms.

He was the one and only person who could control Tyrant Alice. That was where his value lay for the Transcendents. It may have been even more important than Imagine Breaker here.

Alice kicked her feet while he held her in his lap and she looked up to meet his gaze.

“What is it, teacher?”

“I want to know what you think. You knew Anna Sprengel, didn’t you? I saw her take you back to the Bridge Builders Cabal on the 29th.”

“Yes!”

“So what do you want to do with her? I get why the cabal as a whole wants to do this, but I know you’re not bound by any of that.”

“The girl doesn’t really care.”

That was about as much of a non-answer as you could get.

That may have been a response a completed Transcendent could never give.

“''But the girl doesn’t like liars and traitors very much.''”

“…”

That was much more of an answer.

The eyes looking up into his while she leaned back into his chest were pure as could be. She was deciding someone’s fate with the logic of a child.

Sure enough, if the Shrink Drink spears meant to kill Anna came from Alice in Wonderland, then it was reasonable to assume Alice had helped Mut Thebes make those.

Alice’s internal scales were probably wavering between whether Anna Sprengel’s betrayal was directed at the cabal as a whole or at Alice personally. If the former, then Anna was the friend who taught her a fun game the grownups didn’t want her to know about. If the latter, Anna was the sack of shit who had made a mockery of the trust Alice had placed in her.

To repeat yet again, no one could predict what Alice would do next.

Say Alice held a red flag in one hand and a white flag in the other. One hundred times in a row at a rate of once per second, Alice would raise whichever flag she wanted. If she ever raised the red flag even once – whether on a whim or for a calculated reason – Anna would lose her head. And all the Transcendents around Alice would be begging her to raise the red flag the entire time. Now, under those circumstances, was it really logical to rely on the possibility of Alice saving Anna on a whim?

Kamijou loathed Anna Sprengel. He couldn’t find any reason at all to like her.

Not after what happened with St. Germain and seeing the disaster in Los Angeles with his own eyes. And she may have been involved in the recent tragedies within Academy City too.

But was he willing to kill her? That he wasn’t ready to say.

It wasn’t the solution he had in mind. If capricious Alice was guided by the other Transcendents to kill Anna, Kamijou couldn’t help but feel like that decision didn’t come from Alice’s personal morals.

A small child with a knife could possibly kill someone.

But how could you push that small child toward bloodying their hands like that? And how could you act like Alice was the fearsome monster in that scenario?

Kamijou suddenly remembered what the Bologna Succubus had said on the 31st.

(I’m the only person who can get through a normal conversation with Alice Anotherbible without being killed and I’m the only one who can scold her when she does the wrong thing.)

That was a clearly unnatural situation.

He had a strong feeling Anna Sprengel had a hand in setting it up, but…

(That doesn’t mean I want Anna dead. And I don’t like the idea of Alice killing someone.)

That may have been an impossible goal from the beginning.

Kamijou didn’t know a thing about Alice Anotherbible’s past. If she had been in this environment for long, it was possible she had already killed someone. Based on how terrified the Bologna Succubus had been of her in Shibuya, it seemed likely she had killed, or nearly killed, in the past.

But if he was still going to choose that as his goal…

(That sounds like a decent stance to me. And if I stick with the Bridge Builders Cabal, which is dead set on executing her, could I possibly help Anna escape at the last second?)

Anna Sprengel was of course one of history’s worst women.

Even if he did help her escape execution, letting her go free was much too dangerous.

He already knew from experience that she would simply escape her cell if he punched her and left her with Anti-Skill.

He honestly didn’t know what he could do about this.

He only knew he needed to stand up against what he was certain was wrong.

These people intended to use Tyrant Alice to kill someone they wanted gone.

''Be the kind of person who can stand up and say that’s wrong, Kamijou Touma.

===Part 2===

===Part 3===

===Part 4===

===Part 5===

===Between the Lines 3===

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Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume7 Chapter2

2022-09-19T03:34:55Z

January: Added missing punctuation for abbreviations

==Chapter 2: Which of Them was Caught? – the_Consulate.==

===Part 1===

The holiday didn’t mean Accelerator could take the entire day off.

The statistics were clear: trouble and accidents tended to happen precisely on the days people least wanted them to happen on.

“A consulate in District 12?”

“Let’s see…it’s technically called the Bridge Builders Cabal Academy City Consulate.”

“…”

“Yes, sorry, I know that’s weird! I wasn’t checking thoroughly enough on the diplomatic side of things.”

The response came from Qliphah Puzzle 545 who floated near the ceiling. That artificial demon was acting as the eyes and ears of the board chairman now that he could no longer leave his cell.

A consulate was an extraterritorial area in which Academy City had no real authority.

What is the difference between an embassy and a consulate, you ask?

The biggest difference is that a consulate lacks the authority to represent its country in negotiations with the resident country’s government. A consulate is only meant to provide a link between its home country and that country’s citizens living in the resident country, while an embassy is tasked with battling the resident country at the negotiating table.

That might make a consulate sound like less of a threat than if a country suddenly built an embassy in your country.

But that was inaccurate.

To have a country’s consulate in your country meant it was normal to have that country’s people in your country. That meant Alice’s cabal had gained more than just the consulate’s territory. ''They had created circumstances where magicians could walk freely throughout Academy City.

Something quietly struck the wall.

The walls and ceiling were covered with printed documents. They were all attached directly to the wall with colorful pins and those pins were connected with a spiderweb of colorful strings.

Alice, Academy City’s dark side, the Bridge Builders Cabal, the Shibuya riot outside the city.

Whether or not these things were actually connected was a matter to consider at a later stage.

He only needed to lay out all the information first and visualize all the connections with strings later.

His only information on Alice came from Qliphah Puzzle 545’s reports, but that only made the girl more concerning because it meant someone was strutting through Academy City without any of the city’s security capturing her.

Anna Sprengel had bloodily destroyed the dark side on December 25 and Alice Anotherbible had suddenly appeared on the 29th.

“Qliphah Puzzle 545.”

“Y-yes!?”

“How did you get tangled up in the string? To be blunt, you’re in the way.”

“Heh heh heh heh. Th-the more I try to avoid them, the more tangled I get. You can think of me like the bookish girl who’s terrible at dodgeball.”

Qliphah Puzzle 545 was somewhat tied up in a corner of the ceiling that was quickly becoming her standard spot.

“Umm, I didn’t mind so much when it was just my wings and legs tied up so tight, but now it’s getting to my crotch, which is a lot more- ohh!?”

She seemed to like attention of any sort, so she looked kind of happy about this. Which was why Accelerator chose to ignore the demon who had to be devastatingly bad at jump rope.

Yes.

Accelerator was currently lying on a bed much too nice for a prison cell. There could only be one reason he was back here.

The meeting with his guests had been called off.

Because Alice Anotherbible’s cabal had been detected inside Academy City.

Last Order had not looked disappointed on the other side of the thick glass when he had had to call it off. She had smiled as she watched the board chairman go.

He needed to keep in mind that he was the one who had made her force that smile.

“U-u-umm?”

“What now?”
“Well, you see. Eh heh heh. If you happen to be angry, I would actually find it something of a relief if you would hit me a few times. Just go all out with it.”

Accelerator clicked his tongue.

He knew that wouldn’t solve anything. The artificial demon tangled up in colorful string had only relayed the necessary information to him. He much preferred that to her being too afraid to pass on some important information.

Alice was here.

And several more of those monsters known as Transcendents were with her.

(If only we had a solid definition of this Transcendent term everyone’s started using like it didn’t just appear out of nowhere. Was it in Shibuya on the 31st when that third-rate got himself tangled up in this mess?)

With several of those mysterious Transcendents detected in Academy City, there was a risk of the people living their ordinary lives here encountering them. It could happen to Last Order, to Yomikawa, to Yoshikawa, or to anyone else.

Accelerator wasn’t sitting around doing nothing. He had a few tricks up his sleeve beyond the standard Anti-Skill and Judgment. For example, he had direct fighters like Qliphah Puzzle 545, Fuse Kazakiri, and Misaka Worst.

But not even all that was a guarantee.

The #1 knew all too well that there was no such thing as an absolute assurance of safety.

He couldn’t stop whatever happened outside.

Outside and inside this cell were two different worlds.

And once something happened, he could not protect Last Order. If he wanted to protect her from harm, he had to act before anything happened.

A disturbing mass throbbed at the center of his chest.

He felt like he had a giant egg there in place of a heart.

“…”

There was a reason to act.

But if he left the prison for that reason, he would be causing everything to collapse.

He might feel good about it at first, but the monstrous whispers of reality told him he would only be drowning the world in an ocean of blood if he took that path.

“Qliphah Puzzle 545.”

“Y-yes!? D-d-d-do you need something!?”

Accelerator sighed on the bed while the demon responded more nervously than necessary up in the corner of the ceiling.

“I’m not mad, so lend me a hand. Show me those newspapers you’re wearing.”

“Oh, you mean my dress? Hmm, but I’m not sure what article could tell you more than all these documents covering the walls.”

“It’s not for that,” he replied, feeling annoyed.

For one thing, Qliphah Puzzle 545’s dress was not a collection of actual newspaper articles. It transformed depending on who was reading it, creating articles that pointed out that person’s sins and shames.

In other words…

“Show me my darkness.”

“Um, okay!!”

The demon forced her tangled body to move, placing her hands behind her head.

She showed off her body.

The pattern on her dress writhed. The shocking headlines of those English-language newspapers tore into Accelerator’s old wounds.

Each individual article didn’t matter much.

But altogether, they felt like a great monster.

Yes, there was a monster here.

Everyone had a monster inside them.

It was a fearsome thing that would drag you down the path to death and ruin if you let it, but it could provide great power if you learned to control it.

Accelerator knew that violence came in many different forms.

And he knew there were also nonviolent ways of solving problems.

(Don’t let it take over.)

He felt impatience, tension, anger…and the fear of losing someone close to him.

He took a deep breath and faced his monster.

(I created this monster myself, so I must be able to control it myself.)

If he could start by looking to the destination he needed to reach, then he would reach that goal no matter how much he strayed on the way. He focused on his own immaturity while moving his fingers faster than anyone.

(I don’t know who these people are, but they’ve set up a backdoor into Academy City. The question is what they hope to use it for. A backdoor is a means to an end, not the end itself.)

He lay on the bed, moving various things with his fingers without even glancing in their direction.

The bedside printer spat out paper, he cut those apart with scissors, he tossed the cutouts with his fingers, and he threw a pin to skewer the floating paper. And if necessary, he would swing weightless string like a whip to send it slicing through the air so it could add more color to the display.

He continued organizing his information in a fashion that would be more gruesome than execution by firing squad if someone happened to be standing by the wall.

“You said it was a consulate, right? Then it must belong to some country or another.”

“Yes. Th-they apparently bought a Central American country smaller than a soccer field to gain the qualifications and rights of a country. Eh heh heh. That’s what let them officially use the position of a diplomat or consulate to create an enclave in Academy City.”

“Who the hell gave them permission to do that?”

“Eek!! Diplomacy is handled more by the Japanese government than Academy City, so it was probably one of their bureaucrats. The cabal took advantage of a blind spot we created by focusing so much on what was happening inside the city!!”

A new red pin thwacked into the wall.

It pierced through a point on a map of District 12 floating in the air.

“Still, it bothers me that something so extreme managed to slip by us.”

“No, no!! I assure you this wasn’t anyone’s fault!”

The demon girl frantically shook her head.

She seemed to think she would be left behind if she let the #1’s thoughts turn too far inward. She was in a puppy mode where she craved attention, even if it came in the form of a light slap.

“Things have gotten a lot more complicated after the Crowley’s Hazards because a bunch of artificial islands and ship-towed floats were set up as bases for reconstruction efforts, but now some of them have started declaring independence. Countries are joining together and splitting apart as much as a girl who seems to have a new boyfriend every week, so it can be hard to notice when a country’s system or true ruler has been swapped out. And this is the same area where R&C Occultics tried to set up a massive server center to abuse a legal loophole to gather personal information on people around the globe.”

“R&C…”

“I imagine that connection is how Alice’s group learned about it in the first place.”

A consulate.

Needless to say, that was a special site protected by international law. The laws of the consulate’s country were prioritized over the ordinary laws, so in the most extreme example, a murder case that happened on a consulate’s grounds could be tried in a foreign country’s courts.

And now a magic side consulate had been built inside science’s headquarters.

Nothing could be more dangerous.

They had an enclave.

Or worse, they had a foothold for an invasion. It may have been more like an airfield or bridgehead. The word “consulate” might sound peaceful, but the threat here was closer to the Cuban Missile Crisis when the former Soviet Union attempted to deploy nuclear missiles right at Washington’s throat. Except this time, the deployment had already happened instead of being discovered in advance.

“…”

Accelerator rested back in the large bed and stared up at the ceiling in thought.

He had built a bizarre boxy planetarium made of articles and colorful string. What big picture could he find here?

Could he not see the enemy’s goal because he lacked sufficient information?

Or was he misreading the inciting factor for the attack, such as personal interest, love or hate, sheer coincidence, or simple enjoyment?

The Bridge Builders Cabal had a consulate. That never would have been allowed if they had been honest on their paperwork. Alice and her cabal’s Transcendents must have used some clever trick to gain approval for the consulate. And that approval had come from Japan, not Academy City.

That deception was meant to obtain something here in Academy City.

This was enough to conclude they had some kind of attack planned. Accelerator had already confirmed Anna and Alice were the external factor that had agitated Academy City’s dark side. And as the board chairman, Academy City’s #1 could send the city’s official defenses against them without needing to break out of prison himself. However…

“''I wouldn’t do that if I were you.''”

Accelerator clicked his tongue.

That wasn’t Qliphah Puzzle 545. She remained tangled up in a corner of the ceiling, cowering like a puppy in the rain.

The voice came from the large TV in the wall.

These days, it was unusual for a TV to not be connected to the internet. Of course, it was even more unusual for a prison cell to have a TV at all.

The TV displayed short red hair and white skin.

The strong-willed girl was wearing a fluffy white miniskirt dress.

She was Magician Dion Fortune. Except she technically wasn’t human since she was a magical device created based on that magician who belonged to the Golden cabal. And now she led the Anglican Church as their new Archbishop to fill the vacancy there.

She smiled as a black box twirled with its corner balanced upon her extended finger.

Since she wasn’t human, her thoughts lacked the uncertainty of wishing things would turn out one way or hoping they wouldn’t turn out another way. She cut so directly and accurately to the truth it could seem cruel.

Accelerator didn’t get up from the bed as he flicked two pins into the wall.

He added articles for the Anglican Church and Dion Fortune. Where the string would connect those articles would be determined by the coming conversation.

The magic side leader grinned as she got to it.

“I don’t care what sort of monster you were to begin with. But the Accelerator I’m talking to now is also the board chairman who controls Academy City as a whole, correct? Then don’t lose your cool so easily. You’re only allowed to do that when you’re wielding personal power. The leader of an organization served by lots of people doesn’t have that luxury.”

Accelerator clicked his tongue.

Dion Fortune looked pleased at earning that reaction. She ignored Qliphah Puzzle 545’s flustered stammering near the ceiling and kept going.

“It won’t do you any good to single out and deport the individual Transcendents when you don’t know their names or nationalities. But you should also assume you can’t just shut down the consulate itself,” she said to drive that point home. “You ''could'' do that, but as soon as you did, the 190+ other countries and territories out there would see Academy City as an ''untrustworthy and uncontrollable group'' that shuts down consulates and embassies authorized by the Japanese government the instant they become inconvenient. And once no one trusts any of your promises, diplomacy becomes all but impossible. You might be the headquarters of the science side, but you aren’t designed to survive in complete isolation.”

“…”

“It’s called the Condroniard Republic. The Central American country smaller than a soccer field is very real. As sketchy as it sounds, Alice really did buy an entire country that belongs to the UN and can make use of international law. So if your approach to this consulate doesn’t conform to the relevant laws and treaties, Academy City will be seen as ''a children’s playground'' that doesn’t know the first thing about diplomacy. Once that happens, the war between magic and science will be the least of your worries. Those of us on the magic side will be able to sit back and watch as the science side disintegrates all on its own.”

“Isn’t that exactly what outsiders like you want?”

“Oh, absolutely.”

Dion Fortune made no attempt to hide her interests here.

And with that said…

“But that result alone isn’t good enough. It matters a lot ''who is responsible'' for magic’s victory over science. The Anglican Church doesn’t want Alice’s cabal to be the ones responsible for destroying the science side while leaving the magic side untouched. That would lead to a new magic side that throws out the current main powers of the Anglicans, Roman Catholics, and Russian Orthodox and places the Transcendents of the Bridge Builders Cabal at the top.”

Accelerator could see hints of that being the goal here.

But he threw out that obvious line of reasoning.

“I saw bits of pieces of what Alice did on December 29.”

“Oh? Picking up a new interest in spying to complete your role as faceless dictator? You’re sounding more and more like that pervert Aleister all the time.”

“And based on those observations, this Alice Anotherbible doesn’t seem like the type to jump at bait as simple as the conflict between the science and magic sides or on ruling the magic side herself. What do you say?”

“I haven’t seen her myself, so I wouldn’t know.” Dion Fortune shrugged on the TV. “But Necessarius’s horoscope profile says she’s true to her desires and utterly devoid of patience. Based on that, my guess is she would take anything she can get her hands on, but she wouldn’t be working on multiple tasks at once. To her, a piece of candy and a million yen are the same. So whether or not she would be interested in those goals, it definitely doesn’t sound like her to set a plan in motion and wait for it to bear fruit.”

“…”

“On the other hand, this consulate belongs to the cabal as a whole. Tyrant Alice may be their leader, but it’s still an organization, not just one person.”

“Are you suggesting Alice’s intentions as an individual and the cabal’s objective as a whole are different?”

“It’s probably more accurate to say the rest of the cabal is trying to pull something off without Alice noticing. Think of it like the US president and the lawless CIA, an international corporation’s CEO and a sports team trying to hide how deep in the red it is, or the Russian Orthodox’s pure Patriarch and their perverted torture-loving monster. Really, I expect most organizations have a similar dynamic going on. It’s unusual for the intentions at the very top to work their way down to the very bottom.”

Academy City and the dark side was another example.

The new board chairman had taken action to put a stop to that, but he couldn’t say the process had been bloodless.

“So be careful and watch how this plays out. Attempting a careless confrontation or expulsion will only widen the wound for Academy City.”

The Anglicans had their own interests in all this.

Very few people would reach out a helping hand for nothing at all in return.

And some piece of those interests could be gleaned from the following statement.

“Alice is indeed an extraordinary tyrant, but you will be caught unawares if you focus on her alone. They tend to be overshadowed by Alice’s presence, but keep in mind that ''each and every one of the Transcendents waiting in the wings is an infuriatingly brilliant magician.''”

===Part 2===

It was freezing out.

Kamijou Touma held himself and shivered on the way back to his District 7 dorm room.

It really was midwinter. It was still only around 6 PM, which should have only been evening time, but it was already dark out.

Unusually, there were a few paper postcards in the door’s newspaper slot. Those were New Year’s cards. Specifically, from his parents and a girl who was apparently his cousin. But most people seemed to use their phones these days. He had a whole list of messages from his classmates (probably meant to double as a test message to his new number). And most of those probably weren’t sent to him personally. It would be a lot easier to just send them out en masse. He appreciated the thought, but he knew neglecting to read them all would probably make things extremely awkward once the new term began. Smartphones came with their own annoyances.

“There, Aradia’s all wrapped up in waterproof duct tape.”

“…”

“Index, Othinus. We’re having a hotpot tonight. You’re in luck because I happen to know a secret: make sukiyaki with chicken and you have a dinner that’s both cheap and luxurious!”

“Yay, we get sukiyaki tonight!!”

“Sigh. What’s this about, human? Trying to take revenge on those cooking shows you kept glaring at when you didn’t have any money? Let your feelings dictate your purchases and you won’t notice how much you’re spending.”

“Shut up, Othinus! I don’t need any ominous warnings first thing in the year. I’ll be fine. I set the TV to record all the New Year’s cooking specials they were running, so I have a treasure trove of recipes to try out! I swear I’ll work through them all by the end of winter break. I’m through feeling poor!!!”

“Wait, wait, wait!! I am not letting you forget about me with all this household talk! You have someone lying on your floor in a duct tape cocoon and I am not letting you accept that as normal!!”

The victory prize he wasn’t sure what to do with started thrashing about on the floor.

Alice Anotherbible was back in Academy City. She had said goodbye during the clash with the dark side, but here she was already. Ignoring her verbal promise like that could be seen as the innocence of a child, but he sensed something more concerning there.

Alice’s sudden appearance seemed to link together some unnatural fragments of issues he had noticed.

Kamijou thought back to the bizarre scene at the District 12 shrine where he had run into Misaka Mikoto, Shirai Kuroko, that ringlets girl, and ''someone else.'' He recalled all those emas wishing for personal ruin instead of success. And the ringlets girl who had abandoned all intention to pass her entrance exams even though it was January of her last year in middle school.

The social phenomenon had been dubbed kotatsu syndrome and it was apparently connected to the Winter Cleaning at the end of the year.

Students didn’t want to study and adults wanted to goof off instead of working.

(Could it be?)

Kamijou Touma recalled something else.

Transcendents had directly clashed in Shibuya on December 31. Their spells had been a threat, but something else had carried just as much danger: their powerful charisma as an individual and the crowd manipulated by it.

Aradia had used the witch’s Sabbat and the Bologna Succubus had used the witch hunt.

(Should I assume this kotatsu syndrome comes from one of the Transcendents using something similar?)

Alice, for example.

Hadn’t the Winter Cleaning occurred the exact same day as her first visit to Academy City?

(No, there isn’t any real evidence of a connection there.)

The Transcendents had the dangerous ability to manipulate large groups, but he didn’t know if it was something they consciously used or something that happened on its own. And it was possible there was another self-indulgent Transcendent in the Bridge Builders Cabal.

Could he really point at the obvious suspect and insist she had to be the culprit?

He felt like he was falling into that trap.

“…”

At the same time, could he safely return Aradia to the Bridge Builders Cabal after defeating her once already?

How much could he trust Alice if she accepted Aradia back with a smile and insisted he had nothing to worry about?

He couldn’t handle Aradia on his own, but he was honestly ''afraid'' to return her to Alice and the others.

He asked himself why he felt so much fear and unease about Alice Anotherbible.

Hadn’t she saved him when they first met?

On the way back, they had stopped at a supermarket and bought plenty of ingredients, so now he transferred them from their foam packs to metal or plastic trays and put them away in the different compartments in the fridge. Othinus spoke from his shoulder in the middle of the work.

“You couldn’t do a thing about Alice and her ilk back there.”

“Victory for me means fighting without causing any collateral damage, which wasn’t possible there.”

Of course, something had happened when he ran into Alice without warning. Especially since he was escorting around Aradia after defeating her. Anyone who wanted to prevent Aradia from leaking any cabal secrets would see her as a target.

Kamijou had put his old folk’s smartphone in his pocket. He had no choice but to give up on the GPS tracker.

Alice hadn’t been alone.

She had been flanked by a pair of Transcendents. One was Good, Old Mary who he had seen in Shibuya on the 31st. The other was someone new to him. The magician was a black-haired young man wearing a tailcoat and holding a black cane, making him look like a butler.

Kamijou’s side hadn’t been entirely powerless. They included Grimoire Library Index, the Sisters, and several Tokiwadai elites: the #3 Railgun, the Judgment girl who could teleport, the ringlets 3rd year, and ''someone else.'' Kamijou himself was a Level 0, but those girls belonged to a prestigious esper development school, so they would be able to resolve most any trouble without his help.

But how much did that matter in this case?

He couldn’t stop having a very bad feeling about what could have happened if a battle had broken out there. If the Transcendents flanking Alice hadn’t deterred everyone with ''killer intent so thick it was stifling'' or if that hadn’t been enough to stop the Tokiwadai girls, what might Alice have done on a whim?

Could Kamijou’s hand have stopped that?

In Shibuya, the Bologna Succubus had said he was the only person capable of controlling Alice, but ''was that really true''?

''“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

That line stuck with him.

The gloomy young butler’s words would not leave Kamijou’s mind.

Strangely, he had trouble remembering ''who'' the young man had been speaking to.

Alice herself had looked confused. He was pretty sure she had spread her arms to welcome them.

However…

''“Peeking inside this girl’s mind will only trap you in a psychedelic world. Alice’s world is like a bottomless pit that can bring only tragedy to those who experience it.”

If the young butler hadn’t casually grabbed Alice’s collar and stopped her, she might have run over to Kamijou.

Alice’s group hadn’t forced Kamijou to do anything.

They hadn’t even demanded he hand over the witch goddess.

That was another way of saying they felt confident they could take her back by force if necessary. Kamijou wasn’t even worthy of a seat at the negotiating table with them.

Most likely, only Alice’s group and any others worthy of the Transcendent title would find a seat there.

What did someone need to do to earn that title?

Kamijou hadn’t a clue, so he doubted he was anywhere close.

“…”

“Touma, where’s the meat?”

“Hold on. Using a knife to remove the small clumps of blood from the jaw is the secret to making good chicken.”

He switched his focus and pulled an earthenware pot and a frying pan from the shelf. For sukiyaki, you couldn’t just place it on the stove. Some ingredients needed to be seasoned first and some needed to be pre-cooked to ensure they weren’t undercooked.

With expensive, thin-cut beef, it was apparently best to cook it in a frying pan, but they were using chicken (which was pretty dangerous if undercooked). That tasted best if you submerged it at the bottom of the pot.

“Alice said something about a consulate, didn’t she?”

“She doesn’t seem like anything more than a kid, so I doubt she came up with that idea on her own. My guess is visiting Academy City every time she wants to play sounded like a pain, so she innocently asked for a secret base here. Then those Transcendents made it a reality. Sweating all the while at the thought of disappointing her.”

Most likely, no one knew how many bases the Bridge Builders Cabal had around the world. To them, this may have only felt like adding one more to the list.

(Come to think of it, Aradia and the Bologna Succubus must have a home country somewhere out there. That’s really hard to imagine.)

“A consulate. Hey, Othinus, how bad is that?”

“A consulate built without mutual trust between the two countries is even more dangerous than a blackhole. Listen, human. No one can investigate inside a consulate. Even if someone steals something from an Academy City museum or steals some kind of information, they’re untouchable if they hide in the consulate until they find a way to escape outside the city. The Transcendents can take whatever they want from the city, load it into their car with a diplomatic license plate, and carry it to the consulate and then stop worrying. Because no one can investigate further.”

“…”

“At the same time, Academy City can no longer refuse to keep people or items from being transported from outside the city and into the consulate. Magicians used to have to nervously sneak over the city walls, but no longer. Now those dangerous magicians can strut on in.”

There was a process for deporting people like that, but that was all there was. Demanding they leave wasn’t the same as trying them for a crime and deportation had to be issued by name. According to Othinus, the entire process was meaningless against Alice’s Transcendents since no one knew their real names and nationalities.

That meant they couldn’t catch these mystery people red-handed and boot them out.

Diplomacy always required paperwork, even when that meant ignoring the reality before your eyes.

So even if Academy City’s leadership said “Alice must leave”, the consulate could point to a part-timer they hired, say “that’s Alice”, and give her some pittance to make up for being deported. All while the real Alice Anotherbible walked freely around Academy City. Everyone would know it wasn’t right, but that was how it went with paperwork. It was powerless against people whose appearance and name weren’t found in any database.

Who was this Transcendent named Alice?

Was that her real name or one of many pseudonyms? Was she human, or was she something else?

Did anyone have a clear answer to these questions?

Anyone at all?

It was nice having something to keep busy with. Without the familiar meal preparations, Kamijou may have been crushed by his worries.

“Hey, Index! The pot is ready to go, so clear off the kotatsu and place down a pot stand.”

“But my job is to eat, eat, sleep, and eat!”

“Just help out some, you freeloader!”

In the Kamijou household, they used an induction cooker instead of a gas-powered portable stove. Why was obvious. With the kind of misfortune Kamijou was accustomed to, he just knew having a portable gas cartridge around could only lead to misfortune.

“Not that the induction cooker is perfectly safe. Use it too horribly wrong and the power cable could start a fire.”

“Could you not, Othinus!? I don’t need any ominous trivia to start off my year!”

Since it was New Year’s, he gave the calico kitty his usual cat food plus a liquid pet treat known as Muru.

Even this sukiyaki was just another variation on his usual cheap cooking. And sukiyaki stock was one of the three great cheap seasonings, right alongside eel sauce and matsutake soup.

“Here are bowls for everyone, here’s an egg, and use these chopsticks for searching through the pot. I’m not making any zosui to finish it off. I have rice and udon separated out, so create your own universe in your bowl, while building up to whatever you want to eat last. Okay, let’s get started!”

“Yay, it’s all you can eat!!”

“No, it’s a hotpot, Index! Don’t go reaching for the rice cooker right away!! How high were planning to pile up your plate!?”

At 15cm, Othinus was shorter than the earthenware pot and reaching inside would mean rock climbing up a hot cliff, so she decided to just steal things from Kamijou’s bowl. He wished she would stop balancing her stomach on the edge of the bowl to lean inside.

But there was still one person unaccounted for.

“…”

Aradia remained a duct tape mummy with her arms bound behind her back and she was glaring hatefully over from the floor. She could sit up on her own using her abs, but she couldn’t do anything about the hands behind her back.

She may have been hungry.

“So, Othinus, what do we do about Aradia?”

“Why ask me? Isn’t solving magical problems that British grimoire library’s job?”

“She’s too busy chowing down on nothing but meat and rice to be any help. Index!! Chicken breasts are admittedly cheaper than pork or beef, but it’s still meat. That’s a luxury item, so make sure you chew thoroughly and actually savor it! How are you swallowing it down so fast!? Chicken isn’t a drink!!!”

The TV was on, but no one was really watching as a comedian made a fool of himself in nothing but briefs. It was a traditional New Year’s act. The popular middle-aged man was being held back by some younger men when he took a hot piece of shabu-shabu meat to the forehead and writhed around on the floor. Apparently that didn’t set Kamijou off because of the note that the staff would eat it later.

But that aside…

“Say ‘ah’, Aradia.”

“!?”

Aradia’s shoulders noticeably jumped and her face grew red, either from anger or something else.

“Y-you must be joking. I am Transcendent Aradia. I will not accept your condescending charity even if I did lose to you.”

“(Hey, you’re free to refuse, but if you keep shaking your head, a miracle could occur and that hot chicken will end up somewhere other than your mouth. Just like with that briefs guy’s expert comedy act on the TV there.)”

“O-okay, fine!!”

Othinus’s whispered voice switched on Aradia’s desperation mode. She shut her eyes in frustration and opened her trembling lips.

Kamijou wanted to know why this mystery woman looked somewhat embarrassed about nothing more than being fed some meat.

He tilted his head as he resumed feeding her the chicken sukiyaki.

She ate it.

She was suddenly much more obedient. It was cute.

She looked like a mysterious beauty, but he was feeding her like a small child, creating an odd dissonance.

After watching her chew a few times and swallow, he grabbed the next bite with the chopsticks.

“Oh, right. Is there anything you can’t or won’t eat? Any allergies?”

“That would’ve been a great thing to ask ''before'' force-feeding me. But no, nothing like that. Besides, witches get their power from searching the forest for anything with medicinal qualities. You can’t do that if you’re picky about what you eat. Munch, munch, gulp. What was that I just ate? Some kind of gelatin?”

“It was shirataki, a type of konjac.”

“Konjac? I’m not sure what that is either. And what is this white rectangular thing? Please tell me it isn’t a hunk of egg white or butter.”

“It’s tofu. It’s made from soybeans, but I would recommend not looking at what the word literally means. A European who doesn’t know how it’s made would probably react badly to that.”

“Tofu???”

That must have been a difficult word to translate into English and other languages. Her common tones didn’t know what to do with it. There was probably a word for it in other Asian languages, but apparently not in the mother tongue of this goddess of witches who flew brooms through a night sky filled with five-pointed stars.

“Munch, munch. Napa cabbage, tofu, and wheat gluten – if it’s soaked up some flavor – are all so good! Yum!”

Kamijou must have assumed it would all be fine since Index devoured it all without issue. But you couldn’t trust that demon lord of gluttony’s tastes because, when she was hungry, she would chew up and eat unpopped popcorn. (Warning: This is a good way to chip your teeth☆)

Aradia had a curious look as she chewed on the food given to her by the chopsticks. Feeding a beautiful young woman a mystery food was one hell of a situation when he actually thought about it. Take that in a cruel direction and it could be foreshadowing for the shocking ending of a SF movie or a psychological horror novel.

She may have trusted him enough to know he wasn’t the type to engage in that sort of deception, even if they had been enemies to begin with.

“Now this I know. It’s an onion.”

“What do you call these long ones in English? I know you just use ‘onion’ for the round ones.”

“I think the closest term is scallion.”

“Why does that sound like the codename for a new surface-to-air missile?”

That may have been one sort of cultural difference.

Like how the English word “carrot” sounded weirdly cute to him.

“Witches use onions a lot. Along with garlic and ginger, they’re one of the standard medicinal plants used as a starting point for a variety of medicines.”

Was she pointing out that real witches didn’t just use plants that had legs and screamed when you pulled them from the ground?

“Onions are medicinal?”

“You can use them for just about anything. For example, you can use onions and tomatoes to create a rare medicine that foolish royals and nobles are willing to buy with a hunk of gold 10 times its size.”

“(You’re talking about a witch’s aphrodisiac, aren’t you? You clearly don’t know how dense this human is if you think that sort of subtle sexual harassment is going to get a reaction.)”

“?”

Kamijou was confused.

He couldn’t keep up with this discussion between a Magic God and a Transcendent.

Aradia fidgeted while still tied up. The pointy-haired boy figured that meant she wanted more food, so he grabbed some more onion from his own bowl instead of the large pot and carried the chopsticks to her mouth.

“Onions as medicine, huh? Weird how you can find these connections anywhere.”

“Onion and ginger is one of the standard medicines for minor things like colds.”

“Ah ha ha. Oh, you mean that thing about sticking a green onion up your ass when you have a cold?”

The instant he mentioned that Japanese tradition, Cocoon Aradia hit him with a drop kick.

She must not have appreciated that particular idea while she was trying to eat.

===Part 3===

It was time to face the biggest problem: bath time.

“So, um, I’m not sure why you think you even need to discuss this?” said Aradia, feeling a headache coming on. “The answer is simple: remove all this duct tape and let me take a bath.”

Kamijou, Index, and Othinus exchanged a glance.

“Yeah, but we all know you’re running away the instant we remove the duct tape from your hands and feet.”

“You might try to fight back.”

“You’re a Transcendent. If we screw this up, you might destroy an entire city or country in retaliation.”

For some reason, Othinus’s comment was a lot more sadistic than the others.

They only had to look at it realistically.

First of all, Aradia was the Transcendent who had caused such a major panic in Shibuya. Removing the duct tape from the hands behind her back and from around her ankles could mean returning her power to her.

“Yet here you are coming up with excuses to get that duct tape off.”

“It’s not an excuse. Am I the only one who thinks this is a perfectly reasonable request?”

“If we do remove them, then I’ll have to suppress your power with Imagine Breaker. Which means you would have to take your bath with me holding your hand throughout.”

“You expect me to share that tiny bathroom with a stranger?”

Othinus was grinning her face off for some reason.

“Close the shower curtain to hide the tub and you’ll be fine. Barring any freak accidents with lewd results, of course.”

“Don’t you dare jinx me like that! Oh, no! I can just imagine the horrific fate that awaits me 10 minutes from now!!”

“Then what are we supposed to do?”

Apparently not letting her take a bath today was simply not an option. She was a young woman after all. Index’s snapping jaws had a hair trigger, but not even she protested that one.

Which meant…

“I guess you’ll have to take a bath with the duct tape still on your hands and feet. It’s the only safe way.”

“Throw me in the tub like that and you’ll have a nasty drowned corpse on your hands!”

“Let me finish.” Kamijou grabbed a random towel. “You stay tied up and someone else washes you off with a wet towel.”

Aradia quaked at that suggestion.

Her face really did pale.

“Don’t tell me you’re volunteering for that job! There is only so far you can push this unintentional sexual harassment bit and make it believable! Please listen to me!”

“We’re only still having this conversation because you nixed the idea of me being in the bath with you, so calm down that overactive imagination, you pervert witch.”

His rational rebuttal led the goddess to start thrashing about on the floor. It wasn’t very frightening when she was in duct tape cocoon, but who knows what she would do if he let his guard down and she broke free of her restraints. He would be dead for sure.

Kamijou handed the towel to someone else: a confused Index.

“Look, she’ll be doing it. Is that acceptable?”

“Yes, I suppose,” Aradia reluctantly grumbled.

Now, was she aware that when presented with two negative options and asked to choose the lesser of two evils, it was common to make sure one of those options was a non-starter? Was she aware it was a negotiating tactic to present someone with something they would never, ever choose and then present them with a less-objectionable option you actually wanted them to accept?

Yes, Aradia lost sight of something important when she focused only on the fact that this option was better than having to bathe with a boy like Kamijou.

It didn’t occur to her that she had just agreed to have someone rub all over her body while she was tied up and unable to do anything about it.

This was the result.

“Ah hya hya hya hya!? Wait! Wait a second! Don’t stick your hand there! Hee, hee hee! Please can’t you be a little gentler!?”

“Shut up and sit still.”

Half an hour later, Aradia languidly crawled out of the bathroom with her skin squeaky clean and the full length of her silver hair washed.

“K-kill me,” said the bound Transcendent between gasping breaths. “Someone please kill me.”

“Hey, Othinus. Why did Aradia take so much damage from this?”

“About the last thing a witch wants is to be helpless in the hands of servant of their nemesis – the Christian Church. It made for a very amusing show, though.”

It was past 10 at night.

The TV remained on and it was shifting to the late night programming. In this case, that still meant a New Year’s comedy special, but one for lesser-known comedians who started out on the stage or online videos. Kamijou had basically been awake since the 31st, so he was already sleepy.

Index didn’t need a bath since she had just taken one with Aradia, but…

“I think I’ll only take a shower. I’m too tired for a full bath. What about you, Othinus?”

“I will not be deprived. Fill a washbasin with bathwater so I can relax.”

“Sure, sure. Yawn. Afterwards, we can drink this and then get to sleep.”

Index and Othinus gave him puzzled looks.

“It’s amazake,” he said, sleepily rubbing his eyes. “This is about the only time you get to drink it.”

Now.

Witch Goddess Aradia, the embodiment of Wicca, was a magician who extracted the medicinal properties of all the plants, animals, and minerals found in the forest and converted them into her spells. If she was resistant to medicines, it would reduce the efficacy of her spells. Being highly sensitive to any form of drug was useful both for using your own medicines sand for revealing the methods used by enemy witches.

The problem was that Kamijou only learned this fact once it was too late.

A cup of amazake made without sake lees was perfectly fine for a high schooler to drink, but it had a disastrous result for Aradia.

“Hic. Wuhhh?”

“Wait, are you kidding me!? Aradia’s face is bright red!!!” screamed Kamijou when he saw Aradia’s shoulders shaking with each “hic”.

This made no sense. It wasn’t even an issue of a small amount of alcohol having an exaggerated effect on her. This kind was completely nonalcoholic, so why in the world was Aradia losing control of herself!?

Othinus sighed from her spot atop the kotatsu.

“This isn’t about anything real – it’s the placebo effect. In other words, assumptions are more powerful than any of you humans. Although if she could consciously control this, it would be an excellent weapon for a potion-making witch.”

“Looks to me more like Tipsy Aradia-san is the one being controlled!”

“Hence the ‘if she could consciously control this’ part, human. Harnessing assumptions rarely ever works because it’s a lot like tricking yourself into thinking you’ve become a vessel for a god and then losing yourself in it. Be careful here. Her self-hypnosis is strong enough to physically intoxicate her with a nonalcoholic drink, so a false pregnancy is well within her abilities.”

Aradia herself seemed oblivious to their whispered conversation. She remained limply seated on the wooden flooring – with her legs turned to one side in what some call mermaid mode – staring off into empty space and swaying side to side.

“Nya. Nya, nya, nya, nyaaa♪”

“Now she’s singing.”

“Hey, you. If you’re gonna tie me up, at least have the decency to look after me. I’m the goddess of all witches, so you’re supposed to be serving me, dammit. Hic.”

“And now she’s leaning against me!? Gwahhh!!”

“Trying the begging for attention plan, huh?”

“This happened with Alice and the Bologna Succubus too. Is every Transcendent such a free spirit? Now I know for sure Aradia is too dangerous to free from that duct tape!!”

She was causing this much trouble with her hands tied behind her back. All it took was swaying to the side for her to more or less tackle Kamijou onto his back and fall asleep while the two of them drew out a cross on the floor. Body Press Witch Aradia was apparently the kind to gain a lot of energy when she drank but use it all up almost immediately. In other words, she was the most annoying type of person who would cause all sorts of trouble and then have someone else clean up afterwards.

As a nun, Index was having trouble deciding if she should give into her reflexive urge to bite.

“Grr. Touma, where should we let her sleep?”

“Dammit, this I such a royal pain,” groaned Kamijou on his back.

The usual arrangement was Index in the living room and Kamijou in the bathroom, but where was drunk Aradia supposed to go? In her current state, he didn’t want to leave her anywhere.

After crawling out from under her, Kamijou grabbed her under the arms and dragged her along the wooden flooring.

“People are so heavy. Hmm, I’m thinking the closet.”

“I know you want to close her up in a space with walls and a door cutting her off from everyone else, human, but tying a woman up with duct tape and stuffing her in your closet sounds a lot like robbing her of what this world calls human rights.”

As drunk as she was, Aradia didn’t put up any kind of resistance. In her current state, she probably wouldn’t complain if she was placed aboard a slave ship, so he had no trouble shoving her inside the small closet.

“Sigh. Now I can rest easy.”

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he heard a heavy thud from the closed closet. Followed by the drunk woman groaning.

“Ugh.”

“This is safe, isn’t it? Her mysterious Transcendent magic isn’t going to run wild and squash the entire dorm building while we sleep, is it? Y’know, like mille-feuille when you use your fork wrong.”

“Touma, don’t talk about food before bed. You’ll make me hungry.”

“This is a boy’s dorm, but you have three girls here – including me – plus a cat when pets aren’t allowed. Scary that you can get away with this at a school dorm. What are Academy City’s adults even doing?”

===Part 4===

It had been one hell of a day, so Kamijou had trouble getting to sleep after closing himself in the bathroom. He was tired, but couldn’t sleep. Or to put it another way, his body was exhausted, but his mind wouldn’t settle down. That drowsy state would mean any sleep he did get was shallow and it could lead to the amusing sleep phenomena of weird dreams and sleep paralysis.

He thought he saw Aradia in his dream.

He couldn’t be certain since he didn’t remember the dream. It was possible he had seen someone else who his mind had decided was similar to Aradia. Then he started wondering if that qualified as his first dream of the year.

At any rate, the next thing he knew, his phone’s alarm was ringing to tell him morning had arrived to his windowless bathroom.

Before he realized he could have switched off the alarm since it was winter break, he noticed a strangely soft and smooth sensation. And it came from below the blanket.

“Um!?”

Index or Othinus would never do this. And with the bathroom locked from the inside, the nocturnal calico cat couldn’t have stopped by to play. Besides, Sphinx was the fluffy type.

That left only one possible suspect.

“Aradi-”

“Nope. You’re wrong, teacher☆”

He really did jump.

His entire body trembled a few times and the small girl below the blanket laughed excitedly like she had found a new piece of playground equipment at the park.

This was Alice Anotherbible.

The blonde girl of around 12 looked like she had stepped right out of a children’s book.

What was she doing here!? How had she gotten in!? The front door and the bathroom’s door were both locked! Sure, their first meeting had been similar, but he couldn’t accept something so absurd just because there was a precedent!!!

On January 2, his morning began with a Transcendent who could determine what happened to his life and the fate of the world.

“Eh? What in the world is going on here?”

“Boo. The girl worked hard to get up early to visit you, teacher.”

“Visit me why?”

“For New Year’s money!!

“Noooooo!!!” shouted Kamijou. He shouldn’t have asked. He felt like he had just opened Pandora’s box, but he couldn’t say no when Alice was actually small enough to be the right age to be begging like this. And she was a blonde-haired, blue-eyed foreigner(?), so he couldn’t send her away without letting her experience Japanese culture first.

“Ugh, dammit. Here, Alice. Happy New Year’s. I hope you don’t mind I don’t have a bag to put it in.”

“Yay! This was the girl’s first time!!”

An extremely disconcerting phrase was transmitted from a boy’s dorm bathroom first thing in the morning. And Kamijou was really starting to wonder why a high school boy kept having to give out New Year’s money. Wasn’t he still the age to be receiving it?

The girl wore an apron over a blue dress.

She stuck her head out from the blanket and smiled at him inside the bathtub.

“Everyone was too busy yesterday, but things have settled down enough to invite you over today. Come visit the girl’s secret base!!”

“…”

He wasn’t sure how to react.

The Bridge Builders Cabal Academy City Consulate probably did seem like a fun secret base for Alice who stood at the center of it all, but was going there really safe? According to Othinus, Academy City’s rules didn’t apply inside the consulate – even if a crime was committed.

But he couldn’t let the conversation die here either.

Nothing would get any better if he always chose the safest option.

Kumokawa Seria’s GPS tracker was no longer useful now that Alice had come to Academy City. And she had done so on a whim. If she suddenly got bored and decided to leave, there would be no tracking her down a second time.

Whatever her reasons, it was a miracle to even have Alice with him.

He was also worried about what would happen to Aradia. What would Alice’s cabal do with a defeated Transcendent? The answer to that question would greatly affect how he felt about Alice.

After some though, Kamijou made a decision.

“Fine. Show me to your secret base.”

“''Boo.''”

Alice’s voice suddenly dropped in tone.

That may have been a dangerous sign.

He hadn’t said anything wrong, but he belatedly realized she hadn’t liked the short pause – less than a second – before he answered. Small children could be sensitive to those subtle clues.

“But whatever.”

“Alice, um, have you had breakfast?”

“The girl has eaten.”

Alice finally crawled out from Kamijou’s blanket.

He left the bathroom with her and checked in the closet. Aradia was still tied up and stuffed in the cramped space and her eyelids fluttered open.

“Ugh? What am I doing in here? Wait, where am I?”

She appeared to still be half asleep. It was probably best not to tell her what had happened last night.

Meanwhile…

“?”

Kamijou looked down at Alice and she tilted her head.

If she were here to silence Aradia, she could have done so at her leisure before entering Kamijou’s bathroom, but she hadn’t. Could he take that as a good sign?

Index and Othinus were waking up now, so he had to fix breakfast for them.

“Touma, are we having bread or rice today?”

“Another one appeared overnight!? Human, explain yourself!”

Unlike last night’s hotpot, their breakfast of toast, fried eggs, and salad didn’t match the New Year’s mood in the slightest, but the next thing he knew, Alice had joined them. She had supposedly already eaten, but there she was spreading chocolate paste on a piece of toast. Like Index, she would eat any food put in front of her.

“The District 2 Firearm Museum has opened a historical weapons exhibit to help us learn from the past,” said the TV. “This is a valuable opportunity to directly touch a real Acht-Acht or PIAT under the supervision of museum personnel.”

“Ooh, wow.”

“Alice, stop leaning toward the TV and look what you’re doing. You’re spreading that chocolate paste all over the kotatsu!”

Unfortunately, this meant Kamijou had to look after someone else too.

“Aradia, do you want butter on your toast? Or would you prefer strawberry jam?”

“…”

“Get ready cause we’re doing this again. Say, ‘ah’.”

“I feel like I’ve woken up to find I’m still living my nightmare…munch.”

While Kamijou took care of Aradia (whose hands were tied behind her back) like her caregiver, he felt a powerful gaze on him.

Alice was moving just her upper body in some warmup exercises while keeping the rest of her under one corner of the kotatsu.

“The girl wants to do that too. Hm, hm.”

“You mean…being duct taped up?”

“No☆”

She smiled and sent a tiny punch toward the clueless boy’s shoulder.

The physical blow hit Kamijou, but it was Aradia’s butt that lifted about 3cm off the floor when she saw it.

“The girl means the food! The girl wants you to feed her! Everything tastes better when you can have fun with it!!”

Kamijou wasn’t sure if she actually wanted this or just wanted to mimic what she saw the others doing, but he had no real reason to refuse her and he ended up feeding Alice her toast.

“Munch, munch. We can go after eating this.”

“…”

“Go to the girl’s secret base – the consulate in District 12!!”

===Part 5===

They were both part of winter break, but January 1 and 2 felt subtly different.

The 2nd was something of an in-between time, where everything was calmer with the shrine visiting over. The 3rd and 4th may have been busier again with people starting to head back home, but that wasn’t here yet. Convenience stores and gyudon shops were open on New Year’s nowadays, but the beginning-of-the-year vacation mood still seemed crammed into January 2 more than any other day. Kamijou couldn’t be sure though, since he didn’t remember any of the previous years.

After making sure the windows were shut and the gas was off, Kamijou, Index (with cat on head), and Alice left the dorm room.

“What did you even eat after leaving last time?”

“Heh heh. Good, Old Mary made the girl the classic: turkey, fries, and a fluffy chiffon cake!!”

“Touma.”

“Stop. Please don’t store up a long list of requests in your perfect memory.”

When Index was given unnecessary ideas like this, she would start demanding he fix it for her. That wasn’t so bad with a cooking show that taught you how to make something an amateur could manage, but she reacted the same way when she watched a gourmet show that introduced some delicious brand-name dish from a fancy restaurant in a big city.

And he just knew the next two days of his relaxing break would be ruined by this.

“(Hey, human.)”

“(I’d like to say I know what you’re getting at, but I doubt I can assess the risk on the level of a war god.)”

To start with, he could not refuse Alice’s invitation. If he explained his reasons why, she might give up on the idea, but who knows what the Transcendents trying to keep her in a good mood would do afterwards.

They might kill someone, take a hostage, or even destroy half of Academy City.

If things got that serious and then every single Transcendent showed up asking him to play with Alice, he would be entirely out of his league.

At the same time, he could not carelessly leave Aradia behind.

Taking her to the Bridge Builders Cabal’s base was a bad idea, but they already knew where his dorm was. If he left her to hold down the fort (in her duct tape cocoon), there was a decent chance of another Transcendent attacking the dorm room.

Was this the right answer?

Had he really not overlooked anything?

Alice’s whims played as big a role as the cabal’s interests and plans, so he doubted any amount of thinking would be enough.

“It is so nice to get some fresh air,” sighed Aradia after they rode the run-down elevator to the ground floor. Then she glared hatefully down at her own left hand. Needless to say, it was still tightly held by Imagine Breaker. “Now I just need to do something about this.”

“Yeah, if only keeping you in your duct tape cocoon and carrying you around bandit style wouldn’t gather so much unwanted attention. I need to research an easier and less conspicuous method of carrying you around. Maybe one of those dollies delivery workers use for bigger packages?”

“You do realize there are better alternatives than carrying me around, don’t you!?”

Aradia bristled, but they must have looked like a couple teasing each other. An old lady walking her dog smiled at them and Kamijou ended up exchanging New Year’s greetings with a stranger.

But…

“Boo. Why does Aradia get all the fun?” said Alice on his other side.

Before he could say a thing, the small girl tackled into him from the side and grabbed at his left arm.

“Hee hee. This hand belongs to the girl!”

“Um, Alice?”

“?”

She looked up and smiled at him like she always did. She didn’t seem to notice Index wandering side to side, unsure where to go. The cat was struggling not to fall off her head.

“Alice…you are Alice, aren’t you?” hesitantly asked Kamijou.

“Eh heh heh☆”

She wiggled ticklishly for some reason. It may have been a bashful response to him saying her name so many times.

Based on that, this did seem to be the Alice he knew.

This was the mysterious but reliable girl who had used her power to protect everyone on December 29 when the dark side threatened to engulf everything. He hadn’t known if he would see her again when she left with Anna Sprengel. If nothing else had happened, he might have hugged her and wept with joy at this reunion.

But…

“…”

He felt a tremor.

It came from the other side than Alice. So from Aradia on his right. Transcendent Aradia had caused so much trouble in Shibuya on December 31, but she was trembling like a small child afraid to go home because she thought her parents would scold her.

It was so unusual and wrong that he couldn’t just ignore it.

Alice Anotherbible.

Even the kind Bologna Succubus had called Alice a tyrant, but what exactly did the girl carry inside her?

“Touma. Are we taking a train again?”

“I can hardly believe it, but yes. And to think I was broke at the end of last year. Hwa ha ha! I can afford normal expenses again!”

The Bridge Builders Cabal had a new headquarters.

The mysterious consulate was in District 12, so they only had to pay 200 yen at the subway to get there.

“Tah dah!! This is the place!” said Alice with a huge smile, hopping in excitement with no concern for her skirt.

The place would have stood out in any other district, but it fit right in among the giant pyramids, five-story pagodas, and other structures that made District 12 feel like an amusement park.

Past a grassy garden larger than a soccer field was a gate leading to a white marble building resembling an amusement park castle. But it wasn’t built according to a specific style like gothic or something-or-other garden. None of it felt real, so the entire space felt like part of an amusement park. If you had to describe it, it was a white mansion similar to the White House but with pointy towers added on without any sort of pattern. It wasn’t even symmetrical.

According to Alice, the white building in the center was called a tower despite not being all that tall. In a castle, that was where the lord’s living area and the administrative functions were concentrated. It was known as the keep, or in French, the donjon.

Were those roses in bloom? It sure looked like a red rose garden at first, but a closer inspection showed them to be white artificial flowers painted red. The place was still being prepared, so some areas had been left incomplete. On that note, castles and temples normally took more than a century to build just by stacking up the stones, so how did they get this built so quickly without anyone noticing?

Roses.

Painted from white to red.

Were the out-of-season honeybees the result of agricultural selective breeding? They were colored black and yellow.

Hadn’t he seen that coloration when fighting in deserted Los Angeles?

“…”

A relevant question came to mind, but Kamijou shook his head. He had directly clashed with R&C Occultics and Anna Sprengel a few times, but the worst thing to do when your life was on the line was assume you knew everything already. For magic expertise, he had Index and Othinus with him. And he had Alice and Aradia from the Bridge Builders Cabal with him too. Instead of making assumptions based on his imagination, he was far better off speaking with them and seeing what useful information they had.

And in fact, Othinus – a god of war, magic, and deception – had noticed something he hadn’t.

“(They call it a consulate, but it’s built like a fortress or like a castle built on the front lines. So did they openly build themselves a bridgehead inside enemy territory?)”

“Oh?”

A young man in the garden noticed them while pointing out where the delivery workers should set up the giant sculptures wrapped in packaging and cushioning.

He had black hair and wore a tailcoat. He even wore an old-fashioned black cloak.

He was still young(?), but he held a smooth, glossy black cane.

The young butler had a somehow gloomy air to him.

“I know you couldn’t exactly escape when Alice came for you personally, but I still can’t believe you showed up. And bringing our own Aradia with you? That I didn’t expect at all.”

“Who are you?”

“H. T. Trismegistus.” The young butler pulled a leather notebook from his pocket. “Come to think of it, I didn’t introduce myself yesterday, did I? As common sense would tell you, I am a Transcendent.”

He did not offer to shake hands. Whether or not that was due to the notebook was unclear.

He too was a member of the Bridge Builders Cabal. That meant he was one of the special magicians who held meetings with the other Transcendents to discuss how to change the world for the better. That meant he would be less than fond of Kamijou who – they believed – was capable of guiding Alice’s whims.

Index frowned and repeated something under her breath.

“''Trismegistus''?”

“Yes!! H. T. Trismegistus is amazing. He makes the best tea in the world. He also folds the girl’s clothes and puts her shoes away!”

“You should really be able to handle that much on your own, Alice.”

Even as he said that, the young butler kneeled and cleaned off some mud that got on Alice’s skirt as she hopped around. He wiped it off with a handkerchief, applied detergent, dried it with a dryer, and even ironed it.

But…wait?

Where did all of that stuff come from???

“(Don’t freak out yet, human. A stage magician could do that. He could have multiple storage cases hidden inside that cloak like a tackle box or a pop-up book.)”

“Um, are you Alice’s tutor?”

“Heavens no. I am no more than one of her servants. I wouldn’t dream of holding that much influence over my beloved master.”

H. T. Trismegistus answered the grimoire library’s gaze with no more than a meaningful smile.

There was one thing Kamijou had wanted to ask the next time he met a Transcendent. He hadn’t wanted to ask Alice because he got the feeling her answer would change based on what she thought he wanted to hear.

“Wh-where is the Bologna Succubus? Is she alright?”

“She is inside. But common sense says she should be allowed to rest for the time being.”

That was a relief…or was it?

Was this H. T. Trismegistus one of the Rescuers or one of the Killers?

The young butler welcomed back Alice while indicating the consulate with a sweep of his arm.

“Everyone is familiar with Alice and her tea party, but in the original story, it is held at a house in the woods. But outside the house, not inside it. But common sense says the real highlight of the setting arrives with the Queen of Hearts shouting to have everyone executed. There is nothing better than the queen’s castle or the courtroom.”

Kamijou felt like a dull, invisible object was slowly stabbing into his chest.

He ended up holding Aradia’s hand tight. She took it as some kind of sign and gave him a wordless, wide-eyed look, but he hadn’t meant it that way.

Executed.

And a courtroom.

What did the Bridge Builders Cabal intend to do with Aradia after her defeat? He still didn’t know why they had come to Academy City. If it was a whim of Alice’s, there might not be any real reason, but that didn’t mean they would ignore a potential information leak like Aradia.

Alice, being Alice, smiled like she wasn’t concerned about any of that.

“H. T. Trismegistus! The girl wants to show her teacher around her secret base! But just looking around would be boring!! Do you know a fun game we could play? You know, like a treasure hunt or something else where everyone can see the whole place while playing!!”

“Ah ha ha,” laughed the young butler as he pulled out several movie pamphlets and TRPG rulebooks. Those paper booklets had to be heavy with so many of them.

“Common sense says you only need to speak this magic phrase: ‘I will grant my whole inheritance to whosoever reveals every one of my secrets.’ ”

“Ohh, that sounds like fun. Then should the girl share her power with the winner? You’re the best, H. T. Trismegistus!”

“Not at all. It is merely my job to gently support my master by granting her every wish.”

“Then I’ll give them a whole half!!”

“Hold on,” interrupted a graceful woman’s voice.

Kamijou realized someone else was already standing next to Alice. The woman wore a maternity dress and a wide-brimmed hat that covered her eyes. That was Good, Old Mary, one of the Transcendents, and she was currently pinching and slightly stretching one of Alice’s small cheeks.

“Alice really would give someone half of the planet while in this sort of mood, so if you see her start on something like that, please stop her even if you have to physically restrain her.”

“Eh? Um, you mean me? You’re telling me to do that?” said Kamijou.

“''Mama is only asking an outsider because none of us can do it.''”

That sent a tension similar to static electricity through them all. The Transcendents, Index, and Othinus all carefully observed Kamijou and Alice.

“?”

Even the cat instinctually sensed something was amiss and put up his guard, but Alice herself tilted her head and then grabbed Kamijou’s arm again.

He was afraid to say anything.

He had temporarily captured Aradia, but he had been helpless against her on the 31st. He had been killed more than once and had only barely pulled off a victory thanks to two Transcendents providing assistance that felt like cheating.

What if he was thrown out onto the battlefield with no assistance this time?

Or what if several Transcendents attacked him at once?

Or what if Alice turned on him???

He had no idea when he would be killed or by whom, but he couldn’t predict what the other Transcendents would do if he turned down Alice’s invitation. He worked to organize what information he had while asking some questions.

“So is this consulate about that stuff the Bologna Succubus was telling me about? You know, about the Transcendents of the Bridge Builders Cabal being split between a group that wants to rescue me and one that wants to kill me?”

“Uh, oh,” gasped H. T. Trismegistus.

The young butler’s gaze lowered to young Alice.

She silently and emotionlessly tilted her head.

And she spoke.

“''What. Is. He. Talking. About?''”

“Gasp!?”

Kamijou opened his eyes.

He shook his head several times and stood up.

Only then did he realize he had been collapsed on the grass.

(What? Eh? Wait. What happened? What in the world just happened!?)

He checked his old folk’s smartphone to find time had skipped forward by about 10 minutes.

No.

''What had happened'' immediately after Alice Anotherbible spoke in such a low voice? Kamijou at least seemed to have lost consciousness at that point.

He took a look around.

H. T. Trismegistus had seemed so above it all, but he had fallen onto his rear with his cane a good distance away from him. Where it had come from was a mystery, but in his panic, he had produced an entirely useless life jacket which he clutched in his arms like a stuffed animal.

For some reason, Good, Old Mary was trying not to look in that direction.

After sensing a tremor shaking and a sweet aroma, Kamijou realized Aradia was holding onto him from the side. Just like a small child afraid to let go of her teddy bear after having a nightmare.

Index and Othinus had to be around there somewhere. Probably doing their best to hide in one of the large garden’s flower beds or shrubberies.

Alice alone remained on her feet.

Her head was still tilted and she spoke in her usual tone again.

“You were saying?”

“Yes! Yes!! We’re all good friends here!! Common sense says we would never be so rude to an important guest!!”

The young butler’s voice was cracking.

The Bologna Succubus had said only Kamijou could guide and control Tyrant Alice. He still didn’t understand what this was all about, but if this was how things worked, he could see why everyone was so afraid of her.

But anyway.

“T-to be clear, our objective is not Kamijou Touma,” said H. T. Trismegistus while trying to catch his breath. “Common sense says we made this direct visit to prevent an information leak. In other words, we are here for ''a fellow Transcendent''.”

“…”

“You heard a lot about us in Shibuya on the 31st, didn’t you? I believe a few Transcendents other than Aradia contacted you. But common sense says this decision cannot be overturned. The Bologna Succubus, Good, Old Mary, and even Alice herself have already agreed that the traitor who left our cabal must be punished accordingly. Because these are not false accusations placed upon an innocent’s head.”

“Punished?”

“Correct.”

Someone walked up next to the young butler.

She was a girl of about 15. She had long, wavy blonde hair, brown skin, and a skinny build decorated with thin belts and pure gold ornaments. She reminded Kamijou of Nephthys, but maybe it was his lack of knowledge that made him think of an Egyptian goddess or a dancer when he saw her.

Alice hopped around proudly.

“This is Mut Thebes! She’s a Transcendent just like the girl!!”

They had finally reached the point where he wasn’t even sure what kind of god they were talking about. He at least recognized names like Alice and Mary – ''whether or not the associations he made were accurate'' – but some of the other names like Aradia and Trismegistus meant nothing at all to him.

Since Alice sounded so proud, the young butler went ahead and introduced her.

“She is an Egyptian mythology Transcendent who specializes in punishment.”

The matter-of-fact way H. T. Trismegistus said it sent a chill down Kamijou’s spine.

Punishment.

He gave Aradia’s hand a squeeze.

“She carries the symbolism of the mother protecting her children – or of the queen protecting her people. She will do whatever it takes to protect what she had decided is her territory. And of course, that is currently defined as the Bridge Builders Cabal.”

That made her sound super powerful, but Kamijou wasn’t sure if it made her an enemy or an ally. He gave the brown girl a nervous look and, for some reason, she bowed. Now, should he feel glad that this assassin or hitman was impeccably polite? He wasn’t sure.

She was a Transcendent who specialized in punishment.

The brown girl stood next to…something not quite the same as a metal fence with spikes jutting out in a giant X. Several sharp spears were contained in the same binder, creating something that looked a bit like a barricade. The spearheads were made of glass and a strange fluorescent pink liquid sloshed around inside. At about 150cm long, they didn’t seem to have much reach for spears. Hold the shaft near the center and they wouldn’t reach much further than a sword.

That meant they were probably javelins.

Notably, they each had the same phrase written on the shaft: Drink Me.

“(Th-this is related to Alice in Wonderland,)” whispered Aradia, unable to hide her trembling.

“…”

Kamijou remained silent.

“I used the word punishment because I have a graceful heart and common sense told me to avoid stating it so directly, but perhaps it would have been simpler to say ‘execution’ instead.”

The young butler’s voice was calm as could be.

Although he was nervously tapping his cane against the ground.

“Transcendents can be killed. Especially when you have an expert in executing them,” he said quite plainly.

The next thing Kamijou knew, there was a long, narrow coffin there. Was it another stage magician tool? It was about the right size to hold an adult woman and it had strange slits all over it, so it may have been a prop for stabbing swords into.

“You should already understand this on some level after what you saw during all that ugly fighting in Shibuya on the 31st. One specific method is to weaken the Transcendent by taking away their power. The spiritual item called the Shrink Drink does just that. In the story, it was a drink that causes the imbiber to physically shrink, but- oh, you should already be familiar with the general idea since one of your companions is a weakened god.”

They had traded one problem for another.

(At least it looks like I don’t have to worry about all the Transcendents attacking me at once. Still, this is bad. I’m not thrilled about their target being Aradia either.)

Kamijou turned to look at someone.

Not Alice who was kind but capricious. He looked to Good, Old Mary who had selflessly helped save him and the Bologna Succubus on the 31st.

Aradia and the Bologna Succubus had both had something they wanted to protect, so Good, Old Mary – who could return a corpse to its state when the heart had stopped – must have had her own reasons for wanting to become a magician.

But she did not return Kamijou’s gaze.

In fact, her large hat shook as she turned her head away from him, but that may have been to avoid Aradia’s eyes more than his.

(Are we out of options?)

Kamijou clenched his teeth.

He was wrapped in an extreme tension that told him he had to avoid letting them notice even that.

(Then what do I do? What good is Imagine Breaker alone against an entire group of Transcendents!?)

But while all this was going on in his head…

“Oh, I think you have the wrong idea,” continued H. T. Trismegistus, to correct the puny boy’s misunderstanding. “It is true Aradia neglected to return to us after her defeat at your hands and the possibility of her revealing critical information does put our cabal at risk, but she already understands and shares in the cabal’s ideology and – more importantly – she understands in her very bones ''what it would mean to make herself an enemy of Alice''. Common sense says no amount of cajolery or torture would get her to talk. That sturdy vault door can be dealt with later. It is the flimsy back door we must deal with first.”

“Back door?”

“Indeed.” The young butler nodded and explained. “Our top priority assassination target is none other than the newest Transcendent, the international information expert who created R&C Occultics, and the traitor who shows insufficient respect for Alice and who got you involved in all this in the first place. I am, of course, referring to ''Anna Sprengel''.”

===Part 6===

Meanwhile, Yomikawa Aiho had business beyond giving a New Year’s greeting to her former roommate. And that business required visiting the same location two days in a row.

It could be confusing since Board Chairman Accelerator had adopted it as his new base, but the place was originally a District 10 prison for adult criminals.

Working for Anti-Skill naturally led to knowing a fair number of convicts, but this particular one was a special case.

Because…

“Hi, Ultimate Evil Demon King Tessou Tsuzuri who’s awoken to the thrill of the dark voltage. Care to share some of your genius inspiration that us ordinary and peaceful Anti-Skill officers could never hope to think up?”

“Eeek!! P-please stop this, Senpai!! Why are you harassing me like this!? You’re teasing me on purpose, aren’t you!? Oh, god, it’s so embarrassing!!!”

Trembling on the other side of the visiting room’s thick bulletproof glass was a timid teacher with glasses and curly black hair. She had wounds all over. It was kind of scary that the AI-supported speed trial had her thrown in prison so fast her teaching license hadn’t even officially revoked yet.

(Well, that government paperwork is going to be slow during the holiday anyway.)

In that sense, Yomikawa was a little impressed that the prison was working so fast at the end of the year.

What had happened to the version of Tessou who had strutted through Academy City’s darkness as an Anti-Skill Negotiator? The usual tearful glasses woman was back like she had woken from a dream.

Tessou lay her head on the desk and placed her hands on top of her head.

“Why? Whyyyyy did I do that? I wasn’t wrong to want to protect the children, but why would I choose to do it like that? Am I secretly a sadistic jerk deep down? If I just wanted to feel fear, I should have gone to an amusement park haunted house, but I got fixated on doing everything with violence and I feel like that’s kind of your fault really.”

“(Wow. It’s hard to imagine, but what if Accelerator is like this deep down and he’s just better at hiding it from us?)”

“Umm, Yomikawa-senpai?”

Tessou Tsuzuri tilted her head in confusion.

It at least sounded like she had never stopped wanting to protect the students, but she should have come asked her colleague for advice before doing all that. Yomikawa sighed.

“Whatever. The point is I need to pick your brains, Tessou. It was temporary, but you managed to synchronize with – or even outdo – the dark side, so I want some help thinking like they do.”

“I-I won’t do it. I decided I wasn’t touching that dangerous dark side ever again. I will pay my debt to society, but don’t make me get involved with that again. I don’t even work for you anymore, so you can’t make me.”

“Oh, really?”

“Um, you’re scaring me. Scaring me a lot. Why do I sense an obsession behind that ‘oh, really’? It feels every bit as strong as someone’s unrequited love!!”

“So, Tessou? Care to remind me who it was that put my arm in this sling? Ow, ow, ow, ow. Man the winter chill sure does a number on a broken arm.”

“Kh!? Y-your guilt trip won’t work on me!!”

“Suit yourself. Now, the solitary confinement area is split up by gender, age, and occupation, isn’t it? That means you’re in the teacher section. And if my memory serves, isn’t your cell neighbor named Therestina?”

“Bff!? Why do you know the layout of the cells? And what are you suggesting!? I really don’t like where this is headed! Do you know how creepy it is that she spends all her time cackling in her solitary cell!? She doesn’t even need to snort any white powder!! The brain chemicals produced by her own love, courage, and derangement have completely broken her brain!!!”

“Did you know, Tessou, that this prison can reward model prisoners by transferring them from a solitary cell to a shared cell? Lucky for you, your good friend has your back. Your lonely days will soon be over and you can share a cell with another lewd glasses teacher with a screw loose.”

“You’ve made your point, so please give me a job to do!! What was it you wanted to ask me, you lowly scum!?”

There. Tessou’s cooperation acquired.

Yomikawa Aiho lazily rested her head in her hand and organized her thoughts.

She had more than one thing she wanted to ask.

Fortunately, she knew which one she wanted to get out of the way first.

“''Kumokawa Seria.''”

“…”

“On December 31, the Board’s brain was sighted outside the city in Shibuya. She was focused on, but ultimately never visited, the Miyashita Ark. It’s basically an enormous mall, but I doubt she was there to go shopping. Any ideas?”

“What were you thinking?”

“That girl is the type to pursue something that has already happened, not start something herself. That would mean something was already underway at the Miyashita Ark and she was there to put a stop to-”

“I think you’re wrong.”

Yomikawa’s idea was swiftly shot down.

Tessou Tsuzuri giggled at the way Yomikawa’s eyes widened. Her situation had greatly changed, but it was still amusing to see that look on her former superior’s face.

''Or maybe she had switched modes.

The (supposedly) timid teacher held a hand over her mouth as she laughed and then explained her reasoning.

“You said Kumokawa Seria never actually went there, didn’t you? If she was there to stop something, I would expect her to pay a visit even if she screwed it up. No matter how risky it would be. If the person who called for Anti-Skill is attacked by a criminal before you can get there, you can’t just turn around and head back even if you know it’s too late for them, right?”

There was always a miniscule chance you could save them. Getting the injured caller medical care could at least save their life. And even if they were already dead, you had to search for evidence that could lead to the culprit. A defender would change their objective but still act if they learned it was too late. You could not work law enforcement if you would stop just because the best case scenario was no longer an option.

Which meant…

“So you’re saying Kumokawa ''wasn’t'' going to the Miyashita Ark to stop something?”

“On the other hand, I would feel bad if I used that reasoning to conclude she was the one who set it all up.”

“…Hm.”

“But I could see her wanting to interfere with something already underway ''in order to steer it where she wants it''. So just imagine what would have happened if there had been no accident and she had arrived at the Miyashita Ark as planned. Maybe she couldn’t have done anything herself, but ''someone with her'' may have accomplished something if she had guided them there.”

“But what for?”

“Don’t ask me. Maybe she wanted to eliminate something she was afraid that new board chairman couldn’t handle on his own. Academy City has been on a losing streak of late, so it wouldn’t surprise me to find some people are doubting that new board chairman’s abilities. ''I know I am''.”

“…”

“That said, she isn’t as impatient as me, so she wouldn’t gather the people she needs using blackmail material. I bet she would lay out the rails to guide some great power where she wants it, all while staying just barely within the bounds of legality. Maybe she sees the world differently. If you rely ''solely'' on science, I don’t think you would place your hopes in anything outside of Academy City.”

But then who was it?

The new board chairman was Academy City’s strongest Level 5.

What game piece could be so powerful even he paled in comparison?

===Part 7===

She didn’t go for the cigar or the kiseru.

“Yes, I will be taking that lighter. It will be much simpler if I take your 🔥 instead of all your many 🚬 products.”

“Woof, woof, woof!!”

“Suddenly trying to act like a cute 🐕 is ❌ going to change my 🧠. Using the kiseru helps 😷 how much you’re smoking, but you are matching the pace of a ⛓️ smoker right now. Smoking is bad for your health and there is ❌ possible way you can 🗣️ otherwise.”

The golden retriever lunged at the person forcing her own preferences onto him. Having her face licked by a tongue that reeked of nicotine made Lady Kingsford shriek and fall onto her rear. Was all this really about her not liking the smell?

“Oh, dear. My glasses. Where are my glasses?”

“I have found your weak point now, you gentle teacher. What are you, a living cliché?”

Losing her glasses made that founder of founders get down in a doggy pose. Crybaby Anna Kingsford crawled around feeling about for her glasses until Kihara Noukan sighed and used one of his mechanical arms to hand the glasses to her.

The interaction received a sidelong glance from a woman in a beige habit and blonde hair roughly cut to shoulder length. No, that was actually Magician Aleister who had hijacked a great demon’s body.

He clicked his tongue while walking toward Academy City.

“They’re going to notice this time,” said the golden retriever’s artificial voice. “Our group has gotten too large and we haven’t prepared well enough to sneak in safely.”

“I know that. I did build this city from the ground up, after all.”

For one thing, Anna Kingsford – who was tearfully putting back on her glasses – was not a camouflaged model finetuned for infiltration missions. If they took her with them, Accelerator’s side would notice immediately.

Aleister wasn’t happy about the situation either. He had already handed Academy City over to the next board chairman, so he didn’t want to be making frequent visits.

But things had changed. In a big way.

The Bridge Builders Cabal had a consulate.

They had created a bridgehead enclave inside the headquarters of science.

That secret base would make it impossible to track anything that was stolen and impossible to prevent anyone from getting inside.

(Why would that boy choose to enter their base where they can legally disappear him?)

Of course, this human’s objective was not to solve a riddle. Everything would be for naught if Kamijou Touma wasn’t rescued from the threat of the Bridge Builders Cabal.

He would save that boy even if it meant breaking his word. In a way, it was a very Aleister thing to do since fate never seemed to let him follow his own rules anyway.

So they crossed the outer wall and entered Academy City.

“Your pareo.”

“Hee hee. Thank you very much. Such a gentlemanly 🐕 to hold it down with your 🦾.”

There was no time for getting weirdly emotional or succumbing to self-loathing. The beige habit woman spoke up while they walked through that familiar city.

“H. T. Trismegistus.”

There was a note of annoyance in Aleister’s voice.

He then restated it as if confirming it for himself.

“Hermes ''Thoth'' Trismegistus. That Egyptian secretary god has a strong connection to Holy Guardian Angel Aiwass. And both Hermes and Thoth correspond to each other in Liber 777, an occult dictionary I wrote. That means Alice isn’t the only one. Yet another hint of the Magick system I worked on so long ago. Ugh, why do I always do this!? If only I could go back in time and punch my past self.”

Witch Goddess Aradia was another obvious example.

In fact, the entire framework of Wicca was created by Gerald Gardner, who had interacted with Aleister. Aleister’s influence could be seen in the portion of Gardner’s witchcraft where the practitioners gained power through sex.

Looking relieved now that she had her glasses back, Anna Kingsford whispered in obvious enjoyment.

“Hee hee. By that logic, would the Bologna Succubus and Good, Old Mary be 🔗ed as well?”

“…”

“My, my. I 💭 which Magickal supernatural being they could be. Perhaps the sky goddess from 🇪🇬 mythology? Or maybe the lady in 🟥 spoken of in the 📕 of Revelation?”

Anyone could tell from the teasing tone of voice that Kingsford was only eliminating impossible options. Although she smiled and swiped a portable ashtray from Kihara Noukan while doing so.

There was no point in trying to find a connection in all of them.

It was dreadfully easy to find mistaken interpretations when using Magick. It was a labyrinth of one’s own making that beginners often found themselves trapped inside.

Magic was so complicated because it operated under an orderly set of rules, but questions didn’t necessarily have just the one answer. If you weren’t willing to accept contradictions like two distinct but equally correct answers, then you could never reach the truth. That was a conclusion Crowley himself had reached at a certain temple.

So putting off a question on hold was far more important than you might think.

(I shouldn’t assume the Crowley system ''alone'' is enough to explain all of this.)

Alice Anotherbible, Aradia, H. T. Trismegistus.

Then there was the Bologna Succubus, Good, Old Mary, and the rest.

For the time being, he decided to operate under the assumption that the cabal contained some with Magickal origins and some without. But it didn’t look as simple as the ones who followed the Crowley system being Rescuers and the others being Killers.

“Some come from Crowley and some do not.”

“And some have decided Kamijou Touma should live and others have chosen he should ☠️.”

They had already found a mixture of four different categories within the single cabal. That was unusual since cabals usually followed a unified ideology with their magic.

Furthermore, there was another unique case beyond those four types.

“Why are you staring at me?” asked the face plastered to the film canister he held.

Anna Sprengel.

“Wasn’t she invited to join that Bridge Builders Cabal?” asked Kihara Noukan.

“That suggests the Transcendents aren’t some legendary group with, for example, only 12 spots available. If someone meets certain requirements, they can add new members.”

“Which leads to an obvious ❓☆”

Anna Kingsford’s tone was light.

Was this how she had once spoken with Westcott and Mathers?

“''What conditions did Miss Sprengel meet''? What expectations did they have of her and how did she end up betraying them?”

“I don’t know anything about magic,” said Noukan, “but for someone to betray your organization, you must have placed your trust in them at least temporarily.”

Some followed the Crowley system, others didn’t. Some were Rescuers, others were Killers. Which of those groups had Anna Sprengel joined?

“That line of reasoning doesn’t fit the timeline,” said Miss Sprengel.

“…”

She laughed when Aleister fell into silent thought.

“The split based on what to do with Kamijou Touma only came to be after I betrayed the cabal and messed with Alice. Those groups did not exist originally.”

That left only two groups: Crowley and non-Crowley.

Time to think through it again. When comparing their magic, was there anything linking Aleister and Miss Sprengel?

Eventually, the beige habit woman muttered under her breath.

It didn’t matter if part of the process was flawed as long as you found your way to the correct answer in the end.

“''So that’s it.''”

“Have you grasped the big picture now?” asked Miss Sprengel.

“The Bridge Builders Cabal’s Transcendents seemed awfully confident with their boasting about individually rivalling the entire magic side, but I see where they were coming from now.”

In that sense, Anna Sprengel did indeed qualify.

Aleister brought a hand to his borrowed chin.

“It also explains why Alice’s group did not choose Anna Kingsford when her magic is so much more powerful.”

“Yes. And it means an immature Aleister Crowley might have been accepted as a Transcendent if things had gone differently.”

Not that Aleister Crowley ever would have chosen to obey someone else in that way.

Funnily enough, this meant it was impossible for both Aleister and Miss Sprengel to join the Bridge Builders Cabal at the same time.

Only one or the other could join.

“Every man and every woman is a star,” sang the girl’s voice.

That was a theory Aleister himself had once proposed.

“All people can create a monster and become a god. Of course, doing so would change the very definition of the word ‘god’. With one 2000-year period ended, the world has already entered that age. Isn’t that the Aeon of Horus you proposed? That is the foundation of their strategy. That is what the Transcendents have created by gathering together and what they are attempting to control all on their own.”

Miss Sprengel continued to sing from the surface of the film canister.

“But I am ''not'' talking about Alice here.”

===Between the Lines 2===

The girl was known as a witch.

There was nothing she couldn’t do.

With her newfound power, she could bend anything to her will with a wave of her finger. She scattered stars across the night sky, sent blessed rain falling from that sky, created a potion for the sick, and gave a beautiful dress to a poor woman.

The girl was praised by so many.

The girl was thanked by so many.

The girl became a goal for so many.

She swam through her dreams. There was nothing left that could bring her pain. How could there be when she had the power to remove all sources of pain from her sight and to support and guide those who worshiped her?

There was a smile on every face.

Everyone looked happy.

So the girl was confident she had done the right thing. So the girl did not question any of her actions. It was the right thing to do, after all. Why hold back when her every action was a wonderful thing that would make everyone happy?

She lived in a world void of stress.

From the moment she got up in the morning to the moment she fell asleep at night, her every day shined bright.

But isn’t it strange?

Why, then, was that girl known as ''a witch''?

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Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume7 Chapter2

2022-09-16T18:09:53Z

January: Added missing punctuation for abbreviations

{{Incomplete|parts=5|tparts=8}}
==Chapter 2: Which of Them was Caught? – the_Consulate.==

===Part 1===

The holiday didn’t mean Accelerator could take the entire day off.

The statistics were clear: trouble and accidents tended to happen precisely on the days people least wanted them to happen on.

“A consulate in District 12?”

“Let’s see…it’s technically called the Bridge Builders Cabal Academy City Consulate.”

“…”

“Yes, sorry, I know that’s weird! I wasn’t checking thoroughly enough on the diplomatic side of things.”

The response came from Qliphah Puzzle 545 who floated near the ceiling. That artificial demon was acting as the eyes and ears of the board chairman now that he could no longer leave his cell.

A consulate was an extraterritorial area in which Academy City had no real authority.

What is the difference between an embassy and a consulate, you ask?

The biggest difference is that a consulate lacks the authority to represent its country in negotiations with the resident country’s government. A consulate is only meant to provide a link between its home country and that country’s citizens living in the resident country, while an embassy is tasked with battling the resident country at the negotiating table.

That might make a consulate sound like less of a threat than if a country suddenly built an embassy in your country.

But that was inaccurate.

To have a country’s consulate in your country meant it was normal to have that country’s people in your country. That meant Alice’s cabal had gained more than just the consulate’s territory. ''They had created circumstances where magicians could walk freely throughout Academy City.

Something quietly struck the wall.

The walls and ceiling were covered with printed documents. They were all attached directly to the wall with colorful pins and those pins were connected with a spiderweb of colorful strings.

Alice, Academy City’s dark side, the Bridge Builders Cabal, the Shibuya riot outside the city.

Whether or not these things were actually connected was a matter to consider at a later stage.

He only needed to lay out all the information first and visualize all the connections with strings later.

His only information on Alice came from Qliphah Puzzle 545’s reports, but that only made the girl more concerning because it meant someone was strutting through Academy City without any of the city’s security capturing her.

Anna Sprengel had bloodily destroyed the dark side on December 25 and Alice Anotherbible had suddenly appeared on the 29th.

“Qliphah Puzzle 545.”

“Y-yes!?”

“How did you get tangled up in the string? To be blunt, you’re in the way.”

“Heh heh heh heh. Th-the more I try to avoid them, the more tangled I get. You can think of me like the bookish girl who’s terrible at dodgeball.”

Qliphah Puzzle 545 was somewhat tied up in a corner of the ceiling that was quickly becoming her standard spot.

“Umm, I didn’t mind so much when it was just my wings and legs tied up so tight, but now it’s getting to my crotch, which is a lot more- ohh!?”

She seemed to like attention of any sort, so she looked kind of happy about this. Which was why Accelerator chose to ignore the demon who had to be devastatingly bad at jump rope.

Yes.

Accelerator was currently lying on a bed much too nice for a prison cell. There could only be one reason he was back here.

The meeting with his guests had been called off.

Because Alice Anotherbible’s cabal had been detected inside Academy City.

Last Order had not looked disappointed on the other side of the thick glass when he had had to call it off. She had smiled as she watched the board chairman go.

He needed to keep in mind that he was the one who had made her force that smile.

“U-u-umm?”

“What now?”
“Well, you see. Eh heh heh. If you happen to be angry, I would actually find it something of a relief if you would hit me a few times. Just go all out with it.”

Accelerator clicked his tongue.

He knew that wouldn’t solve anything. The artificial demon tangled up in colorful string had only relayed the necessary information to him. He much preferred that to her being too afraid to pass on some important information.

Alice was here.

And several more of those monsters known as Transcendents were with her.

(If only we had a solid definition of this Transcendent term everyone’s started using like it didn’t just appear out of nowhere. Was it in Shibuya on the 31st when that third-rate got himself tangled up in this mess?)

With several of those mysterious Transcendents detected in Academy City, there was a risk of the people living their ordinary lives here encountering them. It could happen to Last Order, to Yomikawa, to Yoshikawa, or to anyone else.

Accelerator wasn’t sitting around doing nothing. He had a few tricks up his sleeve beyond the standard Anti-Skill and Judgment. For example, he had direct fighters like Qliphah Puzzle 545, Fuse Kazakiri, and Misaka Worst.

But not even all that was a guarantee.

The #1 knew all too well that there was no such thing as an absolute assurance of safety.

He couldn’t stop whatever happened outside.

Outside and inside this cell were two different worlds.

And once something happened, he could not protect Last Order. If he wanted to protect her from harm, he had to act before anything happened.

A disturbing mass throbbed at the center of his chest.

He felt like he had a giant egg there in place of a heart.

“…”

There was a reason to act.

But if he left the prison for that reason, he would be causing everything to collapse.

He might feel good about it at first, but the monstrous whispers of reality told him he would only be drowning the world in an ocean of blood if he took that path.

“Qliphah Puzzle 545.”

“Y-yes!? D-d-d-do you need something!?”

Accelerator sighed on the bed while the demon responded more nervously than necessary up in the corner of the ceiling.

“I’m not mad, so lend me a hand. Show me those newspapers you’re wearing.”

“Oh, you mean my dress? Hmm, but I’m not sure what article could tell you more than all these documents covering the walls.”

“It’s not for that,” he replied, feeling annoyed.

For one thing, Qliphah Puzzle 545’s dress was not a collection of actual newspaper articles. It transformed depending on who was reading it, creating articles that pointed out that person’s sins and shames.

In other words…

“Show me my darkness.”

“Um, okay!!”

The demon forced her tangled body to move, placing her hands behind her head.

She showed off her body.

The pattern on her dress writhed. The shocking headlines of those English-language newspapers tore into Accelerator’s old wounds.

Each individual article didn’t matter much.

But altogether, they felt like a great monster.

Yes, there was a monster here.

Everyone had a monster inside them.

It was a fearsome thing that would drag you down the path to death and ruin if you let it, but it could provide great power if you learned to control it.

Accelerator knew that violence came in many different forms.

And he knew there were also nonviolent ways of solving problems.

(Don’t let it take over.)

He felt impatience, tension, anger…and the fear of losing someone close to him.

He took a deep breath and faced his monster.

(I created this monster myself, so I must be able to control it myself.)

If he could start by looking to the destination he needed to reach, then he would reach that goal no matter how much he strayed on the way. He focused on his own immaturity while moving his fingers faster than anyone.

(I don’t know who these people are, but they’ve set up a backdoor into Academy City. The question is what they hope to use it for. A backdoor is a means to an end, not the end itself.)

He lay on the bed, moving various things with his fingers without even glancing in their direction.

The bedside printer spat out paper, he cut those apart with scissors, he tossed the cutouts with his fingers, and he threw a pin to skewer the floating paper. And if necessary, he would swing weightless string like a whip to send it slicing through the air so it could add more color to the display.

He continued organizing his information in a fashion that would be more gruesome than execution by firing squad if someone happened to be standing by the wall.

“You said it was a consulate, right? Then it must belong to some country or another.”

“Yes. Th-they apparently bought a Central American country smaller than a soccer field to gain the qualifications and rights of a country. Eh heh heh. That’s what let them officially use the position of a diplomat or consulate to create an enclave in Academy City.”

“Who the hell gave them permission to do that?”

“Eek!! Diplomacy is handled more by the Japanese government than Academy City, so it was probably one of their bureaucrats. The cabal took advantage of a blind spot we created by focusing so much on what was happening inside the city!!”

A new red pin thwacked into the wall.

It pierced through a point on a map of District 12 floating in the air.

“Still, it bothers me that something so extreme managed to slip by us.”

“No, no!! I assure you this wasn’t anyone’s fault!”

The demon girl frantically shook her head.

She seemed to think she would be left behind if she let the #1’s thoughts turn too far inward. She was in a puppy mode where she craved attention, even if it came in the form of a light slap.

“Things have gotten a lot more complicated after the Crowley’s Hazards because a bunch of artificial islands and ship-towed floats were set up as bases for reconstruction efforts, but now some of them have started declaring independence. Countries are joining together and splitting apart as much as a girl who seems to have a new boyfriend every week, so it can be hard to notice when a country’s system or true ruler has been swapped out. And this is the same area where R&C Occultics tried to set up a massive server center to abuse a legal loophole to gather personal information on people around the globe.”

“R&C…”

“I imagine that connection is how Alice’s group learned about it in the first place.”

A consulate.

Needless to say, that was a special site protected by international law. The laws of the consulate’s country were prioritized over the ordinary laws, so in the most extreme example, a murder case that happened on a consulate’s grounds could be tried in a foreign country’s courts.

And now a magic side consulate had been built inside science’s headquarters.

Nothing could be more dangerous.

They had an enclave.

Or worse, they had a foothold for an invasion. It may have been more like an airfield or bridgehead. The word “consulate” might sound peaceful, but the threat here was closer to the Cuban Missile Crisis when the former Soviet Union attempted to deploy nuclear missiles right at Washington’s throat. Except this time, the deployment had already happened instead of being discovered in advance.

“…”

Accelerator rested back in the large bed and stared up at the ceiling in thought.

He had built a bizarre boxy planetarium made of articles and colorful string. What big picture could he find here?

Could he not see the enemy’s goal because he lacked sufficient information?

Or was he misreading the inciting factor for the attack, such as personal interest, love or hate, sheer coincidence, or simple enjoyment?

The Bridge Builders Cabal had a consulate. That never would have been allowed if they had been honest on their paperwork. Alice and her cabal’s Transcendents must have used some clever trick to gain approval for the consulate. And that approval had come from Japan, not Academy City.

That deception was meant to obtain something here in Academy City.

This was enough to conclude they had some kind of attack planned. Accelerator had already confirmed Anna and Alice were the external factor that had agitated Academy City’s dark side. And as the board chairman, Academy City’s #1 could send the city’s official defenses against them without needing to break out of prison himself. However…

“''I wouldn’t do that if I were you.''”

Accelerator clicked his tongue.

That wasn’t Qliphah Puzzle 545. She remained tangled up in a corner of the ceiling, cowering like a puppy in the rain.

The voice came from the large TV in the wall.

These days, it was unusual for a TV to not be connected to the internet. Of course, it was even more unusual for a prison cell to have a TV at all.

The TV displayed short red hair and white skin.

The strong-willed girl was wearing a fluffy white miniskirt dress.

She was Magician Dion Fortune. Except she technically wasn’t human since she was a magical device created based on that magician who belonged to the Golden cabal. And now she led the Anglican Church as their new Archbishop to fill the vacancy there.

She smiled as a black box twirled with its corner balanced upon her extended finger.

Since she wasn’t human, her thoughts lacked the uncertainty of wishing things would turn out one way or hoping they wouldn’t turn out another way. She cut so directly and accurately to the truth it could seem cruel.

Accelerator didn’t get up from the bed as he flicked two pins into the wall.

He added articles for the Anglican Church and Dion Fortune. Where the string would connect those articles would be determined by the coming conversation.

The magic side leader grinned as she got to it.

“I don’t care what sort of monster you were to begin with. But the Accelerator I’m talking to now is also the board chairman who controls Academy City as a whole, correct? Then don’t lose your cool so easily. You’re only allowed to do that when you’re wielding personal power. The leader of an organization served by lots of people doesn’t have that luxury.”

Accelerator clicked his tongue.

Dion Fortune looked pleased at earning that reaction. She ignored Qliphah Puzzle 545’s flustered stammering near the ceiling and kept going.

“It won’t do you any good to single out and deport the individual Transcendents when you don’t know their names or nationalities. But you should also assume you can’t just shut down the consulate itself,” she said to drive that point home. “You ''could'' do that, but as soon as you did, the 190+ other countries and territories out there would see Academy City as an ''untrustworthy and uncontrollable group'' that shuts down consulates and embassies authorized by the Japanese government the instant they become inconvenient. And once no one trusts any of your promises, diplomacy becomes all but impossible. You might be the headquarters of the science side, but you aren’t designed to survive in complete isolation.”

“…”

“It’s called the Condroniard Republic. The Central American country smaller than a soccer field is very real. As sketchy as it sounds, Alice really did buy an entire country that belongs to the UN and can make use of international law. So if your approach to this consulate doesn’t conform to the relevant laws and treaties, Academy City will be seen as ''a children’s playground'' that doesn’t know the first thing about diplomacy. Once that happens, the war between magic and science will be the least of your worries. Those of us on the magic side will be able to sit back and watch as the science side disintegrates all on its own.”

“Isn’t that exactly what outsiders like you want?”

“Oh, absolutely.”

Dion Fortune made no attempt to hide her interests here.

And with that said…

“But that result alone isn’t good enough. It matters a lot ''who is responsible'' for magic’s victory over science. The Anglican Church doesn’t want Alice’s cabal to be the ones responsible for destroying the science side while leaving the magic side untouched. That would lead to a new magic side that throws out the current main powers of the Anglicans, Roman Catholics, and Russian Orthodox and places the Transcendents of the Bridge Builders Cabal at the top.”

Accelerator could see hints of that being the goal here.

But he threw out that obvious line of reasoning.

“I saw bits of pieces of what Alice did on December 29.”

“Oh? Picking up a new interest in spying to complete your role as faceless dictator? You’re sounding more and more like that pervert Aleister all the time.”

“And based on those observations, this Alice Anotherbible doesn’t seem like the type to jump at bait as simple as the conflict between the science and magic sides or on ruling the magic side herself. What do you say?”

“I haven’t seen her myself, so I wouldn’t know.” Dion Fortune shrugged on the TV. “But Necessarius’s horoscope profile says she’s true to her desires and utterly devoid of patience. Based on that, my guess is she would take anything she can get her hands on, but she wouldn’t be working on multiple tasks at once. To her, a piece of candy and a million yen are the same. So whether or not she would be interested in those goals, it definitely doesn’t sound like her to set a plan in motion and wait for it to bear fruit.”

“…”

“On the other hand, this consulate belongs to the cabal as a whole. Tyrant Alice may be their leader, but it’s still an organization, not just one person.”

“Are you suggesting Alice’s intentions as an individual and the cabal’s objective as a whole are different?”

“It’s probably more accurate to say the rest of the cabal is trying to pull something off without Alice noticing. Think of it like the US president and the lawless CIA, an international corporation’s CEO and a sports team trying to hide how deep in the red it is, or the Russian Orthodox’s pure Patriarch and their perverted torture-loving monster. Really, I expect most organizations have a similar dynamic going on. It’s unusual for the intentions at the very top to work their way down to the very bottom.”

Academy City and the dark side was another example.

The new board chairman had taken action to put a stop to that, but he couldn’t say the process had been bloodless.

“So be careful and watch how this plays out. Attempting a careless confrontation or expulsion will only widen the wound for Academy City.”

The Anglicans had their own interests in all this.

Very few people would reach out a helping hand for nothing at all in return.

And some piece of those interests could be gleaned from the following statement.

“Alice is indeed an extraordinary tyrant, but you will be caught unawares if you focus on her alone. They tend to be overshadowed by Alice’s presence, but keep in mind that ''each and every one of the Transcendents waiting in the wings is an infuriatingly brilliant magician.''”

===Part 2===

It was freezing out.

Kamijou Touma held himself and shivered on the way back to his District 7 dorm room.

It really was midwinter. It was still only around 6 PM, which should have only been evening time, but it was already dark out.

Unusually, there were a few paper postcards in the door’s newspaper slot. Those were New Year’s cards. Specifically, from his parents and a girl who was apparently his cousin. But most people seemed to use their phones these days. He had a whole list of messages from his classmates (probably meant to double as a test message to his new number). And most of those probably weren’t sent to him personally. It would be a lot easier to just send them out en masse. He appreciated the thought, but he knew neglecting to read them all would probably make things extremely awkward once the new term began. Smartphones came with their own annoyances.

“There, Aradia’s all wrapped up in waterproof duct tape.”

“…”

“Index, Othinus. We’re having a hotpot tonight. You’re in luck because I happen to know a secret: make sukiyaki with chicken and you have a dinner that’s both cheap and luxurious!”

“Yay, we get sukiyaki tonight!!”

“Sigh. What’s this about, human? Trying to take revenge on those cooking shows you kept glaring at when you didn’t have any money? Let your feelings dictate your purchases and you won’t notice how much you’re spending.”

“Shut up, Othinus! I don’t need any ominous warnings first thing in the year. I’ll be fine. I set the TV to record all the New Year’s cooking specials they were running, so I have a treasure trove of recipes to try out! I swear I’ll work through them all by the end of winter break. I’m through feeling poor!!!”

“Wait, wait, wait!! I am not letting you forget about me with all this household talk! You have someone lying on your floor in a duct tape cocoon and I am not letting you accept that as normal!!”

The victory prize he wasn’t sure what to do with started thrashing about on the floor.

Alice Anotherbible was back in Academy City. She had said goodbye during the clash with the dark side, but here she was already. Ignoring her verbal promise like that could be seen as the innocence of a child, but he sensed something more concerning there.

Alice’s sudden appearance seemed to link together some unnatural fragments of issues he had noticed.

Kamijou thought back to the bizarre scene at the District 12 shrine where he had run into Misaka Mikoto, Shirai Kuroko, that ringlets girl, and ''someone else.'' He recalled all those emas wishing for personal ruin instead of success. And the ringlets girl who had abandoned all intention to pass her entrance exams even though it was January of her last year in middle school.

The social phenomenon had been dubbed kotatsu syndrome and it was apparently connected to the Winter Cleaning at the end of the year.

Students didn’t want to study and adults wanted to goof off instead of working.

(Could it be?)

Kamijou Touma recalled something else.

Transcendents had directly clashed in Shibuya on December 31. Their spells had been a threat, but something else had carried just as much danger: their powerful charisma as an individual and the crowd manipulated by it.

Aradia had used the witch’s Sabbat and the Bologna Succubus had used the witch hunt.

(Should I assume this kotatsu syndrome comes from one of the Transcendents using something similar?)

Alice, for example.

Hadn’t the Winter Cleaning occurred the exact same day as her first visit to Academy City?

(No, there isn’t any real evidence of a connection there.)

The Transcendents had the dangerous ability to manipulate large groups, but he didn’t know if it was something they consciously used or something that happened on its own. And it was possible there was another self-indulgent Transcendent in the Bridge Builders Cabal.

Could he really point at the obvious suspect and insist she had to be the culprit?

He felt like he was falling into that trap.

“…”

At the same time, could he safely return Aradia to the Bridge Builders Cabal after defeating her once already?

How much could he trust Alice if she accepted Aradia back with a smile and insisted he had nothing to worry about?

He couldn’t handle Aradia on his own, but he was honestly ''afraid'' to return her to Alice and the others.

He asked himself why he felt so much fear and unease about Alice Anotherbible.

Hadn’t she saved him when they first met?

On the way back, they had stopped at a supermarket and bought plenty of ingredients, so now he transferred them from their foam packs to metal or plastic trays and put them away in the different compartments in the fridge. Othinus spoke from his shoulder in the middle of the work.

“You couldn’t do a thing about Alice and her ilk back there.”

“Victory for me means fighting without causing any collateral damage, which wasn’t possible there.”

Of course, something had happened when he ran into Alice without warning. Especially since he was escorting around Aradia after defeating her. Anyone who wanted to prevent Aradia from leaking any cabal secrets would see her as a target.

Kamijou had put his old folk’s smartphone in his pocket. He had no choice but to give up on the GPS tracker.

Alice hadn’t been alone.

She had been flanked by a pair of Transcendents. One was Good, Old Mary who he had seen in Shibuya on the 31st. The other was someone new to him. The magician was a black-haired young man wearing a tailcoat and holding a black cane, making him look like a butler.

Kamijou’s side hadn’t been entirely powerless. They included Grimoire Library Index, the Sisters, and several Tokiwadai elites: the #3 Railgun, the Judgment girl who could teleport, the ringlets 3rd year, and ''someone else.'' Kamijou himself was a Level 0, but those girls belonged to a prestigious esper development school, so they would be able to resolve most any trouble without his help.

But how much did that matter in this case?

He couldn’t stop having a very bad feeling about what could have happened if a battle had broken out there. If the Transcendents flanking Alice hadn’t deterred everyone with ''killer intent so thick it was stifling'' or if that hadn’t been enough to stop the Tokiwadai girls, what might Alice have done on a whim?

Could Kamijou’s hand have stopped that?

In Shibuya, the Bologna Succubus had said he was the only person capable of controlling Alice, but ''was that really true''?

''“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

That line stuck with him.

The gloomy young butler’s words would not leave Kamijou’s mind.

Strangely, he had trouble remembering ''who'' the young man had been speaking to.

Alice herself had looked confused. He was pretty sure she had spread her arms to welcome them.

However…

''“Peeking inside this girl’s mind will only trap you in a psychedelic world. Alice’s world is like a bottomless pit that can bring only tragedy to those who experience it.”

If the young butler hadn’t casually grabbed Alice’s collar and stopped her, she might have run over to Kamijou.

Alice’s group hadn’t forced Kamijou to do anything.

They hadn’t even demanded he hand over the witch goddess.

That was another way of saying they felt confident they could take her back by force if necessary. Kamijou wasn’t even worthy of a seat at the negotiating table with them.

Most likely, only Alice’s group and any others worthy of the Transcendent title would find a seat there.

What did someone need to do to earn that title?

Kamijou hadn’t a clue, so he doubted he was anywhere close.

“…”

“Touma, where’s the meat?”

“Hold on. Using a knife to remove the small clumps of blood from the jaw is the secret to making good chicken.”

He switched his focus and pulled an earthenware pot and a frying pan from the shelf. For sukiyaki, you couldn’t just place it on the stove. Some ingredients needed to be seasoned first and some needed to be pre-cooked to ensure they weren’t undercooked.

With expensive, thin-cut beef, it was apparently best to cook it in a frying pan, but they were using chicken (which was pretty dangerous if undercooked). That tasted best if you submerged it at the bottom of the pot.

“Alice said something about a consulate, didn’t she?”

“She doesn’t seem like anything more than a kid, so I doubt she came up with that idea on her own. My guess is visiting Academy City every time she wants to play sounded like a pain, so she innocently asked for a secret base here. Then those Transcendents made it a reality. Sweating all the while at the thought of disappointing her.”

Most likely, no one knew how many bases the Bridge Builders Cabal had around the world. To them, this may have only felt like adding one more to the list.

(Come to think of it, Aradia and the Bologna Succubus must have a home country somewhere out there. That’s really hard to imagine.)

“A consulate. Hey, Othinus, how bad is that?”

“A consulate built without mutual trust between the two countries is even more dangerous than a blackhole. Listen, human. No one can investigate inside a consulate. Even if someone steals something from an Academy City museum or steals some kind of information, they’re untouchable if they hide in the consulate until they find a way to escape outside the city. The Transcendents can take whatever they want from the city, load it into their car with a diplomatic license plate, and carry it to the consulate and then stop worrying. Because no one can investigate further.”

“…”

“At the same time, Academy City can no longer refuse to keep people or items from being transported from outside the city and into the consulate. Magicians used to have to nervously sneak over the city walls, but no longer. Now those dangerous magicians can strut on in.”

There was a process for deporting people like that, but that was all there was. Demanding they leave wasn’t the same as trying them for a crime and deportation had to be issued by name. According to Othinus, the entire process was meaningless against Alice’s Transcendents since no one knew their real names and nationalities.

That meant they couldn’t catch these mystery people red-handed and boot them out.

Diplomacy always required paperwork, even when that meant ignoring the reality before your eyes.

So even if Academy City’s leadership said “Alice must leave”, the consulate could point to a part-timer they hired, say “that’s Alice”, and give her some pittance to make up for being deported. All while the real Alice Anotherbible walked freely around Academy City. Everyone would know it wasn’t right, but that was how it went with paperwork. It was powerless against people whose appearance and name weren’t found in any database.

Who was this Transcendent named Alice?

Was that her real name or one of many pseudonyms? Was she human, or was she something else?

Did anyone have a clear answer to these questions?

Anyone at all?

It was nice having something to keep busy with. Without the familiar meal preparations, Kamijou may have been crushed by his worries.

“Hey, Index! The pot is ready to go, so clear off the kotatsu and place down a pot stand.”

“But my job is to eat, eat, sleep, and eat!”

“Just help out some, you freeloader!”

In the Kamijou household, they used an induction cooker instead of a gas-powered portable stove. Why was obvious. With the kind of misfortune Kamijou was accustomed to, he just knew having a portable gas cartridge around could only lead to misfortune.

“Not that the induction cooker is perfectly safe. Use it too horribly wrong and the power cable could start a fire.”

“Could you not, Othinus!? I don’t need any ominous trivia to start off my year!”

Since it was New Year’s, he gave the calico kitty his usual cat food plus a liquid pet treat known as Muru.

Even this sukiyaki was just another variation on his usual cheap cooking. And sukiyaki stock was one of the three great cheap seasonings, right alongside eel sauce and matsutake soup.

“Here are bowls for everyone, here’s an egg, and use these chopsticks for searching through the pot. I’m not making any zosui to finish it off. I have rice and udon separated out, so create your own universe in your bowl, while building up to whatever you want to eat last. Okay, let’s get started!”

“Yay, it’s all you can eat!!”

“No, it’s a hotpot, Index! Don’t go reaching for the rice cooker right away!! How high were planning to pile up your plate!?”

At 15cm, Othinus was shorter than the earthenware pot and reaching inside would mean rock climbing up a hot cliff, so she decided to just steal things from Kamijou’s bowl. He wished she would stop balancing her stomach on the edge of the bowl to lean inside.

But there was still one person unaccounted for.

“…”

Aradia remained a duct tape mummy with her arms bound behind her back and she was glaring hatefully over from the floor. She could sit up on her own using her abs, but she couldn’t do anything about the hands behind her back.

She may have been hungry.

“So, Othinus, what do we do about Aradia?”

“Why ask me? Isn’t solving magical problems that British grimoire library’s job?”

“She’s too busy chowing down on nothing but meat and rice to be any help. Index!! Chicken breasts are admittedly cheaper than pork or beef, but it’s still meat. That’s a luxury item, so make sure you chew thoroughly and actually savor it! How are you swallowing it down so fast!? Chicken isn’t a drink!!!”

The TV was on, but no one was really watching as a comedian made a fool of himself in nothing but briefs. It was a traditional New Year’s act. The popular middle-aged man was being held back by some younger men when he took a hot piece of shabu-shabu meat to the forehead and writhed around on the floor. Apparently that didn’t set Kamijou off because of the note that the staff would eat it later.

But that aside…

“Say ‘ah’, Aradia.”

“!?”

Aradia’s shoulders noticeably jumped and her face grew red, either from anger or something else.

“Y-you must be joking. I am Transcendent Aradia. I will not accept your condescending charity even if I did lose to you.”

“(Hey, you’re free to refuse, but if you keep shaking your head, a miracle could occur and that hot chicken will end up somewhere other than your mouth. Just like with that briefs guy’s expert comedy act on the TV there.)”

“O-okay, fine!!”

Othinus’s whispered voice switched on Aradia’s desperation mode. She shut her eyes in frustration and opened her trembling lips.

Kamijou wanted to know why this mystery woman looked somewhat embarrassed about nothing more than being fed some meat.

He tilted his head as he resumed feeding her the chicken sukiyaki.

She ate it.

She was suddenly much more obedient. It was cute.

She looked like a mysterious beauty, but he was feeding her like a small child, creating an odd dissonance.

After watching her chew a few times and swallow, he grabbed the next bite with the chopsticks.

“Oh, right. Is there anything you can’t or won’t eat? Any allergies?”

“That would’ve been a great thing to ask ''before'' force-feeding me. But no, nothing like that. Besides, witches get their power from searching the forest for anything with medicinal qualities. You can’t do that if you’re picky about what you eat. Munch, munch, gulp. What was that I just ate? Some kind of gelatin?”

“It was shirataki, a type of konjac.”

“Konjac? I’m not sure what that is either. And what is this white rectangular thing? Please tell me it isn’t a hunk of egg white or butter.”

“It’s tofu. It’s made from soybeans, but I would recommend not looking at what the word literally means. A European who doesn’t know how it’s made would probably react badly to that.”

“Tofu???”

That must have been a difficult word to translate into English and other languages. Her common tones didn’t know what to do with it. There was probably a word for it in other Asian languages, but apparently not in the mother tongue of this goddess of witches who flew brooms through a night sky filled with five-pointed stars.

“Munch, munch. Napa cabbage, tofu, and wheat gluten – if it’s soaked up some flavor – are all so good! Yum!”

Kamijou must have assumed it would all be fine since Index devoured it all without issue. But you couldn’t trust that demon lord of gluttony’s tastes because, when she was hungry, she would chew up and eat unpopped popcorn. (Warning: This is a good way to chip your teeth☆)

Aradia had a curious look as she chewed on the food given to her by the chopsticks. Feeding a beautiful young woman a mystery food was one hell of a situation when he actually thought about it. Take that in a cruel direction and it could be foreshadowing for the shocking ending of a SF movie or a psychological horror novel.

She may have trusted him enough to know he wasn’t the type to engage in that sort of deception, even if they had been enemies to begin with.

“Now this I know. It’s an onion.”

“What do you call these long ones in English? I know you just use ‘onion’ for the round ones.”

“I think the closest term is scallion.”

“Why does that sound like the codename for a new surface-to-air missile?”

That may have been one sort of cultural difference.

Like how the English word “carrot” sounded weirdly cute to him.

“Witches use onions a lot. Along with garlic and ginger, they’re one of the standard medicinal plants used as a starting point for a variety of medicines.”

Was she pointing out that real witches didn’t just use plants that had legs and screamed when you pulled them from the ground?

“Onions are medicinal?”

“You can use them for just about anything. For example, you can use onions and tomatoes to create a rare medicine that foolish royals and nobles are willing to buy with a hunk of gold 10 times its size.”

“(You’re talking about a witch’s aphrodisiac, aren’t you? You clearly don’t know how dense this human is if you think that sort of subtle sexual harassment is going to get a reaction.)”

“?”

Kamijou was confused.

He couldn’t keep up with this discussion between a Magic God and a Transcendent.

Aradia fidgeted while still tied up. The pointy-haired boy figured that meant she wanted more food, so he grabbed some more onion from his own bowl instead of the large pot and carried the chopsticks to her mouth.

“Onions as medicine, huh? Weird how you can find these connections anywhere.”

“Onion and ginger is one of the standard medicines for minor things like colds.”

“Ah ha ha. Oh, you mean that thing about sticking a green onion up your ass when you have a cold?”

The instant he mentioned that Japanese tradition, Cocoon Aradia hit him with a drop kick.

She must not have appreciated that particular idea while she was trying to eat.

===Part 3===

It was time to face the biggest problem: bath time.

“So, um, I’m not sure why you think you even need to discuss this?” said Aradia, feeling a headache coming on. “The answer is simple: remove all this duct tape and let me take a bath.”

Kamijou, Index, and Othinus exchanged a glance.

“Yeah, but we all know you’re running away the instant we remove the duct tape from your hands and feet.”

“You might try to fight back.”

“You’re a Transcendent. If we screw this up, you might destroy an entire city or country in retaliation.”

For some reason, Othinus’s comment was a lot more sadistic than the others.

They only had to look at it realistically.

First of all, Aradia was the Transcendent who had caused such a major panic in Shibuya. Removing the duct tape from the hands behind her back and from around her ankles could mean returning her power to her.

“Yet here you are coming up with excuses to get that duct tape off.”

“It’s not an excuse. Am I the only one who thinks this is a perfectly reasonable request?”

“If we do remove them, then I’ll have to suppress your power with Imagine Breaker. Which means you would have to take your bath with me holding your hand throughout.”

“You expect me to share that tiny bathroom with a stranger?”

Othinus was grinning her face off for some reason.

“Close the shower curtain to hide the tub and you’ll be fine. Barring any freak accidents with lewd results, of course.”

“Don’t you dare jinx me like that! Oh, no! I can just imagine the horrific fate that awaits me 10 minutes from now!!”

“Then what are we supposed to do?”

Apparently not letting her take a bath today was simply not an option. She was a young woman after all. Index’s snapping jaws had a hair trigger, but not even she protested that one.

Which meant…

“I guess you’ll have to take a bath with the duct tape still on your hands and feet. It’s the only safe way.”

“Throw me in the tub like that and you’ll have a nasty drowned corpse on your hands!”

“Let me finish.” Kamijou grabbed a random towel. “You stay tied up and someone else washes you off with a wet towel.”

Aradia quaked at that suggestion.

Her face really did pale.

“Don’t tell me you’re volunteering for that job! There is only so far you can push this unintentional sexual harassment bit and make it believable! Please listen to me!”

“We’re only still having this conversation because you nixed the idea of me being in the bath with you, so calm down that overactive imagination, you pervert witch.”

His rational rebuttal led the goddess to start thrashing about on the floor. It wasn’t very frightening when she was in duct tape cocoon, but who knows what she would do if he let his guard down and she broke free of her restraints. He would be dead for sure.

Kamijou handed the towel to someone else: a confused Index.

“Look, she’ll be doing it. Is that acceptable?”

“Yes, I suppose,” Aradia reluctantly grumbled.

Now, was she aware that when presented with two negative options and asked to choose the lesser of two evils, it was common to make sure one of those options was a non-starter? Was she aware it was a negotiating tactic to present someone with something they would never, ever choose and then present them with a less-objectionable option you actually wanted them to accept?

Yes, Aradia lost sight of something important when she focused only on the fact that this option was better than having to bathe with a boy like Kamijou.

It didn’t occur to her that she had just agreed to have someone rub all over her body while she was tied up and unable to do anything about it.

This was the result.

“Ah hya hya hya hya!? Wait! Wait a second! Don’t stick your hand there! Hee, hee hee! Please can’t you be a little gentler!?”

“Shut up and sit still.”

Half an hour later, Aradia languidly crawled out of the bathroom with her skin squeaky clean and the full length of her silver hair washed.

“K-kill me,” said the bound Transcendent between gasping breaths. “Someone please kill me.”

“Hey, Othinus. Why did Aradia take so much damage from this?”

“About the last thing a witch wants is to be helpless in the hands of servant of their nemesis – the Christian Church. It made for a very amusing show, though.”

It was past 10 at night.

The TV remained on and it was shifting to the late night programming. In this case, that still meant a New Year’s comedy special, but one for lesser-known comedians who started out on the stage or online videos. Kamijou had basically been awake since the 31st, so he was already sleepy.

Index didn’t need a bath since she had just taken one with Aradia, but…

“I think I’ll only take a shower. I’m too tired for a full bath. What about you, Othinus?”

“I will not be deprived. Fill a washbasin with bathwater so I can relax.”

“Sure, sure. Yawn. Afterwards, we can drink this and then get to sleep.”

Index and Othinus gave him puzzled looks.

“It’s amazake,” he said, sleepily rubbing his eyes. “This is about the only time you get to drink it.”

Now.

Witch Goddess Aradia, the embodiment of Wicca, was a magician who extracted the medicinal properties of all the plants, animals, and minerals found in the forest and converted them into her spells. If she was resistant to medicines, it would reduce the efficacy of her spells. Being highly sensitive to any form of drug was useful both for using your own medicines sand for revealing the methods used by enemy witches.

The problem was that Kamijou only learned this fact once it was too late.

A cup of amazake made without sake lees was perfectly fine for a high schooler to drink, but it had a disastrous result for Aradia.

“Hic. Wuhhh?”

“Wait, are you kidding me!? Aradia’s face is bright red!!!” screamed Kamijou when he saw Aradia’s shoulders shaking with each “hic”.

This made no sense. It wasn’t even an issue of a small amount of alcohol having an exaggerated effect on her. This kind was completely nonalcoholic, so why in the world was Aradia losing control of herself!?

Othinus sighed from her spot atop the kotatsu.

“This isn’t about anything real – it’s the placebo effect. In other words, assumptions are more powerful than any of you humans. Although if she could consciously control this, it would be an excellent weapon for a potion-making witch.”

“Looks to me more like Tipsy Aradia-san is the one being controlled!”

“Hence the ‘if she could consciously control this’ part, human. Harnessing assumptions rarely ever works because it’s a lot like tricking yourself into thinking you’ve become a vessel for a god and then losing yourself in it. Be careful here. Her self-hypnosis is strong enough to physically intoxicate her with a nonalcoholic drink, so a false pregnancy is well within her abilities.”

Aradia herself seemed oblivious to their whispered conversation. She remained limply seated on the wooden flooring – with her legs turned to one side in what some call mermaid mode – staring off into empty space and swaying side to side.

“Nya. Nya, nya, nya, nyaaa♪”

“Now she’s singing.”

“Hey, you. If you’re gonna tie me up, at least have the decency to look after me. I’m the goddess of all witches, so you’re supposed to be serving me, dammit. Hic.”

“And now she’s leaning against me!? Gwahhh!!”

“Trying the begging for attention plan, huh?”

“This happened with Alice and the Bologna Succubus too. Is every Transcendent such a free spirit? Now I know for sure Aradia is too dangerous to free from that duct tape!!”

She was causing this much trouble with her hands tied behind her back. All it took was swaying to the side for her to more or less tackle Kamijou onto his back and fall asleep while the two of them drew out a cross on the floor. Body Press Witch Aradia was apparently the kind to gain a lot of energy when she drank but use it all up almost immediately. In other words, she was the most annoying type of person who would cause all sorts of trouble and then have someone else clean up afterwards.

As a nun, Index was having trouble deciding if she should give into her reflexive urge to bite.

“Grr. Touma, where should we let her sleep?”

“Dammit, this I such a royal pain,” groaned Kamijou on his back.

The usual arrangement was Index in the living room and Kamijou in the bathroom, but where was drunk Aradia supposed to go? In her current state, he didn’t want to leave her anywhere.

After crawling out from under her, Kamijou grabbed her under the arms and dragged her along the wooden flooring.

“People are so heavy. Hmm, I’m thinking the closet.”

“I know you want to close her up in a space with walls and a door cutting her off from everyone else, human, but tying a woman up with duct tape and stuffing her in your closet sounds a lot like robbing her of what this world calls human rights.”

As drunk as she was, Aradia didn’t put up any kind of resistance. In her current state, she probably wouldn’t complain if she was placed aboard a slave ship, so he had no trouble shoving her inside the small closet.

“Sigh. Now I can rest easy.”

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he heard a heavy thud from the closed closet. Followed by the drunk woman groaning.

“Ugh.”

“This is safe, isn’t it? Her mysterious Transcendent magic isn’t going to run wild and squash the entire dorm building while we sleep, is it? Y’know, like mille-feuille when you use your fork wrong.”

“Touma, don’t talk about food before bed. You’ll make me hungry.”

“This is a boy’s dorm, but you have three girls here – including me – plus a cat when pets aren’t allowed. Scary that you can get away with this at a school dorm. What are Academy City’s adults even doing?”

===Part 4===

It had been one hell of a day, so Kamijou had trouble getting to sleep after closing himself in the bathroom. He was tired, but couldn’t sleep. Or to put it another way, his body was exhausted, but his mind wouldn’t settle down. That drowsy state would mean any sleep he did get was shallow and it could lead to the amusing sleep phenomena of weird dreams and sleep paralysis.

He thought he saw Aradia in his dream.

He couldn’t be certain since he didn’t remember the dream. It was possible he had seen someone else who his mind had decided was similar to Aradia. Then he started wondering if that qualified as his first dream of the year.

At any rate, the next thing he knew, his phone’s alarm was ringing to tell him morning had arrived to his windowless bathroom.

Before he realized he could have switched off the alarm since it was winter break, he noticed a strangely soft and smooth sensation. And it came from below the blanket.

“Um!?”

Index or Othinus would never do this. And with the bathroom locked from the inside, the nocturnal calico cat couldn’t have stopped by to play. Besides, Sphinx was the fluffy type.

That left only one possible suspect.

“Aradi-”

“Nope. You’re wrong, teacher☆”

He really did jump.

His entire body trembled a few times and the small girl below the blanket laughed excitedly like she had found a new piece of playground equipment at the park.

This was Alice Anotherbible.

The blonde girl of around 12 looked like she had stepped right out of a children’s book.

What was she doing here!? How had she gotten in!? The front door and the bathroom’s door were both locked! Sure, their first meeting had been similar, but he couldn’t accept something so absurd just because there was a precedent!!!

On January 2, his morning began with a Transcendent who could determine what happened to his life and the fate of the world.

“Eh? What in the world is going on here?”

“Boo. The girl worked hard to get up early to visit you, teacher.”

“Visit me why?”

“For New Year’s money!!

“Noooooo!!!” shouted Kamijou. He shouldn’t have asked. He felt like he had just opened Pandora’s box, but he couldn’t say no when Alice was actually small enough to be the right age to be begging like this. And she was a blonde-haired, blue-eyed foreigner(?), so he couldn’t send her away without letting her experience Japanese culture first.

“Ugh, dammit. Here, Alice. Happy New Year’s. I hope you don’t mind I don’t have a bag to put it in.”

“Yay! This was the girl’s first time!!”

An extremely disconcerting phrase was transmitted from a boy’s dorm bathroom first thing in the morning. And Kamijou was really starting to wonder why a high school boy kept having to give out New Year’s money. Wasn’t he still the age to be receiving it?

The girl wore an apron over a blue dress.

She stuck her head out from the blanket and smiled at him inside the bathtub.

“Everyone was too busy yesterday, but things have settled down enough to invite you over today. Come visit the girl’s secret base!!”

“…”

He wasn’t sure how to react.

The Bridge Builders Cabal Academy City Consulate probably did seem like a fun secret base for Alice who stood at the center of it all, but was going there really safe? According to Othinus, Academy City’s rules didn’t apply inside the consulate – even if a crime was committed.

But he couldn’t let the conversation die here either.

Nothing would get any better if he always chose the safest option.

Kumokawa Seria’s GPS tracker was no longer useful now that Alice had come to Academy City. And she had done so on a whim. If she suddenly got bored and decided to leave, there would be no tracking her down a second time.

Whatever her reasons, it was a miracle to even have Alice with him.

He was also worried about what would happen to Aradia. What would Alice’s cabal do with a defeated Transcendent? The answer to that question would greatly affect how he felt about Alice.

After some though, Kamijou made a decision.

“Fine. Show me to your secret base.”

“''Boo.''”

Alice’s voice suddenly dropped in tone.

That may have been a dangerous sign.

He hadn’t said anything wrong, but he belatedly realized she hadn’t liked the short pause – less than a second – before he answered. Small children could be sensitive to those subtle clues.

“But whatever.”

“Alice, um, have you had breakfast?”

“The girl has eaten.”

Alice finally crawled out from Kamijou’s blanket.

He left the bathroom with her and checked in the closet. Aradia was still tied up and stuffed in the cramped space and her eyelids fluttered open.

“Ugh? What am I doing in here? Wait, where am I?”

She appeared to still be half asleep. It was probably best not to tell her what had happened last night.

Meanwhile…

“?”

Kamijou looked down at Alice and she tilted her head.

If she were here to silence Aradia, she could have done so at her leisure before entering Kamijou’s bathroom, but she hadn’t. Could he take that as a good sign?

Index and Othinus were waking up now, so he had to fix breakfast for them.

“Touma, are we having bread or rice today?”

“Another one appeared overnight!? Human, explain yourself!”

Unlike last night’s hotpot, their breakfast of toast, fried eggs, and salad didn’t match the New Year’s mood in the slightest, but the next thing he knew, Alice had joined them. She had supposedly already eaten, but there she was spreading chocolate paste on a piece of toast. Like Index, she would eat any food put in front of her.

“The District 2 Firearm Museum has opened a historical weapons exhibit to help us learn from the past,” said the TV. “This is a valuable opportunity to directly touch a real Acht-Acht or PIAT under the supervision of museum personnel.”

“Ooh, wow.”

“Alice, stop leaning toward the TV and look what you’re doing. You’re spreading that chocolate paste all over the kotatsu!”

Unfortunately, this meant Kamijou had to look after someone else too.

“Aradia, do you want butter on your toast? Or would you prefer strawberry jam?”

“…”

“Get ready cause we’re doing this again. Say, ‘ah’.”

“I feel like I’ve woken up to find I’m still living my nightmare…munch.”

While Kamijou took care of Aradia (whose hands were tied behind her back) like her caregiver, he felt a powerful gaze on him.

Alice was moving just her upper body in some warmup exercises while keeping the rest of her under one corner of the kotatsu.

“The girl wants to do that too. Hm, hm.”

“You mean…being duct taped up?”

“No☆”

She smiled and sent a tiny punch toward the clueless boy’s shoulder.

The physical blow hit Kamijou, but it was Aradia’s butt that lifted about 3cm off the floor when she saw it.

“The girl means the food! The girl wants you to feed her! Everything tastes better when you can have fun with it!!”

Kamijou wasn’t sure if she actually wanted this or just wanted to mimic what she saw the others doing, but he had no real reason to refuse her and he ended up feeding Alice her toast.

“Munch, munch. We can go after eating this.”

“…”

“Go to the girl’s secret base – the consulate in District 12!!”

===Part 5===

They were both part of winter break, but January 1 and 2 felt subtly different.

The 2nd was something of an in-between time, where everything was calmer with the shrine visiting over. The 3rd and 4th may have been busier again with people starting to head back home, but that wasn’t here yet. Convenience stores and gyudon shops were open on New Year’s nowadays, but the beginning-of-the-year vacation mood still seemed crammed into January 2 more than any other day. Kamijou couldn’t be sure though, since he didn’t remember any of the previous years.

After making sure the windows were shut and the gas was off, Kamijou, Index (with cat on head), and Alice left the dorm room.

“What did you even eat after leaving last time?”

“Heh heh. Good, Old Mary made the girl the classic: turkey, fries, and a fluffy chiffon cake!!”

“Touma.”

“Stop. Please don’t store up a long list of requests in your perfect memory.”

When Index was given unnecessary ideas like this, she would start demanding he fix it for her. That wasn’t so bad with a cooking show that taught you how to make something an amateur could manage, but she reacted the same way when she watched a gourmet show that introduced some delicious brand-name dish from a fancy restaurant in a big city.

And he just knew the next two days of his relaxing break would be ruined by this.

“(Hey, human.)”

“(I’d like to say I know what you’re getting at, but I doubt I can assess the risk on the level of a war god.)”

To start with, he could not refuse Alice’s invitation. If he explained his reasons why, she might give up on the idea, but who knows what the Transcendents trying to keep her in a good mood would do afterwards.

They might kill someone, take a hostage, or even destroy half of Academy City.

If things got that serious and then every single Transcendent showed up asking him to play with Alice, he would be entirely out of his league.

At the same time, he could not carelessly leave Aradia behind.

Taking her to the Bridge Builders Cabal’s base was a bad idea, but they already knew where his dorm was. If he left her to hold down the fort (in her duct tape cocoon), there was a decent chance of another Transcendent attacking the dorm room.

Was this the right answer?

Had he really not overlooked anything?

Alice’s whims played as big a role as the cabal’s interests and plans, so he doubted any amount of thinking would be enough.

“It is so nice to get some fresh air,” sighed Aradia after they rode the run-down elevator to the ground floor. Then she glared hatefully down at her own left hand. Needless to say, it was still tightly held by Imagine Breaker. “Now I just need to do something about this.”

“Yeah, if only keeping you in your duct tape cocoon and carrying you around bandit style wouldn’t gather so much unwanted attention. I need to research an easier and less conspicuous method of carrying you around. Maybe one of those dollies delivery workers use for bigger packages?”

“You do realize there are better alternatives than carrying me around, don’t you!?”

Aradia bristled, but they must have looked like a couple teasing each other. An old lady walking her dog smiled at them and Kamijou ended up exchanging New Year’s greetings with a stranger.

But…

“Boo. Why does Aradia get all the fun?” said Alice on his other side.

Before he could say a thing, the small girl tackled into him from the side and grabbed at his left arm.

“Hee hee. This hand belongs to the girl!”

“Um, Alice?”

“?”

She looked up and smiled at him like she always did. She didn’t seem to notice Index wandering side to side, unsure where to go. The cat was struggling not to fall off her head.

“Alice…you are Alice, aren’t you?” hesitantly asked Kamijou.

“Eh heh heh☆”

She wiggled ticklishly for some reason. It may have been a bashful response to him saying her name so many times.

Based on that, this did seem to be the Alice he knew.

This was the mysterious but reliable girl who had used her power to protect everyone on December 29 when the dark side threatened to engulf everything. He hadn’t known if he would see her again when she left with Anna Sprengel. If nothing else had happened, he might have hugged her and wept with joy at this reunion.

But…

“…”

He felt a tremor.

It came from the other side than Alice. So from Aradia on his right. Transcendent Aradia had caused so much trouble in Shibuya on December 31, but she was trembling like a small child afraid to go home because she thought her parents would scold her.

It was so unusual and wrong that he couldn’t just ignore it.

Alice Anotherbible.

Even the kind Bologna Succubus had called Alice a tyrant, but what exactly did the girl carry inside her?

“Touma. Are we taking a train again?”

“I can hardly believe it, but yes. And to think I was broke at the end of last year. Hwa ha ha! I can afford normal expenses again!”

The Bridge Builders Cabal had a new headquarters.

The mysterious consulate was in District 12, so they only had to pay 200 yen at the subway to get there.

“Tah dah!! This is the place!” said Alice with a huge smile, hopping in excitement with no concern for her skirt.

The place would have stood out in any other district, but it fit right in among the giant pyramids, five-story pagodas, and other structures that made District 12 feel like an amusement park.

Past a grassy garden larger than a soccer field was a gate leading to a white marble building resembling an amusement park castle. But it wasn’t built according to a specific style like gothic or something-or-other garden. None of it felt real, so the entire space felt like part of an amusement park. If you had to describe it, it was a white mansion similar to the White House but with pointy towers added on without any sort of pattern. It wasn’t even symmetrical.

According to Alice, the white building in the center was called a tower despite not being all that tall. In a castle, that was where the lord’s living area and the administrative functions were concentrated. It was known as the keep, or in French, the donjon.

Were those roses in bloom? It sure looked like a red rose garden at first, but a closer inspection showed them to be white artificial flowers painted red. The place was still being prepared, so some areas had been left incomplete. On that note, castles and temples normally took more than a century to build just by stacking up the stones, so how did they get this built so quickly without anyone noticing?

Roses.

Painted from white to red.

Were the out-of-season honeybees the result of agricultural selective breeding? They were colored black and yellow.

Hadn’t he seen that coloration when fighting in deserted Los Angeles?

“…”

A relevant question came to mind, but Kamijou shook his head. He had directly clashed with R&C Occultics and Anna Sprengel a few times, but the worst thing to do when your life was on the line was assume you knew everything already. For magic expertise, he had Index and Othinus with him. And he had Alice and Aradia from the Bridge Builders Cabal with him too. Instead of making assumptions based on his imagination, he was far better off speaking with them and seeing what useful information they had.

And in fact, Othinus – a god of war, magic, and deception – had noticed something he hadn’t.

“(They call it a consulate, but it’s built like a fortress or like a castle built on the front lines. So did they openly build themselves a bridgehead inside enemy territory?)”

“Oh?”

A young man in the garden noticed them while pointing out where the delivery workers should set up the giant sculptures wrapped in packaging and cushioning.

He had black hair and wore a tailcoat. He even wore an old-fashioned black cloak.

He was still young(?), but he held a smooth, glossy black cane.

The young butler had a somehow gloomy air to him.

“I know you couldn’t exactly escape when Alice came for you personally, but I still can’t believe you showed up. And bringing our own Aradia with you? That I didn’t expect at all.”

“Who are you?”

“H. T. Trismegistus.” The young butler pulled a leather notebook from his pocket. “Come to think of it, I didn’t introduce myself yesterday, did I? As common sense would tell you, I am a Transcendent.”

He did not offer to shake hands. Whether or not that was due to the notebook was unclear.

He too was a member of the Bridge Builders Cabal. That meant he was one of the special magicians who held meetings with the other Transcendents to discuss how to change the world for the better. That meant he would be less than fond of Kamijou who – they believed – was capable of guiding Alice’s whims.

Index frowned and repeated something under her breath.

“''Trismegistus''?”

“Yes!! H. T. Trismegistus is amazing. He makes the best tea in the world. He also folds the girl’s clothes and puts her shoes away!”

“You should really be able to handle that much on your own, Alice.”

Even as he said that, the young butler kneeled and cleaned off some mud that got on Alice’s skirt as she hopped around. He wiped it off with a handkerchief, applied detergent, dried it with a dryer, and even ironed it.

But…wait?

Where did all of that stuff come from???

“(Don’t freak out yet, human. A stage magician could do that. He could have multiple storage cases hidden inside that cloak like a tackle box or a pop-up book.)”

“Um, are you Alice’s tutor?”

“Heavens no. I am no more than one of her servants. I wouldn’t dream of holding that much influence over my beloved master.”

H. T. Trismegistus answered the grimoire library’s gaze with no more than a meaningful smile.

There was one thing Kamijou had wanted to ask the next time he met a Transcendent. He hadn’t wanted to ask Alice because he got the feeling her answer would change based on what she thought he wanted to hear.

“Wh-where is the Bologna Succubus? Is she alright?”

“She is inside. But common sense says she should be allowed to rest for the time being.”

That was a relief…or was it?

Was this H. T. Trismegistus one of the Rescuers or one of the Killers?

The young butler welcomed back Alice while indicating the consulate with a sweep of his arm.

“Everyone is familiar with Alice and her tea party, but in the original story, it is held at a house in the woods. But outside the house, not inside it. But common sense says the real highlight of the setting arrives with the Queen of Hearts shouting to have everyone executed. There is nothing better than the queen’s castle or the courtroom.”

Kamijou felt like a dull, invisible object was slowly stabbing into his chest.

He ended up holding Aradia’s hand tight. She took it as some kind of sign and gave him a wordless, wide-eyed look, but he hadn’t meant it that way.

Executed.

And a courtroom.

What did the Bridge Builders Cabal intend to do with Aradia after her defeat? He still didn’t know why they had come to Academy City. If it was a whim of Alice’s, there might not be any real reason, but that didn’t mean they would ignore a potential information leak like Aradia.

Alice, being Alice, smiled like she wasn’t concerned about any of that.

“H. T. Trismegistus! The girl wants to show her teacher around her secret base! But just looking around would be boring!! Do you know a fun game we could play? You know, like a treasure hunt or something else where everyone can see the whole place while playing!!”

“Ah ha ha,” laughed the young butler as he pulled out several movie pamphlets and TRPG rulebooks. Those paper booklets had to be heavy with so many of them.

“Common sense says you only need to speak this magic phrase: ‘I will grant my whole inheritance to whosoever reveals every one of my secrets.’ ”

“Ohh, that sounds like fun. Then should the girl share her power with the winner? You’re the best, H. T. Trismegistus!”

“Not at all. It is merely my job to gently support my master by granting her every wish.”

“Then I’ll give them a whole half!!”

“Hold on,” interrupted a graceful woman’s voice.

Kamijou realized someone else was already standing next to Alice. The woman wore a maternity dress and a wide-brimmed hat that covered her eyes. That was Good, Old Mary, one of the Transcendents, and she was currently pinching and slightly stretching one of Alice’s small cheeks.

“Alice really would give someone half of the planet while in this sort of mood, so if you see her start on something like that, please stop her even if you have to physically restrain her.”

“Eh? Um, you mean me? You’re telling me to do that?” said Kamijou.

“''Mama is only asking an outsider because none of us can do it.''”

That sent a tension similar to static electricity through them all. The Transcendents, Index, and Othinus all carefully observed Kamijou and Alice.

“?”

Even the cat instinctually sensed something was amiss and put up his guard, but Alice herself tilted her head and then grabbed Kamijou’s arm again.

He was afraid to say anything.

He had temporarily captured Aradia, but he had been helpless against her on the 31st. He had been killed more than once and had only barely pulled off a victory thanks to two Transcendents providing assistance that felt like cheating.

What if he was thrown out onto the battlefield with no assistance this time?

Or what if several Transcendents attacked him at once?

Or what if Alice turned on him???

He had no idea when he would be killed or by whom, but he couldn’t predict what the other Transcendents would do if he turned down Alice’s invitation. He worked to organize what information he had while asking some questions.

“So is this consulate about that stuff the Bologna Succubus was telling me about? You know, about the Transcendents of the Bridge Builders Cabal being split between a group that wants to rescue me and one that wants to kill me?”

“Uh, oh,” gasped H. T. Trismegistus.

The young butler’s gaze lowered to young Alice.

She silently and emotionlessly tilted her head.

And she spoke.

“''What. Is. He. Talking. About?''”

“Gasp!?”

Kamijou opened his eyes.

He shook his head several times and stood up.

Only then did he realize he had been collapsed on the grass.

(What? Eh? Wait. What happened? What in the world just happened!?)

He checked his old folk’s smartphone to find time had skipped forward by about 10 minutes.

No.

''What had happened'' immediately after Alice Anotherbible spoke in such a low voice? Kamijou at least seemed to have lost consciousness at that point.

He took a look around.

H. T. Trismegistus had seemed so above it all, but he had fallen onto his rear with his cane a good distance away from him. Where it had come from was a mystery, but in his panic, he had produced an entirely useless life jacket which he clutched in his arms like a stuffed animal.

For some reason, Good, Old Mary was trying not to look in that direction.

After sensing a tremor shaking and a sweet aroma, Kamijou realized Aradia was holding onto him from the side. Just like a small child afraid to let go of her teddy bear after having a nightmare.

Index and Othinus had to be around there somewhere. Probably doing their best to hide in one of the large garden’s flower beds or shrubberies.

Alice alone remained on her feet.

Her head was still tilted and she spoke in her usual tone again.

“You were saying?”

“Yes! Yes!! We’re all good friends here!! Common sense says we would never be so rude to an important guest!!”

The young butler’s voice was cracking.

The Bologna Succubus had said only Kamijou could guide and control Tyrant Alice. He still didn’t understand what this was all about, but if this was how things worked, he could see why everyone was so afraid of her.

But anyway.

“T-to be clear, our objective is not Kamijou Touma,” said H. T. Trismegistus while trying to catch his breath. “Common sense says we made this direct visit to prevent an information leak. In other words, we are here for ''a fellow Transcendent''.”

“…”

“You heard a lot about us in Shibuya on the 31st, didn’t you? I believe a few Transcendents other than Aradia contacted you. But common sense says this decision cannot be overturned. The Bologna Succubus, Good, Old Mary, and even Alice herself have already agreed that the traitor who left our cabal must be punished accordingly. Because these are not false accusations placed upon an innocent’s head.”

“Punished?”

“Correct.”

Someone walked up next to the young butler.

She was a girl of about 15. She had long, wavy blonde hair, brown skin, and a skinny build decorated with thin belts and pure gold ornaments. She reminded Kamijou of Nephthys, but maybe it was his lack of knowledge that made him think of an Egyptian goddess or a dancer when he saw her.

Alice hopped around proudly.

“This is Mut Thebes! She’s a Transcendent just like the girl!!”

They had finally reached the point where he wasn’t even sure what kind of god they were talking about. He at least recognized names like Alice and Mary – ''whether or not the associations he made were accurate'' – but some of the other names like Aradia and Trismegistus meant nothing at all to him.

Since Alice sounded so proud, the young butler went ahead and introduced her.

“She is an Egyptian mythology Transcendent who specializes in punishment.”

The matter-of-fact way H. T. Trismegistus said it sent a chill down Kamijou’s spine.

Punishment.

He gave Aradia’s hand a squeeze.

“She carries the symbolism of the mother protecting her children – or of the queen protecting her people. She will do whatever it takes to protect what she had decided is her territory. And of course, that is currently defined as the Bridge Builders Cabal.”

That made her sound super powerful, but Kamijou wasn’t sure if it made her an enemy or an ally. He gave the brown girl a nervous look and, for some reason, she bowed. Now, should he feel glad that this assassin or hitman was impeccably polite? He wasn’t sure.

She was a Transcendent who specialized in punishment.

The brown girl stood next to…something not quite the same as a metal fence with spikes jutting out in a giant X. Several sharp spears were contained in the same binder, creating something that looked a bit like a barricade. The spearheads were made of glass and a strange fluorescent pink liquid sloshed around inside. At about 150cm long, they didn’t seem to have much reach for spears. Hold the shaft near the center and they wouldn’t reach much further than a sword.

That meant they were probably javelins.

Notably, they each had the same phrase written on the shaft: Drink Me.

“(Th-this is related to Alice in Wonderland,)” whispered Aradia, unable to hide her trembling.

“…”

Kamijou remained silent.

“I used the word punishment because I have a graceful heart and common sense told me to avoid stating it so directly, but perhaps it would have been simpler to say ‘execution’ instead.”

The young butler’s voice was calm as could be.

Although he was nervously tapping his cane against the ground.

“Transcendents can be killed. Especially when you have an expert in executing them,” he said quite plainly.

The next thing Kamijou knew, there was a long, narrow coffin there. Was it another stage magician tool? It was about the right size to hold an adult woman and it had strange slits all over it, so it may have been a prop for stabbing swords into.

“You should already understand this on some level after what you saw during all that ugly fighting in Shibuya on the 31st. One specific method is to weaken the Transcendent by taking away their power. The spiritual item called the Shrink Drink does just that. In the story, it was a drink that causes the imbiber to physically shrink, but- oh, you should already be familiar with the general idea since one of your companions is a weakened god.”

They had traded one problem for another.

(At least it looks like I don’t have to worry about all the Transcendents attacking me at once. Still, this is bad. I’m not thrilled about their target being Aradia either.)

Kamijou turned to look at someone.

Not Alice who was kind but capricious. He looked to Good, Old Mary who had selflessly helped save him and the Bologna Succubus on the 31st.

Aradia and the Bologna Succubus had both had something they wanted to protect, so Good, Old Mary – who could return a corpse to its state when the heart had stopped – must have had her own reasons for wanting to become a magician.

But she did not return Kamijou’s gaze.

In fact, her large hat shook as she turned her head away from him, but that may have been to avoid Aradia’s eyes more than his.

(Are we out of options?)

Kamijou clenched his teeth.

He was wrapped in an extreme tension that told him he had to avoid letting them notice even that.

(Then what do I do? What good is Imagine Breaker alone against an entire group of Transcendents!?)

But while all this was going on in his head…

“Oh, I think you have the wrong idea,” continued H. T. Trismegistus, to correct the puny boy’s misunderstanding. “It is true Aradia neglected to return to us after her defeat at your hands and the possibility of her revealing critical information does put our cabal at risk, but she already understands and shares in the cabal’s ideology and – more importantly – she understands in her very bones ''what it would mean to make herself an enemy of Alice''. Common sense says no amount of cajolery or torture would get her to talk. That sturdy vault door can be dealt with later. It is the flimsy back door we must deal with first.”

“Back door?”

“Indeed.” The young butler nodded and explained. “Our top priority assassination target is none other than the newest Transcendent, the international information expert who created R&C Occultics, and the traitor who shows insufficient respect for Alice and who got you involved in all this in the first place. I am, of course, referring to ''Anna Sprengel''.”

===Part 6===

===Part 7===

===Between the Lines 2===

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Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume7 Chapter1

2022-09-03T15:13:17Z

January: Undo revision 577257 by XDD (talk) KOTATU in chapter title isn't wrong. It is written as same in original text.

==Chapter 1: Happy New Hell, Another Year of Panic – KOTATU_Syndrome.==

===Part 1===

“Yes, I’m back! Huh, did my room always smell like this?”

“I don’t notice anything different. And my memory is perfect, so I know I’m right!”

Kamijou may have been feeling the same thing anyone did after returning from a trip.

Regardless, he set down the ''luggage'' he had been lugging around over his shoulder bandit style and then got into the kotatsu.

However…

“Why is it cold!? What, is someone using this kotatsu to store Hokkaido salmon!?”

“Yawn. Human, salmon is usually salted so it can be stored without refrigeration.”

15cm Othinus would be entirely buried by the blanket around the kotatsu, so she curled up on the table instead. When the heater was switched on, the table apparently felt like a heated floor. Which was why carelessly placing your laptop on the kotatsu could lead to it overheating.

“Index, plug that cable into the wall. Then I just have to flip this switch.”

“Ugh…”

“Don’t complain just because it’s a machine. You’re the closest to the outlet and we’ll never get warm unless someone does it.”

He wanted to take it easy on January 1.

When he had said he couldn’t bear doing a shrine visit right away after everything, Kumokawa Seria had wandered off somewhere. That upperclassman girl remained strong on New Year’s despite all the danger she had survived the day before.

Once inside the kotatsu up to his shoulders, Kamijou lay on the floor and grabbed the TV remote, but nothing happened no matter what he pressed. They had only just returned from a trip, so he hadn’t turned the main power back on. He grumbled about misfortune as he emerged from the kotatsu, hit the button, and returned.

The TV turned on to a program introducing Shinto shrines across Japan with pleasant music in the background. It was less meant for its content and more meant as background noise to help you drift off to sleep. It was perfect for the new year. Who needed some shocking footage putting a strain on your heart first thing New Year’s morning?

“Index, are you okay with doing the shrine visit after lunch?”

“I’m taking a nap, Touma. And I hope you understand how bad things are if I’m choosing to skip a meal for sleep.”

“Welcome to the 5-minute Short News. For our top story, the anti-elite Winter Cleaning unofficially held inside and outside of Academy City is continuing to spread under a new name.”

But someone else was not onboard with the “relaxing New Year’s morning” plan.

The luggage placed on the wood flooring groaned loudly and rolled side to side. That was in fact Transcendent Aradia tied up with duct tape.

The witch goddess apparently had something to say. Did she want inside the kotatsu? It was January and she was wearing a modified bikini that made her look like a dancer. She was like that one kid in every class who insisted on wearing shorts year round. You know, like Kanzaki.

Aradia was a Transcendent from the Bridge Builders Cabal.

She acted like she was the leader of this group called the Wiccans, but it wasn’t clear if that was really true. The Transcendents like the Bologna Succubus all had their origins in fictional stories or reports and Index had said the history of a goddess named Aradia stood on pretty shaky ground.

Was she a human magician who had wanted to use the fictional goddess’s reputation?

Or was she a being so powerful humans had failed to accurately record her existence?

(I need to get a straight answer about that later.)

That thought came to Kamijou’s mind while he enjoyed the kotatsu. Index was on another side of the square kotatsu, so she was sort of lying on top of him down where no one could see.

“Hey, Touma? Are you sure it was a good idea to put Aradia on the floor?”

“She mixes her witch’s ointment using her bare feet on the ground, right? Her legs are bound and her feet are wrapped in duct tape up to the ankles, so she can’t directly touch the floor. We’ll be fine…I hope.”

“Human, if this is going to be a problem, why not use that duct tape to hang her from the ceiling? You can tie her up all sexy like and trap her in essentially a giant spider web.”

Aradia raised a muffled protest. She bent her knees to try and protect her stomach while lying on her side, but she didn’t seem to realize that just emphasized her butt. It wasn’t much of a defense.

“Then why did you cover her mouth?” asked Index with a tilt of the head.

“Wait, why did I do that? It isn’t like she uses incantations.”

He tore the duct tape from the tied-up goddess’s mouth. After all her resistance earlier, she proved to be quite obedient when he was removing some of her restraints.

“Pwah.”

She started by sucking in as much oxygen as she could get.

“What do you people plan on doing with me!? How dare you treat the goddess of all witches this way! Don’t you know I am Transcendent Aradia of the Bridge Builders Cabal? I will never forget what you did to me today!!”

Her ankles and her hands behind her back were still bound by the duct tape, so as threatening as she tried to sound, she was still flopping around like a mermaid caught by a fisherman.

Kamijou turned back toward the kotatsu that Index still occupied.

“Hey, Index. I don’t think she’s going to tell us much.”

“Yawn. Well, she’s being loud, so why not tape her mouth up again?”

“Othinus?”

“Magic researcher who dares disturb my divine slumber, I hope the human ties you up with some sexy bondage and stuffs you in the closet or in the below-floor kitchen storage. All using that super-strong foreign tape he bought at a discount store.”

“W-w-w-wait!?”

Aradia began to panic. Index and Othinus were only interested in getting some sleep, so they didn’t seem too concerned with what might become of her.

Kamijou removed the cover from the below-floor storage and then noticed something.

“Huh? Oh, right. I forgot all about this.”

“Why are you actually opening the storage space!? Barbarian clinging to the trappings of civilization, you need to embody the grace of god!! Or at least consider my free will!!”

Aradia paled and bristled. She loathed Christianity, so mentioning the grace of god had to be a major compromise on her part, but the pointy-haired high school boy didn’t know enough about religion to notice her determination.

Kamijou Touma next opened the refrigerator’s giant door.

“I was right.”

“Eh? Uh, oh. You aren’t thinking of stuffing me in there, are you? And that white mist escaping tells me that door is to the freezer, not the crisper!”

Aradia was at a loss for words with clear drops forming in her eyes, but the pointy-haired boy was not interested in eating a homemade witch goddess sherbet made with brown sugar syrup and rice dumplings to fit the New Year’s season.

“This isn’t good. I managed to earn some money, but I didn’t go shopping. We’re still completely out of food and on the verge of starving to death!!”

“Settle down, human. Academy City is an urban area in Japan’s capital of Tokyo. They have stores open on New Year’s these days.”

“Maybe, but are you absolutely certain the local supermarket is open? I can just imagine walking around seeing nothing but closed shutters with signs saying they’re closed for the holiday. Starving to death with a wallet full of money is an absurd level of misfortune, but that’s exactly why I can see it happening to me!”

“Zzz… Don’t worry, Touma. We have Aradia if worse comes to worst…”

“Time out,” interrupted Aradia. “Where did this extreme survival situation come from? Why do I feel like every second brings me closer to being turned into an unwilling noble sacrifice!?”

Aradia’s throat was entirely dry now, but she still couldn’t move.

Wiccan spells were all about an ointment made by mixing a variety of chemicals with oil. That Transcendent was powerful enough to rival the entire magic side on her own when the conditions were right, but she was only a weak (and sexily dressed) young woman when the conditions were not right.

Index, Othinus, and the cat showed no sign of leaving the kotatsu.

After they fell asleep in the kotatsu, woke back up, and were overcome by enough hunger to forget their humanity, Magical Girl Aradia-chan would meet her end. The rules of the world would not apply in this small room where starving stomachs ruled all.

Goddess Aradia would be devoured by them all, and not in the sexy way☆

Whether they were wild spells people were forbidden from even mentioning or they were slanderous inventions of the Christian church, Aradia had detailed knowledge of ancient rituals from around the world. At times, being an avid learner had its drawbacks.

“W-w-w-wait, you there! Kamijou Touma!! Go grocery shopping right this instant! Isn’t that the obvious solution here!?”

“Yeah, but I need to recharge my motivation first. I might be used to misfortune, but not even I could bear to head out into the cold when I’m this sleepy and find nothing but closed shutters greeting me.”

“The more you refuse to challenge yourself, the lower my odds of survival!! Food isn’t going to magically appear if you stay here. Besides, can’t you check if the store is open on your phone!?”

Could you do that?

Kamijou was shoulder deep in the kotatsu again (much to the displeasure of Index who had briefly had the entire space to herself) and now he reached for his phone. But a smartphone beginner like him could only find their ordinary weekday and weekend hours. Stare as he might at the small screen, he couldn’t find anything about New Year’s in particular.

Lying on his stomach, he lowered his head, kissed the floor, and groaned.

The old folk’s smartphone slipped from his hand.

“I can’t do it. I’m too sleepy and hungry to think. I don’t even have the willpower to do a search.”

“There’s a popup for a New Year’s sale flashing on the screen right now, so they’re obviously open today!! Please don’t give up, Kamijou Touma!! You’re the only one left who can hear me and actually do something about it!!!”

===Part 2===

At the insistence of the sexy crybaby, they set off for some emergency grocery shopping. Mostly because sleeping in the kotatsu was impossible with her making such a racket.

Kamijou decided it would be a good idea to get the shrine visit done with while they were out. He was getting his new year off to a somewhat guilty start since he felt bad going so soon after telling Kumokawa he wouldn’t be.

“Ugh, I’m too tired to move.”

“And I don’t have it in me to cook. Hey, Index, how about we buy some ingredients and then grab something we can eat right away? It’s New Year’s, so they must have food stands set up near the shrine.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Touma. Anything you can buy at a food stand counts as a snack. I demand three full meals!”

“You always ask for croquettes and yakisoba at the shopping district, so I think your definition of snack is too broad. A set of four takoyaki I would understand, but an entire okonomiyaki is a meal!”

Kamijou’s group sluggishly left the dorm room.

But one of them still wasn’t satisfied.

“…”

Transcendent Aradia scowled down at her left hand.

It was written clear on her face that she appreciated not having her hands duct taped behind her back anymore and she could live with the makeshift duct tape shoes covering her feet, but she did not like having Imagine Breaker tightly grasping her hand. A lot to fit on the beautiful goddess’s small face.

The Transcendent spoke with her voice pitched terrifyingly low.

“…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………What is this?”

“An Aradia countermeasure. What else?”

Her unimaginably icy voice only got a confused look from Kamijou.

Were Transcendents just too far removed from humans? This hot-blooded boy would get in the bath with the Bologna Succubus if necessary for a battle and he didn’t seem bothered by this either.

“The idea that you can’t use magic as long as you can’t make your ointment makes a lot of sense, but only duct taping your feet doesn’t feel like enough. I wanted a little more insurance.”

“Don’t I get a say!? And how about showing some tact regarding me being a woman? You’re even intertwining our fingers like we’re lovers!!”

“Ow, ow, ow!! How did you even twist your hand like that!? You’re bending all my fingers the wrong way!!!”

Aradia twirled like she was ballroom dancing to hit Kamijou with a Broken Heart Finger Smasher, but Kamijou couldn’t even let go, fell onto his butt, and writhed around on the same sidewalk he normally used to get to school. It looked a lot like the beautiful aikido moves that Anti-Skill used and even a graceful young woman could pull off.

Aradia hissed at him like a snake and Othinus sighed after managing to avoid falling from Kamijou’s shoulder.

“What a pain. Transcendent Aradia, you should have noticed something now that you’ve tried moving around.”

“…”

“You’re furious with him, but ''this is all you managed''. But the way things were yesterday, you would have torn through this human’s torso with your bare hand if he so much as irritated you.”

Aradia quietly clicked her tongue.

And her hand remained in his grasp. She could bend his hand using her finger joints, but she could not tear the hand from his wrist or break the arm from his shoulder.

Although this difference in the superhuman’s power was lost on Kamijou as he wept in pain on the ground.

“Hmph. So what is this about a shrine visit?”

“?”

“No matter how silly it is, it is worth my time to know your plans. So I can plan a counterattack or an escape.”

“Is she openly telling her enemy that because she’s some confusingly high-level form of tsundere?” Othinus whispered in his ear, but he had no way of judging that.

“D-District 12,” he replied. “Even Academy City has a district where all the mythology and religion research is done.”

Othinus had suggested they use more duct tape to wrap Aradia up like a mummy and toss her in the bathroom, but that idea had scared Kamijou. Even if she was somewhat neutralized at the moment, she was still a Transcendent of the Bridge Builders Cabal. If she managed to get the tape off her feet and made some ointment while they were away, things would get quite literally out of hand.

He honestly didn’t want to let her out of his sight. He knew firsthand she would not hesitate to kill if it would advance her goals.

He hesitantly looked over and the witch goddess responded in a sulky voice.

“What do you want?”

And so they set out.

The train schedule was different for the holiday. When they arrived at the station, they saw a kadomatsu decoration at the entrance. There was also a kagami mochi display in the employee waiting room next to the ticket gates. And even though it was early morning during winter break, one of the platforms was lightly crowded with students. That was of course the platform for the line leading to District 12. The crowd included a lot of brightly dressed girls.

“…”

The pointy-haired boy viewed his companions one at a time: Index, Othinus, Aradia, and Sphinx.

“(With a group like this, I should just throw out any hope of making any adolescent memories today. Ha ha ha.)”

“Human, what kind of hope did you just give up on?”

He ended up with the 15cm god tugging on his ear. But no matter what any of them said, a nun, a god, a witch, and a cat were not the appropriate party for a New Year’s quest. None of them would look at home wearing a furisode. If they had to choose one thing to bring with them to a desert island, they would seriously choose something like a musty old grimoire or a sketchy ointment, so a swimsuit vacation or a seasonal event was too much to ask of them.

The LCD ads covering the sides of the trains were in full New Year’s mode. They were playing ads for a New Year’s sale at a fancy department store or for an AR campaign to win New Year’s money by going to different parts of Academy City with your phone in hand. Interspersed among the ads were the occasional horoscope or a headline seemingly taken from the top online news stories.

“A social phenomenon some are calling an entrance exam boycott is showing signs of growing,” read one story. “Academy City has rejected the recommendation to adopt the less alarming name of kotatsu syndrome.”

“Ugh…”

“Index, stop trying to read the scrolling text if you aren’t used to it. Some people get motion sickness from it.”

“Why is it so hot and humid in here? It’s like this gross invisible haze is coming up from below us.”

He had thought Index was being unusually well-behaved, but apparently she had been hit by the mysterious heating effect of trains.

“…”

Meanwhile, Aradia was looking somewhat upwards while still holding his hand in the crowd. He thought maybe she was nervous around modern technology since she too was from the magic side, but he realized her focus was on the fluorescent light near the door.

Or more accurately, on the 2mm security camera hidden on the fluorescent light’s joint. Kamijou’s eyes widened too.

“Huh? When did they install those?”

“They must be to increase security on the trains. In other words, to catch pickpockets and molesters. …Interesting. This boy insists on holding my hand, which keeps his dominant hand hidden within the crowd. If I scream and say he’s molesting me when the door opens at a station, I might just have a chance to escape.)”

“Don’t you dare turn preserving my social standing into an impossible challenge!”

Academy City covered about 1/3 of Tokyo.

That was too much to cover on foot, but it didn’t take long to cover on a train.

The train soon arrived in District 12 and the view outside the window entirely changed.

“Impressive,” said Othinus from Kamijou’s shoulder.

Giant pyramids and Greek-style temples were lined up in between the skyscrapers made of thick concrete and glass. One temple had various color patterns applied to it with projection mapping, perhaps to research the theory that the Parthenon wasn’t originally white. There were plenty of enormous stone monuments and goddess statues. The colors washing down the river were not fallen leaves or flower petals – they were origami dolls designed to decompose naturally. A herd of deer wandered happily along an elevated street which was closed to traffic. More than a research institute for mythology and religion, the place felt like a theme park full of replicas of famous tourist locations from around the world.

Kamijou had rarely ever visited the district, but he knew the basics.

“It isn’t that they actually believe in any gods. The idea is to research why humans believe in gods and what is needed to keep people in the special psychological state known as ‘belief’ long term. Most of the research is in the fields of philosophy, psychology, and architecture.”

“Hmph.” “Hmph.”

Othinus and Aradia both sounded less than pleased. Unsurprising when they were both known as gods.

“(I probably shouldn’t tell them this is the headquarters of Academy City’s analysis of all things unscientific and supernatural and that it’s commonly known as the Occult Denial Society.)”

“We heard all of that.” “We heard all of that.”

The two divine ones were suddenly the best of friends as they responded in perfect unison, but that was when the train arrived in the District 12 station.

Kamijou’s group followed the crowd exiting onto the platform. The train actually tilted to one side so many people were leaving. Most of these people were here for their New Year’s shrine visit.

“Touma, where exactly are we going?”

“I’m not sure, but we should reach a popular shrine if we follow the crowd, right?”

The mythology focus showed through even in the station’s exit signs. They said things like “A9, Great Pyramid Area Exit” or “This way to Tree Worship, Megalith Culture, and Near Death Experience Labs”.

Kamijou was intensely curious what the pyramids of Egyptian mythology did on New Year’s, but today was the day for a Shinto shrine visit. He followed the crowd containing a lot of furisode girls through the ticket gate.

And…

“…”

They were still out in front of the station, but Aradia stared up at something in astonishment. A skyscraper covered on all sides with glass rose more than 50 stories.

“W-wait a second.”

“C’mon, Aradia. Let’s get to the shrine.”

“When you said shrine, I thought you meant your country’s unique religious structures! With torii, offering boxes, and komainu!! Why are all those kimono girls entering a high-tech skyscraper!?”

“Hurry up.”

The large entrance area contained a lot of people. There were more than 20 elevators to reach the higher floors, but there was still a line.

There was a building guide in the center of the floor, explaining what could be found on each floor.

Floors 1-5: General Information and Shopping Area. Floor 6: Christian – Latin Relief Cathedral. Floor 7: Museum. Floor 8: Egyptian Mythology – Nile Nome Temple. Floor 9: Buddhism – Great Red Lotus Temple. Floor 10: Shinto – Daybreak Shrine. Floor 11: Folk Belief, Folktale, and Multipurpose Fortunetelling. And so on.

Needless to say, the Shinto shrine and Christian cathedral found here had none of the things that mattered to the magic side. They were only shallow recreations made from the scientific perspective of Academy City. Their research wasn’t even asking why people believed in Shinto fortune slips. They asked what psychological conditions led people to pay money for fortune slips when the outcomes were determined by nothing more than random chance.

The witch goddess’s eyes widened in disbelief. How many times in history had that miracle occurred?

“This can’t be real.”

“If there’s one thing Academy City can’t spare, it’s land. They can’t have big shrines and temples sprawled out along the ground. That’s why each one is built in a huge garden on a floor of these buildings. It’s all indoors, but I’ve heard you can even meditate under a waterfall if you want. Since each floor has no interior walls, they have even more space than your average school campus.”

Index just about wandered off to where they were giving out grilled mochi for free, so Kamijou grabbed her by the back of the collar. Take one step from the elevator line and they would have to return to the very back of the line.

This one building was not a special case.

Most of the skyscrapers sticking up from District 12 like bamboo shoots were the same. Any one building did not contain just one type of religious or mythological facility, so the people (well, the university research team) that wanted a type of temple or cathedral just struck it where there was an opening like leasing a room in a multi-tenant building. In District 12, it wasn’t unusual for the ground floor to hold a discount store and the 2nd floor to contain a church.

“This is unusual, Touma. Why do you know so much about the occult here?”

The answer to that was a secret Kamijou had sworn to take to his grave. In truth, Aogami Pierce had once gone here on an ascetic journey to rid himself of all worldly thoughts, but instead found the shrine maiden so cute that professional warrior monks from the neighboring temple had to be called in as reinforcements and the boy was thrown out and banned from ever entering the district again. Then when the idiot had wanted to recover the contents of the hard drive he had wiped in his short-lived zeal, he had ended up writhing in pain in a back alley junk shop where a villainous professor had nearly digitized his brain and DNA. The story made Kamijou suspect that such heavily concentrated desire was like a dark crystal carrying a form of power all its own.

Eventually, it was Kamijou’s group’s turn.

They crammed themselves into the fairly large elevator and rode it up. The elevator was so crowded, they couldn’t even reach the buttons, but they knew they would still reach the floor containing a giant Shinto shrine.

The gentle acceleration suddenly stopped.

The doors slid open to reveal what lay beyond.

===Part 3===

She was running late.

That was Misaka Mikoto’s first impression.

The real problem was ending up in the hospital right at the end of the year. She had only been there for a few days to make sure nothing was wrong, but she hadn’t managed to rework her schedule during all the confusion and the new year had caught up to her before she was ready. All hope was lost. She had accomplished nothing and now the winter of her 14th year had ended without any real drama. Your second year of middle school only came once (not that she wanted a second chance from getting held back a year) and she had wasted it! How could she lie there in bed staring at her phone’s tiny screen!? All that noise outside was the fireworks for the countdown to midnight! Listen to them shout happy new year. That was how it was supposed to be. Wasn’t that kind of wild partying with no thought to the consequences what being a teenager was all about!?

The 14-year-old was seriously reconsidering her life.

So once midnight of January 1 arrived, Misaka Mikoto entered battle mode.

She of course broke several dorm rules by jumping right out the window.

“Pant, pant. O-Onee-sama, isn’t it about time we take a break?”

“It’s only been about 8 hours since midnight. New Year’s is all about endurance. Watching the sunrise, drinking amazake, paying hanetsuki, doing calligraphy, getting New Year’s money, eating the traditional food, pounding mochi, and visiting a shrine! I’m cramming as much of it into this one day as I can!!”

The twintails underclassman could teleport, but Mikoto was magnetically leaping from building to building with such speed even Shirai Kuroko was out of breath. In her brightly colored furisode, she looked like a neon shooting star.

And…

“Someone has far too much energy for first thing in the morning on New Year’s. Does Academy City’s Miss Thunder keep rumbling all year long?”

Mikoto’s eyebrows twitched when she heard a familiar voice.

The bottoms of her zori were drawn toward a balcony railing sticking out from the 10th floor of a skyscraper towering over 50 floors tall.

“And what are you doing here in that gaudy kimono? Let’s see, this floor is the Shinto shrine, isn’t it?”

The balcony contained a small café space. A bench covered in scarlet felt and a large tea ceremony umbrella were set up within a beautiful gravel garden (probably maintained by a cleaning robot with a special attachment resembling a giant comb). Shokuhou used both hands to hold a teacup with whitish contents – probably amazake. It must have met the queen’s strict standards for food and drink.

The balconies for the higher floors must have been on different sides of the building, so the view above was clear.

The girl who had gone to the trouble of visiting such a chilly location on New Year’s morning had it in her to wink for some reason.

“Your schedule might be wide open, Misaka-san, but those of us with lots of friends have plenty of events to attend during the holidays. Such as praying for my clique members to pass their entrance exams.”

“Really? You’re sure it isn’t that your plans to head home during the holiday weren’t ruined by spending time in the hospital with me?”

“Gh. My planning ability is not as poor as yours, so I did not wait until the last second to make my plans. I chose to remain in Academy City because my clique wanted me to.”

“(She’s like those apartment women who force their hobbies onto others without realizing no one else is enjoying it.)”

“You said that out loud on purpose, didn’t you?”

The Level 5s showed their support of the SDGs by producing sparks without any fuel even if it meant breaking the 2nd law of thermodynamics. Meanwhile, the twintails underclassman and the ringlets upperclassman exchanged a polite New Year’s greeting. Come to think of it, the ringlets girl was in the third year, so she had entrance exams to worry about. Tokiwadai was said to spend three years creating people who could make it in the real world.

Mikoto heard a metallic noise and looked over.

Her eyes immediately widened.

The girl there had short brown hair, pale skin, a thick coat that stood out among all the colorful furisode, an assault rifle with grenade launcher attachment worn over the shoulder, and a face identical to Mikoto’s. And she wasn’t alone. Three or four of them were in the shrine area at the same time.

Those were the mass-produced military clones created from a DNA map of Academy City’s #3.

They were known as the Sisters.

“Wh-what are you doing here out in the open!?”

The identical girls tilted their heads in the exact same way with no change of expression. They were so perfectly synchronized they looked like heads of wheat blowing in the wind.

“Misaka is providing security for the New Year’s shrine visitors, succinctly replies Misaka #10998.”

“This Misaka is on janitorial duty. What are you doing here, Original? asks Misaka #14979 with a tilt of her head.”

“Misaka is blowing off her duties in the District 2 museum to visit the shrine, reports Misaka #19090 with a cute upturned look.”

“Hm. Misaka was doing some people watching, but now she notices a lovely aroma coming from the free amazake area over there, says Misaka #10777, showing off her observational skills.”

“This is Misaka’s chance to participate in some economic activity, says Misaka #15850 while detecting a chance to cause some trouble. Like this!”

The Sisters were already getting off track all on their own.

Meanwhile, Shirai Kuroko was trembling.

“What!? S-so many Onee-samas. Am I already having my first dream of the year?”

The passersby all reacted in their own ways. Some curiously aimed their phone cameras at the clones that had been recently revealed to exist. Others walked right past the identical girls to line up for the offering box. They reacted about how they might for an unusual new design for a security robot.

“But they just aren’t the same as the real one. They lack that intangible divinity! They don’t have the aura of a goddess!!”

Shirai Kuroko still came to cling to Mikoto, so Mikoto intercepted her with a fist and pondered what was happening.

People were accepting those girls.

They were allowed to just be another part of the scenery – a harmless piece of the city.

Just like any of the students or teachers walking through here.

“…”

Misaka Mikoto narrowed her eyes as she watched it.

Maybe this was nothing more than an ordinary New Year’s scene.

But who could have imagined this could ever happen?

Shokuhou Misaki whispered in Mikoto’s ear with her cup of amazake held between her hands.

''Mikoto didn’t know the actual story behind it,'' but she had heard enough to guess this girl had established her own bond with the Sisters.

“Aren’t you glad you got to see this in your lifetime, Misaka-san?”

“It irks me I didn’t make it happen myself, but that’s a me problem and doesn’t mean anything to them.”

“It won’t all go this well. The people are still mostly just unsure what to make of this new revelation ability. The loving and righteous bashing will come once they’ve had time to process this☆”

“I’m well aware, social media queen. I don’t intend to sit back and let someone else handle it all.”

Twenty thousand Sisters had been made, but not even half of that remained.

She doubted she would ever forgive the person who had caused that, but she felt like she could accept that his remorse and his efforts toward atonement were genuine.

And…

“Hey, Misaka. Are you here for the shrine visit too?”

“I’m hungry, I’m hungry! Ohhhh!! There’s shiruko, zoni, and a mochi pounding festival!!”

She heard some familiar voices.

She looked over to see the pointy-haired boy and his strange companions approaching through the crowd. She could guess the usual nun had insisted they go to the balcony where they were giving out various New Year’s foods. First thing in the new year, that wasn’t enough to rattle her or Shokuhou.

However…

“(Who is that exhibitionist wearing a modified bikini in the middle of winter!? And why are those two holding hands when I’ve never even seen her before!!??)”

For once, Misaka Mikoto and Shokuhou Misaki were in perfect sync. They had to be careful because, with Kamijou Touma, falling behind by even a day could make it just as hard to catch up as with a weekly battle manga.

Was she a fortuneteller? A dancer maybe? Given District 12’s scientific focus on mythology and religion, just about anything seemed possible. Strangely, the woman kept giving him murderous looks (but never tried to let go of his hand).

And then…

“Um…''have we met''?”

When the pointy-haired boy’s gaze wandered next to Mikoto, he hesitantly bowed his head, unsure what to do.

Shokuhou Misaki only smiled.

“Hm? What’s going on here?”

Misaka Mikoto was confused.

She couldn’t figure out why he was acting like he didn’t know Shokuhou.

The electric furisode middle schooler tilted her head until a look of realization appeared on her face.

“Oh, you’re implying you didn’t recognize her because the furisode and special hairstyle made her look more adult, aren’t you? Well, in case you hadn’t noticed, I’m wearing a kimono too!!”

“Wait, why are you going nuts all of a sudden, electric girl? Can’t you at least give me a break from this nonsense on New Year’s!?”

“Hadn’t you heard that kimonos look bad on people with big boobs!?”

“That line of reasoning is only going to hurt you in the long- gyahhhh!?”

The shrine here was not dedicated to a god of thunder, yet lightning struck him all the same. That was a good summary of how Mr. Misfortune’s year was going.

===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.

===Part 5===

In a way, this was the most dangerous prison in the already unruly District 10.

Or it should have been.

“Tah dah!! Happy new year! says Misaka as Misaka gives the standard greeting!!”

“………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………What the hell are you doing here?”

The atmosphere in the visitation room was entirely off.

Accelerator briefly thought the thick glass had been made too thick and his voice hadn’t reached the other side, but apparently it had.

The girl who looked to be around 10 was celebrating even after hearing every word. She was so overexcited she was hopping around.

“Misaka is here to visit you because you must be lonely all on your own, says Misaka as Misaka explains the purpose of her visit.”

“Huh?”

“It was Yomikawa’s idea.”

He glared over Last Order’s head, but the gym teacher with her long black hair worn in a ponytail only grinned at him. Her arm was in a sling after breaking it in the mess with the dark side, but that hadn’t dampened her spirits any.

“C’mon, what’s the harm?”

“Go to hell, Yomikawa. You too, Yoshikawa. I see you trying to look inconspicuous back there.”

The adult in a lab coat clicked her tongue despite being too old for that kind of thing. But best not to let her hear you call her “too old” for anything if you wanted to keep out of trouble.

“Accelerator, we understand that you’re a prisoner now. And we understand you need to set an example for Academy City.” Yomikawa Aiho shrugged out of habit and winced when it moved the arm in the sling. “But that means you need to use the rights given to you as a prisoner. You’re allowed visitors. Forcing yourself to suffer unnecessarily would be setting a bad example too, wouldn’t it?”

Now it was Accelerator’s turn to click his tongue.

Either Last Order didn’t notice what this was about or she pretended not to notice.

“So why the hell are you wasting your New Year’s holiday here?”

“Misaka knows what happens after she says happy new year: she gets New Year’s money!!”

“Talk to the grownups.”

Yomikawa Aiho and Yoshikawa Kikyou looked the other way at the exact same moment. They had clearly known each other a long time because they even whistled the same tune.

Meanwhile, Last Order pulled out a large box wrapped in cloth.

“Look, look, says Misaka as Misaka shows this off to you. Let’s eat this New Year’s food together.”

“Did you fail to notice the thick bulletproof glass between us, brat? Visitors aren’t allowed to share food with prisoners!!”

'''End of preview. The full novel will be released on September 10.

Toaru Majutsu no Index: Genesis Testament

2022-09-03T15:12:21Z

January: Undo revision 577258 by XDD (talk) KOTATU in chapter title isn't wrong. It is written as same in original text.

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'''<big><big><span style="color:green">This page is for the third series of Toaru Majutsu no Index.</span> [[Toaru Majutsu no Index|Click here for the <u>''first''</u> series.]] | [[Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament|Click here for the <u>''second''</u> series.]] <span style="color:red"><big>***</big></span></big></big>'''

==Alternative Languages==
The ''Toaru Majutsu no Index'' series is also available in the following languages:
*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index (Indonesia)|Toaru Majutsu no Index ~ Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)]]
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(Note: Translation progress varies for each version.)
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==Story Synopsis==


<big>''This series is a direct sequel and continuation of '''[[Toaru Majutsu no Index]]''' and '''[[Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament]]'''.''</big>

Science and magic exist side by side in this world.

This is the peak of the science side with a curriculum for espers, Academy City. In this city where 80% of the population are students, the season has finally come when all residents are excited and fidgety!

It's Christmas Eve.

Amidst the city showing a cheerful hustle and bustle, ordinary boy who can’t keep up with school, Kamijou Touma, also doesn’t intend to miss this event! He was hard at work in his supplementary lessons...

A backward glance from the default misfortune-prone bastard, the silver-haired sister freeloading in his dormitory, Index, in the heart pounding scene different from the usual, activates a new gluton skill!? While Kamijou tries to desperately stop that, Misaka Mikoto taken in by the Christmas Eve atmosphere appears before him.

==Awards==

{{Toaru:Awards}}

==Translation==
'''Translators Needed'''

If you would like to help translate this series, please post in the forums [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=3505 here], and we will help you get started. Thank you.

===Registration===

Those who wish to contribute are asked to notify a supervisor beforehand.

Translators are asked to <big>'''<u>[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Registration Page|register]]</u>'''</big> which chapters they're working on.

===Format Standards===
'''Every edited chapter must conform to not only the general format guidelines, but also this project's own guidelines.'''
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Names and Terminology Guideline|Project-Specific Guidelines: Format, Names, and Terminology]]

'''All edited translations are to be in American English.'''

==Updates==

{{Toaru:Updates}}

==Terminologies==

All terminologies, character information, and other series details are hosted on [http://toarumajutsunoindex.wikia.com/wiki/Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index_Wiki this wiki].

{{Toaru:Mtoggle:GT}}

==The '''''Toaru Majutsu no Index: Genesis Testament''''' series by Kazuma Kamachi==


<div class="mw-customtoggle-Genesis mw-customtoggle-GenesisClose mw-customtoggle-GenesisOpen" style="background:#f2e0ce;cursor:pointer" align="center">'''<big>Genesis Testament</big>'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible" style="text-align:left;margin:5px5pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:100%" id="mw-customcollapsible-Genesis">

[[Image:GT vol 1.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 1 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume1|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume1 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume1 Prologue|Prologue: At an Early Christmas Eve Intersection — Prepare_for_Xmas_Eve!]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume1 Chapter1|Chapter 1: Just Like an Amusement Park — Red_Wear,Big_Bag,and_Flying_Sledge.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume1 Chapter2|Chapter 2: A Changing Academy City, the Night Before — the_24th,Showdown.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume1 Chapter3|Chapter 3: A Dark Conspiracy and a Barrier Gone — Enemy_Use_XXX.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume1 Chapter4|Chapter 4: Interaction with Another World, the Starting Point — “R&C OCCULTICS Co.Ltd.”]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume1 Epilogue|Epilogue: Snow and Crimson Cover All — White_End.(and_Merry_Xmas!!)]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume1 Afterword|Afterword]]

[[Image:GT vol 2.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 2 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume2|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume2 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume2 Prologue|Prologue: The Bloody Christmas Begins — 12/24_to_12/25.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume2 Chapter1|Chapter 1: This is the Real Battle — Home_Ground_Hospital.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume2 Chapter2|Chapter 2: Black Pill, White Snow — and_RED_Rose.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume2 Chapter3|Chapter 3: In the Void of Zero — Contact_6.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume2 Chapter4|Chapter 4: The Phenomenon of Kamijou Touma — Not_Right_Hand.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume2 Epilogue|Epilogue: Greeting Through the Bars — Matching_Complete.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume2 Afterword|Afterword]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume2 Ending|?]]

[[Image:GT vol 3.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 3 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume3|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume3 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume3 Prologue|Prologue: Look What Under I Found Under This Big Rock — OP.“Hand_Cuffs”]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume3 Chapter1|Chapter 1: A Scab Torn Away — City_Warfare.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume3 Chapter2|Chapter 2: Dark Side — Ghost, Android, and…]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume3 Chapter3|Chapter 3: Academy City’s Greatest Taboo — Safety_Zero, Control_Free.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume3 Chapter4|Chapter 4: The Demon Lord’s Young — the_LIGHT.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume3 Epilogue|Epilogue: Cry of a Newborn Darkness — Over_the_C. Point, Now.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume3 Afterword|Afterword]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume3 Ending|?]]

[[Image:GT vol 4.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 4 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume4|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume4 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume4 Prologue|Prologue: A Picture Book that Slipped through the Cracks – Magic_Side,Open.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume4 Chapter1|Chapter 1: The Full Population of Los Angeles is Missing – 26_the_West_Coast_Warfare.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume4 Chapter2|Chapter 2: Suspected and Alone – Los_Angeles.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume4 Chapter3|Chapter 3: The Counterattack Begins – Boy_not_“Dark”.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume4 Chapter4|Chapter 4: Beyond the Two Choices – Duel_Against_R∴C∴O∴(for_Save_Mother).]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume4 Epilogue|Epilogue: That Human Returns – Science_Side,Interrupt.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume4 Afterword|Afterword]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume4 Ending|?]]

[[Image:GT vol 5.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 5 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume5|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume5 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume5 Prologue|Prologue: Visitor from Picture Book Land – Girl_Name_is_“ALICE”.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume5 Chapter1|Chapter 1: A Year Ending, a Wallet Emptying, a Struggle Ensuing – Winter_Vacation.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume5 Chapter2|Chapter 2: The Rescue Puzzle Sits Before You – Travel.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume5 Chapter3|Chapter 3: Welcome to a World Without the Goddess’ Protection – Difficulty_the_ABYSS.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume5 Chapter4|Chapter 4: If Someone Remains to be Saved – Final_Exams_“Handcuffs”.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume5 Epilogue|Epilogue: Even If Your Hand Leaves Mine – Not_Enemy.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume5 Afterword|Afterword]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume5 Ending|?]]

[[Image:GT vol 6.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 6 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume6|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume6 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume6 Prologue|Prologue: You Lose Less Weight Than You Would Think – Dying_Hungry.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume6 Chapter1|Chapter 1: Go Get That New Year’s Eve Job – Away_SHIBUYA,31.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume6 Chapter2|Chapter 2: Goddess of the Night, the Moon, and Witches – “ARADIA”x03.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume6 Chapter3|Chapter 3: The Transcendent Blossoms – Sabbat_VS_Witch_Hunt.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume6 Chapter4|Chapter 4: What’s Wrong With Being Only Human? – Save_the_Stray_Devil.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume6 Epilogue|Epilogue: The Record Needle Skips – Irregular_Counter.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume6 Afterword|Afterword]]

[[Image:GT vol 7.jpg|300px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 7 Preview ([[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:_Genesis_Testament#Upcoming:|Release Date]])===

::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume7 Prologue|Prologue: Capture the Powerful Witch – Happy? New_Year!!]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume7 Chapter1|Chapter 1: Happy New Hell, Another Year of Panic – KOTATU_Syndrome.]] (Preview Only)


[[#toc|'''<small>Back to Contents</small>''']]
<div style="clear:both;"> </div>
</div>

==Side Stories==

{{Toaru:Side Stories}}

==Official Parody Stories==

{{Toaru:Parodies}}

==Story Calendar==

{{Toaru:Calendar}}

==Project Staff==

*Supervisor: ''None Designated''
*Project Manager: '''[[User:OH&S|OH&S]]'''

===Translators===
'''ACTIVE'''
:*'''[[User:Js06|Js06]]'''

===Editors===

'''All editors that can speak and write English proficiently are welcome.'''
:*''Editors list has been cleaned due to inactive editors. Editors are welcome to add their names again if they are still editing or proofreading.''--[[User:OH&S|OH&S]] ([[User talk:OH&S|talk]]) 11:44, 11 April 2017 (CEST)

==Series Overview==

{{Toaru:Series Overview}}

==More Information==
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index The wikipedia article]
*[http://www12.atwiki.jp/index-index/ とある魔術の禁書目録　Index] (日本語、そしてネタバレの危険性がある！)
*[http://toarumajutsunoindex.wikia.com/wiki/Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index_Wiki Toaru Majutsu no Index Wikia]
*[http://r-s.sakura.ne.jp/w/i_m.htm Kiyotaka Haimura website]

[[Category:Light novel (English)]]
[[Category:Dengeki Bunko]]
[[Category:Kazuma Kamachi]]

[[Category:Genre - Action]]
[[Category:Genre - Comedy]]
[[Category:Genre - Fantasy]]
[[Category:Genre - Harem]]
[[Category:Genre - Sci-Fi]]
[[Category:Genre - Supernatural]]

Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume7 Chapter1

2022-09-02T19:29:48Z

January:

Toaru Majutsu no Index: Genesis Testament

2022-09-02T19:29:22Z

January:

{{Status|Active}}

{{Toaru:Brief}}

'''<big><big><span style="color:green">This page is for the third series of Toaru Majutsu no Index.</span> [[Toaru Majutsu no Index|Click here for the <u>''first''</u> series.]] | [[Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament|Click here for the <u>''second''</u> series.]] <span style="color:red"><big>***</big></span></big></big>'''

==Alternative Languages==
The ''Toaru Majutsu no Index'' series is also available in the following languages:
*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index (Indonesia)|Toaru Majutsu no Index ~ Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)]]
*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index ~ Russian:NT|Toaru Majutsu no Index ~ Русский (Russian)]]
*[[To Aru Majutsu no Index ~ (Spanish)|Toaru Majutsu no Index ~ Español (Spanish)]]
*[[To Aru Majutsu no Index ~ Deutsch (German)|Toaru Majutsu no Index ~ Deutsch (German)]]
*[[To Aru Majutsu no Index ~ Italiano (Italian)|Toaru Majutsu no Index ~ Italiano (Italian)]]
*[[To Aru Majutsu no Index Polski|Toaru Majutsu no Index ~ Polski (Polish)]]
*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index - Français|Toaru Majutsu no Index ~ Français (French)]]
*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index ~Brazilian Portuguese~|Toaru Majutsu no Index ~ Português Brasileiro (Brazilian Portuguese)]]

(Note: Translation progress varies for each version.)
----
Visit the [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/index.php Baka-Tsuki Project Forum] to discuss this series and other information from Baka-Tsuki.

==Story Synopsis==


<big>''This series is a direct sequel and continuation of '''[[Toaru Majutsu no Index]]''' and '''[[Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament]]'''.''</big>

Science and magic exist side by side in this world.

This is the peak of the science side with a curriculum for espers, Academy City. In this city where 80% of the population are students, the season has finally come when all residents are excited and fidgety!

It's Christmas Eve.

Amidst the city showing a cheerful hustle and bustle, ordinary boy who can’t keep up with school, Kamijou Touma, also doesn’t intend to miss this event! He was hard at work in his supplementary lessons...

A backward glance from the default misfortune-prone bastard, the silver-haired sister freeloading in his dormitory, Index, in the heart pounding scene different from the usual, activates a new gluton skill!? While Kamijou tries to desperately stop that, Misaka Mikoto taken in by the Christmas Eve atmosphere appears before him.

==Awards==

{{Toaru:Awards}}

==Translation==
'''Translators Needed'''

If you would like to help translate this series, please post in the forums [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=3505 here], and we will help you get started. Thank you.

===Registration===

Those who wish to contribute are asked to notify a supervisor beforehand.

Translators are asked to <big>'''<u>[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Registration Page|register]]</u>'''</big> which chapters they're working on.

===Format Standards===
'''Every edited chapter must conform to not only the general format guidelines, but also this project's own guidelines.'''
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Names and Terminology Guideline|Project-Specific Guidelines: Format, Names, and Terminology]]

'''All edited translations are to be in American English.'''

==Updates==

{{Toaru:Updates}}

==Terminologies==

All terminologies, character information, and other series details are hosted on [http://toarumajutsunoindex.wikia.com/wiki/Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index_Wiki this wiki].

{{Toaru:Mtoggle:GT}}

==The '''''Toaru Majutsu no Index: Genesis Testament''''' series by Kazuma Kamachi==


<div class="mw-customtoggle-Genesis mw-customtoggle-GenesisClose mw-customtoggle-GenesisOpen" style="background:#f2e0ce;cursor:pointer" align="center">'''<big>Genesis Testament</big>'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible" style="text-align:left;margin:5px5pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:100%" id="mw-customcollapsible-Genesis">

[[Image:GT vol 1.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 1 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume1|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume1 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume1 Prologue|Prologue: At an Early Christmas Eve Intersection — Prepare_for_Xmas_Eve!]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume1 Chapter1|Chapter 1: Just Like an Amusement Park — Red_Wear,Big_Bag,and_Flying_Sledge.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume1 Chapter2|Chapter 2: A Changing Academy City, the Night Before — the_24th,Showdown.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume1 Chapter3|Chapter 3: A Dark Conspiracy and a Barrier Gone — Enemy_Use_XXX.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume1 Chapter4|Chapter 4: Interaction with Another World, the Starting Point — “R&C OCCULTICS Co.Ltd.”]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume1 Epilogue|Epilogue: Snow and Crimson Cover All — White_End.(and_Merry_Xmas!!)]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume1 Afterword|Afterword]]

[[Image:GT vol 2.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 2 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume2|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume2 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume2 Prologue|Prologue: The Bloody Christmas Begins — 12/24_to_12/25.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume2 Chapter1|Chapter 1: This is the Real Battle — Home_Ground_Hospital.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume2 Chapter2|Chapter 2: Black Pill, White Snow — and_RED_Rose.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume2 Chapter3|Chapter 3: In the Void of Zero — Contact_6.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume2 Chapter4|Chapter 4: The Phenomenon of Kamijou Touma — Not_Right_Hand.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume2 Epilogue|Epilogue: Greeting Through the Bars — Matching_Complete.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume2 Afterword|Afterword]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume2 Ending|?]]

[[Image:GT vol 3.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 3 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume3|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume3 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume3 Prologue|Prologue: Look What Under I Found Under This Big Rock — OP.“Hand_Cuffs”]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume3 Chapter1|Chapter 1: A Scab Torn Away — City_Warfare.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume3 Chapter2|Chapter 2: Dark Side — Ghost, Android, and…]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume3 Chapter3|Chapter 3: Academy City’s Greatest Taboo — Safety_Zero, Control_Free.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume3 Chapter4|Chapter 4: The Demon Lord’s Young — the_LIGHT.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume3 Epilogue|Epilogue: Cry of a Newborn Darkness — Over_the_C. Point, Now.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume3 Afterword|Afterword]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume3 Ending|?]]

[[Image:GT vol 4.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 4 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume4|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume4 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume4 Prologue|Prologue: A Picture Book that Slipped through the Cracks – Magic_Side,Open.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume4 Chapter1|Chapter 1: The Full Population of Los Angeles is Missing – 26_the_West_Coast_Warfare.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume4 Chapter2|Chapter 2: Suspected and Alone – Los_Angeles.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume4 Chapter3|Chapter 3: The Counterattack Begins – Boy_not_“Dark”.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume4 Chapter4|Chapter 4: Beyond the Two Choices – Duel_Against_R∴C∴O∴(for_Save_Mother).]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume4 Epilogue|Epilogue: That Human Returns – Science_Side,Interrupt.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume4 Afterword|Afterword]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume4 Ending|?]]

[[Image:GT vol 5.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 5 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume5|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume5 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume5 Prologue|Prologue: Visitor from Picture Book Land – Girl_Name_is_“ALICE”.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume5 Chapter1|Chapter 1: A Year Ending, a Wallet Emptying, a Struggle Ensuing – Winter_Vacation.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume5 Chapter2|Chapter 2: The Rescue Puzzle Sits Before You – Travel.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume5 Chapter3|Chapter 3: Welcome to a World Without the Goddess’ Protection – Difficulty_the_ABYSS.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume5 Chapter4|Chapter 4: If Someone Remains to be Saved – Final_Exams_“Handcuffs”.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume5 Epilogue|Epilogue: Even If Your Hand Leaves Mine – Not_Enemy.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume5 Afterword|Afterword]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume5 Ending|?]]

[[Image:GT vol 6.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 6 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume6|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume6 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume6 Prologue|Prologue: You Lose Less Weight Than You Would Think – Dying_Hungry.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume6 Chapter1|Chapter 1: Go Get That New Year’s Eve Job – Away_SHIBUYA,31.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume6 Chapter2|Chapter 2: Goddess of the Night, the Moon, and Witches – “ARADIA”x03.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume6 Chapter3|Chapter 3: The Transcendent Blossoms – Sabbat_VS_Witch_Hunt.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume6 Chapter4|Chapter 4: What’s Wrong With Being Only Human? – Save_the_Stray_Devil.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume6 Epilogue|Epilogue: The Record Needle Skips – Irregular_Counter.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume6 Afterword|Afterword]]

[[Image:GT vol 7.jpg|300px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 7 Preview ([[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:_Genesis_Testament#Upcoming:|Release Date]])===

::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume7 Prologue|Prologue: Capture the Powerful Witch – Happy? New_Year!!]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume7 Chapter1|Chapter 1: Happy New Hell, Another Year of Panic – KOTATU_Syndrome.]] (Preview Only)


[[#toc|'''<small>Back to Contents</small>''']]
<div style="clear:both;"> </div>
</div>

==Side Stories==

{{Toaru:Side Stories}}

==Official Parody Stories==

{{Toaru:Parodies}}

==Story Calendar==

{{Toaru:Calendar}}

==Project Staff==

*Supervisor: ''None Designated''
*Project Manager: '''[[User:OH&S|OH&S]]'''

===Translators===
'''ACTIVE'''
:*'''[[User:Js06|Js06]]'''

===Editors===

'''All editors that can speak and write English proficiently are welcome.'''
:*''Editors list has been cleaned due to inactive editors. Editors are welcome to add their names again if they are still editing or proofreading.''--[[User:OH&S|OH&S]] ([[User talk:OH&S|talk]]) 11:44, 11 April 2017 (CEST)

==Series Overview==

{{Toaru:Series Overview}}

==More Information==
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index The wikipedia article]
*[http://www12.atwiki.jp/index-index/ とある魔術の禁書目録　Index] (日本語、そしてネタバレの危険性がある！)
*[http://toarumajutsunoindex.wikia.com/wiki/Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index_Wiki Toaru Majutsu no Index Wikia]
*[http://r-s.sakura.ne.jp/w/i_m.htm Kiyotaka Haimura website]

[[Category:Light novel (English)]]
[[Category:Dengeki Bunko]]
[[Category:Kazuma Kamachi]]

[[Category:Genre - Action]]
[[Category:Genre - Comedy]]
[[Category:Genre - Fantasy]]
[[Category:Genre - Harem]]
[[Category:Genre - Sci-Fi]]
[[Category:Genre - Supernatural]]

Template:Toaru:Brief

2022-09-02T19:27:59Z

January:

[[Image:To Aru Majutsu no Index new cover.jpg|250px|thumb|New Illustration Art]]
<p><span style="color:mediumblue"><u>'''''Toaru Majutsu no Index'''''</u></span> (とある魔術の禁書目録（インデックス）, lit. ''A Certain Magical Index'') is a Japanese light novel series written by [[:Category:Kazuma Kamachi|Kazuma Kamachi]] (鎌池和馬) and illustrated by Kiyotaka Haimura (はいむらきよたか). The series is published by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASCII_Media_Works ASCII Media Works] under their [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dengeki_Bunko Dengeki Bunko] imprint. There are currently '''{{#expr: 45 + 6 + 5}}''' published volumes of the novels, including '''5''' side story volumes. Regularly placing in the top 10 of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kono_Light_Novel_ga_Sugoi! Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi!] rankings, it was named the <big><u>'''Best Novel Series of 10 Years'''</u></big> in Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! 2014. A sequel novel series titled <span style="color:midnightblue"><u>'''''Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index'''''</u></span> (新約 とある魔術の禁書目録（インデックス）, lit. ''A Certain Magical Index: New Testament'') began publishing in 2011 and concluded in July 2019 with its 23rd installment. A new sequel novel series titled <span style="color:darkblue"><u>'''''Souyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index'''''</u></span> (創約 とある魔術の禁書目録（インデックス）, lit. ''A Certain Magical Index: Genesis Testament'') began publishing in 2020.</p>

<p>The series has produced a manga with '''27''' published volumes, three anime seasons based on the contents of the original novels and inspired a PSP game. The anime adaptation has also inspired an animated film titled <span style="color:purple"><u>'''''Gekijōban Toaru Majutsu no Index: Endymion no Kiseki'''''</u></span> (劇場版とある魔術の禁書目録（インデックス）エンデュミオンの奇蹟, lit. ''A Certain Magical Index the Movie: Miracle of Endymion'') which in turn inspired a PSP game tie-in and manga adaptation with '''2''' published volumes. Furthermore, the series has collaborated the Cyber Trooper Virtual-On series with a novel, a manga adaptation with '''3''' published volumes and a sequel PS4/Vita game.</p>

<p>The series has also produced a spin-off manga titled <span style="color:crimson"><u>'''''Toaru Kagaku no Railgun'''''</u></span> (とある科学の超電磁砲（レールガン）, lit. ''A Certain Scientific Railgun''), which currently has '''17''' published volumes and has also been adapted into three anime seasons and inspired an OVA and a PSP game as well as its own spin-off: <span style="color:lightcoral"><u>'''''Astral Buddy'''''</u></span>, which has completed serialization with '''4''' published volumes. A second spin-off manga titled <span style="color:darkslategray"><u>'''''Toaru Kagaku no Accelerator'''''</u></span> (とある科学の一方通行(アクセラレータ), lit. ''A Certain Scientific Accelerator'') has completed serialization with '''12''' published volumes and has recently been adapted into an anime. A third spin-off manga titled <span style="color:coral"><u>'''''Toaru Kagaku no Mental Out'''''</u></span> (とある科学の心理掌握(メンタルアウト), lit. ''A Certain Scientific Mental Out'') began serialization in mid 2021 and currently has '''1''' published volume.</p>

Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Epilogue

2022-06-20T16:10:57Z

January: /* Epilogue: Four Girls+ */

==Epilogue: Four Girls+α==

Misaka Mikoto stared out the school’s window.

Tokiwadai Middle School once more took up one corner of the School Garden. That of course meant a section of District 7 and not some newly formed sky city.

That plan had fallen apart after Empress Resanerié’s defeat. The debate representatives who had been assisting her had not known of her true objective, so their motivation hadn’t lasted long once they began to lose.

“I’m amazed it all worked out in the end.”

“Did you say something, Misaka-saaan?”

Sparks crackled between the two of them.

“I didn’t know you could manipulate enough memories to erase an incident of that magnitude. Your Mental Out is starting to look like pure evil to me.”

“I can’t make such a broad command without Exterior’s help.”

“The end result was the same.”

“It’s your obsession with the ends rather than the means that leads you to childishly take the shortest route to your goal, Misaka-san.”

Shokuhou Misaki had not in fact altered the memories of Academy City’s 2.3 million people or the earth’s 7 billion.

She had focused on a few specialists and online influencers.

Everyone thought it had all been a surprise event put on by the five schools meant to show off the School Garden’s technology. That explanation claimed it had been a largescale demonstration meant to overwhelm their rival schools of Nagatenjouki and Kirigaoka.

That was enough to convince most people.

Although Mikoto thought it looked more like the people were so desperate for some kind of simple explanation that they leaped at that one as if grasping at straws.

(Maybe the absurd scale of the entire School Garden taking flight actually helped us out there.)

Shokuhou winked.

“And, Misaka-san, you modified all the electronic records from cameras and sensors, didn’t you? Memory ability is so vague and untrustworthy, so that level of freedom scares me a lot more.”

“I can’t do anything that broad without the Misaka Network. And that’s made up of the Sisters, so it feels wrong for me to connect to it without their permission. For that matter, there are more computers and mobile devices around the world than there are people. I can’t possibly hack them all. There would be a real shortage of semiconductors if I tried.”

“The end result was the same, wasn’t it?”

“The way you pretend to understand and stop thinking tells me you really are a fellow middle schooler. It’s almost cute.”

Mikoto had only hacked a few Tokiwadai servers.

When the adults from outside the School Garden investigated, they would find a plan for the surprise buried deep on the servers and that would make the explanation more convincing.

People were easily tricked.

And the people who were afraid of being tricked tended to check one layer deeper for confirmation.

They never considered the possibility of further layers below that, so they convinced themselves the layer they had searched out themselves was the end of it.

A certain someone had once concluded those two girls could easily commit the perfect crime if they worked together.

(I can’t believe I had to take a lesson from the people running those Sisters experiments.)

Mikoto frowned in utter disgust.

It had also helped them that Resanerié’s megaphone had used an itching chemical to help manipulate the listeners’ emotions.

Afterwards, none of it felt real to the affected people, like they had dreamt it all.

That said, it scared her that Academy City was so flexible everything could go back to normal after such a major incident. She appreciated it at the moment, but it reminded her a little too much of when so many clones were being slaughtered in the streets and no one noticed.

She needed to be careful.

People tended to accept any cruelty or absurdity with little resistance when that was the more convenient option for them. Mikoto and Shokuhou’s Level 5 powers were the ultimate example of that. They barely noticed anymore since it was so normal for them, but nothing could seem more absurd to the ordinary people who couldn’t use those powers.

Needless to say, this was a double edged sword.

If they grew too accustomed to using these absurd powers, they would end up no different from the researchers lurking in the dark side. In fact, they had already seen more than one Level 5 who had fallen to Academy City’s darkness.

(Well, we should consider ourselves lucky there isn’t any friction left between the students and teachers.)

Memories were malleable.

When people were forcibly presented with an objective “fact”, they would cling to it. Just like people would conclude their memory was wrong if the spellchecker didn’t recognize the spelling they remembered.

Shokuhou had focused her efforts on the popular people who set those standards. Mikoto had planted decoy documents to corroborate what they said.

No one wanted to go back to their school life with lingering memories of executions that nearly happened, so the students and teachers would accept the conclusion presented to them.

The School Garden’s flight had been a surprise event.

The students’ calls of guilty had been a group psychology experiment carried out under special circumstances, so it had been no more than a legal game.

Each and every one of them simply thought they hadn’t been informed.

Even the teacher who had nearly been hanged would accept that as the truth because it was a much more comfortable thing to believe.

No one there had known anything about that at the time, but once they were given the explanation after the fact, they would adjust their own memories to match.

Only Shokuhou could rewind a mind after receiving the true spoilers.

“I hear you didn’t alter Resanerié-san’s memories.”

“After all the changes I did make, it probably would have been easiest for her if I had simply erased all memory of her horse.”

Shokuhou sighed before sticking out her tongue like a small child.

“But I didn’t like that idea.”

“An unusually good decision for you. It won’t be easy for Resanerié-san, but I’m sure she thanks you.”

“I notice you’ve changed what you call her. Hee hee. Resanerié''-san''?”

“Might as well be polite now that I have no reason to fight her. (And now that I know the whole truth, I hate to admit I find her kind of cool.)”

“''Sigh. Someone really needs to keep an eye on you, Miss Ace.''”

“''Learn to hide your hotblooded side better before saying that, Miss Queen.''”

Mikoto heard the cheerful high society voices of the afterschool students.

“I can’t believe how little it takes to transform the students here into ''that''. It’s kind of scary.”

“Their lives are scheduled out from good morning to good night, their manners, etiquette, academic performance, and esper power are all criticized, and they’re even forced to conform to a complete stranger’s aesthetic sense. That’s like asking them to become ticking time bombs of stress. The most dangerous part is how most of them aren’t even aware of their own stress, so they don’t do anything to relieve it. That’s why the tiniest pinprick is enough for them to explode.”

“You seem awfully relaxed, Shokuhou.”

“And you seem ultra carefree, Misaka-san.”

Now that they had shared the bare minimum of information, their meeting was at an end.

The two Level 5s turned away from each other and walked toward opposite ends of the hallway. Mikoto and Shokuhou weren’t all that different from the other students, but they hadn’t fallen for Resanerié’s tricks. That was because they were aware of their stress and thus worked to relieve it.

So a pinprick wasn’t going to get much of a reaction out of them.

“Now, then.”

(The real MVP this time was Kongou-san for getting the School Garden back in place. I really can’t thank her enough.)

Despite everything that had happened, Yugure Tsumebakei still wanted to take her entrance exam for Tokiwadai. Mikoto didn’t know what the girl’s dream was, but she apparently had something she really wanted to do at Tokiwadai. There was nothing Mikoto could do for her now. Whatever her circumstances, she would pass if she had what it took.

Mikoto pulled out her phone and arranged to meet with the daughter of Kongou Airlines. The usual swim team duo was apparently with her.

“There’s that done. Now I can invite the others to hang out.”

She met up with Shirai Kuroko.

“Onee-sama.”

Shirai teleported them both out of the school. Once out of the School Garden, they were in District 7.

“Oh, there they are. Misaka-saaan!!”

“Hey, Misaka-san, have you heard the rumor of the Blue Gekota? Oh, who am I kidding? You probably knew about it before I did.”

Uiharu Kazari and Saten Ruiko were waiting for them. Kongou Mitsuko’s group would be at the meetup point they had arranged in this same district.

Mikoto flicked something with her thumb: an arcade coin.

“Honestly. Never a dull moment in this city.”

<noinclude>
{{Toaru_Nav|prev=Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Railgun_Chapter4|next=Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Railgun_Afterword}}
</noinclude>

Template:Toaru:Side Stories/Long SS

2022-06-20T16:10:39Z

January: /* A Certain Scientific Railgun */

<div class="mw-customtoggle-Long mw-customtoggle-LongClose mw-customtoggle-LongOpen" style="background:#ecf2ce;cursor:pointer" align="center">'''<big>Long Stories</big>'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible" style="text-align:left;margin:5px5pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:100%" id="mw-customcollapsible-Long">
'''These are novel-length side stories published separately from the main series.'''

[[Image:SP.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===Toaru Majutsu no Index SP ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Volume_SP|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Volume SP Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Volume SP Chapter1|Stiyl Magnus]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Volume SP Chapter2|Mark Space]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Volume SP Chapter3|Kamijou Touma]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Volume SP Chapter4|Uiharu Kazari]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Volume SP Afterword|Afterword]]

[[Image:RAILGUN SS1 01 001.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===Toaru Kagaku no Railgun SS: Liberal Arts City ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS1|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS1 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS1 Chapter1|Chapter 1]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS1 Chapter2|Chapter 2]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS1 Chapter3|Chapter 3]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS1 Chapter4|Chapter 4]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS1 Chapter5|Chapter 5]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS1 Chapter6|Chapter 6]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS1 Chapter7|Chapter 7]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS1 Chapter8|Chapter 8]]

[[Image:INDEX Norse Mythology 01 001.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Norse Mythology===
::*Illustrations
::*Chapter 1: The Whereabouts of the Restraints — GLEIPNIR.
::*Chapter 2: When Will We Outgrow Tropical Countries? — YMIR's_ocean.
::*Chapter 3: The True Meaning of Environmental Protection — RULIC_letters.
::*Chapter 4: This and That About Life — ALFAR.
::*Chapter 5: Marine Prison — NAGLFAR.
::*Chapter 6: The Best Moment — BIFROST.
::*Chapter 7: The Destination of Salvation — GUNGNIR.
::*Chapter 8: The One who Teaches the Secret Rune — VALKYRIE.

[[Image:RAILGUN SS2 01 001.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]

===Toaru Kagaku no Railgun SS2: Shopping Mall Demonstration ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS2|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS2 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS2 Chapter1|Chapter 1]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS2 Chapter2|Chapter 2]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS2 Chapter3|Chapter 3]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS2 Chapter4|Chapter 4]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS2 Chapter5|Chapter 5]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS2 Chapter6|Chapter 6]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS2 Chapter7|Chapter 7]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS2 Chapter8|Chapter 8]]

[[Image:RAILGUN PSP.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===Toaru Kagaku no Railgun PSP===
'''All links below are external links to [https://jerutz.wordpress.com/ JeruTz Translations]'''
::*[https://jerutz.wordpress.com/railgun-psp-tutorial/ Tutorial]
::*[https://jerutz.wordpress.com/railgun-psp/railgun-psp-chapter-1/ Chapter 1: Longicorn of the Vacant Lot]
::*[https://jerutz.wordpress.com/railgun-psp/railgun-psp-chapter-2/ Chapter 2: Disciplinary Guidance]
::*[https://jerutz.wordpress.com/railgun-psp/railgun-psp-chapter-3/ Chapter 3: Grim Reaper Kakiko]
::*Chapter 4
::*Chapter 5
::*DLC Chapter

[[Image:INDEX RtE Cover.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===Toaru Majutsu no Index: Road to Endymion ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Road_to_Endymion|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Endymion Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Endymion Chapter1|Chapter 1]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Endymion Chapter2|Chapter 2]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Endymion Chapter3|Chapter 3]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Endymion Chapter4|Chapter 4]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Endymion Chapter5|Chapter 5]]

[[Image:INDEX Necessarius Cover.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Necessarius Special Entrance Exam===
::*Illustrations
::*Chapter 1
::*Chapter 2
::*Chapter 3
::*Chapter 4
::*Chapter 5
::*Chapter 6
::*Chapter 7
::*Chapter 8

[[Image:INDEX Virutal On Cover.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: A Certain Magical Virtual-On ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Virtual On|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Virtual On Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Virtual On Preface|Preface]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Virtual On Prologue|Prologue]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Virtual On Chapter1|Chapter 1]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Virtual On Chapter2|Chapter 2]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Virtual On Chapter3|Chapter 3]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Virtual On Chapter4|Chapter 4]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Virtual On Epilogue|Epilogue]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Virtual On Afterword|Afterword]]

[[Image:Railgun Cold Game Cover.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun_Cold_Game|Toaru Kagaku no Railgun: Cold Game]]===

<br style="clear:both"/>
[[Image:RailgunSS3 cover.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===Toaru Kagaku no Railgun SS3 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS3|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS3 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS3 Chapter1|Chapter 1]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS3 Chapter2|Chapter 2]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS3 Chapter3|Chapter 3]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS3 Chapter4|Chapter 4]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS3 Chapter5|Chapter 5]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS3 Chapter6|Chapter 6]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS3 Chapter7|Chapter 7]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:RailgunSS3 Chapter8|Chapter 8]]

[[Image:Biohacker_cover.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Biohacker ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Biohacker|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Biohacker Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Biohacker Chapter1|Chapter 1]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Biohacker Chapter2|Chapter 2]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Biohacker Chapter3|Chapter 3]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Biohacker Chapter4|Chapter 4]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Biohacker Chapter5|Chapter 5]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Biohacker Chapter6|Chapter 6]]

[[Image:AgneseSS_cover.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===Toaru Majutsu no Index SS: Agnese’s Magic Side Work Trial ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:AgneseSS|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:AgneseSS Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:AgneseSS Chapter1|Chapter 1]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:AgneseSS Chapter2|Chapter 2]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:AgneseSS Chapter3|Chapter 3]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:AgneseSS Chapter4|Chapter 4]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:AgneseSS Chapter5|Chapter 5]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:AgneseSS Chapter6|Chapter 6]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:AgneseSS Chapter7|Chapter 7]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:AgneseSS Chapter8|Chapter 8]]

[[Image:Railgun_cover.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===A Certain Scientific Railgun===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Prologue|Prologue: Four Girls]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Chapter1|Chapter 1: Shirai Kuroko Does Not Hesitate]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Chapter2|Chapter 2: Saten Ruiko’s Messy Bloodbath Paradise☆]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Chapter3|Chapter 3: Uiharu Kazari Can Do Real Work Too]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Chapter4|Chapter 4: Misaka Mikoto and the Death of Class]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Epilogue|Epilogue: Four Girls+α]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Afterword|Afterword]]

[[#toc|'''<small>Back to Contents</small>''']]
<div style="clear:both;"> </div>
</div>

Toaru Majutsu no Index:Railgun Chapter2

2022-06-05T11:39:16Z

January: /* Part 1 */

==Chapter 2: Saten Ruiko’s Messy Bloodbath Paradise☆==

===Part 1===

Saten Ruiko was a first year in middle school.

Her hobby was keeping up with the latest trends. That included gathering rumors, especially the creepy urban legends. She didn’t delight in learning about other people’s misfortune and not all urban legends were of the bloody horror variety. For example, there was the story of the Kesaran Pasaran, a white fluffball creature that brought happiness to whoever found it. So all she did was gather every rumor she could find, whether it was good or bad, but she was aware that her methods of gathering information could be a bit lacking in morals.

As an esper, she was officially designated a Level 0.

She felt like she had gotten over her issues with that, but she also had to wonder if fully eliminating that complex would also eliminate any future chance of growth.

The bell signaling afterschool freedom rang.

The black-haired girl with all the latest rumors could look cheerful, but she still carried a lot of baggage inside. But she didn’t let that get her down as she threw open the door where her friend awaited her.

She had arrived at Judgment Branch 177.

“Uiharuuun☆ You in herrre?”

No response.

The lights were on and the A/C was running, so her friend had probably only stepped out for a moment. There were important case files in here, so the door wasn’t meant to be opened by outsiders without a key.

Saten scanned the room from right to left.

“Hmm. If she’s not here, maybe this is my chance to use this.”

She pulled a small plastic bag from her skirt pocket. It contained a powder even redder than lipstick.

A video teaching how to make professional grade fake blood used for filming movies had gone viral. This recipe was notable for being made from black bean cider, ketchup, and other ordinary items found at any discount store, so it was being used in a lot of prank videos. As a modern girl, Saten was more interested in making a viral video than in the cruel fake blood itself, but it was human nature to want to try it out.

Anyone could make it, it could be stored long term when powdered, and you only had to add it to water and microwave it when you wanted to use it.

She wasn’t sure what she wanted to use it for, but it did sound convenient.

“Let’s see. Measure out the right amount of water in the cup, stir the red powder in, and stick it in the microwave. Wow, they’ve got an industrial 1500 watt one. I only need to heat it for 40 seconds in this.”

Never mind that people often talked to themselves and hummed when preparing to prank someone because that emphasized that it was only a joke and helped reduce the guilt they felt on a subconscious level.

“Done!”

The mug was now filled with a warm and thick dark red liquid.

The color, texture, and even rusty smell were incredible. She even felt faint when she thoughtlessly took a deep breath. It contained black bean cider, starch, strawberry oden, ketchup, paint, and more. According to the VR instruction video that worked by using her sideways phone as simple goggles, it dried in around 15 minutes after touching air just like real blood and, even after being wiped up with a rag, it would produce the same bluish-white light after being sprayed with a luminol reagent. It was so realistic and hard to distinguish from real blood that it had a substance clearly not found in real blood intentionally mixed in to avoid misunderstandings if Anti-Skill or Judgment were called in after a prank gone wrong.

Still, it was a thick, dark red liquid.

Leaving the mug sitting out made for a nice psychological horror image. Add a few hairs to the rim of the red mug and Uiharu would probably fall on her rear in fright when she returned, but that wasn’t enough. Saten pulled out a few plastic bags about the size of the soy sauce packets taped to convenience store bentos, poured some of the fake blood into each one, and stuck her hand inside her uniform. The packets were made to be sealed with the heat of your mouth after you filled them with soy sauce or whatever other condiment you wanted. Discount stores had pretty much anything you could want these days.

“Hot, hot, hot. One here, one here, and maybe one in my hair.”

She couldn’t have the red mug and spoon giving away the prank, so she brought them to the water heater area and stuck them inside the AI robot dishwasher. Then she took a look around. Blades like a kitchen knife or fruit knife would be too dangerous for a prank, so she was hoping for a blunt object.

She saw a black plastic object leaning against the wall nearby.

“Huh, what’s this?”

She reached out toward the long, heavy rod. It was as long as or a bit longer than a bamboo sword and seemed sturdier than the brooms or mops that students uninterested in cleaning the classroom would use more as toys. Was it something like a pestle stretched out nice and long? It said “police staff” on the side, but she wasn’t sure how to read the kanji since she relied on her phone so much for that kind of thing.

She did a quick search on her phone.

“Police staff. So it’s like a bigger version of a police baton?”

It looked like it was used to hit and arrest people. Unlike a special police baton, it wasn’t collapsible. Someone could maybe hold it to look threatening as a guard at the entrance of the branch office, but it looked unwieldy to walk around with. She wasn’t sure if it was really used when out on patrols, or if it was only meant for training.

Her eyes widened when she saw the label near the grip: polyhydroxybutyrate plastic. That meant it was the same biodegradable plastic used in eco-friendly mineral water bottles. She recalled seeing an ad between online videos talking about that.

“Neat, so they even make these things so they’ll return to nature. I guess that’s just the age we live in.”

Anyway, it was just what she wanted.

It felt nice and solid when she picked it up. A long blunt weapon was the perfect option here.

The desktop computer beeped. A look at the flatscreen LCD monitor showed it was synced with Uiharu’s phone location. The victim would be here soon.

Saten Ruiko placed a hand on the center of her chest and took a deep breath.

Then the branch office door opened.

'''End of preview. The full novel will be released on June 10.

Template:Toaru:Awards

2022-04-30T19:19:15Z

January: 2021-2022 update

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<span style="color:white">'''Switch OPEN and CLOSED Sections'''</span></div></big>

<div class="mw-customtoggle-2008" style="width:420px;background:#cee0f2;cursor:pointer" align="center">'''Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! 2005 - 2008'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:left;margin:5px20pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:420px" id="mw-customcollapsible-2008">

<center><u>'''Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (このライトノベルがすごい!) 2005'''</u></center> 
*22nd Place in Best Novel Series, Kamachi Kazuma

<center><u>'''Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (このライトノベルがすごい!) 2006'''</u></center> 
*43rd Place in Best Novel Series, Kamachi Kazuma

<center><u>'''Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (このライトノベルがすごい!) 2007'''</u></center> 
*14th Place in Best Novel Series, Kamachi Kazuma
*9th Place in Best Male Character, Kamijou Touma

<center><u>'''Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (このライトノベルがすごい!) 2008'''</u></center> 
*15th Place in Best Novel Series, Kamachi Kazuma
*3rd Place in Best Male Character, Kamijou Touma
*29th Place in Best Male Character, Accelerator 
*11th Place in Best Female Character, Misaka Mikoto 
*5th Place in Best Character, Kamijou Touma 
</div>

<div class="mw-customtoggle-2010" style="width:420px;background:#cee0f2;cursor:pointer" align="center">'''Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! 2009 - 2010'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:left;margin:5px20pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:420px" id="mw-customcollapsible-2010">

<center><u>'''Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (このライトノベルがすごい!) 2009'''</u></center> 
*4th Place in Best Novel Series, Kamachi Kazuma
*2nd Place in Best Male Character, Kamijou Touma 
*11th Place in Best Male Character, Accelerator
*5th Place in Best Female Character, Misaka Mikoto
*3rd Place in Best Character, Kamijou Touma
*9th Place in Best Character, Misaka Mikoto

<center><u>'''Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (このライトノベルがすごい!) 2010'''</u></center> 
*9th Place in Best Novel Series, Kamachi Kazuma
*12th Place in Best Illustrator, Haimura Kiyotaka
*1st Place in Best Female Character, Misaka Mikoto
*3rd Place in Best Male Character, Kamijou Touma
*11th Place in Best Male Character, Accelerator
*3rd Place in Best Character, Kamijou Touma
*6th Place in Best Character, Misaka Mikoto
</div>

<div class="mw-customtoggle-2011" style="width:420px;background:#cee0f2;cursor:pointer" align="center">'''Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (このライトノベルがすごい!) 2011'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:left;margin:5px20pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:420px" id="mw-customcollapsible-2011">
*1st Place in Best Novel Series, Kamachi Kazuma
*1st Place in Best Illustrator, Haimura Kiyotaka
*1st Place in Best Male Character, Kamijou Touma
*2nd Place in Best Male Character, Accelerator
*11th Place in Best Male Character, Hamazura Shiage
*28th Place in Best Male Character, Acqua of the Back
*1st Place in Best Female Character, Misaka Mikoto
*3rd Place in Best Female Character, Index
*7th Place in Best Female Character, Itsuwa
*14th Place in Best Female Character, Last Order
*1st Place in Best Character, Kamijou Touma
*2nd Place in Best Character, Misaka Mikoto
*3rd Place in Best Character, Accelerator
</div>

<div class="mw-customtoggle-2012" style="width:420px;background:#cee0f2;cursor:pointer" align="center">'''Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (このライトノベルがすごい!) 2012'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:left;margin:5px20pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:420px" id="mw-customcollapsible-2012"> 
*2nd Place in Best Novel Series, Kamachi Kazuma
*2nd Place in Best Illustrator, Haimura Kiyotaka
*2nd Place in Best Male Character, Kamijou Touma
*4th Place in Best Male Character, Accelerator
*23rd Place in Best Male Character, Hamazura Shiage
*1st Place in Best Female Character, Misaka Mikoto
*15th Place in Best Female Character, Index
*24th Place in Best Female Character, Last Order
*2nd Place in Best Character, Kamijou Touma
*3rd Place in Best Character, Misaka Mikoto
*5th Place in Best Character, Accelerator
</div>

<div class="mw-customtoggle-2013" style="width:420px;background:#cee0f2;cursor:pointer;cursor:pointer" align="center">'''Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (このライトノベルがすごい!) 2013'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:left;margin:5px20pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:420px" id="mw-customcollapsible-2013">
*2nd Place in Best Novel Series, Kamachi Kazuma
*3rd Place in Best Illustrator, Haimura Kiyotaka
*1st Place in Best Female Character, Misaka Mikoto
*12th Place in Best Female Character, Index
*26th Place in Best Female Character, Last Order
*2nd Place in Best Male Character, Kamijou Touma
*3rd Place in Best Male Character, Accelerator
*28th Place in Best Male Character, Hamazura Shiage
*2nd Place in Best Character, Misaka Mikoto
*4th Place in Best Character, Kamijou Touma
*5th Place in Best Character, Accelerator
</div>

<div class="mw-customtoggle-2014" style="width:420px;background:#cee0f2;cursor:pointer" align="center">'''Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (このライトノベルがすごい!) 2014'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:left;margin:5px20pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:420px" id="mw-customcollapsible-2014">
*3rd Place in Best Novel Series, Kamachi Kazuma
*'''1st Place in Best Novel Series of 10 Years, Kamachi Kazuma'''
*1st Place in Best Illustrator, Haimura Kiyotaka
*1st Place in Best Female Character, Misaka Mikoto
*5th Place in Best Female Character, Index
*13th Place in Best Female Character, Shokuhou Misaki
*2nd Place in Best Male Character, Kamijou Touma
*4th Place in Best Male Character, Accelerator
*30th Place in Best Male Character, Tsuchimikado Motoharu
*1st Place in Best Character, Misaka Mikoto
*3rd Place in Best Character, Kamijou Touma
*6th Place in Best Character, Accelerator
</div>

<div class="mw-customtoggle-2015" style="width:420px;background:#cee0f2;cursor:pointer" align="center">'''Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (このライトノベルがすごい!) 2015'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:left;margin:5px20pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:420px" id="mw-customcollapsible-2015">
*4th Place in Best Novel Series, Kamachi Kazuma
*2nd Place in Best Illustrator, Haimura Kiyotaka
*2nd Place in Best Female Character, Misaka Mikoto
*5th Place in Best Female Character, Othinus
*6th Place in Best Female Character, Index
*9th Place in Best Female Character, Shokuhou Misaki
*2nd Place in Best Male Character, Kamijou Touma
*4th Place in Best Male Character, Accelerator
*21st Place in Best Male Character, Thor
*2nd Place in Best Character, Kamijou Touma
*4th Place in Best Character, Misaka Mikoto
*8th Place in Best Character, Accelerator
*10th Place in Best Character, Othinus
*13th Place in Best Character, Index
</div>

<div class="mw-customtoggle-2016" style="width:420px;background:#cee0f2;cursor:pointer" align="center">'''Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (このライトノベルがすごい!) 2016'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:left;margin:5px20pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:420px" id="mw-customcollapsible-2016">
*7th Place in Best Novel Series, Kamachi Kazuma
*2nd Place in Best Illustrator, Haimura Kiyotaka
*1st Place in Best Female Character, Misaka Mikoto
*9th Place in Best Female Character, Othinus
*10th Place in Best Female Character, Index
*16th Place in Best Female Character, Shokuhou Misaki
*3rd Place in Best Male Character, Kamijou Touma
*4th Place in Best Male Character, Accelerator
*2nd Place in Best Character, Misaka Mikoto
*5th Place in Best Character, Kamijou Touma
*6th Place in Best Character, Accelerator
*16th Place in Best Character, Othinus
*18th Place in Best Character, Index
</div>

<div class="mw-customtoggle-2017" style="width:420px;background:#cee0f2;cursor:pointer" align="center">'''Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (このライトノベルがすごい!) 2017'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:left;margin:5px20pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:420px" id="mw-customcollapsible-2017">
*3rd Place in Best Novel Series, Kamachi Kazuma
*1st Place in Best Illustrator, Haimura Kiyotaka
*1st Place in Best Female Character, Misaka Mikoto
*9th Place in Best Female Character, Index
*10th Place in Best Female Character, Othinus
*12th Place in Best Female Character, Shokuhou Misaki
*1st Place in Best Male Character, Kamijou Touma
*3rd Place in Best Male Character, Accelerator
*30th Place in Best Male Character, Kamisato Kakeru
*1st Place in Best Character, Kamijou Touma
*2nd Place in Best Character, Misaka Mikoto
*5th Place in Best Character, Accelerator
*16th Place in Best Character, Index
*18th Place in Best Character, Othinus
</div>

<div class="mw-customtoggle-2018" style="width:420px;background:#cee0f2;cursor:pointer" align="center">'''Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (このライトノベルがすごい!) 2018'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:left;margin:5px20pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:420px" id="mw-customcollapsible-2018">
*26th Place in Best Novel Series, Kamachi Kazuma
*1st Place in Best Illustrator, Haimura Kiyotaka
*1st Place in Best Female Character, Misaka Mikoto
*10th Place in Best Female Character, Othinus
*20th Place in Best Female Character, Index
*21st Place in Best Female Character, Shokuhou Misaki
*23rd Place in Best Female Character, Shirai Kuroko
*3rd Place in Best Male Character, Kamijou Touma
*5th Place in Best Male Character, Accelerator
*14th Place in Best Male Character, Kamisato Kakeru
*20th Place in Best Male Character, Aleister Crowley
*1st Place in Best Character, Misaka Mikoto
*4th Place in Best Character, Kamijou Touma
*6th Place in Best Character, Accelerator
*22nd Place in Best Character, Othinus
*30th Place in Best Character, Kamisato Kakeru
*35th Place in Best Character, Index
*37th Place in Best Character, Shokuhou Misaki
*39th Place in Best Character, Shirai Kuroko
</div>

<div class="mw-customtoggle-2019" style="width:420px;background:#cee0f2;cursor:pointer" align="center">'''Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (このライトノベルがすごい!) 2019'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:left;margin:5px20pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:420px" id="mw-customcollapsible-2019">
*9th Place in Best Novel Series, Kamachi Kazuma
*2nd Place in Best Illustrator, Haimura Kiyotaka
*1st Place in Best Female Character, Misaka Mikoto
*13th Place in Best Female Character, Index
*16th Place in Best Female Character, Othinus
*25th Place in Best Female Character, Shokuhou Misaki
*1st Place in Best Male Character, Kamijou Touma
*6th Place in Best Male Character, Accelerator
*1st Place in Best Character, Kamijou Touma
*3rd Place in Best Character, Misaka Mikoto
*7th Place in Best Character, Accelerator
</div>

<div class="mw-customtoggle-2020" style="width:420px;background:#cee0f2;cursor:pointer" align="center">'''Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (このライトノベルがすごい!) 2020'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:left;margin:5px20pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:420px" id="mw-customcollapsible-2020">
*18th Place in Best Novel Series, Kamachi Kazuma
*'''2nd Place in Best Novel Series of 10 Years, Kamachi Kazuma'''
*6th Place in Best Illustrator, Haimura Kiyotaka
*3rd Place in Best Female Character, Misaka Mikoto
*22nd Place in Best Female Character, Othinus
*3rd Place in Best Male Character, Kamijou Touma
*7th Place in Best Male Character, Accelerator
*5th Place in Best Character, Misaka Mikoto
*6th Place in Best Character, Kamijou Touma
*14th Place in Best Character, Accelerator
*41st Place in Best Character, Othinus
</div>

<div class="mw-customtoggle-2021" style="width:420px;background:#cee0f2;cursor:pointer" align="center">'''Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (このライトノベルがすごい!) 2021'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:left;margin:5px20pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:420px" id="mw-customcollapsible-2021">
*7th Place in Best Female Character, Misaka Mikoto
*7th Place in Best Male Character, Kamijou Touma
*18th Place in Best Male Character, Accelerator
</div>

<div class="mw-customtoggle-2022" style="width:420px;background:#cee0f2;cursor:pointer" align="center">'''Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (このライトノベルがすごい!) 2022'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:left;margin:5px20pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:420px" id="mw-customcollapsible-2022">
*17th Place in Best Female Character, Misaka Mikoto
*18th Place in Best Male Character, Kamijou Touma
*37th Place in Best Male Character, Accelerator
</div>

Template:Toaru Nav/Majutsu GT

2022-04-30T18:56:42Z

January: GT6 update

Toaru Majutsu no Index: Genesis Testament

2022-04-09T15:29:22Z

January: /* GT Volume 6 */

{{Status|Active}}

{{Toaru:Brief}}

'''<big><big><span style="color:green">This page is for the third series of Toaru Majutsu no Index.</span> [[Toaru Majutsu no Index|Click here for the <u>''first''</u> series.]] | [[Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament|Click here for the <u>''second''</u> series.]] <span style="color:red"><big>***</big></span></big></big>'''

==Alternative Languages==
The ''Toaru Majutsu no Index'' series is also available in the following languages:
*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index (Indonesia)|Toaru Majutsu no Index ~ Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)]]
*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index ~ Russian:NT|Toaru Majutsu no Index ~ Русский (Russian)]]
*[[To Aru Majutsu no Index ~ (Spanish)|Toaru Majutsu no Index ~ Español (Spanish)]]
*[[To Aru Majutsu no Index ~ Deutsch (German)|Toaru Majutsu no Index ~ Deutsch (German)]]
*[[To Aru Majutsu no Index ~ Italiano (Italian)|Toaru Majutsu no Index ~ Italiano (Italian)]]
*[[To Aru Majutsu no Index Polski|Toaru Majutsu no Index ~ Polski (Polish)]]
*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index - Français|Toaru Majutsu no Index ~ Français (French)]]
*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index ~Brazilian Portuguese~|Toaru Majutsu no Index ~ Português Brasileiro (Brazilian Portuguese)]]

(Note: Translation progress varies for each version.)
----
Visit the [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/index.php Baka-Tsuki Project Forum] to discuss this series and other information from Baka-Tsuki.

==Story Synopsis==


<big>''This series is a direct sequel and continuation of '''[[Toaru Majutsu no Index]]''' and '''[[Toaru Majutsu no Index: New Testament]]'''.''</big>

Science and magic exist side by side in this world.

This is the peak of the science side with a curriculum for espers, Academy City. In this city where 80% of the population are students, the season has finally come when all residents are excited and fidgety!

It's Christmas Eve.

Amidst the city showing a cheerful hustle and bustle, ordinary boy who can’t keep up with school, Kamijou Touma, also doesn’t intend to miss this event! He was hard at work in his supplementary lessons...

A backward glance from the default misfortune-prone bastard, the silver-haired sister freeloading in his dormitory, Index, in the heart pounding scene different from the usual, activates a new gluton skill!? While Kamijou tries to desperately stop that, Misaka Mikoto taken in by the Christmas Eve atmosphere appears before him.

==Awards==

{{Toaru:Awards}}

==Translation==
'''Translators Needed'''

If you would like to help translate this series, please post in the forums [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=3505 here], and we will help you get started. Thank you.

===Registration===

Those who wish to contribute are asked to notify a supervisor beforehand.

Translators are asked to <big>'''<u>[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Registration Page|register]]</u>'''</big> which chapters they're working on.

===Format Standards===
'''Every edited chapter must conform to not only the general format guidelines, but also this project's own guidelines.'''
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Names and Terminology Guideline|Project-Specific Guidelines: Format, Names, and Terminology]]

'''All edited translations are to be in American English.'''

==Updates==

{{Toaru:Updates}}

==Terminologies==

All terminologies, character information, and other series details are hosted on [http://toarumajutsunoindex.wikia.com/wiki/Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index_Wiki this wiki].

{{Toaru:Mtoggle:GT}}

==The '''''Toaru Majutsu no Index: Genesis Testament''''' series by Kazuma Kamachi==


<div class="mw-customtoggle-Genesis mw-customtoggle-GenesisClose mw-customtoggle-GenesisOpen" style="background:#f2e0ce;cursor:pointer" align="center">'''<big>Genesis Testament</big>'''</div>
<div class="mw-collapsible" style="text-align:left;margin:5px5pxclear:both;font-size:100%;background:transparent;width:100%" id="mw-customcollapsible-Genesis">

[[Image:GT vol 1.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 1 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume1|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume1 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume1 Prologue|Prologue: At an Early Christmas Eve Intersection — Prepare_for_Xmas_Eve!]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume1 Chapter1|Chapter 1: Just Like an Amusement Park — Red_Wear,Big_Bag,and_Flying_Sledge.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume1 Chapter2|Chapter 2: A Changing Academy City, the Night Before — the_24th,Showdown.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume1 Chapter3|Chapter 3: A Dark Conspiracy and a Barrier Gone — Enemy_Use_XXX.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume1 Chapter4|Chapter 4: Interaction with Another World, the Starting Point — “R&C OCCULTICS Co.Ltd.”]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume1 Epilogue|Epilogue: Snow and Crimson Cover All — White_End.(and_Merry_Xmas!!)]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume1 Afterword|Afterword]]

[[Image:GT vol 2.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 2 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume2|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume2 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume2 Prologue|Prologue: The Bloody Christmas Begins — 12/24_to_12/25.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume2 Chapter1|Chapter 1: This is the Real Battle — Home_Ground_Hospital.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume2 Chapter2|Chapter 2: Black Pill, White Snow — and_RED_Rose.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume2 Chapter3|Chapter 3: In the Void of Zero — Contact_6.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume2 Chapter4|Chapter 4: The Phenomenon of Kamijou Touma — Not_Right_Hand.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume2 Epilogue|Epilogue: Greeting Through the Bars — Matching_Complete.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume2 Afterword|Afterword]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume2 Ending|?]]

[[Image:GT vol 3.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 3 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume3|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume3 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume3 Prologue|Prologue: Look What Under I Found Under This Big Rock — OP.“Hand_Cuffs”]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume3 Chapter1|Chapter 1: A Scab Torn Away — City_Warfare.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume3 Chapter2|Chapter 2: Dark Side — Ghost, Android, and…]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume3 Chapter3|Chapter 3: Academy City’s Greatest Taboo — Safety_Zero, Control_Free.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume3 Chapter4|Chapter 4: The Demon Lord’s Young — the_LIGHT.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume3 Epilogue|Epilogue: Cry of a Newborn Darkness — Over_the_C. Point, Now.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume3 Afterword|Afterword]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume3 Ending|?]]

[[Image:GT vol 4.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 4 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume4|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume4 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume4 Prologue|Prologue: A Picture Book that Slipped through the Cracks – Magic_Side,Open.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume4 Chapter1|Chapter 1: The Full Population of Los Angeles is Missing – 26_the_West_Coast_Warfare.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume4 Chapter2|Chapter 2: Suspected and Alone – Los_Angeles.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume4 Chapter3|Chapter 3: The Counterattack Begins – Boy_not_“Dark”.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume4 Chapter4|Chapter 4: Beyond the Two Choices – Duel_Against_R∴C∴O∴(for_Save_Mother).]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume4 Epilogue|Epilogue: That Human Returns – Science_Side,Interrupt.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume4 Afterword|Afterword]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume4 Ending|?]]

[[Image:GT vol 5.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 5 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume5|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume5 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume5 Prologue|Prologue: Visitor from Picture Book Land – Girl_Name_is_“ALICE”.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume5 Chapter1|Chapter 1: A Year Ending, a Wallet Emptying, a Struggle Ensuing – Winter_Vacation.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume5 Chapter2|Chapter 2: The Rescue Puzzle Sits Before You – Travel.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume5 Chapter3|Chapter 3: Welcome to a World Without the Goddess’ Protection – Difficulty_the_ABYSS.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume5 Chapter4|Chapter 4: If Someone Remains to be Saved – Final_Exams_“Handcuffs”.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume5 Epilogue|Epilogue: Even If Your Hand Leaves Mine – Not_Enemy.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume5 Afterword|Afterword]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume5 Ending|?]]

[[Image:GT vol 6.jpg|300px|frameless|right]]

===GT Volume 6===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume6 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume6 Prologue|Prologue: You Lose Less Weight Than You Would Think – Dying_Hungry.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume6 Chapter1|Chapter 1: Go Get That New Year’s Eve Job – Away_SHIBUYA,31.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume6 Chapter2|Chapter 2: Goddess of the Night, the Moon, and Witches – “ARADIA”x03.]] (1/8)
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume6 Chapter3|Chapter 3: – .]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume6 Chapter4|Chapter 4: – .]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume6 Epilogue|Epilogue: – .]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume6 Afterword|Afterword]]

[[#toc|'''<small>Back to Contents</small>''']]
<div style="clear:both;"> </div>
</div>

==Side Stories==

{{Toaru:Side Stories}}

==Official Parody Stories==

{{Toaru:Parodies}}

==Story Calendar==

{{Toaru:Calendar}}

==Project Staff==

*Supervisor: ''None Designated''
*Project Manager: '''[[User:OH&S|OH&S]]'''

===Translators===
'''ACTIVE'''
:*'''[[User:Js06|Js06]]'''

===Editors===

'''All editors that can speak and write English proficiently are welcome.'''
:*''Editors list has been cleaned due to inactive editors. Editors are welcome to add their names again if they are still editing or proofreading.''--[[User:OH&S|OH&S]] ([[User talk:OH&S|talk]]) 11:44, 11 April 2017 (CEST)

==Series Overview==

{{Toaru:Series Overview}}

==More Information==
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index The wikipedia article]
*[http://www12.atwiki.jp/index-index/ とある魔術の禁書目録　Index] (日本語、そしてネタバレの危険性がある！)
*[http://toarumajutsunoindex.wikia.com/wiki/Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index_Wiki Toaru Majutsu no Index Wikia]
*[http://r-s.sakura.ne.jp/w/i_m.htm Kiyotaka Haimura website]

[[Category:Light novel (English)]]
[[Category:Dengeki Bunko]]
[[Category:Kazuma Kamachi]]

[[Category:Genre - Action]]
[[Category:Genre - Comedy]]
[[Category:Genre - Fantasy]]
[[Category:Genre - Harem]]
[[Category:Genre - Sci-Fi]]
[[Category:Genre - Supernatural]]

Index Calendar

2021-09-11T07:30:14Z

January:

[[Image:A_Certain_Unified_Calendar.png|900px|thumb|none|An unofficial calendar of events in the Toaru Majutsu no Index franchise]]

==Current Dates Across Franchise==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Name!!Material!!Issue!!Current Date in Material
|-
|<span style="color:blue">'''Toaru Majutsu no Index'''</span>||'''Light Novels'''||'''GT4'''||27th of December
|-
|<span style="color:blue">'''Toaru Majutsu no Index'''</span>||''Manga''||Ch. 159||~12th of October
|-
|<span style="color:crimson">'''Toaru Kagaku no Railgun'''</span>||''Manga''||Ch. 133||~15th of October
|-
|<span style="color:darkslategray">'''Toaru Kagaku no Accelerator'''</span>||''Manga''||Ch. 63||14th of September
|-
|<span style="color:deeppink">'''Astral Buddy'''</span>||''Manga''||Ch. 30||~3rd of October
|-
|<span style="color:darkviolet">'''Toaru Kagaku no Dark Matter'''</span>||''Manga''||Ch. 4||~8th of September
|-
|<span style="color:gold">'''Toaru Kagaku no Mental Out'''</span>||''Manga''||Ch. 2||
|-
|<span style="color:blue">'''Toaru Majutsu no Index'''</span>||Anime||Ep. III-26||31st of October
|-
|<span style="color:crimson">'''Toaru Kagaku no Railgun'''</span>||Anime||Ep. T-25||~11th of October
|-
|<span style="color:darkslategray">'''Toaru Kagaku no Accelerator'''</span>||Anime||Ep. 12||~8th of September
|}

==Brief Notes not currently in Calendar==
===Index: Old Testament===
===Index: New Testament===
===Index: Genesis Testament===
===Railgun===
===Accelerator===
===Astral Buddy===
===Dark Matter===
===Mental Out===

Return to [[Toaru Majutsu no Index|'''Toaru Majutsu no Index Main Page''']].

Toaru Majutsu no Index:NT20 Bonus

2021-09-11T07:25:09Z

January: /* New Testament 20 Bonus Short Story */

==New Testament 20 Bonus Short Story==

It’s not too late to sign up and enjoy! Spread your wings overseas this Christmas and New Year’s!!

“…”

“…”

There was no consensus of opinion online, so they bought a vacation magazine at a convenience store during the night.

Misaka Mikoto very politely crouched down in front of the store and flipped through the pages while Shokuhou Misaki peered over her shoulder. Normally, that alone would have been enough to get them blown away by the hellish dorm manager, but they were already outside the city.

Academy City had completely ceased functioning.

If this kept up, even prestigious Tokiwadai Middle School would remain closed indefinitely.

“How about Venice?” asked Shokuhou.

“You want to visit a city full of canals in the chilly December weather? And since you’re Miss Unathletic, you’ll probably flip over a gondola and fall in.”

“Did you think it would sound endearing if you added ‘miss’? Then how about we head to the Southern Hemisphere? Yes, given the season ability, we could go diving in the Great Barrier Reef.”

“Your face is too close. Our cheeks are touching! And isn’t Australia caught in the middle of this mess?”

“Then let’s stick to the standards: Neuschwanstein Castle!!”

“Isn’t that in Germany? It’ll be covered in snow. And if you want to see a pointy castle, wouldn’t it be faster to visit that amusement park?”

“Misaka-san, are you one of those people who think they’re clever for finding fault in everything?”

Shokuhou childishly pouted her lips…but they did not really have a good reason to travel together. Perhaps they were feeling lonely.

Those two were surrounded by many other high-class girls breathing into their hands or rubbing their thighs together.

“Oh, my, my, my. Misaka-sama and Shokuhou-sama are getting along so well…”

“Everything will be fine if we let those two take care of it. Hee hee hee. I wonder what destination they will choose.”

“Kill, kill, kill. Why is that bee girl with my Onee-sama? Kill, kill, kill, kill…”

Perhaps they were all feeling lonely.

Mikoto slowly sighed.

“Let’s see. Is there any location where we can get an accurate picture of the current situation? And preferably somewhere where we can relax.”

A safe and comfortable environment was important, but information was even more important. Information from different kinds of people had unique flavors, so it was important they went somewhere with people from many different countries and regions. That way they could listen to a variety of opinions and gather information from multiple angles. So even if it was somewhat dangerous given the chaotic situation, they wanted to head overseas.

“I don’t know how the world’s chaos ability is related to Academy City, but we need the city to recover as quickly as possible. With this so soon after the heat wave, do you think the infrastructure is dying?”

“…We still don’t know if the two are related at all. We might run around like this and find it was just a coincidence.”

That thought naturally turned their attention toward a resort site. The problem was that the actual locations would be very different from what the internet showed them on their 5-inch or 7-inch screens. Anyone could see how silly it would be to falsely claim you are a world traveler while speaking with people anonymously. But while it would be one thing if you were just chatting, that information was too unreliable when lives were on the line.

They wanted to know what was happening.

But 53 countries around the world were directly under attack. They would learn nothing from randomly running around. If they wanted to know the truth, they could not just head to the warzones that seemed to still be growing in number. They first needed to figure out what part of the world to focus on.

“New Caledonia, Iceland, Rio de Janeiro. Hmm…”

Every single candidate was foreign. These girls had rarely ever left Academy City, but they did know foreign languages and they did have passports.

“Achoo!” sneezed Shokuhou. “Ugh, tremble tremble.”

“How about you go back inside and buy some coffee?” suggested Mikoto.

“My pride will not let me touch those chemical-filled drinks they sell at convenience stores. Shiver, shiver.”

“If you can say the ‘shiver, shiver’ part out loud, I’ll assume you’re fine.”

Tokyo was very cold in the winter.

They longed for some warm sunlight.

Those worldwide girls’ eyes stopped on a certain page and they cried out in unison.

“That’s it! Bali! Let’s go to Bali!!”

Now.

…While thinking of the state of the world, these girls had carelessly chosen an island of eternal summer, but what swimsuits would they wear?

<noinclude>
{{Toaru_Nav|prev=Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Kagun_SS|next=Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:Dengeki_25th_Leaflet}}
</noinclude>

Index Calendar

2020-12-27T14:05:19Z

January: /* Current Dates Across Franchise */

[[Image:A_Certain_Unified_Calendar.png|900px|thumb|none|An unofficial calendar of events in the Toaru Majutsu no Index franchise]]

==Current Dates Across Franchise==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Name!!Material!!Issue!!Current Date in Material
|-
|<span style="color:blue">'''Toaru Majutsu no Index'''</span>||'''Light Novels'''||'''GT3'''||26th of December
|-
|<span style="color:blue">'''Toaru Majutsu no Index'''</span>||''Manga''||Ch. 155||11th of October
|-
|<span style="color:crimson">'''Toaru Kagaku no Railgun'''</span>||''Manga''||Ch. 130||~17th of October
|-
|<span style="color:darkslategray">'''Toaru Kagaku no Accelerator'''</span>||''Manga''||Ch. 63||~10th of September
|-
|<span style="color:deeppink">'''Astral Buddy'''</span>||''Manga''||Ch. 30||1st to 7th of October
|-
|<span style="color:darkviolet">'''Toaru Kagaku no Dark Matter'''</span>||''Manga''||Ch. 4||~8th of September
|-
|<span style="color:blue">'''Toaru Majutsu no Index'''</span>||Anime||Ep. III-26||31st of October
|-
|<span style="color:crimson">'''Toaru Kagaku no Railgun'''</span>||Anime||Ep. T-25||12th of October
|-
|<span style="color:darkslategray">'''Toaru Kagaku no Accelerator'''</span>||Anime||Ep. 12||~8th of September
|}

==Brief Notes not currently in Calendar==
===Index: Old Testament===
===Index: New Testament===
===Index: Genesis Testament===
===Railgun===
===Accelerator===
===Astral Buddy===
===Dark Matter===
*Dark Matter Chapters 1-4 occurs over 3 days and starts on the same day as Accelerator Chapter 1.

Return to [[Toaru Majutsu no Index|'''Toaru Majutsu no Index Main Page''']].