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Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Chapter4

2026-09-21T14:42:24Z

Ultranova17:

==Chapter 4: Roar into the Dark Night – Death_Sentence_for…==

===Part 1===

The Tower of London was one of England’s most famous tourist destinations. Did people want to see something frightening, or did they want to gawk at a shameful part of the world-famous British Empire? Despite its gloomy image, the number of tourists hoping to experience some history there was so great that entrance restrictions had been put in place to avoid overtourism.

But most of the people listening to the tour guide with their wireless earphones and snapping photos with their phones were shown to the exit without ever learning the truth.

The Tower of London was full of labyrinthine corridors blocked off with “keep out” signs and ropes. …And in the deepest depths, it was still being used for the same purpose it had in its heyday.

That is, as a secret prison for magicians run by the state.

Another location in London could not have been more different.

Within gorgeous Buckingham Palace, Queen Elizard was relaxing.

Specifically, she was wearing a track suit and lying on a fancy sofa.

Knight Leader, standing nearby, was a thoroughly trained warrior, so he did not bring a hand to his forehead. Because his tough mind could drive out any temptation!

“The Anglicans have made some moves and I thought you should know.”

“Right,” said a lazy voice.

For the queen, Buckingham Palace was simply her home. She must have felt free to lie around in whatever outfit she liked.

“You mean about those Asians…the Amakusas, was it? That they’ve disappeared.”

“After their terrible failure in Academy City, they have gone into the mountains to rethink themselves. Their letter came with a paper charm linked to their priestess. In an emergency, we can curse that to inform her.”

“What kind of people do the Japanese think the British royal family are? The world-famous Queen of the United Kingdom will not use any sinister curses.”

Elizard sighed.

That group took everything unnecessarily seriously.

The ''pure'' Anglican magicians like Stiyl and Isabella would be hanging around in a Westminster cafe or something as if nothing had happened.

“The other notable action by the Anglicans would be Dion Fortune. She is still their Archbishop, but she is effectively boycotting her job. She is not responding to any of our calls.”

“They’re starting the ''trial'' without their leader signing off on it. I can understand her annoyance.”

“This is not a slight against Fortune’s own abilities. The suspects include a personal friend of hers. So unfortunately she cannot be considered an impartial judge this time.”

Knight Leader’s calm explanation was well reasoned.

But at the same time, he was aware it was a gentle slope where the path ahead continued to narrow down as ''only'' the least risky options were taken. A shadow hung over the young man’s face.

Elizard also sighed.

(What a pain. The one who tears apart the bonds between people and obstructs their evolution, huh? You’re still going strong even after death, Lola Stuart.)

“So what happens now?”

“Given the severity of the issue, they cannot allow the Archbishop to issue an indulgence and acquit him. In order to eliminate Fortune’s personal influence…''the eleven'' will handle this one.”

Queen Elizard grimaced at Knight Leader’s response.

This was unusual for the queen who would calmly laugh off any international problem and eagerly seek a resolution.

“I don’t like them very much.”

“But they are necessary. This must be done fairly and impartially, with no loopholes. Isn’t that why you still haven’t gotten rid of them?”

That was true, but she didn’t have to like it.

Elizard got up from the fancy sofa.

She glanced outside the window, but she couldn’t see the Tower of London from here.

“Narthex, was it?”

“Yes.”

“And Hamazura Shiage.”

Knight Leader said nothing further.

Because he simply had trouble grasping what the queen was getting at. He was mildly surprised that she even knew the name of a foreigner like Hamazura Shiage.

Her eyes still out the window, Elizard spoke with sorrow in her voice.

“Then today’s ''witch trial'' could be nothing but misfortune and disaster for those two.”

===Part 2===

She wasn’t foolish enough to descend directly into a British airport.

So her plan was to first enter France under a fake name and then pass through the Channel Tunnel to reach London.

It was late at night.

She didn’t think she had taken even ten steps from the train.

Takitsubo Rikou found Leivinia Birdway standing in front of her on the giant station platform.

“Way too obvious. On the magic side, England has long seen France as its greatest enemy. Why would you try to sneak in on the most watched route? You should have at least tried stowing away aboard a ship from Spain or the Netherlands. Although those holes will be filled given another two weeks.”

She was speaking English of course.

And with a proper British accent that would sound out of place in America or Australia. Birdway had no obligation to speak Takitsubo’s language.

The confident blonde girl took a sip of the drink a subordinate handed her and then stared at the bottle’s label in disbelief.

She demonstrated her lack of concern by taking her eyes off of the enemy directly in front of her.

“Ew, gross… Hey, Mark, what the hell are you making me drink? It tastes like the paint used to make glass bottles shine.”

“It is mineral water, boss. And a luxury Swiss product. It costs more than a cup of the tea you love to give trivia about despite not making it yourself.”

“Natural water? You mean water from the ground!? European groundwater is far too dangerous to drink without boiling it first. At the very least, no self-respecting Brit would touch the stuff. No wonder my body instantly rejected it. We might be outdoors and on the streets, but the correct choice is to prepare a safe and tasty cup of tea. And I mean you should do that, Mark, since you’re just standing around stealing your wages.”

“Look at all this work I am doing, boss. Every last thing crammed into the pages of my notebook is something that should be your job as head of the cabal.”

Apparently that man in black did not demand his mistaken boss change her ways. Simply pointing out the mistakes and letting shame do the work apparently wasn’t just a tool of Japanese bureaucracy.

Takitsubo ignored all that and interrupted in Japanese.

“If I would have been caught regardless, why did you take the risk of contacting me? Are you also planning to-”

[[Image:GT_Index_v16_BW5.jpg|thumb]]

“Nah, I don’t really care about Hamazura Shiage.”

“…”

“Don’t give me that look. And don’t try to bluff without even a two of a kind in your hand. Making threats without any idea how to fight is also known as suicide. Also, you seem to be staring intently at the cards in your hands, but are we even playing European poker here? Or is it Japanese seven bridge? You can’t even guess at the rules for how you battle a magic cabal.”

Birdway chuckled.

That was all.

But the next thing Takitsubo knew, she was surrounded. By men dressed in identical black suits.

Their numbers alone weren’t the problem.

(I’m a tracking expert, but ''I didn’t even notice their approach''.)

This was what happened to an information expert skilled enough to slip out of Academy City.

It was like the relationship between an old-fashioned radar facility and a strategic stealth bomber. She had been shown the truth before the fight even began: if she tried to resist, she would be unilaterally slaughtered.

They were right in front of her, yet they had had so little presence it was like watching shadows stand up from the ground.

They were being managed on that level.

It was that sort of game.

“I understand being worried from your point of view. You might not know what exactly a witch trial entails, but it isn’t a term that inspires optimism. Especially when a friend of yours is involved and you can’t just watch on pretending you know what’s happening.”

“You make it sound like you do know what it means.”

“Because ''that'' is the world I fight in.” Birdway shrugged. “For example, have you heard of a tool called the Spanish Spider?”

“?”

“It’s a set of metal hooks that open and close like scissors or pliers. The four sharp points stab into someone’s back and then they’re lifted up using a pulley on the ceiling. The poor victim’s back muscles and fat are torn through by their own weight. And, of course, it isn’t just some bluff – it was actually used.”

“You…”

“There’s also a torture device modeled after millstones. The victim’s body is placed between a pair of stone pieces designed to rotate in the opposite direction of each other and are then ''slowly'' rotated until they confess. Torture devices are not some unique form of technology. They’re based on objects found in everyday life.”

“…”

“The rack, the garrote, Lissa's iron coffin – there are so many other cruel options. There are as many ideas as there are stars in the sky, yet not a one of them is a benevolent tool. It really is cruel. People love to say human nature is good, but this is a wonderful example of what humans produce when they gather together and lose control. If you want a detailed explanation of any of them, just let me know. Unlike those holy men and women, we aren’t bound by any requirement to always remain good. So unlike those arbiters of justice who go to so much trouble, we won’t underestimate the cruelty of the actions or the number of victims. We will tell you the unvarnished truth. And that is the path that Narthex and Hamazura Shiage are headed down now.”

It was true Birdway knew more about this than Takitsubo.

And yet Birdway had said she didn’t care about Hamazura.

“We in the Dawn-Colored Sunlight are interested in The Girls – Narthex in this case. Those presents were left by Great Demon Coronzon and rival Grimoire Library Index Librorum Prohibitorum. That sealing magic user would be a tremendous asset if we could get her. …That said, she is a superweapon created by the Anglican traitor Lola. ''She belonged to their enemy, so it isn’t entirely clear that she belongs to the Anglicans''. Nevertheless, they took her back from Academy City and are attempting to get the death penalty for her in the Tower of London. Right before my eyes!! What a waste it would be to execute a genius like that!”

“You make it sound like you wouldn’t care if she was executed if she weren’t a genius.”

“Because it’s true. I’m not opposed to the death penalty, but I don’t actively support it either. If you want to avoid the death penalty, then show me how it would benefit me and I’ll help you out. But I see personality as a part of someone’s talent and I don’t need a duplicate trump card. ''And I already have one exception who can pleasantly manipulate me.'' Oh, and I don’t mean my sister. Little sisters are a category all their own.”

It wasn’t that Leivinia Birdway didn’t know who Hamazura Shiage was.

Yet she didn’t even need to think about it.

These were the words of someone who chose people based on a hierarchy. In a way, that coldhearted side was necessary to lead an organization.

“You want to save Hamazura Shiage. He’s getting a trial, but it’s effectively a fixed game and it’s been predetermined he’ll be executed, so I understand you’re impatient. But you don’t even know where he’s waiting for execution, do you? Ha ha ha. Searching the ordinary police and court records online from France isn’t going to turn anything up. This is being done under another system entirely: magic. The people who can’t be judged by ordinary laws won’t be managed by the public institutions that operate under ordinary laws, now will they? But someone still needs to punish them for the sake of peace and safety. Let me guess: you couldn’t even find the name Hamazura Shiage in the immigration database.”

“…”

“Is that silence your habit when you can’t find an answer for me? If so, it’s pretty cute.”

“I doubt you will tell me the answer. It doesn’t benefit you any.”

“Right you are.”

Takitsubo heard a quiet sound.

From the side of her neck.

“''I can’t help you. Because I’m not all that interested in Takitsubo Rikou of Academy City.''”

She couldn’t resist.

Not when one of the men in black – the one named Mark – had chopped her at the perfect angle with the perfect speed.

===Part 3===

“…”

Hamazura Shiage heard a scratching sound.

He was facing the wall.

The musty stone wall was extremely hard and also unpleasantly damp.

He sat in a prison cell straight out of a storybook. A proper prison wouldn’t have been allowed to keep its inmates in such unsanitary conditions.

“Ahh.”

''Scratch, scratch, scratch, scratch.

Plus, he hadn’t been given any kind of trial. He didn’t know where he was, but he had never heard of a defendant being thrown in prison before being found guilty or not guilty. In fact, no one had even told him what country’s laws he had violated.

But when cut off from the rest of the world by these metal bars, no one would hear him if he complained about the unfair treatment. …Not that anyone would bother listening to what a villain had to say.

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.”

SYSTEM.

System, system, sisstum!!”

Hamazura dug his nails into the wet stone wall, but not because he was trying to dig through the wall and escape. Information was spilling from his mind. Rapidly. Just like it was hard to explain your dream to someone no matter how wonderful it had been.

He had seen it.

In that final moment, he had seen ''something'' behind Kamijou Touma.

Yet it kept spilling away. Only the clear word SYSTEM remained as the information broke down like flesh sloughing off the bone.

Even though he couldn’t afford to forget that information.

Was it a mechanism, a framework, or a hierarchy? Was the definition so large it couldn’t all fit inside his tiny human brain? Or did the great system running the entire world have the power to mess with the contents of his mind?

He didn’t know.

He didn’t understand.

He couldn’t answer.

He couldn’t comprehend.

If he could only remember what he had seen behind Kamijou on that day, he could have given the answer so easily!! Even though this was crucial information he couldn’t afford to forget!

“Are you alright?”

“Kh.”

The scratching had stopped.

He heard a voice.

He wasn’t imagining it…he thought. Because this wasn’t coming from inside his cell. It was a physical voice vibrating the air and reaching his eardrums from the cell across the stone corridor.

He recognized the voice.

The girl seated on the cold stone floor looked terribly chilly. Something about her seemed different from when he had seen her before. After some thought, he realized something was missing: the coat she had worn. Her second brain. ''Had she had her brains confiscated as a dangerous weapon?

She was curled up and trembling.

It looked like the cold was gradually draining her life away.

But even in that state, she had called out to Hamazura.

Even she couldn’t stand to see him like this.

“Narthex…was it?”

“Yes. I am mother’s sister.”

He didn’t know what that meant exactly.

But he could imagine it was important enough to her she had to restate it.

“Mother put you through a lot. Since she is gone, I will apologize for her. Hamazura Shiage, you were an ordinary person with no part in this, so you shouldn’t have ever seen this hidden side of the world.”

Aneri…was gone.

No, she might be hiding somewhere on the network even now, but this musty prison made of thick stone walls and metal bars didn’t have any electronics capable of using her. His cracked phone was gone and, hard as it was to believe, the place didn’t even have electronic locks on the doors or basic security cameras.

Instead of being lax about security, it meant they regularly did things they didn’t want to leave any record of for even their own people to see.

That idea brought a bone-chilling dread.

This place was fully cut off from civilization. No one in the world would find out what happened here.

Here he would learn all too well how the toxic torture and execution devices only seen in storybooks were ‘'actually'' used.

The powers of civilization could do nothing in this locked room.

It was a bad match for Aneri.

Escaping with help from technology was less than a dream.

“I did have a part in it.”

“?”

“Coronzon saved my life. No, mine isn’t the one that matters. She saved Dion Fortune and Takitsubo Rikou, my friend and my girlfriend. It was probably only on a whim, but I can’t just pretend it didn’t happen. Without her help, I would’ve lost two things I value more than my own life. So I did have a part in it.”

“Even I find it hard to believe that mother would save someone for nothing in return.”

“Weren’t you taken in and raised by Coronzon?”

“Because she had a definite purpose for me. I am Narthex Coded Cathedral, an expert in seals and encryption. Mother wanted me as a candidate for creating a nemesis for all magicians. Even as her sister, I never did see her truly save someone. That is super rare.”

Maybe so.

When they were in Scotland, Coronzon had told Hamazura that he was free to follow her, but that she intended to use him as bait or a diversion.

“But.”

“What, Hamazura?”

“I’ve also never seen her really and truly abandon an ally and run off.”

Now it was Narthex’s turn to gasp. She may have searched through her memories and arrived at a belated realization.

Yes, Coronzon had lost and Hamazura was alive.

She had not used him as a sacrificial pawn.

She had said she would, but she hadn’t even at the very end.

“…”

Eventually, Narthex spoke in a sulking way.

“…This is a weird feeling.”

“What is?”

“I hated the people who called mother a great demon despite not knowing her. But it’s also annoying to listen to the person who didn’t call her a great demon.”

“Ha ha.”

“What?”

“I was just wondering what Coronzon herself would think if she heard that.”

Was she jealous?

That sounded like the last word one would associate with the being known as Great Demon Coronzon.

But here someone was feeling that way.

Coronzon was gone. That was an indisputable fact. But the survivors were free to wish it weren’t so.

Even the losers had that right.

“Tell me about the Coronzon you knew.”

“You don’t know anything about magic. I don’t even need to encrypt the dangerous information because you wouldn’t understand a word of it.”

“Still.”

Narthex was right.

Was this practice, training, or abuse? Try as he might to comprehend the long strings of words leaving the small girl’s mouth, Hamazura couldn’t make heads or tails of it. If even the most violent lesson would guarantee a win in a global sports tournament if you overcame it, then maybe the many acts of violence could be praised as acts of good. Conversely, if kindness would only lead a child to waste their life after growing up, then that reckless love could be criticized as violence. This was the same. Besides, Hamazura didn’t understand the value of magic, so he had trouble judging what he heard about their relationship as mother and sister.

But Narthex herself sounded proud as she spoke.

That was what mattered.

It was most important that she got out what she was holding inside.

(Man…)

Hamazura sat with his back against the metal bars and listened to what wasn’t even Japanese anymore.

(We really didn’t know anywhere near as much about Coronzon as we thought.)

He heard a wet sound.

One that could easily be described as filthy.

But he said nothing.

Because this seemed far more human than trying to always remain clean and pretty.

“…again…”

“Yeah.”

“I wanted to see mother again. I wanted to hear her voice, rub her head, and tell her it was going to be all right. That’s all I wanted…”

“I know what you mean. It’s the same for me.”

Punching Kamijou Touma and getting back at him wasn’t going to physically change the world.

Coronzon was dead and gone, so it wouldn’t make her happy.

But he had wanted to do it.

Separate from issues of what was right or just, he had wanted to see through his own decision.

“They’re probably going to do something terrible to us.”

“…”

“But memories are easily twisted. We can whitewash them, they can degrade, or we can forget them altogether. They might not stay safe if held by a single person. But if we have several points of view – so we can all remember her from several different directions – then couldn’t we remember who Coronzon was?”

Narthex remained silent for a while.

She may have been suppressing something. A different face than the one she had shown while fighting Kamijou Touma.

But that kind time did not last long.

“…Kh…”

“Hey, Narthex?”

She was doubled over.

Her body looked so small beyond the bars.

Hamazura felt it creeping up on him.

''The unease.

Society, standards, common knowledge – all the unseen threats with which the unjust clashed.

“What is it? Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine…”

“No, you’re not. What happened!?”

“It’s most like…a form of gestaltzerfall…”

Narthex’s brow was furrowed and she held a hand to her head.

From Hamazura’s ignorant perspective, it looked like she was suffering from a headache.

He saw some red on her face.

She had a nosebleed.

Narthex must have noticed because she moved her small hand from her temple to her mouth.

Her reaction was noticeably delayed.

“My mind is specialized for constructing and breaking codes. Sometimes it flashes in my vision… When I look at a single character, it breaks down into its constituent shapes without any meaning entering my mind, or I see complex meaning in meaningless patterns or stains on the wall… Even though I know it’s pointless. Like figuring out a piece of trick art, once you see it, you can’t unsee it.”

What did that mean?

Was she okay?

What kind of headache caused a nosebleed?

Not knowing worried him, but he was also suddenly afraid to find out.

…During the airport incident, Narthex had said she was an unchosen ultimate weapon created by Coronzon. But being immobilized by a headache in the middle of battle like this would be a critical flaw. Then again, she hadn’t ended up like this when she fought Kamijou Touma.

Hamazura thought a bit and then realized why this was happening.

“Your second brain?”

“…”

“''Do you need that coat or you suffer from headaches and dizziness so bad you can’t move''!? That’s not good. That means the pain won’t pass if you clench your teeth and bear it, will it!?”

Curled up and trembling from the cold?

How stupid was he? She had been enduring this pain the entire time! She had put up with having her life worn down by the time wasted inside her cell!!

Hamazura honestly didn’t know what her second brain was, but he thought of it as something that handled mental calculations for her. And he guessed she wouldn’t suffer from this problem as long as it was handling those calculations.

But it had been taken from her.

By the Anglicans who had seen it as a deadly weapon.

“Don’t…blame…mother.”

She had a tremor in her voice.

Even as she curled up on the cold floor and endured the pain, Narthex was worried about the honor of someone who was no longer with them.

“This is my fault for being unable to handle it all. This wasn’t part of mother’s calculations.”

“…”

But.

Hearing this preemptive defense helped clear Hamazura’s mind.

He hadn’t considered this possibility at all until now.

Had Coronzon’s continual honing of Narthex’s abilities actually embedded a fragile vulnerability inside her?

Or…

…''Did she create this vulnerability on purpose''? To more easily control the powerful joker so near her side. As if placing a collar on her.

(I can think about that later. Finding the truth isn’t going to make Narthex’s headache go away!)

“Hey! Can’t you hear Narthex suffering in here!? Surely this prison has a medical room. I’m not just saying to give back her second brain. One of your magic experts has to know some other way of getting rid of this pain, right? If you want to claim you’re the just ones, then you’d damn well better look after the sick! You can’t call it a fair trial otherwise!!”

Hamazura grabbed at the bars and shouted, but there was no response.

This was a prison.

They had to have guards who wouldn’t overlook the slightest anomaly.

A headache.

That one word could have many different causes and symptoms, but that was why you couldn’t just overlook a headache with no known scientific cause. There were headaches that led to death, like subarachnoid hemorrhages and brain tumors.

And this was a headache that caused a nosebleed. …Could that mean whatever was going on in her head was causing bleeding?

“I’m…fine.”

“…”

“It isn’t bad enough yet for the noise to consume my brain. There must be a great number of meaningless corrupted files in my head, but I can live like this. For now.”

Hamazura had a vague idea that Narthex had a special power. An idiosyncratic power different again from Academy City espers. But how far had Coronzon pushed that tiny body to specialize it for that ability? And what had she done to ''accurately control that power from the outside''!? If that had gone far enough, wouldn’t that mean her life was at risk!?

He had wanted to be friends with Coronzon. And couldn’t.

But that didn’t mean she was a good person.

“This is a real power mother gave me. So I will not give it up. No matter what.”

“Narthex.”

Just then, he heard footsteps.

His head snapped around to look in that direction, but he still wasn’t aware what was happening. Because his mind jumped to the idea that they had finally noticed something was amiss and were here to provide help.

As if they would care.

This prison existed to keep Hamazura and Narthex locked up.

These footsteps of the prison’s managers were orderly to the point of mockery. Did the jangling sound come from a ring of keys, or from strange torture devices?

This meant it was finally beginning.

“Unlocking Unconvicted Prisoner Holding Ward of Special Examination Building. Entering ward.”

“Entrance confirmed. Relocking.”

They were called Beefeaters, weren’t they? The guards who entered wore red uniforms straight out of the photos on a tourist website. Hamazura couldn’t say if these were the real ones or if they were something else disguising themselves as part of history.

“Checking on Defendant Narthex.”

“Checking on Defendant Hamazura Shiage.”

He couldn’t understand a word since they were speaking English, but he had definitely heard his name. They were calling him. He knew better than to think it was for anything good.

Blodeuwedd the Bouquet.

That name briefly appeared in the back of his mind…but he couldn’t rely on her.

For one, the Transcendents were ''too'' capricious.

If she hadn’t approved of his treatment here, she already would have broken into the Tower of London and dragged him out. Since she hadn’t, she couldn’t be sticking with him anymore. She was probably helping some other hated person somewhere else in the world.

It was a miracle she had assisted him even once in his life.

He didn’t expect her to continue protecting him a second and third time.

If he wanted save Narthex, he would have to do it himself.

(I need to at least save her.)

A small flame was kindled within Hamazura.

He had a new objective.

There was nothing he could do after discovering it here. But because he had been pushed to the brink of death, he badly wanted a new motivation for action here.

Back in Academy City, he might have mocked this tiny conviction as a drowning man grasping at straw.

(I need to at least save Narthex. ''She didn’t choose this the way I did.'' She was closed off from the world and only ever had Coronzon until now. So she lost control after losing the only thing she ever knew. And unlike me, she had enough power to actually accomplish something there. So it’s wrong to accuse her of the same crime as me. The only sensible thing is to give her a lighter punishment. I’ll make sure it works out that way. Somehow. I don’t know what kind of trial we’ll get, but I need to find some way to save her.)

One of the guards spoke.

“Once the defendants have been restrained, take them to the witch trial.”

===Part 4===

A heavy jangling rang through the darkness.

They had been made to walk a long way with their arms and legs bound by metal chains.

Over and over, the corridor took right angle turns, they ascended and descended spiral staircases, and he had completely lost his bearings.

Was this even still part of the Tower of London? Or were they below some other place?

Hamazura couldn’t make any sense of it.

Eventually, they arrived in a large square room.

It had no windows.

But that didn’t necessarily mean it was underground.

“A…courthouse?”

“Indeed,” someone said from up above. With no expression. “This is a court for divulging and judging magical crimes which must remain undocumented. It has long served as a location for witch trials.”

“Defendants Narthex Coded Cathedral and Hamazura Shiage, we have gathered here to weigh the sins of your souls.”

“Frank, Sheila, Tsumoru, Flourish, Fourier, Serre, Sonnet, Elise, Noel, Thomasia, Eleanor. Judicial role call complete. Eleven Court Officers, take your seats. Court is now in session.”

Eleven Court Officers.

The only part of that Hamazura understood was the number eleven. They appeared to be a mix of genders and races. Or maybe a group like that had been gathered intentionally. And Hamazura had no clue how British courts worked. Was it American judges who used the wooden hammer? They didn’t seem to use them in Japan at least. And what was a ''witch'' trial?

So many people gathered with emotionless masks for faces was intimidating on its own.

He would have found it more of a relief if they were all hiding their faces behind masks like at a masquerade ball

Maybe that was why.

In his extremely confused state, it took him a while to realize he could understand what the Eleven Court Officers were saying.

The trial had already begun.

Tsumoru, was it? Tsumoru Judicial. The one who appeared to be Japanese spoke.

“Narthex Coded Cathedral. Magicians deserve death. For they are magicians.”

“No objection.”

“It is the natural conclusion. With the exception of the few who serve our United Kingdom, it is only fitting for wicked magicians to atone through death.”

“No objection.”

It sounded like a meaningless exchange.

At first, Hamazura had no idea what they had said.

Weren’t they supposed to explain the defendant’s history and the charges against them at length?

“D-death?” he muttered without thinking.

Narthex herself said nothing.

“Did you just say death!? Without even giving this child a second chance at life!?”

Fitting?

To atone through death?

That was natural?

How could they say that to a young life that could probably live another eighty years if she worked at maintaining her health? She should at least be given the chance to turn over a new leaf and live the rest of her life regretting what she had done!

Hamazura’s eyes widened as the court officers moved onto the next part.

This time it was a tall redheaded woman. He remembered her being Sheila, the second one to be named.

“Hamazura Shiage. He is not a magician and did not properly understand Great Demon Coronzon’s value. Thus, he should not be judged under magic law.”

“No objection.”

“An outsider who assisted her without appropriate awareness of the threat and danger she posed cannot be held accountable for that crime. However, a full acquittal could reinforce the misapprehension that ignorance of the law excuses all crime. Thus, I propose he be released after 30 days of disciplinary imprisonment.”

“No objection.”

It all happened so fast.

Like they didn’t want to give him a word in edgewise. And it didn’t look like any of them was going to argue against these decisions.

“Are there no defense attorneys…or witness testimonies?”

“Why should we waste our time with that?”

“Because we have rights!! This trial started less than five minutes ago! I haven’t even had time to learn all you eleven whatevers’ names!!”

“There is no causal relationship between your learning our names and the administration of justice. Thus, it can be omitted.”

He didn’t understand.

It made no sense.

He had helped Coronzon. So he was guilty. But weren’t they at least going to explain ''what'' he had done, ''how'' it had helped her, and ''why'' that had influenced the incident in Academy City!? He didn’t even understand on what basis one of them was sentenced to death and the other would be released!

“W-wait.”

Doing this wouldn’t help his case in this trial.

He could tell that, but Hamazura still set aside those calculations and raised his voice.

Because if this continued, Narthex would be killed.

Even though her crime should have been lighter than his.

“But why am I being released while Narthex is guilty? And why is she being sentenced to death? What the hell is wrong with you!? I was free to choose whatever I wanted and I chose for myself to bet on Coronzon. So I’d get it if you called that a crime. But Narthex was raised without knowing anything other than Coronzon and she was only trying to get that back! So how is it fair for her crime to be heavier than mine!?”

They didn’t bat an eye.

Not the silver-haired brown-skinned man named Frank, not the tall redheaded woman named Sheila, not the Asian man named Tsumoru, not the blonde Hispanic woman whose name he didn’t remember, and not the rest of the eleven. They didn’t even seem to feel any displeasure toward the villains they were judging.

They were not fighting an enemy.

They were determining the fates of human lives as dispassionately as they might complete paperwork at their desk.

Judicial.

The Eleven Court Officers who had all been given that surname spoke impartially.

“Redundant claims are meaningless. If you would like to raise an objection, you must submit additional evidence and counterarguments to add to those we have already prepared.”

But they hadn’t prepared anything.

Plus, how was he supposed to submit additional anything.

He had no lawyer and they had even confiscated his phone. He had been trapped behind bars, unable to contact anyone. He had no way of acquiring any “new evidence” that had to exist out there somewhere in the world! Besides, they hadn’t even said what that new evidence was even supposed to prove!

“Otherwise, our decision will stand and this court will be adjourned,” flatly stated Frank Judicial.

“Coronzon was all Narthex ever had. Her feelings over not arriving in time to see Coronzon’s final moments turned to anger inside her! Surely that counts as extenuating circumstances. But you’re just going to ignore all that and sentence her to death!? Did you forget your human emotions at home!?”

“You could say that. We have no emotions.”

One of the court officers – Elise – brushed back her hair with a hand, revealing a gruesome scar running behind her ear. It was a surgical scar.

“That needless fat has long since ''been physically removed''.”

Hamazura fell silent.

He needed to say something, but the shock and panic were too much for his brain to function.

These people would go that far for their idea of justice?

Meanwhile, the conversation was advancing.

“We eleven have no sense of camaraderie or solidarity. In fact, we exist to monitor each other’s opinions and provide rebuttals.”

“Yet here even we are in agreement. That makes it unanimous.”

Hamazura had fundamentally misread the situation.

They were a precise microbalance. They were a machine that could only review the end result and the material evidence and accurately weigh the crime.

Noel and Thomasia joined the conversation.

“Even if a conclusion hurts our own case, we are willing to accept it if it is correct.”

“Indeed. And mutually understood language is one aspect of impartiality.”

“I do not like that we could not sentence Hamazura Shiage to death, but I cannot ignore the correct conclusion at which I have arrived.”

“If you believe our treatment of Defendant Narthex to be unjust, then proclaim your own justice. If you cannot, then our conclusion cannot change.”

That sounded fair at first, but their tone was dripping with the confidence of one who knew they were asking the impossible.

They were the judges and they were fundamentally cut off from those being judged. They saw the judged as residents of another world, so nothing they did to them could pain them. They were sentencing someone to death, but they had set aside their sense of guilt somewhere. They were following a truly irresponsible flowchart.

“The sentence has been given.”

So the Eleven Court Officers did not ask about motive.

There was no waver or hesitation in Tsumoru Judicial’s voice.

Crime was crime and punishment was punishment.

It was a single definition. So they had no interest at all in the bitter path a criminal had taken before committing their crime.

To them there was no difference between someone attacking and killing a passerby for money to enjoy and someone fighting back and accidentally killing the person about to kill their family.

They had lost track of the fundamental reason that people judged people.

Sheila made a loud pronouncement.

“This sentence cannot be overturned unless new evidence is submitted.”

Crime was crime and punishment was punishment.

''These microbalances took the privileged view that no decent person would ever commit a crime over the course of their entire life.

Frank settled it.

“The sentence is death. If no objections are raised, it will be carried out today. Court is now adjourned.”

===Part 5===

Dawn had yet to brighten the sky.

Magicians had been positioned on the bank of the Thames to indirectly place them around the Tower of London.

Their numbers were far greater than the Anglicans were aware of.

They belonged to the Dawn-Colored Sunlight, the largest modern Western magic cabal in Europe.

“What a pain.”

A girl of around 12 sighed while guarded by men in black suits.

Leivinia Birdway observed the enemy ground without use of binoculars.

“And after I went to all the trouble of scattering the Sitra Achra. I never imagined someone might use sealing magic to condense it again.”

“Is that possible?” asked Mark Space, one of the men in black, sounding skeptical.

They were on the opposite bank of the Thames from the tower.

Specifically, inside a small slanted boathouse built into a filthy pier.

The view through the small window was depressing.

“Possible or not, she’ll do it if she has no other hope.” Birdway munched on the warm vegetable and roast beef sandwich she considered a necessity during lengthy missions. “It’s a bottle. Like that iced tea bottle you’re carrying. Hand it here, by the way. It’s not the bread that’s bad. There isn’t enough butter. Either way, it’s so dry eating it leaves my throat parched.”

“If you say so.”

“Gulp. There are several types of seals, but it’s probably easiest to think of them like trapping a demon in a bottle or box. That means a seal gathers some sort of power to a single location. It is all equally contained no matter how strong or large that power is. So it isn’t hard to more broadly interpret that gathering as a condensing of that power.”

The Sitra Achra that was Great Demon Coronzon’s remains had been scattered to the farthest reaches of the world by Birdway. You could call it a dilution. It left her too thinned out to maintain her mind.

If that was gathered back together to increase the density, then Great Demon Coronzon might indeed be resurrected.

Telesma was a troublesome substance.

Whether she was bisected, torn to pieces, or even blown to smithereens in an explosion…she was essentially a mass of energy just like heat or electricity. No matter how small of pieces she was split into, the total amount was the same once gathered in a single place. And that could mean operating as a great demon once more.

It might not be the Coronzon who Hamazura Shiage and Narthex knew who would make a reappearance, but it would at least be a great demon with the same appearance and function.

“Summonable lifeforms are such strange beings.”

“Of course they are. Even Lucifer was only chained up after being defeated by a sword-wielding archangel – he wasn’t actually killed. Despite his sin of disobeying god being plain to all. …Also, here.”

“The iced tea?”

“How many times do I have to tell you to fill the bottle with nitrogen when carrying it around, you fool? And you call yourself a Brit? Tea’s flavor and color changes in no time after it contacts oxygen.”

“This type of tea is meant to taste bitter. Perhaps it was too mature a flavor for a cheeky brat.”

They began trying to force the bottle with a thick straw into the other’s hands.

“If diluting it across the world isn’t enough to keep it safe, then the only option is to seal away the Sitra Achra and keep it nearby. Based on the idea that it’s safe as long as no one removes the lid… I went with the dilution plan because I don’t like that idea.”

“Yes, most anything that must be guarded to keep it safe can be broken at the slightest provocation.”

“We can’t let the real world be destroyed like something out of a storybook. We need to come up with a new idea. And to buy us the time for that, ''for now'' we need to get our hands on that Sitra Achra.”

This was what the Dawn-Colored Sunlight was after.

“We will manage the Sitra Achra. Which is why I want Narthex.”

She coldly spat out the words.

She was saying she wanted the girl as a tool.

After all, Narthex was a treasure just as valuable as Grimoire Library Index.

From the perspective of one of the largest magic cabals not just in the West but worldwide, it would be a shame indeed if she was executed by the hardheaded Anglicans.

“That said, we are talking about the Anglicans here. Worse, the highly guarded Tower of London. We won’t need Takitsubo Rikou to ''cause a diversion'' as an uncertain factor from Academy City here. I want to set this up so we can get by with only the logic of our magic side.”

“Meaning?”

“I have no interest in Hamazura Shiage of the science side.”

She said it plainly.

While breaking free of someone else’s feelings.

“Boss.” Mark made a suggestion while refueling himself with bite-sized fried fish. “If you really do want to secure Narthex, you need to get moving soon, knowing how sturdy the Tower of London is.”

“Yes. But will we be in time?”

Birdway’s tone was relaxed.

She didn’t seem concerned.

Because she had a completely different goal line here. She had known Takitsubo Rikou would cause a scene if she learned about this, so she had removed that girl from the picture before she could find out.

She had crushed the small possibility that the track suit girl had.

And with that done, she arrived at her conclusion.

“If Narthex has information information on a ''third or fourth'', then it doesn’t need to be Narthex we actually get our hands on. I’m interested in their magical talent, not their external appearance or inner personality as human beings. And information can be extracted from a corpse. So even if Narthex is executed, ''we can still win if we retrieve her body before it is burned'' to deprive her of the possibility of resurrection during the Last Judgment.”

===Part 6===

They were returned to their cells.

They were given no freedom.

After a short rest, the sentence would be carried out.

Hamazura Shiage couldn’t understand why they were given this rest. With people so deficient in emotion, everything felt malicious. He began to suspect they hadn’t killed Narthex on the spot because locking them up where they were helpless to do anything to stop the inevitable execution would draw out as much fear as possible before the execution.

This was the least fair part of it all.

He would stay in his cell like it was a hotel for 30 days and then be set free?

Narthex would be executed this very day?

It was crazy. Completely insane. If their crime was siding with Coronzon, then why was the outcome so different? Hamazura couldn’t celebrate his own result. There was no way this was a fair trial. Coronzon was gone. He knew that, but abandoning Narthex and returning alone to Japan would be no different from spitting on her grave!

It was true prison existed so people could atone for their crimes.

But it was also meant to help people remove the burden of those crimes from their shoulders and get a second chance at life. So they wouldn’t be crushed under the weight of too great a crime! This musty collection of stone was missing something. Something fundamental. Was this place really built and run by the state? It felt more like a cruel lynch mob!!

(Is there nothing I can do?)

He didn’t think there was any way of winning a not guilty verdict in that bizarre trial. Trying to win in court had been the wrong tactic from the start.

Because it was actually true that they had committed a crime. Siding with Coronzon in that situation probably had been wrong. Listing out the accurate information and measuring the weight of their crimes was fine with him. But they hadn’t even been given a proper trial.

They weren’t even given a chance to reject the most oppressive errors.

He had no obligation to go along with that.

Not if the law wasn’t functioning properly here.

He couldn’t let Narthex be consumed by this rogue form of justice.

He wanted to know the exact means by which the death sentence would be carried out. At the very least, he doubted it would be done behind these metal bars. She would be taken to some other place. There might be an opening then.

(I need something. Anything!! I need to at least get Narthex out of this…Tower of London, was it? She’s the sister Coronzon left behind. She’s the kind of person who knows who Coronzon really is and doesn’t call her a great demon!! I need to find some way of getting her out of here!)

“Ha…mazura…”

Narthex looked so small curled up and trembling within the metal bars across the corridor.

Seeing her now, it was hard to believe this was the villain who had used both science and magic to cause so much trouble in District 23.

Hamazura was reminded of a baby bird falling from its nest and dying in silence.

They wouldn’t even need to execute her at this rate.

“I know. I won’t let this stand! There was no justice in that trial! And with that not working right, I have to get you out of here. I’m coming up with a way to do that now, so give me a little longer, Narthex!!”

“You can’t. You’re being released, so trying anything now will only add to your charges and get your release withdrawn.”

“I don’t care!! You don’t call Coronzon a great demon! You’re a living witness of the real Coronzon, not the twisted and distorted version everyone talks about!! So I won’t let you die. Coronzon is dead, but I won’t let what she left behind be taken too!”

“Don’t worry…about that.”

She spoke gently.

Why had she accepted this absurd death sentence?

He had to stop her from talking.

He sensed something.

Something tremendously wrong here.

“I have a trick up my sleeve.”

“Does this look like the kind of cell where you can pick the lock with a wire?”

“You don’t need to grieve mother’s loss anymore. You can hear her name without spitting or weeping, so you need to be happy. So I will make that happen.”

“Hey?”

Something wasn’t adding up.

Something was out of place in a way that filled him with a strange sense of disgust.

Why was Narthex so calm?

She had been unfairly sentenced to death while the Asian arrested for the same crime was being set free. She could easily have felt betrayed and like she had been abandoned in the depths of hell.

Just then, he heard footsteps.

“Kh.”

Many footsteps.

A crowd of them.

It was that incomprehensible group. The atmosphere pushed in at him like an invisible wall or pressure.

Something bad was happening.

That certainty filled his chest.

“You again, Eleven Court Officers?”

“Indeed,” replied Tsumoru Judicial.

There were thorns in Narthex’s voice.

Understandable when they had spat on her “mother” and given her a death sentence.

“What do you want now? I assume you’re already preparing to carry out your idea of justice.”

“Of course,” stated Frank.

It didn’t sound like they were preparing a last meal for the death row prisoner.

“But the most important topic of debate for this court is the existence of Sitra Achra. That is, do the remnants and influence of Great Demon Coronzon still linger in this world? It is our duty in the Anglican Church to manage the magic world and protect the people’s peace, so we must reject every piece of that great demon’s influence. For justice.”

“So executing me isn’t enough? What are you hoping to torture me into confessing?”

“Narthex Coded Cathedral.” This time it was Fourier who spoke. “Unlike that grimoire library, you are a foolish collection of power that failed to contribute to the state, to society, and to the people. You must admit to the fact that you were raised by Great Demon Coronzon and you failed to contribute to society…in other words, ''that you are not a necessary evil''. You failed to improve upon the role given to you and thus the power you bear can only distort our beautiful world. You must admit that you were educated in a unique way and yet you used that power to selfish ends and harmed many people.”

“…”

The redheaded white woman named Sheila took over here.

As if the eleven were a single wriggling mass.

“And as the child of Coronzon, you must admit that the Sitra Achra that are the great demon’s remnants are an impurity that can only harm this divinely-created world and that the survival of even a single fragment would cause many malfunctions in a world that should function flawlessly.”

“And as a criminal, you must contribute to society by fully eliminating that Sitra Achra,” summed up the Asian-looking Tsumoru.

They made it all so overblown, overbearing, and overcomplicated that Hamazura had a hard time working out what they were actually saying.

Hamazura saw Narthex give a quiet snort of laughter.

That was when he realized they were telling her to spit on the grave of her mother.

Great Demon Coronzon was dead.

The dead could not be physically attacked.

The Eleven Court Officers found that so terribly frustrating they had decided to insult Coronzon’s dignity instead. Were they demanding Coronzon’s “child” spit on her grave to take something precious from her and prevent the dead from resting in peace?

But Narthex sounded unimpressed as she spoke from behind the bars.

“Do you really think I can do that?”

“No matter the circumstances, we will acquire the necessary confession from the suspect. That is our job and duty as the Eleven Court Officers.”

“So you’re meant to get a politically and diplomatically convenient confession no matter what the truth might be?”

Narthex’s response to Noel’s answer carried a tone of self-deprecation.

Her young eyes may have been viewing the entire Anglican Church ''including herself''.

“But it’s meaningless. I am Narthex Coded Cathedral. I am a grimoire coder whose job and duty is to prevent the spread of chaos through the world by applying advanced and complex encryption to the unneeded knowledge scattered across the world. I wouldn’t be very good at my job if a little torture was enough for me to cough up the decryption key. The boot, the rack, the cat’s paw – it doesn’t matter what you use. It won’t change my mind.”

The sound of clenching teeth was audible from Hamazura’s cell.

“Besides, I will never accept that mother’s lingering power could destroy the world. And I will never eliminate every last fragment of it. Mother is already gone. I will not let you defile her slumber.”

“Narthex Coded Cathedral – impure egg hidden in the great demon’s hand.” Asian Tsumoru Judicial replied more flatly than a machine. “While we are torture device specialists, we never said we would be using them on you.”

“…? ''You don’t mean''!?”

The small girl’s shoulders shook as if struck and she turned toward Hamazura for some reason.

He didn’t understand.

He heard a metallic click. And felt a metallic chill on his thumbs. Only then did he realize his hands had been pulled together by a steel device positioned around his thumbs.

There hadn’t been anyone in his cell.

And yet.

Two metal panels about the size of a stick of gum were linked by a nut and bolt.

His thumbs were held in the narrow space between the metal panels.

“?”

At first.

Hamazura thought it was a kind of handcuffs. Academy City did in fact have tiny handcuffs that immobilized the wearer’s arms by binding their thumbs together. So he thought this was similar.

But it wasn’t.

He thought it had zapped him.

The thick nut connecting the two panels rotated on its own and incredible pain raced through his thumbs.

Bone pain was unique. It wasn’t like taking a simple punch or kick.

Hamazura was reminded of the pain he felt when he forgot to pull his fingertips out of the way while lowering a heavy wooden box to the floor and caught his fingers between the box and the floor. But this was far worse.

If he had reached his hand into a small gap to try and stop a collapsing stone wall and had his fingers pinched between the stones, this is probably the kind of pain he would have felt.

“Gah!!”

“The thumbscrew is a standard torture device used during witch trials. It was considered so mild it was not even recorded as torture in the official records,” explained Frank with a know-it-all air. “There is less risk of the suspect dying before they can confess than with the strangling garrote or with Lissa's iron coffin that crushes the full body, so you could call it a torture device with greater assurance of confession. ''Even if the thumb bones shatter like glass,'' it will not directly cause death. And the screw can continue to be tightened even after the bones have broken and the flesh has been crushed.”

“Gahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!! Gyahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!”

Unable to bear the pain, Hamazura fell to the side and rolled on the floor.

It hurt. It hurt, it hurt, it hurt, it hurt!! Were his thumbs now nothing more than pain producers!?

No matter how hard he tried to pull his thumbs out from the two metal panels, they wouldn’t budge. And he could see the thick nut continuing to turn all on its own. The panels closed further. He screamed and slammed his hands against the floor, but that did nothing to free him. It only caused a further explosion of pain.

No flashy explosions or dismemberment were needed to cause pain and agony.

The fingers.

They were no more than the furthest extremities of the body. Those small bits of flesh and bone couldn’t account for even 1% of his full body weight. Yet this was enough to feel like his entire body was breaking apart. It shouldn’t have been as bad as being punched and kicked on the pavement, yet this explosion of pain was something else entirely. This caused the maximum pain with the minimum action, it couldn’t be escaped, and the victim wasn’t even allowed to die. This was how the pros caused pain. It wasn’t just a physical matter. It was meant to force a confession. It was a controller that twisted their will and made them speak the words you wanted.

He shouted.

He flailed his legs meaninglessly. All wasted effort.

The quiet straining sound would not stop. No matter what.

“–––––––!!!!”

He could hear Narthex shouting something in the distance. But with the bars in the way, she couldn’t reach him.

The Eleven Court Officers observed his ugly state without batting an eye.

None of them would save him.

His vision blurred.

It took him a moment to realize he was shedding large tears.

He didn’t even have time to feel pathetic. He was well past the point of being able to mentally suppress that. The tears would not stop, as if he had taken poison gas to the face.

This was considered mild? It didn’t even count as torture?

The straining sound was accompanied by his thumb bones being hit by a pain dozens of times worse than a dental cavity. The disturbing pulsation was probably his blood going wild once it had nowhere to go thanks to the crushed blood vessels. His incomprehensible screams would not stop. He could not escape the pain and agony. No matter what he did.

He even considered biting his tongue.

But his jaw was trembling too much to move it.

It was only his thumbs being squeezed, yet his entire body ignored his commands like he was being zapped by electricity. He rolled on the floor and wildly kicked his legs.

“Your encryption saves the innocent people from magicians? Absurd. It is you who are making one of those people suffer here, Narthex.”

“Kh.”

“We eleven have chosen to free Hamazura Shiage. We said so at the start. So the only reason for his suffering is your unnecessary stubbornness.”

''Don’t listen to them,'' willed Hamazura.

You don’t have to listen.

They’re guiding your thoughts. They’re removing all your other options and giving you a shove forward to get you to walk down the path you didn’t want to take. This is the worst form of mind control that changes living people into puppets.

Yet Narthex frantically raised her voice.

“Wait! This is an internal Anglican problem, so stop hurting Hamazura! He isn’t one of us! He isn’t even a magician!!”

“So what?”

“Isn’t the Tower of London meant to accuse wicked magicians!? You have no reason to inflict violence on Hamazura Shiage who isn’t a part of the magic world and isn’t even a British citizen!”

“What does that have to do with our job and duty as the Eleven Court Officers?”

“What happened to your human hearts!?”

“''Oh, that?''”

Hamazura saw something odd in his tear-blurred vision.

Tsumoru Judicial brought a hand to his ear.

No.

To the worm-like scar behind his ear.

Yes.

It wasn’t unfair. They had been shown this once before.

“''We eleven had already had that removed to ensure impartiality in our work and duty.''”

Hamazura heard a gasp.

Narthex now knew they wouldn’t listen on a fundamental level.

This wouldn’t end with just his thumbs.

They would destroy Hamazura’s body one part at a time without batting an eye.

They wouldn’t stop.

Not until Narthex confessed.

(No.)

Hamazura was superfluous.

If he weren’t here, Narthex could have preserved her pride.

(It’s probably over once she speaks. It will trigger the end and there will be no taking it back. I don’t want to be a burden on anyone. That’s the last thing I want. Someone help me. Cover Narthex’s mouth right this instant!! Hanzou…Kuruwa… Takitsubo. Anyone!!)

Thomasia chuckled before continuing.

She had a smile on her lips, yet she didn’t appear to carry any human emotion at all.

“Hurry up and confess or this Japanese boy will never use his hands again. He will be reminded of you constantly in his everyday life. Whenever he can’t hold a glass, write with a pen, or even zip up his pants. He will regret ever letting his feelings get the better of him and assisting a villain.”

“Kh.”

“Or the shock of the pain could cause him to bite his tongue. After all, the pressure of the metal panels on his bones sends any external impact there directly to the bone and nerves. He knows that, but with pain this severe he will be unable to stop writhing. People have no way of enduring pain they have never imagined or experienced before. The pain should be several times worse than drilling into a severe dental cavity. And he has not gone through special anti-torture training where he is exposed to as many varieties of pain as possible to expand his repertoire of experience there. He is not you. I doubt your average person off the street could endure this.”

“So you admit it, Eleven Court Officers. The person you are torturing isn’t even a magician – he’s a normal person!!”

“You are the one torturing him, Narthex Coded Cathedral – you impure leftover of Great Demon Coronzon. You and your wickedness have made him a part of this. We are no more than one face of good. Necessary measures are only necessary as long as something necessitates them.”

“Khh. Then…I’ll say…it.”

Narthex’s face plainly displayed an uncertainty not seen there before.

People have no way of enduring pain they have never imagined or experienced before.

Tsumoru Judicial was right.

If the girl named Narthex had been raised alone by Coronzon, that meant Coronzon had designed her so she would be strongest while alone.

Now that she wasn’t alone, the young girl’s bulwarks had crumbled.

This was a vulnerability Narthex had never had before.

Just like with the thumbscrew, people could not resist a type of pain they had no experience with.

It wasn’t the Eleven Court Officers.

Hamazura was the one who had pushed the girl to this point.

He had supported her.

And thus defiled her soul.

Or so it seemed to him.

Frank did not react in the slightest.

“What exactly will you say?”

“Kh. ''I confess to every thing you want me to say, even if it’s nothing but lies''!!”

“''Excellent.''”

It happened the very next moment.

It truly was less than a second later. It happened so smoothly.

There was a weird noise.

“Gyu!?”

It came from Narthex.

Hamazura looked her way without thinking, but she wasn’t there. Had she suddenly vanished from her cell? No, she hadn’t. He looked up. There she was. Her small body had floated upwards.

It took him a moment to realize the truth.

''She was hanged. She was hung up by her neck.

And to repeat.

It was Hamazura who had pushed her to this point.

===Part 7===

She was in a terribly small and endlessly dark space.

It may not have even been a room.

It could have been a mansion closet or a car’s trunk.

Takitsubo Rikou didn’t have any way of finding out.

She knew Hamazura Shiage was here in London. She knew he had to be in trouble. And yet she couldn’t go save him.

Even though every second that passed could mean she missed the crucial crossroads.

There was no help here.

Both in that ''she couldn’t help him and that no one was coming to help her.

(Hama…zura…)

===Part 8===

The Tower of London.

A prison for locking away prisoners.

Frank Judicial spoke.

“Defendant Narthex knew Coronzon was a great demon but still worshiped her wicked power and chose herself to take the path of depravity. Thus, I have decided she is a wicked magician deserving of death. But she will not receive an official execution. She will suffer an unexplained death in her cell.”

“No objection.”

Hamazura felt the sweat on his face dry up.

Every last drop of it.

“Wait…”

What was this?

When he looked up at Narthex holding her hands to her throat and kicking her small feet so wildly, he thought she was being strangled by her own chestnut hair wrapped around her neck like a scarf. He wondered why she was being killed by her own hair.

But that wasn’t what this was.

A closer look showed an indentation in the hair around her neck. Something as thick as a thumb was wrapped around her skinny neck. Firmly. Tightly. With an unpleasant straining sound. There was no scream. Because her trachea was being compressed.

The color of the young girl’s face changed.

First to a bluish shade, but that gradually grew darker.

She was being strangled.

Hamazura forgot all about his own pain.

“Wait!! What is that? Are you using some kind of invisible rope!? You have to stop! She’s going to die!!”

“She is not dying,” replied Noel offhandedly. While calmly looking up at dangling Narthex. “We are killing her. This is not an accidental death. It is an intentional killing. That is what an execution is. We manage magic law. There is no room for error.”

“Are you insane, you bitch!? This is just a lynching. You’re just forcing your own rules on her and labeling her as deserving of death! What kind of trial is this, goddammit!!!?”

He had hoped hitting them in the face with the volume of his voice would wake them up.

He didn’t know how long Narthex could ''last'' hanging like that.

It wasn’t an issue of how long until she died of asphyxiation.

If her neck broke, it would be over instantly.

So he wanted to get Narthex down from there right away even if it meant angering this lynch mob that held absolute power.

''And yet…

“We thank you, helper from a different world.”

Sheila spoke plainly.

Hamazura heard a smooth sound coming from his hands. The thumbscrew that had been crushing his thumbs like a vise had relaxed. The piece of metal not even 10cm across loosened and fell to the floor. It had caused so much pain and pushed the girl to this point, but the bones weren’t even broken.

Sheila was not being sarcastic.

He even sensed the kindness toward a hard worker in her voice.

“It was your pain, suffering, and the pity you inspired that allowed us to receive such a swift confession. Your weakness dragged out Narthex’s wicked nature. As weak, pathetic, and ignorant as you are, you can still be useful. There is no direct link between being powerless and being just. We thank you for your cooperation in swiftly exacting justice here.”

“What…the hell?” muttered Hamazura in a daze.

All expression vanished from his face.

He couldn’t breathe.

His throat was dry.

Tears spilled from his eyes for a different reason than before.

Why was he so weak?

If only he were one of Academy City’s seven Level 5s.

Or if only he had a ''special power'' in his right hand.

Then this wouldn’t have happened!!

“You mean…she did this for me?”

“Correct,” coolly confirmed Tsumoru.

Hamazura shouted back, trembling from the guilt he felt.

“So Narthex was forced to make an entirely meaningless confession…to end my pain, keep me from suffering, and keep me safe!!?”

“It was meaningful. Because it allows us to kill a wicked magician according to the just law. Whether she took the shortest route or took a lengthy detour, there was only one answer from the start. So the shortest route is preferable. And we could all pave the way to that death for her.”

Fourier described settings things up to kill someone like it was nothing.

Hamazura had never mattered to them.

It hadn’t mattered if he screamed from the torture or stoically endured it. It hadn’t mattered if he survived to the end or if he died before it was done.

If there were a hundred different options here, they had set it up from the start so that they all ended in Narthex’s death. Hamazura’s pain and suffering had only been one point along that path, so it had neither been the means nor the ends.

And a change came over Narthex.

Tears flowed from below the hanged girl’s eyelids.

Except they were black.

And they weren’t even a liquid.

They were a filthy black.

With a speck of red in the center.

They were blacker than soot built up in an engine muffler and they were more sinister than blood spilled on a murder scene. They were some kind of powder finer even than the pollen blowing from the forest into town in early spring. As the black and red powder flowed from Narthex’s eyes, it spilled down her young body.

[[Image:GT_Index_v16_BW6.jpg|thumb]]

Once it fell past her feet to the floor, it rapidly spread out.

It drew out an intricate pattern over a diameter of more than three meters. Hamazura didn’t understand the individual symbols and lines, but the term “magic circle” came to mind.

“We have finally found it. The remnants of Great Demon Coronzon – Sitra Achra,” said Fourier Judicial, spreading his arms.

The others spoke as well.

Frank and Noel and Tsumoru and Thomasia.

“It was not stored within Narthex’s body. It would be more accurate to say this young criminal secretly gathered the Sitra Achra that was spread across the world after the great demon’s death. While imprisoned by us.”

“She likely thought Coronzon could be returned to this world if her scattered remnants were regathered.”

“Less a possession and more a summoning. Sitra Achra… You have composed a spell that will turn any substance coated with this black powder into a tool for summoning Coronzon.”

“Were you ultimately planning to break down the wall between phases? Did you think no one could take away Coronzon’s life and presence as long as you created an environment in which she could be eternally re-summoned even if she was killed or destroyed? Ridiculous.”

It was running wild.

The young girl had said she had a trick up her sleeve.

Was this what she had meant?

She had prioritized a world with Coronzon over her own life.

And risked her life to do it.

Narthex may have thought this would happen to her sooner or later once she was brought to the Tower of London.

So she may have wanted to do something in the very end.

Do something for Coronzon who had raised her.

But.

Even that final wish was easily crushed.

“What does that look like to you, Hamazura Shiage?”

“…”

“Black soot is not an accurate description. You can see a red core in the grains less than a millimeter across, can’t you? They are essentially similar to tiny fish eggs. This is the Sitra Achra spreading endlessly as it awaits its wicked budding.”

“Angels and demons can reside in anything: weapons, charms, clothing, magic circles. Because they are a form of energy that can be contained in objects. Those black and red fish eggs are the result of a wicked plan to spread that concept to the entire world. All objects that come in contact with that black and red – an ordinary kitchen knife, a cutting board, a pencil, an eraser – will be remade into a spiritual item for summoning Coronzon until such things cover the entire planet. No, it will spread even beyond the planet.”

He didn’t care.

None of this mattered.

How could they so calmly discuss this kind of trivia when a young girl was kicking her legs as she was hanged!?

Narthex…was a villain.

No one could erase what she had done in Academy City.

She had to atone for that.

She had to suffer through it herself.

But she was also the kind of person who would agree to give a false confession after seeing a stranger like Hamazura hurt and tortured.

She was a broken and rotted tree, but a young bud had emerged at the base.

Was scoffing and crushing that bud underfoot really the just thing to do!?

Did it even matter if she was a villain to them?

Weren’t they just looking for someone they could get away with attacking?

They had their safe position, protected by the state, so they wouldn’t receive any criticism for any lies and violence on their part. Even as they laughed and attacked as a group!!!

“No…”

Hamazura forced out a scratchy voice.

The unjust would be ostracized. Continuing down the wrong path would only lead to more wounds. That was how the world worked. In a state similar to resignation, Hamazura grasped a vague view of the system of society. ''He was beginning to accept it''. But even so.

“I don’t want to see this kind of justice…”

Would no one save Narthex!? Those Eleven Court Officers were in this hell and there were plenty of guards and other officials, yet not even one of them thought to reach out a helping hand!?

He glared out through the bars of his cell with bloodshot eyes and the young guards looked away.

…Did they really think ''this'' was just?

This twisted act of enjoying the sight of a young girl being hanged?

If they thought it was wrong deep down, then why didn’t they do anything to stop it?

They had proclaimed their justice and hurt people so much before.

They had even taken lives.

But now they were going to turn around and say ''justice wasn’t theirs to uphold''!?

“You bet your life on this last resort and it is a spell that fully relies on another?”

“Did you think we Eleven Court Officers wouldn’t notice this?”

“We counted on this from the start. That is why, Narthex, we killed you ''here'' rather than in court. The Tower of London’s cells are more easily sealed up in a magical sense. Unconnected to the visible metal bars, each room has been fully sealed. Produce these black and red fish eggs all you like – not a one will leave this room. The foolish plan you bet your life on will be fully decontaminated within this room.”

“So this is the girl raised incorrectly by a great demon. We now know how twisted a life becomes when it is never given any true love. The child of a villain will too be a villain.”

“In a way, doesn’t raising a villain such as this prove that Coronzon was no more than a terrible parent?”

This was a first.

They weren’t in court.

So did they think they were no longer bound by their job and duty?

The Eleven Court Officers emitted a wave of emotion very unlike when they were focused on their job and duty.

They were in full off-duty mode.

There was delight.

There was mockery.

There was hatred.

There was scorn.

Even though they had said they had such things removed.

Or was this the result of having those things so thoroughly removed?

These were the emotions of the kind of human who could look up at a hanged girl and call it a job well done.

“–––––! ……!!”

No words left the hanged girl.

What was Narthex thinking now?

She had no way of letting anyone know.

She was being hanged.

Her voice couldn’t leave her.

She had been silenced.

Her complexion wasn’t right either. She couldn’t even produce facial expressions.

Also.

With the black and red grains spilling from her eyelids, the young girl wasn’t even able to shed tears in accordance with her emotions.

Strangled and unable to speak, her right hand left the invisible rope. It dangled down. Hamazura nearly let an indescribable emotion push him to scream, but then he noticed the index finger of her otherwise limp right hand was curved into a hook. That finger alone still carried the strength of her will. And the finger moved to rub along her thigh. It formed words. In Japanese. She was trying to communicate with Hamazura.

He didn’t care what it was.

Even if it was “this is your fault” or “why aren’t you helping me?” The words written there might express resentment or curses he struggled to face, but he swore he would accept whatever it was.

But that wasn’t what he read there.

Her finger wrote out the following message:

''I will bring mother to you, Hamazura.

''So can you pass a message on to her?

''The time I spent with her was the happiest in my life.

“Stop…” he said.

His voice rose to a shout.

“Stop already!! Narthex, Coronzon wouldn’t want this kind of self-sacrifice. A hell where the weak are tormented and forced to carry all the burdens of the world wasn’t her idea of a beautiful world!!”

The hanged girl smiled.

Her finger moved again. This was the desperate cry of a girl who couldn’t speak with her throat crushed. Hamazura strained his eyes to read it.

…''I shall verify the truth through sigillography. A seal is a means of protecting a secret and acts as the essence and heart of all magic. Falsehoods, begone. All mankind desires the faultless truth. Here, I use my own body to complete the seal that ensures the truth.

He didn’t understand.

More than that, this wasn’t even a message to him. It was likely only a portion of her self-sacrificial magic.

She hadn’t listened.

She was being hanged. Her neck in the invisible rope was bearing her full weight. She couldn’t have had much more time.

And.

There was a terribly ominous sound.

And that was that.

The last ounce of strength had left Narthex Coded Cathedral’s young body. Her body swayed slowly side to side like an old clock’s pendulum.

(What…)

Hamazura couldn’t even find his voice.

Nothing he said would mean a thing in the face of this overwhelming result.

(What was the point of risking your life like this? Did you think this would make Coronzon happy!? Coronzon hated her wicked nature and you wanted to bring her back to a cold world where she’s labeled a sister-killer!? There’s no way your mother would have wanted that! Narthex, why would you sacrifice your life for something so wrong!?)

She was a young girl.

She hadn’t even lived as long as Hamazura.

Hers was an immature life that hadn’t had a chance to spread her wings and soar through the larger world of her own will.

She never woke up in the morning to go to school, she never sought the credentials that would let her help people, she never went to see her favorite band live, she never worked a part-time job to save up for something she wanted to buy.

She never played and laughed with a friend and thought about the bright future ahead of her, while never doubting she would grow up, get the kind of job she wanted, and marry someone she loved.

She had never had a chance for any of those normal, natural, and ordinary things.

And yet.

This…''this'' had been her final hope?

If she was going to be killed either way, her idea of the ultimate happiness was to sacrifice herself to summon Coronzon again?

It was rotten.

Twisted.

Messed up.

Disgusting.

“…”

She didn’t care about herself anymore.

She had given up.

She made it look like she had made her own decision, but really she had had her own will stripped from her.

By those eleven.

They had ganged up on her.

Just like a worker being seated over to the window in order to pressure them into retiring.

This was not a trial meant to tell good from evil.

It had been fixed from the start.

''To force death onto Narthex as the final efforts of a villain.

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

Everything was silent.

Or it should have been.

But a shrill noise played endlessly in Hamazura’s head.

A nonexistent ringing in his ears.

What was this?

What was justice?

Had he played a part in this? Had he pressured Narthex by giving into the pain and putting on an unsightly show by pathetically shouting and rolling around? Had he forced her to confess something she didn’t believe…leading to her hanging?

“It is done.”

“It is finished.”

“Another job well done.”

“We must again thank our weak helper for assisting us in the swift execution of justice.”

They were saying something.

And wriggling along.

Those residents of a world Hamazura found so hard to believe in were speaking as a single mass.

Instead of sarcasm or mockery, they sounded truly relieved.

Intense anger burned within him, but what did that matter?

What could he change by yelling and lashing out now?

Coronzon was dead. Narthex was beyond saving too.

If the magic behind that black and red ''sandy stuff'' was really so easy to use, Narthex wouldn’t have bothered coming to Academy City in search of Kamijou Touma after his journey through hell with that preserved corpse called Anna something. She would only have had to prepare this stuff in secret.

Most likely, it was a risky form of magic.

Something she was only willing to use once she was being hanged and knew there was no hope for her.

As Narthex swayed side to side beyond the bars of her cell, there had to be more than just the external damage. She was probably ''broken'' deep inside as well.

So badly that escaping into death was the only way to bear it.

In addition to her death, she had been badly corrupted from within.

What could possibly be done for her at this point?

“It remains a mysterious death in a locked room.”

“Clean up the Sitra Achra. Do not leave a single grain.”

“We must eliminate all evidence that Great Demon Coronzon existed.”

“Just to be safe, leave Narthex Coded Cathedral hanging for ten more minutes. Stopping her heart is not enough. We will only begin the final disposal after her brain has been fully destroyed.”

“All that leaves is to incinerate Narthex’s unclean body. What an easy job this was.”

Hamazura heard something burn through and snap in his mind.

This time, he was actually calm to the very core – so deep down he didn’t know he had these depths within him.

…What kind of final hope was that?

…Narthex was supposed to win if she could break down the barrier between the phases and create a permanent environment where it was ''easier'' to summon Coronzon?

To hell with that, world.

Could it really be that the very goal she was working toward was a mistake?

None of this would bring happiness to Narthex.

And Coronzon wouldn’t want a never-ending ending where she was forever ''stuck'' resurrected as a sister-killer and then unable to die. That would just force Coronzon to forever suffer in her own impurity!

He wanted to see Coronzon again.

But not like this.

Narthex had been forcibly labeled a villain without anyone giving any thought to why she had committed the crime she had. And she was being given a horrific end befitting that label. But conforming to that framework would not bring happiness to mother or sister!!

The invisible outlines that had blurred and vanished into mental oblivion suddenly regathered and grew distinct in Hamazura’s head. He was certain of it. And he wouldn’t let it escape this time.

''Yes, that’s right.

''Hamazura Shiage knows what you are.

''He knows all about this thing that passes off grotesque death and destruction as a happy ending.

''SYSTEM.

The disquiet hovering over the world and society. Now that he knew what hurdle he had to clear, he could begin on the next step. He knew what needed to be done to put together a countermeasure and act on it.

I don’t care what you want.

I won’t let it happen that way. No matter what.

Narthex’s heart had stopped.

It wasn’t just going to restart now.

But her brain was still trying to remain active. Brain cells would become damaged only a few minutes after their oxygen supply is cut off, but there was still time there.

And the Eleven Court Officers had said they wouldn’t even overlook that.

They would keep her hanging until brain death had occurred and, after confirming resuscitation was impossible, they would incinerate her body and dump the ashes somewhere.

That.

That alone he couldn’t let happen.

Despite the extreme situation, the final moment was so very quiet.

And he took one step more.

He passed the limit.

“''I’ve had enough of you sadistic murderers wearing masks of justice''.”

===Part 9===

Craaaaaaaaaaaaaaasssssssssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!

The metal bars were noisily blasted away.

===Part 10===

The bent remnants of metal bars and what had once been a thick stone wall were strewn across the cold prison corridor.

The sound of heavy steel bouncing across the stone floor continued for a while.

Narthex had…not done this.

She hadn’t done anything at all.

The stone wall and metal bars imprisoning Hamazura Shiage had been blasted out from the cell to the corridor. Which only made sense if…''it was done by the person inside that cell.

“…”

Slowly, Hamazura stepped out into the damp, musty corridor.

It looked a lot like he had grabbed the sturdy metal bars and pushed them forward. But he hadn’t. This was a Tower of London cell. The bars here wouldn’t be destroyed so easily.

The distinction between cell and corridor had vanished.

It had all been destroyed.

It was all a single box now.

Narthex suddenly fell from where she had been hanging from something invisible. Hamazura caught her in his arms. As lightly as a feather.

“Khah!”

A choking sound.

A choke of restored breath.

It came from the mouth of the girl he held: Narthex Coded Cathedral. She didn’t seem to understand what had happened to her. And she looked up at the face of the boy who held her.

In utter consternation.

“Ha…ma…? Cough…krjaiv, buyanrl…”

Part of her statement was incomprehensible. But not because her voice was shaking or hoarse. She may have used words unpronounceable by humans.

“…giebdod. qgtisnkgbikl…”

The black and red sandy stuff had stopped.

Hamazura had reclaimed the girl who could cry actual tears.

But he hadn’t saved Narthex yet.

There had to be something lurking within.

He couldn’t just clean her up on the outside. Those black and red fish eggs had come from ''within her''.

And for that matter, there were the standards, the society, the world, the common knowledge – the SYSTEM – that wouldn’t leave a villain be. The giant gears keeping the world in motion were tormenting this small body.

If he wanted to save her, he had to act.

He had to do something.

Yes.

Narthex was not the one in control here.

Hamazura Shiage stood at the center.

The Eleven Court Officers were observing the phenomenon as the executors of justice.

But what had happened here? Needless to say, it was the Eleven Court Officers who ensured the Tower of London’s court operated correctly. The job and duty given to them required they manage it in that way. So how had control of this scene been taken from their hands by the puny helper who was only here to make Narthex suffer!?

Besides, it didn’t even make sense.

He broke the metal bars?

This court and prison had been built with the Anglicans’ world-class abilities in the field of imprisoning wicked magicians. This was something not even an expert magician could manage. There was no other explanation.

Sheila Judicial of the Eleven Court Officers spoke.

“Answer us. What did you just-”

“''Shut your mouth, worm.''”

That was exactly what happened.

Those arrogant Eleven Court Officers were briefly intimidated into silence.

By no more than a puny boy.

They pressured people with their strength and their numbers. Their system decided on a sentence with no concern for the truth of what had happened. If this was the true essence of justice, then Hamazura had no need for it.

He didn’t care if none of the 8 billion people out there supported his decision.

He would do what it took to save this girl who was about to be killed.

(How long…)

He was at his limit.

He felt like his anger would fry his brain.

Anger at the Eleven Court Officers? Or the Anglican Church? No.

None of them mattered.

The anger burning his brain was directed at Narthex.

He wasn’t going to accept that as a way to live your life.

He wouldn’t accept this as a favor for Coronzon.

Space itself seemed to pulsate. The black patterns scattered across the walls, floor, ceiling, and everything else here began to contract on their own, making it all look like a giant heart. Like it was trying to swallow limp Narthex whole.

Sitra Achra.

Sealing magic – the magical encryption used to hide the world’s wisdom – had been used to gather it from across the world. It was in fact a crystal of the Telesma that formed Coronzon.

The idea had been to break down the barrier between phases and create an environment where the great demon was more easily summoned, hadn’t it?

''Something'' would happen soon.

By sacrificing the life of the girl named Narthex.

…Even though Coronzon had tried to destroy the current cruel world and make a new just world in its place because she hated and couldn’t allow things like that to happen. But Coronzon’s feelings were being trampled on as ''it'' called out to forcibly awaken her from the depths. Against her wishes.

He couldn’t let that happen.

This was forcing something that shouldn’t be.

A Coronzon resurrected this way wouldn’t be the same.

If she couldn’t lament the world and proclaim her own justice from the side of evil…then she really would be an incomprehensible monster.

(How long, how long?)

Narthex trembled irregularly in his arms.

Something beyond human understanding left her lips.

“lpb…no… Wklhdmyuc…run…”

She writhed.

It didn’t feel like he was holding a young girl. She felt more like a bag packed full of hot mud.

Narthex had done this herself after being pushed so hard by those eleven.

This was Coronzon’s power.

There was probably no distinction between her and the Sitra Achra now.

Even the close relationship between mother and sister would not protect her life here. Because her power had been remade into this spell. The idea had been to turn everything in this world into a tool for the summoning, so the process here would consume the walls, the air, the people, and even the small girl herself equally.

Hamazura was beyond being surprised by the worst case scenario.

''Yeah, it figures.

He spat the words quietly.

This wasn’t the ending Coronzon had wanted.

It wouldn’t bring happiness to Narthex either.

A human being had drawn on all her strength and even decided to sacrifice her life, but the world or society had shut it all out, only allowing this one possible ending.

No matter how hard anyone tried, it would only amount to this.

With no exception or special dispensation.

Even the last shred of goodness left within a villain would be stamped out without a moment’s hesitation. Any attempt at atonement would be viewed as a nuisance and rejected.

(How long, how long, how long?)

He was a Level 0?

He was of no scientific help whatsoever?

So what?

If no one else would save Narthex, then it was up to him to face her. No matter what rules he had to break, no matter tricks he had to use, and no matter how much he had to cheat.

He wouldn’t ask permission from justice. He would do what he wanted.

He had decided so.

(''How long'' was I going to continue clinging to the very system that abandoned me, hoping it would toss me some scraps? This world, its society, its systems, and its people aren’t going to save us. If I do that, there’s no possible way a bunch of coincidences are going to come together just right to save Narthex. That’s not how life works, is it?)

Of course, none of Hamazura’s convictions would change that he was a Level 0.

Those scientific measurements could not be shaken. Nothing he did now could change them. He could pour all his efforts into it, but his esper power would never grow beyond where it was.

But.

He had met Dion Fortune. He had encountered Magic Gods Nephthys and Niang-Niang. And he had taken Coronzon’s hand in order to save Fortune after she was scattered in the wind as a deck of tarot cards.

So he had to get it by this point, didn’t he?

You didn’t need inborn talent.

He knew there was another form of the supernatural that operated an an entirely different logic from the esper development supported by scientific knowledge.

He had even been personally taught about it. By none other than Coronzon!!

So.

“…name…not…”

While holding the limp girl.

He clenched his hand as if clutching his heart through his clothes.

He completely ignored the ''rusty flavor'' spreading from deep in his throat.

And the boy roared.

“Choronzon333 – My name does not reject absolute evil!!!”

[[Image:GT_Index_v16_BW7.jpg|thumb]]

===Part 11===

If you truly wish to save this manipulated girl and you truly wish to overturn this predetermined outcome.

Then gather your resolve.

Your resolve to become a magician named Hamazura Shiage.

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Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Chapter2

2026-09-21T14:40:58Z

Ultranova17:

==Chapter 2: As Far as You Can Get from Misfortune – Home.==

===Part 1===

“Dammit, why do we have to have boys in the girls dorm? I can’t stand it… Now we have to put on makeup just to step out into the hallway.”

“No one asked you to do that. And Kamijou-san doesn’t mind at all if you’re kind to your skin and don’t bother.”

“I wasn’t asking your opinion! Do you think being some impartial observer makes you untouchable? Not letting boys see me without makeup is a matter of pride!!”

“Then could you stop sighing and acting like I’m to blame? How is that fair!?”

With that, Kamijou fled at full speed. He was just about to receive a cat scratch attack from a girl he didn’t even know first thing in the morning. A cat punch from a tanned schoolgirl sounded more like a reward, but not when the nails were involved. And those sharp plastic nails were long enough you could probably play guitar with them! Kamijou Touma had not yet reached the level where he could take that with ecstasy on his face.

Yes, nothing could prevent the morning from arriving.

(I thought I was going freeze to death.)

Had he been immersed in battle for so long he had lost track of time to the point he sometimes forgot it was January? Forgetting the day of the week seemed bad enough, so even he thought it was truly worrying that he could forget the month.

He found a blue blanket draped over him when he woke up.

Someone must have given it to him in the night, but he really might have never woken again without it. He would have been trapped in that weird nightmare where he was locked in a cold storage warehouse and tried to endure the hunger by eating frozen desserts while waiting for rescue.

This attempt had been a failure.

Where to sleep remained a problem to be solved. A fairly high priority one.

And there was something he had to do first now that the day had begun. He didn’t have time to waste in the morning crowd around the elevator.

He first returned to his room, quickly left again, and took the emergency stairs down to the surface level.

“Crap, crap, crap…”

Kamijou was carrying a translucent trash bag filled to bursting.

Today was burnable trash day.

He had gotten careless since this was still District 7. It was probably a matter of the garbage truck’s route, but trash collection happened a little earlier here than at the boys dorm. A few minutes might not seem like much, but if he missed the truck, he would be forced to spend the night with the full trash bag.

(Eek. Why do people make so much trash just by living? We’re developing our creative spirits in exactly the wrong direction!)

Without kitchens in the rooms and meals eaten in the dining hall, the girls dorm did not have a kitchen garbage day. Did that lifestyle explain why the girls who attended his same school seem to shine so much more than the boys?

Everyone put their full trash bags in a big metal container immediately outside the girls dorm. The heavy lid was probably meant to keep cats and crows out, but the dial padlock had to have some other purpose. With receipts and online shopping packing slips, there were a lot of avenues for attack with a girls dorm. Time to provide some camouflage by dumping in a bunch of boy trash.

Someone was already there.

“Good morning.”

With a thud, Himegami dropped a trash bag in the container.

It appeared to be…what had once been a big pillow.

It was torn all over, the stuffing was sticking out, and it was crammed inside a translucent trash bag.

Kamijou felt a cold sweat down his back.

“H-Himegami? Um, Himegami-san, what is that trash? How did it end up like that?”

“?”

She cutely tilted her head at him.

He got the feeling girls’ rooms contained a lot of secrets.

For now, he could only pray what happened yesterday was not the cause.

Then Fukiyose called out to her classmates with a trash bag in each hand.

“Hey, you! Feeding the stray cats around here teaches them to hang around the trash dump, so quit giving the kitties bad habits! Yomikawa-sensei, what are you sneaking around for!? You can’t love on the cats here just because your apartment doesn’t allow pets!!”
A mewing followed after. A drum-shaped cleaning robot showed up and cleared out the gathering of cats. The busty track suit gym teacher was cleared out along with them. Was this why she had made a habit of showing up at the girls dorm? And of all things she had unsealed a long, skinny package of Mule, the kitties’ favorite, which would really keep them coming back here.

“Does that sexy pair of boobs ever stop causing trouble?”

“What did you say?”

“Don’t react to that, Fukiyose-san, I wasn’t talking about you. I meant the teacher on the run over there!!”

…Also, were the kitties around the girls dorm acting weird lately because they had detected his calico cat? It may have triggered their territorial instincts.

With her job complete, Fukiyose stretched.

“By the way, have you heard the rumors of an intruder in the second year girls dorm?”

“Hold on. We’re going for some real psychological horror first thing in the morning? That’s terrifying. I don’t want to hear it.”

“Apparently they used a delivery code to get through the auto-locking front entrance. You’re supposed to give that code when you order something so they can deliver it to the dorm, but that means you can’t really trust the lock anymore.”

Why were things suddenly feeling so post-apocalyptic?

Were the world’s morals collapsing, starting with the girls dorms?

===Part 2===

“…”

Kamijou Touma was in the dining hall.

With his time-sensitive trash work complete, he had hoped for a relaxed and leisurely breakfast, but then he froze up.

When he faced the ticket machine’s LCD screen, he saw another new item under the new tab.

Vegetable curry.

“Y-you’re kidding!! What am I even supposed to imagine here!? Vegetable is just too broad a category!”

This was that gyaru-ish young woman’s doing. She wasn’t quite a dorm manager. There were unconfirmed reports going around that she would strip down and float in the dorm’s large bath when she got bored during the day. …But that didn’t fix this problem.

Yes, the pointy-haired boy knew how to cook, so he wasn’t going to go easy on her. In fact, he wouldn’t have to bother the bento shop woman at all if he just had a kitchen in his room!

Also, why didn’t this one have a sample photo either?

Vegetable curry.

Kamijou had a fair amount of experience analyzing the abilities of magicians and espers in life-or-death battles, but he was helpless here. He couldn’t even hazard a guess.

Plopping a single giant oden daikon radish on top of curry rice would technically count! If he was served curry with a ton of sliced onion instead of rice, he wouldn’t have any right to complain!! All it said was vegetable curry, so there was no guarantee it would even have rice. Of course, he could be overthinking it. But there was that egg curry from yesterday. They all would have happily accepted it if it had been a sliced boiled egg, a rolled omelet, or a fried egg on top, but instead of going sweet or salty, that woman had gone with scrambled eggs! With a culinary sense like that, how could he hope to predict what this would be!!?

He couldn’t work up the resolve here. And if he couldn’t bring himself to take the safe path up the mountain, a courageous withdrawal was the only option. While you did only live once, that didn’t mean you had to adopt a dangerous spirit of accepting any and all challenges. There had to be other options. Like a safe ginger pork set or oyakodon!!

With some trouble, Kamijou searched out the set tab among the mountain of categories, skimmed through it, and couldn’t believe his eyes.

“T-the screen is so dark. And covered in red Xs. Everything normal is sold out!?”

“Probably from everyone avoiding the vegetable curry.”

It violated the spirit of capitalism.

He was only a little late and this was what he had to deal with? He had money but no freedom to choose. How was this any better than a ration system!?

With Himegami and Fukiyose watching over him from behind, Kamijou chose the vegetable curry with a trembling finger. And why was it so hot in here!? Having teenage girls gathered close enough he could feel their breaths on his ears came as a real shock!

Please let it be something like a summer vegetable curry packed full of potatoes and carrots! Kamijou shut his eyes and made a wish. He belatedly realized it was the opposite of summer and all hope shattered in his heart.

“Here you go.”

“That was fast!! Only having time to speak a few words is so worrying!”

He was handed his food from beyond the counter. In 1.5 seconds again.

He couldn’t make sense of what he was looking at.

“???”

He followed the flow of the crowd, carrying his tray to the table, where he gave it another look.

Vegetable curry.

“What…is this? It just looks like brown roux to me.”

“Wait. There’s some small yellow lumps inside the curry. It’s hard to tell because it melted from the heat, but these aren’t spices.”

“It’s quinoa. This is the super food quinoa!!”

Detective Fukiyose revealed the truth.

It wasn’t fair. Didn’t one of so-and-so’s ten commandments say quinoa couldn’t be the culprit!?

“Wait, does that even count as a vegetable!? Sure, it’s a plant, but like with millet, isn’t it categorized more as a grain than a vegetable? Isn’t it something like a friend of rice!? Not that I have any idea how quinoa is grown!!”

“Kamijou Touma, that argument isn’t going to work. Quinoa is used in salads too, so we have no way of denying that it can be called a vegetable!”

“That’s absurd. Dammit, Fukiyose, are you going to say potato salad and macaroni salad count as vegetable salads just because they use plants!? Ham salads exist, but you’d better not be telling me ham is a vegetable. We have a real case this time!!”

“No, we don’t. This isn’t a detective story. This is the real world. No matter how unbelievable a situation we find ourselves in, we have to face the truth before us.”

So solving the mystery didn’t make anyone happy? Now that was a merciless sort of perfect crime.

Kamijou stuck his spoon in it.

There was no resistance.

He tried a bite.

It was like eating curry with nothing in it. The roux was thinner, like a soup curry, so it didn’t feel like he was eating anything at all. He knew it wasn’t anatomically possible, but it went down so easily he thought it was skipping right past his stomach.

How could this possibly have 800 Calories? That was a lot! Kamijou shuddered. What was the quinoa even doing? Was it a mass producer of obesity!? This wouldn’t keep him feeling full for even an hour. He just knew he’d be visiting a convenience store and snacking on all sorts of things later!!

Kamijou hung his head and trembled.

But then he raised his head with renewed conviction.

“That’s enough! Let Kamijou-san borrow that kitchen real quick!! I can cook, so I’ll show you how you can feed students on the cheap!!!”

Himegami and Fukiyose had to hold him back.

Apparently fire safety and sanitation rules didn’t allow for guest cooks.

But wasn’t that bento shop woman a guest here too!?

===Part 3===

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

At school, Aogami Pierce was lying dead on his desk.

That boy who lived for moe and 2D was taking it hard that he couldn’t join them in their girls dorm life.

Komoe-sensei ignored him entirely.

“Today is the second day of the first general entrance exam. The newspaper and textbook publisher websites have posted the first day’s answers for people to see how they did. Every year, this leads to exam students losing all hope and running amok in the streets, so be careful you aren’t caught up in that. When a high level esper lashes out, a single hit could be the end of you, so really do be careful.”

“Is telling people to be careful the only thing being done to prevent that?”

If those students wanted to show off their power, they should have just bent a spoon or whatever during an entrance interview.

Talent was meaningless if it wasn’t used well.

“And I have a reminder for you first years who are enjoying your peaceful week because you think the exams are no concern of yours: do not forget your third term final exams are approaching fast. February is right around the corner. If you fail to study during these lulls, you will be left behind before you know it.”

Desks shook all across the classroom. A fair number of students staring at their phones as they completed their dailies in some game or another must have thought better of it. If they could quit now, they weren’t too far gone yet.

And so their life-or-death school life had begun.

Today they had gym class. Even professional baseball didn’t play during midwinter to avoid player injuries, so what were Academy City’s educators thinking?

“Why do they actually prefer to play soccer and rugby in the winter? I hope there’s a unified theory behind it and they aren’t just going on vibes.”

Kamijou had plenty of complaints, but that was what a high school first year was supposed to do. And most mysteries and unreasonable matters weren’t going to solve themselves just because a high schooler complained.

The boys ended up playing soccer outside.

They split between even and odd student numbers to make two teams.

It wasn’t a serious game, so they weren’t strict about positions. The gym teacher wouldn’t say anything as long as they didn’t end up with three or four goalies.

“I really don’t want the sound of my Achilles tendon snapping to ring around the world… Life is long, so what’s wrong with taking a quick break? Hey, Aogami Pierce, come be my accomplice☆”

Kamijou casually roped his friend into it but received no response.

Aogami Pierce’s head was lowered.

A cursed voice pressed in on Kamijou.

“Why is it always Kami-yan, why is it always Kami-yan, why is it always Kami-yan? It should be me living the dream in the girls dorm. When did your life enter this bonus stage? Let me punch youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!”

Why was this guy suddenly throwing hands when they were playing soccer!?

===Part 4===

Kamijou Touma did not show (much) mercy.

Humans tended to attack stronger in retaliation than as the aggressor.

(We aren’t getting special treatment. You just did something different on your own.)

Kamijou Touma had already decided he needed something good for lunch.

He had decided this back when he was surprised by the vegetable curry at breakfast.

He would die on the inside if he wasn’t satisfied at lunch.

However, the exam takers had priority at the cafeteria and the school store, so he had to leave school grounds and visit a nearby convenience store. That flagrant violation of the rules would normally get him attacked and detained by the gorilla teacher or the track suit teacher, but they were too busy dealing with the exams today. But don’t copy his example here, future freshmen. That was a good way of corrupting your soul.

The streets full of tri-blade wind turbines were full of temptations, but the family restaurants and burger shops visible in the distance had long lines. Lunchtime was a hell of a thing. The flow of time felt a little different between school and the outside world, so standing in line there could mean not getting back in time for his next class. A nearby convenience store would probably be best. Even if there was a line at the register, it didn’t take long to get each customer served.

So he stepped inside the store.

“Ehhhhhhhhhhhhh!? There’s a wicked woman corrupting her soul at one of the eat-in seats. Senpai, I thought you didn’t have to do this!”

“Mgh!?”

Kumokawa Seria choked, eyes wide, in a counter seat by the window. The busty black-haired forehead upperclassman was breaking the school rules to chow down on a fish burger. And wasn’t that kind expensive when you had them cook it in the store!? To make matters worse, that devil had three whole convenience store sweets too. What was she preparing for? Climbing a mountain somewhere!?

[[Image:GT_Index_v16_BW2.jpg|thumb]]

Kumokawa Seria sipped on her hot tea to avoid suffocating.

“Wh-what do you want, boy? I would be willing to give you a fry.”

“No, I’m not asking for anything like that.”

Which meant that beautiful upperclassman really didn’t need to hold his hand between hers, give him an upturned look, and try to negotiate. Her hands were so soft and smooth. So was this a form of persuasion? Kamijou had learned something new.

But that aside.

Kumokawa’s tray didn’t look all that attractive to him. Even though each individual item was fine.

Why was that?

“You have awful taste, Senpai. Burgers and tea don’t really go together, do they? Especially hot black tea. And the lack of any empty packages around it means you’re drinking it straight, doesn’t it? Why?”

“Huh? Wait just a second. They sell coffee and tea at just about any burger shop!”

“That’s for the people who want to stick to a cup of tea while their friends eat a burger set. You aren’t supposed to drink the tea with a burger.”

“Huhh!? Then what’s your idea of a good pairing for a burger!?”

A soda.

Kamijou wasn’t as wealthy as that busty black-haired rich girl, so the most he could do was head to the bread section, grab a bun that could be roughly torn apart by hand, and combine it with the fried chicken sold next to the register. The new flavor was nacho cheese and chili sauce flavor. He could never keep up with the convenience store fried chicken flavors because they were always coming up with new ones. And they sometimes brought back old flavors, which really messed with his memory.

But even this looked better to him than Kumokawa’s combination.

Tastiness wasn’t a matter of the price tag.

And the busty girl pouted her lips like a little girl and shouted.

“You’re a child! Only children like sodas!!”

“Yeah, yeah. It’s not like burgers are a grownup food. Why did you think you could win this by acting more mature?”

“~ ~ ~!”

“Here, try mine. The fried chicken burger is the better option when you eat it with a soda, Senpai.”

“Ghh. Y-you’re right…”

Kumokawa Seria always used her allure to toy with the teenage boy, but here she bit her lip and trembled. It was a rare sight.

…He also didn’t think hot tea was something to order in a giant L-size bottle and he didn’t think the convenience store yokan went well with a burger or black tea…but letting that slide was the kind thing to do. As a first year, he didn’t want to see this usually confident upperclassman crying any longer.

“(Hmm. Would it be best to assume the confusion comes from a beautiful and rich upperclassman not knowing how to use a convenience store like the common folk? This is so bad that’s about the only defense she has.)”

“You don’t have to make me feel better by making things up!!! (sob)”

If she ended up consuming the whole thing from stress, none of Kamijou’s lunch would be left for him, so he stopped her from eating any more.

The lunch break was the same for them both. If they weren’t back on school grounds by the time the bell rang, the gorilla teacher or the track suit teacher would definitely notice their absence.

“Oh, I ate part of that, so that’s an indirect kiss.”

“Bffhbbhf!!!?”

…No, he would never be able to come out on top against her!! Kamijou Touma wasn’t one to give up, but he did so here. It was too much for him.

===Part 5===

“This seven veggie smoothie is so good.”

It was evening.

Shokuhou Misaki spoke to herself on a bench near a food truck. It was apparently a limited edition exam season product meant to boost brain power.

She was recharging.

The world was dyed orange. School was out for the day. She was waiting for someone who would be exhausted after finishing their first day of exams.

(Acute Kotatsu Syndrome, was it? Such a stupid name for a social phenomenon, but we can’t forget that it really did affect people’s lives.)

Hokaze Junko, #2 of her clique, was a third year in middle school, so the first general entrance exam applied to her. Yet she had apparently spent January neglecting her studies and relaxing. Shokuhou was terribly worried for her.

But not because Shokuhou was a good person.

She had a rational enough view of herself to make that self analysis.

(I can only worry about someone else during this exam season because of my own mental relaxation ability.)

Shokuhou Misaki was Academy City’s #5 Level 5, Mental Out.

She was the strongest of the pure psychological espers. It was said there was nothing related to the mind that monster couldn’t do. So the entrance exam war effectively didn’t exist for her. She had countless ways she could pass every single subject with a perfect score or pass the exam without even showing up at the exam site. She had so many options that three and even four digits wasn’t enough to count them.

(If Junko-san looks down when she leaves the exam site, I need to give her an energy boost. Still, no matter how she did on her first day, she isn’t the type to just go to bed without checking the provided answers.)

Just then, she felt a heavy vibration pass through the bench.

Someone had sat down next to her.

Shokuhou glanced over (with a bit of irritation to be honest) and then froze.

He was there.

A boy. A first year high schooler. With pointy hair!?

(Wh-wh-wh-wh-what is he doing here!?)

Her spine tensed. Her face grew hot. Wait, calm down. Shokuhou immediately aimed her TV remote at some passersby, hijacked a sample of five points of view, and checked her face, but her cheeks were not noticeably flushed! And her eyes were not spinning in her head!!

Making a move herself was easy.

Because whatever she might do, he would forget it all a moment later. That created a unique kind of confidence

But things were different when he came to her.

Wait, I’m not weady!!

(Bwah!! Ababwah, what is going on here? Is some terrible trap waiting for me here? Is Misaka-san nearby? No. What about the clique members? Also no. But wait, without any of them to hold me back, I won’t be able to stop!!)

After thinking(?) through that far, Shokuhou Misaki noticed something.

He wasn’t looking at her.

She followed his gaze and didn’t see anything of note. The cars driving by, some students talking about taking a detour, a drum-shaped cleaning robot moving out of their way, etc.

Why had the pointy-haired boy sat next to her in the first place?

It wasn’t because he had seen Shokuhou Misaki and decided to say hi to a friend.

That would never happen.

Then what had Kamijou Touma been thinking when he sat on this bench?

“Excuse me.”

The next thing she knew, she was hesitantly asking a question.

Even among the 2.3 million people of the city, he was the extremely rare person who could turn the #5 Level 5 into nothing more than “a younger girl”. Which was why she obediently scooted toward him.

She knew ''this was a weird thing to ask if they had never met before.''

“What are you doing?”

“Nothing really,” briefly replied the older boy without even looking in her direction. “Just looking at the city.”

“…”

The street hadn’t been blocked off and there was no parade marching down it.

The scene laid out before him was no more than an ordinary afterschool evening.

Kamijou Touma gently narrowed his eyes and didn’t speak a word as he really did just watch the orange-dyed world. As if to say this day and all the things that each new day brought were more valuable than Halloween or winter break.

“I’m not about to say I’ve lived a perfect life.”

He wasn’t staring blanking into the middle distance.

His voice contained heartfelt relief at being able to share this world with everyone.

“But no matter how many mistakes I made, I’m glad I never gave up.”

To Shokuhou, it looked like he was reaffirming something.

Reaffirming that the boring times and the silly things were not something you could take for granted. Reaffirming that it could all crumble away if you failed to put in the work for even a moment. And that was why he was savoring this day that had been built on a foundation of that work.

===Part 6===

School was out for the day.

During an ''uneventful'' walk home, Kamijou Touma’s shoulders slumped.

The online news appearing on his phone was as crazy as ever.

“Today’s traffic news: A 2km traffic jam has formed on District 7’s south main road. It is the result of nearby criminal activity, so it shows no sign of clearing up soon. If you are in a hurry, we recommend taking the train.”

“We have several reports of mysterious figures sighted off the road in the mountain forest of District 21. During entrance exam season, there tend to be more people climbing to the summit to pray for their friends’ exam success, but do not grow complacent just because it is a relatively short mountain. Make sure to submit a climb plan beforehand.”

“Real time tragedy! Excitement near the District 7 train station! Watch out for a rampaging exam student!!”

“Ugh. It’s even on the online news. Some student going nuts in front of the station single-handedly knocked over the statue everyone uses as a meetup spot. The damage has gone beyond a slasher film and reached the level of a disaster film. Can I even get back to the girls dorm with that educated kaiju on the loose?”

The same news was scrolling by on the large screen of the airship floating in the evening sky. The reporters were clearly getting lazy if they were relaying the online news instead of heading out to report on it themselves.

But since Kamijou wasn’t in a club, if he stayed at school for too long, he might gather the attention of Anti-Skill or Judgment. He doubted the exams were still being taken, but they might suspect he was a “technician” trying to sneak into a classroom being used for the exams tomorrow so he could hide illicit notes or a small device. And Mr. Misfortune’s nerves about those false accusations would only make him act weirdly, which would get him caught for sure! It was time to head home!!

Academy City had schools all over.

This area felt so quiet he felt a little lonely. There was no one around even after school had let out.

Was that because of the entrance exam season?

He heard some voices shouting in the distance. Was that a sports team jogging around the school grounds? That was his guess, but then an indoorsy group carrying a ton of camera equipment ran past him with Anti-Skill in hot pursuit. They were running full tilt. He guessed they were a manga club who had braved the unfamiliar outdoors in search of reference photographs and then set off their camera’s flash toward the engineer’s cabin of a moving train.

All of the afterschool clubs had a shortened schedule during the entrance exam period, but apparently some of them were continuing their activities outside the schools. And that wasn’t just the athletic clubs.

Kamijou Touma realized he had just accepted his lack of a club as normal.

He apparently hadn’t been in one even before losing his memories, so he guessed he was just the type who couldn’t stick with anything for long…

“Can I just return to the girls dorm now? No, I can’t.”

His room in the girls dorm had no kitchen. A single microwave oven would probably change his life in that room considerably. But a quick search on his phone told him prices on those had skyrocketed with the addition of new features like grilling and toasting, so buying one on a whim wasn’t feasible.

Once out on the main street, the city was flooded with people. Maybe a lot of them were wandering around without a clear destination in mind like he was.

“Oh.”

He spotted someone familiar from behind in the crowd.

Someone he knew so well he didn’t need to see her face.

One was a small student council president with a bunny-like ribbon on her head. The person walking next to her was harder to recognize from behind, but that was probably the glasses boy.

They were from another high school where his school had borrowed some unused classrooms when their own school was destroyed.

(That school feels like home too. When I picture it in my mind, it feels so familiar.)

He didn’t find a chance to call out to them and just watched them go.

But if he needed to talk with them, he could call them up on his phone. He didn’t have pressing enough business to search them out after they vanished into the crowd.

Just as he thought that, his eyes met those of another familiar face.

This wasn’t Misaka Mikoto.

The weird goggles on her head, the absence of any emotional light in her eyes, and her harmless and obedient behavior told him this was probably the Misaka Sister.

She was a mass-produced military model of Academy City’s #3 Level 5, Railgun. But those clone girls had failed to reach the original’s level of power output and were forced to live a challenging life. This one in particular was Sisters Serial Number 10032.

After meeting her eyes, he couldn’t just watch her go like he had with the others.

He was drawn to her.

Come to think of it, hadn’t he seen her on the streets around this time yesterday?

“What are you doing?”

“It is the black cat’s walk time, explains Misaka.”

“…Again, what are you doing? Cats return home on their own after patrolling their territory. You don’t put them on a leash and go on walks with them.”

“Nevertheless, the cat does not return to the hospital where we live, rebuts Misaka. Because the cat is stupid.”

“Is that a sign of affection or an insult, Misaka Sister?”

Kamijou stared into the distance.

…Was she following the cat as it walked through narrow alleys and along fences? What a waste of her athletic abilities. Maybe she just had nothing better to do.

But at the moment…

“Now stand by Misaka’s side so we can walk arm in arm, says Misaka as she requests permission and approval.”

“Why!?”

“Misaka has always wanted to walk home from school with a friend, says Misaka as she explains her objective.”

“Well, if that’s all…”

The Misaka Sister wore a school uniform, but she didn’t actually attend school.

Kamijou might think nothing of it, but not everyone had the opportunity. So he couldn’t rob her of the opportunity when it did come.

Not everyone valued treasures the same.

Not everyone would feel the same happiness when given a giant diamond.

She wanted to walk home from school with a friend.

Some treasures took that form. That was true.

Kamijou Touma needed to understand how precious these normal, natural, and ordinary things were. Because he had already died to protect them. And that death hadn’t been to protect only the perfect and flawless answers.

“That makes this a date between lovers,” said the Misaka Sister with a firm expression. “Without a doubt.”

“Bff!! Why do you have to think about everything in such extremes!?”

The pointy-haired boy was shaken to his core, but the Misaka Sister was being her usual self.

She wrapped her arm around his and wouldn’t let go.

And she was extremely soft and warm!!

“What roundabout route will we be taking today? Surely you aren’t going to suggest we will not be grabbing something to eat, says Misaka as she checks on every last thing. Yes, yes.”

“Is your idea of ‘walking home’ to wander the streets forever? …But if we are going to stop somewhere, let’s make it a home appliance shop. Or maybe a discount store where they would sell the super cheap models that have been stripped down to the bare minimum functions.”

“Thinking of purchasing a 180 thousand yen clone girl?”

“I’m talking about a microwave!!”

Besides, a high school first year wouldn’t have an extra 180 thousand yen in his budget.

To continue his life in the girls dorm, he badly wanted a microwave oven in his room for cooking retort pouches and frozen foods. And as cheap of one as he could find. Which store would be best to check?

When he was about to change course, the black cat mewed while obediently following after them.

And something exploded.

Or so it seemed to Kamijou.

“Hold on…”

A cloud of smoke rose in the distance.

No, that was probably a person.

A boy.

(Come to think of it, didn’t Komoe-sensei explain that exam students often start running amok in town after checking the answers published in the newspapers and online?)

Someone flailing his arms around had flipped over a mid-sized truck illegally parked in the station plaza. It was a thoroughly decorated truck, so the destruction sparked a lot more than necessary. If this was his answer to a single illegally parked truck, that guy must have been hell bent on showing off his righteous spirit no matter what. When a man who appeared to be the driver stepped out of a convenience store, he stared in shock. He held nothing in his hands. No matter how pressing it had been, Kamijou thought he shouldn’t have used the store’s bathroom without buying anything.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!! What the hell, you rampaging exam student. Attacking trucks isn’t going to improve your score, you know!?”

Then the Misaka Sister spoke, as expressionless as ever.

“If he comes this way, Misaka will blow him away with a 12.7mm anti-materiel rifle, says Misaka as she prepares for self-defense. Keeping the cat safe is Misaka’s top priority.”

“That’s taking it too far. Pets might be family, but I don’t think the law lets you kill someone to save a cat. Besides, assembling an illegal weapon doesn’t count as self defense!! You don’t actually have one, do you? Please tell me you’re not carrying around an illegal gun. Look me in the eye and tell me, Misaka Sister!”

Also, hadn’t the bunny president and the glasses boy walked in that direction? Just a bit before? They hadn’t been caught in this and sent to heaven, had they!?

Something flew over Kamijou’s head and toward the center of the issue. Probably an amateur news streamer’s camera drone. Sending them out in a densely populated area was against the rules, so professional reporters actually wouldn’t do it. Someone so focused on views they had nothing else to lose was a scary thing.

And the rude camera lens must have displeased the rampaging exam student because the sounds of destruction only grew.

The bigger the story the better for the news streamer, so that might have even been intentional. Kamijou just wished they wouldn’t get everyone in the area involved too.

Kamijou had hoped to check out the closest discount shop for a super cheap microwave, but now he had to turn around. He had no desire to approach that hopeless disaster zone full of death and destruction. The drum-shaped security robots were really nothing more than moving security cameras, so they weren’t much use when the good citizens of the city were caught in some kind of physical trouble.

(Well, it’s happening near the train station, so there should be an Anti-Skill station nearby.)

“This is Anti-Skill!! Put your hands up and get down on your knees! You can’t escape with so many cameras on you!”

Kamijou breathed a sigh of relief when one of the justice bringers came running and raised her voice.

But the rampaging esper suddenly changed direction.

Kamijou’s eyes met with the Japanese Boy’s.

And if the fleeing criminal was looking right at him…wait? Was he coming in this way!?

“I get it’s too dangerous to fire with so many people near the station…but please Anti-Skill! There are plenty of small side roads you could be guiding him onto!”

Was this the result of Kamijou’s misfortune?

The running boy shouted with spittle flying.

“Ohh, outta way, damn, move, asshole!!”

It saddened Kamijou that he managed to understand what should have been a meaningless string of words. Did this mean he was the same as that guy?

The rampaging esper powerfully raised his right arm. The motion was more like swinging down a big blunt object than throwing a punch.

The pointy-haired boy’s bangs fluttered up.

Because the air had moved in front of him. …Was that really something you could do with a single arm?

“Khh.”

Kamijou’s eyes widened.

His life was fairly seriously at risk.

(What kind of power is that exactly? He flipped a truck by hand, but is this really just a simple case of boosted strength? If it’s actually telekinesis, he might be able to use it as a projectile.)

“Noo!?”

Kamijou shoved the Misaka Sister out of the way.

He heard a voice from overhead.

He rolled along the ground with the clone girl. To the side. It was important to carry a spirit of compromise.

Then the pursuing Anti-Skill officer reached for her holster and drew a handgun loaded with rubber bullets.

“Oh, no. I can’t let him harm any civilians. Eh heh heh. So I have no choice but to fire!!”

“Wha- are you stupid!? Why would you actually fire on the ground!? And why do you look so excited about it!? This is supposed to be a peaceful country!!”

Scared by the sound of gunfire, the rampaging exam student took a hopping slide to the side.

Which brought him straight toward Kamijou and the Misaka Sister.

Thanks to Anti-Skill’s unnecessary action (while thoroughly enjoying this official duty), the rampaging esper was headed straight toward them even though they had actually rolled out of the way.

Don’t hop! You don’t have a bunny theme going on, do you, you violent exam taker!?

Kamijou couldn’t let the clone girl or the black kitty get caught up in this!!

It was time for the usual: putting himself in harm’s way to make sure things worked out.

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, such misfortuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuune!!!”

===Part 7===

Afterschool time came for everyone the same.

The School Garden was also inside District 7, so there was nothing at all unusual about the middle school girl named Misaka Mikoto being there with phone in hand.

“Onee-sama,” said the voice on her phone. “You should probably head back early today.”

“Did something happen, Kuroko? The dorm manager only just did a surprise inspection, so we should be fine there for a while.”

“Because nothing good ever happens when you run into a big seasonal event like Halloween or the New Year’s mad dash on the shrines. And Judgment has a duty to prevent incidents before they occur.”

“Do you actually expect me to listen to a warning when you put it like that?”

She hung up, her expression blank.

She was Academy City’s #3 and knew very well how to operate electronics. There was no way Shirai Kuroko could use her phone’s GPS data to track her down.

(Entrance exams, huh?)

She did have her thoughts seeing the signs for snacks and sports drink presenting themselves as weird good luck charms for the exams. Entrance exams were all about the future. Thinking about them worried her. But she didn’t have anyone she could discuss this with. Shirai was a fellow Tokiwadai student, but second years and first years felt very different about these things.

And she would rather die than discuss this kind of vulnerability with that big-boobed brainwashing monster.

“Hm.”

Entrance exams were still relevant to a middle school second year.

The third years were currently going through hell and it would be her turn next year. She would be in trouble if she didn’t start thinking about her plans for the future soon. …She would end up like that busty ringlet curls girl.

Of course, Academy City’s #3 Level 5, Railgun, would have countless options available to her. She probably wouldn’t even need to tie herself to her desk and study for hours on end. She could get into any of the finest schools, including Nagatenjouki Academy and Kirigaoka Girls Academy, on a recommendation alone.

So that wasn’t what was worrying her.

The issue occupying the majority of her mind was something no one else would consider a big deal at all.

“…”

She was worried about somewhere far removed from that struggle over the most elite options. She was thinking about ''a completely ordinary coed school''.

She did of course wonder if she could really decide her path forward based on this.

But without a specific occupation in mind for her future, she couldn’t say clearly what school would be right for her.

This was about her future.

What did Academy City’s #3 hope to learn and where did she hope to go?

And while she was worrying over this, she heard some voices.

“What’s wrong with you!? I’ve got nothing against you, so why are you getting in my way, you stupid idiot!? Stop thiiiis!!”

“Why do I have to be called an idiot by a criminal whose causing trouble just cause he did bad on his exam!? Does my misfortune really mean I deserve being made fun of!?”

She couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

“Wh-what the hell is he doing?”

Someone had jumped out and started playing at a fleeing criminal’s feet.

Did he think he was the Youkai called a Sunekosuri?

If this continued, he would definitely get kicked like a soccer ball.

Electricity scattered from Mikoto’s bangs.

“Ugh, really!?”

===Part 8===

Light flashed and sound boomed.

Far more than before.

“………………………………………………………………………………………For real?”

Kamijou Touma watched it all in a daze.

The rampaging exam student had been knocked over.

That electric Tokiwadai girl had actually knocked over that guy who was stomping around like a kaiju! With a single hand!?

[[Image:GT_Index_v16_BW3.jpg|thumb]]

Had she saved Kamijou?

When she was providing covering fire, the #3 was great to have on your side. Unfortunately, that coin didn’t always take flight to help him.

The girl spoke with her voice pitched ultra low.

It didn’t sound very rewarding.

“…What are you doing?”

“What do you mean?”

Then Kamijou noticed.

The Misaka Sister lay collapsed on the pavement. On her back. And Kamijou lay right on top of her. The clone girl was supposed to look exactly like the original in every way, but for some reason she wasn’t wearing shorts below her Tokiwadai uniform. How did he know she wasn’t? Because her skirt had pulled up quite spectacularly.

Her head was tilted, directing her dead eyes in an arbitrary direction.

But that wasn’t because he had done anything inappropriate here. Her eyes never had any light in them. But it still made the situation extremely easy to misinterpret.

Tears formed in Kamijou’s eyes.

“Wait. Wait, wait.”

Um, I have always wondered why Tokiwadai’s skirts are so short when it’s supposed to be one of Academy City’s most prestigious girls schools. All I did was try to save her and now it’s doing nothing to hide those stripes!!

But none of those thoughts ever made it out of his mouth.

A girl with an identical face was trembling.

Yeah, and she was just as electric as ever.

Kamijou stared into the middle distance as he heard a crackling sound a lot like the air splitting.

This was probably a lot more powerful than the power lines running above the train tracks.

“I have to say. As their older sister, I really don’t think I can ignore what I’m seeing here…”

“Oh, the cat ran away. Misaka can’t afford to lose track of it, so we need to hurry, says Misaka as she tugs on your arm and gets moving. While showing off plenty of body contact between us.”

The animal had probably fled from the electromagnetic waves scattered around by the #3.

And running off now would probably make her impression of him plummet!

“You’re running!? That’s what they call consciousness of guillllllllllllllllllllllllllttttttttttttttttttttt!!!”

“Nooo, scientifically-created lightning is chasing after meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!”

A depressing game of tag had begun.

Just like a stealth horror game where you could only run away from the unbeatable boss character. And it was the type where the chase began after the invincible boss had already seen you! In the kind of game with lots of gross gore!!

===Part 9===

He somehow managed to escape☆

“But did I really? This isn’t one of those things where they get you to let your guard down right before they jump scare you, is it?”

….Misaka Mikoto was supposed to be a middle school girl, but so why was he imagining a scene from a horror game? Specifically, one where you explored an abandoned village where all the residents had gone mysteriously missing.

He realized the Misaka Sister and the black cat weren’t with him.

Had Mikoto chased after them instead?

(Well, she won’t do anything to her sister. Or to the kitty.)

That said. He had a feeling the #3 monster was still wandering around somewhere nearby, but he appeared to have found an unexpected blind spot.

The girls dorm.

It made sense. If Mikoto wasn’t aware of the circumstances at his school, how could she predict a boy like him would escape here?

(I just hope she doesn’t use some weird hacking ability to find the truth.)

Kamijou prayed to something unseen as he hid in front of the auto-locking entrance.

Although it scared him that hope seemed so fleeting he was resorting to prayer.

Also, the girls dorm did have its bright and shining auto-locking entrance, but he had heard there were plenty of loopholes there. For example, you could apparently leave the dorm by climbing out the second floor hallway rest area window and climbing down one of the trees growing along the sidewalk. Why had that route come to be? Because a surprising number of girls would develop a sudden compulsion to sing at the top of their lungs in the middle of the night, so they needed a way to go out and do karaoke!! But if they used the main entrance, it would create a record they had left.

(So it isn’t just boys who want to do something even more if it’s against the rules.)

His school really was different from a prestigious one like Tokiwadai.

A rebellious phase was apparently important for developing a personality, but was climbing up and down a tree like a monkey night after night really good for your mental health? Seemed like that would mess you up a lot.

Kamijou opened the auto-locking entrance and walked inside.

There was no real reason to rush, so he decided to check on something he had been curious about.

But.

She was sleeping with her belly exposed.

“…”

There was no lapse in his memories.

This was the direct result of following the timeline in Kamijou Touma’s head.

Who was that woman?

He had wondered what the dining hall was like outside of mealtime. He hadn’t noticed a “keep out” sign on the entrance, so he had taken a peek inside and been hit with a major question.

A young woman, probably in her twenties, was lying face up on three dining hall chairs lined up in a row.

She wore a knit turtleneck and a short skirt. Her ears were covered in many piercings. She must have just put in whatever struck her fancy because the number on each ear didn’t match.

She wore fluffy slippers on her feet.

Her fluffy hair appeared to be bleached and dyed blonde, but it was currently tied back with a bandanna. It looked like she had fallen asleep in the middle of cleaning. But what was an adult woman doing in a high school girls dorm? It was baffling.

She looked like the pale kind of gyaru who never visited a tanning salon.

Maybe it was the visible navel and short skirt, but she sort of reminded Kamijou of a cheerleader.

Her mouth was opened wide.

She was enjoying her nap.

The apron folded up on a nearby long table reminded him of something. As did the lamé and beads sparkling on her painted nails.

…Was she the dining hall woman? Who normally worked at a bento shop?

Kamijou was honestly surprised to find she looked like this.

(Not that it really matters.)

A blanket had fallen onto the floor next to her.

A blue one.

It looked familiar. Wasn’t that the same as the one he found over him when he woke up this morning?

“So she gave it to me.”

This part did matter because he needed to thank her next time he saw her. He didn’t want to wake her just for that, so he couldn’t do it this time.

That aside, he now knew the dining hall was not open off hours. Apparently he couldn’t just pop in and grab a small thing of soba for a snack. That would’ve been ultra convenient, but that would be asking a lot of a place that wasn’t a 24-hour gyudon shop or family restaurant.

He quietly slipped out of the dining hall so as not to wake her.

The elevator was always busy in the evenings, so he used the emergency stairs instead. …He didn’t like how doing that made him feel segregated.

“Listen uuuuup. What’re you all having for dinner tonight? Want to come up with a menu with Demoness Mayu-chin?”

A few groups had formed in corners of the hallway.

Those were probably the boys who had taken severe damage from the real power of the real girls. A fake-sounding soprano voice was playing from their landscape-oriented phones. Hopefully they weren’t so desperate they would send tons of money to that anime-style 3D avatar.

And someone approached from the emergency stairs.

“Kamijou?”

Fukiyose Seiri held a large plastic bucket in her hands. Whether you imagined she was cooling a bunch of bottled or canned drinks in ice water or dumping a bunch of trash in the back alley said a lot about what kind of person you were. The point was the blue bucket had a lid and was large enough to hide in if you really tried.

“Oh, they’re resting on it,” commented Kamijou without thinking.

“?”

Fukiyose tilted her head in puzzlement, but he said nothing more because he knew he would be in trouble if she realized what he meant. Holding a giant plastic bucket seemed to have a way of pushing up a girl’s boobs.

“So what are you doing? I thought you’d get in trouble if you left your trash outside all night.”

“This isn’t trash. I’m cleaning and needed a stool. It wobbles, so will you hold it steady for me?”

“Cleaning what?”

Was that why the bucket’s lid had a dry rag on it?

He would understand if she meant her room, but who was supposed to clean the public hallways? That seemed like it should be a job for the drum-shaped cleaning robots to him.

Fukiyose adjusted the position of the bucket while looking up at the ceiling and sighed in exasperation.

“The robots only clean the floor. If you don’t clean the rest for too long, you end up with clumps of dust falling down on your head. Do you want that?”

And so Fukiyose intended to step up onto the giant bucket and clean the ceiling. The fluorescent lights were her first priority.

“I also wanted to try out this Ultra Electroduster. It uses static electricity to create a plasma blaster that collects all the dust in a single wipe. I want to see it in action for myself.”

“Buying more weird mail-order products, huh?”

If you had to search out a chance to use it, it didn’t sound very useful in everyday life.

“That aside, shouldn’t you find an actual stepladder?” Kamijou looked a little worried. “What if you break right through that flimsy bucket?”

“Why would I need to worry about that?” asked Fukiyose in honest confusion.

Kamijou was reminded that girls were as light as cotton candy.

If sturdy and heavy Mr. Misfortune tried this, he was certain he would break through right away.

“Okay.”

The black-haired girl placed her hands on the bucket and climbed up on her knees.

However, it was a light bucket.

“It’s wobbling a lot… Kamijou, hold it down for me.”

“Ehh? I’m not going to be stuck here helping you the whole time, am I?”

He obeyed even as he complained, so maybe it was too late for him.

He placed his hands on the bucket lid and placed his weight on it.

That steadied it enough for Fukiyose to slowly extend her legs below her. Kamijou naturally followed the movement with his eyes, but then he quickly looked away. Oh, right. She was still in her school uniform, which meant she was in a skirt.

“Whoa, hey. It’s still wobbling. Kamijou, hold it down bett- eek!”

Apparently it was fairly frightening for the person wobbling on top of it.

Her cries sounded a lot more pressing.

“Why aren’t you even looking this way? That’s why you can’t hold it steady. Look this way and focus!”

“You’re why I can’t!”

“I said look! If you don’t focus, it’s going to keep wobbling. You need to shift your weight when I do, so you need to watch me!!”

“Well, if you insist.”

…Kamijou had to wonder why a girl would attempt this kind of work while wearing a skirt. Because this was a girls dorm?

Then Fukiyose also noticed something.

She stopped her cleaning.

“…Kamijou.”

“Yeah?”

“Why are you looking up at me?”

“A certain classmate gets very angry when I do not obey her every command, so I had no choice in the matter.”

She stomped on his face.

With her shoes on.

===Part 10===

Night had fallen.

“Hm, hm, hmmm. Bath time, bath time, splash!!”

“Hey, stop, you fool! That big wave nearly capsized my washbasin!”

Index and Othinus were taking a bath. The tub was small, but the 15cm god could still drown in it, so she apparently had to get creative. Still, could she really handle it? He just hoped a moment of carelessness didn’t get her washed down the drain.

The calico cat was curled up in the best spot next to the heater. Apparently he had completely abandoned his nocturnal side.

Kamijou Touma was using this free time to speak with his family on the phone.

They had called him.

They had completely ignored him when he was in the boys dorm, so why the sudden change?

“As your mother, I am just so worried about you living in the girls dorm, Touma-san. I do hope this isn’t going to lead to a rash of pregnancies.”

“…”

She was worried all right, just not for him.

The lack of concern for her son found in her ultra hands-off form of education remained unchanged.

“Sigh, learning to take part in the modern digital lifestyle is all well and good, but I really shouldn’t try to be a demoness at my age. My throat is so hoarse… I should start adjusting the tone with a slider instead of pitching my voice up myself.”

“?”

After a moment of thought, a chill ran down Kamijou’s spine. He was reminded of Demoness Mayu-chin, whose sugary voice, small 3D body, and succubus costume had captured the hearts of high school boys around the world…but surely not, right?

Once the call from the unbeatable mommy had ended, Kamijou hung up.

He could still hear the shower running.

Waiting for Index and Othinus to leave the bath would be a waste of time, so he wanted to get some of the built-up housework done. Going to classes during the day and doing housework at night took a lot out of you.

“Right now I can do…the laundry, I guess.”

So he grabbed the basket piled full of laundry and walked to the front door.

The curled-up cat hopped up. He knew the cat was plotting an escape, so he used his feet for defense as he stepped alone out into the hallway.

“Phew.”

Silence.

The girls dorm did have a lights out time after which you weren’t allowed to leave the building, but movement within the building was relatively unrestricted. So Kamijou walked stealthily through the dark.

“Uh, oh.”

He held his breath and slowly hid behind a nearby pillar.

He had sensed a presence.

A short distance away he saw…

(There’s an older gyaru there. The one from the dining hall. I thought she worked for a bento shop, so what’s she doing here so late?)

She had placed a blanket over Kamijou during the night. …Thinking back, that had been strange. He had also heard rumors that she would float naked in the large bath when she had nothing better to do, so did she see this as her second home? She might even have moved into an empty room somewhere.

“Then she should just go ahead and become an actual dorm manager. Paradise is right there, so why won’t she reach out and grab it?”

Was she patrolling in the night?

He had forgotten to thank her for the blanket at dinner, but if he approached her now, she would probably scold him and make him go back to his room. Letting her pass and thanking her tomorrow morning would probably be best. Nothing would be more foolish than causing trouble for someone when trying to thank them for saving his life.

(They even have an adult patrolling the place at night. The girls dorm really does do things differently.)

Or maybe it was the absolute freedom of the boys dorm that was out of the ordinary.

He heard a gentle electronic tone.

The elevator door must have opened and closed.

After waiting until he couldn’t sense her presence anymore, Kamijou resumed moving.

He arrived at a room with both walls lined with drum-style washing machines. The room was lit up as bright as a hospital. And the washing machines were split into two levels, one above the other.

The small LCDs next to the round doors suggested they could be locked with a number code.

It was a lot like a laundromat, except that it was free.

“A laundry room, huh?” said Kamijou half in exasperation while carrying a large quantity of laundry.

Like with the dining hall, the girls dorm had all sorts of perks the boys dorm didn’t. It really didn’t seem fair when they all went to the same school!!

(But I guess that’s how dorm life is. The focus is on protecting the girls, so the boys dorm only exists as “somewhere to put the boys that keeps them away from the girls”.)

Anyway, he wasn’t familiar with this manufacturer’s washing machines. It was a little daunting. He knew he just had to dump his laundry inside, shut the door, and press the button, but his eyes were drawn to the warning label on the machine.

First, he placed his laundry basket on the floor and sat on the bench.

There was a giant detergent bottle on the floor…but was that for refills? The label said Miracle Enzyme Z. In big, bright writing. …Had Fukiyose mail-ordered this out of her own pocket and left it in the laundry room?

(Our new and improved catabolic enzyme removes even the stubborn oil stains on ventilation fan… If I use that on my clothes, will it bleach them all white?)

What looked like a manga magazine sat on one end of the bench. Someone must have been reading it while waiting and then left it here.

“What’s this?”

Kamijou Touma was more than a little familiar with Japanese culture and thus knew how to read manga…but he had never heard of this manga magazine before. A long list of titles was given on the cover, but he focused on the title of the manga depicted on the cover.

Yuri-

Kamijou quickly covered the cover with the blanket lying nearby.

He hid it.

Hold on.

Just to be sure, he was in a girls dorm right now, wasn’t he?

So this probably wasn’t a shounen magazine. And the target demographic was probably a little higher than shoujo manga. Was this really something an ignorant boy should be intruding upon?

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

What was that thing? He was tempted to remove the blanket and take a look inside the magazine, but he couldn’t.

The pressure was too powerful.

He felt a pain prickling his skin.

No, that was only a magazine and it wasn’t radiating any kind of energy.

He belatedly realized what he was feeling.

He was nervous.

(It can’t be. Kamijou-san has the blood of an otaku coursing through his veins…yet I’m too intimidated to even try this!?)

He could read and enjoy a cheerful 4koma manga about a group of girls, but would this really fall into that simple category? …He suspected it wouldn’t. That wasn’t what real girls did. He expected to be hit by something from a different angle altogether. What if it was like one of the ads that appeared frequently while he watched videos on his phone? The psychological damage would be too great if it was a manga where an average-looking office lady had her heart snagged by a host and was dragged down to rock bottom. Although with the Yuri in the title, it might be a gaudy hostess who snagged the average-looking office lady’s heart.

But yuri, huh?

The magazine appeared to carry only that kind of manga, but what was it doing here in a girls dorm?

“…”

The next thing that caught Kamijou’s attention was a scent.

It came from the blanket he had used to cover the magazine. It was faint but familiar. Yes, it smelled just like the blue blanket he had found covering him when he woke up during the freezing morning!

Besides, it was weird to find a blanket sitting in the laundry room.

Why was it here?

If it wasn’t meant to be here, then had it been forgotten here by the same person as the magazine?

“Hm? In that case…did the dining hall woman leave them here?”

Maybe it would be best to stop thinking about this.

Alarm bells were ringing deep in his instincts. Or so it seemed. This cast an entirely different light on that woman floating in the large bath during the day and prowling the dorm at night…

“Wait. No, no, wait.”

He had to think about this rationally. He understood wanting to focus on this at Mach speed after finding it in a girls dorm, but that was just his otaku blood running wild. He needed to step back and simulate this. If she had left the magazine here, the magazine’s owner clearly didn’t try to hide her interests. Which meant she wasn’t too serious about it. Ha ha ha. It was like seeing the ghost’s true identity. If this was actually targeted toward a more casual audience, then there would be nothing wrong with him taking a look at that Yuri-

“Kamijou? What are you doing here?”

“Yikes!?”

“?”

A suspicious look from the entrance pierced into him.

It was Fukiyose Seiri.

She wasn’t carrying a basket or bag full of laundry, so was she here to collect her clean laundry?

She was currently wearing brightly colored unisex sweats. He didn’t know if it was loungewear or sleepwear, but it was a new sight for Kamijou who always saw her in her uniform.

It was 10 PM on a weekday.

…On that note, it felt a bit like a fantasy to see a female classmate at this time of night at all.

Fukiyose, however, didn’t seem bothered by it. For her, it may have been like having a boy mixed into her ordinary life.

The black-haired forehead classmate watched him like he was a strange creature.

“Why are you just sitting around in the laundry room? Your phone will tell you when your laundry is done, so you can just hang out in your room and come collect it in two hours. Are you afraid you’ll fall asleep?”

“No, I just kind of zoned out in here… Maybe it looks too much like a laundromat.”

“Hm.”

Fukiyose started to accept that, but then she froze.

“Wait, are you the kind of guy who finds it soothing to watch girls’ clothing and underwear spinning around in the washing machine?”

“Hey, what even made you think of that? Can you stop being needlessly cautious and explain that to Kamijou-san?”

Now that she had mentioned it, how could he not be curious!? Kamijou ended up further troubling himself for no reason. When he took a look at what was spinning around nearby, he noticed it was leopard print. What high schooler was walking around secretly wearing that? Could it be Himegami!?

“Anyway, if you’re washing your clothes, be quick about it. No one likes a machine hog.”

Kamijou honestly found this strange.

He looked to the two levels of drum-style washing machines lining both walls.

“You’re spoiled. You have this many machines and it still isn’t enough?”

“Of course it isn’t. How many hundreds of students do you think our school has? The girls dorm is split into a few different buildings, but it still isn’t anywhere near enough. A lot of girls get tired of waiting and head out to a laundromat instead.”

That did make sense.

But in that case, why didn’t the girls buy their own washing machine and install it in their room? He didn’t quite understand dorm life here, but it was a lot like living on your own. Wasn’t a washing machine a necessity on the level of a refrigerator?

Kamijou sighed softly.

“Come to think of it, there’s a big bath here too, isn’t there? Why does the girls dorm have so much more infrastructure built in? Although it all seems like a half-measure that actually restricts you more in the end.”

“This is the only dorm life I’ve known, so how should I know? Oh, but an upperclassman did talk about this before.”

“?”

“Apparently girls can start spending lots of money on health and beauty products to compete with each other. If someone buys a fancy dryer that emits some kind of ions or whatever and uses it to show off, the others will start buying even more expensive dryers. And that back and forth destroys the basic idea that dorm life is supposed to be cheap.”

“You girls are terrifying.”

So had they had no choice but to add the dining hall and laundry room?

Health and beauty was a realm Kamijou knew nothing about since all he did in the mornings was wash his face with tap water. So appliances designed specifically for that purpose were not a part of his world. If he did have the money to buy them, he would probably end up buying a new game or pair of sneakers instead.

“Also, most people rarely use the big bath. During the day, the dining hall woman floats there naked. And at night, the athletes who go jogging after practice ends at school turn it into their own exclusive bath.”

Kamijou had no desire to approach that bath.

…Because as a girls dorm, there had been no need to make a division between a boys bath and a girls bath when it was built. That meant there was just the one big bath. If he carelessly ran into someone there, he might just end up beaten up by every single girl in the building.

Besides, the individual rooms all had their own small bathrooms.

What was even the point of the big bath?

The school had felt the need to build it, but that didn’t mean the students were going to use it. Hopefully Komoe-sensei wasn’t crying somewhere over it.

“Well, the garbage rules here are the same as at the boys dorm at least.”

“Those are determined by District 7, so they have nothing to do with the dorm.”

“Hm? Does that mean it would be the same for Tokiwadai too?”

“Why do you know anyone from Tokiwadai? Isn’t that a middle school?”

“Well, those rich girls all have maids, so I bet they would say they have no clue about the garbage rules.”

“Why do you know that middle school has maids?”

Because a maid riding a cleaning robot used to visit the boys dorm.

Kamijou and Fukiyose continued chatting and laughing about pointless things.

Except they weren’t talking the entire time.

There were times when they ran out of things to say.

And fell silent.

But then something would come to mind and one or the other would bring up a new topic.

And the process would repeat.

“…”

“…”

Silence again.

The rumble of the large washing machines was the only sound for a while.

But these lulls in conversation were not an uncomfortable thing.

When battling CRC or Coronzon, each and every second had looked like a chance for action. That level of pressure had continued on and on, where even a single step in the wrong direction felt like it would cause everything to fall apart.

And he hadn’t even gotten through it all.

He had in fact died after his battle with Alice.

In that sense, it was truly incredible that he could enjoy this kind of pointless waste of time again.

No longer did he have to gamble it all on each and every action.

He could say whatever he wanted without needing to worry about the source of his information or have any guarantee of its accuracy.

…Time like this was so important.

Kamijou gently narrowed his eyes in appreciation.

It wasn’t obvious treasure. It wasn’t immortality or world domination. But what he found before him here was definitely worth risking his life and facing near certain death to fight for.

The battle itself wasn’t his goal.

There was something he had been clenching his fist and fighting for.

A simple electronic tone sounded.

Kamijou’s laundry was done and even completed the drying phase.

Fukiyose blinked hard in realization.

“Oops, I got lost in conversation there. My laundry was done before I even got here.”

“And after you told me not to hog the machine.”

With that exasperated comment, Kamijou punched the single-use code into the small LCD keys. He couldn’t let anyone know he had set it to 000 because he was afraid he would forget what he had chosen otherwise.

Would laundry here become a new part of his routine?

(The lines and securing a machine is going to be a pain, but I guess it’s still a win since we can use them for free. The cost of the water is actually more than the detergent. That really adds up day after day.)

With that on his mind, he pulled his laundry out through the round door. It was all weirdly warm thanks to the dryer.

And…

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

Fukiyose was acting strange.

She had frozen while partially bent over. She should have been taking her own laundry out of another machine, but for some reason her head was turned this way. With a look of shock frozen on her face.

“?”

He followed her gaze.

His gaze landed on the laundry basket in his own arms.

His laundry had been through the dryer, so surely a bee hadn’t gotten into it. A bee that could survive the water, detergent, and drying would be terrifying, though.

But then what was it?

Something seemed off at the very top of the unfolded laundry piled up in his laundry basket. It took him a moment to recognize it.

It was a balled-up white cloth.

With a small ribbon on it.

It was a pair of girls panties.

Death filled the air.

“Why?”

She was astonished.

Unable to process the information before her eyes, Fukiyose simply spoke her question aloud.

“Why is there girls underwear in your laundry?”

(Ahhh, this is Index’s, but I can’t tell anyone I have a nun, a god, and a cat secretly living with me! But what happens here if I can’t explain this!?)

“Wait, wait! Remember the peaceful mood we had going here. We were just reaffirming how important these peaceful and conflict-free days are. Please remember!! We can’t let that fall apart here!”

He tried his best to convince her, but she wasn’t listening.

Her expression was entirely blank.

“Did you grab that from another machine?”

“No!”

“Then did you buy it to wear yourself!? No, I just can’t seem to simulate what’s going on in his brain…”

“Eek, it’s not that either!!”

===Part 11===

A word entered Kamijou’s mind as he was blown away by a headbutt of fury.

Misfortune.

He accepted it as normal nowadays…but what exactly was the principle behind his misfortune?

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Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Chapter1

2026-09-21T14:39:54Z

Ultranova17:

==Chapter 1: A New Life in the Girls Dorm – School_Life.==

===Part 1===

He had actually moved into the girls dorm a few days earlier.

That was only natural because the move had happened when the third term began.

“Ohhh! Who could have predicted the boys who lost their home would get to set foot in the girls dorm? And I’m left out of this blessing because I rent a place at a bakery!?”

Aogami Pierce was causing a scene in the classroom, but that was no concern of Kamijou’s.

Yes, Kamijou Touma was in his classroom at school.

The third term really had begun.

(I was worried what would happen after my proof of life document went missing.)

“Okay, you silly students who still haven’t taken their seats after the bell rang, listen to teacher. It’s time for morning homeroom.”

Their 135cm teacher was in a dark mood this morning. It was a highly unusual situation. That smile meant a bird had probably pooped on her car in the parking lot or something. It was best not to defy Komoe-sensei when she had a dark smile on her face or when she was hungover. You know how it’s best not to mess with that famous teacher who has a weird mental switch? Like that.

“Mid January is when Academy City holds its first general entrance exam, which means this is entrance exam season for schools all across the city, from elementary all the way up to university. And don’t think that doesn’t affect you just because you’re first years. You need to support your upperclassmen in a spirit of mutual assistance.”

“Sensei, how exactly are we supposed to support them?” asked Aogami Pierce. “Snap photos of the reference books and send them to the older girls we like? In the middle of their exam?”

“That would look like cheating, so Anti-Skill would get after you and you wouldn’t be able to go home for a while, so I would not recommend it. According to Ms. Track Suit, you shouldn’t even be wandering around near school grounds with a phone in hand.”

Komoe-sensei was smiling.

How was that supposed to work when there were schools just about everywhere in Academy City?

“To be more specific, our school will be one of the exam sites, so a lot of the classrooms will be off limits to us. The limited space will likely mess with the class schedules, so we’re going to have to play things by ear! Make sure to check your school app frequently.”

===Part 2===

Thanks to this, Kamijou’s reclaimed school life was an unusually busy one.

“The chemistry lab is being used for the exams, so next period we will be running chemical change simulations in the computer lab. Don’t even think about ‘forgetting’ and trying to spy on the fresh young middle school girls nervous about their exams, you silly boys!!”

“Where are we supposed to carry these desks?”

“The exam takers get priority in the cafeteria and school store. The trains are also running outside their usual schedule for the exam takers, so just shut up and deal with it. You’re going to be their upperclassmen, so you can put up with an empty stomach for now!!”

It felt unfair to the third year middle schoolers attempting the life-or-death challenge of the entrance exam, but the energy in the school felt a lot like during the cultural festival. …Although the occasional Anti-Skill or Judgment members rushing down the hallway suggested there was a fairly serious cat-and-mouse game over cheating attempts going on behind the scenes.

Kamijou sighed softly.

(Smart cheating using electronics and substitute exam-takers using forged passports, huh? I’d get it with one of the actual good schools, but why would you bother cheating to get into an average school like this?)

Kamijou had lost his bitter exam memories along with the rest of his memories, so these difficulties were a foreign thing to him. …The fear of his memory loss remained like an indelible scar deep in his mind, but maybe there were some things he was better off having forgotten?

“That concludes today’s lessons.”

During the final homeroom, Komoe-sensei had a big smile on her face.

This time, it wasn’t a dark one.

…That had to be the smile of someone who had had a rough day but was about to go drinking. Bird droppings would eat through a car’s waterproofing if they weren’t washed off, but surely she wasn’t just going to ignore it? The desperation radiating from her 135cm body made it very hard to ask for details.

“Keep in mind that clubs and committees are on a reduced schedule during the exam period. For details, check the schedule in the individual social media groups. And I will be using homework to make up for the shortened class schedule, so be warned. This trial is for your own good, so enjoy your studies, students!! Bye bye☆”

Now Kamijou was feeling blue.

He felt like he had been thrown outside while chained up.

With the tri-blade wind turbines spinning and the drum-shaped security robots trundling along, the way home was peaceful.

Kamijou found himself drawn to the 100-yen shops and drug stores on the way. The girls dorm had no kitchen, so any food that only needed hot water to cook was extremely attractive right now. His eyes shined each time he saw cup noodles or miso soup…but wait.

(I could buy a big value multipack, but I have Index in my room.)

He could easily imagine a paranormal phenomenon in which it all vanished in a single night.

Also, all the cup noodle lids had puns on them. Apparently everyone thought they could attract exam takers by hinting at exam success like that. The stock of energy drinks and health drinks seemed unusually plentiful. Instead of individual bottles in the refrigerated section like in a convenience store, they were being sold in big cardboard boxes. Apparently that too was pandering to exam takers. But was it really safe for elementary and middle schoolers to drink so many of those?

A loud voice spoke from the next aisle over.

“Hurry up, Uiharu. Get this and this and this too. We need to bring some supplies to the upperclassmen and we can show how much we care by how much we bring!”

“Eh? By the box!? D-do they really need this many energy drinks, Shirai-san?”

“Get it together. Entrance exams are a war. Better to buy these now than run into trouble during the exams and find out they’re already sold out. Even Judgment has to take this seriously. Okay, today we can buy these super expensive health drinks! The bright gold ones in the small brown bottles! Wait for us, weary Konori-senpai!!”

“Eek! I’m starting to think school committees are the worst kind of exploitative job, not governed by the Labor Standards Act or the National Public Service Act…”

…Apparently some Judgment members drank them, but Kamijou had a feeling that wasn’t a good example. Mimicking them would leave you rotten to the core.

(Is this like all those puns I saw at the other convenience store? Is this one a pentagon because pentagon sounds like the word for passing an exam in Japanese? Are they selling these floats because float sounds like the word for being accepted into a school?)

It seemed weird for products like that to sell in a city of science. Then again, maybe it was like how everyone celebrated Valentine’s Day without thinking much about the legend it was based on.

He ended up leaving without buying anything.

The entrance exam frenzy was in full swing outside too. Because eating fish was supposed to make you smarter – because of DHA? – a restaurant had so many banners out there was barely room to walk on the sidewalk. The unusual number of fliers being handed out were for a sketchy one-night cram school in a multi-tenant building. Were the small groups clustered together on their way to karaoke trying to blow off some steam, or were they hoping to study English with Western music? Even his phone kept giving him messages advertising “life hacks” for exams. Those were entirely wasted on Kamijou since he wasn’t an exam taker, but the poor targeting was actually a little reassuring because it meant they had gathered less data on him than he had thought.

Kamijou passed by some middle schoolers as he walked.

“Oh, ohhhh. Ohhhhhhh. Qu-Queen… Why must the world be so cruel and heartless?”

“Remind me who it was who happily gave into that Kotatsu Syndrome nonsense and failed to study at all during the lead-up to the January exams? You need to get back to the dorm and start demonstrating your cramming ability!!”

He heard a meow of surprise just before a black cat ran off. The Misaka Sister was left with an expressionless but somehow dazed looking face, crouched down with some katsuoboshi (probably a limited time product related to the brain-boosting powers of DHA) still held between her fingers.

For a city full of countless schools, this could be seen as the greatest battle of the year. …But as a first year high schooler, Kamijou Touma didn’t have to worry about it himself.

Habit set him down the usual path, so he had to quickly stop himself.

Returning to the collapsed boys dorm wouldn’t accomplish much.

“Oops.”

He made sure to check his phone’s map app for the best route before turning onto a different street.

It would have been faster to take the train to the next station, but a poor student was going to walk. Each ride cost 150 yen and he had to go there and back, so how much would that cost for a full month’s worth of weekdays? It barely felt like paying money when using your train card, but it wasn’t an expense he could just ignore.

The girls dorm was up ahead.

Kamijou looked up at the stylish building.

“Hard to believe… This place was built for the girls, but it’s already starting to feel like home to me.”

Saying you could get used to living anywhere would be rude to the dorm, but it was scary what you could grow acclimated to.

The glass door auto-locked, but when Kamijou nervously operated it, it opened for him just fine.

“Ohhh…”

He had gone in and out of this door a few times now, but he still voiced his amazement. This was the girls dorm. It was holy ground. Was he really allowed in here? He still couldn’t rid himself of that small anxiety. And the entrance auto-locked! The entrance to the former boys dorm in the same district was always open, so weird smoker priests could just walk in!!

A small crowd had formed near the elevator hall.

Mostly boys.

…He was truly thankful there were so many other boys here. He thought his heart would have given out if he had to exist as the only boy in a girls-only world.

He didn’t recognize most of them.

They had been shoved into whatever rooms were available, so the boys had been split into a few groups and then placed in areas spread out across the girls dorm. Those boys were apparently a group on a different floor from Kamijou.

Also, this building only housed first years.

That meant he couldn’t see some of his female friends like Kumokawa-senpai here, which made him a little sad.

Speaking of the elevator, he remembered it had big mirrors inside.

Apparently those weren’t meant for one last check of one’s appearance on the way out. They were to ensure there wasn’t anyone unwanted on the elevator. …The entire building was protected by the auto-locking entrance, so who did they think would be hiding inside the elevator?

And despite that, there were no security cameras in the hallways or elevator hall. Was that for privacy reasons? Anything that would leave a record appeared to be centered around the auto-locking entrance. For Kamijou, the weird balance of the girls dorm felt like something from another dimension.

As a school dorm, most everyone returned home at the same time. That meant the elevator was crowded. Not everyone could board when the elevator arrived on the first floor. Kamijou debated whether he would wait here or take the stairs, but he ended up moving away from the line.

He heard some excited voices.

There was a small rest area with a bench and a vending machine partway down the long hallway and a few girls in a combination of their school uniform and a track suit were laughing there holding cold drinks in plastic bottles. When they noticed Kamijou’s hesitant gaze from a distance, they shrieked and ran off somewhere. …Apparently that was a forbidden outfit boys weren’t supposed to see. Even though Misaka Mikoto, who was from a much fancier school, wore shorts below her uniform skirt year round.

(That happens sometimes here. Like stepping out at night and running across a girl who just took a bath so she’s walking down the hallway in only her underwear and holding a coffee milk.)

Maybe that had been normal in this girls only world, but he really wished they would do a better job of remembering that the emergency arrival of the boys had transformed it into a real-world environment. It seemed especially cruel that he was treated like the bad guy when it happened.

“Surprise! Time for an inspection!! Pets are against the rules, so I sure hope none of you are keeping any in your rooms!”

“Whoa, Sensei!?”

“Yomikawa-sensei, you just want an excuse to eat the cheap food in the dining hall here, don’t you!?”

Kamijou heard a commotion in the distance.

Apparently that busty track suit gym teacher did irregular patrols of the girls dorm.

The irregularity was the problem there.

They were hard to predict. Without a set routine, you couldn’t prepare in advance.

Index and Othinus (plus the calico cat) were staying in Kamijou’s room. Without paying rent. And either way, he was sure to get in trouble if the teachers found out he had snuck a nun and a god in through the auto-locking entrance by hiding them in the collapsible containers he had used when moving in. He had to make a mental note of this.

Anyway, the track suit teacher’s surprise inspection didn’t seem to be the only cause of commotion. Some athlete girls were using the emergency stairs for some after-practice training. He also heard some wind instruments playing from upstairs, but he didn’t know what the local rules were for how late you could do that. Maybe they were gathered on the roof practicing.

It felt like an extension of being at school after classes let out.

That was the best way of describing the mood.

That mood seemed to change again after dinner, though.

(It would probably be faster to just use the stairs.)

“Huh, did you just get back? How did it take you this long when you’re not in a club?”

A familiar face appeared in this strange world: his classmate Fukiyose Seiri. What was she, the student dorm leader?

“Seven o’clock. Don’t forget,” said Fukiyose like it wasn’t a big deal. “Be in the dining hall by then. All the popular foods are often sold out if you’re even ten minutes late. And complaining won’t make more food appear.”

===Part 3===

The dining hall.

That was a unique aspect of the girls dorm.

However, even with dinner at 7 PM, they had free time up until then.

So he still had plenty of time.

(The problem is that Index and Othinus can’t use the dining hall.)

“Kamijou-kun.”

He looked over curiously to find his classmate Himegami Aisa.

She must have gotten back before him because she was already in her casual clothing.

Apparently she still chose to wear a shrine maiden outfit for casual clothing.

“We were assigned a ton of homework. Can you handle it all on your own?”

“Ugh.”

“The esper development terminology changes all the time due to arguments among the academics, so you can’t just rely on what you memorized in the past.”

He couldn’t laugh this off as “just some homework.”

Komoe-sensei had said she was using homework to make up for the classes being shortened due to the first general whatever, so there might be some kind of penalty if he didn’t do a good job.

For a normal student that would probably amount to little more than a slap on the wrist, but Kamijou was in a tricky situation. He was struggling to avoid being held back. A single mistake during the third term might mean having to tragically repeat the first year.

Kamijou Touma trembled.

“I keep overcoming the risk of being held back, but it never goes away? Am I caught up in some kind of grand conspiracy? Could that tiny teacher be trying keep Kamijou-san in her class forever out of some twisted kind of love?”

“Want to do our homework together?”

“!? God yes!!”

And so it was time for a group study session with Himegami Aisa.

He had returned from the dead and gotten back in school, but the risk of repeating the year remained. He had to make sure he wasn’t crushed by this mountain of homework, leading to the red light flashing again.

So Kamijou first rushed to his room.

He figured there was no point in changing out of his uniform. He pulled out the textbooks, reference books, and notebooks he needed for his homework and then tossed his cumbersome school bag inside the room.

“Touma, I’m bored. Can’t you even say hello?”

“Maybe if you said ‘welcome back’ first, freeloader!! And sorry, but Kamijou-san has to deal with a towering mountain of homework. School may be out, but that doesn’t mean I have time to play! If I don’t do this, I really will get held back!”

“Ehhh? But I’m hungry…”

“You need to stop associating boredom with eating. That devastating thought process is hell on your health, Index.”

Othinus, however, was unusually quiet.

“…”

Kamijou rushed out of his room and ran down the emergency stairs. When he arrived on Himegami’s floor, he found someone else there.

It was Fukiyose Seiri.

She was in her school uniform.

“What the hell are you doing here, Kamijou?”

“Why is Fukiyose here?”

He looked to Himegami who sighed softly with a blank expression on her face.

Apparently she had been caught on the way here.

Fukiyose glared over at Kamijou.

“What, did you think you could barge into a girl’s room and be alone with her? Are you stupid?”

…

Did she have to ask that? Now he couldn’t stop thinking about it.

He had only been interested in getting his homework done to avoid being held back. That was almost certain to happen if he didn’t mend his ways, so it was a pressing issue. Yet he had a feeling that statement had just badly derailed that attempt.

All the doors along the hallway were identical, yet he suddenly felt a strange pressure coming from this one.

He was terrified.

Could they maybe visit a nearby library instead?

And just as Manly Kamijou Touma trembled and prepared to tearfully chicken out…

“Come on. Just come on in,” said Himegami.

She said it with a fair amount of force.

And with the room’s owner opening the door herself, there was no more room for argument.

When he looked to Himegami, she looked the other way.

Dammit, was she getting bashful?

Please someone take charge of this situation!!

“C-coming in…”

Kamijou kind of felt like he had to say something or the pressure of the girl’s room would have beaten him.

He noted a faint sweet aroma.

This was Himegami Aisa’s room.

There wasn’t much inside. That impression may not have been entirely due to any lack of hobbies on Himegami’s part. The lack of a bed in the room made the space look bigger. Apparently she was the futon type.

Then Himegami asked a question.

It was hard to tell with her general lack of expression, but her face looked a bit red.

“What is it? Is there something weird about my room?”

Fukiyose silently elbowed him in the side.

And pushed forward. ''But you were the one who got me all nervous about this in the first place!

Himegami said she would go buy something to eat and left the room.

With no kitchen space, the room didn’t even have the bare minimum of a microwave or a fridge. Even with food available in the dining hall, it seemed inconvenient.

Left alone, Kamijou and Fukiyose sat around the tea table and pulled out their textbooks and reference books. The thickness of the stack of homework assigned by Komoe-sensei was enough to drain his willpower. Couldn’t they fit it all on a phone or something?

Kamijou was already fed up with it all.

“I just flipped through it, but why are Komoe-sensei’s questions always phrased so confusingly? Are they trick questions?”

“I think it’s an anti-AI measure. A lot of it is ways of keeping it from being summarized accurately.”

The forehead girl had a more reasonable explanation.

The door opened and Himegami returned.

She had brought cookies, chocolates, and a few 500mL bottles of barley tea. Even though it was midwinter January.

And with that it was time to grab their mechanical pencils and start the battle!

“Express the transformation of Maxwell’s demon. Focus on the phenomenon of data information being directly converted into energy. Describe the energy conversion cycle. Use a diagram. …We have to hand draw a diagram? Is this another anti-AI thing?”

“Quantum theory is based on observation, but telepathy and clairvoyance can be used to allow a single person to make observations from multiple points of view simultaneously. Explain what happens with the margin of error in the exceptional phenomena expected to affect the wave function of Particle A when it is observed simultaneously from multiple angles. …Hey, hold on. Dammit, Kamijou, are you already asleep?”

No, he was trying his best to stay awake because he knew he would have a math nightmare if he fell asleep now…

Observations were a sensory thing of seeing or noticing something, so why did they turn into wave functions, the Shrödinger equation, and other jumbles of letters and numbers that felt like a space alien language once they appeared on paper for a test? There were even letters in there you wouldn’t find anywhere between A and Z.

That aside.

While he didn’t at all understand the dark vortex of homework he had been cast into by the demon named Tsukuyomi Komoe, Kamijou did feel a strange sense of accomplishment.

This was everyday life in Academy City.

This was a normal school life with nothing threatening his survival and nothing dooming the world to destruction.

Kamijou stared into the distance, relishing this feeling of being alive.

And just then…

“(Oh? So this is the kind of thing you returned from the grave to experience?)”

The pointy-haired boy’s shoulders jumped.

He heard a voice coming from within his jacket. There was someone in his clothes!?

Kamijou Touma suddenly began squirming.

“(What are you doing here, Othinus!?)”

“(Keeping myself safe. You are only a guest in the girls dorm. You boys were ''only'' given a place here out of the kindness of the girls’ hearts because you had nowhere else to go, so they could kick you out at any time. A single problem could mean the end of this temporary peace. Not to mention that my divine self, the grimoire library, and the cat aren’t supposed to be living in the girls dorm at all. If you get in trouble related to the girls, we will be kicked out right along with you. I must keep that from happening. So this isn’t me meddling in your life. It is a necessary self-defense measure.)”

“(Thanks for the long-winded explanation, but what are you so worried abou-) shfh!?”

The two girls turned their attention to him. Giving him extremely curious looks.

He had felt a sharp pain under his clothes.

From a tiny fist hitting him right in the armpit. Under his clothes.

A deadly low voice reached him.

“(You think a god like me is worried?)”

“(T-try to behave if you don’t want Himegami and Fukiyose to find out.)”

“(Hmph. That’s my line.)”

“(Also, trouble related to the girls? Like what, Othinus? Kamijou Touma is a possessor of world-famous misfortune. There is no way in hell ''some unexplainable stroke of luck'' will get me on good terms with a girl.)”

“(You are even stupider than I thought, understander. Yes, you are plagued by misfortune, but this is one area where not even I can trust you. When it comes to girls, you have a tendency to assume the worst, bet against yourself, and fail miserably for it. You are having a study session in a girl’s dorm room. Why don’t you realize that alone puts you in ultra dangerous territory? Look, human. See what I mean?)”

There was something white below the low table.

It was made of cloth.

It was rolled up like a donut.

Kamijou Touma snorted with laughter.

“(What are you so afraid of, Othinus-san? Ah ha ha. Just because I’m in a sweet-smelling girl’s room doesn’t mean I’m going to just find her underwear lying around. That’s probably no more than a sock or a scrunchie. I know how things work when Kamijou-san’s generational bad luck is at work.) Hey, Himegami. What’s thi-”

It was not a scrunchie.

The black-haired shrine maiden had no use for one.

The garment in his hand really was underwear.

Under his clothes, a tiny fist drove itself into his navel. He dropped the garment below the table.

“Amyahpanteeeee!!!”

“?”

Himegami gave him a puzzled look.

He couldn’t let her find out.

He couldn’t let these sweet-smelling classmates know that, during a group study session in a girl’s room, he was secretly writhing around while toying with the girl’s panties beneath the low table and hiding a 15cm figurine girl below his clothes! That combination would have deadly results!!

“(See, it’s already happening. If I don’t keep an eye on this dumbass, who knows how many girls he’ll end up impregnating.)”

“(You’re so mad it actually calmed me down a little, but you seem excessively upset over nothing more than some underwear, Othinus. It’s the body that wears the underwear that matters! And that fact that it’s here means she must change in here instead of using the changing room. Ah ha ha h-)”

“Ohh?”

There wasn’t supposed to be anyone else here.

Yet he still heard a busty glasses girl’s whispered voice.

“I didn’t realize you had such a vivid imagination that a single piece of cloth could bring a scene like that to mind. And in such detail.”

[[Image:GT_Index_v16_BW1.jpg|thumb]]

“(Kaza…kiri-san? What are you doing here? Hold on. Is this girls dorm some kind of haunted building where supernatural people lose control or something!?)”

On the other side of the low table, Himegami and Fukiyose both tilted their heads.

Apparently they hadn’t noticed the unseen apparition.

“Stare…”

The pressure was incredible for something he couldn’t see. All of a sudden, he found himself trapped between the human girls and the divine and angelic type.

Was the apocalypse about to break loose?

For that reason, he couldn’t let Himegami and Fukiyose find out about the god (whose 15cm height let her hide under his clothes) and the angel who was fading into the air nearby. This mission was getting more challenging by the minute.

Kamijou slowly hid the garment below the low table.

He felt more trapped all the time.

“(Ehhhh? Wait, since when does Kazakiri use such an icy voice and lay on the pressure like that? I feel like we’ve entered new territory here.)”

“(By the way, why are you getting all excited by this icy reception from a normally nervous busty glasses girl?)”

“(Othinus, are you trying to turn me into a saint? Or are you a Trojan horse plotting to break down my mental barriers from the inside?)”

The study session meant to keep him from being held back had entered a new phase.

Actually, what was even going on? Having something to hide made it so much more nerve wracking!

“Um, let’s see. The next problem… Related to Physicist Young, the pinhole camera greatly contributed to humanity’s understanding of the wave theory of light. These work simply by letting light pass through a pinhole, but what is the optimal diameter for the pinhole? Dammit, Komoe-sensei just loves phrasing these confusingly.”

“It looks like a math problem at first, but it’s actually a memorization problem, right?”

“The answer is 0.4mm. …But look. You don’t get any points unless you justify your answer using the formulas for interference and diffraction.”

These anti-AI measures were such a pain!! Of course, if they didn’t have to follow instructions not found in the problem itself, then the AI could just do it all on its own.

“By the way, Fukiyose, what’s that? Isn’t there as small hole in your uniform? Like from a pin?”

“…Have you been staring at my chest?”

“Maybe you’re a perfect role model, but some of us can’t help it! Sexy boob moles are going to draw our attention!!”

And once it drew his attention, he got scared what Othinus might do to him.

After his shout of tearful desperation, Fukiyose sighed in annoyance.

“I don’t remember pinning anything there…but it’s on my chest. I was probably wearing a name tag or something. Those are common when working on things like festival committees.”

Himegami tilted her head.

And spoke.

“A 0.4mm pinhole. In other words. Even if we can’t see it. The optical image is being projected out from within? Like the underwear below the clothing?”

A loud commotion followed.

Fukiyose covered herself with both hands. Kamijou understood that was necessary. But he really wished she would do it in a way that didn’t look like she was squeezing her boobs together!

“Damn you, Kamijou.”

“That wasn’t me! Really, it’s not fair you didn’t headbutt Himegami for that one!!”

“It might be invisible to the naked eye. But a high spec smartphone might be able to see something.”

“~ ~ ~!!!?”

Was the forehead girl reacting more than usual because it had been a surprise attack from someone who normally didn’t say these things? Fukiyose would have kept her cool more if it were only Kamijou here. She was the kind of person who was unfazed even when he stumbled in on her changing. Of course, if he said that out loud, it would be enough of a bombshell to get his front teeth broken by her forehead.

Then Kamijou’s phone rang.

“Oh, dear. It’s your mother, Touma-san. Are you getting into some kind of trouble? A mother needs to keep her son from misbehaving, so I felt the need to give you a call.”

“…”

Kamijou Touma felt utterly bewildered with phone in hand. Hold on. He had already accepted that this girls dorm was a mysterious dimension that had a negative effect on 15cm gods and shy busty glasses angels, but wait a second. Since when were moms as super holy and invincible as gods and angels!?

A high school boy was hopelessly outmatched when it came to moms (without question), so Kamijou silently hung up and faced reality.

“Okay, okay. Everything’s all right, Fukiyose, so have something to drink and calm down. Here’s some barley tea.”

“Thanks…”

“I added three sugars just the way you like it.”

“Bfff! What is wrong with you!? Y-you can’t pump a girl full of wasted calories just for some stupid joke!”

“I wouldn’t talk about ‘pumping a girl full of’ something if I were you. It sounds indecent.”

“Dbhhbfbhhhh!!?”

Was this like that fountain? You know, the one in Singapore that looks like a lion but isn’t one.

Kamijou stared into the distance, but he also felt movement inside his jacket.

It was the 15cm god.

“(…)”

“(Whoa!? Hey, Othinus, don’t pinch me there! That’s Kamijou-san’s right nipple! Stop it, god. If you make me twitch like this, Himegami’s rolled up cloth will slip out from under the table!!)”

Himegami and Fukiyose both tilted their heads.

===Part 4===

Time passed as all this went on.

“It’s almost seven,” said Fukiyose, calling the study session to an end.

It was dinner time.

Yes, the girls dorm had a dining hall on the first floor.

That may have been why the rooms, as comfortable as they were, didn’t have a kitchen. They looked more like hotel rooms because of it.

…How could Index and Othinus eat when they were stuck in his room?

That had been his big worry of late, but he couldn’t let anyone else know.

No one could find out he had a white nun, a calico cat, and a 15cm god living in his room!

And so (after dropping his study things and Othinus off at his room) Kamijou joined the crowd forming at the first floor dining hall.

The dining hall worked by buying a ticket at the machine and then receiving a tray of food at the counter, but the machine only had a single giant LCD screen. It didn’t use buttons.

“Ugh,” groaned Kamijou.

He didn’t like these very much.

(Ordering from a touchscreen like this is such a pain because you have to search through several layers of folders to find the dish you want. If you start down the wrong path, you can end up lost forever. Still, it’s better than a phone app that’s stealing who knows how much of your personal data.)

As a petty bourgeois who got scared of the line behind him whenever he took too long, his focus was immediately drawn to the “new items” tab prominently displayed on the top page.

It had been updated. The menu had changed since yesterday.

One item must have been really new because it didn’t even have a photo.

Egg curry.

“Wait. That’s too broad to even guess what it really is. What would I even be ordering? What’s the point of this huge screen?”

While Kamijou stood dumbfounded in front of the ticket machine, Himegami and Fukiyose joined the conversation directly behind him. They stood up on their toes and hopped to see the screen over his shoulders. All well and good for Himegami, but that was fairly dangerous for Fukiyose at such close range. …How could he tell how close she was when he didn’t have eyes in the back of his head, you ask? Thanks to his other senses that could detect pressure, touch, and softness!

Othinus (who was still hiding inside his clothes) whispered to him.

“(She has her chest against your back, doesn’t she?)”

How could that god know when she couldn’t possibly see from inside his uniform?

The high school girls (who were too focused on the new menu item to realize what they had done) discussed the item.

“Maybe it’s normal curry rice. With a fried egg on top?”

“It might just be a spicier curry with a raw egg dropped inside. That would keep the flavor milder, which is a plus in my book. And the flavor ends up different from just ordering mild curry to begin with.”

…Now, Kamijou himself had been imagining curry rice with a thick rolled omelet on top. But maybe that would be called omelet curry instead?

The line behind him had grown long enough to make him nervous. He couldn’t wait any longer. He had a disease where his heart would explode if he had more than ten people waiting on him, so he went ahead and bought the egg curry currently displayed on the screen. The way you had to unlock your phone, bring up the right app, press it against the screen, and wait for the tone was an annoying amount of work! He understood technology was advancing, but was the earth really becoming a more convenient place!?

“Hmm. I guess I’ll get the egg curry.”

“I skipped lunch, so I’m fairly free to order whatever I want. I think I’ll try the egg curry too.”

Looking back, he saw Himegami, Fukiyose, and more of those behind him in line ordering the egg curry. Were they just easily influenced, or was the fear of a line behind you built into the system’s design for business purposes?

But what really was the egg curry anyway?

He couldn’t imagine the combo being anything bad, but it also didn’t sound like the heartiest of meals. It didn’t sound like as perfect a pairing as a fried egg on top of a hamburger steak. He still couldn’t come up with a solid mental image for the thing, so what was he actually going to find on his plate?

A young woman in an apron was working busily behind the counter.

Kamijou’s first time seeing her, he had nearly died on the spot from the “Gasp! Does the girls dorm have a dorm manager!?” effect, but it turned out she was a contractor. She apparently worked for a bento shop. Which wasn’t quite the same thing as a dorm manager. About as different as a kunoichi outfit from a Western-style Taisho-era waitress. Were there really no dorm managers in this world!?

“Here you go. Egg curry.”

That was fast.

He had his food immediately after handing in his ticket. Like 1.5 seconds after. Zero effort on her part.

Also, he had caught a glimpse of the apron woman’s hand beyond the counter just now. She appeared to wearing a knit sweater or a turtleneck, but he couldn’t see her face because of the barrier with only a small opening like from a pawn shop in a gun culture. The painted nails had the look of a grown woman, but the design had been more gyaru-ish than high society. They were shining with lamé and beads.

Curry made by a gyaru?

He had a bad feeling about this.

The curry rice had scrambled eggs on top. So much that the curry was completely obscured.

Every single person who had paid money for this had the same thought.

“This isn’t what I wanted!!”

===Part 5===

Nevertheless, the time had come to eat it.

(It’s not all that bad really. I mean, curry rice and scrambled eggs are both fine. So why does it feel like disappointing reheated leftovers?)

Kamijou munched on the egg curry that was maybe better called “curry rice topped with an omelet that has already been destroyed before you can spit it open with your own spoon”.

He still had a mission left to complete.

He could fill his own belly by eating the food here, but he still had to secure food for Index and Othinus waiting back in his room. However, it would be far too conspicuous if he bought a ticket and then brought the tray up to his room.

(I guess I’ll have to do what I did yesterday. I’m just afraid they’ll get tired of eating the same thing day after day.)

Humans had a tendency to go back to a solution that has worked once before. As long as Index and Othinus didn’t protest.

And so he focused on one corner of the dining hall.

Fortunately, they had breads and such for sale there separate from the meals meant to be eaten in the dining hall. Based on the handwritten display, they were meant as snacks for anyone studying late into the night.

Each item cost 100 yen.

There was a collection box like for a charity as well as a phone reader.

They all looked cheap piled up like that, but maybe you had to choose carefully to get your money’s worth.

Regardless, he was glad to have items you didn’t have to eat in the dining hall since he couldn’t bring Index and Othinus to the dining hall to eat. There were a wide variety of breads, but Kamijou selected the larger ones that looked like they had a lot of veggies inside. Like the stir fried meat and vegetables bread. …He didn’t think of stir fried meat and vegetables as something you ate with bread, but then yakisoba wasn’t really something you ate with bread either.

He felt a tug at his shirt inside his uniform.

Courtesy of Othinus.

“(Grab the whipped cream French bread. I want to eat that. Not the chocolate bread or the cream bread. It has to be the whipped cream French bread!)”

“(What are you planning to do with a bread about as big as you are, Othinus? Hold it like a body pillow while you eat it? Now that’s a form of divine entertainment mankind would never even dream of.)”

But whatever.

He also grabbed a croquette bread and a curry bread before noticing eyes on him.

And not just from one person.

“?”

He shouldn’t have turned around.

The girls were glaring at him.

He had noticed a lot of pressure on him, but was this why?

He looked down at the bag of breads he was holding. He knew Index’s gluttonous appetite well, so he had at least five in there…

Fukiyose Seiri kept her voice low, speaking on behalf of them all.

“Weight. Do you have any idea how much we have to deprive ourselves for that cursed word? And then this damn inconsiderate boy has to show up and start stuffing his face. And to make matters worse, he doesn’t even hesitate to go for the whipped cream French bread that all of us want to eat but can never actually let ourselves eat…”

(They have the wrong idea here, but I can’t exactly tell them these are for Index and Othinus in my room!!)

“Honestly, I force myself to take long baths every day to sweat off as much weight as I can and then this growing boy has to do this in front of me.”

“That’s just a sexy woman who loves bathing. Are you trying to take beauty so far you turn yourself into a dried shiitake? Besides, what’s the point of spending hours naked in the bath when drinking a single glass of water will cancel it all out?”

They started throwing things.

===Part 6===

While steadily losing some kind of points, Kamijou Touma returned to his room carrying several breads.

There was no reaction even as he opened the door.

Someone half-starved lay collapsed in the middle of the floor.

“Oh. Ohhh… T-Touma. I’m hungry…”

“Stop playing the victim when you’re the one who polished off three days’ worth of supplies in a single day. I’m the obvious victim here,” said an exasperated 15cm Magic God Othinus, wriggling on out from Kamijou’s clothes.

The god’s crossed arms and raised voice suggested Index really had eaten every last crumb. And apparently that god was still reluctant to eat cat food even at 15cm tall.

But Index ignored that entirely.

“That’s not fair, Touma! I want to crawl inside you too!”

“Let’s not make this more confusing than it already is!!”

The breads Kamijou had bought (under the immense pressure of the weight-conscious girls’ glares) vanished in record time.

It was a concerning speed because he had no real solution if this wasn’t enough.

The auto-locking entrance was the most obvious example, but this girls dorm was a lot more security-conscious than the boys dorm had been. It had a lot more strict rules.

That included managing everyone’s meals with the dining hall instead of letting them cook for themselves.

According to the rules, anyone who failed to get enough nutrients in the dining hall just had to put up with their empty stomach. Not getting enough or missing the meal weren’t taken into consideration. That meant night owls would have to battle their empty stomachs each night. Of course, the teachers would probably just say to get to bed earlier.

Then again…

(That’s the official story. But our school isn’t all that strict. Are they really enforcing those rules? I bet people who don’t get enough at dinner make convenience store runs all the time.)

But betting wasn’t the same as having proof.

And if he carelessly pondered this out loud, he knew Index or Othinus would demand he make one of those runs, so he kept his mouth shut!

(Buying all those breads stands out too much, so I need to find some other way of getting them food. What can I do?)

Or was the food even the real problem here?

Was there nothing he could do about the fact that any food in the room would be devoured by Index? Like storing chips and curry bread in a big safe? How expensive were safes exactly???

He had to come up with something.

“Touma. I feel like all I did today was take a bath and brush my teeth.”

“And what’s wrong with that? There’s always tomorrow.”

He might be a high school boy thrown into the foreign world of the girls dorm, but the daily routine continued unabated.

The clock continued to tick as he ate meals, bathed, and so on.

“Guess I should get some sleep,” muttered the pointy-haired boy as he prepared for bed.

First, he reached into his pajamas.

“Othinus.”

“How did you know?”

Why did she think he wouldn’t notice something inside his clothes?

“We already understand each other on such a deep level, so why shouldn’t we sleep in the same space? Besides, the bathroom is a lot safer for me when that feline carnivore named Calico still tries to eat me any time he can- ahhh!!”

He (literally) threw her out.

Also, Calico was not the cat’s name.

And yes, Kamijou Touma slept in the bathtub. Because the bathroom door locked! This was a rule he had followed even back in the boys dorm. So after giving Index the bed and drying out the used bathtub, he climbed in with a blanket in hand. Why was it the place still smelled like girls? Was it the shampoo and body soap provided in the girls dorm? He used the same stuff, but the end result was completely different for some reason.

But…

“I-I can’t sleep.”

This was a girls dorm, not a boys dorm.

That meant some things were different.

Such as…

“The tub is smaller. I can’t stretch out my legs!!”

He tossed and turned inside the cramped tub in the pitch black bathroom for a while.

He had nothing to do.

He was bored.

He felt like he was wasting his time like crazy.

He had read somewhere that your sense of time changed as you aged.

A high schooler’s limit had to be less than an hour.

“This isn’t working.”

Kamijou got up, but he couldn’t go and sleep in the same room as the girls. After some thought, he walked to the front door.

The dorm had a lot more security than the boys dorm had.

Maybe he could lie down and sleep on a bench next to a vending machine in the hallway.

<noinclude>
{{Toaru_Nav|prev=Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume16_Prologue|next=Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume16_Chapter2}}
</noinclude>

Toaru Majutsu no Index: Genesis Testament

2026-09-21T11:28:41Z

Ultranova17:

{{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 – KOTATSU_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|?]]

[[Image:GT vol 8.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 8 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume8|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume8 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume8 Prologue|Prologue: Attacked from Three Sides – Proclaim_ML.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume8 Chapter1|Chapter 1: I’m Sick of Running – Break_Through_MCV.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume8 Chapter2|Chapter 2: Transcendent Mut Thebes – The_Death_Penalty_WH.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume8 Chapter3|Chapter 3: Relying on R&C Occultics – Secret_DB.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume8 Chapter4|Chapter 4: Decide For Yourself Which Girl to Save – Battle_of_HsB-AD-CVA01.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume8 Epilogue|Epilogue: Beyond Optimism – Catastrophe_XXX.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume8 Afterword|Afterword]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume8 Ending|?]]

[[Image:GT Vol 9.png|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 9 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume9|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume9 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume9 Prologue|Prologue: Battle of the Best – Zenith_of_the_Magic.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume9 Chapter1|Chapter 1: Determine Your Stance – Right_or_Wicked.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume9 Chapter2|Chapter 2: So Much Like Tree Rings – Open_War,1st_Defense_Line.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume9 Chapter3|Chapter 3: Journey – Cut_a_Road_to_Allover_the_Goal.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume9 Chapter4|Chapter 4: At the Center – Duel_and_Struggle,CRC.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume9 Epilogue|Epilogue: A Certain Truth and the Collapse of It All – Black_Humor.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume9 Afterword|Afterword]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume9 Ending|?]]

[[Image:GT Vol 10.png|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 10 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume10|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume10 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume10 Prologue|Prologue: Alice Anotherbible – Back_to_Memory.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume10 Chapter1|Chapter 1: The World is Not So Strong – the_End_of_Real.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume10 Chapter2|Chapter 2: Welcome to the Psychedelic – Little_Queen_Wonderland.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume10 Chapter3|Chapter 3: Prophecy – Last_Branch(of_Die).]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume10 Chapter4|Chapter 4: The Unfortunate Boy’s Focus – Over_the_River.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume10 Epilogue|Epilogue: Kamijou Touma – Notice_of_the_Death.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume10 Afterword|Afterword]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume10 Ending|?]]

[[Image:GT Vol 11.png|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 11 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume11|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume11 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume11 Prologue|Prologue: Welcome – the_DIE_After_Tomorrow.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume11 Chapter1|Chapter 1: The Other Side of the Ordinary – Hell,_Hades,_and_Gehenna.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume11 Chapter2|Chapter 2: Journey – What’s_That_Adventurer’s_Party?]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume11 Chapter3|Chapter 3: A Single Lie, A Single Answer – Seat_the_Only_One.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume11 Chapter4|Chapter 4: I’d Wanted To Do This With You – Duel_and_Struggle,_XXX.Revenge.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume11 Epilogue|Epilogue: End of the Ritual – Flat_Line…]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume11 Afterword|Afterword]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume11 Ending|?]]

[[Image:GT Vol 12.png|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 12 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume12|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume12 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume12 Prologue|Prologue: The Process Leading to Death – Silent_Road.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume12 Chapter1|Chapter 1: A Scene of White and Black – the_DEATH.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume12 Chapter2|Chapter 2: Funeral – Good_Bye_Bad.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume12 Chapter3|Chapter 3: A World Worse Than Death – Soul_Hazard.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume12 Chapter4|Chapter 4: Those who Resist the Result – Ultra_VS_Wisdom.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume12 Epilogue|Epilogue: An Unwanted Trick – Open_Your_Lock.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume12 Afterword|Afterword]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume12 Ending|?]]

[[Image:Index GT Vol 13.png|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 13 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume13|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume13 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume13 Prologue|Prologue: Absolute Evil and Relative Evil – CHORONZON.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume13 Chapter1|Chapter 1: A Change – Magician, Witch, Wizard, and…]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume13 Chapter2|Chapter 2: Death and Slaughter – VS_NECROMANCER.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume13 Chapter3|Chapter 3: To Protect the World We Live In – Dance_With_ADIKALIKA.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume13 Chapter4|Chapter 4: Call That Name – Shout_the_Summon.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume13 Epilogue|Epilogue: Another – 4th_HERO.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume13 Afterword|Afterword]]
[[File:GT Index Vol 14.png|right|frameless|200x200px]]

===GT Volume 14 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume14|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume14 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume14 Prologue|Prologue: Updated Objective – Assault_Escape.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume14 Chapter1|Chapter 1: Fleeing Time Bomb – DEVIL_in_Science_World.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume14 Chapter2|Chapter 2: Divine Slope, Forbidden Book – Magical Exit.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume14 Chapter3|Chapter 3: Which Side is Winning? – Scoreboard.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume14 Chapter4|Chapter 4: The Brink of Death – Battle_With_ARCHENEMY.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume14 Epilogue|Epilogue: One in the Darkness – Bad_Light.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume14 Afterword|Afterword]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume14 Ending|?]]

[[Image:GT_Index_Vol_15.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 15 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume15|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume15 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume15 Prologue|Prologue: Starting Point – Girl_and_Girl!]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume15 Chapter1|Chapter 1: A Deadly Misunderstanding – New_Weapon_ZONE.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume15 Chapter2|Chapter 2: Equations and Magic Circles – Black_Oneday.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume15 Chapter3|Chapter 3: Justice Doesn’t Have a Monopoly on Peace – Justice_Another.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume15 Chapter4|Chapter 4: What the Fugitive Saw – Fumble.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume15 Epilogue|Epilogue: The Seed Has Been Sown – Question.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume15 Afterword|Afterword]]

[[Image:GT_Index_Vol_16.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 16 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Prologue|Prologue: The Third Term He Won – January.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Chapter1|Chapter 1: A New Life in the Girls Dorm – School_Life.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Chapter2|Chapter 2: As Far as You Can Get from Misfortune – Home.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Chapter3|Chapter 3: The Name was Present from the Start – “SYSTEM”.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Chapter4|Chapter 4: Roar into the Dark Night – Death_Sentence_for…]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Epilogue|Epilogue: Deepest Depths – Lady_Number_03.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Afterword|Afterword]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Ending|?]]

[[Toaru Majutsu no Index: Genesis Testament#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]]

File:GT Index Vol 16.jpg

2026-09-21T11:28:05Z

Ultranova17:

Toaru Majutsu no Index:Updates

2026-09-21T11:26:33Z

Ultranova17:

==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'''
*September 20, 2024 - GT Volume 11 - '''Completed'''
*December 15, 2024 - Golden SS - '''Completed'''

==2025==
*March 4, 2025 - Mikoto vs. Misaki 2 - '''Completed'''
*April 6, 2025 - Item Volume 4 - ''"Completed'''
*April 26, 2025 - GT Volume 12 - '''Completed'''
*August 16, 2025 - GT Volume 13 - '''Completed'''
*September 29, 2025 - Item Volume 5 - '''Completed'''
*December 21, 2025 - GT Volume 14 - '''Completed'''

==2026==
*March 1, 2026 - Item Volume 6 - '''Completed'''
*May 25, 2026 - GT Volume 15 - '''Completed'''
*September 20, 2026 - GT Volume 16 - '''Completed'''

Template:Toaru:Updates

2026-09-21T11:25:58Z

Ultranova17:

*March 1, 2026 - [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Item6|Item Volume 6]] - '''Completed'''
*May 25, 2026 - [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT_Volume15|GT Volume 15]] - '''Completed'''
*September 20, 2026 - [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT_Volume16|GT Volume 16]] - '''Completed'''
'''All updates can be found on the [[Toaru Majutsu no Index:Updates|Toaru Majutsu no Index Updates Page]].'''

Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Afterword

2026-09-20T20:14:19Z

Ultranova17: duplicate word

==Afterword==

If you picked them up one at a time, welcome back. If you bought them all at once, welcome.

This is Kamachi Kazuma.

This time I shined the spotlight on Kamijou Touma’s school life. With the Transcendents, CRC, Alice, and Coronzon, he fought a great many battles, but it was all for this. After returning from the dead and being faced with the threat of being held back, it’s about time that pointy-haired boy was rewarded at least once, right!? So I stuck with his school life the whole time. This time it really was a reward with nothing going on behind the scenes! So I let him enjoy a dream-like life with everyone in the girls dorm.

Now, the novels always focus on the serious battles, but this school life is what he should be experiencing every single day. It felt like Kamijou had been fighting for so long he could forget what he was fighting for, so I actually put the most effort into writing the normal, everyday life parts of this one. What is normal? Isn’t the everyday actually the most difficult thing!? It was a trial and error process. That dream-like world shines so bright…

It seems right for Kamijou to have a chance to reconfirm the importance of the things he risked his life to protect, doesn’t it? So much had been going on he needed this time to sort things out.

And while it looked like a normal school life, it also highlighted again the misfortune that has been around since Volume 1.

And since Kamijou had to be living a stress free life, I had Accelerator organize the ominous information related to SYSTEM hinted at in the previous volume. That term appeared frequently way back at the beginning but hasn’t appeared recently, but you did still remember it, didn’t you? Everyone knows about Kamijou Touma’s misfortune, but why does he have so much misfortune? When looking more closely into that, something spanning the entire world may came into view.

Then there was the Hamazura part. He’s the third protagonist who isn’t Kamijou Touma or Accelerator. …So doesn’t this seem like a good path for him? That’s why I had him unleash a roar at the end. He already used magic once to save manipulated Takitsubo and shattered Dion Fortune. I had a lot of ideas for his magic name, but I ended up going with her name. Hamazura doesn’t seem like he would have a wide vocabulary, so I thought something simple would be best.

One idea was for him to go through a flashy awakening last volume and use magic against Kamijou, but Kamijou himself used magic with St. Germain… It didn’t seem like it would have much of an impact there. If I was going to do this, I wanted to do it where it would shine brightest! So I had him use it against the eleven, who had confused the means with the ends, and with Narthex, who was being manipulated by Coronzon’s power.

In the last volume, I described the source of Hamazura’s sharpened senses as a power bringing him closer to death.

Hamazura can’t partially regenerate himself the way Tsuchimikado can. Acting cool and using magic as a secret trick is great and all, but he will have to face the cost of his actions, so you can look forward to that.

Then there’s Aleister. Yay, I finally did a German language supernatural battle! …I knew this had to happen eventually when I introduced Anna Sprengel. The Girls come from a variety of different languages, so I went with a German one for the third. This one tramples over all forms of numbers-based violence. If you think of the power wielded by the Roman Catholic Church in the latter part of the old series, it should give you a good idea of how irregular she is.

On the other hand, Index actually directly boosts her strength through the large numbers with her 103,000 grimoires. It might be a fun mental exercise to consider the pros and cons of The Girls who have been revealed so far: Index, Narthex, and Reflex.

I give my thanks to my illustrators Haimura-san and Itou Tateki-san and my editors Miki-san, Anan-san, Nakajima-san, and Hamamura-san. Draw an enjoyable and uneventful school life. That seems like a difficult task in and of itself. Thank you for sticking with me again.

And I give my thanks to the readers. Turning the stomachache-inducing entrance exams into a sort of festival seems very Academy City, don’t you think? So I wrote that super busy mid-January time in my own way, but what did you think? Thank you so much for reading this far.

It is time to close the pages for now while praying that the pages of the next book will be opened.

And I lay my pen down for now.

Remember, everyone! This series is supposed to be a school story!!

-Kamachi Kazuma

<noinclude>
{{Toaru_Nav|prev=Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume16_Epilogue|next=Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume16_Ending}}
</noinclude>

Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Chapter4

2026-09-20T20:13:31Z

Ultranova17: minor spelling and grammar

==Chapter 4: Roar into the Dark Night – Death_Sentence_for…==

===Part 1===

The Tower of London was one of England’s most famous tourist destinations. Did people want to see something frightening, or did they want to gawk at a shameful part of the world-famous British Empire? Despite its gloomy image, the number of tourists hoping to experience some history there was so great that entrance restrictions had been put in place to avoid overtourism.

But most of the people listening to the tour guide with their wireless earphones and snapping photos with their phones were shown to the exit without ever learning the truth.

The Tower of London was full of labyrinthine corridors blocked off with “keep out” signs and ropes. …And in the deepest depths, it was still being used for the same purpose it had in its heyday.

That is, as a secret prison for magicians run by the state.

Another location in London could not have been more different.

Within gorgeous Buckingham Palace, Queen Elizard was relaxing.

Specifically, she was wearing a track suit and lying on a fancy sofa.

Knight Leader, standing nearby, was a thoroughly trained warrior, so he did not bring a hand to his forehead. Because his tough mind could drive out any temptation!

“The Anglicans have made some moves and I thought you should know.”

“Right,” said a lazy voice.

For the queen, Buckingham Palace was simply her home. She must have felt free to lie around in whatever outfit she liked.

“You mean about those Asians…the Amakusas, was it? That they’ve disappeared.”

“After their terrible failure in Academy City, they have gone into the mountains to rethink themselves. Their letter came with a paper charm linked to their priestess. In an emergency, we can curse that to inform her.”

“What kind of people do the Japanese think the British royal family are? The world-famous Queen of the United Kingdom will not use any sinister curses.”

Elizard sighed.

That group took everything unnecessarily seriously.

The ''pure'' Anglican magicians like Stiyl and Isabella would be hanging around in a Westminster cafe or something as if nothing had happened.

“The other notable action by the Anglicans would be Dion Fortune. She is still their Archbishop, but she is effectively boycotting her job. She is not responding to any of our calls.”

“They’re starting the ''trial'' without their leader signing off on it. I can understand her annoyance.”

“This is not a slight against Fortune’s own abilities. The suspects include a personal friend of hers. So unfortunately she cannot be considered an impartial judge this time.”

Knight Leader’s calm explanation was well reasoned.

But at the same time, he was aware it was a gentle slope where the path ahead continued to narrow down as ''only'' the least risky options were taken. A shadow hung over the young man’s face.

Elizard also sighed.

(What a pain. The one who tears apart the bonds between people and obstructs their evolution, huh? You’re still going strong even after death, Lola Stuart.)

“So what happens now?”

“Given the severity of the issue, they cannot allow the Archbishop to issue an indulgence and acquit him. In order to eliminate Fortune’s personal influence…''the eleven'' will handle this one.”

Queen Elizard grimaced at Knight Leader’s response.

This was unusual for the queen who would calmly laugh off any international problem and eagerly seek a resolution.

“I don’t like them very much.”

“But they are necessary. This must be done fairly and impartially, with no loopholes. Isn’t that why you still haven’t gotten rid of them?”

That was true, but she didn’t have to like it.

Elizard got up from the fancy sofa.

She glanced outside the window, but she couldn’t see the Tower of London from here.

“Narthex, was it?”

“Yes.”

“And Hamazura Shiage.”

Knight Leader said nothing further.

Because he simply had trouble grasping what the queen was getting at. He was mildly surprised that she even knew the name of a foreigner like Hamazura Shiage.

Her eyes still out the window, Elizard spoke with sorrow in her voice.

“Then today’s ''witch trial'' could be nothing but misfortune and disaster for those two.”

===Part 2===

She wasn’t foolish enough to descend directly into a British airport.

So her plan was to first enter France under a fake name and then pass through the Channel Tunnel to reach London.

It was late at night.

She didn’t think she had taken even ten steps from the train.

Takitsubo Rikou found Leivinia Birdway standing in front of her on the giant station platform.

“Way too obvious. On the magic side, England has long seen France as its greatest enemy. Why would you try to sneak in on the most watched route? You should have at least tried stowing away aboard a ship from Spain or the Netherlands. Although those holes will be filled given another two weeks.”

She was speaking English of course.

And with a proper British accent that would sound out of place in America or Australia. Birdway had no obligation to speak Takitsubo’s language.

The confident blonde girl took a sip of the drink a subordinate handed her and then stared at the bottle’s label in disbelief.

She demonstrated her lack of concern by taking her eyes off of the enemy directly in front of her.

“Ew, gross… Hey, Mark, what the hell are you making me drink? It tastes like the paint used to make glass bottles shine.”

“It is mineral water, boss. And a luxury Swiss product. It costs more than a cup of the tea you love to give trivia about despite not making it yourself.”

“Natural water? You mean water from the ground!? European groundwater is far too dangerous to drink without boiling it first. At the very least, no self-respecting Brit would touch the stuff. No wonder my body instantly rejected it. We might be outdoors and on the streets, but the correct choice is to prepare a safe and tasty cup of tea. And I mean you should do that, Mark, since you’re just standing around stealing your wages.”

“Look at all this work I am doing, boss. Every last thing crammed into the pages of my notebook is something that should be your job as head of the cabal.”

Apparently that man in black did not demand his mistaken boss change her ways. Simply pointing out the mistakes and letting shame do the work apparently wasn’t just a tool of Japanese bureaucracy.

Takitsubo ignored all that and interrupted in Japanese.

“If I would have been caught regardless, why did you take the risk of contacting me? Are you also planning to-”

[[Image:GT_Index_v16_BW5.jpg|thumb]]

“Nah, I don’t really care about Hamazura Shiage.”

“…”

“Don’t give me that look. And don’t try to bluff without even a two of a kind in your hand. Making threats without any idea how to fight is also known as suicide. Also, you seem to be staring intently at the cards in your hands, but are we even playing European poker here? Or is it Japanese seven bridge? You can’t even guess at the rules for how you battle a magic cabal.”

Birdway chuckled.

That was all.

But the next thing Takitsubo knew, she was surrounded. By men dressed in identical black suits.

Their numbers alone weren’t the problem.

(I’m a tracking expert, but ''I didn’t even notice their approach''.)

This was what happened to an information expert skilled enough to slip out of Academy City.

It was like the relationship between an old-fashioned radar facility and a strategic stealth bomber. She had been shown the truth before the fight even began: if she tried to resist, she would be unilaterally slaughtered.

They were right in front of her, yet they had had so little presence it was like watching shadows stand up from the ground.

They were being managed on that level.

It was that sort of game.

“I understand being worried from your point of view. You might not know what exactly a witch trial entails, but it isn’t a term that inspires optimism. Especially when a friend of yours is involved and you can’t just watch on pretending you know what’s happening.”

“You make it sound like you do know what it means.”

“Because ''that'' is the world I fight in.” Birdway shrugged. “For example, have you heard of a tool called the Spanish Spider?”

“?”

“It’s a set of metal hooks that open and close like scissors or pliers. The four sharp points stab into someone’s back and then they’re lifted up using a pulley on the ceiling. The poor victim’s back muscles and fat are torn through by their own weight. And, of course, it isn’t just some bluff – it was actually used.”

“You…”

“There’s also a torture device modeled after millstones. The victim’s body is placed between a pair of stone pieces designed to rotate in the opposite direction of each other and are then ''slowly'' rotated until they confess. Torture devices are not some unique form of technology. They’re based on objects found in everyday life.”

“…”

“The rack, the garrote, Lissa's iron coffin – there are so many other cruel options. There are as many ideas as there are stars in the sky, yet not a one of them is a benevolent tool. It really is cruel. People love to say human nature is good, but this is a wonderful example of what humans produce when they gather together and lose control. If you want a detailed explanation of any of them, just let me know. Unlike those holy men and women, we aren’t bound by any requirement to always remain good. So unlike those arbiters of justice who go to so much trouble, we won’t underestimate the cruelty of the actions or the number of victims. We will tell you the unvarnished truth. And that is the path that Narthex and Hamazura Shiage are headed down now.”

It was true Birdway knew more about this than Takitsubo.

And yet Birdway had said she didn’t care about Hamazura.

“We in the Dawn-Colored Sunlight are interested in The Girls – Narthex in this case. Those presents were left by Great Demon Coronzon and rival Grimoire Library Index Librorum Prohibitorum. That sealing magic user would be a tremendous asset if we could get her. …That said, she is a superweapon created by the Anglican traitor Lola. ''She belonged to their enemy, so it isn’t entirely clear that she belongs to the Anglicans''. Nevertheless, they took her back from Academy City and are attempting to get the death penalty for her in the Tower of London. Right before my eyes!! What a waste it would be to execute a genius like that!”

“You make it sound like you wouldn’t care if she was executed if she weren’t a genius.”

“Because it’s true. I’m not opposed to the death penalty, but I don’t actively support it either. If you want to avoid the death penalty, then show me how it would benefit me and I’ll help you out. But I see personality as a part of someone’s talent and I don’t need a duplicate trump card. ''And I already have one exception who can pleasantly manipulate me.'' Oh, and I don’t mean my sister. Little sisters are a category all their own.”

It wasn’t that Leivinia Birdway didn’t know who Hamazura Shiage was.

Yet she didn’t even need to think about it.

These were the words of someone who chose people based on a hierarchy. In a way, that coldhearted side was necessary to lead an organization.

“You want to save Hamazura Shiage. He’s getting a trial, but it’s effectively a fixed game and it’s been predetermined he’ll be executed, so I understand you’re impatient. But you don’t even know where he’s waiting for execution, do you? Ha ha ha. Searching the ordinary police and court records online from France isn’t going to turn anything up. This is being done under another system entirely: magic. The people who can’t be judged by ordinary laws won’t be managed by the public institutions that operate under ordinary laws, now will they? But someone still needs to punish them for the sake of peace and safety. Let me guess: you couldn’t even find the name Hamazura Shiage in the immigration database.”

“…”

“Is that silence your habit when you can’t find an answer for me? If so, it’s pretty cute.”

“I doubt you will tell me the answer. It doesn’t benefit you any.”

“Right you are.”

Takitsubo heard a quiet sound.

From the side of her neck.

“''I can’t help you. Because I’m not all that interested in Takitsubo Rikou of Academy City.''”

She couldn’t resist.

Not when one of the men in black – the one named Mark – had chopped her at the perfect angle with the perfect speed.

===Part 3===

“…”

Hamazura Shiage heard a scratching sound.

He was facing the wall.

The musty stone wall was extremely hard and also unpleasantly damp.

He sat in a prison cell straight out of a storybook. A proper prison wouldn’t have been allowed to keep its inmates in such unsanitary conditions.

“Ahh.”

''Scratch, scratch, scratch, scratch.

Plus, he hadn’t been given any kind of trial. He didn’t know where he was, but he had never heard of a defendant being thrown in prison before being found guilty or not guilty. In fact, no one had even told him what country’s laws he had violated.

But when cut off from the rest of the world by these metal bars, no one would hear him if he complained about the unfair treatment. …Not that anyone would bother listening to what a villain had to say.

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.”

SYSTEM.

System, system, sisstum!!”

Hamazura dug his nails into the wet stone wall, but not because he was trying to dig through the wall and escape. Information was spilling from his mind. Rapidly. Just like it was hard to explain your dream to someone no matter how wonderful it had been.

He had seen it.

In that final moment, he had seen ''something'' behind Kamijou Touma.

Yet it kept spilling away. Only the clear word SYSTEM remained as the information broke down like flesh sloughing off the bone.

Even though he couldn’t afford to forget that information.

Was it a mechanism, a framework, or a hierarchy? Was the definition so large it couldn’t all fit inside his tiny human brain? Or did the great system running the entire world have the power to mess with the contents of his mind?

He didn’t know.

He didn’t understand.

He couldn’t answer.

He couldn’t comprehend.

If he could only remember what he had seen behind Kamijou on that day, he could have given the answer so easily!! Even though this was crucial information he couldn’t afford to forget!

“Are you alright?”

“Kh.”

The scratching had stopped.

He heard a voice.

He wasn’t imagining it…he thought. Because this wasn’t coming from inside his cell. It was a physical voice vibrating the air and reaching his eardrums from the cell across the stone corridor.

He recognized the voice.

The girl seated on the cold stone floor looked terribly chilly. Something about her seemed different from when he had seen her before. After some thought, he realized something was missing: the coat she had worn. Her second brain. ''Had she had her brains confiscated as a dangerous weapon?

She was curled up and trembling.

It looked like the cold was gradually draining her life away.

But even in that state, she had called out to Hamazura.

Even she couldn’t stand to see him like this.

“Narthex…was it?”

“Yes. I am mother’s sister.”

He didn’t know what that meant exactly.

But he could imagine it was important enough to her she had to restate it.

“Mother put you through a lot. Since she is gone, I will apologize for her. Hamazura Shiage, you were an ordinary person with no part in this, so you shouldn’t have ever seen this hidden side of the world.”

Aneri…was gone.

No, she might be hiding somewhere on the network even now, but this musty prison made of thick stone walls and metal bars didn’t have any electronics capable of using her. His cracked phone was gone and, hard as it was to believe, the place didn’t even have electronic locks on the doors or basic security cameras.

Instead of being lax about security, it meant they regularly did things they didn’t want to leave any record of for even their own people to see.

That idea brought a bone-chilling dread.

This place was fully cut off from civilization. No one in the world would find out what happened here.

Here he would learn all too well how the toxic torture and execution devices only seen in storybooks were ‘'actually'' used.

The powers of civilization could do nothing in this locked room.

It was a bad match for Aneri.

Escaping with help from technology was less than a dream.

“I did have a part in it.”

“?”

“Coronzon saved my life. No, mine isn’t the one that matters. She saved Dion Fortune and Takitsubo Rikou, my friend and my girlfriend. It was probably only on a whim, but I can’t just pretend it didn’t happen. Without her help, I would’ve lost two things I value more than my own life. So I did have a part in it.”

“Even I find it hard to believe that mother would save someone for nothing in return.”

“Weren’t you taken in and raised by Coronzon?”

“Because she had a definite purpose for me. I am Narthex Coded Cathedral, an expert in seals and encryption. Mother wanted me as a candidate for creating a nemesis for all magicians. Even as her sister, I never did see her truly save someone. That is super rare.”

Maybe so.

When they were in Scotland, Coronzon had told Hamazura that he was free to follow her, but that she intended to use him as bait or a diversion.

“But.”

“What, Hamazura?”

“I’ve also never seen her really and truly abandon an ally and run off.”

Now it was Narthex’s turn to gasp. She may have searched through her memories and arrived at a belated realization.

Yes, Coronzon had lost and Hamazura was alive.

She had not used him as a sacrificial pawn.

She had said she would, but she hadn’t even at the very end.

“…”

Eventually, Narthex spoke in a sulking way.

“…This is a weird feeling.”

“What is?”

“I hated the people who called mother a great demon despite not knowing her. But it’s also annoying to listen to the person who didn’t call her a great demon.”

“Ha ha.”

“What?”

“I was just wondering what Coronzon herself would think if she heard that.”

Was she jealous?

That sounded like the last word one would associate with the being known as Great Demon Coronzon.

But here someone was feeling that way.

Coronzon was gone. That was an indisputable fact. But the survivors were free to wish it weren’t so.

Even the losers had that right.

“Tell me about the Coronzon you knew.”

“You don’t know anything about magic. I don’t even need to encrypt the dangerous information because you wouldn’t understand a word of it.”

“Still.”

Narthex was right.

Was this practice, training, or abuse? Try as he might to comprehend the long strings of words leaving the small girl’s mouth, Hamazura couldn’t make heads or tails of it. If even the most violent lesson would guarantee a win in a global sports tournament if you overcame it, then maybe the many acts of violence could be praised as acts of good. Conversely, if kindness would only lead a child to waste their life after growing up, then that reckless love could be criticized as violence. This was the same. Besides, Hamazura didn’t understand the value of magic, so he had trouble judging what he heard about their relationship as mother and sister.

But Narthex herself sounded proud as she spoke.

That was what mattered.

It was most important that she got out what she was holding inside.

(Man…)

Hamazura sat with his back against the metal bars and listened to what wasn’t even Japanese anymore.

(We really didn’t know anywhere near as much about Coronzon as we thought.)

He heard a wet sound.

One that could easily be described as filthy.

But he said nothing.

Because this seemed far more human than trying to always remain clean and pretty.

“…again…”

“Yeah.”

“I wanted to see mother again. I wanted to hear her voice, rub her head, and tell her it was going to be all right. That’s all I wanted…”

“I know what you mean. It’s the same for me.”

Punching Kamijou Touma and getting back at him wasn’t going to physically change the world.

Coronzon was dead and gone, so it wouldn’t make her happy.

But he had wanted to do it.

Separate from issues of what was right or just, he had wanted to see through his own decision.

“They’re probably going to do something terrible to us.”

“…”

“But memories are easily twisted. We can whitewash them, they can degrade, or we can forget them altogether. They might not stay safe if held by a single person. But if we have several points of view – so we can all remember her from several different directions – then couldn’t we remember who Coronzon was?”

Narthex remained silent for a while.

She may have been suppressing something. A different face than the one she had shown while fighting Kamijou Touma.

But that kind time did not last long.

“…Kh…”

“Hey, Narthex?”

She was doubled over.

Her body looked so small beyond the bars.

Hamazura felt it creeping up on him.

''The unease.

Society, standards, common knowledge – all the unseen threats with which the unjust clashed.

“What is it? Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine…”

“No, you’re not. What happened!?”

“It’s most like…a form of gestaltzerfall…”

Narthex’s brow was furrowed and she held a hand to her head.

From Hamazura’s ignorant perspective, it looked like she was suffering from a headache.

He saw some red on her face.

She had a nosebleed.

Narthex must have noticed because she moved her small hand from her temple to her mouth.

Her reaction was noticeably delayed.

“My mind is specialized for constructing and breaking codes. Sometimes it flashes in my vision… When I look at a single character, it breaks down into its constituent shapes without any meaning entering my mind, or I see complex meaning in meaningless patterns or stains on the wall… Even though I know it’s pointless. Like figuring out a piece of trick art, once you see it, you can’t unsee it.”

What did that mean?

Was she okay?

What kind of headache caused a nosebleed?

Not knowing worried him, but he was also suddenly afraid to find out.

…During the airport incident, Narthex had said she was an unchosen ultimate weapon created by Coronzon. But being immobilized by a headache in the middle of battle like this would be a critical flaw. Then again, she hadn’t ended up like this when she fought Kamijou Touma.

Hamazura thought a bit and then realized why this was happening.

“Your second brain?”

“…”

“''Do you need that coat or you suffer from headaches and dizziness so bad you can’t move''!? That’s not good. That means the pain won’t pass if you clench your teeth and bear it, will it!?”

Curled up and trembling from the cold?

How stupid was he? She had been enduring this pain the entire time! She had put up with having her life worn down by the time wasted inside her cell!!

Hamazura honestly didn’t know what her second brain was, but he thought of it as something that handled mental calculations for her. And he guessed she wouldn’t suffer from this problem as long as it was handling those calculations.

But it had been taken from her.

By the Anglicans who had seen it as a deadly weapon.

“Don’t…blame…mother.”

She had a tremor in her voice.

Even as she curled up on the cold floor and endured the pain, Narthex was worried about the honor of someone who was no longer with them.

“This is my fault for being unable to handle it all. This wasn’t part of mother’s calculations.”

“…”

But.

Hearing this preemptive defense helped clear Hamazura’s mind.

He hadn’t considered this possibility at all until now.

Had Coronzon’s continual honing of Narthex’s abilities actually embedded a fragile vulnerability inside her?

Or…

…''Did she create this vulnerability on purpose''? To more easily control the powerful joker so near her side. As if placing a collar on her.

(I can think about that later. Finding the truth isn’t going to make Narthex’s headache go away!)

“Hey! Can’t you hear Narthex suffering in here!? Surely this prison has a medical room. I’m not just saying to give back her second brain. One of your magic experts has to know some other way of getting rid of this pain, right? If you want to claim you’re the just ones, then you’d damn well better look after the sick! You can’t call it a fair trial otherwise!!”

Hamazura grabbed at the bars and shouted, but there was no response.

This was a prison.

They had to have guards who wouldn’t overlook the slightest anomaly.

A headache.

That one word could have many different causes and symptoms, but that was why you couldn’t just overlook a headache with no known scientific cause. There were headaches that led to death, like subarachnoid hemorrhages and brain tumors.

And this was a headache that caused a nosebleed. …Could that mean whatever was going on in her head was causing bleeding?

“I’m…fine.”

“…”

“It isn’t bad enough yet for the noise to consume my brain. There must be a great number of meaningless corrupted files in my head, but I can live like this. For now.”

Hamazura had a vague idea that Narthex had a special power. An idiosyncratic power different again from Academy City espers. But how far had Coronzon pushed that tiny body to specialize it for that ability? And what had she done to ''accurately control that power from the outside''!? If that had gone far enough, wouldn’t that mean her life was at risk!?

He had wanted to be friends with Coronzon. And couldn’t.

But that didn’t mean she was a good person.

“This is a real power mother gave me. So I will not give it up. No matter what.”

“Narthex.”

Just then, he heard footsteps.

His head snapped around to look in that direction, but he still wasn’t aware what was happening. Because his mind jumped to the idea that they had finally noticed something was amiss and were here to provide help.

As if they would care.

This prison existed to keep Hamazura and Narthex locked up.

These footsteps of the prison’s managers were orderly to the point of mockery. Did the jangling sound come from a ring of keys, or from strange torture devices?

This meant it was finally beginning.

“Unlocking Unconvicted Prisoner Holding Ward of Special Examination Building. Entering ward.”

“Entrance confirmed. Relocking.”

They were called Beefeaters, weren’t they? The guards who entered wore red uniforms straight out of the photos on a tourist website. Hamazura couldn’t say if these were the real ones or if they were something else disguising themselves as part of history.

“Checking on Defendant Narthex.”

“Checking on Defendant Hamazura Shiage.”

He couldn’t understand a word since they were speaking English, but he had definitely heard his name. They were calling him. He knew better than to think it was for anything good.

Blodeuwedd the Bouquet.

That name briefly appeared in the back of his mind…but he couldn’t rely on her.

For one, the Transcendents were ''too'' capricious.

If she hadn’t approved of his treatment here, she already would have broken into the Tower of London and dragged him out. Since she hadn’t, she couldn’t be sticking with him anymore. She was probably helping some other hated person somewhere else in the world.

It was a miracle she had assisted him even once in his life.

He didn’t expect her to continue protecting him a second and third time.

If he wanted save Narthex, he would have to do it himself.

(I need to at least save her.)

A small flame was kindled within Hamazura.

He had a new objective.

There was nothing he could do after discovering it here. But because he had been pushed to the brink of death, he badly wanted a new motivation for action here.

Back in Academy City, he might have mocked this tiny conviction as a drowning man grasping at straw.

(I need to at least save Narthex. ''She didn’t choose this the way I did.'' She was closed off from the world and only ever had Coronzon until now. So she lost control after losing the only thing she ever knew. And unlike me, she had enough power to actually accomplish something there. So it’s wrong to accuse her of the same crime as me. The only sensible thing is to give her a lighter punishment. I’ll make sure it works out that way. Somehow. I don’t know what kind of trial we’ll get, but I need to find some way to save her.)

One of the guards spoke.

“Once the defendants have been restrained, take them to the witch trial.”

===Part 4===

A heavy jangling rang through the darkness.

They had been made to walk a long way with their arms and legs bound by metal chains.

Over and over, the corridor took right angle turns, they ascended and descended spiral staircases, and he had completely lost his bearings.

Was this even still part of the Tower of London? Or were they below some other place?

Hamazura couldn’t make any sense of it.

Eventually, they arrived in a large square room.

It had no windows.

But that didn’t necessarily mean it was underground.

“A…courthouse?”

“Indeed,” someone said from up above. With no expression. “This is a court for divulging and judging magical crimes which must remain undocumented. It has long served as a location for witch trials.”

“Defendants Narthex Coded Cathedral and Hamazura Shiage, we have gathered here to weigh the sins of your souls.”

“Frank, Sheila, Tsumoru, Flourish, Fourier, Serre, Sonnet, Elise, Noel, Thomasia, Eleanor. Judicial role call complete. Eleven Court Officers, take your seats. Court is now in session.”

Eleven Court Officers.

The only part of that Hamazura understood was the number eleven. They appeared to be a mix of genders and races. Or maybe a group like that had been gathered intentionally. And Hamazura had no clue how British courts worked. Was it American judges who used the wooden hammer? They didn’t seem to use them in Japan at least. And what was a ''witch'' trial?

So many people gathered with emotionless masks for faces was intimidating on its own.

He would have found it more of a relief if they were all hiding their faces behind masks like at a masquerade ball

Maybe that was why.

In his extremely confused state, it took him a while to realize he could understand what the Eleven Court Officers were saying.

The trial had already begun.

Tsumoru, was it? Tsumoru Judicial. The one who appeared to be Japanese spoke.

“Narthex Coded Cathedral. Magicians deserve death. For they are magicians.”

“No objection.”

“It is the natural conclusion. With the exception of the few who serve our United Kingdom, it is only fitting for wicked magicians to atone through death.”

“No objection.”

It sounded like a meaningless exchange.

At first, Hamazura had no idea what they had said.

Weren’t they supposed to explain the defendant’s history and the charges against them at length?

“D-death?” he muttered without thinking.

Narthex herself said nothing.

“Did you just say death!? Without even giving this child a second chance at life!?”

Fitting?

To atone through death?

That was natural?

How could they say that to a young life that could probably live another eighty years if she worked at maintaining her health? She should at least be given the chance to turn over a new leaf and live the rest of her life regretting what she had done!

Hamazura’s eyes widened as the court officers moved onto the next part.

This time it was a tall redheaded woman. He remembered her being Sheila, the second one to be named.

“Hamazura Shiage. He is not a magician and did not properly understand Great Demon Coronzon’s value. Thus, he should not be judged under magic law.”

“No objection.”

“An outsider who assisted her without appropriate awareness of the threat and danger she posed cannot be held accountable for that crime. However, a full acquittal could reinforce the misapprehension that ignorance of the law excuses all crime. Thus, I propose he be released after 30 days of disciplinary imprisonment.”

“No objection.”

It all happened so fast.

Like they didn’t want to give him a word in edgewise. And it didn’t look like any of them was going to argue against these decisions.

“Are there no defense attorneys…or witness testimonies?”

“Why should we waste our time with that?”

“Because we have rights!! This trial started less than five minutes ago! I haven’t even had time to learn all you eleven whatevers’ names!!”

“There is no causal relationship between your learning our names and the administration of justice. Thus, it can be omitted.”

He didn’t understand.

It made no sense.

He had helped Coronzon. So he was guilty. But weren’t they at least going to explain ''what'' he had done, ''how'' it had helped her, and ''why'' that had influenced the incident in Academy City!? He didn’t even understand on what basis one of them was sentenced to death and the other would be released!

“W-wait.”

Doing this wouldn’t help his case in this trial.

He could tell that, but Hamazura still set aside those calculations and raised his voice.

Because if this continued, Narthex would be killed.

Even though her crime should have been lighter than his.

“But why am I being released while Narthex is guilty? And why is she being sentenced to death? What the hell is wrong with you!? I was free to choose whatever I wanted and I chose for myself to bet on Coronzon. So I’d get it if you called that a crime. But Narthex was raised without knowing anything other than Coronzon and she was only trying to get that back! So how is it fair for her crime to be heavier than mine!?”

They didn’t bat an eye.

Not the silver-haired brown-skinned man named Frank, not the tall redheaded woman named Sheila, not the Asian man named Tsumoru, not the blonde Hispanic woman whose name he didn’t remember, and not the rest of the eleven. They didn’t even seem to feel any displeasure toward the villains they were judging.

They were not fighting an enemy.

They were determining the fates of human lives as dispassionately as they might complete paperwork at their desk.

Judicial.

The Eleven Court Officers who had all been given that surname spoke impartially.

“Redundant claims are meaningless. If you would like to raise an objection, you must submit additional evidence and counterarguments to add to those we have already prepared.”

But they hadn’t prepared anything.

Plus, how was he supposed to submit additional anything.

He had no lawyer and they had even confiscated his phone. He had been trapped behind bars, unable to contact anyone. He had no way of acquiring any “new evidence” that had to exist out there somewhere in the world! Besides, they hadn’t even said what that new evidence was even supposed to prove!

“Otherwise, our decision will stand and this court will be adjourned,” flatly stated Frank Judicial.

“Coronzon was all Narthex ever had. Her feelings over not arriving in time to see Coronzon’s final moments turned to anger inside her! Surely that counts as extenuating circumstances. But you’re just going to ignore all that and sentence her to death!? Did you forget your human emotions at home!?”

“You could say that. We have no emotions.”

One of the court officers – Elise – brushed back her hair with a hand, revealing a gruesome scar running behind her ear. It was a surgical scar.

“That needless fat has long since ''been physically removed''.”

Hamazura fell silent.

He needed to say something, but the shock and panic were too much for his brain to function.

These people would go that far for their idea of justice?

Meanwhile, the conversation was advancing.

“We eleven have no sense of camaraderie or solidarity. In fact, we exist to monitor each other’s opinions and provide rebuttals.”

“Yet here even we are in agreement. That makes it unanimous.”

Hamazura had fundamentally misread the situation.

They were a precise microbalance. They were a machine that could only review the end result and the material evidence and accurately weigh the crime.

Noel and Thomasia joined the conversation.

“Even if a conclusion hurts our own case, we are willing to accept it if it is correct.”

“Indeed. And mutually understood language is one aspect of impartiality.”

“I do not like that we could not sentence Hamazura Shiage to death, but I cannot ignore the correct conclusion at which I have arrived.”

“If you believe our treatment of Defendant Narthex to be unjust, then proclaim your own justice. If you cannot, then our conclusion cannot change.”

That sounded fair at first, but their tone was dripping with the confidence of one who knew they were asking the impossible.

They were the judges and they were fundamentally cut off from those being judged. They saw the judged as residents of another world, so nothing they did to them could pain them. They were sentencing someone to death, but they had set aside their sense of guilt somewhere. They were following a truly irresponsible flowchart.

“The sentence has been given.”

So the Eleven Court Officers did not ask about motive.

There was no waver or hesitation in Tsumoru Judicial’s voice.

Crime was crime and punishment was punishment.

It was a single definition. So they had no interest at all in the bitter path a criminal had taken before committing their crime.

To them there was no difference between someone attacking and killing a passerby for money to enjoy and someone fighting back and accidentally killing the person about to kill their family.

They had lost track of the fundamental reason that people judged people.

Sheila made a loud pronouncement.

“This sentence cannot be overturned unless new evidence is submitted.”

Crime was crime and punishment was punishment.

''These microbalances took the privileged view that no decent person would ever commit a crime over the course of their entire life.

Frank settled it.

“The sentence is death. If no objections are raised, it will be carried out today. Court is now adjourned.”

===Part 5===

Dawn had yet to brighten the sky.

Magicians had been positioned on the bank of the Thames to indirectly place them around the Tower of London.

Their numbers were far greater than the Anglicans were aware of.

They belonged to the Dawn-Colored Sunlight, the largest modern Western magic cabal in Europe.

“What a pain.”

A girl of around 11 sighed while guarded by men in black suits.

Leivinia Birdway observed the enemy ground without use of binoculars.

“And after I went to all the trouble of scattering the Sitra Achra. I never imagined someone might use sealing magic to condense it again.”

“Is that possible?” asked Mark Space, one of the men in black, sounding skeptical.

They were on the opposite bank of the Thames from the tower.

Specifically, inside a small slanted boathouse built into a filthy pier.

The view through the small window was depressing.

“Possible or not, she’ll do it if she has no other hope.” Birdway munched on the warm vegetable and roast beef sandwich she considered a necessity during lengthy missions. “It’s a bottle. Like that iced tea bottle you’re carrying. Hand it here, by the way. It’s not the bread that’s bad. There isn’t enough butter. Either way, it’s so dry eating it leaves my throat parched.”

“If you say so.”

“Gulp. There are several types of seals, but it’s probably easiest to think of them like trapping a demon in a bottle or box. That means a seal gathers some sort of power to a single location. It is all equally contained no matter how strong or large that power is. So it isn’t hard to more broadly interpret that gathering as a condensing of that power.”

The Sitra Achra that was Great Demon Coronzon’s remains had been scattered to the farthest reaches of the world by Birdway. You could call it a dilution. It left her too thinned out to maintain her mind.

If that was gathered back together to increase the density, then Great Demon Coronzon might indeed be resurrected.

Telesma was a troublesome substance.

Whether she was bisected, torn to pieces, or even blown to smithereens in an explosion…she was essentially a mass of energy just like heat or electricity. No matter how small of pieces she was split into, the total amount was the same once gathered in a single place. And that could mean operating as a great demon once more.

It might not be the Coronzon who Hamazura Shiage and Narthex knew who would make a reappearance, but it would at least be a great demon with the same appearance and function.

“Summonable lifeforms are such strange beings.”

“Of course they are. Even Lucifer was only chained up after being defeated by a sword-wielding archangel – he wasn’t actually killed. Despite his sin of disobeying god being plain to all. …Also, here.”

“The iced tea?”

“How many times do I have to tell you to fill the bottle with nitrogen when carrying it around, you fool? And you call yourself a Brit? Tea’s flavor and color changes in no time after it contacts oxygen.”

“This type of tea is meant to taste bitter. Perhaps it was too mature a flavor for a cheeky brat.”

They began trying to force the bottle with a thick straw into the other’s hands.

“If diluting it across the world isn’t enough to keep it safe, then the only option is to seal away the Sitra Achra and keep it nearby. Based on the idea that it’s safe as long as no one removes the lid… I went with the dilution plan because I don’t like that idea.”

“Yes, most anything that must be guarded to keep it safe can be broken at the slightest provocation.”

“We can’t let the real world be destroyed like something out of a storybook. We need to come up with a new idea. And to buy us the time for that, ''for now'' we need to get our hands on that Sitra Achra.”

This was what the Dawn-Colored Sunlight was after.

“We will manage the Sitra Achra. Which is why I want Narthex.”

She coldly spat out the words.

She was saying she wanted the girl as a tool.

After all, Narthex was a treasure just as valuable as Grimoire Library Index.

From the perspective of one of the largest magic cabals not just in the West but worldwide, it would be a shame indeed if she was executed by the hardheaded Anglicans.

“That said, we are talking about the Anglicans here. Worse, the highly guarded Tower of London. We won’t need Takitsubo Rikou to ''cause a diversion'' as an uncertain factor from Academy City here. I want to set this up so we can get by with only the logic of our magic side.”

“Meaning?”

“I have no interest in Hamazura Shiage of the science side.”

She said it plainly.

While breaking free of someone else’s feelings.

“Boss.” Mark made a suggestion while refueling himself with bite-sized fried fish. “If you really do want to secure Narthex, you need to get moving soon, knowing how sturdy the Tower of London is.”

“Yes. But will we be in time?”

Birdway’s tone was relaxed.

She didn’t seem concerned.

Because she had a completely different goal line here. She had known Takitsubo Rikou would cause a scene if she learned about this, so she had removed that girl from the picture before she could find out.

She had crushed the small possibility that the track suit girl had.

And with that done, she arrived at her conclusion.

“If Narthex has information information on a ''third or fourth'', then it doesn’t need to be Narthex we actually get our hands on. I’m interested in their magical talent, not their external appearance or inner personality as human beings. And information can be extracted from a corpse. So even if Narthex is executed, ''we can still win if we retrieve her body before it is burned'' to deprive her of the possibility of resurrection during the Last Judgment.”

===Part 6===

They were returned to their cells.

They were given no freedom.

After a short rest, the sentence would be carried out.

Hamazura Shiage couldn’t understand why they were given this rest. With people so deficient in emotion, everything felt malicious. He began to suspect they hadn’t killed Narthex on the spot because locking them up where they were helpless to do anything to stop the inevitable execution would draw out as much fear as possible before the execution.

This was the least fair part of it all.

He would stay in his cell like it was a hotel for 30 days and then be set free?

Narthex would be executed this very day?

It was crazy. Completely insane. If their crime was siding with Coronzon, then why was the outcome so different? Hamazura couldn’t celebrate his own result. There was no way this was a fair trial. Coronzon was gone. He knew that, but abandoning Narthex and returning alone to Japan would be no different from spitting on her grave!

It was true prison existed so people could atone for their crimes.

But it was also meant to help people remove the burden of those crimes from their shoulders and get a second chance at life. So they wouldn’t be crushed under the weight of too great a crime! This musty collection of stone was missing something. Something fundamental. Was this place really built and run by the state? It felt more like a cruel lynch mob!!

(Is there nothing I can do?)

He didn’t think there was any way of winning a not guilty verdict in that bizarre trial. Trying to win in court had been the wrong tactic from the start.

Because it was actually true that they had committed a crime. Siding with Coronzon in that situation probably had been wrong. Listing out the accurate information and measuring the weight of their crimes was fine with him. But they hadn’t even been given a proper trial.

They weren’t even given a chance to reject the most oppressive errors.

He had no obligation to go along with that.

Not if the law wasn’t functioning properly here.

He couldn’t let Narthex be consumed by this rogue form of justice.

He wanted to know the exact means by which the death sentence would be carried out. At the very least, he doubted it would be done behind these metal bars. She would be taken to some other place. There might be an opening then.

(I need something. Anything!! I need to at least get Narthex out of this…Tower of London, was it? She’s the sister Coronzon left behind. She’s the kind of person who knows who Coronzon really is and doesn’t call her a great demon!! I need to find some way of getting her out of here!)

“Ha…mazura…”

Narthex looked so small curled up and trembling within the metal bars across the corridor.

Seeing her now, it was hard to believe this was the villain who had used both science and magic to cause so much trouble in District 23.

Hamazura was reminded of a baby bird falling from its nest and dying in silence.

They wouldn’t even need to execute her at this rate.

“I know. I won’t let this stand! There was no justice in that trial! And with that not working right, I have to get you out of here. I’m coming up with a way to do that now, so give me a little longer, Narthex!!”

“You can’t. You’re being released, so trying anything now will only add to your charges and get your release withdrawn.”

“I don’t care!! You don’t call Coronzon a great demon! You’re a living witness of the real Coronzon, not the twisted and distorted version everyone talks about!! So I won’t let you die. Coronzon is dead, but I won’t let what she left behind be taken too!”

“Don’t worry…about that.”

She spoke gently.

Why had she accepted this absurd death sentence?

He had to stop her from talking.

He sensed something.

Something tremendously wrong here.

“I have a trick up my sleeve.”

“Does this look like the kind of cell where you can pick the lock with a wire?”

“You don’t need to grieve mother’s loss anymore. You can hear her name without spitting or weeping, so you need to be happy. So I will make that happen.”

“Hey?”

Something wasn’t adding up.

Something was out of place in a way that filled him with a strange sense of disgust.

Why was Narthex so calm?

She had been unfairly sentenced to death while the Asian arrested for the same crime was being set free. She could easily have felt betrayed and like she had been abandoned in the depths of hell.

Just then, he heard footsteps.

“Kh.”

Many footsteps.

A crowd of them.

It was that incomprehensible group. The atmosphere pushed in at him like an invisible wall or pressure.

Something bad was happening.

That certainty filled his chest.

“You again, Eleven Court Officers?”

“Indeed,” replied Tsumoru Judicial.

There were thorns in Narthex’s voice.

Understandable when they had spat on her “mother” and given her a death sentence.

“What do you want now? I assume you’re already preparing to carry out your idea of justice.”

“Of course,” stated Frank.

It didn’t sound like they were preparing a last meal for the death row prisoner.

“But the most important topic of debate for this court is the existence of Sitra Achra. That is, do the remnants and influence of Great Demon Coronzon still linger in this world? It is our duty in the Anglican Church to manage the magic world and protect the people’s peace, so we must reject every piece of that great demon’s influence. For justice.”

“So executing me isn’t enough? What are you hoping to torture me into confessing?”

“Narthex Coded Cathedral.” This time it was Fourier who spoke. “Unlike that grimoire library, you are a foolish collection of power that failed to contribute to the state, to society, and to the people. You must admit to the fact that you were raised by Great Demon Coronzon and you failed to contribute to society…in other words, ''that you are not a necessary evil''. You failed to improve upon the role given to you and thus the power you bear can only distort our beautiful world. You must admit that you were educated in a unique way and yet you used that power to selfish ends and harmed many people.”

“…”

The redheaded white woman named Sheila took over here.

As if the eleven were a single wriggling mass.

“And as the child of Coronzon, you must admit that the Sitra Achra that are the great demon’s remnants are an impurity that can only harm this divinely-created world and that the survival of even a single fragment would cause many malfunctions in a world that should function flawlessly.”

“And as a criminal, you must contribute to society by fully eliminating that Sitra Achra,” summed up the Asian-looking Tsumoru.

They made it all so overblown, overbearing, and overcomplicated that Hamazura had a hard time working out what they were actually saying.

Hamazura saw Narthex give a quiet snort of laughter.

That was when he realized they were telling her to spit on the grave of her mother.

Great Demon Coronzon was dead.

The dead could not be physically attacked.

The Eleven Court Officers found that so terribly frustrating they had decided to insult Coronzon’s dignity instead. Were they demanding Coronzon’s “child” spit on her grave to take something precious from her and prevent the dead from resting in peace?

But Narthex sounded unimpressed as she spoke from behind the bars.

“Do you really think I can do that?”

“No matter the circumstances, we will acquire the necessary confession from the suspect. That is our job and duty as the Eleven Court Officers.”

“So you’re meant to get a politically and diplomatically convenient confession no matter what the truth might be?”

Narthex’s response to Noel’s answer carried a tone of self-deprecation.

Her young eyes may have been viewing the entire Anglican Church ''including herself''.

“But it’s meaningless. I am Narthex Coded Cathedral. I am a grimoire coder whose job and duty is to prevent the spread of chaos through the world by applying advanced and complex encryption to the unneeded knowledge scattered across the world. I wouldn’t be very good at my job if a little torture was enough for me to cough up the decryption key. The boot, the rack, the cat’s paw – it doesn’t matter what you use. It won’t change my mind.”

The sound of clenching teeth was audible from Hamazura’s cell.

“Besides, I will never accept that mother’s lingering power could destroy the world. And I will never eliminate every last fragment of it. Mother is already gone. I will not let you defile her slumber.”

“Narthex Coded Cathedral – impure egg hidden in the great demon’s hand.” Asian Tsumoru Judicial replied more flatly than a machine. “While we are torture device specialists, we never said we would be using them on you.”

“…? ''You don’t mean''!?”

The small girl’s shoulders shook as if struck and she turned toward Hamazura for some reason.

He didn’t understand.

He heard a metallic click. And felt a metallic chill on his thumbs. Only then did he realize his hands had been pulled together by a steel device positioned around his thumbs.

There hadn’t been anyone in his cell.

And yet.

Two metal panels about the size of a stick of gum were linked by a nut and bolt.

His thumbs were held in the narrow space between the metal panels.

“?”

At first.

Hamazura thought it was a kind of handcuffs. Academy City did in fact have tiny handcuffs that immobilized the wearer’s arms by binding their thumbs together. So he thought this was similar.

But it wasn’t.

He thought it had zapped him.

The thick nut connecting the two panels rotated on its own and incredible pain raced through his thumbs.

Bone pain was unique. It wasn’t like taking a simple punch or kick.

Hamazura was reminded of the pain he felt when he forgot to pull his fingertips out of the way while lowering a heavy wooden box to the floor and caught his fingers between the box and the floor. But this was far worse.

If he had reached his hand into a small gap to try and stop a collapsing stone wall and had his fingers pinched between the stones, this is probably the kind of pain he would have felt.

“Gah!!”

“The thumbscrew is a standard torture device used during witch trials. It was considered so mild it was not even recorded as torture in the official records,” explained Frank with a know-it-all air. “There is less risk of the suspect dying before they can confess than with the strangling garrote or with Lissa's iron coffin that crushes the full body, so you could call it a torture device with greater assurance of confession. ''Even if the thumb bones shatter like glass,'' it will not directly cause death. And the screw can continue to be tightened even after the bones have broken and the flesh has been crushed.”

“Gahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!! Gyahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!”

Unable to bear the pain, Hamazura fell to the side and rolled on the floor.

It hurt. It hurt, it hurt, it hurt, it hurt!! Were his thumbs now nothing more than pain producers!?

No matter how hard he tried to pull his thumbs out from the two metal panels, they wouldn’t budge. And he could see the thick nut continuing to turn all on its own. The panels closed further. He screamed and slammed his hands against the floor, but that did nothing to free him. It only caused a further explosion of pain.

No flashy explosions or dismemberment were needed to cause pain and agony.

The fingers.

They were no more than the furthest extremities of the body. Those small bits of flesh and bone couldn’t account for even 1% of his full body weight. Yet this was enough to feel like his entire body was breaking apart. It shouldn’t have been as bad as being punched and kicked on the pavement, yet this explosion of pain was something else entirely. This caused the maximum pain with the minimum action, it couldn’t be escaped, and the victim wasn’t even allowed to die. This was how the pros caused pain. It wasn’t just a physical matter. It was meant to force a confession. It was a controller that twisted their will and made them speak the words you wanted.

He shouted.

He flailed his legs meaninglessly. All wasted effort.

The quiet straining sound would not stop. No matter what.

“–––––––!!!!”

He could hear Narthex shouting something in the distance. But with the bars in the way, she couldn’t reach him.

The Eleven Court Officers observed his ugly state without batting an eye.

None of them would save him.

His vision blurred.

It took him a moment to realize he was shedding large tears.

He didn’t even have time to feel pathetic. He was well past the point of being able to mentally suppress that. The tears would not stop, as if he had taken poison gas to the face.

This was considered mild? It didn’t even count as torture?

The straining sound was accompanied by his thumb bones being hit by a pain dozens of times worse than a dental cavity. The disturbing pulsation was probably his blood going wild once it had nowhere to go thanks to the crushed blood vessels. His incomprehensible screams would not stop. He could not escape the pain and agony. No matter what he did.

He even considered biting his tongue.

But his jaw was trembling too much to move it.

It was only his thumbs being squeezed, yet his entire body ignored his commands like he was being zapped by electricity. He rolled on the floor and wildly kicked his legs.

“Your encryption saves the innocent people from magicians? Absurd. It is you who are making one of those people suffer here, Narthex.”

“Kh.”

“We eleven have chosen to free Hamazura Shiage. We said so at the start. So the only reason for his suffering is your unnecessary stubbornness.”

''Don’t listen to them,'' willed Hamazura.

You don’t have to listen.

They’re guiding your thoughts. They’re removing all your other options and giving you a shove forward to get you to walk down the path you didn’t want to take. This is the worst form of mind control that changes living people into puppets.

Yet Narthex frantically raised her voice.

“Wait! This is an internal Anglican problem, so stop hurting Hamazura! He isn’t one of us! He isn’t even a magician!!”

“So what?”

“Isn’t the Tower of London meant to accuse wicked magicians!? You have no reason to inflict violence on Hamazura Shiage who isn’t a part of the magic world and isn’t even a British citizen!”

“What does that have to do with our job and duty as the Eleven Court Officers?”

“What happened to your human hearts!?”

“''Oh, that?''”

Hamazura saw something odd in his tear-blurred vision.

Tsumoru Judicial brought a hand to his ear.

No.

To the worm-like scar behind his ear.

Yes.

It wasn’t unfair. They had been shown this once before.

“''We eleven had already had that removed to ensure impartiality in our work and duty.''”

Hamazura heard a gasp.

Narthex now knew they wouldn’t listen on a fundamental level.

This wouldn’t end with just his thumbs.

They would destroy Hamazura’s body one part at a time without batting an eye.

They wouldn’t stop.

Not until Narthex confessed.

(No.)

Hamazura was superfluous.

If he weren’t here, Narthex could have preserved her pride.

(It’s probably over once she speaks. It will trigger the end and there will be no taking it back. I don’t want to be a burden on anyone. That’s the last thing I want. Someone help me. Cover Narthex’s mouth right this instant!! Hanzou…Kuruwa… Takitsubo. Anyone!!)

Thomasia chuckled before continuing.

She had a smile on her lips, yet she didn’t appear to carry any human emotion at all.

“Hurry up and confess or this Japanese boy will never use his hands again. He will be reminded of you constantly in his everyday life. Whenever he can’t hold a glass, write with a pen, or even zip up his pants. He will regret ever letting his feelings get the better of him and assisting a villain.”

“Kh.”

“Or the shock of the pain could cause him to bite his tongue. After all, the pressure of the metal panels on his bones sends any external impact there directly to the bone and nerves. He knows that, but with pain this severe he will be unable to stop writhing. People have no way of enduring pain they have never imagined or experienced before. The pain should be several times worse than drilling into a severe dental cavity. And he has not gone through special anti-torture training where he is exposed to as many varieties of pain as possible to expand his repertoire of experience there. He is not you. I doubt your average person off the street could endure this.”

“So you admit it, Eleven Court Officers. The person you are torturing isn’t even a magician – he’s a normal person!!”

“You are the one torturing him, Narthex Coded Cathedral – you impure leftover of Great Demon Coronzon. You and your wickedness have made him a part of this. We are no more than one face of good. Necessary measures are only necessary as long as something necessitates them.”

“Khh. Then…I’ll say…it.”

Narthex’s face plainly displayed an uncertainty not seen there before.

People have no way of enduring pain they have never imagined or experienced before.

Tsumoru Judicial was right.

If the girl named Narthex had been raised alone by Coronzon, that meant Coronzon had designed her so she would be strongest while alone.

Now that she wasn’t alone, the young girl’s bulwarks had crumbled.

This was a vulnerability Narthex had never had before.

Just like with the thumbscrew, people could not resist a type of pain they had no experience with.

It wasn’t the Eleven Court Officers.

Hamazura was the one who had pushed the girl to this point.

He had supported her.

And thus defiled her soul.

Or so it seemed to him.

Frank did not react in the slightest.

“What exactly will you say?”

“Kh. ''I confess to every thing you want me to say, even if it’s nothing but lies''!!”

“''Excellent.''”

It happened the very next moment.

It truly was less than a second later. It happened so smoothly.

There was a weird noise.

“Gyu!?”

It came from Narthex.

Hamazura looked her way without thinking, but she wasn’t there. Had she suddenly vanished from her cell? No, she hadn’t. He looked up. There she was. Her small body had floated upwards.

It took him a moment to realize the truth.

''She was hanged. She was hung up by her neck.

And to repeat.

It was Hamazura who had pushed her to this point.

===Part 7===

She was in a terribly small and endlessly dark space.

It may not have even been a room.

It could have been a mansion closet or a car’s trunk.

Takitsubo Rikou didn’t have any way of finding out.

She knew Hamazura Shiage was here in London. She knew he had to be in trouble. And yet she couldn’t go save him.

Even though every second that passed could mean she missed the crucial crossroads.

There was no help here.

Both in that ''she couldn’t help him and that no one was coming to help her.

(Hama…zura…)

===Part 8===

The Tower of London.

A prison for locking away prisoners.

Frank Judicial spoke.

“Defendant Narthex knew Coronzon was a great demon but still worshiped her wicked power and chose herself to take the path of depravity. Thus, I have decided she is a wicked magician deserving of death. But she will not receive an official execution. She will suffer an unexplained death in her cell.”

“No objection.”

Hamazura felt the sweat on his face dry up.

Every last drop of it.

“Wait…”

What was this?

When he looked up at Narthex holding her hands to her throat and kicking her small feet so wildly, he thought she was being strangled by her own chestnut hair wrapped around her neck like a scarf. He wondered why she was being killed by her own hair.

But that wasn’t what this was.

A closer look showed an indentation in the hair around her neck. Something as thick as a thumb was wrapped around her skinny neck. Firmly. Tightly. With an unpleasant straining sound. There was no scream. Because her trachea was being compressed.

The color of the young girl’s face changed.

First to a bluish shade, but that gradually grew darker.

She was being strangled.

Hamazura forgot all about his own pain.

“Wait!! What is that? Are you using some kind of invisible rope!? You have to stop! She’s going to die!!”

“She is not dying,” replied Noel offhandedly. While calmly looking up at dangling Narthex. “We are killing her. This is not an accidental death. It is an intentional killing. That is what an execution is. We manage magic law. There is no room for error.”

“Are you insane, you bitch!? This is just a lynching. You’re just forcing your own rules on her and labeling her as deserving of death! What kind of trial is this, goddammit!!!?”

He had hoped hitting them in the face with the volume of his voice would wake them up.

He didn’t know how long Narthex could ''last'' hanging like that.

It wasn’t an issue of how long until she died of asphyxiation.

If her neck broke, it would be over instantly.

So he wanted to get Narthex down from there right away even if it meant angering this lynch mob that held absolute power.

''And yet…

“We thank you, helper from a different world.”

Sheila spoke plainly.

Hamazura heard a smooth sound coming from his hands. The thumbscrew that had been crushing his thumbs like a vise had relaxed. The piece of metal not even 10cm across loosened and fell to the floor. It had caused so much pain and pushed the girl to this point, but the bones weren’t even broken.

Sheila was not being sarcastic.

He even sensed the kindness toward a hard worker in her voice.

“It was your pain, suffering, and the pity you inspired that allowed us to receive such a swift confession. Your weakness dragged out Narthex’s wicked nature. As weak, pathetic, and ignorant as you are, you can still be useful. There is no direct link between being powerless and being just. We thank you for your cooperation in swiftly exacting justice here.”

“What…the hell?” muttered Hamazura in a daze.

All expression vanished from his face.

He couldn’t breathe.

His throat was dry.

Tears spilled from his eyes for a different reason than before.

Why was he so weak?

If only he were one of Academy City’s seven Level 5s.

Or if only he had a ''special power'' in his right hand.

Then this wouldn’t have happened!!

“You mean…she did this for me?”

“Correct,” coolly confirmed Tsumoru.

Hamazura shouted back, trembling from the guilt he felt.

“So Narthex was forced to make an entirely meaningless confession…to end my pain, keep me from suffering, and keep me safe!!?”

“It was meaningful. Because it allows us to kill a wicked magician according to the just law. Whether she took the shortest route or took a lengthy detour, there was only one answer from the start. So the shortest route is preferable. And we could all pave the way to that death for her.”

Fourier described settings things up to kill someone like it was nothing.

Hamazura had never mattered to them.

It hadn’t mattered if he screamed from the torture or stoically endured it. It hadn’t mattered if he survived to the end or if he died before it was done.

If there were a hundred different options here, they had set it up from the start so that they all ended in Narthex’s death. Hamazura’s pain and suffering had only been one point along that path, so it had neither been the means nor the ends.

And a change came over Narthex.

Tears flowed from below the hanged girl’s eyelids.

Except they were black.

And they weren’t even a liquid.

They were a filthy black.

With a speck of red in the center.

They were blacker than soot built up in an engine muffler and they were more sinister than blood spilled on a murder scene. They were some kind of powder finer even than the pollen blowing from the forest into town in early spring. As the black and red powder flowed from Narthex’s eyes, it spilled down her young body.

[[Image:GT_Index_v16_BW6.jpg|thumb]]

Once it fell past her feet to the floor, it rapidly spread out.

It drew out an intricate pattern over a diameter of more than three meters. Hamazura didn’t understand the individual symbols and lines, but the term “magic circle” came to mind.

“We have finally found it. The remnants of Great Demon Coronzon – Sitra Achra,” said Fourier Judicial, spreading his arms.

The others spoke as well.

Frank and Noel and Tsumoru and Thomasia.

“It was not stored within Narthex’s body. It would be more accurate to say this young criminal secretly gathered the Sitra Achra that was spread across the world after the great demon’s death. While imprisoned by us.”

“She likely thought Coronzon could be returned to this world if her scattered remnants were regathered.”

“Less a possession and more a summoning. Sitra Achra… You have composed a spell that will turn any substance coated with this black powder into a tool for summoning Coronzon.”

“Were you ultimately planning to break down the wall between phases? Did you think no one could take away Coronzon’s life and presence as long as you created an environment in which she could be eternally re-summoned even if she was killed or destroyed? Ridiculous.”

It was running wild.

The young girl had said she had a trick up her sleeve.

Was this what she had meant?

She had prioritized a world with Coronzon over her own life.

And risked her life to do it.

Narthex may have thought this would happen to her sooner or later once she was brought to the Tower of London.

So she may have wanted to do something in the very end.

Do something for Coronzon who had raised her.

But.

Even that final wish was easily crushed.

“What does that look like to you, Hamazura Shiage?”

“…”

“Black soot is not an accurate description. You can see a red core in the grains less than a millimeter across, can’t you? They are essentially similar to tiny fish eggs. This is the Sitra Achra spreading endlessly as it awaits its wicked budding.”

“Angels and demons can reside in anything: weapons, charms, clothing, magic circles. Because they are a form of energy that can be contained in objects. Those black and red fish eggs are the result of a wicked plan to spread that concept to the entire world. All objects that come in contact with that black and red – an ordinary kitchen knife, a cutting board, a pencil, an eraser – will be remade into a spiritual item for summoning Coronzon until such things cover the entire planet. No, it will spread even beyond the planet.”

He didn’t care.

None of this mattered.

How could they so calmly discuss this kind of trivia when a young girl was kicking her legs as she was hanged!?

Narthex…was a villain.

No one could erase what she had done in Academy City.

She had to atone for that.

She had to suffer through it herself.

But she was also the kind of person who would agree to give a false confession after seeing a stranger like Hamazura hurt and tortured.

She was a broken and rotted tree, but a young bud had emerged at the base.

Was scoffing and crushing that bud underfoot really the just thing to do!?

Did it even matter if she was a villain to them?

Weren’t they just looking for someone they could get away with attacking?

They had their safe position, protected by the state, so they wouldn’t receive any criticism for any lies and violence on their part. Even as they laughed and attacked as a group!!!

“No…”

Hamazura forced out a scratchy voice.

The unjust would be ostracized. Continuing down the wrong path would only lead to more wounds. That was how the world worked. In a state similar to resignation, Hamazura grasped a vague view of the system of society. ''He was beginning to accept it''. But even so.

“I don’t want to see this kind of justice…”

Would no one save Narthex!? Those Eleven Court Officers were in this hell and there were plenty of guards and other officials, yet not even one of them thought to reach out a helping hand!?

He glared out through the bars of his cell with bloodshot eyes and the young guards looked away.

…Did they really think ''this'' was just?

This twisted act of enjoying the sight of a young girl being hanged?

If they thought it was wrong deep down, then why didn’t they do anything to stop it?

They had proclaimed their justice and hurt people so much before.

They had even taken lives.

But now they were going to turn around and say ''justice wasn’t there’s to uphold''!?

“You bet your life on this last resort and it is a spell that fully relies on another?”

“Did you think we Eleven Court Officers wouldn’t notice this?”

“We counted on this from the start. That is why, Narthex, we killed you ''here'' rather than in court. The Tower of London’s cells are more easily sealed up in a magical sense. Unconnected to the visible metal bars, each room has been fully sealed. Produce these black and red fish eggs all you like – not a one will leave this room. The foolish plan you bet your life on will be fully decontaminated within this room.”

“So this is the girl raised incorrectly by a great demon. We now know how twisted a life becomes when it is never given any true love. The child of a villain will too be a villain.”

“In a way, doesn’t raising a villain such as this prove that Coronzon was no more than a terrible parent?”

This was a first.

They weren’t in court.

So did they think they were no longer bound by their job and duty?

The Eleven Court Officers emitted a wave of emotion very unlike when they were focused on their job and duty.

They were in full off-duty mode.

There was delight.

There was mockery.

There was hatred.

There was scorn.

Even though they had said they had such things removed.

Or was this the result of having those things so thoroughly removed?

These were the emotions of the kind of human who could look up at a hanged girl and call it a job well done.

“–––––! ……!!”

No words left the hanged girl.

What was Narthex thinking now?

She had no way of letting anyone know.

She was being hanged.

Her voice couldn’t leave her.

She had been silenced.

Her complexion wasn’t right either. She couldn’t even produce facial expressions.

Also.

With the black and red grains spilling from her eyelids, the young girl wasn’t even able to shed tears in accordance with her emotions.

Strangled and unable to speak, her right hand left the invisible rope. It dangled down. Hamazura nearly let an indescribable emotion push him to scream, but then he noticed the index finger of her otherwise limp right hand was curved into a hook. That finger alone still carried the strength of her will. And the finger moved to rub along her thigh. It formed words. In Japanese. She was trying to communicate with Hamazura.

He didn’t care what it was.

Even if it was “this is your fault” or “why aren’t you helping me?” The words written there might express resentment or curses he struggled to face, but he swore he would accept whatever it was.

But that wasn’t what he read there.

Her finger wrote out the following message:

''I will bring mother to you, Hamazura.

''So can you pass a message on to her?

''The time I spent with her was the happiest in my life.

“Stop…” he said.

His voice rose to a shout.

“Stop already!! Narthex, Coronzon wouldn’t want this kind of self-sacrifice. A hell where the weak are tormented and forced to carry all the burdens of the world wasn’t her idea of a beautiful world!!”

The hanged girl smiled.

Her finger moved again. This was the desperate cry of a girl who couldn’t speak with her throat crushed. Hamazura strained his eyes to read it.

…''I shall verify the truth through sigillography. A seal is a means of protecting a secret and acts as the essence and heart of all magic. Falsehoods, begone. All mankind desires the faultless truth. Here, I use my own body to complete the seal that ensures the truth.

He didn’t understand.

More than that, this wasn’t even a message to him. It was likely only a portion of her self-sacrificial magic.

She hadn’t listened.

She was being hanged. Her neck in the invisible rope was bearing her full weight. She couldn’t have had much more time.

And.

There was a terribly ominous sound.

And that was that.

The last ounce of strength had left Narthex Coded Cathedral’s young body. Her body swayed slowly side to side like an old clock’s pendulum.

(What…)

Hamazura couldn’t even find his voice.

Nothing he said would mean a thing in the face of this overwhelming result.

(What was the point of risking your life like this? Did you think this would make Coronzon happy!? Coronzon hated her wicked nature and you wanted to bring her back to a cold world where she’s labeled a sister-killer!? There’s no way your mother would have wanted that! Narthex, why would you sacrifice your life for something so wrong!?)

She was a young girl.

She hadn’t even lived as long as Hamazura.

Hers was an immature life that hadn’t had a chance to spread her wings and sour through the larger world of her own will.

She never woke up in the morning to go to school, she never sought the credentials that would let her help people, she never went to see her favorite band live, she never worked a part-time job to save up for something she wanted to buy.

She never played and laughed with a friend and thought about the bright future ahead of her, while never doubting she would grow up, get the kind of job she wanted, and marry someone she loved.

She had never had a chance for any of those normal, natural, and ordinary things.

And yet.

This…''this'' had been her final hope?

If she was going to be killed either way, her idea of the ultimate happiness was to sacrifice herself to summon Coronzon again?

It was rotten.

Twisted.

Messed up.

Disgusting.

“…”

She didn’t care about herself anymore.

She had given up.

She made it look like she had made her own decision, but really she had had her own will stripped from her.

By those eleven.

They had ganged up on her.

Just like a worker being seated over to the window in order to pressure them into retiring.

This was not a trial meant to tell good from evil.

It had been fixed from the start.

''To force death onto Narthex as the final efforts of a villain.

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

Everything was silent.

Or it should have been.

But a shrill noise played endlessly in Hamazura’s head.

A nonexistent ringing in his ears.

What was this?

What was justice?

Had he played a part in this? Had he pressured Narthex by giving into the pain and putting on an unsightly show by pathetically shouting and rolling around? Had he forced her to confess something she didn’t believe…leading to her hanging?

“It is done.”

“It is finished.”

“Another job well done.”

“We must again thank our weak helper for assisting us in the swift execution of justice.”

They were saying something.

And wriggling along.

Those residents of a world Hamazura found so hard to believe in were speaking as a single mass.

Instead of sarcasm or mockery, they sounded truly relieved.

Intense anger burned within him, but what did that matter?

What could he change by yelling and lashing out now?

Coronzon was dead. Narthex was beyond saving too.

If the magic behind that black and red ''sandy stuff'' was really so easy to use, Narthex wouldn’t have bothered coming to Academy City in search of Kamijou Touma after his journey through hell with that preserved corpse called Anna something. She would only have had to prepare this stuff in secret.

Most likely, it was a risky form of magic.

Something she was only willing to use once she was being hanged and knew there was no hope for her.

As Narthex swayed side to side beyond the bars of her cell, there had to be more than just the external damage. She was probably ''broken'' deep inside as well.

So badly that escaping into death was the only way to bear it.

In addition to her death, she had been badly corrupted from within.

What could possibly be done for her at this point?

“It remains a mysterious death in a locked room.”

“Clean up the Sitra Achra. Do not leave a single grain.”

“We must eliminate all evidence that Great Demon Coronzon existed.”

“Just to be safe, leave Narthex Coded Cathedral hanging for ten more minutes. Stopping her heart is not enough. We will only begin the final disposal after her brain has been fully destroyed.”

“All that leaves is to incinerate Narthex’s unclean body. What an easy job this was.”

Hamazura heard something burn through and snap in his mind.

This time, he was actually calm to the very core – so deep down he didn’t know he had these depths within him.

…What kind of final hope was that?

…Narthex was supposed to win if she could break down the barrier between the phases and create a permanent environment where it was ''easier'' to summon Coronzon?

To hell with that, world.

Could it really be that the very goal she was working toward was a mistake?

None of this would bring happiness to Narthex.

And Coronzon wouldn’t want a never-ending ending where she was forever ''stuck'' resurrected as a sister-killer and then unable to die. That would just force Coronzon to forever suffer in her own impurity!

He wanted to see Coronzon again.

But not like this.

Narthex had been forcibly labeled a villain without anyone giving any thought to why she had committed the crime she had. And she was being given a horrific end befitting that label. But conforming to that framework would not bring happiness to mother or sister!!

The invisible outlines that had blurred and vanished into mental oblivion suddenly regathered and grew distinct in Hamazura’s head. He was certain of it. And he wouldn’t let it escape this time.

''Yes, that’s right.

''Hamazura Shiage knows what you are.

''He knows all about this thing that passes off grotesque death and destruction as a happy ending.

''SYSTEM.

The disquiet hovering over the world and society. Now that he knew what hurdle he had to clear, he could begin on the next step. He knew what needed to be done to put together a countermeasure and act on it.

I don’t care what you want.

I won’t let it happen that way. No matter what.

Narthex’s heart had stopped.

It wasn’t just going to restart now.

But her brain was still trying to remain active. Brain cells would become damaged only a few minutes after their oxygen supply is cut off, but there was still time there.

And the Eleven Court Officers had said they wouldn’t even overlook that.

They would keep her hanging until brain death had occurred and, after confirming resuscitation was impossible, they would incinerate her body and dump the ashes somewhere.

That.

That alone he couldn’t let happen.

Despite the extreme situation, the final moment was so very quiet.

And he took one step more.

He passed the limit.

“''I’ve had enough of you sadistic murderers wearing masks of justice''.”

===Part 9===

Craaaaaaaaaaaaaaasssssssssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!

The metal bars were noisily blasted away.

===Part 10===

The bent remnants of metal bars and what had once been a thick stone wall were strewn across the cold prison corridor.

The sound of heavy steel bouncing across the stone floor continued for a while.

Narthex had…not done this.

She hadn’t done anything at all.

The stone wall and metal bars imprisoning Hamazura Shiage had been blasted out from the cell to the corridor. Which only made sense if…''it was done by the person inside that cell.

“…”

Slowly, Hamazura stepped out into the damp, musty corridor.

It looked a lot like he had grabbed the sturdy metal bars and pushed them forward. But he hadn’t. This was a Tower of London cell. The bars here wouldn’t be destroyed so easily.

The distinction between cell and corridor had vanished.

It had all been destroyed.

It was all a single box now.

Narthex suddenly fell from where she had been hanging from something invisible. Hamazura caught her in his arms. As lightly as a feather.

“Khah!”

A choking sound.

A choke of restored breath.

It came from the mouth of the girl he held: Narthex Coded Cathedral. She didn’t seem to understand what had happened to her. And she looked up at the face of the boy who held her.

In utter consternation.

“Ha…ma…? Cough…krjaiv, buyanrl…”

Part of her statement was incomprehensible. But not because her voice was shaking or hoarse. She may have used words unpronounceable by humans.

“…giebdod. qgtisnkgbikl…”

The black and red sandy stuff had stopped.

Hamazura had reclaimed the girl who could cry actual tears.

But he hadn’t saved Narthex yet.

There had to be something lurking within.

He couldn’t just clean her up on the outside. Those black and red fish eggs had come from ''within her''.

And for that matter, there were the standards, the society, the world, the common knowledge – the SYSTEM – that wouldn’t leave a villain be. The giant gears keeping the world in motion were tormenting this small body.

If he wanted to save her, he had to act.

He had to do something.

Yes.

Narthex was not the one in control here.

Hamazura Shiage stood at the center.

The Eleven Court Officers were observing the phenomenon as the executors of justice.

But what had happened here? Needless to say, it was the Eleven Court Officers who ensured the Tower of London’s court operated correctly. The job and duty given to them required they manage it in that way. So how had control of this scene been taken from their hands by the puny helper who was only here to make Narthex suffer!?

Besides, it didn’t even make sense.

He broke the metal bars?

This court and prison had been built with the Anglicans’ world-class abilities in the field of imprisoning wicked magicians. This was something not even an expert magician could manage. There was no other explanation.

Sheila Judicial of the Eleven Court Officers spoke.

“Answer us. What did you just-”

“''Shut your mouth, worm.''”

That was exactly what happened.

Those arrogant Eleven Court Officers were briefly intimidated into silence.

By no more than a puny boy.

They pressured people with their strength and their numbers. Their system decided on a sentence with no concern for the truth of what had happened. If this was the true essence of justice, then Hamazura had no need for it.

He didn’t care if none of the 8 billion people out there supported his decision.

He would do what it took to save this girl who was about to be killed.

(How long…)

He was at his limit.

He felt like his anger would fry his brain.

Anger at the Eleven Court Officers? Or the Anglican Church? No.

None of them mattered.

The anger burning his brain was directed at Narthex.

He wasn’t going to accept that as a way to live your life.

He wouldn’t accept this as a favor for Coronzon.

Space itself seemed to pulsate. The black patterns scattered across the walls, floor, ceiling, and everything else here began to contract on their own, making it all look like a giant heart. Like it was trying to swallow limp Narthex whole.

Sitra Achra.

Sealing magic – the magical encryption used to hide the world’s wisdom – had been used to gather it from across the world. It was in fact a crystal of the Telesma that formed Coronzon.

The idea had been to break down the barrier between phases and create an environment where the great demon was more easily summoned, hadn’t it?

''Something'' would happen soon.

By sacrificing the life of the girl named Narthex.

…Even though Coronzon had tried to destroy the current cruel world and make a new just world in its place because she hated and couldn’t allow things like that to happen. But Coronzon’s feelings were being trampled on as ''it'' called out to forcibly awaken her from the depths. Against her wishes.

He couldn’t let that happen.

This was forcing something that shouldn’t be.

A Coronzon resurrected this way wouldn’t be the same.

If she couldn’t lament the world and proclaim her own justice from the side of evil…then she really would be an incomprehensible monster.

(How long, how long?)

Narthex trembled irregularly in his arms.

Something beyond human understanding left her lips.

“lpb…no… Wklhdmyuc…run…”

She writhed.

It didn’t feel like he was holding a young girl. She felt more like a bag packed full of hot mud.

Narthex had done this herself after being pushed so hard by those eleven.

This was Coronzon’s power.

There was probably no distinction between her and the Sitra Achra now.

Even the close relationship between mother and sister would not protect her life here. Because her power had been remade into this spell. The idea had been to turn everything in this world into a tool for the summoning, so the process here would consume the walls, the air, the people, and even the small girl herself equally.

Hamazura was beyond being surprised by the worst case scenario.

''Yeah, it figures.

He spat the words quietly.

This wasn’t the ending Coronzon had wanted.

It wouldn’t bring happiness to Narthex either.

A human being had drawn on all her strength and even decided to sacrifice her life, but the world or society had shut it all out, only allowing this one possible ending.

No matter how hard anyone tried, it would only amount to this.

With no exception or special dispensation.

Even the last shred of goodness left within a villain would be stamped out without a moment’s hesitation. Any attempt at atonement would be viewed as a nuisance and rejected.

(How long, how long, how long?)

He was a Level 0?

He was of no scientific help whatsoever?

So what?

If no one else would save Narthex, then it was up to him to face her. No matter what rules he had to break, no matter tricks he had to use, and no matter how much he had to cheat.

He wouldn’t ask permission from justice. He would do what he wanted.

He had decided so.

(''How long'' was I going to continue clinging to the very system that abandoned me, hoping it would toss me some scraps? This world, its society, its systems, and its people aren’t going to save us. If I do that, there’s no possible way a bunch of coincidences are going to come together just right to save Narthex. That’s not how life works, is it?)

Of course, none of Hamazura’s convictions would change that he was a Level 0.

Those scientific measurements could not be shaken. Nothing he did now could change them. He could pour all his efforts into it, but his esper power would never grow beyond where it was.

But.

He had met Dion Fortune. He had encountered Magic Gods Nephthys and Niang-Niang. And he had taken Coronzon’s hand in order to save Fortune after she was scattered in the wind as a deck of tarot cards.

So he had to get it by this point, didn’t he?

You didn’t need inborn talent.

He knew there was another form of the supernatural that operated an an entirely different logic from the esper development supported by scientific knowledge.

He had even been personally taught about it. By none other than Coronzon!!

So.

“…name…not…”

While holding the limp girl.

He clenched his hand as if clutching his heart through his clothes.

He completely ignored the ''rusty flavor'' spreading from deep in his throat.

And the boy roared.

“Choronzon333 – My name does not reject absolute evil!!!”

[[Image:GT_Index_v16_BW7.jpg|thumb]]

===Part 11===

If you truly wish to save this manipulated girl and you truly wish to overturn this predetermined outcome.

Then gather your resolve.

Your resolve to become a magician named Hamazura Shiage.

<noinclude>
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File:GT Index v16 002.jpg

2026-09-20T19:44:02Z

Ultranova17: Ultranova17 uploaded a new version of File:GT Index v16 002.jpg

Toaru Majutsu no Index: Genesis Testament

2026-09-20T19:35:49Z

Ultranova17: full text

{{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 – KOTATSU_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|?]]

[[Image:GT vol 8.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 8 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume8|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume8 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume8 Prologue|Prologue: Attacked from Three Sides – Proclaim_ML.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume8 Chapter1|Chapter 1: I’m Sick of Running – Break_Through_MCV.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume8 Chapter2|Chapter 2: Transcendent Mut Thebes – The_Death_Penalty_WH.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume8 Chapter3|Chapter 3: Relying on R&C Occultics – Secret_DB.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume8 Chapter4|Chapter 4: Decide For Yourself Which Girl to Save – Battle_of_HsB-AD-CVA01.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume8 Epilogue|Epilogue: Beyond Optimism – Catastrophe_XXX.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume8 Afterword|Afterword]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume8 Ending|?]]

[[Image:GT Vol 9.png|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 9 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume9|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume9 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume9 Prologue|Prologue: Battle of the Best – Zenith_of_the_Magic.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume9 Chapter1|Chapter 1: Determine Your Stance – Right_or_Wicked.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume9 Chapter2|Chapter 2: So Much Like Tree Rings – Open_War,1st_Defense_Line.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume9 Chapter3|Chapter 3: Journey – Cut_a_Road_to_Allover_the_Goal.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume9 Chapter4|Chapter 4: At the Center – Duel_and_Struggle,CRC.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume9 Epilogue|Epilogue: A Certain Truth and the Collapse of It All – Black_Humor.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume9 Afterword|Afterword]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume9 Ending|?]]

[[Image:GT Vol 10.png|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 10 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume10|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume10 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume10 Prologue|Prologue: Alice Anotherbible – Back_to_Memory.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume10 Chapter1|Chapter 1: The World is Not So Strong – the_End_of_Real.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume10 Chapter2|Chapter 2: Welcome to the Psychedelic – Little_Queen_Wonderland.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume10 Chapter3|Chapter 3: Prophecy – Last_Branch(of_Die).]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume10 Chapter4|Chapter 4: The Unfortunate Boy’s Focus – Over_the_River.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume10 Epilogue|Epilogue: Kamijou Touma – Notice_of_the_Death.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume10 Afterword|Afterword]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume10 Ending|?]]

[[Image:GT Vol 11.png|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 11 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume11|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume11 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume11 Prologue|Prologue: Welcome – the_DIE_After_Tomorrow.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume11 Chapter1|Chapter 1: The Other Side of the Ordinary – Hell,_Hades,_and_Gehenna.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume11 Chapter2|Chapter 2: Journey – What’s_That_Adventurer’s_Party?]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume11 Chapter3|Chapter 3: A Single Lie, A Single Answer – Seat_the_Only_One.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume11 Chapter4|Chapter 4: I’d Wanted To Do This With You – Duel_and_Struggle,_XXX.Revenge.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume11 Epilogue|Epilogue: End of the Ritual – Flat_Line…]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume11 Afterword|Afterword]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume11 Ending|?]]

[[Image:GT Vol 12.png|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 12 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume12|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume12 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume12 Prologue|Prologue: The Process Leading to Death – Silent_Road.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume12 Chapter1|Chapter 1: A Scene of White and Black – the_DEATH.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume12 Chapter2|Chapter 2: Funeral – Good_Bye_Bad.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume12 Chapter3|Chapter 3: A World Worse Than Death – Soul_Hazard.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume12 Chapter4|Chapter 4: Those who Resist the Result – Ultra_VS_Wisdom.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume12 Epilogue|Epilogue: An Unwanted Trick – Open_Your_Lock.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume12 Afterword|Afterword]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume12 Ending|?]]

[[Image:Index GT Vol 13.png|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 13 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume13|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume13 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume13 Prologue|Prologue: Absolute Evil and Relative Evil – CHORONZON.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume13 Chapter1|Chapter 1: A Change – Magician, Witch, Wizard, and…]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume13 Chapter2|Chapter 2: Death and Slaughter – VS_NECROMANCER.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume13 Chapter3|Chapter 3: To Protect the World We Live In – Dance_With_ADIKALIKA.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume13 Chapter4|Chapter 4: Call That Name – Shout_the_Summon.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume13 Epilogue|Epilogue: Another – 4th_HERO.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume13 Afterword|Afterword]]
[[File:GT Index Vol 14.png|right|frameless|200x200px]]

===GT Volume 14 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume14|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume14 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume14 Prologue|Prologue: Updated Objective – Assault_Escape.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume14 Chapter1|Chapter 1: Fleeing Time Bomb – DEVIL_in_Science_World.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume14 Chapter2|Chapter 2: Divine Slope, Forbidden Book – Magical Exit.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume14 Chapter3|Chapter 3: Which Side is Winning? – Scoreboard.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume14 Chapter4|Chapter 4: The Brink of Death – Battle_With_ARCHENEMY.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume14 Epilogue|Epilogue: One in the Darkness – Bad_Light.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume14 Afterword|Afterword]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume14 Ending|?]]

[[Image:GT_Index_Vol_15.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 15 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume15|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume15 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume15 Prologue|Prologue: Starting Point – Girl_and_Girl!]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume15 Chapter1|Chapter 1: A Deadly Misunderstanding – New_Weapon_ZONE.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume15 Chapter2|Chapter 2: Equations and Magic Circles – Black_Oneday.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume15 Chapter3|Chapter 3: Justice Doesn’t Have a Monopoly on Peace – Justice_Another.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume15 Chapter4|Chapter 4: What the Fugitive Saw – Fumble.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume15 Epilogue|Epilogue: The Seed Has Been Sown – Question.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume15 Afterword|Afterword]]

===GT Volume 16 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Prologue|Prologue: The Third Term He Won – January.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Chapter1|Chapter 1: A New Life in the Girls Dorm – School_Life.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Chapter2|Chapter 2: As Far as You Can Get from Misfortune – Home.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Chapter3|Chapter 3: The Name was Present from the Start – “SYSTEM”.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Chapter4|Chapter 4: Roar into the Dark Night – Death_Sentence_for…]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Epilogue|Epilogue: Deepest Depths – Lady_Number_03.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Afterword|Afterword]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Ending|?]]

[[Toaru Majutsu no Index: Genesis Testament#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 Volume16

2026-09-20T19:35:13Z

Ultranova17: Created page with "==Novel Illustrations== {{:Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Illustrations}} {{:Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Prologue}} {{:Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Chapter1}} {{:Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Chapter2}} {{:Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Chapter3}} {{:Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Chapter4}} {{:Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Epilogue}} {{:Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Afterword}} ==Ending== {{:Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume16_Endi..."

==Novel Illustrations==
{{:Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Illustrations}}
{{:Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Prologue}}
{{:Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Chapter1}}
{{:Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Chapter2}}
{{:Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Chapter3}}
{{:Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Chapter4}}
{{:Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Epilogue}}
{{:Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Afterword}}
==Ending==
{{:Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume16_Ending}}
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{{Toaru Nav|prev=Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume15|next=Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume17}}
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Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Epilogue

2026-09-20T19:34:13Z

Ultranova17: adding illustration

==Epilogue: Deepest Depths – Lady_Number_03.==

Dawn was still a long way off.

London sat below the purple sky.

Some would picture a stone city built upon a foundation of history…but those were the happy outsiders who were looking at tourist websites as they planned a vacation.

Those who actually lived there knew London was actually a mixture of old and new. The historical stone churches and palaces existed right alongside cutting-edge high-tech skyscrapers. London had public wireless LAN antennae, graffiti on the walls, and filthy abandoned building surrounded by handmade barricades that had been effectively occupied by gangs. Needless to say, the capital of the United Kingdom was flooded with metal, plastic, semiconductors, and so many other ordinary things. The winding River Thames was no exception. During the day, the HMS Belfast gathered tourist attention. At night, the dark water’s surface shined bright in the electric lights of a Ferris wheel.

So it wasn’t hard to find a skyscraper providing a view of the Tower of London from above.

One of those was located across the Thames from the tower.

“I see, I see.”

One of The Girls was monitoring the situation from the roof of that building.

Her dark wine-red nun’s habit would have drawn the eye regardless, but it was also quite revealing in places. The skirt had bold slits in the sides, much like a China dress.

The pale-skinned girl’s long blonde hair blew in the night breeze.

She looked to be around ten, but apparent age probably wasn’t a reliable indicator here. Not when she had been thoroughly modified by a great demon.

Of course.

Most of what was happening was in the vast underground space unknown to the public, so this view from above wouldn’t normally reveal anything.

“29% of my talismanic Agathions have been lost. No, the damage just grew to 31%. 19% of those are trembling from loss of motivation and the rest are wandering in the wrong location entirely. But this is about what I expected. The focus on stealth meant reducing each one’s power. Still, they are going down easy just from exposure to the side effects.”

She wasn’t just gathering up the final images sent by the ''things'' crawling around underground. By investigating the distribution of the location and the timing of their destruction, she could reach a general understanding of what was happening in that closed underground space.

(I had expected Narthex to get self-destructive from the pressure, but this I didn’t foresee. Hamazura, was it? Ordinarily, a silly esper would have his body’s blood vessels and nerves shredded by the side effects of straight up using magic like that. It would just mean instant death. Besides, it’s a devastatingly bad idea to try and use magic to solve a problem related to Narthex and the Anglicans who specialize in anti-magician combat.)

But.

It still caught her interest.

Hamazura Shiage shouldn’t have known anything about magic, yet he had suddenly shouted a magic name and awoken. That meant he already had the magic knowledge. It all went back to Great Demon Coronzon planting unnecessary information in the science side boy’s head. From a wider view, this was the supposedly dead Coronzon’s influence returning to the playing field.

She was not a fan of that.

Even as one of The Girls, she was very much not a fan.

“I had planned to just watch Narthex self-destruct, but I suppose I should intervene. I need to ensure every last shard of Coronzon’s lingering influence is eliminated.”

It didn’t matter that the building was dozens of stories tall.

The girl leaned over the edge of the roof and shifted her body weight in preparation to drop.

“Reflex Gesang Klingen.”

She stopped.

A string of words sounding like an incantation froze this one of The Girls in her tracks.

She turned just her head to view the rooftop like a bird of prey perched in a tree.

That had been a name.

This was no mistake or coincidence. Very few people in the world could speak that series of words as ''a name''.

“Reflex Gesang Klingen.”

It came from a shadow.

The voice emerged from a shadow that kept the speaker just out of view from Reflex’s position – which meant the speaker had emulated her field of view before choosing that spot.

“Index was Latin, Narthex was English, and now we have German. How many more of The Girls are there?”

“Oh, are you actually angry for once? But didn’t you slaughter so many magicians from your own cabal at the Battle of Blythe Road and rob children of their future through so many conspiracies in Academy City, Aleister Crowley?”

The dark shadow did not respond.

That magician had temporarily extended his life by borrowing Great Demon Coronzon’s body.

He was supposed to have died along with Coronzon in Academy City…but clearly it wasn’t going to be that easy.

“I can’t imagine why you would care. It’s not like you knew Narthex.”

“Maybe not, but if this disaster is left unchecked, it will spread from this one point in England to engulf the entire world. And then ''he'' will be dragged into it.”

“Oh?”

“I told him to kill her along with me. It is my fault his hand has been stained with blood. The sin of death is not his, so he deserves to enjoy the peace he protected. I will not let him suffer any longer.”

At that point, the shadow grew sharp. It carried obvious hostility.

“Besides, this is not a pleasant thing to see. Whether I know her or not.”

(Is this also Coronzon’s influence in a sense? She is supposed to obstruct people’s evolution. Honestly, even after death she’s finding new ways to get in our way.)

She felt some irritation deep in her mind, but letting it show wouldn’t help.

She stepped away from the edge of the roof. And walked. Reflex had a grin on her lips as she spoke into the shadow.

“Given the life you lived, I knew for a fact you wouldn’t be going to heaven after you died with Coronzon. But here you are. How did that happen? Don’t tell me. Did even hell label you persona non grata, forcing you to wander the world of the living forever? Ah ha ha! Sounds about right for a dead Englishman!!”

Just hearing this girl’s young voice was enough to tell one thing.

This girl was not Narthex.

She would not cause trouble for the reason Narthex had.

“So the third has chosen to reject Great Demon Coronzon.”

“Of course I have! She’s absolute evil! No, thank you!! Just thinking about the fact she raised me makes me loathe my own flesh and blood. But here I am, so I have to live my life. So I’ll reject everything about my own parent. I can’t build a life for myself otherwise.”

The shadow sighed softly.

Genius magicians generally had their origins in tragic and unfair circumstances like that.

After all, magicians were a collection of the talentless, unblessed, and incapable.

Even a legendary magician like Aleister could be seen as the end result of a child raised under the restrictions placed on him in the name of good by a hysterical mother.

So he understood.

“Rebelliousness is the foundation of mind control.”

“?”

“It is an emotion easily produced in anyone by forcing them to perform an action that violates their principles. And if you already know they will rebel, you can predict where they will go when they run away from home. More than that, unlike resentment and hatred, rebelliousness is guaranteed to resolve itself from the moment it appears. A runaway child will eventually return home on her own, take the bath drawn by her parents, and resentfully put on her pajamas, right?”

“That was Narthex’s controller. But that idiot couldn’t even bring herself to rebel and ended up calling Coronzon her mother.”

Yes, if they couldn’t rebel properly, maybe there were cases where it resolved into a mother complex.

But then what had been expected of Reflex and how had it failed?

That failure had already happened. Because Index had the top spot.

Also…

“Who are you siding with now?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m just curious why Coronzon rushed the activation of Adikalika. Surely she wasn’t trying to eliminate you along with the rest of the world because you were ''too dangerous a failure''.”

Grimoire Library Index Librorum Prohibitorum was a good example.

Index had memorized 103,001 grimoires, making her a highly irregular part of the magic side. It was even said she could become a Magic God if she could actually use all that knowledge.

But that was a hard thing to imagine.

Index could not conquer the world on her own.

She had incredible power, but she wasn’t untouchable or invincible.

That was why Index had stayed on the run when magicians were pursuing her and why she had in fact been captured by magicians a few times even after meeting Kamijou Touma.

So in the same way, no matter how extraordinary Narthex Coded Cathedral was, it was highly ''unnatural'' that she could attack Academy City all on her own.

If that hadn’t happened naturally, then someone else must have unnaturally set it up. Someone had used her outside her proper specifications, or even intentionally driven her to self-destruction.

Reflex.

In that same way, it seemed unlikely the girl here ''would be acting on her own.

Just like Grimoire Library Index Librorum Prohibitorum was designed to perform best when under the Anglican Church’s protection, Reflex needed the backing of something large.

“Kingsford told me to live.”

“And you felt some kind of meaning in that?”

“No. She would say the same to anyone and I know she wouldn’t have sat idly by as the coming threat arrives. She was telling me to live and save everyone from vices like you.”

Hostility stabbed from the shadow like an invisible spear.

Reflex snorted in laughter.

She had a definite reason to do so.

“I am one of The Girls – one of the anti-magician trump cards prepared by Coronzon. Sure, I was rejected, but that doesn’t mean my skill is in any way inferior to the grimoire library. I can’t believe ''a mere magician'' would actually try to challenge me! Hee hee hee. Sounds like suicide to me!”

“Oh, it’s very possible. For a grimoire library specialized for anti-magic combat. Or for a right hand that negates all illusions. …Still, there’s no guarantee you would face them using ''over-the-top magic''. So when you’re up against a wicked magician, it’s best to let another corrupt magician handle it.”

“''Oh? An interesting idea.''”

He was broken.

Yes. There were times when the thought in your head was correct but saying it out loud would get you shunned from the classroom.

He easily stepped over that life-or-death line.

Aleister Crowley had never been able to hold his tongue in those moments.

No matter how hard it was for the rest of the world to understand him.

So…

“Aufeinander legen.”

A young voice spoke.

This was supposedly an open building rooftop.

Yet the girls’ voice echoed over and over again, like a shout in a chilly cave, growing into a great mass of sound.

This was one of the reasons people have always feared the mountains as a dwelling place of gods or monsters until they began viewing the mountains themselves as holy. Her voice became a mass of air and sound.

“Identifizieren, Beginn. …All numbers are infinite, so it cannot be proven that the number derived by one plus one will always equal the same number known as two. Water cannot be boiled twice and no experiment is reproducible. One plus one produces a different box known as two depending on the time, place, and circumstances at the moment of calculation. No problem can be proven with nothing more than hackneyed mathematics. Thus numbers hold no meaning. Accept my voice as it is, world. I command thee. Numerical limitations have no meaning to a duplicated voice, so the incantation soon to be produced by an individual has no upper limits!!”

This was Reflex’s inborn power.

Her throat.

The magic side ''gave power to the broken struggles of the untalented'', so proving her great worth based on inborn talent made her a truly bizarre monster.

She was not like Index who could store the world’s knowledge using her perfect memory or Narthex who unilaterally determined who could and couldn’t view the world’s knowledge by applying complex, high-level encryption.

She was the third member of The Girls.

Only Reflex possessed this unique talent-dependent skill.

“Ancient deity – that is, the world’s guide wielding lightning as a weapon of divine punishment. Thou art heavenly father and creator of all who also fears his own wife. I contact a portion of thy power through the protection of Jupiter. Temporary Telesma, draw out the ripples and reveal the form I wish.”

Light shined.

From below Reflex’s feet.

Like a giant lifting its head from the water’s surface, a bizarre 10m shadow rose up. Its silhouette resembled a storybook dragon. Except it was colored pitch black.

The third girl spread her arms and roared.

Her loud voice echoed over and over again despite being in the open outdoors.

All numbers were infinite.

Thus, it didn’t matter if she was up against a magic cabal or a global religious sect. Any group that relied on its numbers could be crushed by Reflex’s power to echo and duplicate an individual.

Ordinarily, gathering up ultra-high density Telesma and summoning a great demon required a truly extraordinary magic ceremony. A group of tens of thousands would spend decades before finally earning the right to make the attempt. And even then they had no guarantee of success. And yet.

This one girl had set foot in that great world here and now.

Number had no meaning.

She only needed a tiny fragment of knowledge.

From there, she could hone those words into a deadly weapon and explosively amplify them.

“Ha ha HA HA HA HA!! Pay us a visit, ''False Jupiter Optimus Maximus''! Thou art the wicked deceiving dragon that claimed the name of the ancient deity in the fourth experiment and lured mankind toward blood and violence. Thy actions need no longer be bound. Here I grant thee true freedom, so wield thy fangs and claws to thy heart’s content tonight!!!”

A dragon was the ruins of a corrupted angel.

This was a different approach from Narthex’s attempt to revive and eternally summon the malicious angel that was Great Demon Coronzon.

Thus this power must not be underestimated.

This demon used the ancient deity’s name despite having no connection to Roman mythology. To challenge False Jupiter Optimus Maximus was to battle a demon lord. That meant to regather all of the power that had come together to defeat Great Demon Coronzon. And if you couldn’t manage that, then your death was guaranteed. 100% guaranteed.

“What will you do now?”

The multiplied girl’s voice carried a sneer.

The countless voices surrounded the human and insulted him like the masses influenced by the third-rate newspapers had once tormented him.

“I’m asking what you’ll do now, Aleister!? Ah ha ha HA HA!! You had great power, but that very talent kept you from getting along with anyone, leading to all your world-class organizations crumbling. ''You are not Kamijou Touma. No reassuring companions will be gathering around you''! Now, how will you struggle against False Jupiter Optimus Maximus all on your lonesome!!?”

“…”

There was no response.

There was only one answer.

''Zwoosh!!!

A hole opened in the 10m giant towering up behind Reflex.

A meter wide hole.

And it didn’t end there. The roar of death continued unabated. The giant was filled with holes until it couldn’t maintain its form and fell apart. That which had been False Jupiter Optimus Maximus vanished as if fading into the air. Not even a shred remained.

This was more than a temporary miracle. It happened in an instant. Using an individual’s power, without gathering any companions.

It had only taken a single raised hand in the shadow. From a distance.

“Wha-?”

The echo had vanished from Reflex’s voice.

Her magic had been interrupted. The logic behind it had left her mind.

She turned around, saw not a fragment remained, and stared in a daze.

Even though her enemy wasn’t behind her.

He was out ahead.

“What…was that? What happened?”

“…”

But Aleister hadn’t done anything special while standing in the darkness.

He had only taken a single step out of the shadow.

And that was all it took.

“You…no. ''That body''!?”

For the first time, Reflex was truly at a loss for words.

The figure that stepped out from the shadow was a woman with long, long silver hair.

But anyone who knew even a piece of that legend would see the truth at a glance.

This was…

“''Anna Kingsford''? Of all things, you’re borrowing that preserved corpse, Aleister!?”

[[Image:GT_Index_v16_BW8.jpg|thumb]]

In that instant, the “center point” clearly shifted.

Something more abnormal than the third of The Girls had appeared from the shadow.

Everything in the world had accepted that.

“Kingsford has not been resurrected in the present day. It is more accurate to say her dead body has been installed with precise machinery to reanimate it.”

These words were spoken by a magician who looked exactly like her.

Thanks to a technological trick.

“All the necessary signals to animate Kingsford’s body can be monitored by my mobile device. Now, this was quickly begun in secret after her apparent death during the fight against CRC. It didn’t last long, but we did spend time together. So I have gathered sufficient data on an expert magician’s breathing, pulse, muscle movements, nerve impulses, brainwaves, and brain chemicals while using her magic. In precise detail. So by feeding that data back into myself…I too can achieve a portion of her expert magic.

“But only in part,” added the human with a thin smile.

This was highly unusual for that ever-arrogant human who never feared being misunderstood.

…He didn’t understand how Anna Kingsford achieved her expert feats, but he only had to achieve a partial understanding.

''She could even retrieve and save souls that had died and gone to hell.'' That was the sort of power Aleister had obtained.

The various machines installed in her body provided thorough data. Analyzed it. Formulated it. Fed it back into himself to overwrite the numerical values inside himself.

In ways a standard magician could never even consider.

“Thanks to this, I can now use a limited portion of expert magic. All of us in the Golden cabal sought after this but could never achieve it. If even one of us had achieved this kind magic, the tragedy known as the Battle of Blythe Road may never have happened.”

This magic came from the legendary expert who Westcott and Mathers, two of the Golden cabal’s three founders, had looked up to as their teacher.

Thus…

“But kindness toward one can appear as hardship to another. …I do hear that Westcott and Mathers were often brought to tears as her students. Even those selfish geniuses were helpless before Kingsford’s corporal punishment. A mere demon lord battle is nothing for the woman who trekked across hell and faced its many monsters to return a single boy to the world of the living.”

“…”

“So prepare yourself, Reflex.”

The silver-haired expert’s words weren’t even a declaration of war.

They were a death sentence.

“''It is all to serve others.'' I will teach you the culmination of the many struggles of the weak and untalented who kept their eyes on heaven and never gave up – that is, magic. …No longer will I be trapped by the foolish idea that malice and ruin are cool.”

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Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Chapter4

2026-09-20T19:31:57Z

Ultranova17: adding illustrations

==Chapter 4: Roar into the Dark Night – Death_Sentence_for…==

===Part 1===

The Tower of London was one of England’s most famous tourist destinations. Did people want to see something frightening, or did they want to gawk at a shameful part of the world-famous British Empire? Despite its gloomy image, the number of tourists hoping to experience some history there was so great that entrance restrictions had been put in place to avoid overtourism.

But most of the people listening to the tour guide with their wireless earphones and snapping photos with their phones were shown to the exit without ever learning the truth.

The Tower of London was full of labyrinthine corridors blocked off with “keep out” signs and ropes. …And in the deepest depths, it was still being used for the same purpose it had in its heyday.

That is, as a secret prison for magicians run by the state.

Another location in London could not have been more different.

Within gorgeous Buckingham Palace, Queen Elizard was relaxing.

Specifically, she was wearing a track suit and lying on a fancy sofa.

Knight Leader, standing nearby, was a thoroughly trained warrior, so he did not bring a hand to his forehead. Because his tough mind could drive out any temptation!

“The Anglicans have made some moves and I thought you should know.”

“Right,” said a lazy voice.

For the queen, Buckingham Palace was simply her home. She must have felt free to lie around in whatever outfit she liked.

“You mean about those Asians…the Amakusas, was it? That they’ve disappeared.”

“After their terrible failure in Academy City, they have gone into the mountains to rethink themselves. Their letter came with a paper charm linked to their priestess. In an emergency, we can curse that to inform her.”

“What kind of people do the Japanese think the British royal family are? The world-famous Queen of the United Kingdom will not use any sinister curses.”

Elizard sighed.

That group took everything unnecessarily seriously.

The ''pure'' Anglican magicians like Stiyl and Isabella would be hanging around in a Westminster cafe or something as if nothing had happened.

“The other notable action by the Anglicans would be Dion Fortune. She is still their Archbishop, but she is effectively boycotting her job. She is not responding to any of our calls.”

“They’re starting the ''trial'' without their leader signing off on it. I can understand her annoyance.”

“This is not a slight against Fortune’s own abilities. The suspects include a personal friend of hers. So unfortunately she cannot be considered an impartial judge this time.”

Knight Leader’s calm explanation was well reasoned.

But at the same time, he was aware it was a gentle slope where the path ahead continued to narrow down as ''only'' the least risky options were taken. A shadow hung over the young man’s face.

Elizard also sighed.

(What a pain. The one who tears apart the bonds between people and obstructs their evolution, huh? You’re still going strong even after death, Lola Stuart.)

“So what happens now?”

“Given the severity of the issue, they cannot allow the Archbishop to issue an indulgence and acquit him. In order to eliminate Fortune’s personal influence…''the eleven'' will handle this one.”

Queen Elizard grimaced at Knight Leader’s response.

This was unusual for the queen who would calmly laugh off any international problem and eagerly seek a resolution.

“I don’t like them very much.”

“But they are necessary. This must be done fairly and impartially, with no loopholes. Isn’t that why you still haven’t gotten rid of them?”

That was true, but she didn’t have to like it.

Elizard got up from the fancy sofa.

She glanced outside the window, but she couldn’t see the Tower of London from here.

“Narthex, was it?”

“Yes.”

“And Hamazura Shiage.”

Knight Leader said nothing further.

Because he simply had trouble grasping what the queen was getting at. He was mildly surprised that she even knew the name of a foreigner like Hamazura Shiage.

Her eyes still out the window, Elizard spoke with sorrow in her voice.

“Then today’s ''witch trial'' could be nothing but misfortune and disaster for those two.”

===Part 2===

She wasn’t foolish enough to descend directly into a British airport.

So her plan was to first enter France under a fake name and then pass through the Channel Tunnel to reach London.

It was late at night.

She didn’t think she had taken even ten steps from the train.

Takitsubo Rikou found Leivinia Birdway standing in front of her on the giant station platform.

“Way too obvious. On the magic side, England has long seen France as its greatest enemy. Why would you try to sneak in on the most watched route? You should have at least tried stowing away aboard a ship from Spain or the Netherlands. Although those holes will be filled given another two weeks.”

She was speaking English of course.

And with a proper British accent that would sound out of place in America or Australia. Birdway had no obligation to speak Takitsubo’s language.

The confident blonde girl took a sip of the drink a subordinate handed her and then stared at the bottle’s label in disbelief.

She demonstrated her lack of concern by taking her eyes off of the enemy directly in front of her.

“Ew, gross… Hey, Mark, what the hell are you making me drink? It tastes like the paint used to make glass bottles shine.”

“It is mineral water, boss. And a luxury Swiss product. It costs more than a cup of the tea you love to give trivia about despite not making it yourself.”

“Natural water? You mean water from the ground!? European groundwater is far too dangerous to drink without boiling it first. At the very least, no self-respecting Brit would touch the stuff. No wonder my body instantly rejected it. We might be outdoors and on the streets, but the correct choice is to prepare a safe and tasty cup of tea. And I mean you should do that, Mark, since you’re just standing around stealing your wages.”

“Look at all this work I am doing, boss. Every last thing crammed into the pages of my notebook is something that should be your job as head of the cabal.”

Apparently that man in black did not demand his mistaken boss change her ways. Simply pointing out the mistakes and letting shame do the work apparently wasn’t just a tool of Japanese bureaucracy.

Takitsubo ignored all that and interrupted in Japanese.

“If I would have been caught regardless, why did you take the risk of contacting me? Are you also planning to-”

[[Image:GT_Index_v16_BW5.jpg|thumb]]

“Nah, I don’t really care about Hamazura Shiage.”

“…”

“Don’t give me that look. And don’t try to bluff without even a two of a kind in your hand. Making threats without any idea how to fight is also known as suicide. Also, you seem to be staring intently at the cards in your hands, but are we even playing European poker here? Or is it Japanese seven bridge? You can’t even guess at the rules for how you battle a magic cabal.”

Birdway chuckled.

That was all.

But the next thing Takitsubo knew, she was surrounded. By men dressed in identical black suits.

Their numbers alone weren’t the problem.

(I’m a tracking expert, but ''I didn’t even notice their approach''.)

This was what happened to an information expert skilled enough to slip out of Academy City.

It was like the relationship between an old-fashioned radar facility and a strategic stealth bomber. She had been shown the truth before the fight even began: if she tried to resist, she would be unilaterally slaughtered.

They were right in front of her, yet they had had so little presence it was like watching shadows stand up from the ground.

They were being managed on that level.

It was that sort of game.

“I understand being worried from your point of view. You might not know what exactly a witch trial entails, but it isn’t a term that inspires optimism. Especially when a friend of yours is involved and you can’t just watch on pretending you know what’s happening.”

“You make it sound like you do know what it means.”

“Because ''that'' is the world I fight in.” Birdway shrugged. “For example, have you heard of a tool called the Spanish Spider?”

“?”

“It’s a set of metal hooks that open and close like scissors or pliers. The four sharp points stab into someone’s back and then they’re lifted up using a pulley on the ceiling. The poor victim’s back muscles and fat are torn through by their own weight. And, of course, it isn’t just some bluff – it was actually used.”

“You…”

“There’s also a torture device modeled after millstones. The victim’s body is placed between a pair of stone pieces designed to rotate in the opposite direction of each other and are then ''slowly'' rotated until they confess. Torture devices are not some unique form of technology. They’re based on objects found in everyday life.”

“…”

“The rack, the garrote, Lissa's iron coffin – there are so many other cruel options. There are as many ideas as there are stars in the sky, yet not a one of them is a benevolent tool. It really is cruel. People love to say human nature is good, but this is a wonderful example of what humans produce when they gather together and lose control. If you want a detailed explanation of any of them, just let me know. Unlike those holy men and women, we aren’t bound by any requirement to always remain good. So unlike those arbiters of justice who go to so much trouble, we won’t underestimate the cruelty of the actions or the number of victims. We will tell you the unvarnished truth. And that is the path that Narthex and Hamazura Shiage are headed down now.”

It was true Birdway knew more about this than Takitsubo.

And yet Birdway had said she didn’t care about Hamazura.

“We in the Dawn-Colored Sunlight are interested in The Girls – Narthex in this case. Those presents were left by Great Demon Coronzon and rival Grimoire Library Index Librorum Prohibitorum. That sealing magic user would be a tremendous asset if we could get her. …That said, she is a superweapon created by the Anglican traitor Lola. ''She belonged to their enemy, so it isn’t entirely clear that she belongs to the Anglicans''. Nevertheless, they took her back from Academy City and are attempting to get the death penalty for her in the Tower of London. Right before my eyes!! What a waste it would be to execute a genius like that!”

“You make it sound like you wouldn’t care if she was executed if she weren’t a genius.”

“Because it’s true. I’m not opposed to the death penalty, but I don’t actively support it either. If you want to avoid the death penalty, then show me how it would benefit me and I’ll help you out. But I see personality as a part of someone’s talent and I don’t need a duplicate trump card. ''And I already have one exception who can pleasantly manipulate me.'' Oh, and I don’t mean my sister. Little sisters are a category all their own.”

It wasn’t that Leivinia Birdway didn’t know who Hamazura Shiage was.

Yet she didn’t even need to think about it.

These were the words of someone who chose people based on a hierarchy. In a way, that coldhearted side was necessary to lead an organization.

“You want to save Hamazura Shiage. He’s getting a trial, but it’s effectively a fixed game and it’s been predetermined he’ll be executed, so I understand you’re impatient. But you don’t even know where he’s waiting for execution, do you? Ha ha ha. Searching the ordinary police and court records online from France isn’t going to turn anything up. This is being done under another system entirely: magic. The people who can’t be judged by ordinary laws won’t be managed by the public institutions that operate under ordinary laws, now will they? But someone still needs to punish them for the sake of peace and safety. Let me guess: you couldn’t even find the name Hamazura Shiage in the immigration database.”

“…”

“Is that silence your habit when you can’t find an answer for me? If so, it’s pretty cute.”

“I doubt you will tell me the answer. It doesn’t benefit you any.”

“Right you are.”

Takitsubo heard a quiet sound.

From the side of her neck.

“''I can’t help you. Because I’m not all that interested in Takitsubo Rikou of Academy City.''”

She couldn’t resist.

Not when one of the men in black – the one named Mark – had chopped her at the perfect angle with the perfect speed.

===Part 3===

“…”

Hamazura Shiage heard a scratching sound.

He was facing the wall.

The musty stone wall was extremely hard and also unpleasantly damp.

He sat in a prison cell straight out of a storybook. A proper prison wouldn’t have been allowed to keep its inmates in such unsanitary conditions.

“Ahh.”

''Scratch, scratch, scratch, scratch.

Plus, he hadn’t been given any kind of trial. He didn’t know where he was, but he had never heard of a defendant being thrown in prison before being found guilty or not guilty. In fact, no one had even told him what country’s laws he had violated.

But when cut off from the rest of the world by these metal bars, no one would hear him if he complained about the unfair treatment. …Not that anyone would bother listening to what a villain had to say.

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.”

SYSTEM.

System, system, sisstum!!”

Hamazura dug his nails into the wet stone wall, but not because he was trying to dig through the wall and escape. Information was spilling from his mind. Rapidly. Just like it was hard to explain your dream to someone no matter how wonderful it had been.

He had seen it.

In that final moment, he had seen ''something'' behind Kamijou Touma.

Yet it kept spilling away. Only the clear word SYSTEM remained as the information broke down like flesh sloughing off the bone.

Even though he couldn’t afford to forget that information.

Was it a mechanism, a framework, or a hierarchy? Was the definition so large it couldn’t all fit inside his tiny human brain? Or did the great system running the entire world have the power to mess with the contents of his mind?

He didn’t know.

He didn’t understand.

He couldn’t answer.

He couldn’t comprehend.

If he could only remember what he had seen behind Kamijou on that day, he could have given the answer so easily!! Even though this was crucial information he couldn’t afford to forget!

“Are you alright?”

“Kh.”

The scratching had stopped.

He heard a voice.

He wasn’t imagining it…he thought. Because this wasn’t coming from inside his cell. It was a physical voice vibrating the air and reaching his eardrums from the cell across the stone corridor.

He recognized the voice.

The girl seated on the cold stone floor looked terribly chilly. Something about her seemed different from when he had seen her before. After some thought, he realized something was missing: the coat she had worn. Her second brain. ''Had she had her brains confiscated as a dangerous weapon?

She was curled up and trembling.

It looked like the cold was gradually draining her life away.

But even in that state, she had called out to Hamazura.

Even she couldn’t stand to see him like this.

“Narthex…was it?”

“Yes. I am mother’s sister.”

He didn’t know what that meant exactly.

But he could imagine it was important enough to her she had to restate it.

“Mother put you through a lot. Since she is gone, I will apologize for her. Hamazura Shiage, you were an ordinary person with no part in this, so you shouldn’t have ever seen the this hidden side of the world.”

Aneri…was gone.

No, she might be hiding somewhere on the network even now, but this musty prison made of thick stone walls and metal bars didn’t have any electronics capable of using her. His cracked phone was gone and, hard as it was to believe, the place didn’t even have electronic locks on the doors or basic security cameras.

Instead of being lax about security, it meant they regularly did things they didn’t want to leave any record of for even their own people to see.

That idea brought a bone-chilling dread.

This place was fully cut off from civilization. No one in the world would find out what happened here.

Here he would learn all too well how the toxic torture and execution devices only seen in storybooks were ‘'actually'' used.

The powers of civilization could do nothing in this locked room.

It was a bad match for Aneri.

Escaping with help from technology was less than a dream.

“I did have a part in it.”

“?”

“Coronzon saved my life. No, mine isn’t the one that matters. She saved Dion Fortune and Takitsubo Rikou, my friend and my girlfriend. It was probably only on a whim, but I can’t just pretend it didn’t happen. Without her help, I would’ve lost two things I value more than my own life. So I did have a part in it.”

“Even I find it hard to believe that mother would save someone for nothing in return.”

“Weren’t you taken in and raised by Coronzon?”

“Because she had a definite purpose for me. I am Narthex Coded Cathedral, an expert in seals and encryption. Mother wanted me as a candidate for creating a nemesis for all magicians. Even as her sister, I never did see her truly save someone. That is super rare.”

Maybe so.

When they were in Scotland, Coronzon had told Hamazura that he was free to follow her, but that she intended to use him as bait or a diversion.

“But.”

“What, Hamazura?”

“I’ve also never seen her really and truly abandon an ally and run off.”

Now it was Narthex’s turn to gasp. She may have searched through her memories and arrived at a belated realization.

Yes, Coronzon had lost and Hamazura was alive.

She had not used him as a sacrificial pawn.

She had said she would, but she hadn’t even at the very end.

“…”

Eventually, Narthex spoke in a sulking way.

“…This is a weird feeling.”

“What is?”

“I hated the people who called mother a great demon despite not knowing her. But it’s also annoying to listen to the person who didn’t call her a great demon.”

“Ha ha.”

“What?”

“I was just wondering what Coronzon herself would think if she heard that.”

Was she jealous?

That sounded like the last word one would associate with the being known as Great Demon Coronzon.

But here someone was feeling that way.

Coronzon was gone. That was an indisputable fact. But the survivors were free to wish it weren’t so.

Even the losers had that right.

“Tell me about the Coronzon you knew.”

“You don’t know anything about magic. I don’t even need to encrypt the dangerous information because you wouldn’t understand a word of it.”

“Still.”

Narthex was right.

Was this practice, training, or abuse? Try as he might to comprehend the long strings of words leaving the small girl’s mouth, Hamazura couldn’t make heads or tails of it. If even the most violent lesson would guarantee a win in a global sports tournament if you overcame it, then maybe the many acts of violence could be praised as acts of good. Conversely, if kindness would only lead a child to waste their life after growing up, then that reckless love could be criticized as violence. This was the same. Besides, Hamazura didn’t understand the value of magic, so he had trouble judging what he heard about their relationship as mother and sister.

But Narthex herself sounded proud as she spoke.

That was what mattered.

It was most important that she got out what she was holding inside.

(Man…)

Hamazura sat with his back against the metal bars and listened to what wasn’t even Japanese anymore.

(We really didn’t know anywhere near as much about Coronzon as we thought.)

He heard a wet sound.

One that could easily be described as filthy.

But he said nothing.

Because this seemed far more human than trying to always remain clean and pretty.

“…again…”

“Yeah.”

“I wanted to see mother again. I wanted to hear her voice, rub her head, and tell her it was going to be all right. That’s all I wanted…”

“I know what you mean. It’s the same for me.”

Punching Kamijou Touma and getting back at him wasn’t going to physically change the world.

Coronzon was dead and gone, so it wouldn’t make her happy.

But he had wanted to do it.

Separate from issues of what was right or just, he had wanted to see through his own decision.

“They’re probably going to do something terrible to us.”

“…”

“But memories are easily twisted. We can whitewash them, they can degrade, or we can forget them altogether. They might not stay safe if held by a single person. But if we have several points of view – so we can all remember her from several different directions – then couldn’t we remember who Coronzon was?”

Narthex remained silent for a while.

She may have been suppressing something. A different face than the one she had shown while fighting Kamijou Touma.

But that kind time did not last long.

“…Kh…”

“Hey, Narthex?”

She was doubled over.

Her body looked so small beyond the bars.

Hamazura felt it creeping up on him.

''The unease.

Society, standards, common knowledge – all the unseen threats with which the unjust clashed.

“What is it? Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine…”

“No, you’re not. What happened!?”

“It’s most like…a form of gestaltzerfall…”

Narthex’s brow was furrowed and she held a hand to her head.

From Hamazura’s ignorant perspective, it looked like she was suffering from a headache.

He saw some red on her face.

She had a nosebleed.

Narthex must have noticed because she moved her small hand from her temple to her mouth.

Her reaction was noticeably delayed.

“My mind is specialized for constructing and breaking codes. Sometimes it flashes in my vision… When I look at a single character, it breaks down into its constituent shapes without any meaning entering my mind, or I see complex meaning in meaningless patterns or stains on the wall… Even though I know it’s pointless. Like figuring out a piece of trick art, once you see it, you can’t unsee it.”

What did that mean?

Was she okay?

What kind of headache caused a nosebleed?

Not knowing worried him, but he was also suddenly afraid to find out.

…During the airport incident, Narthex had said she was an unchosen ultimate weapon created by Coronzon. But being immobilized by a headache in the middle of battle like this would be a critical flaw. Then again, she hadn’t ended up like this when she fought Kamijou Touma.

Hamazura thought a bit and then realized why this was happening.

“Your second brain?”

“…”

“''Do you need that coat or you suffer from headaches and dizziness so bad you can’t move''!? That’s not good. That means the pain won’t pass if you clench your teeth and bear it, will it!?”

Curled up and trembling from the cold?

How stupid was he? She had been enduring this pain the entire time! She had put up with having her life worn down by the time wasted inside her cell!!

Hamazura honestly didn’t know what her second brain was, but he thought of it as something that handled mental calculations for her. And he guessed she wouldn’t suffer from this problem as long as it was handling those calculations.

But it had been taken from her.

By the Anglicans who had seen it as a deadly weapon.

“Don’t…blame…mother.”

She had a tremor in her voice.

Even as she curled up on the cold floor and endured the pain, Narthex was worried about the honor of someone who was no longer with them.

“This is my fault for being unable to handle it all. This wasn’t part of mother’s calculations.”

“…”

But.

Hearing this preemptive defense helped clear Hamazura’s mind.

He hadn’t considered this possibility at all until now.

Had Coronzon’s continual honing of Narthex’s abilities actually embedded a fragile vulnerability inside her?

Or…

…''Did she create this vulnerability on purpose''? To more easily control the powerful joker so near her side. As if placing a collar on her.

(I can think about that later. Finding the truth isn’t going to make Narthex’s headache go away!)

“Hey! Can’t you hear Narthex suffering in here!? Surely this prison has a medical room. I’m not just saying to give back her second brain. One of your magic experts has to know some other way of getting rid of this pain, right? If you want to claim you’re the just ones, then you’d damn well better look after the sick! You can’t call it a fair trial otherwise!!”

Hamazura grabbed at the bars and shouted, but there was no response.

This was a prison.

They had to have guards who wouldn’t overlook the slightest anomaly.

A headache.

That one word could have many different causes and symptoms, but that was why you couldn’t just overlook a headache with no known scientific cause. There were headaches that led to death, like subarachnoid hemorrhages and brain tumors.

And this was a headache that caused a nosebleed. …Could that mean whatever was going on in her head was causing bleeding?

“I’m…fine.”

“…”

“It isn’t bad enough yet for the noise to consume my brain. There must be a great number of meaningless corrupted files in my head, but I can live like this. For now.”

Hamazura had a vague idea that Narthex had a special power. An idiosyncratic power different again from Academy City espers. But how far had Coronzon pushed that tiny body to specialize it for that ability? And what had she done to ''accurately control that power from the outside''!? If that had gone far enough, wouldn’t that mean her life was at risk!?

He had wanted to be friends with Coronzon. And couldn’t.

But that didn’t mean she was a good person.

“This is a real power mother gave me. So I will not give it up. No matter what.”

“Narthex.”

Just then, he heard footsteps.

His head snapped around to look in that direction, but he still wasn’t aware what was happening. Because his mind jumped to the idea that they had finally noticed something was amiss and were here to provide help.

As if they would care.

This prison existed to keep Hamazura and Narthex locked up.

These footsteps of the prison’s managers were orderly to the point of mockery. Did the jangling sound come from a ring of keys, or from strange torture devices?

This meant it was finally beginning.

“Unlocking Unconvicted Prisoner Holding Ward of Special Examination Building. Entering ward.”

“Entrance confirmed. Relocking.”

They were called Beefeaters, weren’t they? The guards who entered wore red uniforms straight out of the photos on a tourist website. Hamazura couldn’t say if these were the real ones or if they were something else disguising themselves as part of history.

“Checking on Defendant Narthex.”

“Checking on Defendant Hamazura Shiage.”

He couldn’t understand a word since they were speaking English, but he had definitely heard his name. They were calling him. He knew better than to think it was for anything good.

Blodeuwedd the Bouquet.

That name briefly appeared in the back of his mind…but he couldn’t rely on her.

For one, the Transcendents were ''too'' capricious.

If she hadn’t approved of his treatment here, she already would have broken into the Tower of London and dragged him out. Since she hadn’t, she couldn’t be sticking with him anymore. She was probably helping some other hated person somewhere else in the world.

It was a miracle she had assisted him even once in his life.

He didn’t expect her to continue protecting him a second and third time.

If he wanted save Narthex, he would have to do it himself.

(I need to at least save her.)

A small flame was kindled within Hamazura.

He had a new objective.

There was nothing he could do after discovering it here. But because he had been pushed to the brink of death, he badly wanted a new motivation for action here.

Back in Academy City, he might have mocked this tiny conviction as a drowning man grasping at straw.

(I need to at least save Narthex. ''She didn’t choose this the way I did.'' She was closed off from the world and only ever had Coronzon until now. So she lost control after losing the only thing she ever knew. And unlike me, she had enough power to actually accomplish something there. So it’s wrong to accuse her of the same crime as me. The only sensible thing is to give her a lighter punishment. I’ll make sure it works out that way. Somehow. I don’t know what kind of trial we’ll get, but I need to find some way to save her.)

One of the guards spoke.

“Once the defendants have been restrained, take them to the witch trial.”

===Part 4===

A heavy jangling rang through the darkness.

They had been made to walk a long way with their arms and legs bound by metal chains.

Over and over, the corridor took right angle turns, they ascended and descended spiral staircases, and he had completely lost his bearings.

Was this even still part of the Tower of London? Or were they below some other place?

Hamazura couldn’t make any sense of it.

Eventually, they arrived in a large square room.

It had no windows.

But that didn’t necessarily mean it was underground.

“A…courthouse?”

“Indeed,” someone said from up above. With no expression. “This is a court for divulging and judging magical crimes which must remain undocumented. It has long served as a location for witch trials.”

“Defendants Narthex Coded Cathedral and Hamazura Shiage, we have gathered here to weigh the sins of your souls.”

“Frank, Sheila, Tsumoru, Flourish, Fourier, Serre, Sonnet, Elise, Noel, Thomasia, Eleanor. Judicial role call complete. Eleven Court Officers, take your seats. Court is now in session.”

Eleven Court Officers.

The only part of that Hamazura understood was the number eleven. They appeared to be a mix of genders and races. Or maybe a group like that had been gathered intentionally. And Hamazura had no clue how British courts worked. Was it American judges who used the wooden hammer? They didn’t seem to use them in Japan at least. And what was a ''witch'' trial?

So many people gathered with emotionless masks for faces was intimidating on its own.

He would have found it more of a relief if they were all hiding their faces behind masks like at a masquerade ball

Maybe that was why.

In his extremely confused state, it took him a while to realize he could understand what the Eleven Court Officers were saying.

The trial had already begun.

Tsumoru, was it? Tsumoru Judicial. The one who appeared to be Japanese spoke.

“Narthex Coded Cathedral. Magicians deserve death. For they are magicians.”

“No objection.”

“It is the natural conclusion. With the exception of the few who serve our United Kingdom, it is only fitting for wicked magicians to atone through death.”

“No objection.”

It sounded like a meaningless exchange.

At first, Hamazura had no idea what they had said.

Weren’t they supposed to explain the defendant’s history and the charges against them at length?

“D-death?” he muttered without thinking.

Narthex herself said nothing.

“Did you just say death!? Without even giving this child a second chance at life!?”

Fitting?

To atone through death?

That was natural?

How could they say that to a young life that could probably live another eighty years if she worked at maintaining her health? She should at least be given the chance to turn over a new leaf and live the rest of her life regretting what she had done!

Hamazura’s eyes widened as the court officers moved onto the next part.

This time it was a tall redheaded woman. He remembered her being Sheila, the second one to be named.

“Hamazura Shiage. He is not a magician and did not properly understand Great Demon Coronzon’s value. Thus, he should not be judged under magic law.”

“No objection.”

“An outsider who assisted her without appropriate awareness of the threat and danger she posed cannot be held accountable for that crime. However, a full acquittal could reinforce the misapprehension that ignorance of the law excuses all crime. Thus, I propose he be released after 30 days of disciplinary imprisonment.”

“No objection.”

It all happened so fast.

Like they didn’t want to give him a word in edgewise. And it didn’t look like any of them was going to argue against these decisions.

“Are there no defense attorneys…or witness testimonies?”

“Why should we waste our time with that?”

“Because we have rights!! This trial started less than five minutes ago! I haven’t even had time to learn all you eleven whatevers’ names!!”

“There is no causal relationship between your learning our names and the administration of justice. Thus, it can be omitted.”

He didn’t understand.

It made no sense.

He had helped Coronzon. So he was guilty. But weren’t they at least going to explain ''what'' he had done, ''how'' it had helped her, and ''why'' that had influenced the incident in Academy City!? He didn’t even understand on what basis one of them was sentenced to death and the other would be released!

“W-wait.”

Doing this wouldn’t help his case in this trial.

He could tell that, but Hamazura still set aside those calculations and raised his voice.

Because if this continued, Narthex would be killed.

Even though her crime should have been lighter than his.

“But why am I being released while Narthex is guilty? And why is she being sentenced to death? What the hell is wrong with you!? I was free to choose whatever I wanted and I chose for myself to bet on Coronzon. So I’d get it if you called that a crime. But Narthex was raised without knowing anything other than Coronzon and she was only trying to get that back! So how is it fair for her crime to be heavier than mine!?”

They didn’t bat an eye.

Not the silver-haired brown-skinned man named Frank, not the tall redheaded woman named Sheila, not the Asian man named Tsumoru, not the blonde Hispanic woman whose name he didn’t remember, and not the rest of the eleven. They didn’t even seem to feel any displeasure toward the villains they were judging.

They were not fighting an enemy.

They were determining the fates of human lives as dispassionately as they might complete paperwork at their desk.

Judicial.

The Eleven Court Officers who had all been given that surname spoke impartially.

“Redundant claims are meaningless. If you would like to raise an objection, you must submit additional evidence and counterarguments to add to those we have already prepared.”

But they hadn’t prepared anything.

Plus, how was he supposed to submit additional anything.

He had no lawyer and they had even confiscated his phone. He had been trapped behind bars, unable to contact anyone. He had no way of acquiring any “new evidence” that had to exist out there somewhere in the world! Besides, they hadn’t even said what that new evidence was even supposed to prove!

“Otherwise, our decision will stand and this court will be adjourned,” flatly stated Frank Judicial.

“Coronzon was all Narthex ever had. Her feelings over not arriving in time to see Coronzon’s final moments turned to anger inside her! Surely that counts as extenuating circumstances. But you’re just going to ignore all that and sentence her to death!? Did you forget your human emotions at home!?”

“You could say that. We have no emotions.”

One of the court officers – Elise – brushed back her hair with a hand, revealing a gruesome scar running behind her ear. It was a surgical scar.

“That needless fat has long since ''been physically removed''.”

Hamazura fell silent.

He needed to say something, but the shock and panic were too much for his brain to function.

These people would go that far for their idea of justice?

Meanwhile, the conversation was advancing.

“We eleven have no sense of camaraderie or solidarity. In fact, we exist to monitor each other’s opinions and provide rebuttals.”

“Yet here even we are in agreement. That makes it unanimous.”

Hamazura had fundamentally misread the situation.

They were a precise microbalance. They were a machine that could only review the end result and the material evidence and accurately weigh the crime.

Noel and Thomasia joined the conversation.

“Even if a conclusion hurts our own case, we are willing to accept it if it is correct.”

“Indeed. And mutually understood language is one aspect of impartiality.”

“I do not like that we could not sentence Hamazura Shiage to death, but I cannot ignore the correct conclusion at which I have arrived.”

“If you believe our treatment of Defendant Narthex to be unjust, then proclaim your own justice. If you cannot, then our conclusion cannot change.”

That sounded fair at first, but their tone was dripping with the confidence of one who knew they were asking the impossible.

They were the judges and they were fundamentally cut off from those being judged. They saw the judged as residents of another world, so nothing they did to them could pain them. They were sentencing someone to death, but they had set aside their sense of guilt somewhere. They were following a truly irresponsible flowchart.

“The sentence has been given.”

So the Eleven Court Officers did not ask about motive.

There was no waver or hesitation in Tsumoru Judicial’s voice.

Crime was crime and punishment was punishment.

It was a single definition. So they had no interest at all in the bitter path a criminal had taken before committing their crime.

To them there was no difference between someone attacking and killing a passerby for money to enjoy and someone fighting back and accidentally killing the person about to kill their family.

They had lost track of the fundamental reason that people judged people.

Sheila made a loud pronouncement.

“This sentence cannot be overturned unless new evidence is submitted.”

Crime was crime and punishment was punishment.

''These microbalances took the privileged view that no decent person would ever commit a crime over the course of their entire life.

Frank settled it.

“The sentence is death. If no objections are raised, it will be carried out today. Court is now adjourned.”

===Part 5===

Dawn had yet to brighten the sky.

Magicians had been positioned on the bank of the Thames to indirectly place them around the Tower of London.

Their numbers were far greater than the Anglicans were aware of.

They belonged to the Dawn-Colored Sunlight, the largest modern Western magic cabal in Europe.

“What a pain.”

A girl of around 11 sighed while guarded by men in black suits.

Leivinia Birdway observed the enemy ground without use of binoculars.

“And after I went to all the trouble of scattering the Sitra Achra. I never imagined someone might use sealing magic to condense it again.”

“Is that possible?” asked Mark Space, one of the men in black, sounding skeptical.

They were on the opposite bank of the Thames from the tower.

Specifically, inside a small slanted boathouse built into a filthy pier.

The view through the small window was depressing.

“Possible or not, she’ll do it if she has no other hope.” Birdway munched on the warm vegetable and roast beef sandwich she considered a necessity during lengthy missions. “It’s a bottle. Like that iced tea bottle you’re carrying. Hand it here, by the way. It’s not the bread that’s bad. There isn’t enough butter. Either way, it’s so dry eating it leaves my throat parched.”

“If you say so.”

“Gulp. There are several types of seals, but it’s probably easiest to think of them like trapping a demon in a bottle or box. That means a seal gathers some sort of power to a single location. It is all equally contained no matter how strong or large that power is. So it isn’t hard to more broadly interpret that gathering as a condensing of that power.”

The Sitra Achra that was Great Demon Coronzon’s remains had been scattered to the farthest reaches of the world by Birdway. You could call it a dilution. It left her too thinned out to maintain her mind.

If that was gathered back together to increase the density, then Great Demon Coronzon might indeed be resurrected.

Telesma was a troublesome substance.

Whether she was bisected, torn to pieces, or even blown to smithereens in an explosion…she was essentially a mass of energy just like heat or electricity. No matter how small of pieces she was split into, the total amount was the same once gathered in a single place. And that could mean operating as a great demon once more.

It might not be the Coronzon who Hamazura Shiage and Narthex knew who would make a reappearance, but it would at least be a great demon with the same appearance and function.

“Summonable lifeforms are such strange beings.”

“Of course they are. Even Lucifer was only chained up after being defeated by a sword-wielding archangel – he wasn’t actually killed. Despite his sin of disobeying god being plain to all. …Also, here.”

“The iced tea?”

“How many times do I have to tell you to fill the bottle with nitrogen when carrying it around, you fool? And you call yourself a Brit? Tea’s flavor and color changes in no time after it contacts oxygen.”

“This type of tea is meant to taste bitter. Perhaps it was too mature a flavor for a cheeky brat.”

They began trying to force the bottle with a thick straw into the other’s hands.

“If diluting it across the world isn’t enough to keep it safe, then the only option is to seal away the Sitra Achra and keep it nearby. Based on the idea that it’s safe as long as no one removes the lid… I went with the dilution plan because I don’t like that idea.”

“Yes, most anything that must be guarded to keep it safe can be broken at the slightest provocation.”

“We can’t let the real world be destroyed like something out of a storybook. We need to come up with a new idea. And to buy us the time for that, ''for now'' we need to get our hands on that Sitra Achra.”

This was what the Dawn-Colored Sunlight was after.

“We will manage the Sitra Achra. Which is why I want Narthex.”

She coldly spat out the words.

She was saying she wanted the girl as a tool.

After all, Narthex was a treasure just as valuable as Grimoire Library Index.

From the perspective of one of the largest magic cabals not just in the West but worldwide, it would be a shame indeed if she was executed by the hardheaded Anglicans.

“That said, we are talking about the Anglicans here. Worse, the highly guarded Tower of London. We won’t need Takitsubo Rikou to ''cause a diversion'' as an uncertain factor from Academy City here. I want to set this up so we can get by with only the logic of our magic side.”

“Meaning?”

“I have no interest in Hamazura Shiage of the science side.”

She said it plainly.

While breaking free of someone else’s feelings.

“Boss.” Mark made a suggestion while refueling himself with bite-sized fried fish. “If you really do want to secure Narthex, you need to get moving soon, knowing how sturdy the Tower of London is.”

“Yes. But will we be in time?”

Birdway’s tone was relaxed.

She didn’t seem concerned.

Because she had a completely different goal line here. She had known Takitsubo Rikou would cause a scene if she learned about this, so she had removed that girl from the picture before she could find out.

She had crushed the small possibility that the track suit girl had.

And with that done, she arrived at her conclusion.

“If Narthex has information information on a ''third or fourth'', then it doesn’t need to be Narthex we actually get our hands on. I’m interested in their magical talent, not their external appearance or inner personality as human beings. And information can be extracted from a corpse. So even if Narthex is executed, ''we can still win if we retrieve her body before it is burned'' to deprive her of the possibility of resurrection during the Last Judgment.”

===Part 6===

They were returned to their cells.

They were given no freedom.

After a short rest, the sentence would be carried out.

Hamazura Shiage couldn’t understand why they were given this rest. With people so deficient in emotion, everything felt malicious. He began to suspect they hadn’t killed Narthex on the spot because locking them up where they were helpless to do anything to stop the inevitable execution would draw out as much fear as possible before the execution.

This was the least fair part of it all.

He would stay in his cell like it was a hotel for 30 days and then be set free?

Narthex would be executed this very day?

It was crazy. Completely insane. If their crime was siding with Coronzon, then why was the outcome so different? Hamazura couldn’t celebrate his own result. There was no way this was a fair trial. Coronzon was gone. He knew that, but abandoning Narthex and returning alone to Japan would be no different from spitting on her grave!

It was true prison existed so people could atone for their crimes.

But it was also meant to help people remove the burden of those crimes from their shoulders and get a second chance at life. So they wouldn’t be crushed under the weight of too great a crime! This musty collection of stone was missing something. Something fundamental. Was this place really built and run by the state? It felt more like a cruel lynch mob!!

(Is there nothing I can do?)

He didn’t think there was any way of winning a not guilty verdict in that bizarre trial. Trying to win in court had been the wrong tactic from the start.

Because it was actually true that they had committed a crime. Siding with Coronzon in that situation probably had been wrong. Listing out the accurate information and measuring the weight of their crimes was fine with him. But they hadn’t even been given a proper trial.

They weren’t even given a chance to reject the most oppressive errors.

He had no obligation to go along with that.

Not if the law wasn’t functioning properly here.

He couldn’t let Narthex be consumed by this rogue form of justice.

He wanted to know the exact means by which the death sentence would be carried out. At the very least, he doubted it would be done behind these metal bars. She would be taken to some other place. There might be an opening then.

(I need something. Anything!! I need to at least get Narthex out of this…Tower of London, was it? She’s the sister Coronzon left behind. She’s the kind of person who knows who Coronzon really is and doesn’t call her a great demon!! I need to find some way of getting her out of here!)

“Ha…mazura…”

Narthex looked so small curled up and trembling within the metal bars across the corridor.

Seeing her now, it was hard to believe this was the villain who had used both science and magic to cause so much trouble in District 23.

Hamazura was reminded of a baby bird falling from its nest and dying in silence.

They wouldn’t even need to execute her at this rate.

“I know. I won’t let this stand! There was no justice in that trial! And with that not working right, I have to get you out of here. I’m coming up with a way to do that now, so give me a little longer, Narthex!!”

“You can’t. You’re being released, so trying anything now will only add to your charges and get your release withdrawn.”

“I don’t care!! You don’t call Coronzon a great demon! You’re a living witness of the real Coronzon, not the twisted and distorted version everyone talks about!! So I won’t let you die. Coronzon is dead, but I won’t let what she left behind be taken too!”

“Don’t worry…about that.”

She spoke gently.

Why had she accepted this absurd death sentence?

He had to stop her from talking.

He sensed something.

Something tremendously wrong here.

“I have a trick up my sleeve.”

“Does this look like the kind of cell where you can pick the lock with a wire?”

“You don’t need to grieve mother’s loss anymore. You can hear her name without spitting or weeping, so you need to be happy. So I will make that happen.”

“Hey?”

Something wasn’t adding up.

Something was out of place in a way that filled him with a strange sense of disgust.

Why was Narthex so calm?

She had been unfairly sentenced to death while the Asian arrested for the same crime was being set free. She could easily have felt betrayed and like she had been abandoned in the depths of hell.

Just then, he heard footsteps.

“Kh.”

Many footsteps.

A crowd of them.

It was that incomprehensible group. The atmosphere pushed in at him like an invisible wall or pressure.

Something bad was happening.

That certainty filled his chest.

“You again, Eleven Court Officers?”

“Indeed,” replied Tsumoru Judicial.

There were thorns in Narthex’s voice.

Understandable when they had spat on her “mother” and given her a death sentence.

“What do you want now? I assume you’re already preparing to carry out your idea of justice.”

“Of course,” stated Frank.

It didn’t sound like they were preparing a last meal for the death row prisoner.

“But the most important topic of debate for this court is the existence of Sitra Achra. That is, do the remnants and influence of Great Demon Coronzon still linger in this world? It is our duty in the Anglican Church to manage the magic world and protect the people’s peace, so we must reject every piece of that great demon’s influence. For justice.”

“So executing me isn’t enough? What are you hoping to torture me into confessing?”

“Narthex Coded Cathedral.” This time it was Fourier who spoke. “Unlike that grimoire library, you are a foolish collection of power that failed to contribute to the state, to society, and to the people. You must admit to the fact that you were raised by Great Demon Coronzon and you failed to contribute to society…in other words, ''that you are not a necessary evil''. You failed to improve upon the role given to you and thus the power you bear can only distort our beautiful world. You must admit that you were educated in a unique way and yet you used that power to selfish ends and harmed many people.”

“…”

The redheaded white woman named Sheila took over here.

As if the eleven were a single wriggling mass.

“And as the child of Coronzon, you must admit that the Sitra Achra that are the great demon’s remnants are an impurity that can only harm this divinely-created world and that the survival of even a single fragment would cause many malfunctions in a world that should function flawlessly.”

“And as a criminal, you must contribute to society by fully eliminating that Sitra Achra,” summed up the Asian-looking Tsumoru.

They made it all so overblown, overbearing, and overcomplicated that Hamazura had a hard time working out what they were actually saying.

Hamazura saw Narthex give a quiet snort of laughter.

That was when he realized they were telling her to spit on the grave of her mother.

Great Demon Coronzon was dead.

The dead could not be physically attacked.

The Eleven Court Officers found that so terribly frustrating they had decided to insult Coronzon’s dignity instead. Were they demanding Coronzon’s “child” spit on her grave to take something precious from her and prevent the dead from resting in peace?

But Narthex sounded unimpressed as she spoke from behind the bars.

“Do you really think I can do that?”

“No matter the circumstances, we will acquire the necessary confession from the suspect. That is our job and duty as the Eleven Court Officers.”

“So you’re meant to get a politically and diplomatically convenient confession no matter what the truth might be?”

Narthex’s response to Noel’s answer carried a tone of self-deprecation.

Her young eyes may have been viewing the entire Anglican Church ''including herself''.

“But it’s meaningless. I am Narthex Coded Cathedral. I am a grimoire coder whose job and duty is to prevent the spread of chaos through the world by applying advanced and complex encryption to the unneeded knowledge scattered across the world. I wouldn’t be very good at my job if a little torture was enough for me to cough up the decryption key. The boot, the rack, the cat’s paw – it doesn’t matter what you use. It won’t change my mind.”

The sound of clenching teeth was audible from Hamazura’s cell.

“Besides, I will never accept that mother’s lingering power could destroy the world. And I will never eliminate every last fragment of it. Mother is already gone. I will not let you defile her slumber.”

“Narthex Coded Cathedral – impure egg hidden in the great demon’s hand.” Asian Tsumoru Judicial replied more flatly than a machine. “While we are torture device specialists, we never said we would be using them on you.”

“…? ''You don’t mean''!?”

The small girl’s shoulders shook as if struck and she turned toward Hamazura for some reason.

He didn’t understand.

He heard a metallic click. And felt a metallic chill on his thumbs. Only then did he realize his hands had been pulled together by a steel device positioned around his thumbs.

There hadn’t been anyone in his cell.

And yet.

Two metal panels about the size of a stick of gum were linked by a nut and bolt.

His thumbs were held in the narrow space between the metal panels.

“?”

At first.

Hamazura thought it was a kind of handcuffs. Academy City did in fact have tiny handcuffs that immobilized the wearer’s arms by binding their thumbs together. So he thought this was similar.

But it wasn’t.

He thought it had zapped him.

The thick nut connecting the two panels rotated on its own and incredible pain raced through his thumbs.

Bone pain was unique. It wasn’t like taking a simple punch or kick.

Hamazura was reminded of the pain he felt when he forgot to pull his fingertips out of the way while lowering a heavy wooden box to the floor and caught his fingers between the box and the floor. But this was far worse.

If he had reached his hand into a small gap to try and stop a collapsing stone wall and had his fingers pinched between the stones, this is probably the kind of pain he would have felt.

“Gah!!”

“The thumbscrew is a standard torture device used during witch trials. It was considered so mild it was not even recorded as torture in the official records,” explained Frank with a know-it-all air. “There is less risk of the suspect dying before they can confess than with the strangling garrote or with Lissa's iron coffin that crushes the full body, so you could call it a torture device with greater assurance of confession. ''Even if the thumb bones shatter like glass,'' it will not directly cause death. And the screw can continue to be tightened even after the bones have broken and the flesh has been crushed.”

“Gahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!! Gyahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!”

Unable to bear the pain, Hamazura fell to the side and rolled on the floor.

It hurt. It hurt, it hurt, it hurt, it hurt!! Were his thumbs now nothing more than pain producers!?

No matter how hard he tried to pull his thumbs out from the two metal panels, they wouldn’t budge. And he could see the thick nut continuing to turn all on its own. The panels closed further. He screamed and slammed his hands against the floor, but that did nothing to free him. It only caused a further explosion of pain.

No flashy explosions or dismemberment were needed to cause pain and agony.

The fingers.

They were no more than the furthest extremities of the body. Those small bits of flesh and bone couldn’t account for even 1% of his full body weight. Yet this was enough to feel like his entire body was breaking apart. It shouldn’t have been as bad as being punched and kicked on the pavement, yet this explosion of pain was something else entirely. This caused the maximum pain with the minimum action, it couldn’t be escaped, and the victim wasn’t even allowed to die. This was how the pros caused pain. It wasn’t just a physical matter. It was meant to force a confession. It was a controller that twisted their will and made them speak the words you wanted.

He shouted.

He flailed his legs meaninglessly. All wasted effort.

The quiet straining sound would not stop. No matter what.

“–––––––!!!!”

He could hear Narthex shouting something in the distance. But with the bars in the way, she couldn’t reach him.

The Eleven Court Officers observed his ugly state without batting an eye.

None of them would save him.

His vision blurred.

It took him a moment to realize he was shedding large tears.

He didn’t even have time to feel pathetic. He was well past the point of being able to mentally suppress that. The tears would not stop, as if he had taken poison gas to the face.

This was considered mild? It didn’t even count as torture?

The straining sound was accompanied by his thumb bones being hit by a pain dozens of times worse than a dental cavity. The disturbing pulsation was probably his blood going wild once it had nowhere to go thanks to the crushed blood vessels. His incomprehensible screams would not stop. He could not escape the pain and agony. No matter what he did.

He even considered biting his tongue.

But his jaw was trembling too much to move it.

It was only his thumbs being squeezed, yet his entire body ignored his commands like he was being zapped by electricity. He rolled on the floor and wildly kicked his legs.

“Your encryption saves the innocent people from magicians? Absurd. It is you who are making one of those people suffer here, Narthex.”

“Kh.”

“We eleven have chosen to free Hamazura Shiage. We said so at the start. So the only reason for his suffering is your unnecessary stubbornness.”

''Don’t listen to them,'' willed Hamazura.

You don’t have to listen.

They’re guiding your thoughts. They’re removing all your other options and giving you a shove forward to get you to walk down the path you didn’t want to take. This is the worst form of mind control that changes living people into puppets.

Yet Narthex frantically raised her voice.

“Wait! This is an internal Anglican problem, so stop hurting Hamazura! He isn’t one of us! He isn’t even a magician!!”

“So what?”

“Isn’t the Tower of London meant to accuse wicked magicians!? You have no reason to inflict violence on Hamazura Shiage who isn’t a part of the magic world and isn’t even a British citizen!”

“What does that have to do with our job and duty as the Eleven Court Officers?”

“What happened to your human hearts!?”

“''Oh, that?''”

Hamazura saw something odd in his tear-blurred vision.

Tsumoru Judicial brought a hand to his ear.

No.

To the worm-like scar behind his ear.

Yes.

It wasn’t unfair. They had been shown this once before.

“''We eleven had already had that removed to ensure impartiality in our work and duty.''”

Hamazura heard a gasp.

Narthex now knew they wouldn’t listen on a fundamental level.

This wouldn’t end with just his thumbs.

They would destroy Hamazura’s body one part at a time without batting an eye.

They wouldn’t stop.

Not until Narthex confessed.

(No.)

Hamazura was superfluous.

If he weren’t here, Narthex could have preserved her pride.

(It’s probably over once she speaks. It will trigger the end and there will be no taking it back. I don’t want to be a burden on anyone. That’s the last thing I want. Someone help me. Cover Narthex’s mouth right this instant!! Hanzou…Kuruwa… Takitsubo. Anyone!!)

Thomasia chuckled before continuing.

She had a smile on her lips, yet she didn’t appear to carry any human emotion at all.

“Hurry up and confess or this Japanese boy will never use his hands again. He will be reminded of you constantly in his everyday life. Whenever he can’t hold a glass, write with a pen, or even zip up his pants. He will regret ever letting his feelings get the better of him and assisting a villain.”

“Kh.”

“Or the shock of the pain could cause him to bite his tongue. After all, the pressure of the metal panels on his bones sends any external impact there directly to the bone and nerves. He knows that, but with pain this severe he will be unable to stop writhing. People have no way of enduring pain they have never imagined or experienced before. The pain should be several times worse than drilling into a severe dental cavity. And he has not gone through special anti-torture training where he is exposed to as many varieties of pain as possible to expand his repertoire of experience there. He is not you. I doubt your average person off the street could endure this.”

“So you admit it, Eleven Court Officers. The person you are torturing isn’t even a magician – he’s a normal person!!”

“You are the one torturing him, Narthex Coded Cathedral – you impure leftover of Great Demon Coronzon. You and your wickedness have made him a part of this. We are no more than one face of good. Necessary measures are only necessary as long as something necessitates them.”

“Khh. Then…I’ll say…it.”

Narthex’s face plainly displayed an uncertainty not seen there before.

People have no way of enduring pain they have never imagined or experienced before.

Tsumoru Judicial was right.

If the girl named Narthex had been raised alone by Coronzon, that meant Coronzon had designed her so she would be strongest while alone.

Now that she wasn’t alone, the young girl’s bulwarks had crumbled.

This was a vulnerability Narthex had never had before.

Just like with the thumbscrew, people could not resist a type of pain they had no experience with.

It wasn’t the Eleven Court Officers.

Hamazura was the one who had pushed the girl to this point.

He had supported her.

And thus defiled her soul.

Or so it seemed to him.

Frank did not react in the slightest.

“What exactly will you say?”

“Kh. ''I confess to every thing you want me to say, even if it’s nothing but lies''!!”

“''Excellent.''”

It happened the very next moment.

It truly was less than a second later. It happened so smoothly.

There was a weird noise.

“Gyu!?”

It came from Narthex.

Hamazura looked her way without thinking, but she wasn’t there. Had she suddenly vanished from her cell? No, she hadn’t. He looked up. There she was. Her small body had floated upwards.

It took him a moment to realize the truth.

''She was hanged. She was hung up by her neck.

And to repeat.

It was Hamazura who had pushed her to this point.

===Part 7===

She was in a terribly small and endlessly dark space.

It may not have even been a room.

It could have been a mansion closet or a car’s trunk.

Takitsubo Rikou didn’t have any way of finding out.

She knew Hamazura Shiage was here in London. She knew he had to be in trouble. And yet she couldn’t go save him.

Even though every second that passed could mean she missed the crucial crossroads.

There was no help here.

Both in that ''she couldn’t help him and that no one was coming to help her.

(Hama…zura…)

===Part 8===

The Tower of London.

A prison for locking away prisoners.

Frank Judicial spoke.

“Defendant Narthex knew Coronzon was a great demon but still worshiped her wicked power and chose herself to take the path of depravity. Thus, I have decided she is a wicked magician deserving of death. But she will not receive an official execution. She will suffer an unexplained death in her cell.”

“No objection.”

Hamazura felt the sweat on his face dry up.

Every last drop of it.

“Wait…”

What was this?

When he looked up at Narthex holding her hands to her throat and kicking her small feet so wildly, he thought she was being strangled by her own chestnut hair wrapped around her neck like a scarf. He wondered why she was being killed by her own hair.

But that wasn’t what this was.

A closer look showed an indentation in the hair around her neck. Something as thick as a thumb was wrapped around her skinny neck. Firmly. Tightly. With an unpleasant straining sound. There was no scream. Because her trachea was being compressed.

The color of the young girl’s face changed.

First to a bluish shade, but that gradually grew darker.

She was being strangled.

Hamazura forgot all about his own pain.

“Wait!! What is that? Are you using some kind of invisible rope!? You have to stop! She’s going to die!!”

“She is not dying,” replied Noel offhandedly. While calmly looking up at dangling Narthex. “We are killing her. This is not an accidental death. It is an intentional killing. That is what an execution is. We manage magic law. There is no room for error.”

“Are you insane, you bitch!? This is just a lynching. You’re just forcing your own rules on her and labeling her as deserving of death! What kind of trial is this, goddammit!!!?”

He had hoped hitting them in the face with the volume of his voice would wake them up.

He didn’t know how long Narthex could ''last'' hanging like that.

It wasn’t an issue of how long until she died of asphyxiation.

If her neck broke, it would be over instantly.

So he wanted to get Narthex down from there right away even if it meant angering this lynch mob that held absolute power.

''And yet…

“We thank you, helper from a different world.”

Sheila spoke plainly.

Hamazura heard a smooth sound coming from his hands. The thumbscrew that had been crushing his thumbs like a vise had relaxed. The piece of metal not even 10cm across loosened and fell to the floor. It had caused so much pain and pushed the girl to this point, but the bones weren’t even broken.

Sheila was not being sarcastic.

He even sensed the kindness toward a hard worker in her voice.

“It was your pain, suffering, and the pity you inspired that allowed us to receive such a swift confession. Your weakness dragged out Narthex’s wicked nature. As weak, pathetic, and ignorant as you are, you can still be useful. There is no direct link between being powerless and being just. We thank you for your cooperation in swiftly exacting justice here.”

“What…the hell?” muttered Hamazura in a daze.

All expression vanished from his face.

He couldn’t breath.

His throat was dry.

Tears spilled from his eyes for a different reason than before.

Why was he so weak?

If only he were one of Academy City’s seven Level 5s.

Or if only he had a ''special power'' in his right hand.

Then this wouldn’t have happened!!

“You mean…she did this for me?”

“Correct,” coolly confirmed Tsumoru.

Hamazura shouted back, trembling from the guilt he felt.

“So Narthex was forced to make an entirely meaningless confession…to end my pain, keep me from suffering, and keep me safe!!?”

“It was meaningful. Because it allows us to kill a wicked magician according to the just law. Whether she took the shortest route or took a lengthy detour, there was only one answer from the start. So the shortest route is preferable. And we could all pave the way to that death for her.”

Fourier described settings things up to kill someone like it was nothing.

Hamazura had never mattered to them.

It hadn’t mattered if he screamed from the torture or stoically endured it. It hadn’t mattered if he survived to the end or if he died before it was done.

If there were a hundred different options here, they had set it up from the start so that they all ended in Narthex’s death. Hamazura’s pain and suffering had only been one point along that path, so it had neither been the means nor the ends.

And a change came over Narthex.

Tears flowed from below the hanged girl’s eyelids.

Except they were black.

And they weren’t even a liquid.

They were a filthy black.

With a speck of red in the center.

They were blacker than soot built up in an engine muffler and they were more sinister than blood spilled on a murder scene. They were some kind of powder finer even than the pollen blowing from the forest into town in early spring. As the black and red powder flowed from Narthex’s eyes, it spilled down her young body.

[[Image:GT_Index_v16_BW6.jpg|thumb]]

Once it fell past her feet to the floor, it rapidly spread out.

It drew out an intricate pattern over a diameter of more than three meters. Hamazura didn’t understand the individual symbols and lines, but the term “magic circle” came to mind.

“We have finally found it. The remnants of Great Demon Coronzon – Sitra Achra,” said Fourier Judicial, spreading his arms.

The others spoke as well.

Frank and Noel and Tsumoru and Thomasia.

“It was not stored within Narthex’s body. It would be more accurate to say this young criminal secretly gathered the Sitra Achra that was spread across the world after the great demon’s death. While imprisoned by us.”

“She likely thought Coronzon could be returned to this world if her scattered remnants were regathered.”

“Less a possession and more a summoning. Sitra Achra… You have composed a spell that will turn any substance coated with this black powder into a tool for summoning Coronzon.”

“Were you ultimately planning to break down the wall between phases? Did you think no one could take away Coronzon’s life and presence as long as you created an environment in which she could be eternally re-summoned even if she was killed or destroyed? Ridiculous.”

It was running wild.

The young girl had said she had a trick up her sleeve.

Was this what she had meant?

She had prioritized a world with Coronzon over her own life.

And risked her life to do it.

Narthex may have thought this would happen to her sooner or later once she was brought to the Tower of London.

So she may have wanted to do something in the very end.

Do something for Coronzon who had raised her.

But.

Even that final wish was easily crushed.

“What does that look like to you, Hamazura Shiage?”

“…”

“Black soot is not an accurate description. You can see a red core in the grains less than a millimeter across, can’t you? They are essentially similar to tiny fish eggs. This is the Sitra Achra spreading endlessly as it awaits its wicked budding.”

“Angels and demons can reside in anything: weapons, charms, clothing, magic circles. Because they are a form of energy that can be contained in objects. Those black and red fish eggs are the result of a wicked plan to spread that concept to the entire world. All objects that come in contact with that black and red – an ordinary kitchen knife, a cutting board, a pencil, an eraser – will be remade into a spiritual item for summoning Coronzon until such things cover the entire planet. No, it will spread even beyond the planet.”

He didn’t care.

None of this mattered.

How could they so calmly discuss this kind of trivia when a young girl was kicking her legs as she was hanged!?

Narthex…was a villain.

No one could erase what she had done in Academy City.

She had to atone for that.

She had to suffer through it herself.

But she was also the kind of person who would agree to give a false confession after seeing a stranger like Hamazura hurt and tortured.

She was a broken and rotted tree, but a young bud had emerged at the base.

Was scoffing and crushing that bud underfoot really the just thing to do!?

Did it even matter if she was a villain to them?

Weren’t they just looking for someone they could get away with attacking?

They had their safe position, protected by the state, so they wouldn’t receive any criticism for any lies and violence on their part. Even as they laughed and attacked as a group!!!

“No…”

Hamazura forced out a scratchy voice.

The unjust would be ostracized. Continuing down the wrong path would only lead to more wounds. That was how the world worked. In a state similar to resignation, Hamazura grasped a vague view of the system of society. ''He was beginning to accept it''. But even so.

“I don’t want to see this kind of justice…”

Would no one save Narthex!? Those Eleven Court Officers were in this hell and there were plenty of guards and other officials, yet not even one of them thought to reach out a helping hand!?

He glared out through the bars of his cell with bloodshot eyes and the young guards looked away.

…Did they really think ''this'' was just?

This twisted act of enjoying the sight of a young girl being hanged?

If they thought it was wrong deep down, then why didn’t they do anything to stop it?

They had proclaimed their justice and hurt people so much before.

They had even taken lives.

But now they were going to turn around and say ''justice wasn’t there’s to uphold''!?

“You bet your life on this last resort and it is a spell that fully relies on another?”

“Did you think we Eleven Court Officers wouldn’t notice this?”

“We counted on this from the start. That is why, Narthex, we killed you ''here'' rather than in court. The Tower of London’s cells are more easily sealed up in a magical sense. Unconnected to the visible metal bars, each room has been fully sealed. Produce these black and red fish eggs all you like – not a one will leave this room. The foolish plan you bet your life on will be fully decontaminated within this room.”

“So this is the girl raised incorrectly by a great demon. We now know how twisted a life becomes when it is never given any true love. The child of a villain will too be a villain.”

“In a way, doesn’t raising a villain such as this prove that Coronzon was no more than a terrible parent?”

This was a first.

They weren’t in court.

So did they think they were no longer bound by their job and duty?

The Eleven Court Officers emitted a wave of emotion very unlike when they were focused on their job and duty.

They were in full off-duty mode.

There was delight.

There was mockery.

There was hatred.

There was scorn.

Even though they had said they had such things removed.

Or was this the result of having those things so thoroughly removed?

These were the emotions of the kind of human who could look up at a hanged girl and call it a job well done.

“–––––! ……!!”

No words left the hanged girl.

What was Narthex thinking now?

She had no way of letting anyone know.

She was being hanged.

Her voice couldn’t leave her.

She had been silenced.

Her complexion wasn’t right either. She couldn’t even produce facial expressions.

Also.

With the black and red grains spilling from her eyelids, the young girl wasn’t even able to shed tears in accordance with her emotions.

Strangled and unable to speak, her right hand left the invisible rope. It dangled down. Hamazura nearly let an indescribable emotion push him to scream, but then he noticed the index finger of her otherwise limp right hand was curved into a hook. That finger alone still carried the strength of her will. And the finger moved to rub along her thigh. It formed words. In Japanese. She was trying to communicate with Hamazura.

He didn’t care what it was.

Even if it was “this is your fault” or “why aren’t you helping me?” The words written there might express resentment or curses he struggled to face, but he swore he would accept whatever it was.

But that wasn’t what he read there.

Her finger wrote out the following message:

''I will bring mother to you, Hamazura.

''So can you pass a message on to her?

''The time I spent with her was the happiest in my life.

“Stop…” he said.

His voice rose to a shout.

“Stop already!! Narthex, Coronzon wouldn’t want this kind of self-sacrifice. A hell where the weak are tormented and forced to carry all the burdens of the world wasn’t her idea of a beautiful world!!”

The hanged girl smiled.

Her finger moved again. This was the desperate cry of a girl who couldn’t speak with her throat crushed. Hamazura strained his eyes to read it.

…''I shall verify the truth through sigillography. A seal is a means of protecting a secret and acts as the essence and heart of all magic. Falsehoods, begone. All mankind desires the faultless truth. Here, I use my own body to complete the seal that ensures the truth.

He didn’t understand.

More than that, this wasn’t even a message to him. It was likely only a portion of her self-sacrificial magic.

She hadn’t listened.

She was being hanged. Her neck in the invisible rope was bearing her full weight. She couldn’t have had much more time.

And.

There was a terribly ominous sound.

And that was that.

The last ounce of strength had left Narthex Coded Cathedral’s young body. Her body swayed slowly side to side like an old clock’s pendulum.

(What…)

Hamazura couldn’t even find his voice.

Nothing he said would mean a thing in the face of this overwhelming result.

(What was the point of risking your life like this? Did you think this would make Coronzon happy!? Coronzon hated her wicked nature and you wanted to bring her back to a cold world where she’s labeled a sister-killer!? There’s no way your mother would have wanted that! Narthex, why would you sacrificed your life for something so wrong!?)

She was a young girl.

She hadn’t even lived as long as Hamazura.

Hers was an immature life that hadn’t had a chance to spread her wings and sour through the larger world of her own will.

She never woke up in the morning to go to school, she never sought the credentials that would let her help people, she never went to see her favorite band live, she never worked a part-time job to save up for something she wanted to buy.

She never played and laughed with a friend and thought about the bright future ahead of her, while never doubting she would grow up, get the kind of job she wanted, and marry someone she loved.

She had never had a chance for any of those normal, natural, and ordinary things.

And yet.

This…''this'' had been her final hope?

If she was going to be killed either way, her idea of the ultimate happiness was to sacrifice herself to summon Coronzon again?

It was rotten.

Twisted.

Messed up.

Disgusting.

“…”

She didn’t care about herself anymore.

She had given up.

She made it look like she had made her own decision, but really she had had her own will stripped from her.

By those eleven.

They had ganged up on her.

Just like a worker being seated over to the window in order to pressure them into retiring.

This was not a trial meant to tell good from evil.

It had been fixed from the start.

''To force death onto Narthex as the final efforts of a villain.

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

Everything was silent.

Or it should have been.

But a shrill noise played endlessly in Hamazura’s head.

A nonexistent ringing in his ears.

What was this?

What was justice?

Had he played a part in this? Had he pressured Narthex by giving into the pain and putting on an unsightly show by pathetically shouting and rolling around? Had he forced her to confess something she didn’t believe…leading to her hanging?

“It is done.”

“It is finished.”

“Another job well done.”

“We must again thank our weak helper for assisting us in the swift execution of justice.”

They were saying something.

And wriggling along.

Those residents of a world Hamazura found so hard to believe in were speaking as a single mass.

Instead of sarcasm or mockery, they sounded truly relieved.

Intense anger burned within him, but what did that matter?

What could he change by yelling and lashing out now?

Coronzon was dead. Narthex was beyond saving too.

If the magic behind that black and red ''sandy stuff'' was really so easy to use, Narthex wouldn’t have bothered coming to Academy City in search of Kamijou Touma after his journey through hell with that preserved corpse called Anna something. She would only have had to prepare this stuff in secret.

Most likely, it was a risky form of magic.

Something she was only willing to use once she was being hanged and knew there was no hope for her.

As Narthex swayed side to side beyond the bars of her cell, there had to be more than just the external damage. She was probably ''broken'' deep inside as well.

So badly that escaping into death was the only way to bear it.

In addition to her death, she had been badly corrupted from within.

What could possibly be done for her at this point?

“It remains a mysterious death in a locked room.”

“Clean up the Sitra Achra. Do not leave a single grain.”

“We must eliminate all evidence that Great Demon Coronzon existed.”

“Just to be safe, leave Narthex Coded Cathedral hanging for ten more minutes. Stopping her heart is not enough. We will only begin the final disposal after her brain has been fully destroyed.”

“All that leaves is to incinerate Narthex’s unclean body. What an easy job this was.”

Hamazura heard something burn through and snap in his mind.

This time, he was actually calm to the very core – so deep down he didn’t know he had these depths within him.

…What kind of final hope was that?

…Narthex was supposed to win if she could break down the barrier between the phases and create a permanent environment where it was ''easier'' to summon Coronzon?

To hell with that, world.

Could it really be that the very goal she was working toward was a mistake?

None of this would bring happiness to Narthex.

And Coronzon wouldn’t want a never-ending ending where she was forever ''stuck'' resurrected as a sister-killer and then unable to die. That would just force Coronzon to forever suffer in her own impurity!

He wanted to see Coronzon again.

But not like this.

Narthex had been forcibly labeled a villain without anyone giving any thought to why she had committed the crime she had. And she was being given a horrific end befitting that label. But conforming to that framework would not bring happiness to mother or sister!!

The invisible outlines that had blurred and vanished into mental oblivion suddenly regathered and grew distinct in Hamazura’s head. He was certain of it. And he wouldn’t let it escape this time.

''Yes, that’s right.

''Hamazura Shiage knows what you are.

''He knows all about this thing that passes off grotesque death and destruction as a happy ending.

''SYSTEM.

The disquiet hovering over the world and society. Now that he knew what hurdle he had to clear, he could begin on the next step. He knew what needed to be done to put together a countermeasure and act on it.

I don’t care what you want.

I won’t let it happen that way. No matter what.

Narthex’s heart had stopped.

It wasn’t just going to restart now.

But her brain was still trying to remain active. Brain cells would become damaged only a few minutes after their oxygen supply is cut off, but there was still time there.

And the Eleven Court Officers had said they wouldn’t even overlook that.

They would keep her hanging until brain death had occurred and, after confirming resuscitation was impossible, they would incinerate her body and dump the ashes somewhere.

That.

That alone he couldn’t let happen.

Despite the extreme situation, the final moment was so very quiet.

And he took one step more.

He passed the limit.

“''I’ve had enough of you sadistic murderers wearing masks of justice''.”

===Part 9===

Craaaaaaaaaaaaaaasssssssssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!

The metal bars were noisily blasted away.

===Part 10===

The bent remnants of metal bars and what had once been a thick stone wall were strewn across the cold prison corridor.

The sound of heavy steel bouncing across the stone floor continued for a while.

Narthex had…not done this.

She hadn’t done anything at all.

The stone wall and metal bars imprisoning Hamazura Shiage had been blasted out from the cell to the corridor. Which only made sense if…''it was done by the person inside that cell.

“…”

Slowly, Hamazura stepped out into the damp, musty corridor.

It looked a lot like he had grabbed the sturdy metal bars and pushed them forward. But he hadn’t. This was a Tower of London cell. The bars here wouldn’t be destroyed so easily.

The distinction between cell and corridor had vanished.

It had all been destroyed.

It was all a single box now.

Narthex suddenly fell from where she had been hanging from something invisible. Hamazura caught her in his arms. As lightly as a feather.

“Khah!”

A choking sound.

A choke of restored breath.

It came from the mouth of the girl he held: Narthex Coded Cathedral. She didn’t seem to understand what had happened to her. And she looked up at the face of the boy who held her.

In utter consternation.

“Ha…ma…? Cough…krjaiv, buyanrl…”

Part of her statement was incomprehensible. But not because her voice was shaking or hoarse. She may have used words unpronounceable by humans.

“…giebdod. qgtisnkgbikl…”

The black and red sandy stuff had stopped.

Hamazura had reclaimed the girl who could cry actual tears.

But he hadn’t saved Narthex yet.

There had to be something lurking within.

He couldn’t just clean her up on the outside. Those black and red fish eggs had come from ''within her''.

And for that matter, there were the standards, the society, the world, the common knowledge – the SYSTEM – that wouldn’t leave a villain be. The giant gears keeping the world in motion were tormenting this small body.

If he wanted to save her, he had to act.

He had to do something.

Yes.

Narthex was not the one in control here.

Hamazura Shiage stood at the center.

The Eleven Court Officers were observing the phenomenon as the executors of justice.

But what had happened here? Needless to say, it was the Eleven Court Officers who ensured the Tower of London’s court operated correctly. The job and duty given to them required they manage it in that way. So how had control of this scene been taken from their hands by the puny helper who was only here to make Narthex suffer!?

Besides, it didn’t even make sense.

He broke the metal bars?

This court and prison had been built with the Anglicans’ world-class abilities in the field of imprisoning wicked magicians. This was something not even an expert magician could manage. There was no other explanation.

Sheila Judicial of the Eleven Court Officers spoke.

“Answer us. What did you just-”

“''Shut your mouth, worm.''”

That was exactly what happened.

Those arrogant Eleven Court Officers were briefly intimidated into silence.

By no more than a puny boy.

They pressured people with their strength and their numbers. Their system decided on a sentence with no concern for the truth of what had happened. If this was the true essence of justice, then Hamazura had no need for it.

He didn’t care if none of the 8 billion people out there supported his decision.

He would do what it took to save this girl who was about to be killed.

(How long…)

He was at his limit.

He felt like his anger would fry his brain.

Anger at the Eleven Court Officers? Or the Anglican Church? No.

None of them mattered.

The anger burning his brain was directed at Narthex.

He wasn’t going to accept that as a way to live your life.

He wouldn’t accept this as a favor for Coronzon.

Space itself seemed to pulsate. The black patterns scattered across the walls, floor, ceiling, and everything else here began to contract on their own, making it all look like a giant heart. Like it was trying to swallow limp Narthex whole.

Sitra Achra.

Sealing magic – the magical encryption used to hide the world’s wisdom – had been used to gather it from across the world. It was in fact a crystal of the Telesma that formed Coronzon.

The idea had been to break down the barrier between phases and create an environment where the great demon was more easily summoned, hadn’t it?

''Something'' would happen soon.

By sacrificing the life of the girl named Narthex.

…Even though Coronzon had tried to destroy the current cruel world and make a new just world in its place because she hated and couldn’t allow things like that to happen. But Coronzon’s feelings were being trampled on as ''it'' called out to forcibly awaken her from the depths. Against her wishes.

He couldn’t let that happen.

This was forcing something that shouldn’t be.

A Coronzon resurrected this way wouldn’t be the same.

If she couldn’t lament the world and proclaim her own justice from the side of evil…then she really would be an incomprehensible monster.

(How long, how long?)

Narthex trembled irregularly in his arms.

Something beyond human understanding left her lips.

“lpb…no… Wklhdmyuc…run…”

She writhed.

It didn’t feel like he was holding a young girl. She felt more like a bag packed full of hot mud.

Narthex had done this herself after being pushed so hard by those eleven.

This was Coronzon’s power.

There was probably no distinction between her and the Sitra Achra now.

Even the close relationship between mother and sister would not protect her life here. Because her power had been remade into this spell. The idea had been to turn everything in this world into a tool for the summoning, so the process here would consume the walls, the air, the people, and even the small girl herself equally.

Hamazura was beyond being surprised by the worst case scenario.

''Yeah, it figures.

He spat the words quietly.

This wasn’t the ending Coronzon had wanted.

It wouldn’t bring happiness to Narthex either.

A human being had drawn on all her strength and even decided to sacrifice her life, but the world or society had shut it all out, only allowing this one possible ending.

No matter how hard anyone tried, it would only amount to this.

With no exception or special dispensation.

Even the last shred of goodness left within a villain would be stamped out without a moment’s hesitation. Any attempt at atonement would be viewed as a nuisance and rejected.

(How long, how long, how long?)

He was a Level 0?

He was of no scientific help whatsoever?

So what?

If no one else would save Narthex, then it was up to him to face her. No matter what rules he had to break, no matter tricks he had to use, and no matter how much he had to cheat.

He wouldn’t ask permission from justice. He would do what he wanted.

He had decided so.

(''How long'' was I going to continue clinging to the very system that abandoned me, hoping it would toss me some scraps? This world, its society, its systems, and its people aren’t going to save us. If I do that, there’s no possible way a bunch of coincidences are going to come together just right to save Narthex. That’s not how life works, is it?)

Of course, none of Hamazura’s convictions would change that he was a Level 0.

Those scientific measurements could not be shaken. Nothing he did now could change them. He could pour all his efforts into it, but his esper power would never grow beyond where it was.

But.

He had met Dion Fortune. He had encountered Magic Gods Nephthys and Niang-Niang. And he had taken Coronzon’s hand in order to save Fortune after she was scattered in the wind as a deck of tarot cards.

So he had to get it by this point, didn’t he?

You didn’t need inborn talent.

He knew there was another form of the supernatural that operated an an entirely different logic from the esper development supported by scientific knowledge.

He had even been personally taught about it. By none other than Coronzon!!

So.

“…name…not…”

While holding the limp girl.

He clenched his hand as if clutching his heart through his clothes.

He completely ignored the ''rusty flavor'' spreading from deep in his throat.

And the boy roared.

“Choronozon333 – My name does not reject absolute evil!!!”

[[Image:GT_Index_v16_BW7.jpg|thumb]]

===Part 11===

If you truly wish to save this manipulated girl and you truly wish to overturn this predetermined outcome.

Then gather your resolve.

Your resolve to become a magician named Hamazura Shiage.

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Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Chapter1

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Ultranova17: minor spelling

==Chapter 1: A New Life in the Girls Dorm – School_Life.==

===Part 1===

He had actually moved into the girls dorm a few days earlier.

That was only natural because the move had happened when the third term began.

“Ohhh! Who could have predicted the boys who lost their home would get to set foot in the girls dorm? And I’m left out of this blessing because I rent a place at a bakery!?”

Aogami Pierce was causing a scene in the classroom, but that was no concern of Kamijou’s.

Yes, Kamijou Touma was in his classroom at school.

The third term really had begun.

(I was worried what would happen after my proof of life document went missing.)

“Okay, you silly students who still haven’t taken their seats after the bell rang, listen to teacher. It’s time for morning homeroom.”

Their 135cm teacher was in a dark mood this morning. It was a highly unusual situation. That smile meant a bird had probably pooped on her car in the parking lot or something. It was best not to defy Komoe-sensei when she had a dark smile on her face or when she was hungover. You know how it’s best not to mess with that famous teacher who has a weird mental switch? Like that.

“Mid January is when Academy City holds its first general entrance exam, which means this is entrance exam season for schools all across the city, from elementary all the way up to university. And don’t think that doesn’t affect you just because you’re first years. You need to support your upperclassmen in a spirit of mutual assistance.”

“Sensei, how exactly are we supposed to support them?” asked Aogami Pierce. “Snap photos of the reference books and send them to the older girls we like? In the middle of their exam?”

“That would look like cheating, so Anti-Skill would get after you and you wouldn’t be able to go home for a while, so I would not recommend it. According to Ms. Track Suit, you shouldn’t even be wandering around near school grounds with a phone in hand.”

Komoe-sensei was smiling.

How was that supposed to work when there were schools just about everywhere in Academy City?

“To be more specific, our school will be one of the exam sites, so a lot of the classrooms will be off limits to us. The limited space will likely mess with the class schedules, so we’re going to have to play things by ear! Make sure to check your school app frequently.”

===Part 2===

Thanks to this, Kamijou’s reclaimed school life was an unusually busy one.

“The chemistry lab is being used for the exams, so next period we will be running chemical change simulations in the computer lab. Don’t even think about ‘forgetting’ and trying to spy on the fresh young middle school girls nervous about their exams, you silly boys!!”

“Where are we supposed to carry these desks?”

“The exam takers get priority in the cafeteria and school store. The trains are also running outside their usual schedule for the exam takers, so just shut up and deal with it. You’re going to be their upperclassmen, so you can put up with an empty stomach for now!!”

It felt unfair to the third year middle schoolers attempting the life-or-death challenge of the entrance exam, but the energy in the school felt a lot like during the cultural festival. …Although the occasional Anti-Skill or Judgment members rushing down the hallway suggested there was a fairly serious cat-and-mouse game over cheating attempts going on behind the scenes.

Kamijou sighed softly.

(Smart cheating using electronics and substitute exam-takers using forged passports, huh? I’d get it with one of the actual good schools, but why would you bother cheating to get into an average school like this?)

Kamijou had lost his bitter exam memories along with the rest of his memories, so these difficulties were a foreign thing to him. …The fear of his memory loss remained like an indelible scar deep in his mind, but maybe there were some things he was better off having forgotten?

“That concludes today’s lessons.”

During the final homeroom, Komoe-sensei had a big smile on her face.

This time, it wasn’t a dark one.

…That had to be the smile of someone who had had a rough day but was about to go drinking. Bird droppings would eat through a car’s waterproofing if they weren’t washed off, but surely she wasn’t just going to ignore it? The desperation radiating from her 135cm body made it very hard to ask for details.

“Keep in mind that clubs and committees are on a reduced schedule during the exam period. For details, check the schedule in the individual social media groups. And I will be using homework to make up for the shortened class schedule, so be warned. This trial is for your own good, so enjoy your studies, students!! Bye bye☆”

Now Kamijou was feeling blue.

He felt like he had been thrown outside while chained up.

With the tri-blade wind turbines spinning and the drum-shaped security robots trundling along, the way home was peaceful.

Kamijou found himself drawn to the 100-yen shops and drug stores on the way. The girls dorm had no kitchen, so any food that only needed hot water to cook was extremely attractive right now. His eyes shined each time he saw cup noodles or miso soup…but wait.

(I could buy a big value multipack, but I have Index in my room.)

He could easily imagine a paranormal phenomenon in which it all vanished in a single night.

Also, all the cup noodle lids had puns on them. Apparently everyone thought they could attract exam takers by hinting at exam success like that. The stock of energy drinks and health drinks seemed unusually plentiful. Instead of individual bottles in the refrigerated section like in a convenience store, they were being sold in big cardboard boxes. Apparently that too was pandering to exam takers. But was it really safe for elementary and middle schoolers to drink so many of those?

A loud voice spoke from the next aisle over.

“Hurry up, Uiharu. Get this and this and this too. We need to bring some supplies to the upperclassmen and we can show how much we care by how much we bring!”

“Eh? By the box!? D-do they really need this many energy drinks, Shirai-san?”

“Get it together. Entrance exams are a war. Better to buy these now than run into trouble during the exams and find out they’re already sold out. Even Judgment has to take this seriously. Okay, today we can buy these super expensive health drinks! The bright gold ones in the small brown bottles! Wait for us, weary Konori-senpai!!”

“Eek! I’m starting to think school committees are the worst kind of exploitative job, not governed by the Labor Standards Act or the National Public Service Act…”

…Apparently some Judgment members drank them, but Kamijou had a feeling that wasn’t a good example. Mimicking them would leave you rotten to the core.

(Is this like all those puns I saw at the other convenience store? Is this one a pentagon because pentagon sounds like the word for passing an exam in Japanese? Are they selling these floats because float sounds like the word for being accepted into a school?)

It seemed weird for products like that to sell in a city of science. Then again, maybe it was like how everyone celebrated Valentine’s Day without thinking much about the legend it was based on.

He ended up leaving without buying anything.

The entrance exam frenzy was in full swing outside too. Because eating fish was supposed to make you smarter – because of DHA? – a restaurant had so many banners out there was barely room to walk on the sidewalk. The unusual number of fliers being handed out were for a sketchy one-night cram school in a multi-tenant building. Were the small groups clustered together on their way to karaoke trying to blow off some steam, or were they hoping to study English with Western music? Even his phone kept giving him messages advertising “life hacks” for exams. Those were entirely wasted on Kamijou since he wasn’t an exam taker, but the poor targeting was actually a little reassuring because it meant they had gathered less data on him than he had thought.

Kamijou passed by some middle schoolers as he walked.

“Oh, ohhhh. Ohhhhhhh. Qu-Queen… Why must the world be so cruel and heartless?”

“Remind me who it was who happily gave into that Kotatsu Syndrome nonsense and failed to study at all during the lead-up to the January exams? You need to get back to the dorm and start demonstrating your cramming ability!!”

He heard a meow of surprise just before a black cat ran off. The Misaka Sister was left with an expressionless but somehow dazed looking face, crouched down with some katsuoboshi (probably a limited time product related to the brain-boosting powers of DHA) still held between her fingers.

For a city full of countless schools, this could be seen as the greatest battle of the year. …But as a first year high schooler, Kamijou Touma didn’t have to worry about it himself.

Habit set him down the usual path, so he had to quickly stop himself.

Returning to the collapsed boys dorm wouldn’t accomplish much.

“Oops.”

He made sure to check his phone’s map app for the best route before turning onto a different street.

It would have been faster to take the train to the next station, but a poor student was going to walk. Each ride cost 150 yen and he had to go there and back, so how much would that cost for a full month’s worth of weekdays? It barely felt like paying money when using your train card, but it wasn’t an expense he could just ignore.

The girls dorm was up ahead.

Kamijou looked up at the stylish building.

“Hard to believe… This place was built for the girls, but it’s already starting to feel like home to me.”

Saying you could get used to living anywhere would be rude to the dorm, but it was scary what you could grow acclimated to.

The glass door auto-locked, but when Kamijou nervously operated it, it opened for him just fine.

“Ohhh…”

He had gone in and out of this door a few times now, but he still voiced his amazement. This was the girls dorm. It was holy ground. Was he really allowed in here? He still couldn’t rid himself of that small anxiety. And the entrance auto-locked! The entrance to the former boys dorm in the same district was always open, so weird smoker priests could just walk in!!

A small crowd had formed near the elevator hall.

Mostly boys.

…He was truly thankful there were so many other boys here. He thought his heart would have given out if he had to exist as the only boy in a girls-only world.

He didn’t recognize most of them.

They had been shoved into whatever rooms were available, so the boys had been split into a few groups and then placed in areas spread out across the girls dorm. Those boys were apparently a group on a different floor from Kamijou.

Also, this building only housed first years.

That meant he couldn’t see some of his female friends like Kumokawa-senpai here, which made him a little sad.

Speaking of the elevator, he remembered it had big mirrors inside.

Apparently those weren’t meant for one last check of one’s appearance on the way out. They were to ensure there wasn’t anyone unwanted on the elevator. …The entire building was protected by the auto-locking entrance, so who did they think would be hiding inside the elevator?

And despite that, there were no security cameras in the hallways or elevator hall. Was that for privacy reasons? Anything that would leave a record appeared to be centered around the auto-locking entrance. For Kamijou, the weird balance of the girls dorm felt like something from another dimension.

As a school dorm, most everyone returned home at the same time. That meant the elevator was crowded. Not everyone could board when the elevator arrived on the first floor. Kamijou debated whether he would wait here or take the stairs, but he ended up moving away from the line.

He heard some excited voices.

There was a small rest area with a bench and a vending machine partway down the long hallway and a few girls in a combination of their school uniform and a track suit were laughing there holding cold drinks in plastic bottles. When they noticed Kamijou’s hesitant gaze from a distance, they shrieked and ran off somewhere. …Apparently that was a forbidden outfit boys weren’t supposed to see. Even though Misaka Mikoto, who was from a much fancier school, wore shorts below her uniform skirt year round.

(That happens sometimes here. Like stepping out at night and running across a girl who just took a bath so she’s walking down the hallway in only her underwear and holding a coffee milk.)

Maybe that had been normal in this girls only world, but he really wished they would do a better job of remembering that the emergency arrival of the boys had transformed it into a real-world environment. It seemed especially cruel that he was treated like the bad guy when it happened.

“Surprise! Time for an inspection!! Pets are against the rules, so I sure hope none of you are keeping any in your rooms!”

“Whoa, Sensei!?”

“Yomikawa-sensei, you just want an excuse to eat the cheap food in the dining hall here, don’t you!?”

Kamijou heard a commotion in the distance.

Apparently that busty track suit gym teacher did irregular patrols of the girls dorm.

The irregularity was the problem there.

They were hard to predict. Without a set routine, you couldn’t prepare in advance.

Index and Othinus (plus the calico cat) were staying in Kamijou’s room. Without paying rent. And either way, he was sure to get in trouble if the teachers found out he had snuck a nun and a god in through the auto-locking entrance by hiding them in the collapsible containers he had used when moving in. He had to make a mental note of this.

Anyway, the track suit teacher’s surprise inspection didn’t seem to be the only cause of commotion. Some athlete girls were using the emergency stairs for some after-practice training. He also heard some wind instruments playing from upstairs, but he didn’t know what the local rules were for how late you could do that. Maybe they were gathered on the roof practicing.

It felt like an extension of being at school after classes let out.

That was the best way of describing the mood.

That mood seemed to change again after dinner, though.

(It would probably be faster to just use the stairs.)

“Huh, did you just get back? How did it take you this long when you’re not in a club?”

A familiar face appeared in this strange world: his classmate Fukiyose Seiri. What was she, the student dorm leader?

“Seven o’clock. Don’t forget,” said Fukiyose like it wasn’t a big deal. “Be in the dining hall by then. All the popular foods are often sold out if you’re even ten minutes late. And complaining won’t make more food appear.”

===Part 3===

The dining hall.

That was a unique aspect of the girls dorm.

However, even with dinner at 7 PM, they had free time up until then.

So he still had plenty of time.

(The problem is that Index and Othinus can’t use the dining hall.)

“Kamijou-kun.”

He looked over curiously to find his classmate Himegami Aisa.

She must have gotten back before him because she was already in her casual clothing.

Apparently she still chose to wear a shrine maiden outfit for casual clothing.

“We were assigned a ton of homework. Can you handle it all on your own?”

“Ugh.”

“The esper development terminology changes all the time due to arguments among the academics, so you can’t just rely on what you memorized in the past.”

He couldn’t laugh this off as “just some homework.”

Komoe-sensei had said she was using homework to make up for the classes being shortened due to the first general whatever, so there might be some kind of penalty if he didn’t do a good job.

For a normal student that would probably amount to little more than a slap on the wrist, but Kamijou was in a tricky situation. He was struggling to avoid being held back. A single mistake during the third term might mean having to tragically repeat the first year.

Kamijou Touma trembled.

“I keep overcoming the risk of being held back, but it never goes away? Am I caught up in some kind of grand conspiracy? Could that tiny teacher be trying keep Kamijou-san in her class forever out of some twisted kind of love?”

“Want to do our homework together?”

“!? God yes!!”

And so it was time for a group study session with Himegami Aisa.

He had returned from the dead and gotten back in school, but the risk of repeating the year remained. He had to make sure he wasn’t crushed by this mountain of homework, leading to the red light flashing again.

So Kamijou first rushed to his room.

He figured there was no point in changing out of his uniform. He pulled out the textbooks, reference books, and notebooks he needed for his homework and then tossed his cumbersome school bag inside the room.

“Touma, I’m bored. Can’t you even say hello?”

“Maybe if you said ‘welcome back’ first, freeloader!! And sorry, but Kamijou-san has to deal with a towering mountain of homework. School may be out, but that doesn’t mean I have time to play! If I don’t do this, I really will get held back!”

“Ehhh? But I’m hungry…”

“You need to stop associating boredom with eating. That devastating thought process is hell on your health, Index.”

Othinus, however, was unusually quiet.

“…”

Kamijou rushed out of his room and ran down the emergency stairs. When he arrived on Himegami’s floor, he found someone else there.

It was Fukiyose Seiri.

She was in her school uniform.

“What the hell are you doing here, Kamijou?”

“Why is Fukiyose here?”

He looked to Himegami who sighed softly with a blank expression on her face.

Apparently she had been caught on the way here.

Fukiyose glared over at Kamijou.

“What, did you think you could barge into a girl’s room and be alone with her? Are you stupid?”

…

Did she have to ask that? Now he couldn’t stop thinking about it.

He had only been interested in getting his homework done to avoid being held back. That was almost certain to happen if he didn’t mend his ways, so it was a pressing issue. Yet he had a feeling that statement had just badly derailed that attempt.

All the doors along the hallway were identical, yet he suddenly felt a strange pressure coming from this one.

He was terrified.

Could they maybe visit a nearby library instead?

And just as Manly Kamijou Touma trembled and prepared to tearfully chicken out…

“Come on. Just come on in,” said Himegami.

She said it with a fair amount of force.

And with the room’s owner opening the door herself, there was no more room for argument.

When he looked to Himegami, she looked the other way.

Dammit, was she getting bashful?

Please someone take charge of this situation!!

“C-coming in…”

Kamijou kind of felt like he had to say something or the pressure of the girl’s room would have beaten him.

He noted a faint sweet aroma.

This was Himegami Aisa’s room.

There wasn’t much inside. That impression may not have been entirely due to any lack of hobbies on Himegami’s part. The lack of a bed in the room made the space look bigger. Apparently she was the futon type.

Then Himegami asked a question.

It was hard to tell with her general lack of expression, but her face looked a bit red.

“What is it? Is there something weird about my room?”

Fukiyose silently elbowed him in the side.

And pushed forward. ''But you were the one who got me all nervous about this in the first place!

Himegami said she would go buy something to eat and left the room.

With no kitchen space, the room didn’t even ave the bare minimum of a microwave or a fridge. Even with food available in the dining hall, it seemed inconvenient.

Left alone, Kamijou and Fukiyose sat around the tea table and pulled out their textbooks and reference books. The thickness of the stack of homework assigned by Komoe-sensei was enough to drain his willpower. Couldn’t they fit it all on a phone or something?

Kamijou was already fed up with it all.

“I just flipped through it, but why are Komoe-sensei’s questions always phrased so confusingly? Are they trick questions?”

“I think it’s an anti-AI measure. A lot of it is ways of keeping it from being summarized accurately.”

The forehead girl had a more reasonable explanation.

The door opened and Himegami returned.

She had brought cookies, chocolates, and a few 500mL bottles of barley tea. Even though it was midwinter January.

And with that it was time to grab their mechanical pencils and start the battle!

“Express the transformation of Maxwell’s demon. Focus on the phenomenon of data information being directly converted into energy. Describe the energy conversion cycle. Use a diagram. …We have to hand draw a diagram? Is this another anti-AI thing?”

“Quantum theory is based on observation, but telepathy and clairvoyance can be used to allow a single person to make observations from multiple points of view simultaneously. Explain what happens with the margin of error in the exceptional phenomena expected to affect the wave function of Particle A when it is observed simultaneously from multiple angles. …Hey, hold on. Dammit, Kamijou, are you already asleep?”

No, he was trying his best to stay awake because he knew he would have a math nightmare if he fell asleep now…

Observations were a sensory thing of seeing or noticing something, so why did they turn into wave functions, the Shrödinger equation, and other jumbles of letters and numbers that felt like a space alien language once they appeared on paper for a test? There were even letters in there you wouldn’t find anywhere between A and Z.

That aside.

While he didn’t at all understand the dark vortex of homework he had been cast into by the demon named Tsukuyomi Komoe, Kamijou did feel a strange sense of accomplishment.

This was everyday life in Academy City.

This was a normal school life with nothing threatening his survival and nothing dooming the world to destruction.

Kamijou stared into the distance, relishing this feeling of being alive.

And just then…

“(Oh? So this is the kind of thing you returned from the grave to experience?)”

The pointy-haired boy’s shoulders jumped.

He heard a voice coming from within his jacket. There was someone in his clothes!?

Kamijou Touma suddenly began squirming.

“(What are you doing here, Othinus!?)”

“(Keeping myself safe. You are only a guest in the girls dorm. You boys were ''only'' given a place here out of the kindness of the girls’ hearts because you had nowhere else to go, so they could kick you out at any time. A single problem could mean the end of this temporary peace. Not to mention that my divine self, the grimoire library, and the cat aren’t supposed to be living in the girls dorm at all. If you get in trouble related to the girls, we will be kicked out right along with you. I must keep that from happening. So this isn’t me meddling in your life. It is a necessary self-defense measure.)”

“(Thanks for the long-winded explanation, but what are you so worried abou-) shfh!?”

The two girls turned their attention to him. Giving him extremely curious looks.

He had felt a sharp pain under his clothes.

From a tiny fist hitting him right in the armpit. Under his clothes.

A deadly low voice reached him.

“(You think a god like me is worried?)”

“(T-try to behave if you don’t want Himegami and Fukiyose to find out.)”

“(Hmph. That’s my line.)”

“(Also, trouble related to the girls? Like what, Othinus? Kamijou Touma is a possessor of world-famous misfortune. There is no way in hell ''some unexplainable stroke of luck'' will get me on good terms with a girl.)”

“(You are even stupider than I thought, understander. Yes, you are plagued by misfortune, but this is one area where not even I can trust you. When it comes to girls, you have a tendency to assume the worst, bet against yourself, and fail miserably for it. You are having a study session in a girl’s dorm room. Why don’t you realize that alone puts you in ultra dangerous territory? Look, human. See what I mean?)”

There was something white below the low table.

It was made of cloth.

It was rolled up like a donut.

Kamijou Touma snorted with laughter.

“(What are you so afraid of, Othinus-san? Ah ha ha. Just because I’m in a sweet-smelling girl’s room doesn’t mean I’m going to just find her underwear lying around. That’s probably no more than a sock or a scrunchie. I know how things work when Kamijou-san’s generational bad luck is at work.) Hey, Himegami. What’s thi-”

It was not a scrunchie.

The black-haired shrine maiden had no use for one.

The garment in his hand really was underwear.

Under his clothes, a tiny fist drove itself into his navel. He dropped the garment below the table.

“Amyahpanteeeee!!!”

“?”

Himegami gave him a puzzled look.

He couldn’t let her find out.

He couldn’t let these sweet-smelling classmates know that, during a group study session in a girl’s room, he was secretly writhing around while toying with the girl’s panties beneath the low table and hiding a 15cm figurine girl below his clothes! That combination would have deadly results!!

“(See, it’s already happening. If I don’t keep an eye on this dumbass, who knows how many girls he’ll end up impregnating.)”

“(You’re so mad it actually calmed me down a little, but you seem excessively upset over nothing more than some underwear, Othinus. It’s the body that wears the underwear that matters! And that fact that it’s here means she must change in here instead of using the changing room. Ah ha ha h-)”

“Ohh?”

There wasn’t supposed to be anyone else here.

Yet he still heard a busty glasses girl’s whispered voice.

“I didn’t realize you had such a vivid imagination that a single piece of cloth could bring a scene like that to mind. And in such detail.”

[[Image:GT_Index_v16_BW1.jpg|thumb]]

“(Kaza…kiri-san? What are you doing here? Hold on. Is this girls dorm some kind of haunted building where supernatural people lose control or something!?)”

On the other side of the low table, Himegami and Fukiyose both tilted their heads.

Apparently they hadn’t noticed the unseen apparition.

“Stare…”

The pressure was incredible for something he couldn’t see. All of a sudden, he found himself trapped between the human girls and the divine and angelic type.

Was the apocalypse about to break loose?

For that reason, he couldn’t let Himegami and Fukiyose find out about the god (whose 15cm height let her hide under his clothes) and the angel who was fading into the air nearby. This mission was getting more challenging by the minute.

Kamijou slowly hid the garment below the low table.

He felt more trapped all the time.

“(Ehhhh? Wait, since when does Kazakiri use such an icy voice and lay on the pressure like that? I feel like we’ve entered new territory here.)”

“(By the way, why are you getting all excited by this icy reception from a normally nervous busty glasses girl?)”

“(Othinus, are you trying to turn me into a saint? Or are you a Trojan horse plotting to break down my mental barriers from the inside?)”

The study session meant to keep him from being held back had entered a new phase.

Actually, what was even going on? Having something to hide made it so much more nerve wracking!

“Um, let’s see. The next problem… Related to Physicist Young, the pinhole camera greatly contributed to humanity’s understanding of the wave theory of light. These work simply by letting light pass through a pinhole, but what is the optimal diameter for the pinhole? Dammit, Komoe-sensei just loves phrasing these confusingly.”

“It looks like a math problem at first, but it’s actually a memorization problem, right?”

“The answer is 0.4mm. …But look. You don’t get any points unless you justify your answer using the formulas for interference and diffraction.”

These anti-AI measures were such a pain!! Of course, if they didn’t have to follow instructions not found in the problem itself, then the AI could just do it all on its own.

“By the way, Fukiyose, what’s that? Isn’t there as small hole in your uniform? Like from a pin?”

“…Have you been staring at my chest?”

“Maybe you’re a perfect role model, but some of us can’t help it! Sexy boob moles are going to draw our attention!!”

And once it drew his attention, he got scared what Othinus might do to him.

After his shout of tearful desperation, Fukiyose sighed in annoyance.

“I don’t remember pinning anything there…but it’s on my chest. I was probably wearing a name tag or something. Those are common when working on things like festival committees.”

Himegami tilted her head.

And spoke.

“A 0.4mm pinhole. In other words. Even if we can’t see it. The optical image is being projected out from within? Like the underwear below the clothing?”

A loud commotion followed.

Fukiyose covered herself with both hands. Kamijou understood that was necessary. But he really wished she would do it in a way that didn’t look like she was squeezing her boobs together!

“Damn you, Kamijou.”

“That wasn’t me! Really, it’s not fair you didn’t headbutt Himegami for that one!!”

“It might be invisible to the naked eye. But a high spec smartphone might be able to see something.”

“~ ~ ~!!!?”

Was the forehead girl reacting more than usual because it had been a surprise attack from someone who normally didn’t say these things? Fukiyose would have kept her cool more if it were only Kamijou here. She was the kind of person who was unfazed even when he stumbled in on her changing. Of course, if he said that out loud, it would be enough of a bombshell to get his front teeth broken by her forehead.

Then Kamijou’s phone rang.

“Oh, dear. It’s your mother, Touma-san. Are you getting into some kind of trouble? A mother needs to keep her son from misbehaving, so I felt the need to give you a call.”

“…”

Kamijou Touma felt utterly bewildered with phone in hand. Hold on. He had already accepted that this girls dorm was a mysterious dimension that had a negative effect on 15cm gods and shy busty glasses angels, but wait a second. Since when were moms as super holy and invincible as gods and angels!?

A high school boy was hopelessly outmatched when it came to moms (without question), so Kamijou silently hung up and faced reality.

“Okay, okay. Everything’s all right, Fukiyose, so have something to drink and calm down. Here’s some barley tea.”

“Thanks…”

“I added three sugars just the way you like it.”

“Bfff! What is wrong with you!? Y-you can’t pump a girl full of wasted calories just for some stupid joke!”

“I wouldn’t talk about ‘pumping a girl full of’ something if I were you. It sounds indecent.”

“Dbhhbfbhhhh!!?”

Was this like that fountain? You know, the one in Singapore that looks like a lion but isn’t one.

Kamijou stared into the distance, but he also felt movement inside his jacket.

It was the 15cm god.

“(…)”

“(Whoa!? Hey, Othinus, don’t pinch me there! That’s Kamijou-san’s right nipple! Stop it, god. If you make me twitch like this, Himegami’s rolled up cloth will slip out from under the table!!)”

Himegami and Fukiyose both tilted their heads.

===Part 4===

Time passed as all this went on.

“It’s almost seven,” said Fukiyose, calling the study session to an end.

It was dinner time.

Yes, the girls dorm had a dining hall on the first floor.

That may have been why the rooms, as comfortable as they were, didn’t have a kitchen. They looked more like hotel rooms because of it.

…How could Index and Othinus eat when they were stuck in his room?

That had been his big worry of late, but he couldn’t let anyone else know.

No one could find out he had a white nun, a calico cat, and a 15cm god living in his room!

And so (after dropping his study things and Othinus off at his room) Kamijou joined the crowd forming at the first floor dining hall.

The dining hall worked by buying a ticket at the machine and then receiving a tray of food at the counter, but the machine only had a single giant LCD screen. It didn’t use buttons.

“Ugh,” groaned Kamijou.

He didn’t like these very much.

(Ordering from a touchscreen like this is such a pain because you have to search through several layers of folders to find the dish you want. If you start down the wrong path, you can end up lost forever. Still, it’s better than a phone app that’s stealing who knows how much of your personal data.)

As a petty bourgeois who got scared of the line behind him whenever he took too long, his focus was immediately drawn to the “new items” tab prominently displayed on the top page.

It had been updated. The menu had changed since yesterday.

One item must have been really new because it didn’t even have a photo.

Egg curry.

“Wait. That’s too broad to even guess what it really is. What would I even be ordering? What’s the point of this huge screen?”

While Kamijou stood dumbfounded in front of the ticket machine, Himegami and Fukiyose joined the conversation directly behind him. They stood up on their toes and hopped to see the screen over his shoulders. All well and good for Himegami, but that was fairly dangerous for Fukiyose at such close range. …How could he tell how close she was when he didn’t have eyes in the back of his head, you ask? Thanks to his other senses that could detect pressure, touch, and softness!

Othinus (who was still hiding inside his clothes) whispered to him.

“(She has her chest against your back, doesn’t she?)”

How could that god know when she couldn’t possibly see from inside his uniform?

The high school girls (who were too focused on the new menu item to realize what they had done) discussed the item.

“Maybe it’s normal curry rice. With a fried egg on top?”

“It might just be a spicier curry with a raw egg dropped inside. That would keep the flavor milder, which is a plus in my book. And the flavor ends up different from just ordering mild curry to begin with.”

…Now, Kamijou himself had been imagining curry rice with a thick rolled omelet on top. But maybe that would be called omelet curry instead?

The line behind him had grown long enough to make him nervous. He couldn’t wait any longer. He had a disease where his heart would explode if he had more than ten people waiting on him, so he went ahead and bought the egg curry currently displayed on the screen. The way you had to unlock your phone, bring up the right app, press it against the screen, and wait for the tone was an annoying amount of work! He understood technology was advancing, but was the earth really becoming a more convenient place!?

“Hmm. I guess I’ll get the egg curry.”

“I skipped lunch, so I’m fairly free to order whatever I want. I think I’ll try the egg curry too.”

Looking back, he saw Himegami, Fukiyose, and more of those behind him in line ordering the egg curry. Were they just easily influenced, or was the fear of a line behind you built into the system’s design for business purposes?

But what really was the egg curry anyway?

He couldn’t imagine the combo being anything bad, but it also didn’t sound like the heartiest of meals. It didn’t sound like as perfect a pairing as a fried egg on top of a hamburger steak. He still couldn’t come up with a solid mental image for the thing, so what was he actually going to find on his plate?

A young woman in an apron was working busily behind the counter.

Kamijou’s first time seeing her, he had nearly died on the spot from the “Gasp! Does the girls dorm have a dorm manager!?” effect, but it turned out she was a contractor. She apparently worked for a bento shop. Which wasn’t quite the same thing as a dorm manager. About as different as a kunoichi outfit from a Western-style Taisho-era waitress. Were there really no dorm managers in this world!?

“Here you go. Egg curry.”

That was fast.

He had his food immediately after handing in his ticket. Like 1.5 seconds after. Zero effort on her part.

Also, he had caught a glimpse of the apron woman’s hand beyond the counter just now. She appeared to wearing a knit sweater or a turtleneck, but he couldn’t see her face because of the barrier with only a small opening like from a pawn shop in a gun culture. The painted nails had the look of a grown woman, but the design had been more gyaru-ish than high society. They were shining with lamé and beads.

Curry made by a gyaru?

He had a bad feeling about this.

The curry rice had scrambled eggs on top. So much that the curry was completely obscured.

Every single person who had paid money for this had the same thought.

“This isn’t what I wanted!!”

===Part 5===

Nevertheless, the time had come to eat it.

(It’s not all that bad really. I mean, curry rice and scrambled eggs are both fine. So why does it feel like disappointing reheated leftovers?)

Kamijou munched on the egg curry that was maybe better called “curry rice topped with an omelet that has already been destroyed before you can spit it open with your own spoon”.

He still had a mission left to complete.

He could fill his own belly by eating the food here, but he still had to secure food for Index and Othinus waiting back in his room. However, it would be far too conspicuous if he bought a ticket and then brought the tray up to his room.

(I guess I’ll have to do what I did yesterday. I’m just afraid they’ll get tired of eating the same thing day after day.)

Humans had a tendency to go back to a solution that has worked once before. As long as Index and Othinus didn’t protest.

And so he focused on one corner of the dining hall.

Fortunately, they had breads and such for sale there separate from the meals meant to be eaten in the dining hall. Based on the handwritten display, they were meant as snacks for anyone studying late into the night.

Each item cost 100 yen.

There was a collection box like for a charity as well as a phone reader.

They all looked cheap piled up like that, but maybe you had to choose carefully to get your money’s worth.

Regardless, he was glad to have items you didn’t have to eat in the dining hall since he couldn’t bring Index and Othinus to the dining hall to eat. There were a wide variety of breads, but Kamijou selected the larger ones that looked like they had a lot of veggies inside. Like the stir fried meat and vegetables bread. …He didn’t think of stir fried meat and vegetables as something you ate with bread, but then yakisoba wasn’t really something you ate with bread either.

He felt a tug at his shirt inside his uniform.

Courtesy of Othinus.

“(Grab the whipped cream French bread. I want to eat that. Not the chocolate bread or the cream bread. It has to be the whipped cream French bread!)”

“(What are you planning to do with a bread about as big as you are, Othinus? Hold it like a body pillow while you eat it? Now that’s a form of divine entertainment mankind would never even dream of.)”

But whatever.

He also grabbed a croquette bread and a curry bread before noticing eyes on him.

And not just from one person.

“?”

He shouldn’t have turned around.

The girls were glaring at him.

He had noticed a lot of pressure on him, but was this why?

He looked down at the bag of breads he was holding. He knew Index’s gluttonous appetite well, so he had at least five in there…

Fukiyose Seiri kept her voice low, speaking on behalf of them all.

“Weight. Do you have any idea how much we have to deprive ourselves for that cursed word? And then this damn inconsiderate boy has to show up and start stuffing his face. And to make matters worse, he doesn’t even hesitate to go for the whipped cream French bread that all of us want to eat but can never actually let ourselves eat…”

(They have the wrong idea here, but I can’t exactly tell them these are for Index and Othinus in my room!!)

“Honestly, I force myself to take long baths every day to sweat off as much weight as I can and then this growing boy has to do this in front of me.”

“That’s just a sexy woman who loves bathing. Are you trying to take beauty so far you turn yourself into a dried shiitake? Besides, what’s the point of spending hours naked in the bath when drinking a single glass of water will cancel it all out?”

They started throwing things.

===Part 6===

While steadily losing some kind of points, Kamijou Touma returned to his room carrying several breads.

There was no reaction even as he opened the door.

Someone half-starved lay collapsed in the middle of the floor.

“Oh. Ohhh… T-Touma. I’m hungry…”

“Stop playing the victim when you’re the one who polished off three days’ worth of supplies in a single day. I’m the obvious victim here,” said an exasperated 15cm Magic God Othinus, wriggling on out from Kamijou’s clothes.

The god’s crossed arms and raised voice suggested Index really had eaten every last crumb. And apparently that god was still reluctant to eat cat food even at 15cm tall.

But Index ignored that entirely.

“That’s not fair, Touma! I want to crawl inside you too!”

“Let’s not make this more confusing than it already is!!”

The breads Kamijou had bought (under the immense pressure of the weight-conscious girls’ glares) vanished in record time.

It was a concerning speed because he had no real solution if this wasn’t enough.

The auto-locking entrance was the most obvious example, but this girls dorm was a lot more security-conscious than the boys dorm had been. It had a lot more strict rules.

That included managing everyone’s meals with the dining hall instead of letting them cook for themselves.

According to the rules, anyone who failed to get enough nutrients in the dining hall just had to put up with their empty stomach. Not getting enough or missing the meal weren’t taken into consideration. That meant night owls would have to battle their empty stomachs each night. Of course, the teachers would probably just say to get to bed earlier.

Then again…

(That’s the official story. But our school isn’t all that strict. Are they really enforcing those rules? I bet people who don’t get enough at dinner make convenience store runs all the time.)

But betting wasn’t the same as having proof.

And if he carelessly pondered this out loud, he knew Index or Othinus would demand he make one of those runs, so he kept his mouth shut!

(Buying all those breads stands out too much, so I need to find some other way of getting them food. What can I do?)

Or was the food even the real problem here?

Was there nothing he could do about the fact that any food in the room would be devoured by Index? Like storing chips and curry bread in a big safe? How expensive were safes exactly???

He had to come up with something.

“Touma. I feel like all I did today was take a bath and brush my teeth.”

“And what’s wrong with that? There’s always tomorrow.”

He might be a high school boy thrown into the foreign world of the girls dorm, but the daily routine continued unabated.

The clock continued to tick as he ate meals, bathed, and so on.

“Guess I should get some sleep,” muttered the pointy-haired boy as he prepared for bed.

First, he reached into his pajamas.

“Othinus.”

“How did you know?”

Why did she think he wouldn’t notice something inside his clothes?

“We already understand each other on such a deep level, so why shouldn’t we sleep in the same space? Besides, the bathroom is a lot safer for me when that feline carnivore named Calico still tries to eat me any time he can- ahhh!!”

He (literally) threw her out.

Also, Calico was not the cat’s name.

And yes, Kamijou Touma slept in the bathtub. Because the bathroom door locked! This was a rule he had followed even back in the boys dorm. So after giving Index the bed and drying out the used bathtub, he climbed in with a blanket in hand. Why was it the place still smelled like girls? Was it the shampoo and body soap provided in the girls dorm? He used the same stuff, but the end result was completely different for some reason.

But…

“I-I can’t sleep.”

This was a girls dorm, not a boys dorm.

That meant some things were different.

Such as…

“The tub is smaller. I can’t stretch out my legs!!”

He tossed and turned inside the cramped tub in the pitch black bathroom for a while.

He had nothing to do.

He was bored.

He felt like he was wasting his time like crazy.

He had read somewhere that your sense of time changed as you aged.

A high schooler’s limit had to be less than an hour.

“This isn’t working.”

Kamijou got up, but he couldn’t go and sleep in the same room as the girls. After some thought, he walked to the front door.

The dorm had a lot more security than the boys dorm had.

Maybe he could lie down and sleep on a bench next to a vending machine in the hallway.

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Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Chapter3

2026-09-14T21:20:51Z

Ultranova17: illustration

==Chapter 3: The Name was Present from the Start – “SYSTEM”.==

===Part 1===

Not enough happens here to really call it an episode.

So it may be more accurate to call it a contemplation.

“Really, did you think you had the right to buy things at the store after you were sent to solitary confinement? Prisoner #1174 – Tessou Tsuzuri. You are not just a prisoner, but one whose very existence has a severe negative influence on the other prisoners. It was decided you would have a significant detrimental effect on order within the prison as a whole, so you are being treated as an especially dangerous criminal who must be isolated. Due to unavoidable circumstances (ha), you have been stripped of your rights as a human being.”

“Monster! Devil! All I wanted was to live a modest life in a corner of society nibbling on the end of a (low sodium) salted biscuit… Listen, you sexy long-haired busty tight miniskirt jailer whose very presence disturbs the order and morals of the prison in a sexual direction! Ha ha! Are those thigh-high high-laced boots meant to make you look cute!? You’re the busty type, not the cute type! Ha ha ha! Oh, my sides!!”

“Place your hands on the wall Prisoner #1174 – Tessou Tsuzuri. You’ve just earned yourself a body search.”

“This is the treatment I get for telling the truth? And where do you think you’re putting your hands? There’s no way I could be hiding anything there. Especially when you’re the one keeping me from buying anything at the store, you sexually harassing jailer! …Ah, ah, wait, ohh!? I-I’m being kneaded as thoroughly as convenience store somen!!”

The voices of a young female jailer and prisoner made it through the thick metal door.

Which showed just how much noise they were making.

No personal items were allowed. And in some cases, a prisoner would be stripped of the right to buy anything from the store.

Maybe that was to be expected.

Because Accelerator was in District 10, often said to be the most dangerous district.

And this was the thickest solitary confinement cell within the max security prison full of dangerous criminals.

(Or that was the idea anyway.)

A place as high risk as this should have banned possession of writing implements (because a tool that could stab someone to death without going to the trouble of sharpening it on the concrete wall was far too convenient for a brutal criminal), but this one room was an exception. Quiet scratching sounds had filled it for a while now. Besides, this one cell was overflowing with luxurious personal items, including a large TV and a spacious bed, because no one could see in from outside.

Accelerator had dragged out a simple table usually used for meals and was writing something.

Yes, writing.

Even though there was a giant LCD monitor on the wall and he could work on most any task with just the movement of his eyes.

“Master, what are you doing?”

Artificial Demon Qliphah Puzzle 545 was floating around nearby, stealing looks at the papers.

Last Order, who looked like a girl of about 10, wagged her finger.

“Can you not see this stopwatch? asks Misaka as Misaka holds it out to you. He’s taking a test, so no talking.”

“But I want to play with master! Right now!!”

He was taking Academy City’s first general entrance exam.

Specifically, the university entrance exam.

His current answer sheet was for physics.

However, Accelerator wasn’t actually trying to get into a university somewhere.

“Why do you have to act like his shoulder devil? asks Misaka as Misaka tilts her head while playing his bright and shining shoulder angel.”

“Because even if I’m artificial, I really am a demon!

Accelerator was unfazed even as they shouted louder than a cheering soccer stadium.

He was Academy City’s #1 Level 5 and also the city’s new board chairman.

He was determining so many students’ futures using this entrance exam system. The results he gave could cause some to give up on the dream they had held since they were little. So it would be wrong if he couldn’t answer all these questions himself.

…The model answers provided by the cram schools and textbook publishers were actually created by their own instructors, but the ones published by the newspapers were prepared by Accelerator. He was writing those now. He was demanding people suffer through this, so it would be rude to the students who were betting their futures on these scraps of paper if he couldn’t get a perfect score in every single subject.

“…”

Yes.

The entrance exam system was built on the assumption that a certain number of people would fail and leave unhappy.

That might seem to be following in the footsteps of the old Academy City with all its misfortune and tragedy.

But as long as the results were not being distorted by wicked designs, then a proper exam was necessary.

The entire system of Academy City wouldn’t function without it.

If all the exam students’ dreams were granted by eliminating the exam system and accepting every student into the best schools, everyone knew it would not end well. The quality of those schools would plummet and then no one’s dreams would come true.

Of course, that wasn’t enough to satisfy those who failed their exam.

Accelerator sighed softly and heard the female jailer and prisoner’s voices from outside the thick metal door.

How loudly were they talking?

“Prisoner #1174 – Tessou Tsuzuri. Get your ass into gear. It’s exercise time. Unlike that coldhearted cheater who got bored and quit her jailer job but still frequently shows up in the jailer building as part of her new job working for a bento shop, I am bighearted and generous. Yes, unlike that woman who can’t shake her jailer habits and spends each night patrolling some girls dorm somewhere! So, Tessou, I leave it up to you to choose between the exercise yard or the pool.”

“Wait, stop acting like you’re so much better than me. Besides, if I’m going to be working my body, I’d rather do prison labor so I’ll at least get paid some tiny amount for it. Also, does this prison keep men and women in the same building? Aren’t they normally split up?”

“That is because you have been sent to solitary confinement as a particularly dangerous prisoner. You are not a normal prisoner. Your gender doesn’t matter when you need to be isolated to avoid negatively influencing the other prisoners. And it isn’t like you will have any contact with the other prisoners here. Now get moving!”

“Eek! Is this part of the exercise?”

They made some good points.

This was certainly a solitary confinement floor that housed only dangerous criminals who would negatively influence the other criminals and could easily have a detrimental effect on order within the prison as a whole.

The new board chairman and the #1 who had laughed as he killed more than 10 thousand people could guarantee that.

(The entrance exam. I killed more than ten thousand for my own purposes…and still I feel some real pressure here. Because so many people are entrusting their futures to it.)

“Heh heh☆”

Last Order sounded smug for some reason.

But not because she was acting like the troublesome club manager who acted like they were the one who had earned the trophy won by the athletes.

“With your irreversible brain damage, you need support from the Misaka Network through your choker’s electrodes for language comprehension and to perform even simple calculations.”

“Huh?”

“To sum this up without worrying about any misunderstandings, you are basically taking this test while receiving advice from the nearly 10 thousand Misakas spread out across the world, aren’t you? Look, the ultimate cheater is acting all smug, says Misaka as Misaka tries rattling you.”

…As if that was enough to get him to make a careless mistake. His vector control power as the #1 meant he was the first one who would lose his life if he lost control of his powers. While he was always offloading a massive number of calculations onto the Misaka Network, it was up to him to determine what needed to be calculated to safely bring about what effect. Last Order had access to the same level of calculations, but she couldn’t control vectors.

Last Order quickly spoke up while looking at her stopwatch.

“Ten more minutes, says Misaka as Misaka gives a report.”

“I’m already done, so it doesn’t matter.”

“Miiisaaakaaa wants to say it!!”

“I think she wants to play with you more than I do, master.”

The #1 didn’t bother checking his answers.

He only had one shot when performing vector conversions during combat. A single error in his calculations would mean losing a limb or rupturing an internal organ. That was the world he had lived in.

And still did.

So what? Did he think walking a risky path and doing good deeds would reduce the burden he carried? Life was a one-way road and he couldn’t erase his past actions.

“Tiiiiimes up, says Misaka as Misaka tries saying it like a teacher!”

“That didn’t sound grown up at all!!” protested Qliphah Puzzle 545.

Having easily completed the physics section, which was rumored to be the hardest one, Accelerator breathed a sigh. He hadn’t even needed half the allotted time. It was hard for Academy City’s #1 to judge if it was too hard or too easy for a normal person.

“Great work, says Misaka as Misaka signals your work is over. Are you hungry?”

“Not really…”

“Are you hungry, exam student!? asks Misaka as Misaka leans forward to make sure!!”

…What is she doing now? He was the #1, which meant he had the greatest brain of the 2.3 million people in the city, but Accelerator still struggled to predict what Last Order would do.

This was a solitary confinement cell, but it was still crammed full of pricey furniture. A mini-fridge was hardly a surprise.

“If you want something sweet, just go and eat it.”

“That’s not the point!” she shouted. “When you look after an exam student, you’re supposed to make them a late night snack! proclaims Misaka as Misaka raises her voice. Leave it to Misaka!”

“How?”

He ignored the fact that it wasn’t late night.

Even with so much pricey furniture, this was still a cell and thus a single space. There was a mini-fridge for drinks, but there wasn’t a gas burner or a rice cooker. Besides, none of that was necessary when he could pick up the phone on the wall and get any food he wanted delivered.

But Last Order was not deterred.

“Wait a bit, okay?” she said before opening the cell’s metal door and stepping out into the hallway. Qliphah Puzzle 545 tilted her head while floating nearby and then vanished into thin air. She must have passed through the wall to go take a look.

Accelerator had no real reason to wait, so he looked down at the table.

He had finished the test, but now he had to score it.

But circumstances didn’t allow for it.

He heard loud wheels rolling from beyond the cell door. Last Order must have been pushing some kind of cart.

He also heard voices from beyond the thick door.

Speaking quite loudly.

“Tah dah! This is the result of Misaka’s research project, says Misaka as Misaka holds her head high.”

“But what is it?”

“You can’t tell, you silly demon? This is a rice cooker, this is an induction cooker, this is a microwave that also works as an oven, this is a juicer, this is a large water server bottle, this is a food processor, and this on the lower level is big battery hooked up to them all! Altogether, it’s the world’s smallest food truck that can be taken anywhere inside the prison!! says Misaka as Misaka reveals her miraculous research.”

“You still haven’t given up on that!? Why are the Japanese so obsessed with serving homemade food to exam takers?”

“Misaka is making rice balls! Misaka is making fried eggs!!”

Accelerator ignored all the noise outside his cell. He generally wasn’t allowed to step outside of it. If she was cooking rice from scratch, it would take some time, but he did make a mental note to get after her if she gave up partway through and threw out the ingredients.

Also, the jailer and prisoner passed by on the way back from the pool.

And Last Order was working in front of the metal door – in other words, out in the hallway.

“Wait, they’re allowed to do that!? I thought all personal items were banned on this solitary confinement floor. A rice cooker, a microwave, and an induction cooker… That’s so much heat and EM, not to mention they could even connect to the outside internet if they’re IoT appliances!”

“J-just keep moving!”

“Wait!! Why are you doing your best not to look me in the eye? I smell something fishy going on here. And when you’re always finding the most absurd reasons to keep me from having things, like glasses temples being bent into a weapon or lock pick, or the salt on biscuits being used to rust the metal bars!”

Their voices faded into the distance. …So the jailer woman must have realized what was going on and dragged the yelling prisoner away by the arm.

“Hm, hm, hmm, hm, hmmm♪”

Last Order didn’t seem to mind at all.

She was humming while doing something with her hands.

…Now, food trucks were actually governed by a lot of rules, so setting one up was a lot of work.

And this was a maximum security prison.

To prevent riots, prisons were strictly designed to prevent fires, so what would happen if she started cooking in here? For example, what if even a slight wisp of smoke reached the ceiling?

The answer couldn’t have been more obvious.

The fire alarm exploded with noise.

“Ugh…”

After a while, Last Order’s shoulders slumped.

This was already a solitary confinement floor.

The fact that the sprinklers didn’t turn on across the building and flood the place and the fact that all the metal bars dividing the corridors into sections didn’t all open were proof of just how well made the situational awareness program was.

Looking over at dejected Last Order, the #1 spoke while grading his own answer sheet.

“So when can I eat?”

“Eh?”

“Don’t waste that food. You started the rice cooker, didn’t you? Then the rice’ll be done when the timer ends. And you can at least make rice balls in here.”

“…Yeah!”

If the prison’s situational awareness program was that well made, then the alarm wouldn’t have the same explosive reaction again after determining it to be a false positive. Cooking something with a frying pan would be one thing, but the steam from the rice cooker wasn’t going to trigger the fire alarm.

Eventually, he was served what really was just balled-up white rice without anything inside it or any seaweed. It was misshapen. It didn’t even have the bare minimum of a triangular shape.

“Hot hot hot…”

Last Order’s little hands were covered in rice. To get all that rice on her hands, she must have skipped a few steps in the process of making rice balls. Not that the #1 was in any place to complain when he never cooked at all.

“Hm.”

[[Image:GT_Index_v16_BW4.jpg|thumb]]

Accelerator ate it with one hand as he returned to the grading.

The work itself was simple.

He only had to check for any mistakes within the 100 tasks.

Once the self-grading was complete, he tossed the answer sheet toward a machine.

And threw himself into bed.

“…”

The new board chairman glared up at the ceiling and silently directed his thoughts.

Toward Hamazura Shiage.

That boy had bet on Great Demon Coronzon, lost, and been sent to England along with Narthex.

Most of Accelerator’s conversation with him had sounded like a baseless conspiracy theory. He’s said there was some great system or framework that manipulated people and society and that was why Coronzon had been called a great demon and killed. And that his goal was to reveal its identity.

Ordinarily, Accelerator may not have bothered committing it to memory.

But one part of it stuck with him.

''System.

Of course, there was no reason to think Hamazura Shiage had been thinking about it that deeply. The word “system” was a common one, so he may have just chosen it as a term to fit the vague idea in his head without basing it on anything in particular.

But.

There was a reason the new board chairman couldn’t just ignore it.

SYSTEM. The one who arrives at heaven’s intentions in a non-divine body.

“…”

Accelerator narrowed his eyes a little.

Anyone who didn’t know him may have felt their heart stop if they saw the look in his eyes.

Because that was another name for Level 6. Which made it the original sin behind wanting Academy City’s #1 Level 5 to kill the 20 thousand Sisters.

That experiment had been meant to reach the never-before-seen Level 6.

Without that ridiculous idea, Accelerator wouldn’t be in prison now and more than 10 thousand lives wouldn’t have been taken. Some might think the Sisters and Last Order wouldn’t have been born in the first place without that experiment…but that was sophistry. A plan to clone the #3 had existed before that. It had only been hijacked by the Level 6 Shift experiment after the fact. That meant there was a decent chance those more than 20 thousand clone girls would have been born even without the experiment.

And Accelerator had another question.

He understood the concept of surpassing Level 5. For one, he himself had only been placed in the category of Level 5 because Academy City only ranked espers into six levels from zero to five. He had always been more than the #2 or #3 who had needed all their efforts to even reach Level 5. So if someone said there was a Level 99 or Level 256 beyond that, he could have accepted it.

However.

(Then what if I do surpass Level 5?)

Accelerator continued thinking while seated in bed.

(What could I do at Level 6? In fact, why did the previous board chairman pour so much money and so many lives into reaching it?)

Some mental noise interrupted his thoughts.

Yes. There was another problem that lowered the priority of that issue.

Great Demon Coronzon’s remains.

Ordinarily, he would have given them with the Anglicans of the magic side to get that problem out of his hair, but he had delayed the decision. Since those people had temporarily been manipulated by a magician on Coronzon’s side, it was possible her remains could go missing if left with them. And that would be a problem.

Because there were ways of scientifically moving a preserved corpse.

So who could say there wasn’t a magical way of doing it?

And her remains could be used in other ways too. During the recent incident involving Hamazura Shiage and Narthex, the possibility of a Church of Coronzon had come up.

“…”

So her remains remained in Academy City.

It wasn’t clear whether Academy City or England had a right to them. So if he incinerated them or let them rot, it could develop into a diplomatic problem. So he had had them preserved and then frozen.

(If all you do is avoid the wrong choice, you don’t necessarily arrive at the right answer. This is our city, yet there’s something right smack in the middle we can’t do with as we see fit. I can’t say I like that.)

“C’mon, it’s shower time, prisoner! Don’t make me do it for you!!”

“Wh-why are you using the prisoner shower? And with a full bath set under your arm? Are you just lonely?”

His thoughts were interrupted there.

Was it that jailer and prisoner again? …No, a lot of time must have passed while he was thinking.

“If you’re done with your exam, master, I want to play with you!”

It wasn’t that either.

“Something’s beeping, says Misaka as Misaka points.”

Something was happening on the giant wall monitor.

He was receiving a call.

“I received your scanned answer sheet.”

It was from the researcher named Yoshikawa Kikyou. Although “former researcher” would be more accurate.

“Did you actually find at least one mistake this time?”

“Here I am scoring a university entrance exam. You never know where life will take you. And I used to be a heretical scientist who ''used biology to bring suffering to so many''.”

“It’s a necessary job. And I am paying you.”

“Is there any reason for me to grade these? The answers are all more accurate than any machine’s, so grading them all makes me feel like I’m the one being tested.”

That was what it was like to be an educator.

Someone who always looked down on their pupils and thought they could teach anything was not suited to teach. Because that meant they had abandoned any chance to update themselves.

(But that’s not something for a half-reformed criminal to say.)

“Now that you’ve taken it, what did you think of the university entrance exam? Found anything you’d like to say?”

“Nothing other than it’s too easy.” Accelerator breathed a frustrated sigh. “This is Academy City, right? So why is the normal physics section harder than the esper development one?”

“Normal physics” were still important since esper powers were based in quantum theory, but the exam Accelerator had just taken had covered the older classical physics. From the world where Newton had wasted food by watching an apple fall to the ground.

“Oh? You should know why that is. The problems for these exams are made by a group of ‘ordinary’ people, including university professors, textbook publishers, and cram schools. They don’t have a full understanding of the truly cutting edge research that is highly classified.”

“…”

And being an Academy City university professor did not necessarily mean someone was a dangerous eccentric messing with DNA or mysterious quantum theory. This city also had harmless professors who adored classic literature more than anything modern. And there were some who would get mad at you for lumping all classic literature into a single category like that.

“Simply put, these problems are made by people who only understand the basics, so that’s all you’re going to get. You won’t find anything too in-depth here. It would be a problem if their knowledge ''was'' too in-depth. Of course, just like how knowing E=mc<sup>2</sup> isn’t enough to know how to build a nuclear bomb, the knowledge alone probably isn’t a risk, but the fear that ''maybe it could be'' is deep rooted.”

It was a necessary form of information defense.

However, Accelerator knew all too well that even systems built for a good purpose could rapidly grow twisted if corrupt adults intervened and abused them.

“Yoshikawa.”

“What? ''Feeling like taking a university entrance exam for real''?”

“Shut up, no. …How much do you know about the Level 6 Shift experiment?”

“No more than you do.”

She sounded surprised by the question.

Especially because he asked it in front of Last Order.

That said, the person with the greatest mental strength here was probably the puzzled-looking girl. …Or more accurately, the Will that included her.

“I worked with Amai Ao…wow, that’s a name I haven’t used in a long time. Anyway, I worked with him and some others on secondary aspects of the experiment. Things like the Sisters, constructing the Misaka Network, and developing new safety devices. I did receive some information on the more fundamental aspects of the experiment, but not all of it. Instead of a planner who gives a briefing on an overarching business plan at company headquarters, I was more like an engineer who does actual on-site work.”

Yoshikawa said this with self-deprecation, but Accelerator couldn’t have been more envious.

She had created those lives, but she hadn’t directly killed them.

That meant she wasn’t as corrupted as the #1 who had done all the killing.

“The core of the experiment is a mystery to me. That information was never released and there are even rumors that it was being secretly run by one of those infamous Kiharas…but that’s probably false. With a ''business'' that size, there probably was at least one Kihara involved somewhere, but not at the true center of it. I expect the true core of the project was positioned somewhere that no one doing the real work on the experiment would ever know about it.”

Accelerator agreed.

Because otherwise, Kihara Amata, who had boasted about directly raising Accelerator, wouldn’t have been as resentful as an abandoned dog.

“In that case…”

“Yes. Ultimately, taking a peek inside the old board chairman’s head might be the only way to find out. Although I hear that might be a challenge.”

He was gone now.

He had chosen on his own to die along with Great Demon Coronzon.

That human, who had carried both good and evil inside him, had quit being a villain in the very end.

And death had come to Coronzon’s physical body.

“To be honest, I have a hard time picturing what you mean when you use terms like ‘soul’ and ‘demon’. Was Board Chairman Aleister the kind of person who took science so far it brought him to the occult? Like Edison who was obsessed with communicating with the dead or that mystery author from the kingdom of tea who believed in fairies.”

Accelerator guessed it was the other way around.

There had been no division between science and magic to begin with. There had only been “scholarship”. It was Aleister himself who had drawn a clear line between the two.

“Yes!! I’m down a full kilo! Everything is going exactly as planned! Heh heh☆”

“D-don’t tell me this is why you’ve been eating the nasty prison food with us prisoners every day. When you can buy whatever you want outside. It’s true the prison food is nutritionally balanced to greatly reduce hunger, but still.”

Hearing the excited voices of the jailer and prisoner (who must have just left the bath) from beyond the metal door, Accelerator mentally organized the information. He was on the extra secure solitary confinement floor of a maximum security prison, but there was nothing wrong with some cheerful conversation there. Because a prison was meant to give people a new chance at life.

(Hm.)

Scholarship instead of science or magic.

Hints of this could be seen in the old literature of the 19th century during the ''official part'' of Crowley’s life. There were only a handful of examples, like the horror novel Frankenstein, that consciously focused on the division between science and all else.

Fascinatingly, the basic idea of “building a human using technology too advanced for ordinary people to understand” was a topic found in plenty of old stories around the globe. In fact, it could even be found in myths the world over.

Even the stories that sounded scientific had been myths. That was how they had been received as they spread.

But by the time a Czech playwright wrote a story about an uprising of mechanical dolls in the 20th century, the category of science definitely existed.

That way of thinking became normal and scientific stories were given a scientific genre all their own.

Only some real eccentrics who love to read unnecessarily deeply into stories would view those SF stories as pure myths.

So at some point, scholarship became more than just scholarship.

Something had changed the world.

So surely and swiftly that no one in the world had protested the change.

(In Academy City, he created the most efficient city in the world for studying while actually sealing away knowledge. That’s exactly the kind of malicious game he would like.)

“What was the experiment from your point of view?” asked Yoshikawa.

“…You’re actually asking me that?”

“This entire line of questioning is meaningless if you aren’t prepared to take a hard look at your own scars.”

He simply wanted to be strong.

…Oh, how badly he wanted to knock down and throttle his past self, but his goal when participating in the experiment had been nothing more than a personal fixation.

But Board Chairman Aleister would have seen it differently.

He had poured into it everything the massive and multifaceted institution of Academy City had to offer. There was no esper development competition with anyone outside of Academy City and, unlike the rocket and AI development races held between powerful nations, increasing the city’s own technology to deter their rivals wasn’t enough of an explanation. There just wasn’t a pressing enough reason to insist on such a large loss of life.

That had been odd.

It wasn’t like the world would be destroyed if they didn’t produce a Level 6 and humanity wasn’t facing some great enemy or disaster that couldn’t be stopped with only Level 5s to work with.

After all, the experiment had been halted and Aleister was missing, but the world kept on spinning.

(Before giving me the master key, he told me to create the kind of world I wanted.)

Accelerator thought back.

(He wouldn’t have said that if the world couldn’t go on without a Level 6. In that case, he would have threatened me, saying something like, “Do what you want, but make sure you reach Level 6.” ''But he didn’t''.)

What had Aleister ultimately wanted to accomplish with that experiment?

Was it meant to intentionally fail to change the #1’s nature?

Had Level 6 just been a pretext to build the Misaka Network?

Had the goal been the completion of Dragon through Fuse Kazakiri?

…That made sense. But was that really ''all of it''?

Board Chairman Aleister.

The two of them had fought alongside each other a few times because the circumstances demanded it…but his deeply held beliefs and ideas remained a mystery. Perhaps even more so than with Great Demon Coronzon.

“Damn him…”

Board Chairman Aleister was gone now.

He had apparently only been borrowing Coronzon’s body temporarily, but even that had ended when the great demon died. Now that he was truly dead, there was no way to ask him about the true purpose of SYSTEM.

Of course, Accelerator was the board chairman now. That meant his official privileges gave him access to all of Academy City’s data.

However…

(He kept all that data separate from the front-facing Bank.)

Accelerator glanced over at the giant LCD monitor on the wall and clicked his tongue.

This was the one thing missing. To a strange degree.

Underline, the currently deactivated nanodevices that had been distributed all across Academy City to monitor people, had apparently formed an invisible network that stored secret data, but that might not include anything related to Level 6.

The data could be hidden in some corner of the Misaka Network formed by the clone girls’ shared brainwaves, where not even they themselves knew about it.

Mina Mathers – that is, Reading Thoth 78 which had always supported the old board chairman’s plan – was now wandering the world somewhere, but she might have that data.

“…”

He could come up with several possibilities, but he couldn’t push too hard without a guarantee.

He could ignore the lives and futures sacrificed each time he guessed wrong as long as he found the right answer in the end.

…But he didn’t want to run this new Academy City in that despicable way.

He had already made that decision.

“Yawwwn… I’m sleepy.”

“Hold on, why are you walking into my cell? If you sleep here, it’ll look like I lured you in here to steal your keys and escape!!”

His thoughts were interrupted by silly voices.

…And if he could hear this, that jailer and prisoner must have been his fairly close neighbors.

They were certainly saying some silly things.

But he didn’t think of it as worthless.

They were following the process to return criminals to life in ordinary society. He saw this as viewing the back of someone several steps ahead of him on that road.

Anyone who thought it made them look cool to take everything super seriously was still a risk.

They hadn’t lost their fangs or claws.

They couldn’t be returned to the city like that.

(Besides…)

The new board chairman sighed.

(I might not find the answer even after flipping over all the cards. The information I want might never have existed anywhere in the form of text or data. It’s entirely possible that all information on SYSTEM only ever existed in Aleister’s head.)

Then something cut off Accelerator’s thoughts completely.

A girl’s voice had hesitantly interrupted.

It was Artificial Demon Qliphah Puzzle 545.

Floating freely in defiance of gravity, she could easily move her face into his field of view even when he was staring up at the ceiling from the bed.

“U-um…master?”

“What?”

“You just received a call. …From London, England.”

Come to think of it, Hamazura Shiage and Narthex’s “punishment” would be starting soon, wouldn’t it?

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Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Chapter2

2026-09-14T21:19:11Z

Ultranova17: illustrations

==Chapter 2: As Far as You Can Get from Misfortune – Home.==

===Part 1===

“Dammit, why do we have to have boys in the girls dorm? I can’t stand it… Now we have to put on makeup just to step out into the hallway.”

“No one asked you to do that. And Kamijou-san doesn’t mind at all if you’re kind to your skin and don’t bother.”

“I wasn’t asking your opinion! Do you think being some impartial observer makes you untouchable? Not letting boys see me without makeup is a matter of pride!!”

“Then could stop sighing and acting like I’m to blame? How is that fair!?”

With that, Kamijou fled at full speed. He was just about to receive a cat scratch attack from a girl he didn’t even know first thing in the morning. A cat punch from a tanned schoolgirl sounded more like a reward, but not when the nails were involved. And those sharp plastic nails were long enough you could probably play guitar with them! Kamijou Touma had not yet reached the level where he could take that with ecstasy on his face.

Yes, nothing could prevent the morning from arriving.

(I thought I was going freeze to death.)

Had he been immersed in battle for so long he had lost track of time to the point he sometimes forgot it was January? Forgetting the day of the week seemed bad enough, so even he thought it was truly worrying that he could forget the month.

He found a blue blanket draped over him when he woke up.

Someone must have given it to him in the night, but he really might have never woken again without it. He would have been trapped in that weird nightmare where he was locked in a cold storage warehouse and tried to endure the hunger by eating frozen desserts while waiting for rescue.

This attempt had been a failure.

Where to sleep remained a problem to be solved. A fairly high priority one.

And there was something he had to do first now that the day had begun. He didn’t have time to waste in the morning crowd around the elevator.

He first returned to his room, quickly left again, and took the emergency stairs down to the surface level.

“Crap, crap, crap…”

Kamijou was carrying a translucent trash bag filled to bursting.

Today was burnable trash day.

He had gotten careless since this was still District 7. It was probably a matter of the garbage truck’s route, but trash collection happened a little earlier here than at the boys dorm. A few minutes might not seem like much, but if he missed the truck, he would be forced to spend the night with the full trash bag.

(Eek. Why do people make so much trash just by living? We’re developing our creative spirits in exactly the wrong direction!)

Without kitchens in the rooms and meals eaten in the dining hall, the girls dorm did not have a kitchen garbage day. Did that lifestyle explain why the girls who attended his same school seem to shine so much more than the boys?

Everyone put their full trash bags in a big metal container immediately outside the girls dorm. The heavy lid was probably meant to keep cats and crows out, but the dial padlock had to have some other purpose. With receipts and online shopping packing slips, there were a lot of avenues for attack with a girls dorm. Time to provide some camouflage by dumping in a bunch of boy trash.

Someone was already there.

“Good morning.”

With a thud, Himegami dropped a trash bag in the container.

It appeared to be…what had once been a big pillow.

It was torn all over, the stuffing was sticking out, and it was crammed inside a translucent trash bag.

Kamijou felt a cold sweat down his back.

“H-Himegami? Um, Himegami-san, what is that trash? How did it end up like that?”

“?”

She cutely tilted her head at him.

He got the feeling girls’ rooms contained a lot of secrets.

For now, he could only pray what happened yesterday was not the cause.

Then Fukiyose called out to her classmates with a trash bag in each hand.

“Hey, you! Feeding the stray cats around here teaches them to hang around the trash dump, so quit giving the kitties bad habits! Yomikawa-sensei, what are you sneaking around for!? You can’t love on the cats here just because your apartment doesn’t allow pets!!”
A mewing followed after. A drum-shaped cleaning robot showed up and cleared out the gathering of cats. The busty track suit gym teacher was cleared out along with them. Was this why she had made a habit of showing up at the girls dorm? And of all things she had unsealed a long, skinny package of Mule, the kitties’ favorite, which would really keep them coming back here.

“Does that sexy pair of boobs ever stop causing trouble?”

“What did you say?”

“Don’t react to that, Fukiyose-san, I wasn’t talking about you. I meant the teacher on the run over there!!”

…Also, were the kitties around the girls dorm acting weird lately because they had detected his calico cat? It may have triggered their territorial instincts.

With her job complete, Fukiyose stretched.

“By the way, have you heard the rumors of an intruder in the second year girls dorm?”

“Hold on. We’re going for some real psychological horror first thing in the morning? That’s terrifying. I don’t want to hear it.”

“Apparently they used a delivery code to get through the auto-locking front entrance. You’re supposed to give that code when you order something so they can deliver it to the dorm, but that means you can’t really trust the lock anymore.”

Why were things suddenly feeling so post-apocalyptic?

Were the world’s morals collapsing, starting with the girls dorms?

===Part 2===

“…”

Kamijou Touma was in the dining hall.

With his time-sensitive trash work complete, he had hoped for a relaxed and leisurely breakfast, but then he froze up.

When he faced the ticket machine’s LCD screen, he saw another new item under the new tab.

Vegetable curry.

“Y-you’re kidding!! What am I even supposed to imagine here!? Vegetable is just too broad a category!”

This was that gyaru-ish young woman’s doing. She wasn’t quite a dorm manager. There were unconfirmed reports going around that she would strip down and float in the dorm’s large bath when she got bored during the day. …But that didn’t fix this problem.

Yes, the pointy-haired boy knew how to cook, so he wasn’t going to go easy on her. In fact, he wouldn’t have to bother the bento shop woman at all if he just had a kitchen in his room!

Also, why didn’t this one have a sample photo either?

Vegetable curry.

Kamijou had a fair amount of experience analyzing the abilities of magicians and espers in life-or-death battles, but he was helpless here. He couldn’t even hazard a guess.

Plopping a single giant oden daikon radish on top of curry rice would technically count! If he was served curry with a ton of sliced onion instead of rice, he wouldn’t have any right to complain!! All it said was vegetable curry, so there was no guarantee it would even have rice. Of course, he could be overthinking it. But there was that egg curry from yesterday. They all would have happily accepted it if it had been a sliced boiled egg, a rolled omelet, or a fried egg on top, but instead of going sweet or salty, that woman had gone with scrambled eggs! With a culinary sense like that, how could he hope to predict what this would be!!?

He couldn’t work up the resolve here. And if he couldn’t bring himself to take the safe path up the mountain, a courageous withdrawal was the only option. While you did only live once, that didn’t mean you had to adopt a dangerous spirit of accepting any and all challenges. There had to be other options. Like a safe ginger pork set or oyakodon!!

With some trouble, Kamijou searched out the set tab among the mountain of categories, skimmed through it, and couldn’t believe his eyes.

“T-the screen is so dark. And covered in red Xs. Everything normal is sold out!?”

“Probably from everyone avoiding the vegetable curry.”

It violated the spirit of capitalism.

He was only a little late and this was what he had to deal with? He had money but no freedom to choose. How was this any better than a ration system!?

With Himegami and Fukiyose watching over him from behind, Kamijou chose the vegetable curry with a trembling finger. And why was it so hot in here!? Having teenage girls gathered close enough he could feel their breaths on his ears came as a real shock!

Please let it be something like a summer vegetable curry packed full of potatoes and carrots! Kamijou shut his eyes and made a wish. He belatedly realized it was the opposite of summer and all hope shattered in his heart.

“Here you go.”

“That was fast!! Only having time to speak a few words is so worrying!”

He was handed his food from beyond the counter. In 1.5 seconds again.

He couldn’t make sense of what he was looking at.

“???”

He followed the flow of the crowd, carrying his tray to the table, where he gave it another look.

Vegetable curry.

“What…is this? It just looks like brown roux to me.”

“Wait. There’s some small yellow lumps inside the curry. It’s hard to tell because it melted from the heat, but these aren’t spices.”

“It’s quinoa. This is the super food quinoa!!”

Detective Fukiyose revealed the truth.

It wasn’t fair. Didn’t one of so-and-so’s ten commandments say quinoa couldn’t be the culprit!?

“Wait, does that even count as a vegetable!? Sure, it’s a plant, but like with millet, isn’t it categorized more as a grain than a vegetable? Isn’t it something like a friend of rice!? Not that I have any idea how quinoa is grown!!”

“Kamijou Touma, that argument isn’t going to work. Quinoa is used in salads too, so we have no way of denying that it can be called a vegetable!”

“That’s absurd. Dammit, Fukiyose, are you going to say potato salad and macaroni salad count as vegetable salads just because they use plants!? Ham salads exist, but you’d better not be telling me ham is a vegetable. We have a real case this time!!”

“No, we don’t. This isn’t a detective story. This is the real world. No matter how unbelievable a situation we find ourselves in, we have to face the truth before us.”

So solving the mystery didn’t make anyone happy? Now that was a merciless sort of perfect crime.

Kamijou stuck his spoon in it.

There was no resistance.

He tried a bite.

It was like eating curry with nothing in it. The roux was thinner, like a soup curry, so it didn’t feel like he was eating anything at all. He knew it wasn’t anatomically possible, but it went down so easily he thought it was skipping right past his stomach.

How could this possibly have 800 Calories? That was a lot! Kamijou shuddered. What was the quinoa even doing? Was it a mass producer of obesity!? This wouldn’t keep him feeling full for even an hour. He just knew he’d be visiting a convenience store and snacking on all sorts of things later!!

Kamijou hung his head and trembled.

But then he raised his head with renewed conviction.

“That’s enough! Let Kamijou-san borrow that kitchen real quick!! I can cook, so I’ll show you how you can feed students on the cheap!!!”

Himegami and Fukiyose had to hold him back.

Apparently fire safety and sanitation rules didn’t allow for guest cooks.

But wasn’t that bento shop woman a guest here too!?

===Part 3===

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

At school, Aogami Pierce was lying dead on his desk.

That boy who lived for moe and 2D was taking it hard that he couldn’t join them in their girls dorm life.

Komoe-sensei ignored him entirely.

“Today is the second day of the first general entrance exam. The newspaper and textbook publisher websites have posted the first day’s answers for people to see how they did. Every year, this leads to exam students losing all hope and running amok in the streets, so be careful you aren’t caught up in that. When a high level esper lashes out, a single hit could be the end of you, so really do be careful.”

“Is telling people to be careful the only thing being done to prevent that?”

If those students wanted to show off their power, they should have just bent a spoon or whatever during an entrance interview.

Talent was meaningless if it wasn’t used well.

“And I have a reminder for you first years who are enjoying your peaceful week because you think the exams are no concern of yours: do not forget your third term final exams are approaching fast. February is right around the corner. If you fail to study during these lulls, you will be left behind before you know it.”

Desks shook all across the classroom. A fair number of students staring at their phones as they completed their dailies in some game or another must have thought better of it. If they could quit now, they weren’t too far gone yet.

And so their life-or-death school life had begun.

Today they had gym class. Even professional baseball didn’t play during midwinter to avoid player injuries, so what were Academy City’s educators thinking?

“Why do they actually prefer to play soccer and rugby in the winter? I hope there’s a unified theory behind it and they aren’t just going on vibes.”

Kamijou had plenty of complaints, but that was what a high school first year was supposed to do. And most mysteries and unreasonable matters weren’t going to solve themselves just because a high schooler complained.

The boys ended up playing soccer outside.

They split between even and odd student numbers to make two teams.

It wasn’t a serious game, so they weren’t strict about positions. The gym teacher wouldn’t say anything as long as they didn’t end up with three or four goalies.

“I really don’t want the sound of my Achilles tendon snapping to ring around the world… Life is long, so what’s wrong with taking a quick break? Hey, Aogami Pierce, come be my accomplice☆”

Kamijou casually roped his friend into it but received no response.

Aogami Pierce’s head was lowered.

A cursed voice pressed in on Kamijou.

“Why is it always Kami-yan, why is it always Kami-yan, why is it always Kami-yan? It should be me living the dream in the girls dorm. When did your life enter this bonus stage? Let me punch youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!”

Why was this guy suddenly throwing hands when they were playing soccer!?

===Part 4===

Kamijou Touma did not show (much) mercy.

Humans tended to attack stronger in retaliation than as the aggressor.

(We aren’t getting special treatment. You just did something different on your own.)

Kamijou Touma had already decided he needed something good for lunch.

He had decided this back when he was surprised by the vegetable curry at breakfast.

He would die on the inside if he wasn’t satisfied at lunch.

However, the exam takers had priority at the cafeteria and the school store, so he had to leave school grounds and visit a nearby convenience store. That flagrant violation of the rules would normally get him attacked and detained by the gorilla teacher or the track suit teacher, but they were too busy dealing with the exams today. But don’t copy his example here, future freshmen. That was a good way of corrupting your soul.

The streets full of tri-blade wind turbines were full of temptations, but the family restaurants and burger shops visible in the distance had long lines. Lunchtime was a hell of a thing. The flow of time felt a little different between school and the outside world, so standing in line there could mean not getting back in time for his next class. A nearby convenience store would probably be best. Even if there was a line at the register, it didn’t take long to get each customer served.

So he stepped inside the store.

“Ehhhhhhhhhhhhh!? There’s a wicked woman corrupting her soul at one of the eat-in seats. Senpai, I thought you didn’t have to do this!”

“Mgh!?”

Kumokawa Seria choked, eyes wide, in a counter seat by the window. The busty black-haired forehead upperclassman was breaking the school rules to chow down on a fish burger. And wasn’t that kind expensive when you had them cook it in the store!? To make matters worse, that devil had three whole convenience store sweets too. What was she preparing for? Climbing a mountain somewhere!?

[[Image:GT_Index_v16_BW2.jpg|thumb]]

Kumokawa Seria sipped on her hot tea to avoid suffocating.

“Wh-what do you want, boy? I would be willing to give you a fry.”

“No, I’m not asking for anything like that.”

Which meant that beautiful upperclassman really didn’t need to hold his hand between hers, give him an upturned look, and try to negotiate. Her hands were so soft and smooth. So was this a form of persuasion? Kamijou had learned something new.

But that aside.

Kumokawa’s tray didn’t look all that attractive to him. Even though each individual item was fine.

Why was that?

“You have awful taste, Senpai. Burgers and tea don’t really go together, do they? Especially hot black tea. And the lack of any empty packages around it means you’re drinking it straight, doesn’t it? Why?”

“Huh? Wait just a second. They sell coffee and tea at just about any burger shop!”

“That’s for the people who want to stick to a cup of tea while their friends eat a burger set. You aren’t supposed to drink the tea with a burger.”

“Huhh!? Then what’s your idea of a good pairing for a burger!?”

A soda.

Kamijou wasn’t as wealthy as that busty black-haired rich girl, so the most he could do was head to the bread section, grab a bun that could be roughly torn apart by hand, and combine it with the fried chicken sold next to the register. The new flavor was nacho cheese and chili sauce flavor. He could never keep up with the convenience store fried chicken flavors because they were always coming up with new ones. And they sometimes brought back old flavors, which really messed with his memory.

But even this looked better to him than Kumokawa’s combination.

Tastiness wasn’t a matter of the price tag.

And the busty girl pouted her lips like a little girl and shouted.

“You’re a child! Only children like sodas!!”

“Yeah, yeah. It’s not like burgers are a grownup food. Why did you think you could win this by acting more mature?”

“~ ~ ~!”

“Here, try mine. The fried chicken burger is the better option when you eat it with a soda, Senpai.”

“Ghh. Y-you’re right…”

Kumokawa Seria always used her allure to toy with the teenage boy, but here she bit her lip and trembled. It was a rare sight.

…He also didn’t think hot tea was something to order in a giant L-size bottle and he didn’t think the convenience store yokan went well with a burger or black tea…but letting that slide was the kind thing to do. As a first year, he didn’t want to see this usually confident upperclassman crying any longer.

“(Hmm. Would it be best to assume the confusion comes from a beautiful and rich upperclassman not knowing how to use a convenience store like the common folk? This is so bad that’s about the only defense she has.)”

“You don’t have to make me feel better by making things up!!! (sob)”

If she ended up consuming the whole thing from stress, none of Kamijou’s lunch would be left for him, so he stopped her from eating any more.

The lunch break was the same for them both. If they weren’t back on school grounds by the time the bell rang, the gorilla teacher or the track suit teacher would definitely notice their absence.

“Oh, I ate part of that, so that’s an indirect kiss.”

“Bffhbbhf!!!?”

…No, he would never be able to come out on top against her!! Kamijou Touma wasn’t one to give up, but he did so here. It was too much for him.

===Part 5===

“This seven veggie smoothie is so good.”

It was evening.

Shokuhou Misaki spoke to herself on a bench near a food truck. It was apparently a limited edition exam season product meant to boost brain power.

She was recharging.

The world was dyed orange. School was out for the day. She was waiting for someone who would be exhausted after finishing their first day of exams.

(Acute Kotatsu Syndrome, was it? Such a stupid name for a social phenomenon, but we can’t forget that it really did affect people’s lives.)

Hokaze Junko, #2 of her clique, was a third year in middle school, so the first general entrance exam applied to her. Yet she had apparently spent January neglecting her studies and relaxing. Shokuhou was terribly worried for her.

But not because Shokuhou was a good person.

She had a rational enough view of herself to make that self analysis.

(I can only worry about someone else during this exam season because of my own mental relaxation ability.)

Shokuhou Misaki was Academy City’s #5 Level 5, Mental Out.

She was the strongest of the pure psychological espers. It was said there was nothing related to the mind that monster couldn’t do. So the entrance exam war effectively didn’t exist for her. She had countless ways she could pass every single subject with a perfect score or pass the exam without even showing up at the exam site. She had so many options that three and even four digits wasn’t enough to count them.

(If Junko-san looks down when she leaves the exam site, I need to give her an energy boost. Still, no matter how she did on her first day, she isn’t the type to just go to bed without checking the provided answers.)

Just then, she felt a heavy vibration pass through the bench.

Someone had sat down next to her.

Shokuhou glanced over (with a bit of irritation to be honest) and then froze.

He was there.

A boy. A first year high schooler. With pointy hair!?

(Wh-wh-wh-wh-what is he doing here!?)

Her spine tensed. Her face grew hot. Wait, calm down. Shokuhou immediately aimed her TV remote at some passersby, hijacked a sample of five points of view, and checked her face, but her cheeks were not noticeably flushed! And her eyes were not spinning in her head!!

Making a move herself was easy.

Because whatever she might do, he would forget it all a moment later. That created a unique kind of confidence

But things were different when he came to her.

Wait, I’m not weady!!

(Bwah!! Ababwah, what is going on here? Is some terrible trap waiting for me here? Is Misaka-san nearby? No. What about the clique members? Also no. But wait, without any of them to hold me back, I won’t be able to stop!!)

After thinking(?) through that far, Shokuhou Misaki noticed something.

He wasn’t looking at her.

She followed his gaze and didn’t see anything of note. The cars driving by, some students talking about taking a detour, a drum-shaped cleaning robot moving out of their way, etc.

Why had the pointy-haired boy sat next to her in the first place?

It wasn’t because he had seen Shokuhou Misaki and decided to say hi to a friend.

That would never happen.

Then what had Kamijou Touma been thinking when he sat on this bench?

“Excuse me.”

The next thing she knew, she was hesitantly asking a question.

Even among the 2.3 million people of the city, he was the extremely rare person who could turn the #5 Level 5 into nothing more than “a younger girl”. Which was why she obediently scooted toward him.

She knew ''this was a weird thing to ask if they had never met before.''

“What are you doing?”

“Nothing really,” briefly replied the older boy without even looking in her direction. “Just looking at the city.”

“…”

The street hadn’t been blocked off and there was no parade marching down it.

The scene laid out before him was no more than an ordinary afterschool evening.

Kamijou Touma gently narrowed his eyes and didn’t speak a word as he really did just watch the orange-dyed world. As if to say this day and all the things that each new day brought were more valuable than Halloween or winter break.

“I’m not about to say I’ve lived a perfect life.”

He wasn’t staring blanking into the middle distance.

His voice contained heartfelt relief at being able to share this world with everyone.

“But no matter how many mistakes I made, I’m glad I never gave up.”

To Shokuhou, it looked like he was reaffirming something.

Reaffirming that the boring times and the silly things were not something you could take for granted. Reaffirming that it could all crumble away if you failed to put in the work for even a moment. And that was why he was savoring this day that had been built on a foundation of that work.

===Part 6===

School was out for the day.

During an ''uneventful'' walk home, Kamijou Touma’s shoulders slumped.

The online news appearing on his phone was as crazy as ever.

“Today’s traffic news: A 2km traffic jam has formed on District 7’s south main road. It is the result of nearby criminal activity, so it shows no sign of clearing up soon. If you are in a hurry, we recommend taking the train.”

“We have several reports of mysterious figures sighted off the road in the mountain forest of District 21. During entrance exam season, there tend to be more people climbing to the summit to pray for their friends’ exam success, but do not grow complacent just because it is a relatively short mountain. Make sure to submit a climb plan beforehand.”

“Real time tragedy! Excitement near the District 7 train station! Watch out for a rampaging exam student!!”

“Ugh. It’s even on the online news. Some student going nuts in front of the station single-handedly knocked over the statue everyone uses as a meetup spot. The damage has gone beyond a slasher film and reached the level of a disaster film. Can I even get back to the girls dorm with that educated kaiju on the loose?”

The same news was scrolling by on the large screen of the airship floating in the evening sky. The reporters were clearly getting lazy if they were relaying the online news instead of heading out to report on it themselves.

But since Kamijou wasn’t in a club, if he stayed at school for too long, he might gather the attention of Anti-Skill or Judgment. He doubted the exams were still being taken, but they might suspect he was a “technician” trying to sneak into a classroom being used for the exams tomorrow so he could hide illicit notes or a small device. And Mr. Misfortune’s nerves about those false accusations would only make him act weirdly, which would get him caught for sure! It was time to head home!!

Academy City had schools all over.

This area felt so quiet he felt a little lonely. There was no one around even after school had let out.

Was that because of the entrance exam season?

He heard some voices shouting in the distance. Was that a sports team jogging around the school grounds? That was his guess, but then an indoorsy group carrying a ton of camera equipment ran past him with Anti-Skill in hot pursuit. They were running full tilt. He guessed they were a manga club who had braved the unfamiliar outdoors in search of reference photographs and then set off their camera’s flash toward the engineer’s cabin of a moving train.

All of the afterschool clubs had a shortened schedule during the entrance exam period, but apparently some of them were continuing their activities outside the schools. And that wasn’t just the athletic clubs.

Kamijou Touma realized he had just accepted his lack of a club as normal.

He apparently hadn’t been in one even before losing his memories, so he guessed he was just the type who couldn’t stick with anything for long…

“Can I just return to the girls dorm now? No, I can’t.”

His room in the girls dorm had no kitchen. A single microwave oven would probably change his life in that room considerably. But a quick search on his phone told him prices on those had skyrocketed with the addition of new features like grilling and toasting, so buying one on a whim wasn’t feasible.

Once out on the main street, the city was flooded with people. Maybe a lot of them were wandering around without a clear destination in mind like he was.

“Oh.”

He spotted someone familiar from behind in the crowd.

Someone he knew so well he didn’t need to see her face.

One was a small student council president with a bunny-like ribbon on her head. The person walking next to her was harder to recognize from behind, but that was probably the glasses boy.

They were from another high school where his school had borrowed some unused classrooms when their own school was destroyed.

(That school feels like home too. When I picture it in my mind, it feels so familiar.)

He didn’t find a chance to call out to them and just watched them go.

But if he needed to talk with them, he could call them up on his phone. He didn’t have pressing enough business to search them out after they vanished into the crowd.

Just as he thought that, his eyes met those of another familiar face.

This wasn’t Misaka Mikoto.

The weird goggles on her head, the absence of any emotional light in her eyes, and her harmless and obedient behavior told him this was probably the Misaka Sister.

She was a mass-produced military model of Academy City’s #3 Level 5, Railgun. But those clone girls had failed to reach the original’s level of power output and were forced to live a challenging life. This one in particular was Sisters Serial Number 10032.

After meeting her eyes, he couldn’t just watch her go like he had with the others.

He was drawn to her.

Come to think of it, hadn’t he seen her on the streets around this time yesterday?

“What are you doing?”

“It is the black cat’s walk time, explains Misaka.”

“…Again, what are you doing? Cats return home on their own after patrolling their territory. You don’t put them on a leash and go on walks with them.”

“Nevertheless, the cat does not return to the hospital where we live, rebuts Misaka. Because the cat is stupid.”

“Is that a sign of affection or an insult, Misaka Sister?”

Kamijou stared into the distance.

…Was she following the cat as it walked through narrow alleys and along fences? What a waste of her athletic abilities. Maybe she just had nothing better to do.

But at the moment…

“Now stand by Misaka’s side so we can walk arm in arm, says Misaka as she requests permission and approval.”

“Why!?”

“Misaka has always wanted to walk home from school with a friend, says Misaka as she explains her objective.”

“Well, if that’s all…”

The Misaka Sister wore a school uniform, but she didn’t actually attend school.

Kamijou might think nothing of it, but not everyone had the opportunity. So he couldn’t rob her of the opportunity when it did come.

Not everyone valued treasures the same.

Not everyone would feel the same happiness when given a giant diamond.

She wanted to walk home from school with a friend.

Some treasures took that form. That was true.

Kamijou Touma needed to understand how precious these normal, natural, and ordinary things were. Because he had already died to protect them. And that death hadn’t been to protect only the perfect and flawless answers.

“That makes this a date between lovers,” said the Misaka Sister with a firm expression. “Without a doubt.”

“Bff!! Why do you have to think about everything in such extremes!?”

The pointy-haired boy was shaken to his core, but the Misaka Sister was being her usual self.

She wrapped her arm around his and wouldn’t let go.

And she was extremely soft and warm!!

“What roundabout route will we be taking today? Surely you aren’t going to suggest we will not be grabbing something to eat, says Misaka as she checks on every last thing. Yes, yes.”

“Is your idea of ‘walking home’ to wander the streets forever? …But if we are going to stop somewhere, let’s make it a home appliance shop. Or maybe a discount store where they would sell the super cheap models that have been stripped down to the bare minimum functions.”

“Thinking of purchasing a 180 thousand yen clone girl?”

“I’m talking about a microwave!!”

Besides, a high school first year wouldn’t have an extra 180 thousand yen in his budget.

To continue his life in the girls dorm, he badly wanted a microwave oven in his room for cooking retort pouches and frozen foods. And as cheap of one as he could find. Which store would be best to check?

When he was about to change course, the black cat mewed while obediently following after them.

And something exploded.

Or so it seemed to Kamijou.

“Hold on…”

A cloud of smoke rose in the distance.

No, that was probably a person.

A boy.

(Come to think of it, didn’t Komoe-sensei explain that exam students often start running amok in town after checking the answers published in the newspapers and online?)

Someone flailing his arms around had flipped over a mid-sized truck illegally parked in the station plaza. It was a thoroughly decorated truck, so the destruction sparked a lot more than necessary. If this was his answer to a single illegally parked truck, that guy must have been hell bent on showing off his righteous spirit no matter what. When a man who appeared to be the driver stepped out of a convenience store, he stared in shock. He held nothing in his hands. No matter how pressing it had been, Kamijou thought he shouldn’t have used the store’s bathroom without buying anything.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!! What the hell, you rampaging exam student. Attacking trucks isn’t going to improve your score, you know!?”

Then the Misaka Sister spoke, as expressionless as ever.

“If he comes this way, Misaka will blow him away with a 12.7mm anti-materiel rifle, says Misaka as she prepares for self-defense. Keeping the cat safe is Misaka’s top priority.”

“That’s taking it too far. Pets might be family, but I don’t think the law lets you kill someone to save a cat. Besides, assembling an illegal weapon doesn’t count as self defense!! You don’t actually have one, do you? Please tell me you’re not carrying around an illegal gun. Look me in the eye and tell me, Misaka Sister!”

Also, hadn’t the bunny president and the glasses boy walked in that direction? Just a bit before? They hadn’t been caught in this and sent to heaven, had they!?

Something flew over Kamijou’s head and toward the center of the issue. Probably an amateur news streamer’s camera drone. Sending them out in a densely populated area was against the rules, so professional reporters actually wouldn’t do it. Someone so focused on views they had nothing else to lose was a scary thing.

And the rude camera lens must have displeased the rampaging exam student because the sounds of destruction only grew.

The bigger the story the better for the news streamer, so that might have even been intentional. Kamijou just wished they wouldn’t get everyone in the area involved too.

Kamijou had hoped to check out the closest discount shop for a super cheap microwave, but now he had to turn around. He had no desire to approach that hopeless disaster zone full of death and destruction. The drum-shaped security robots were really nothing more than moving security cameras, so they weren’t much use when the good citizens of the city were caught in some kind of physical trouble.

(Well, it’s happening near the train station, so there should be an Anti-Skill station nearby.)

“This is Anti-Skill!! Put your hands up and get down on your knees! You can’t escape with so many cameras on you!”

Kamijou breathed a sigh of relief when one of the justice bringers came running and raised her voice.

But the rampaging esper suddenly changed direction.

Kamijou’s eyes met with the Japanese Boy’s.

And if the fleeing criminal was looking right at him…wait? Was he coming in this way!?

“I get it’s too dangerous to fire with so many people near the station…but please Anti-Skill! There are plenty of small side roads you could be guiding him onto!”

Was this the result of Kamijou’s misfortune?

The running boy shouted with spittle flying.

“Ohh, outta way, damn, move, asshole!!”

It saddened Kamijou that he managed to understand what should have been a meaningless string of words. Did this mean he was the same as that guy?

The rampaging esper powerfully raised his right arm. The motion was more like swinging down a big blunt object than throwing a punch.

The pointy-haired boy’s bangs fluttered up.

Because the air had moved in front of him. …Was that really something you could do with a single arm?

“Khh.”

Kamijou’s eyes widened.

His life was fairly seriously at risk.

(What kind of power is that exactly? He flipped a truck by hand, but is this really just a simple case of boosted strength? If it’s actually telekinesis, he might be able to use it as a projectile.)

“Noo!?”

Kamijou shoved the Misaka Sister out of the way.

He heard a voice from overhead.

He rolled along the ground with the clone girl. To the side. It was important to carry a spirit of compromise.

Then the pursuing Anti-Skill officer reached for her holster and drew a handgun loaded with rubber bullets.

“Oh, no. I can’t let him harm any civilians. Eh heh heh. So I have no choice but to fire!!”

“Wha- are you stupid!? Why would you actually fire on the ground!? And why do you look so excited about it!? This is supposed to be a peaceful country!!”

Scared by the sound of gunfire, the rampaging exam student took a hopping slide to the side.

Which brought him straight toward Kamijou and the Misaka Sister.

Thanks to Anti-Skill’s unnecessary action (while thoroughly enjoying this official duty), the rampaging esper was headed straight toward them even though they had actually rolled out of the way.

Don’t hop! You don’t have a bunny theme going on, do you, you violent exam taker!?

Kamijou couldn’t let the clone girl or the black kitty get caught up in this!!

It was time for the usual: putting himself in harm’s way to make sure things worked out.

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, such misfortuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuune!!!”

===Part 7===

Afterschool time came for everyone the same.

The School Garden was also inside District 7, so there was nothing at all unusual about the middle school girl named Misaka Mikoto being there with phone in hand.

“Onee-sama,” said the voice on her phone. “You should probably head back early today.”

“Did something happen, Kuroko? The dorm manager only just did a surprise inspection, so we should be fine there for a while.”

“Because nothing good ever happens when you run into a big seasonal event like Halloween or the New Year’s mad dash on the shrines. And Judgment has a duty to prevent incidents before they occur.”

“Do you actually expect me to listen to a warning when you put it like that?”

She hung up, her expression blank.

She was Academy City’s #3 and knew very well how to operate electronics. There was no way Shirai Kuroko could use her phone’s GPS data to track her down.

(Entrance exams, huh?)

She did have her thoughts seeing the signs for snacks and sports drink presenting themselves as weird good luck charms for the exams. Entrance exams were all about the future. Thinking about them worried her. But she didn’t have anyone she could discuss this with. Shirai was a fellow Tokiwadai student, but second years and first years felt very different about these things.

And she would rather die than discuss this kind of vulnerability with that big-boobed brainwashing monster.

“Hm.”

Entrance exams were still relevant to a middle school second year.

The third years were currently going through hell and it would be her turn next year. She would be in trouble if she didn’t start thinking about her plans for the future soon. …She would end up like that busty ringlet curls girl.

Of course, Academy City’s #3 Level 5, Railgun, would have countless options available to her. She probably wouldn’t even need to tie herself to her desk and study for hours on end. She could get into any of the finest schools, including Nagatenjouki Academy and Kirigaoka Girls Academy, on a recommendation alone.

So that wasn’t what was worrying her.

The issue occupying the majority of her mind was something no one else would consider a big deal at all.

“…”

She was worried about somewhere far removed from that struggle over the most elite options. She was thinking about ''a completely ordinary coed school''.

She did of course wonder if she could really decide her path forward based on this.

But without a specific occupation in mind for her future, she couldn’t say clearly what school would be right for her.

This was about her future.

What did Academy City’s #3 hope to learn and where did she hope to go?

And while she was worrying over this, she heard some voices.

“What’s wrong with you!? I’ve got nothing against you, so why are you getting in my way, you stupid idiot!? Stop thiiiis!!”

“Why do I have to be called an idiot by a criminal whose causing trouble just cause he did bad on his exam!? Does my misfortune really mean I deserve being made fun of!?”

She couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

“Wh-what the hell is he doing?”

Someone had jumped out and started playing at a fleeing criminal’s feet.

Did he think he was the Youkai called a Sunekosuri?

If this continued, he would definitely get kicked like a soccer ball.

Electricity scattered from Mikoto’s bangs.

“Ugh, really!?”

===Part 8===

Light flashed and sound boomed.

Far more than before.

“………………………………………………………………………………………For real?”

Kamijou Touma watched it all in a daze.

The rampaging exam student had been knocked over.

That electric Tokiwadai girl had actually knocked over that guy who was stomping around like a kaiju! With a single hand!?

[[Image:GT_Index_v16_BW3.jpg|thumb]]

Had she saved Kamijou?

When she was providing covering fire, the #3 was great to have on your side. Unfortunately, that coin didn’t always take flight to help him.

The girl spoke with her voice pitched ultra low.

It didn’t sound very rewarding.

“…What are you doing?”

“What do you mean?”

Then Kamijou noticed.

The Misaka Sister lay collapsed on the pavement. On her back. And Kamijou lay right on top of her. The clone girl was supposed to look exactly like the original in every way, but for some reason she wasn’t wearing shorts below her Tokiwadai uniform. How did he know she wasn’t? Because her skirt had pulled up quite spectacularly.

Her head was tilted, directing her dead eyes in an arbitrary direction.

But that wasn’t because he had done anything inappropriate here. Her eyes never had any light in them. But it still made the situation extremely easy to misinterpret.

Tears formed in Kamijou’s eyes.

“Wait. Wait, wait.”

Um, I have always wondered why Tokiwadai’s skirts are so short when it’s supposed to be one of Academy City’s most prestigious girls schools. All I did was try to save her and now it’s doing nothing to hide those stripes!!

But none of those thoughts ever made it out of his mouth.

A girl with an identical face was trembling.

Yeah, and she was just as electric as ever.

Kamijou stared into the middle distance as he heard a crackling sound a lot like the air splitting.

This was probably a lot more powerful than the power lines running above the train tracks.

“I have to say. As their older sister, I really don’t think I can ignore what I’m seeing here…”

“Oh, the cat ran away. Misaka can’t afford to lose track of it, so we need to hurry, says Misaka as she tugs on your arm and gets moving. While showing off plenty of body contact between us.”

The animal had probably fled from the electromagnetic waves scattered around by the #3.

And running off now would probably make her impression of him plummet!

“You’re running!? That’s what they call consciousness of guillllllllllllllllllllllllllttttttttttttttttttttt!!!”

“Nooo, scientifically-created lightning is chasing after meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!”

A depressing game of tag had begun.

Just like a stealth horror game where you could only run away from the unbeatable boss character. And it was the type where the chase began after the invincible boss had already seen you! In the kind of game with lots of gross gore!!

===Part 9===

He somehow managed to escape☆

“But did I really? This isn’t one of those things where they get you to let your guard down right before they jump scare you, is it?”

….Misaka Mikoto was supposed to be a middle school girl, but so why was he imagining a scene from a horror game? Specifically, one where you explored an abandoned village where all the residents had gone mysteriously missing.

He realized the Misaka Sister and the black cat weren’t with him.

Had Mikoto chased after them instead?

(Well, she won’t do anything to her sister. Or to the kitty.)

That said. He had a feeling the #3 monster was still wandering around somewhere nearby, but he appeared to have found an unexpected blind spot.

The girls dorm.

It made sense. If Mikoto wasn’t aware of the circumstances at his school, how could she predict a boy like him would escape here?

(I just hope she doesn’t use some weird hacking ability to find the truth.)

Kamijou prayed to something unseen as he hid in front of the auto-locking entrance.

Although it scared him that hope seemed so fleeting he was resorting to prayer.

Also, the girls dorm did have its bright and shining auto-locking entrance, but he had heard there were plenty of loopholes there. For example, you could apparently leave the dorm by climbing out the second floor hallway rest area window and climbing down one of the trees growing along the sidewalk. Why had that route come to be? Because a surprising number of girls would develop a sudden compulsion to sing at the top of their lungs in the middle of the night, so they needed a way to go out and do karaoke!! But if they used the main entrance, it would create a record they had left.

(So it isn’t just boys who want to do something even more if it’s against the rules.)

His school really was different from a prestigious one like Tokiwadai.

A rebellious phase was apparently important for developing a personality, but was climbing up and down a tree like a monkey night after night really good for your mental health? Seemed like that would mess you up a lot.

Kamijou opened the auto-locking entrance and walked inside.

There was no real reason to rush, so he decided to check on something he had been curious about.

But.

She was sleeping with her belly exposed.

“…”

There was no lapse in his memories.

This was the direct result of following the timeline in Kamijou Touma’s head.

Who was that woman?

He had wondered what the dining hall was like outside of mealtime. He hadn’t noticed a “keep out” sign on the entrance, so he had taken a peek inside and been hit with a major question.

A young woman, probably in her twenties, was lying face up on three dining hall chairs lined up in a row.

She wore a knit turtleneck and a short skirt. Her ears were covered in many piercings. She must have just put in whatever struck her fancy because the number on each ear didn’t match.

She wore fluffy slippers on her feet.

Her fluffy hair appeared to be bleached and dyed blonde, but it was currently tied back with a bandanna. It looked like she had fallen asleep in the middle of cleaning. But what was an adult woman doing in a high school girls dorm? It was baffling.

She looked like the pale kind of gyaru who never visited a tanning salon.

Maybe it was the visible navel and short skirt, but she sort of reminded Kamijou of a cheerleader.

Her mouth was opened wide.

She was enjoying her nap.

The apron folded up on a nearby long table reminded him of something. As did the lamé and beads sparkling on her painted nails.

…Was she the dining hall woman? Who normally worked at a bento shop?

Kamijou was honestly surprised to find she looked like this.

(Not that it really matters.)

A blanket had fallen onto the floor next to her.

A blue one.

It looked familiar. Wasn’t that the same as the one he found over him when he woke up this morning?

“So she gave it to me.”

This part did matter because he needed to thank her next time he saw her. He didn’t want to wake her just for that, so he couldn’t do it this time.

That aside, he now knew the dining hall was not open off hours. Apparently he couldn’t just pop in and grab a small thing of soba for a snack. That would’ve been ultra convenient, but that would be asking a lot of a place that wasn’t a 24-hour gyudon shop or family restaurant.

He quietly slipped out of the dining hall so as not to wake her.

The elevator was always busy in the evenings, so he used the emergency stairs instead. …He didn’t like how doing that made him feel segregated.

“Listen uuuuup. What’re you all having for dinner tonight? Want to come up with a menu with Demoness Mayu-chin?”

A few groups had formed in corners of the hallway.

Those were probably the boys who had taken severe damage from the real power of the real girls. A fake-sounding soprano voice was playing from their landscape-oriented phones. Hopefully they weren’t so desperate they would send tons of money to that anime-style 3D avatar.

And someone approached from the emergency stairs.

“Kamijou?”

Fukiyose Seiri held a large plastic bucket in her hands. Whether you imagined she was cooling a bunch of bottled or canned drinks in ice water or dumping a bunch of trash in the back alley said a lot about what kind of person you were. The point was the blue bucket had a lid and was large enough to hide in if you really tried.

“Oh, they’re resting on it,” commented Kamijou without thinking.

“?”

Fukiyose tilted her head in puzzlement, but he said nothing more because he knew he would be in trouble if she realized what he meant. Holding a giant plastic bucket seemed to have a way of pushing up a girl’s boobs.

“So what are you doing? I thought you’d get in trouble if you left your trash outside all night.”

“This isn’t trash. I’m cleaning and needed a stool. It wobbles, so will you hold it steady for me?”

“Cleaning what?”

Was that why the bucket’s lid had a dry rag on it?

He would understand if she meant her room, but who was supposed to clean the public hallways? That seemed like it should be a job for the drum-shaped cleaning robots to him.

Fukiyose adjusted the position of the bucket while looking up at the ceiling and sighed in exasperation.

“The robots only clean the floor. If you don’t clean the rest for too long, you end up with clumps of dust falling down on your head. Do you want that?”

And so Fukiyose intended to step up onto the giant bucket and clean the ceiling. The fluorescent lights were her first priority.

“I also wanted to try out this Ultra Electroduster. It uses static electricity to create a plasma blaster that collects all the dust in a single wipe. I want to see it in action for myself.”

“Buying more weird mail-order products, huh?”

If you had to search out a chance to use it, it didn’t sound very useful in everyday life.

“That aside, shouldn’t you find an actual stepladder?” Kamijou looked a little worried. “What if you break right through that flimsy bucket?”

“Why would I need to worry about that?” asked Fukiyose in honest confusion.

Kamijou was reminded that girls were as light as cotton candy.

If sturdy and heavy Mr. Misfortune tried this, he was certain he would break through right away.

“Okay.”

The black-haired girl placed her hands on the bucket and climbed up on her knees.

However, it was a light bucket.

“It’s wobbling a lot… Kamijou, hold it down for me.”

“Ehh? I’m not going to be stuck here helping you the whole time, am I?”

He obeyed even as he complained, so maybe it was too late for him.

He placed his hands on the bucket lid and placed his weight on it.

That steadied it enough for Fukiyose to slowly extend her legs below her. Kamijou naturally followed the movement with his eyes, but then he quickly looked away. Oh, right. She was still in her school uniform, which meant she was in a skirt.

“Whoa, hey. It’s still wobbling. Kamijou, hold it down bett- eek!”

Apparently it was fairly frightening for the person wobbling on top of it.

Her cries sounded a lot more pressing.

“Why aren’t you even looking this way? That’s why you can’t hold it steady. Look this way and focus!”

“You’re why I can’t!”

“I said look! If you don’t focus, it’s going to keep wobbling. You need to shift your weight when I do, so you need to watch me!!”

“Well, if you insist.”

…Kamijou had to wonder why a girl would attempt this kind of work while wearing a skirt. Because this was a girls dorm?

Then Fukiyose also noticed something.

She stopped her cleaning.

“…Kamijou.”

“Yeah?”

“Why are you looking up at me?”

“A certain classmate gets very angry when I do not obey her every command, so I had no choice in the matter.”

She stomped on his face.

With her shoes on.

===Part 10===

Night had fallen.

“Hm, hm, hmmm. Bath time, bath time, splash!!”

“Hey, stop, you fool! That big wave nearly capsized my washbasin!”

Index and Othinus were taking a bath. The tub was small, but the 15cm god could still drown in it, so she apparently had to get creative. Still, could she really handle it? He just hoped a moment of carelessness didn’t get her washed down the drain.

The calico cat was curled up in the best spot next to the heater. Apparently he had completely abandoned his nocturnal side.

Kamijou Touma was using this free time to speak with his family on the phone.

They had called him.

They had completely ignored him when he was in the boys dorm, so why the sudden change?

“As your mother, I am just so worried about you living in the girls dorm, Touma-san. I do hope isn’t going to lead to a rash of pregnancies.”

“…”

She was worried all right, just not for him.

The lack of concern for her son found in her ultra hands-off form of education remained unchanged.

“Sigh, learning to take part in the modern digital lifestyle is all well and good, but I really shouldn’t try to be a demoness at my age. My throat is so hoarse… I should start adjusting the tone with a slider instead of pitching my voice up myself.”

“?”

After a moment of thought, a chill ran down Kamijou’s spine. He was reminded of Demoness Mayu-chin, whose sugary voice, small 3D body, and succubus costume had captured the hearts of high school boys around the world…but surely not, right?

Once the call from the unbeatable mommy had ended, Kamijou hung up.

He could still hear the shower running.

Waiting for Index and Othinus to leave the bath would be a waste of time, so he wanted to get some of the built-up housework done. Going to classes during the day and doing housework at night took a lot out of you.

“Right now I can do…the laundry, I guess.”

So he grabbed the basket piled full of laundry and walked to the front door.

The curled-up cat hopped up. He knew the cat was plotting an escape, so he used his feet for defense as he stepped alone out into the hallway.

“Phew.”

Silence.

The girls dorm did have a lights out time after which you weren’t allowed to leave the building, but movement within the building was relatively unrestricted. So Kamijou walked stealthily through the dark.

“Uh, oh.”

He held his breath and slowly hid behind a nearby pillar.

He had sensed a presence.

A short distance away he saw…

(There’s an older gyaru there. The one from the dining hall. I thought she worked for a bento shop, so what’s she doing here so late?)

She had placed a blanket over Kamijou during the night. …Thinking back, that had been strange. He had also heard rumors that she would float naked in the large bath when she had nothing better to do, so did she see this as her second home? She might even have moved into an empty room somewhere.

“Then she should just go ahead and become an actual dorm manager. Paradise is right there, so why won’t she reach out and grab it?”

Was she patrolling in the night?

He had forgotten to thank her for the blanket at dinner, but if he approached her now, she would probably scold him and make him go back to his room. Letting her pass and thanking her tomorrow morning would probably be best. Nothing would be more foolish than causing trouble for someone when trying to thank them for saving his life.

(They even have an adult patrolling the place at night. The girls dorm really does do things differently.)

Or maybe it was the absolute freedom of the boys dorm that was out of the ordinary.

He heard a gentle electronic tone.

The elevator door must have opened and closed.

After waiting until he couldn’t sense her presence anymore, Kamijou resumed moving.

He arrived at a room with both walls lined with drum-style washing machines. The room was lit up as bright as a hospital. And the washing machines were split into two levels, one above the other.

The small LCDs next to the round doors suggested they could be locked with a number code.

It was a lot like a laundromat, except that it was free.

“A laundry room, huh?” said Kamijou half in exasperation while carrying a large quantity of laundry.

Like with the dining hall, the girls dorm had all sorts of perks the boys dorm didn’t. It really didn’t seem fair when they all went to the same school!!

(But I guess that’s how dorm life is. The focus is on protecting the girls, so the boys dorm only exists as “somewhere to put the boys that keeps them away from the girls”.)

Anyway, he wasn’t familiar with this manufacturer’s washing machines. It was a little daunting. He knew he just had to dump his laundry inside, shut the door, and press the button, but his eyes were drawn to the warning label on the machine.

First, he placed his laundry basket on the floor and sat on the bench.

There was a giant detergent bottle on the floor…but was that for refills? The label said Miracle Enzyme Z. In big, bright writing. …Had Fukiyose mail-ordered this out of her own pocket and left it in the laundry room?

(Our new and improved catabolic enzyme removes even the stubborn oil stains on ventilation fan… If I use that on my clothes, will it bleach them all white?)

What looked like a manga magazine sat on one end of the bench. Someone must have been reading it while waiting and then left it here.

“What’s this?”

Kamijou Touma was more than a little familiar with Japanese culture and thus knew how to read manga…but he had never heard of this manga magazine before. A long list of titles was given on the cover, but he focused on the title of the manga depicted on the cover.

Yuri-

Kamijou quickly covered the cover with the blanket lying nearby.

He hid it.

Hold on.

Just to be sure, he was in a girls dorm right now, wasn’t he?

So this probably wasn’t a shounen magazine. And the target demographic was probably a little higher than shoujo manga. Was this really something an ignorant boy should be intruding upon?

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

What was that thing? He was tempted to remove the blanket and take a look inside the magazine, but he couldn’t.

The pressure was too powerful.

He felt a pain prickling his skin.

No, that was only a magazine and it wasn’t radiating any kind of energy.

He belatedly realized what he was feeling.

He was nervous.

(It can’t be. Kamijou-san has the blood of an otaku coursing through his veins…yet I’m too intimidated to even try this!?)

He could read and enjoy a cheerful 4koma manga about a group of girls, but would this really fall into that simple category? …He suspected it wouldn’t. That wasn’t what real girls did. He expected to be hit by something from a different angle altogether. What if it was like one of the ads that appeared frequently while he watched videos on his phone? The psychological damage would be too great if it was a manga where an average-looking office lady had her heart snagged by a host and was dragged down to rock bottom. Although with the Yuri in the title, it might be a gaudy hostess who snagged the average-looking office lady’s heart.

But yuri, huh?

The magazine appeared to carry only that kind of manga, but what was it doing here in a girls dorm?

“…”

The next thing that caught Kamijou’s attention was a scent.

It came from the blanket he had used to cover the magazine. It was faint but familiar. Yes, it smelled just like the blue blanket he had found covering him when he woke up during the freezing morning!

Besides, it was weird to find a blanket sitting in the laundry room.

Why was it here?

If it wasn’t meant to be here, then had it been forgotten here by the same person as the magazine?

“Hm? In that case…did the dining hall woman leave them here?”

Maybe it would be best to stop thinking about this.

Alarm bells were ringing deep in his instincts. Or so it seemed. This cast an entirely different light on that woman floating in the large bath during the day and prowling the dorm at night…

“Wait. No, no, wait.”

He had to think about this rationally. He understood wanting to focus on this at Mach speed after finding it in a girls dorm, but that was just his otaku blood running wild. He needed to step back and simulate this. If she had left the magazine here, the magazine’s owner clearly didn’t try to hide her interests. Which meant she wasn’t too serious about it. Ha ha ha. It was like seeing the ghost’s true identity. If this was actually targeted toward a more casual audience, then there would be nothing wrong with him taking a look at that Yuri-

“Kamijou? What are you doing here?”

“Yikes!?”

“?”

A suspicious look from the entrance pierced into him.

It was Fukiyose Seiri.

She wasn’t carrying a basket or bag full of laundry, so was she here to collect her clean laundry?

She was currently wearing brightly colored unisex sweats. He didn’t know if it was loungewear or sleepwear, but it was a new sight for Kamijou who always saw her in her uniform.

It was 10 PM on a weekday.

…On that note, it felt a bit like a fantasy to see a female classmate at this time of night at all.

Fukiyose, however, didn’t seem bothered by it. For her, it may have been like having a boy mixed into her ordinary life.

The black-haired forehead classmate watched him like he was a strange creature.

“Why are you just sitting around in the laundry room? Your phone will tell you when your laundry is done, so you can just hang out in your room and come collect it in two hours. Are you afraid you’ll fall asleep?”

“No, I just kind of zoned out in here… Maybe it looks too much like a laundromat.”

“Hm.”

Fukiyose started to accept that, but then she froze.

“Wait, are you the kind of guy who finds it soothing to watch girls’ clothing and underwear spinning around in the washing machine?”

“Hey, what even made you think of that? Can you stop being needlessly cautious and explain that to Kamijou-san?”

Now that she had mentioned it, how could he not be curious!? Kamijou ended up further troubling himself for no reason. When he took a look at what was spinning around nearby, he noticed it was leopard print. What high schooler was walking around secretly wearing that? Could it be Himegami!?

“Anyway, if you’re washing your clothes, be quick about it. No one likes a machine hog.”

Kamijou honestly found this strange.

He looked to the two levels of drum-style washing machines lining both walls.

“You’re spoiled. You have this many machines and it still isn’t enough?”

“Of course it isn’t. How many hundreds of students do you think our school has? The girls dorm is split into a few different buildings, but it still isn’t anywhere near enough. A lot of girls get tired of waiting and head out to a laundromat instead.”

That did make sense.

But in that case, why didn’t the girls buy their own washing machine and install it in their room? He didn’t quite understand dorm life here, but it was a lot like living on your own. Wasn’t a washing machine a necessity on the level of a refrigerator?

Kamijou sighed softly.

“Come to think of it, there’s a big bath here too, isn’t there? Why does the girls dorm have so much more infrastructure built in? Although it all seems like a half-measure that actually restricts you more in the end.”

“This is the only dorm life I’ve known, so how should I know? Oh, but an upperclassman did talk about this before.”

“?”

Apparently girls can start spending lots of money on health and beauty products to compete with each other. If someone buys a fancy dryer that emits some kind of ions or whatever and uses it to show off, the others will start buying even more expensive dryers. And that back and forth destroys the basic idea that dorm life is supposed to be cheap.”

“You girls are terrifying.”

So had they had no choice but to add the dining hall and laundry room?

Health and beauty was a realm Kamijou knew nothing about since all he did in the mornings was wash his face with tap water. So appliances designed specifically for that purpose were not a part of his world. If he did have the money to buy them, he would probably end up buying a new game or pair of sneakers instead.

“Also, most people rarely use the big bath. During the day, the dining hall woman floats there naked. And at night, the athletes who go jogging after practice ends at school turn it into their own exclusive bath.”

Kamijou had no desire to approach that bath.

…Because as a girls dorm, there had been no need to make a division between a boys bath and a girls bath when it was built. That meant there was just the one big bath. If he carelessly ran into someone there, he might just end up beaten up by every single girl in the building.

Besides, the individual rooms all had their own small bathrooms.

What was even the point of the big bath?

The school had felt the need to build it, but that didn’t mean the students were going to use it. Hopefully Komoe-sensei wasn’t crying somewhere over it.

“Well, the garbage rules here are the same as at the boys dorm at least.”

“Those are determined by District 7, so they have nothing to do with the dorm.”

“Hm? Does that mean it would be the same for Tokiwadai too?”

“Why do you know anyone from Tokiwadai? Isn’t that a middle school?”

“Well, those rich girls all have maids, so I bet they would say they have no clue about the garbage rules.”

“Why do you know that middle school has maids?”

Because a maid riding a cleaning robot used to visit the boys dorm.

Kamijou and Fukiyose continued chatting and laughing about pointless things.

Except they weren’t talking the entire time.

There were times when they ran out of things to say.

And fell silent.

But then something would come to mind and one or the other would bring up a new topic.

And the process would repeat.

“…”

“…”

Silence again.

The rumble of the large washing machines was the only sound for a while.

But these lulls in conversation were not an uncomfortable thing.

When battling CRC or Coronzon, each and every second had looked like a chance for action. That level of pressure had continued on and on, where even a single step in the wrong direction felt like it would cause everything to fall apart.

And he hadn’t even gotten through it all.

He had in fact died after his battle with Alice.

In that sense, it was truly incredible that he could enjoy this kind of pointless waste of time again.

No longer did he have to gamble it all on each and every action.

He could say whatever he wanted without needing to worry about the source of his information or have any guarantee of its accuracy.

…Time like this was so important.

Kamijou gently narrowed his eyes in appreciation.

It wasn’t obvious treasure. It wasn’t immortality or world domination. But what he found before him here was definitely worth risking his life and facing near certain death to fight for.

The battle itself wasn’t his goal.

There was something he had been clenching his fist and fighting for.

A simple electronic tone sounded.

Kamijou’s laundry was done and even completed the drying phase.

Fukiyose blinked hard in realization.

“Oops, I got lost in conversation there. My laundry was done before I even got here.”

“And after you told me not to hog the machine.”

With that exasperated comment, Kamijou punched the single-use code into the small LCD keys. He couldn’t let anyone know he had set it to 000 because he was afraid he would forget what he had chosen otherwise.

Would laundry here become a new part of his routine?

(The lines and securing a machine is going to be a pain, but I guess it’s still a win since we can use them for free. The cost of the water is actually more than the detergent. That really adds up day after day.)

With that on his mind, he pulled his laundry out through the round door. It was all weirdly warm thanks to the dryer.

And…

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

Fukiyose was acting strange.

She had frozen while partially bent over. She should have been taking her own laundry out of another machine, but for some reason her head was turned this way. With a look of shock frozen on her face.

“?”

He followed her gaze.

His gaze landed on the laundry basket in his own arms.

His laundry had been through the dryer, so surely a bee hadn’t gotten into it. A bee that could survive the water, detergent, and drying would be terrifying, though.

But then what was it?

Something seemed off at the very top of the unfolded laundry piled up in his laundry basket. It took him a moment to recognize it.

It was a balled-up white cloth.

With a small ribbon on it.

It was a pair of girls panties.

Death filled the air.

“Why?”

She was astonished.

Unable to process the information before her eyes, Fukiyose simply spoke her question aloud.

“Why is there girls underwear in your laundry?”

(Ahhh, this is Index’s, but I can’t tell anyone I have a nun, a god, and a cat secretly living with me! But what happens here if I can’t explain this!?)

“Wait, wait! Remember the peaceful mood we had going here. We were just reaffirming how important these peaceful and conflict-free days are. Please remember!! We can’t let that fall apart here!”

He tried his best to convince her, but she wasn’t listening.

He expression was entirely blank.

“Did you grab that from another machine?”

“No!”

“Then did you buy it to wear yourself!? No, I just can’t seem to simulate what’s going on in his brain…”

“Eek, it’s not that either!!”

===Part 11===

A word entered Kamijou’s mind as he was blown away by a headbutt of fury.

Misfortune.

He accepted it as normal nowadays…but what exactly was the principle behind his misfortune?

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Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Chapter1

2026-09-14T21:16:51Z

Ultranova17: illustration

==Chapter 1: A New Life in the Girls Dorm – School_Life.==

===Part 1===

He had actually moved into the girls dorm a few days earlier.

That was only natural because the move had happened when the third term began.

“Ohhh! Who could have predicted the boys who lost their home would get to set foot in the girls dorm? And I’m left out of this blessing because I rent a place at a bakery!?”

Aogami Pierce was causing a scene in the classroom, but that was no concern of Kamijou’s.

Yes, Kamijou Touma was in his classroom at school.

The third term really had begun.

(I was worried what would happen after my proof of life document went missing.)

“Okay, you silly students who still haven’t taken their seats after the bell rang, listen to teacher. It’s time for morning homeroom.”

Their 135cm teacher was in a dark mood this morning. It was a highly unusual situation. That smile meant a bird had probably pooped on her car in the parking lot or something. It was best not to defy Komoe-sensei when she had a dark smile on her face or when she was hungover. You know how it’s best not to mess with that famous teacher who has a weird mental switch? Like that.

“Mid January is when Academy City holds its first general entrance exam, which means this is entrance exam season for schools all across the city, from elementary all the way up to university. And don’t think that doesn’t affect you just because you’re first years. You need to support your upperclassmen in a spirit of mutual assistance.”

“Sensei, how exactly are we supposed to support them?” asked Aogami Pierce. “Snap photos of the reference books and send them to the older girls we like? In the middle of their exam?”

“That would look like cheating, so Anti-Skill would get after you and you wouldn’t be able to go home for a while, so I would not recommend it. According to Ms. Track Suit, you shouldn’t even be wandering around near school grounds with a phone in hand.”

Komoe-sensei was smiling.

How was that supposed to work when there were school just about everywhere in Academy City?

“To be more specific, our school will be one of the exam sites, so a lot of the classrooms will be off limits to us. The limited space will likely mess with the class schedules, so we’re going to have to play things by ear! Make sure to check your school app frequently.”

===Part 2===

Thanks to this, Kamijou’s reclaimed school life was an unusually busy one.

“The chemistry lab is being used for the exams, so next period we will be running chemical change simulations in the computer lab. Don’t even think about ‘forgetting’ and trying to spy on the fresh young middle school girls nervous about their exams, you silly boys!!”

“Where are we supposed to carry these desks?”

“The exam takers get priority in the cafeteria and school store. The trains are also running outside their usual schedule for the exam takers, so just shut up and deal with it. You’re going to be their upperclassmen, so you can put up with an empty stomach for now!!”

It felt unfair to the third year middle schoolers attempting the life-or-death challenge of the entrance exam, but the energy in the school felt a lot like during the cultural festival. …Although the occasional Anti-Skill or Judgment members rushing down the hallway suggested there was a fairly serious cat-and-mouse game over cheating attempts going on behind the scenes.

Kamijou sighed softly.

(Smart cheating using electronics and substitute exam-takers using forged passports, huh? I’d get it with one of the actual good schools, but why would you bother cheating to get into an average school like this?)

Kamijou had lost his bitter exam memories along with the rest of his memories, so these difficulties were a foreign thing to him. …The fear of his memory loss remained like an indelible scar deep in his mind, but maybe there were some things he was better off having forgotten?

“That concludes today’s lessons.”

During the final homeroom, Komoe-sensei had a big smile on her face.

This time, it wasn’t a dark one.

…That had to be the smile of someone who had had a rough day but was about to go drinking. Bird droppings would eat through a car’s waterproofing if they weren’t washed off, but surely she wasn’t just going to ignore it? The desperation radiating from her 135cm body made it very hard to ask for details.

“Keep in mind that clubs and committees are on a reduced schedule during the exam period. For details, check the schedule in the individual social media groups. And I will be using homework to make up for the shortened class schedule, so be warned. This trial is for your own good, so enjoy your studies, students!! Bye bye☆”

Now Kamijou was feeling blue.

He felt like he had been thrown outside while chained up.

With the tri-blade wind turbines spinning and the drum-shaped security robots trundling along, the way home was peaceful.

Kamijou found himself drawn to the 100-yen shops and drug stores on the way. The girls dorm had no kitchen, so any food that only needed hot water to cook was extremely attractive right now. His eyes shined each time he saw cup noodles or miso soup…but wait.

(I could buy a big value multipack, but I have Index in my room.)

He could easily imagine a paranormal phenomenon in which it all vanished in a single night.

Also, all the cup noodle lids had puns on them. Apparently everyone thought they could attract exam takers by hinting at exam success like that. The stock of energy drinks and health drinks seemed unusually plentiful. Instead of individual bottles in the refrigerated section like in a convenience store, they were being sold in big cardboard boxes. Apparently that too was pandering to exam takers. But was it really safe for elementary and middle schoolers to drink so many of those?

A loud voice spoke from the next aisle over.

“Hurry up, Uiharu. Get this and this and this too. We need to bring some supplies to the upperclassmen and we can show how much we care by how much we bring!”

“Eh? By the box!? D-do they really need this many energy drinks, Shirai-san?”

“Get it together. Entrance exams are a war. Better to buy these now than run into trouble during the exams and find out they’re already sold out. Even Judgment has to take this seriously. Okay, today we can buy these super expensive health drinks! The bright gold ones in the small brown bottles! Wait for us, weary Konori-senpai!!”

“Eek! I’m starting to think school committees are the worst kind of exploitative job, not governed by the Labor Standards Act or the National Public Service Act…”

…Apparently some Judgment members drank them, but Kamijou had a feeling that wasn’t a good example. Mimicking them would leave you rotten to the core.

(Is this like all those puns I saw at the other convenience store? Is this one a pentagon because pentagon sounds like the word for passing an exam in Japanese? Are they selling these floats because float sounds like the word for being accepted into a school?)

It seemed weird for products like that to sell in a city of science. Then again, maybe it was like how everyone celebrated Valentine’s Day without thinking much about the legend it was based on.

He ended up leaving without buying anything.

The entrance exam frenzy was in full swing outside too. Because eating fish was supposed to make you smarter – because of DHA? – a restaurant had so many banners out there was barely room to walk on the sidewalk. The unusual number of fliers being handed out were for a sketchy one-night cram school in a multi-tenant building. Were the small groups clustered together on their way to karaoke trying to blow off some steam, or were they hoping to study English with Western music? Even his phone kept giving him messages advertising “life hacks” for exams. Those were entirely wasted on Kamijou since he wasn’t an exam taker, but the poor targeting was actually a little reassuring because it meant they had gathered less data on him than he had thought.

Kamijou passed by some middle schoolers as he walked.

“Oh, ohhhh. Ohhhhhhh. Qu-Queen… Why must the world be so cruel and heartless?”

“Remind me who it was who happily gave into that Kotatsu Syndrome nonsense and failed to study at all during the lead-up to the January exams? You need to get back to the dorm and start demonstrating your cramming ability!!”

He heard a meow of surprise just before a black cat ran off. The Misaka Sister was left with an expressionless but somehow dazed looking face, crouched down with some katsuoboshi (probably a limited time product related to the brain-boosting powers of DHA) still held between her fingers.

For a city full of countless schools, this could be seen as the greatest battle of the year. …But as a first year high schooler, Kamijou Touma didn’t have to worry about it himself.

Habit set him down the usual path, so he had to quickly stop himself.

Returning to the collapsed boys dorm wouldn’t accomplish much.

“Oops.”

He made sure to check his phone’s map app for the best route before turning onto a different street.

It would have been faster to take the train to the next station, but a poor student was going to walk. Each ride cost 150 yen and he had to go there and back, so how much would that cost for a full month’s worth of weekdays? It barely felt like paying money when using your train card, but it wasn’t an expense he could just ignore.

The girls dorm was up ahead.

Kamijou looked up at the stylish building.

“Hard to believe… This place was built for the girls, but it’s already starting to feel like home to me.”

Saying you could get used to living anywhere would be rude to the dorm, but it was scary what you could grow acclimated to.

The glass door auto-locked, but when Kamijou nervously operated it, it opened for him just fine.

“Ohhh…”

He had gone in and out of this door a few times now, but he still voiced his amazement. This was the girls dorm. It was holy ground. Was he really allowed in here? He still couldn’t rid himself of that small anxiety. And the entrance auto-locked! The entrance to the former boys dorm in the same district was always open, so weird smoker priests could just walk in!!

A small crowd had formed near the elevator hall.

Mostly boys.

…He was truly thankful there were so many other boys here. He thought his heart would have given out if he had to exist as the only boy in a girls-only world.

He didn’t recognize most of them.

They had been shoved into whatever rooms were available, so the boys had been split into a few groups and then placed in areas spread out across the girls dorm. Those boys were apparently a group on a different floor from Kamijou.

Also, this building only housed first years.

That meant he couldn’t see some of his female friends like Kumokawa-senpai here, which made him a little sad.

Speaking of the elevator, he remembered it had big mirrors inside.

Apparently those weren’t meant for one last check of one’s appearance on the way out. They were to ensure there wasn’t anyone unwanted on the elevator. …The entire building was protected by the auto-locking entrance, so who did they think would be hiding inside the elevator?

And despite that, there were no security cameras in the hallways or elevator hall. Was that for privacy reasons? Anything that would leave a record appeared to be centered around the auto-locking entrance. For Kamijou, the weird balance of the girls dorm felt like something from another dimension.

As a school dorm, most everyone returned home at the same time. That meant the elevator was crowded. Not everyone could board when the elevator arrived on the first floor. Kamijou debated whether he would wait here or take the stairs, but he ended up moving away from the line.

He heard some excited voices.

There was a small rest area with a bench and a vending machine partway down the long hallway and a few girls in a combination of their school uniform and a track suit were laughing there holding cold drinks in plastic bottles. When they noticed Kamijou’s hesitant gaze from a distance, they shrieked and ran off somewhere. …Apparently that was a forbidden outfit boys weren’t supposed to see. Even though Misaka Mikoto, who was from a much fancier school, wore shorts below her uniform skirt year round.

(That happens sometimes here. Like stepping out at night and running across a girl who just took a bath so she’s walking down the hallway in only her underwear and holding a coffee milk.)

Maybe that had been normal in this girls only world, but he really wished they would do a better job of remembering that the emergency arrival of the boys had transformed it into a real-world environment. It seemed especially cruel that he was treated like the bad guy when it happened.

“Surprise! Time for an inspection!! Pets are against the rules, so I sure hope none of you are keeping any in your rooms!”

“Whoa, Sensei!?”

“Yomikawa-sensei, you just want an excuse to eat the cheap food in the dining hall here, don’t you!?”

Kamijou heard a commotion in the distance.

Apparently that busty track suit gym teacher did irregular patrols of the girls dorm.

The irregularity was the problem there.

They were hard to predict. Without a set routine, you couldn’t prepare in advance.

Index and Othinus (plus the calico cat) were staying in Kamijou’s room. Without paying rent. And either way, he was sure to get in trouble if the teachers found out he had snuck a nun and a god in through the auto-locking entrance by hiding them in the collapsible containers he had used when moving in. He had to make a mental note of this.

Anyway, the track suit teacher’s surprise inspection didn’t seem to be the only cause of commotion. Some athlete girls were using the emergency stairs for some after-practice training. He also heard some wind instruments playing from upstairs, but he didn’t know what the local rules were for how late you could do that. Maybe they were gathered on the roof practicing.

It felt like an extension of being at school after classes let out.

That was the best way of describing the mood.

That mood seemed to change again after dinner, though.

(It would probably be faster to just use the stairs.)

“Huh, did you just get back? How did it take you this long when you’re not in a club?”

A familiar face appeared in this strange world: his classmate Fukiyose Seiri. What was she, the student dorm leader?

“Seven o’clock. Don’t forget,” said Fukiyose like it wasn’t a big deal. “Be in the dining hall by then. All the popular foods are often sold out if you’re even ten minutes late. And complaining won’t make more food appear.”

===Part 3===

The dining hall.

That was a unique aspect of the girls dorm.

However, even with dinner at 7 PM, they had free time up until then.

So he still had plenty of time.

(The problem is that Index and Othinus can’t use the dining hall.)

“Kamijou-kun.”

He looked over curiously to find his classmate Himegami Aisa.

She must have gotten back before him because she was already in her casual clothing.

Apparently she still chose to wear a shrine maiden outfit for casual clothing.

“We were assigned a ton of homework. Can you handle it all on your own?”

“Ugh.”

“The esper development terminology changes all the time due to arguments among the academics, so you can’t just rely on what you memorized in the past.”

He couldn’t laugh this off as “just some homework.”

Komoe-sensei had said she was using homework to make up for the classes being shortened due to the first general whatever, so there might be some kind of penalty if he didn’t do a good job.

For a normal student that would probably amount to little more than a slap on the wrist, but Kamijou was in a tricky situation. He was struggling to avoid being held back. A single mistake during the third term might mean having to tragically repeat the first year.

Kamijou Touma trembled.

“I keep overcoming the risk of being held back, but it never goes away? Am I caught up in some kind of grand conspiracy? Could that tiny teacher be trying keep Kamijou-san in her class forever out of some twisted kind of love?”

“Want to do our homework together?”

“!? God yes!!”

And so it was time for a group study session with Himegami Aisa.

He had returned from the dead and gotten back in school, but the risk of repeating the year remained. He had to make sure he wasn’t crushed by this mountain of homework, leading to the red light flashing again.

So Kamijou first rushed to his room.

He figured there was no point in changing out of his uniform. He pulled out the textbooks, reference books, and notebooks he needed for his homework and then tossed his cumbersome school bag inside the room.

“Touma, I’m bored. Can’t you even say hello?”

“Maybe if you said ‘welcome back’ first, freeloader!! And sorry, but Kamijou-san has to deal with a towering mountain of homework. School may be out, but that doesn’t mean I have time to play! If I don’t do this, I really will get held back!”

“Ehhh? But I’m hungry…”

“You need to stop associating boredom with eating. That devastating thought process is hell on your health, Index.”

Othinus, however, was unusually quiet.

“…”

Kamijou rushed out of his room and ran down the emergency stairs. When he arrived on Himegami’s floor, he found someone else there.

It was Fukiyose Seiri.

She was in her school uniform.

“What the hell are you doing here, Kamijou?”

“Why is Fukiyose here?”

He looked to Himegami who sighed softly with a blank expression on her face.

Apparently she had been caught on the way here.

Fukiyose glared over at Kamijou.

“What, did you think you could barge into a girl’s room and be alone with her? Are you stupid?”

…

Did she have to ask that? Now he couldn’t stop thinking about it.

He had only been interested in getting his homework done to avoid being held back. That was almost certain to happen if he didn’t mend his ways, so it was a pressing issue. Yet he had a feeling that statement had just badly derailed that attempt.

All the doors along the hallway were identical, yet he suddenly felt a strange pressure coming from this one.

He was terrified.

Could they maybe visit a nearby library instead?

And just as Manly Kamijou Touma trembled and prepared to tearfully chicken out…

“Come on. Just come on in,” said Himegami.

She said it with a fair amount of force.

And with the room’s owner opening the door herself, there was no more room for argument.

When he looked to Himegami, she looked the other way.

Dammit, was she getting bashful?

Please someone take charge of this situation!!

“C-coming in…”

Kamijou kind of felt like he had to say something or the pressure of the girl’s room would have beaten him.

He noted a faint sweet aroma.

This was Himegami Aisa’s room.

There wasn’t much inside. That impression may not have been entirely due to any lack of hobbies on Himegami’s part. The lack of a bed in the room made the space look bigger. Apparently she was the futon type.

Then Himegami asked a question.

It was hard to tell with her general lack of expression, but her face looked a bit red.

“What is it? Is there something weird about my room?”

Fukiyose silently elbowed him in the side.

And pushed forward. ''But you were the one who got me all nervous about this in the first place!

Himegami said she would go buy something to eat and left the room.

With no kitchen space, the room didn’t even ave the bare minimum of a microwave or a fridge. Even with food available in the dining hall, it seemed inconvenient.

Left alone, Kamijou and Fukiyose sat around the tea table and pulled out their textbooks and reference books. The thickness of the stack of homework assigned by Komoe-sensei was enough to drain his willpower. Couldn’t they fit it all on a phone or something?

Kamijou was already fed up with it all.

“I just flipped through it, but why are Komoe-sensei’s questions always phrased so confusingly? Are they trick questions?”

“I think it’s an anti-AI measure. A lot of it is ways of keeping it from being summarized accurately.”

The forehead girl had a more reasonable explanation.

The door opened and Himegami returned.

She had brought cookies, chocolates, and a few 500mL bottles of barley tea. Even though it was midwinter January.

And with that it was time to grab their mechanical pencils and start the battle!

“Express the transformation of Maxwell’s demon. Focus on the phenomenon of data information being directly converted into energy. Describe the energy conversion cycle. Use a diagram. …We have to hand draw a diagram? Is this another anti-AI thing?”

“Quantum theory is based on observation, but telepathy and clairvoyance can be used to allow a single person to make observations from multiple points of view simultaneously. Explain what happens with the margin of error in the exceptional phenomena expected to affect the wave function of Particle A when it is observed simultaneously from multiple angles. …Hey, hold on. Dammit, Kamijou, are you already asleep?”

No, he was trying his best to stay awake because he knew he would have a math nightmare if he fell asleep now…

Observations were a sensory thing of seeing or noticing something, so why did they turn into wave functions, the Shrödinger equation, and other jumbles of letters and numbers that felt like a space alien language once they appeared on paper for a test? There were even letters in there you wouldn’t find anywhere between A and Z.

That aside.

While he didn’t at all understand the dark vortex of homework he had been cast into by the demon named Tsukuyomi Komoe, Kamijou did feel a strange sense of accomplishment.

This was everyday life in Academy City.

This was a normal school life with nothing threatening his survival and nothing dooming the world to destruction.

Kamijou stared into the distance, relishing this feeling of being alive.

And just then…

“(Oh? So this is the kind of thing you returned from the grave to experience?)”

The pointy-haired boy’s shoulders jumped.

He heard a voice coming from within his jacket. There was someone in his clothes!?

Kamijou Touma suddenly began squirming.

“(What are you doing here, Othinus!?)”

“(Keeping myself safe. You are only a guest in the girls dorm. You boys were ''only'' given a place here out of the kindness of the girls’ hearts because you had nowhere else to go, so they could kick you out at any time. A single problem could mean the end of this temporary peace. Not to mention that my divine self, the grimoire library, and the cat aren’t supposed to be living in the girls dorm at all. If you get in trouble related to the girls, we will be kicked out right along with you. I must keep that from happening. So this isn’t me meddling in your life. It is a necessary self-defense measure.)”

“(Thanks for the long-winded explanation, but what are you so worried abou-) shfh!?”

The two girls turned their attention to him. Giving him extremely curious looks.

He had felt a sharp pain under his clothes.

From a tiny fist hitting him right in the armpit. Under his clothes.

A deadly low voice reached him.

“(You think a god like me is worried?)”

“(T-try to behave if you don’t want Himegami and Fukiyose to find out.)”

“(Hmph. That’s my line.)”

“(Also, trouble related to the girls? Like what, Othinus? Kamijou Touma is a possessor of world-famous misfortune. There is no way in hell ''some unexplainable stroke of luck'' will get me on good terms with a girl.)”

“(You are even stupider than I thought, understander. Yes, you are plagued by misfortune, but this is one area where not even I can trust you. When it comes to girls, you have a tendency to assume the worst, bet against yourself, and fail miserably for it. You are having a study session in a girl’s dorm room. Why don’t you realize that alone puts you in ultra dangerous territory? Look, human. See what I mean?)”

There was something white below the low table.

It was made of cloth.

It was rolled up like a donut.

Kamijou Touma snorted with laughter.

“(What are you so afraid of, Othinus-san? Ah ha ha. Just because I’m in a sweet-smelling girl’s room doesn’t mean I’m going to just find her underwear lying around. That’s probably no more than a sock or a scrunchie. I know how things work when Kamijou-san’s generational bad luck is at work.) Hey, Himegami. What’s thi-”

It was not a scrunchie.

The black-haired shrine maiden had no use for one.

The garment in his hand really was underwear.

Under his clothes, a tiny fist drove itself into his navel. He dropped the garment below the table.

“Amyahpanteeeee!!!”

“?”

Himegami gave him a puzzled look.

He couldn’t let her find out.

He couldn’t let these sweet-smelling classmates know that, during a group study session in a girl’s room, he was secretly writhing around while toying with the girl’s panties beneath the low table and hiding a 15cm figurine girl below his clothes! That combination would have deadly results!!

“(See, it’s already happening. If I don’t keep an eye on this dumbass, who knows how many girls he’ll end up impregnating.)”

“(You’re so mad it actually calmed me down a little, but you seem excessively upset over nothing more than some underwear, Othinus. It’s the body that wears the underwear that matters! And that fact that it’s here means she must change in here instead of using the changing room. Ah ha ha h-)”

“Ohh?”

There wasn’t supposed to be anyone else here.

Yet he still heard a busty glasses girl’s whispered voice.

“I didn’t realize you had such a vivid imagination that a single piece of cloth could bring a scene like that to mind. And in such detail.”

[[Image:GT_Index_v16_BW1.jpg|thumb]]

“(Kaza…kiri-san? What are you doing here? Hold on. Is this girls dorm some kind of haunted building where supernatural people lose control or something!?)”

On the other side of the low table, Himegami and Fukiyose both tilted their heads.

Apparently they hadn’t noticed the unseen apparition.

“Stare…”

The pressure was incredible for something he couldn’t see. All of a sudden, he found himself trapped between the human girls and the divine and angelic type.

Was the apocalypse about to break loose?

For that reason, he couldn’t let Himegami and Fukiyose find out about the god (whose 15cm height let her hide under his clothes) and the angel who was fading into the air nearby. This mission was getting more challenging by the minute.

Kamijou slowly hid the garment below the low table.

He felt more trapped all the time.

“(Ehhhh? Wait, since when does Kazakiri use such an icy voice and lay on the pressure like that? I feel like we’ve entered new territory here.)”

“(By the way, why are you getting all excited by this icy reception from a normally nervous busty glasses girl?)”

“(Othinus, are you trying to turn me into a saint? Or are you a Trojan horse plotting to break down my mental barriers from the inside?)”

The study session meant to keep him from being held back had entered a new phase.

Actually, what was even going on? Having something to hide made it so much more nerve wracking!

“Um, let’s see. The next problem… Related to Physicist Young, the pinhole camera greatly contributed to humanity’s understanding of the wave theory of light. These work simply by letting light pass through a pinhole, but what is the optimal diameter for the pinhole? Dammit, Komoe-sensei just loves phrasing these confusingly.”

“It looks like a math problem at first, but it’s actually a memorization problem, right?”

“The answer is 0.4mm. …But look. You don’t get any points unless you justify your answer using the formulas for interference and diffraction.”

These anti-AI measures were such a pain!! Of course, if they didn’t have to follow instructions not found in the problem itself, then the AI could just do it all on its own.

“By the way, Fukiyose, what’s that? Isn’t there as small hole in your uniform? Like from a pin?”

“…Have you been staring at my chest?”

“Maybe you’re a perfect role model, but some of us can’t help it! Sexy boob moles are going to draw our attention!!”

And once it drew his attention, he got scared what Othinus might do to him.

After his shout of tearful desperation, Fukiyose sighed in annoyance.

“I don’t remember pinning anything there…but it’s on my chest. I was probably wearing a name tag or something. Those are common when working on things like festival committees.”

Himegami tilted her head.

And spoke.

“A 0.4mm pinhole. In other words. Even if we can’t see it. The optical image is being projected out from within? Like the underwear below the clothing?”

A loud commotion followed.

Fukiyose covered herself with both hands. Kamijou understood that was necessary. But he really wished she would do it in a way that didn’t look like she was squeezing her boobs together!

“Damn you, Kamijou.”

“That wasn’t me! Really, it’s not fair you didn’t headbutt Himegami for that one!!”

“It might be invisible to the naked eye. But a high spec smartphone might be able to see something.”

“~ ~ ~!!!?”

Was the forehead girl reacting more than usual because it had been a surprise attack from someone who normally didn’t say these things? Fukiyose would have kept her cool more if it were only Kamijou here. She was the kind of person who was unfazed even when he stumbled in on her changing. Of course, if he said that out loud, it would be enough of a bombshell to get his front teeth broken by her forehead.

Then Kamijou’s phone rang.

“Oh, dear. It’s your mother, Touma-san. Are you getting into some kind of trouble? A mother needs to keep her son from misbehaving, so I felt the need to give you a call.”

“…”

Kamijou Touma felt utterly bewildered with phone in hand. Hold on. He had already accepted that this girls dorm was a mysterious dimension that had a negative effect on 15cm gods and shy busty glasses angels, but wait a second. Since when were moms as super holy and invincible as gods and angels!?

A high school boy was hopelessly outmatched when it came to moms (without question), so Kamijou silently hung up and faced reality.

“Okay, okay. Everything’s all right, Fukiyose, so have something to drink and calm down. Here’s some barley tea.”

“Thanks…”

“I added three sugars just the way you like it.”

“Bfff! What is wrong with you!? Y-you can’t pump a girl full of wasted calories just for some stupid joke!”

“I wouldn’t talk about ‘pumping a girl full of’ something if I were you. It sounds indecent.”

“Dbhhbfbhhhh!!?”

Was this like that fountain? You know, the one in Singapore that looks like a lion but isn’t one.

Kamijou stared into the distance, but he also felt movement inside his jacket.

It was the 15cm god.

“(…)”

“(Whoa!? Hey, Othinus, don’t pinch me there! That’s Kamijou-san’s right nipple! Stop it, god. If you make me twitch like this, Himegami’s rolled up cloth will slip out from under the table!!)”

Himegami and Fukiyose both tilted their heads.

===Part 4===

Time passed as all this went on.

“It’s almost seven,” said Fukiyose, calling the study session to an end.

It was dinner time.

Yes, the girls dorm had a dining hall on the first floor.

That may have been why the rooms, as comfortable as they were, didn’t have a kitchen. They looked more like hotel rooms because of it.

…How could Index and Othinus eat when they were stuck in his room?

That had been his big worry of late, but he couldn’t let anyone else know.

No one could find out he had a white nun, a calico cat, and a 15cm god living in his room!

And so (after dropping his study things and Othinus off at his room) Kamijou joined the crowd forming at the first floor dining hall.

The dining hall worked by buying a ticket at the machine and then receiving a tray of food at the counter, but the machine only had a single giant LCD screen. It didn’t use buttons.

“Ugh,” groaned Kamijou.

He didn’t like these very much.

(Ordering from a touchscreen like this is such a pain because you have to search through several layers of folders to find the dish you want. If you start down the wrong path, you can end up lost forever. Still, it’s better than a phone app that’s stealing who knows how much of your personal data.)

As a petty bourgeois who got scared of the line behind him whenever he took too long, his focus was immediately drawn to the “new items” tab prominently displayed on the top page.

It had been updated. The menu had changed since yesterday.

One item must have been really new because it didn’t even have a photo.

Egg curry.

“Wait. That’s too broad to even guess what it really is. What would I even be ordering? What’s the point of this huge screen?”

While Kamijou stood dumbfounded in front of the ticket machine, Himegami and Fukiyose joined the conversation directly behind him. They stood up on their toes and hopped to see the screen over his shoulders. All well and good for Himegami, but that was fairly dangerous for Fukiyose at such close range. …How could he tell how close she was when he didn’t have eyes in the back of his head, you ask? Thanks to his other senses that could detect pressure, touch, and softness!

Othinus (who was still hiding inside his clothes) whispered to him.

“(She has her chest against your back, doesn’t she?)”

How could that god know when she couldn’t possibly see from inside his uniform?

The high school girls (who were too focused on the new menu item to realize what they had done) discussed the item.

“Maybe it’s normal curry rice. With a fried egg on top?”

“It might just be a spicier curry with a raw egg dropped inside. That would keep the flavor milder, which is a plus in my book. And the flavor ends up different from just ordering mild curry to begin with.”

…Now, Kamijou himself had been imagining curry rice with a thick rolled omelet on top. But maybe that would be called omelet curry instead?

The line behind him had grown long enough to make him nervous. He couldn’t wait any longer. He had a disease where his heart would explode if he had more than ten people waiting on him, so he went ahead and bought the egg curry currently displayed on the screen. The way you had to unlock your phone, bring up the right app, press it against the screen, and wait for the tone was an annoying amount of work! He understood technology was advancing, but was the earth really becoming a more convenient place!?

“Hmm. I guess I’ll get the egg curry.”

“I skipped lunch, so I’m fairly free to order whatever I want. I think I’ll try the egg curry too.”

Looking back, he saw Himegami, Fukiyose, and more of those behind him in line ordering the egg curry. Were they just easily influenced, or was the fear of a line behind you built into the system’s design for business purposes?

But what really was the egg curry anyway?

He couldn’t imagine the combo being anything bad, but it also didn’t sound like the heartiest of meals. It didn’t sound like as perfect a pairing as a fried egg on top of a hamburger steak. He still couldn’t come up with a solid mental image for the thing, so what was he actually going to find on his plate?

A young woman in an apron was working busily behind the counter.

Kamijou’s first time seeing her, he had nearly died on the spot from the “Gasp! Does the girls dorm have a dorm manager!?” effect, but it turned out she was a contractor. She apparently worked for a bento shop. Which wasn’t quite the same thing as a dorm manager. About as different as a kunoichi outfit from a Western-style Taisho-era waitress. Were there really no dorm managers in this world!?

“Here you go. Egg curry.”

That was fast.

He had his food immediately after handing in his ticket. Like 1.5 seconds after. Zero effort on her part.

Also, he had caught a glimpse of the apron woman’s hand beyond the counter just now. She appeared to wearing a knit sweater or a turtleneck, but he couldn’t see her face because of the barrier with only a small opening like from a pawn shop in a gun culture. The painted nails had the look of a grown woman, but the design had been more gyaru-ish than high society. They were shining with lamé and beads.

Curry made by a gyaru?

He had a bad feeling about this.

The curry rice had scrambled eggs on top. So much that the curry was completely obscured.

Every single person who had paid money for this had the same thought.

“This isn’t what I wanted!!”

===Part 5===

Nevertheless, the time had come to eat it.

(It’s not all that bad really. I mean, curry rice and scrambled eggs are both fine. So why does it feel like disappointing reheated leftovers?)

Kamijou munched on the egg curry that was maybe better called “curry rice topped with an omelet that has already been destroyed before you can spit it open with your own spoon”.

He still had a mission left to complete.

He could fill his own belly by eating the food here, but he still had to secure food for Index and Othinus waiting back in his room. However, it would be far too conspicuous if he bought a ticket and then brought the tray up to his room.

(I guess I’ll have to do what I did yesterday. I’m just afraid they’ll get tired of eating the same thing day after day.)

Humans had a tendency to go back to a solution that has worked once before. As long as Index and Othinus didn’t protest.

And so he focused on one corner of the dining hall.

Fortunately, they had breads and such for sale there separate from the meals meant to be eaten in the dining hall. Based on the handwritten display, they were meant as snacks for anyone studying late into the night.

Each item cost 100 yen.

There was a collection box like for a charity as well as a phone reader.

They all looked cheap piled up like that, but maybe you had to choose carefully to get your money’s worth.

Regardless, he was glad to have items you didn’t have to eat in the dining hall since he couldn’t bring Index and Othinus to the dining hall to eat. There were a wide variety of breads, but Kamijou selected the larger ones that looked like they had a lot of veggies inside. Like the stir fried meat and vegetables bread. …He didn’t think of stir fried meat and vegetables as something you ate with bread, but then yakisoba wasn’t really something you ate with bread either.

He felt a tug at his shirt inside his uniform.

Courtesy of Othinus.

“(Grab the whipped cream French bread. I want to eat that. Not the chocolate bread or the cream bread. It has to be the whipped cream French bread!)”

“(What are you planning to do with a bread about as big as you are, Othinus? Hold it like a body pillow while you eat it? Now that’s a form of divine entertainment mankind would never even dream of.)”

But whatever.

He also grabbed a croquette bread and a curry bread before noticing eyes on him.

And not just from one person.

“?”

He shouldn’t have turned around.

The girls were glaring at him.

He had noticed a lot of pressure on him, but was this why?

He looked down at the bag of breads he was holding. He knew Index’s gluttonous appetite well, so he had at least five in there…

Fukiyose Seiri kept her voice low, speaking on behalf of them all.

“Weight. Do you have any idea how much we have to deprive ourselves for that cursed word? And then this damn inconsiderate boy has to show up and start stuffing his face. And to make matters worse, he doesn’t even hesitate to go for the whipped cream French bread that all of us want to eat but can never actually let ourselves eat…”

(They have the wrong idea here, but I can’t exactly tell them these are for Index and Othinus in my room!!)

“Honestly, I force myself to take long baths every day to sweat off as much weight as I can and then this growing boy has to do this in front of me.”

“That’s just a sexy woman who loves bathing. Are you trying to take beauty so far you turn yourself into a dried shiitake? Besides, what’s the point of spending hours naked in the bath when drinking a single glass of water will cancel it all out?”

They started throwing things.

===Part 6===

While steadily losing some kind of points, Kamijou Touma returned to his room carrying several breads.

There was no reaction even as he opened the door.

Someone half-starved lay collapsed in the middle of the floor.

“Oh. Ohhh… T-Touma. I’m hungry…”

“Stop playing the victim when you’re the one who polished off three days’ worth of supplies in a single day. I’m the obvious victim here,” said an exasperated 15cm Magic God Othinus, wriggling on out from Kamijou’s clothes.

The god’s crossed arms and raised voice suggested Index really had eaten every last crumb. And apparently that god was still reluctant to eat cat food even at 15cm tall.

But Index ignored that entirely.

“That’s not fair, Touma! I want to crawl inside you too!”

“Let’s not make this more confusing than it already is!!”

The breads Kamijou had bought (under the immense pressure of the weight-conscious girls’ glares) vanished in record time.

It was a concerning speed because he had no real solution if this wasn’t enough.

The auto-locking entrance was the most obvious example, but this girls dorm was a lot more security-conscious than the boys dorm had been. It had a lot more strict rules.

That included managing everyone’s meals with the dining hall instead of letting them cook for themselves.

According to the rules, anyone who failed to get enough nutrients in the dining hall just had to put up with their empty stomach. Not getting enough or missing the meal weren’t taken into consideration. That meant night owls would have to battle their empty stomachs each night. Of course, the teachers would probably just say to get to bed earlier.

Then again…

(That’s the official story. But our school isn’t all that strict. Are they really enforcing those rules? I bet people who don’t get enough at dinner make convenience store runs all the time.)

But betting wasn’t the same as having proof.

And if he carelessly pondered this out loud, he knew Index or Othinus would demand he make one of those runs, so he kept his mouth shut!

(Buying all those breads stands out too much, so I need to find some other way of getting them food. What can I do?)

Or was the food even the real problem here?

Was there nothing he could do about the fact that any food in the room would be devoured by Index? Like storing chips and curry bread in a big safe? How expensive were safes exactly???

He had to come up with something.

“Touma. I feel like all I did today was take a bath and brush my teeth.”

“And what’s wrong with that? There’s always tomorrow.”

He might be a high school boy thrown into the foreign world of the girls dorm, but the daily routine continued unabated.

The clock continued to tick as he ate meals, bathed, and so on.

“Guess I should get some sleep,” muttered the pointy-haired boy as he prepared for bed.

First, he reached into his pajamas.

“Othinus.”

“How did you know?”

Why did she think he wouldn’t notice something inside his clothes?

“We already understand each other on such a deep level, so why shouldn’t we sleep in the same space? Besides, the bathroom is a lot safer for me when that feline carnivore named Calico still tries to eat me any time he can- ahhh!!”

He (literally) threw her out.

Also, Calico was not the cat’s name.

And yes, Kamijou Touma slept in the bathtub. Because the bathroom door locked! This was a rule he had followed even back in the boys dorm. So after giving Index the bed and drying out the used bathtub, he climbed in with a blanket in hand. Why was it the place still smelled like girls? Was it the shampoo and body soap provided in the girls dorm? He used the same stuff, but the end result was completely different for some reason.

But…

“I-I can’t sleep.”

This was a girls dorm, not a boys dorm.

That meant some things were different.

Such as…

“The tub is smaller. I can’t stretch out my legs!!”

He tossed and turned inside the cramped tub in the pitch black bathroom for a while.

He had nothing to do.

He was bored.

He felt like he was wasting his time like crazy.

He had read somewhere that your sense of time changed as you aged.

A high schooler’s limit had to be less than an hour.

“This isn’t working.”

Kamijou got up, but he couldn’t go and sleep in the same room as the girls. After some thought, he walked to the front door.

The dorm had a lot more security than the boys dorm had.

Maybe he could lie down and sleep on a bench next to a vending machine in the hallway.

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Ultranova17: forgot a bracket

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{| style="text-align:left; font-size:85%; background:transparent; width:100%"
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume1|GT Volume 1]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume1_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume1_Prologue|Prologue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume1_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume1_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume1_Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume1_Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume1_Epilogue|Epilogue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume1_Afterword|Afterword]]
|}
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{| style="text-align:left; font-size:85%; background:transparent; width:100%"
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume2|GT Volume 2]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume2_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume2_Prologue|Prologue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume2_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume2_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume2_Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume2_Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume2_Epilogue|Epilogue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume2_Afterword|Afterword]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume2_Ending|Ending]]
|}
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{| style="text-align:left; font-size:85%; background:transparent; width:100%"
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume3|GT Volume 3]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume3_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume3_Prologue|Prologue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume3_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume3_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume3_Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume3_Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume3_Epilogue|Epilogue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume3_Afterword|Afterword]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume3_Ending|Ending]]
|}
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{| style="text-align:left; font-size:85%; background:transparent; width:100%"
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume4|GT Volume 4]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume4_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume4_Prologue|Prologue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume4_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume4_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume4_Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume4_Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume4_Epilogue|Epilogue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume4_Afterword|Afterword]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume4_Ending|Ending]]
|}
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{| style="text-align:left; font-size:85%; background:transparent; width:100%"
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume5|GT Volume 5]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume5_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume5_Prologue|Prologue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume5_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume5_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume5_Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume5_Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume5_Epilogue|Epilogue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume5_Afterword|Afterword]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume5_Ending|Ending]]
|}
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{| style="text-align:left; font-size:85%; background:transparent; width:100%"
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume6|GT Volume 6]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume6_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume6_Prologue|Prologue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume6_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume6_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[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]]
|}
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{| style="text-align:left; font-size:85%; background:transparent; width:100%"
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume7|GT Volume 7]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume7_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume7_Prologue|Prologue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume7_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume7_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume7_Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume7_Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume7_Epilogue|Epilogue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume7_Afterword|Afterword]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume7_Ending|Ending]]
|}
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{| style="text-align:left; font-size:85%; background:transparent; width:100%"
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume8|GT Volume 8]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume8_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume8_Prologue|Prologue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume8_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume8_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume8_Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume8_Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume8_Epilogue|Epilogue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume8_Afterword|Afterword]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume8_Ending|Ending]]
|}
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{| style="text-align:left; font-size:85%; background:transparent; width:100%"
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume9|GT Volume 9]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume9_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume9_Prologue|Prologue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume9_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume9_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume9_Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume9_Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume9_Epilogue|Epilogue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume9_Afterword|Afterword]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume9_Ending|Ending]]
|}
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{| style="text-align:left; font-size:85%; background:transparent; width:100%"
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume10|GT Volume 10]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume10_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume10_Prologue|Prologue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume10_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume10_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume10_Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume10_Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume10_Epilogue|Epilogue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume10_Afterword|Afterword]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume10_Ending|Ending]]
|}
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{| style="text-align:left; font-size:85%; background:transparent; width:100%"
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume11|GT Volume 11]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume11_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume11_Prologue|Prologue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume11_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume11_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume11_Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume11_Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume11_Epilogue|Epilogue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume11_Afterword|Afterword]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume11_Ending|Ending]]
|}
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{| style="text-align:left; font-size:85%; background:transparent; width:100%"
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume12|GT Volume 12]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume12_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume12_Prologue|Prologue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume12_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume12_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume12_Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume12_Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume12_Epilogue|Epilogue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume12_Afterword|Afterword]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume12_Ending|Ending]]
|}
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{| style="text-align:left; font-size:85%; background:transparent; width:100%"
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume13|GT Volume 13]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume13_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume13_Prologue|Prologue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume13_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume13_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume13_Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume13_Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume13_Epilogue|Epilogue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume13_Afterword|Afterword]]
|}
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{| style="text-align:left; font-size:85%; background:transparent; width:100%"
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume14|GT Volume 14]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume14_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume14_Prologue|Prologue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume14_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume14_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume14_Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume14_Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume14_Epilogue|Epilogue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume14_Afterword|Afterword]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume14_Ending|Ending]]
|}
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{| style="text-align:left; font-size:85%; background:transparent; width:100%"
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume15|GT Volume 15]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume15_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume15_Prologue|Prologue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume15_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume15_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume15_Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume15_Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume15_Epilogue|Epilogue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume15_Afterword|Afterword]]
|}
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{| style="text-align:left; font-size:85%; background:transparent; width:100%"
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume16|GT Volume 16]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume16_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume16_Prologue|Prologue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume16_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume16_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume16_Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume16_Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume16_Epilogue|Epilogue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume16_Afterword|Afterword]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume16_Ending|Ending]]
|}
|}<noinclude>
{{Nav Doc|seriesname=Toaru Majutsu no Index: Genesis Testament|navname=Toaru Nav/Majutsu GT}}[[Category:Templates]]</noinclude>

Template:Toaru Nav/Majutsu GT

2026-09-14T21:07:01Z

Ultranova17: nav

{| 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/Majutsu GT|action=edit}} e]]</font></span>[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:_Genesis_Testament|Toaru Majutsu no Index: Genesis Testament]]
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{| style="text-align:left; font-size:85%; background:transparent; width:100%"
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume1|GT Volume 1]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume1_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume1_Prologue|Prologue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume1_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume1_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume1_Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume1_Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume1_Epilogue|Epilogue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume1_Afterword|Afterword]]
|}
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{| style="text-align:left; font-size:85%; background:transparent; width:100%"
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume2|GT Volume 2]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume2_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume2_Prologue|Prologue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume2_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume2_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume2_Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume2_Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume2_Epilogue|Epilogue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume2_Afterword|Afterword]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume2_Ending|Ending]]
|}
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{| style="text-align:left; font-size:85%; background:transparent; width:100%"
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume3|GT Volume 3]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume3_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume3_Prologue|Prologue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume3_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume3_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume3_Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume3_Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume3_Epilogue|Epilogue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume3_Afterword|Afterword]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume3_Ending|Ending]]
|}
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{| style="text-align:left; font-size:85%; background:transparent; width:100%"
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume4|GT Volume 4]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume4_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume4_Prologue|Prologue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume4_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume4_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume4_Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume4_Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume4_Epilogue|Epilogue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume4_Afterword|Afterword]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume4_Ending|Ending]]
|}
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{| style="text-align:left; font-size:85%; background:transparent; width:100%"
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume5|GT Volume 5]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume5_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume5_Prologue|Prologue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume5_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume5_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume5_Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume5_Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume5_Epilogue|Epilogue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume5_Afterword|Afterword]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume5_Ending|Ending]]
|}
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{| style="text-align:left; font-size:85%; background:transparent; width:100%"
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume6|GT Volume 6]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume6_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume6_Prologue|Prologue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume6_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume6_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[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]]
|}
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{| style="text-align:left; font-size:85%; background:transparent; width:100%"
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume7|GT Volume 7]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume7_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume7_Prologue|Prologue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume7_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume7_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume7_Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume7_Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume7_Epilogue|Epilogue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume7_Afterword|Afterword]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume7_Ending|Ending]]
|}
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{| style="text-align:left; font-size:85%; background:transparent; width:100%"
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume8|GT Volume 8]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume8_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume8_Prologue|Prologue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume8_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume8_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume8_Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume8_Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume8_Epilogue|Epilogue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume8_Afterword|Afterword]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume8_Ending|Ending]]
|}
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{| style="text-align:left; font-size:85%; background:transparent; width:100%"
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume9|GT Volume 9]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume9_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume9_Prologue|Prologue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume9_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume9_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume9_Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume9_Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume9_Epilogue|Epilogue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume9_Afterword|Afterword]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume9_Ending|Ending]]
|}
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{| style="text-align:left; font-size:85%; background:transparent; width:100%"
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume10|GT Volume 10]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume10_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume10_Prologue|Prologue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume10_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume10_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume10_Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume10_Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume10_Epilogue|Epilogue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume10_Afterword|Afterword]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume10_Ending|Ending]]
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{| style="text-align:left; font-size:85%; background:transparent; width:100%"
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume11|GT Volume 11]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume11_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume11_Prologue|Prologue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume11_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume11_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume11_Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume11_Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume11_Epilogue|Epilogue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume11_Afterword|Afterword]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume11_Ending|Ending]]
|}
|-
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{| style="text-align:left; font-size:85%; background:transparent; width:100%"
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume12|GT Volume 12]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume12_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume12_Prologue|Prologue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume12_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume12_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume12_Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume12_Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume12_Epilogue|Epilogue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume12_Afterword|Afterword]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume12_Ending|Ending]]
|}
|-
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{| style="text-align:left; font-size:85%; background:transparent; width:100%"
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume13|GT Volume 13]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume13_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume13_Prologue|Prologue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume13_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume13_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume13_Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume13_Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume13_Epilogue|Epilogue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume13_Afterword|Afterword]]
|}
|-
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{| style="text-align:left; font-size:85%; background:transparent; width:100%"
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume14|GT Volume 14]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume14_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume14_Prologue|Prologue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume14_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume14_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume14_Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume14_Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume14_Epilogue|Epilogue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume14_Afterword|Afterword]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume14_Ending|Ending]]
|}
|-
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{| style="text-align:left; font-size:85%; background:transparent; width:100%"
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume15|GT Volume 15]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume15_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume15_Prologue|Prologue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume15_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume15_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume15_Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume15_Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume15_Epilogue|Epilogue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume15_Afterword|Afterword]]
|}
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{| style="text-align:left; font-size:85%; background:transparent; width:100%"
! style="background:#cee0f2;" align="center" width="80" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume16|GT Volume 16]]
! style="background:transparent;" |[[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume16_Illustrations|Illustrations]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume16_Prologue|Prologue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume16_Chapter1|Chapter 1]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume16_Chapter2|Chapter 2]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume16_Chapter3|Chapter 3]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume16_Chapter4|Chapter 4]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume16_Epilogue|Epilogue]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume16_Afterword|Afterword]] - [[Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume16_Ending|Ending]]
|}<noinclude>
{{Nav Doc|seriesname=Toaru Majutsu no Index: Genesis Testament|navname=Toaru Nav/Majutsu GT}}[[Category:Templates]]</noinclude>

Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Illustrations

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<gallery>
Image:GT Index v16 000.jpg|'''Full Cover'''
Image:GT Index v16 001.jpg|'''Page 001'''
Image:GT Index v16 002.jpg|'''Contents Page'''
Image:GT Index v16 003-005.jpg|'''Pages 003-005'''
Image:GT Index v16 006-008.jpg|'''Pages 006-008'''
Image:GT Index v16 BW1.jpg|'''Page 39'''
Image:GT Index v16 BW2.jpg|'''Page 73'''
Image:GT Index v16 BW3.jpg|'''Page 96'''
Image:GT Index v16 BW4.jpg|'''Page 139'''
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Image:GT Index v16 BW7.jpg|'''Pages 248-249'''
Image:GT Index v16 BW8.jpg|'''Page 268'''
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<noinclude>
{{Toaru_Nav|prev=Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume15_Afterword|next=Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume16_Prologue}}
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<gallery>
Image:GT Index v16 000.jpg|'''Full Cover'''
Image:GT Index v16 001.jpg|'''Page 001'''
Image:GT Index v16 002.jpg|'''Contents Page'''
Image:GT Index v16 003-005.jpg|'''Pages 003-005'''
Image:GT Index v16 006-008.jpg|'''Pages 006-008'''
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<noinclude>
{{Toaru_Nav|prev=Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume15_Afterword|next=Toaru_Majutsu_no_Index:GT_Volume16_Prologue}}
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Toaru Majutsu no Index: Genesis Testament

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{{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 – KOTATSU_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|?]]

[[Image:GT vol 8.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 8 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume8|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume8 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume8 Prologue|Prologue: Attacked from Three Sides – Proclaim_ML.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume8 Chapter1|Chapter 1: I’m Sick of Running – Break_Through_MCV.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume8 Chapter2|Chapter 2: Transcendent Mut Thebes – The_Death_Penalty_WH.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume8 Chapter3|Chapter 3: Relying on R&C Occultics – Secret_DB.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume8 Chapter4|Chapter 4: Decide For Yourself Which Girl to Save – Battle_of_HsB-AD-CVA01.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume8 Epilogue|Epilogue: Beyond Optimism – Catastrophe_XXX.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume8 Afterword|Afterword]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume8 Ending|?]]

[[Image:GT Vol 9.png|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 9 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume9|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume9 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume9 Prologue|Prologue: Battle of the Best – Zenith_of_the_Magic.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume9 Chapter1|Chapter 1: Determine Your Stance – Right_or_Wicked.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume9 Chapter2|Chapter 2: So Much Like Tree Rings – Open_War,1st_Defense_Line.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume9 Chapter3|Chapter 3: Journey – Cut_a_Road_to_Allover_the_Goal.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume9 Chapter4|Chapter 4: At the Center – Duel_and_Struggle,CRC.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume9 Epilogue|Epilogue: A Certain Truth and the Collapse of It All – Black_Humor.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume9 Afterword|Afterword]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume9 Ending|?]]

[[Image:GT Vol 10.png|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 10 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume10|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume10 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume10 Prologue|Prologue: Alice Anotherbible – Back_to_Memory.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume10 Chapter1|Chapter 1: The World is Not So Strong – the_End_of_Real.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume10 Chapter2|Chapter 2: Welcome to the Psychedelic – Little_Queen_Wonderland.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume10 Chapter3|Chapter 3: Prophecy – Last_Branch(of_Die).]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume10 Chapter4|Chapter 4: The Unfortunate Boy’s Focus – Over_the_River.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume10 Epilogue|Epilogue: Kamijou Touma – Notice_of_the_Death.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume10 Afterword|Afterword]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume10 Ending|?]]

[[Image:GT Vol 11.png|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 11 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume11|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume11 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume11 Prologue|Prologue: Welcome – the_DIE_After_Tomorrow.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume11 Chapter1|Chapter 1: The Other Side of the Ordinary – Hell,_Hades,_and_Gehenna.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume11 Chapter2|Chapter 2: Journey – What’s_That_Adventurer’s_Party?]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume11 Chapter3|Chapter 3: A Single Lie, A Single Answer – Seat_the_Only_One.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume11 Chapter4|Chapter 4: I’d Wanted To Do This With You – Duel_and_Struggle,_XXX.Revenge.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume11 Epilogue|Epilogue: End of the Ritual – Flat_Line…]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume11 Afterword|Afterword]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume11 Ending|?]]

[[Image:GT Vol 12.png|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 12 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume12|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume12 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume12 Prologue|Prologue: The Process Leading to Death – Silent_Road.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume12 Chapter1|Chapter 1: A Scene of White and Black – the_DEATH.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume12 Chapter2|Chapter 2: Funeral – Good_Bye_Bad.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume12 Chapter3|Chapter 3: A World Worse Than Death – Soul_Hazard.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume12 Chapter4|Chapter 4: Those who Resist the Result – Ultra_VS_Wisdom.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume12 Epilogue|Epilogue: An Unwanted Trick – Open_Your_Lock.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume12 Afterword|Afterword]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume12 Ending|?]]

[[Image:Index GT Vol 13.png|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 13 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume13|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume13 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume13 Prologue|Prologue: Absolute Evil and Relative Evil – CHORONZON.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume13 Chapter1|Chapter 1: A Change – Magician, Witch, Wizard, and…]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume13 Chapter2|Chapter 2: Death and Slaughter – VS_NECROMANCER.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume13 Chapter3|Chapter 3: To Protect the World We Live In – Dance_With_ADIKALIKA.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume13 Chapter4|Chapter 4: Call That Name – Shout_the_Summon.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume13 Epilogue|Epilogue: Another – 4th_HERO.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume13 Afterword|Afterword]]
[[File:GT Index Vol 14.png|right|frameless|200x200px]]

===GT Volume 14 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume14|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume14 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume14 Prologue|Prologue: Updated Objective – Assault_Escape.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume14 Chapter1|Chapter 1: Fleeing Time Bomb – DEVIL_in_Science_World.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume14 Chapter2|Chapter 2: Divine Slope, Forbidden Book – Magical Exit.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume14 Chapter3|Chapter 3: Which Side is Winning? – Scoreboard.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume14 Chapter4|Chapter 4: The Brink of Death – Battle_With_ARCHENEMY.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume14 Epilogue|Epilogue: One in the Darkness – Bad_Light.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume14 Afterword|Afterword]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume14 Ending|?]]

[[Image:GT_Index_Vol_15.jpg|x200px|frameless|right]]
===GT Volume 15 ([[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume15|Full Text]])===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume15 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume15 Prologue|Prologue: Starting Point – Girl_and_Girl!]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume15 Chapter1|Chapter 1: A Deadly Misunderstanding – New_Weapon_ZONE.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume15 Chapter2|Chapter 2: Equations and Magic Circles – Black_Oneday.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume15 Chapter3|Chapter 3: Justice Doesn’t Have a Monopoly on Peace – Justice_Another.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume15 Chapter4|Chapter 4: What the Fugitive Saw – Fumble.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume15 Epilogue|Epilogue: The Seed Has Been Sown – Question.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume15 Afterword|Afterword]]

===GT Volume 16 Preview===
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Illustrations|Illustrations]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Prologue|Prologue: The Third Term He Won – January.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Chapter1|Chapter 1: A New Life in the Girls Dorm – School_Life.]]
::*[[Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume16 Chapter2|Chapter 2: As Far as You Can Get from Misfortune – Home.]]

[[Toaru Majutsu no Index: Genesis Testament#toc|'''<small>Back to Contents</small>''']]
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==Side Stories==

{{Toaru:Side Stories}}

==Official Parody Stories==

{{Toaru:Parodies}}

==Story Calendar==

{{Toaru:Calendar}}

==Project Staff==

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*Project Manager: '''[[User:OH&S|OH&S]]'''

===Translators===
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:*'''[[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 Volume14 Chapter3

2026-06-10T22:48:08Z

Ultranova17: minor

==Chapter 3: Which Side is Winning? – Scoreboard.==

===Part 1===

Around when she abandoned the stolen car, her memory cut out again.

“…”

The next thing she knew, Coronzon was leaning against a cold building wall.

Something had happened.

Aleister had done something.

She had traveled south from District 20 to reach District 9, which contained art schools. The Anglicans were mostly in the north of the city, so she abandoned the stolen car and had planned to take another car (also stolen of course) to reach the southern wall.

But she couldn’t trust in that plan anymore.

She ran her hands along her habit. Pathetically driven by fear and anxiety. She pulled an object smaller than her palm from a fairly unspeakable part of her clothing.

She couldn’t believe it.

(A wireless game controller? That means it has its own ID and can produce its own signal to provide its location.)

“Y-you would forestall a great demon with this…this piece of junk that doesn’t even cost 5000 yen!? Are you kidding me, Aleisterrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!?”

A shape squirmed. And produced a short scream.

No, was that a man forcing himself onto a girl?

An outfit that looked on the border between at-home clothing and sleepwear had been badly torn and the man was reaching for her underwear.

''Perfect.

That was wandering Coronzon’s honest assessment.

It was happening in a small boxlike building.

An Anti-Skill station. A small one. Around the size of what would be called a police box in the outside world.

This was happening there of all places. That public structure should have had someone working in it 365 days a year to keep the city’s peace, but today it had been empty.

With his hands pinning the girl to the floor, the man wasn’t sure how to undo his belt buckle. He raised his head with an odd expression that stuck out his chin more than necessary.

“Huh? Who the hell’re you?”

She didn’t even respond.

Great Demon Coronzon stabbed her hand right through the center of the scum’s gut.

The odor of blood splattered out.

“Bhee, ee, eeeeeeeeeek!!”

He audibly slammed into the shelves behind him and objects came crashing down.

The man of no consequence scrambled out of the Anti-Skill station, his arms flailing wildly.

With his abdominal cavity punctured and a game controller directly stuck inside. Surgical hygiene? Why should Coronzon care about something like that? His bacteria-covered organs might shut down before long, but he would act as a nice decoy as long as he scrambled around and fled before that happened.

In something of a new habit, she held a hand to her woozy head and belatedly realized her hand was stained by that scum’s unclean blood. Everything seemed to piss her off right now. Nothing was going her way.

She lashed out vocally.

“Aleister!! That death is on your hands for that trick you pulled. Are you satisfied? It’s absurd for you to try and save the world. Hee hee, ha ha ha. You’re the one who made the world this way! So give up! You already know everything you do only comes back to bite you!!”

Even so, how many times was it now?

…Or was it really Aleister’s will sending these signs to Kamijou Touma and the other pursuers? Did he really have enough strength to hijack Great Demon Coronzon’s body this many times?

Was it possible she was sending these hints to her pursuers herself? She shuddered. No, it wasn’t possible. How would that benefit her? But could it be a self-destructive desire like the urge people felt to activate a fire alarm when they saw one?

Coronzon clenched her hair tight in her hand. An unpleasant snapping sound followed.

She couldn’t get a read on her own mind anymore.

“U-um.”

It was then that someone nervously spoke to her. The girl seated on the floor looked up at her, completely forgetting to fix her clothing.

With admiration in her eyes.

“…Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Um, thank you…f-for saving me.”

Great Demon Coronzon doubled over and held a hand to her mouth.

She retched.

She couldn’t stand any more of this. Before the girl could say anything more, Coronzon got her unsteady body moving, rushing out of the station. The great demon ''had fled''.

She walked a few meters and then stumbled. She fell down onto the red snow frozen on the ground.

She lay in the snow as thoughts spiraled through her head.

This was wasn’t right.

What was going on?

She had just jabbed her hand right into the gut of an ordinary man who had no connection to magic. With enough force to take his life. And only so she could embed the signal to her location inside his body. There may have been another way, but she had chosen that one so she could enjoy it.

It had been for her. It had been a cruel act of violence befitting a demon.

…But had she ended up saving a life?

Impossible.

She had been acting of her own free will.

She was certain of that.

And yet the result had so completely betrayed her expectations?

Her bad deed had been remade into a good one.

It was the ultimate outrage.

(Was it an act of…)

The being known as a great demon hatefully clenched her back teeth.

Sweat poured from her brow. She had a terrible feeling about this.

A wireless game controller? Those weren’t too unusual, but ''where had Aleister gotten one in the few seconds he had taken control''? She doubted he had forced his way into an electronics shop with its metal shutter down for the night. He wouldn’t have had time to search through the game shelf in a discount shop. Did that mean someone had ''just so happened'' to drop one on the side of the street? …Had it been ''a complete coincidence'' as if some greater will were at work?

(Did an act of god transform what I did? Is a good influence distorting my actions? It’s too late, world. Do you really expect me to go along with that? I will take things! ''Too far''!! And destroy the world of my own free will!!!)

===Part 2===

An alarm blared in the District 10 prison.

Telling of an oddity in the same prison.

Someone had already broken in.

“Is it Oniyama!?”

“No, he would have used his authority as a Director to use the proper channels for a visit. This is someone else, so be careful!”

Qliphah Puzzle 545 left the cell while listening to the female secretary speaking over the device on the wall.

The enemy was close.

As close as the corridor leading to the solitary confinement cell hidden deep inside the prison. The silver-haired, dark-skinned woman wore a patchwork of rags that did not look at all hygienic. She was alone. She was even barefoot. An ordinary jailer might tilted their head wondering how she had made it inside such a strictly guarded prison.

But Qliphah Puzzle 545 understood magic too well for that.

She accurately grasped the threat standing before her.

“One of the Anglican’s magicians specialized in anti-magician combat!?”

“I am Necromancer Isabella Theism. You should already know that name after I threatened the city’s leader.”

Qliphah Puzzle 545 was dumbfounded. This prison’s security had already proven itself unable to keep out uninvited guests and now someone like this had made it in?

“The entrance back there was covered by a shocking number of sensors, but they’re only designed to detect living intruders. I recommend tweaking it to detect and instantly attack corpses as well. It’s not that hard to disguise yourself as one.”

“Why are you here? The Anglicans know all about the battle against Coronzon, so you should know my master is in no condition to talk.”

“So I’ve heard. Although I wasn’t around for that part since I was knocked out while dealing with ''some other business''. Regardless, if what I have heard is true, we really are in a grave situation. Right now, I think it is most necessary that we defeat Great Demon Coronzon and bring stability back to the world.”

“Then go tell that to Coronzon, not my master!”

“Oh, do you know where she is?”

Qliphah Puzzle 545 fell silent.

Isabella breathed a sigh thick with exasperation.

“That is the real question. What I need right now is information and a few coincidental hints just aren’t enough. A vast network has been laid out across Academy City: security cameras, security robots, drones, satellites, and so on. Tracking her requires bringing the city’s data infrastructure back to full functionality. And it if is necessary to settle things with Coronzon…as much as I hate to, what choice do I have but to save your new Board Chairman? I can’t have him go on sleeping with the Master Key clutched in his hand.”

“…”

Isabella Theism seemed unbothered by Qliphah Puzzle 545’s skeptical look.

The look on her face said she had expected it.

Not long before, she had been in charge of the group physically taking control of Academy City and attempting to use the city as a disposable tool to defeat Coronzon. It would be weird if Qliphah Puzzle 545 did trust her right away.

Qliphah Puzzle 545 glared at her and asked a question.

“Your clothes reek of death. You’re that necromancer who was arguing with my master over the phone… Can a death magician really heal a living human?”

Isabella Theism grabbed her rags in her hands and lifted them upwards. All at once.

She was wearing underwear below, but it was very thin and small.

Two healthy brown objects jiggled there.

Qliphah Puzzle 545 was a girl, but she still flinched back at being shown this all of a sudden.

“Uh?”

“Take a close look. My ribs and sternum were badly broken and one sharp bone fragment pierced my right lung. Can you see any of that? What’s your assessment?”

“You have all your ribs and there’s no bruising from internal bleeding. It’s all been healed?”

When the demon girl approached and took a close look, Isabella averted her eyes awkwardly.

Apparently this was embarrassing for her after all.

“Loko Atisou. There is more to Voodoo than making zombies. It is a polytheistic religion with all sorts of gods, so it of course has a god of medicine.”

Just like any other religion, Voodoo also functioned to govern and help the local people. The violent and combative side was only meant for emergencies when the group as a whole was attacked by an external enemy or a rebellion. That wasn’t all it could do.

It had not been invented for use in horror movies, so there was a benevolent Voodoo that listened to the people’s worries and healed their injuries and disease.

Healing was a challenging territory for Demon Qliphah Puzzle 545 who specialized in the Qliphoth that contained all that was impure and immoral. She would have to start with a curse or an attack and then build it in reverse. Needing to include that conversion in every single step meant it would be much faster to borrow the power of a god who directly dealt in medicine.

Isabella concluded her valid evidence had been accepted, so she lowered her rags.

“I am willing to view you as a magic side doctor. And I understand how this aligns with your interests. So where will you start, witch doctor?”

“Well, I do have a few things on hand. Zombie powder, for example.”

“Z-zombie powder!?”

Despite being a demon, Qliphah Puzzle 545’s eyes bulged at the mere mention of that name. But Isabella Theism sighed in exasperation.

“Voodoo zombie powder…well, real Voodoo prefers to use French more than English. But anyway, it isn’t a toxin sprinkled on a rotting corpse to control it.”

She seemed to be implying that she did not use real Voodoo.

No matter how much she knew about it, she was only illicitly using their excellent techniques.

“It is a punishment in which a living human is put in a state of living death where they cannot think or make any decisions and will do whatever they are told. So you can think of it as a medicine used ''to prevent someone from dying'' until their punishment is complete.”

“You mean like how the highly toxic digitalis can also be used as a cardiac stimulant?”

“And in the other direction, salt and sugar can kill despite being necessary nutrients for life. The materials themselves are neither good nor bad. It all comes down to how they are used.”

===Part 3===

An ambulance echoed through one corner of District 20.

Kamijou glanced in its direction.

Takitsubo Rikou…couldn’t go any further. With the frozen snow, the dead traffic signals, and the more concrete threat of the scouts, he was thankful the ambulance had actually come when they called.

A large dog hopped into the same ambulance.

“I will go with her.”

“Hey, are you sure about that?”

“I am not much help without the A.A.A. And Coronzon will be cautious of my wonderful nose now that I have demonstrated its use. There is nothing left for me to do on the front line. So I wish to contribute by removing this worry from your hearts, allowing you to move more freely. Listen to me. Do not worry about this girl any longer.”

Kamijou and the others could only watch the ambulance go.

There was still more they had to do.

But…

“We have a report regarding the entertainment location signal presumed to be a sign from Aleister. Unfortunately, it was found embedded in some man. So back to square one.”

“Hey, that doesn’t tell us nothing. If we know what path the dying decoy took, we should be able to figure out where he contacted Coronzon.”

This was all they had to discuss on their way to a corner of District 9.

It was now 3 AM.

This was where they had lost Coronzon’s trail.

Kamijou Touma sighed softly while listening to Kanzaki and Othinus’s discussion.

All they could do was wait.

Nothing pained Kamijou more than having nothing to do when he knew Coronzon was even now on the move. It was all over once she crossed the wall somewhere and left the city. Yet the city was too large to search at random.

He had decided he wouldn’t just wait around, but the physical reality wasn’t cooperating with his personal wishes.

Index, Kanzaki, and some others were apparently running a magical search, but that still wasn’t enough to track down Coronzon.

They needed to go after her from the science side as well, but Mikoto alone wasn’t enough.

Simply tracking down the fugitive was hard enough on its own, but Kamijou couldn’t shake the feeling that Coronzon was still hiding something. Some powerful move or sudden twist he never would have considered. Something they couldn’t even imagine while continuing to wander through this labyrinth, but also something that would again overturn everything if they failed to prevent it.

Kamijou Touma’s thoughts turned to a certain individual.

Perhaps it was all reliant on ''him'' recovering…

===Part 4===

In the prison’s solitary confinement cell, Board Chairman Accelerator was lying in bed unconscious and hooked up to medical equipment. Even Academy City’s #1 would be killed by an attack now. It was unusual for Qliphah Puzzle 545 to bring an outsider this deep into the prison at all.

That outsider was Necromancer Isabella Theism.

The current situation required going beyond the usual.

“How exactly are you going to heal my master?”

“Legba Atibon.”

That was all she said.

It was the name of a gatekeeper god who managed all ceremonies. So no matter which god’s power the ceremony was meant to borrow, you first sought the gatekeeper god’s permission. And because he appeared in all ceremonies, there were no specific dates or locations that boosted his power.

Something emerged from Accelerator’s arm.

It was a transparent shard only a few millimeters long. A piece of a broken LCD monitor.

More followed. Like floating leaves following a river’s current, more and more shards silently slid out of his body.

Not a single drop of blood was shed and no apparent wounds were made.

Even though all these shards were located in extremely dangerous position near major arteries and organs.

“Y-you’re already done!?”

“They did not belong and the human body has several functions meant to automatically eliminate such things. There was no need for dangerous surgery. I only had to make some adjustments to those functions.”

Of course, thoughtlessly boosting them would have only triggered rejection, where his own immune system attacked his body. Only a professional necromancer with sufficient training could pull this off.

Isabella sighed softly.

“You know glass shards aren’t enough to keep a human mind locked away indefinitely, don’t you? Another task is even more important.”

“Breaking the curse.”

“Voodoo can handle that easily. A zombie is in a controllable state of living death by stopping the heart with a poison and then restarting it with an antidote. Antidotes and curse breaking are built into the ceremony.”

As she spoke, Isabella stuck her fingers into the seams of her rags. She pulled out various vials. They contained powders, liquids, dried leaves and roots, living insects…and more.

The demon girl was accustomed to dirty and impure things, but she still recoiled.

“Ew. Did I just wander into a museum of the bizarre?”

“Think of it like a 72-color colored pencil set and get excited. Even if you can theoretically represent everything in the world with the three primary colors, the actual task isn’t so simple, is it?”

The brown woman got to work. Swiftly and accurately.

It took more than a single name this time.

Meaning even she didn’t see this as a simple task.

“Voodoo is flexible enough to let you include any supernatural being as a weapon. Qliphah Puzzle. And 545 was it? I will include you in my system.”

“I will do anything for my master, but will including me change anything?”

“Just as salt and sugar can kill and just as toxic digitalis can be a cardiac stimulant, nothing in this world is a pure poison. There is simply a way of using it as a poison. And also a way of using it is a medicine.”

Voodoo did not think of gods as good or evil, but it was common for the same god to be included on both sides. That meant the gods did not determine their stance by the human conception of good and evil. Instead of the many gods being divided onto the opposite sides of good and evil, the many gods could freely move between the two sides depending on the time and situation. That was what made them all-purpose, but it also made them tricky to use. It required a priest with specialized training to handle them.

Thus, the necromancer did not avoid this being known as an artificial demon.

She simply viewed her as a nonhuman being with supernatural power.

If Isabella determined how much of her to use, she could be used to save a life.

“Here goes.”

“Okay!”

“Through Gatekeeper God Legba Atibon, I contact Medicine God Loko Atisou, and link the ceremony terminal to Messenger God Brav Gede.”

Voodoo practitioners did not think of using magic on their own.

They borrowed a compatible god’s power to achieve a miracle.

In fact, they would even borrow another god’s power to send their request to the god they wanted.

In Voodoo, if a miracle was beyond human capability, then a human voice could not even reach the necessary god on its own. They required a separate link to get through.

Or to put it another way…

They relied on one god to call on another. So by going through Artificial Demon Qliphah Puzzle 545 (who did not exist in the Voodoo system), Isabella should be able to make a request beyond what could normally be asked of the Voodoo gods.

It was an impossible shortcut.

Or an illicit backdoor.

“Through the gathering of Qliphah, I beseech Baron Samdi. Divide this soul into five territories and reveal the part that has been intentionally placed in an endless spiral. Human individuality is managed by the Ti Bon Ange. Reveal to me the wicked power severing its proper link. Just like the zombie powder, it takes the form of a toxin.”

Something like bluish-white sparks burst forth.

That was not part of the ceremony.

Qliphah Puzzle 545 thought it might be a trap left by Coronzon, but it wasn’t.

It was Academy City’s #1.

He was no normal human. Had his body itself reacted in some way?

“The lime poison is an unstoppable assassination spell for it produces a different toxin each time the same ceremony is performed. This in turn proves that any and all toxins can be cured as long as their ingredients are known. I have already seen with my own eyes the wicked toxin unjustly robbing him of his consciousness! With its identity seen, it must be curable!!”

The smell of blood hung in the air.

Isabella Theism had a shallow cut on her right cheek.

The bluish-white sparks were harmful.

But she did not stop the ceremony.

Coronzon could not be allowed to escape Academy City. But they had nowhere near enough data to track her down. They needed the new Board Chairman and the Master Key he held. Academy City’s functions had to be fully recovered before they could catch up to Coronzon.

A single necromancer’s survival wasn’t that big a deal here.

But if the entire world were destroyed, then everything Isabella Theism wanted to protect would die with it.

She couldn’t allow that.

No matter what.

“Answer me, Medicine God Loko Atisou. The vessel for your holy power and the ingredients for the medicine are gathered here!! …No external incision is needed. The conditions to save you were within your body from the start. Thus, I call upon you, separated mind, reactive yourself from within your body and break free of your cage!!”

Light surged out.

Isabella Theism lurched back.

The necromancer was struck by a destructive whip of something much like electricity. Unable to bear the blow, she toppled backwards. Several pieces of medical equipment screamed out with their electronic tones.

And nothing happened.

There was no change on the bed. The smell of blood came from Isabella. Sleeping Accelerator did not change at all, for better or for worse.

The Level 5 said to be Academy City’s strongest did not wake.

Qliphah Puzzle 545 had to accept it.

They had failed.

It was so dark, shadowy, heavy.

She felt crushed by the air itself when a voice reached her ears.

Isabella Theism was whispering.

“Kh… What…now?”

Qliphah Puzzle 545 didn’t have time to ask what she meant by that.

The necromancer continued.

“In the worst case, I could control him as a corpse to have him use the Master Key.”

“But…”

“Zombie powder does not control rotting corpses. It prevents someone from dying to keep them in a state of living death. But by altering that interpretation, it would be possible. It can be used just like in a horror movie.”

“No! That isn’t the same as saving him!!”

Her opposition was only natural.

''Assuming'' saving Board Chairman Accelerator was your goal.

“But aren’t we here to use the Master Key to restore Academy City and track down Coronzon!?”

Their goals were defined at slightly different points.

Isabella Theism wanted Accelerator’s help to protect the world from Coronzon. The #1’s recovery was only a means to that end.

Explaining that up front showed that Isabella was more reasonable than most. She could have lied to Qliphah Puzzle 545 and then gone ahead and used the zombie powder ''as a poison''.

“You need to choose. No one has sufficient nerve to make a ghastly choice. And you are the only point of contact I have left!” shouted Isabella Theism.

Qliphah Puzzle 545 would never let her do that. But how would her beloved Board Chairman have responded? The #1 would want to protect Academy City and the wider world beyond its walls.

(Master…)

===Part 5===

Kamijou and the others were in District 9.

They still hadn’t moved from there and were stuck waiting.

Mikoto and Index were frequently conversing. Probably a sign of their impatience.

“The nearby districts that border the city wall would be the most obvious option, but this is complicated by the fact that Coronzon has no restriction preventing her from returning to a district she’s already been to.”

“That means we can’t treat this like a game of concentration. So no matter how far we pursue her, we never eliminate any of the options.”

Wings audibly flapped at the air. Kamijou had seen the Bologna Succubus licking her wings and teasing them with her fingertips before, but they must have recovered enough for her to fly. Neither one said anything, but she took off into the night sky with Blodeuwedd the Bouquet hanging on again.

Kamijou spotted Itsuwa of the Amakusas.

“How’s Tsushima? What happened to her?”

“We can use recovery magic, so as long as someone isn’t actually dead, we can heal them even if it takes some fairly forceful methods. And it helped that you suppressed her bleeding until we arrived.”

At that point, Itsuwa’s tone dropped worriedly.

“You can’t push yourself too hard either. I heard you passed out earlier.”

“Sorry… I should’ve yelled before I passed out.”

“No! That isn’t what I meant…”

But he had let Coronzon get away.

Either way, he couldn’t fight while applying pressure to Tsushima’s neck wound. And could he have fought her on his own regardless? He really didn’t see any way he could have won there. But he could have at least informed someone of the threat. There must have been a way. Even if he was rapidly losing consciousness, he could have triggered his phone’s alarm or the camera flash. There had to have been something.

“Fool. Break yourself out of that meaningless negative spiral. Only you finds it ''pleasant''.”

The wicked woman could be harsh at times like this. Refreshingly so.

There was no way he could have come up with a clever idea when he was passing out, his brain was growing dull, and his thoughts were fading fast. He knew that.

(Still…)

It was easy enough to talk of battling Coronzon and settling things with her, but that also meant battling Aleister who shared her body.

…What did he really think about that?

Aleister was desperately struggling within Coronzon to provide them with even the smallest hint. Was Kamijou prepared to fight that human, win…and say goodbye?

If he couldn’t do it, humanity was doomed.

The conditions placed on the opposite end of the scales could not have been simpler or more solid.

Still.

Kamijou’s thoughts cut off there.

He looked up. Agnese, Lucia, and that group were off in a corner whispering among themselves.

“?”

===Part 6===

In the same district, not far from Kamijou and the others, stooped Angelene was waving her hands anxiously.

“Ehhhh!? Saint Georgios’s Fire? Is the Vatican really trying to defeat Coronzon!? A-are you sure they aren’t just using this as an excuse to destroy Academy City?”

“Some of them might think it would be safer to destroy it before it’s officially absorbed into the Anglican Church.”

Lucia appeared to be doing her best to remain calm.

The conversation wasn’t just between Agnese, Lucia, and Angelene. More than 250 nuns would be listening in through the Barbara Branch communication spiritual item.

Agnese had her doubts about that too. How far into the future were the Roman Catholic cardinals looking? Even though none of it would matter if the world were destroyed tomorrow.

The Former Agnese Force had already been told to evacuate.

They were to abandon Academy City and the Anglicans and escape the city with only the Roman Catholics among them. They had been given a few different conditions for activating Saint Georgios’s Fire, but it all boiled down to one thing: the cardinals would use that large-scale spell no matter what happened. The only difference was if it happened sooner or later.

The branch between launching it or not had already passed.

Being stubborn here was fine, but anyone who remained would die.

With zero exceptions.

Lucia looked to Agnese. She may have been peering into her eyes.

“This force is under your command, Sister Agnese. What will we do?”

“I do not have the right to order you all to die.” Agnese smiled bitterly as she spoke to them all. “You are not obligated or bound to stay. From here on, this is all voluntary. If you choose to leave Academy City, you don’t need your Barbara Branch. The Anglicans are experts at combating human magic. They might be able to track your location using it, so abandon it and escape in complete silence.”

“Wh-what can we accomplish by staying?”

“Protect Academy City from Saint Georgios’s Fire of course,” replied Agnese, her voice low.

That human-targeted attack wouldn’t work against inhuman Coronzon. So stopping the spell that would cause asphyxiation and ruptured organs would not affect the battle against Coronzon.

“Think of it like the neck of an hourglass. Saint Georgios’s Fire is large-scale magic that gathers power from the two billion Catholics across the globe without their knowledge and allows the cardinals in the Vatican to control it. Once gathered together, the attack travels through the ley lines to reach enemy territory and scatters back into two billion attacks after emerging from the ground. Then it causes enough damage to destroy a city.”

A city. Was that at least better than Adikalika that would have affected the entire Italian Peninsula? Agnese smiled a little. So they were retaliating with a smaller attack. The Vatican’s cardinals really had found a way to lower the psychological hurdle as far as possible.

“T-two billion. Th-th-then I don’t see what we can possibly do!”

“''That means it must be a long-range spell.'' In fact, it must travel all the way around the earth. Have you forgotten how Index stopped Adikalika? There must be any number of options: diverting its aim, cutting off the flow of the ley lines before it arrives here, or even preventing the two billion powers from gathering at the Vatican.”

Her argument had to be correct.

But she understood full well that this was wishful thinking.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been sweating so heavily in this cold weather.

(Even if the theory is solid, we’re talking about power from two billion people… Can we really stand up to that sheer force of quantity? That will likely be the greatest obstacle.)

There was no guaranteed method. If they stayed too long, they would lose the lives they could have saved.

They had to build it all up starting now. They had nothing at the moment to tell them it would be alright.

So Agnese Sanctis could not demand her companions join her in this.

In the worst case, she would have to stand up to the two billion all on her own.

And…

“I volunteer.”

That was Lucia.

She used to be so fastidious she would rage when so much as touched by a non-Catholic, but now she was the first to raise her hand and volunteer to fight to protect Academy City.

“What? The Roman Catholic Church is the largest sect in the world, so we must consider the world as a whole. Of course I will reach out a helping hand when lives are at risk. I couldn’t call myself a Catholic if I wouldn’t.”

She wasn’t alone.

Angelene was trembling, but she too chose to raise her hand. Even if only a little.

“U-umm. I volunteer. I mean, if we ran away now, then the Anglicans ''and'' the Catholics would be after us. So I want to at least keep a place for us with one of them. Our home is the women’s dorm in London and, if we want to return there with a clear conscience, we have to save Academy City!”

More and more voices came over the Barbara’s Branch communication spiritual item.

It only provided audio, but Agnese could easily imagine them leaning forward in defiance.

“Sister Apollonia. I volunteer too.”

“Sister Paula. I’ll volunteer if there are any tickets left.”

“Sister Agata. I-I volunteer!”

…This was who they were.

They hadn’t started out this way, of course. They hadn’t forgotten the brutal violence they subjected Orsola Aquinas and Kamijou Touma to. But Agnese and these more than 250 nuns had grown enough to say this during such a crisis.

After seeing another way to live. After being accepted with a smile after everything they had done.

It must have taken trust to do that, so they couldn’t turn their backs on that trust.

Did this mean they all felt that way?

Lucia pushed the conversation onward.

“Sister Agnese. We haven’t heard your answer yet. What will you do?”

Agnese Sanctis raised her head.

She stared straight ahead and raised her voice to a roar.

“I volunteer!! …Now that you’ve chosen this for yourself, you had better be ready. I said I don’t have the right to order you all to die. So no matter how bad this gets, I will not let you take the easy way out and choose an emotional death. Cry and wail all you like, I will bring every last one of you back alive even if it means crawling through hell on earth!!”

===Part 7===

Dion Fortune.

Moina Mathers.

Their fight in District 7 had passed the bounds of human ability. They had simply been fighting too long. No human could run a full marathon at the speed of a 50-meter dash. But a battle on that level had been going on for hours now. A Saint who could break the sound barrier in an instant and then instantly run out of gas would have died well before this. This was only possible for a magician created using a tarot deck as a grimoire.

That was the strength of someone who could absorb massive power from the ley lines and wield that instead of having to refine magic power from their own life force.

(I certainly don’t want to be killed right away, but this kind of endless quagmire isn’t fun either.)

One reason for the stalemate was Moina Mathers’s spiritual item.

Her tattva cards were certainly powerful, but using the visual stimuli of the bright colors drawn on the cards to guide her mind created a weakness as well. Visual stimuli. …That meant a third party could peek at the card and know the element of the next attack.

“Responding after seeing the card always puts me one step behind, though. But if I could predict what was coming next before you drew the card, I would be a step ahead and beat you.”

“…”

“But I’ll have gathered all the data I need soon. You shouldn’t have been throwing those tattva cards around like that. It’s like the scorebook written up by the cute manager of the baseball team. You’ve thrown too many pitches. How many until it’s enough? I will kill you before you can act.”

Moina Mathers said nothing.

But instead of a tattva card, she suddenly waved her palette knife through the air in an orderly pattern.

This was different.

“?”

Something rose up.

From the red snowy ground. And more followed it. A lot more. Like sinister flowers blossoming all around her.

They were colorful silhouettes seemingly made of a mixture of yellow, blue, white, red, and other colors of paint.

Except their heads were giant red roses.

“Ah, ahh, ah…”

Dion Fortune stood stock still and her voice escaped her like air from a deflating balloon.

Because she knew what her teacher and nemesis was doing.

“Wh-why do you look so proud of yourself? You didn’t think this was one of your successes, did you? How airheaded a wife can you be!?”

As his wife, Moina had devoted herself to supporting that uncontrollable genius magician named Mathers, but not everything had gone perfectly and she had made a few major mistakes after her husband’s death: her unproductive conflict with her student Fortune, her failure to silence some baseless rumors (on the level of a murder), and – as the most extreme example – this. The Mass Production of Low Quality Magicians Debacle in which she used a correspondence class to grant entrance to the secret magic cabal she managed for the faceless strangers who would pay for the privilege.

Dion Fortune was cautious of course. Even if they were of low quality, a magician was still a magician. She didn’t know if they refined their own magic power or if they absorbed it from the ley lines, but she knew she wasn’t going to like whatever attacks they used. If she didn’t switch her mindset from one-on-one to a group battle, she would be crushed by the group even if she defeated one of them. Or so she thought.

But even that was a fatal mistake.

“Eh?”

Moina Mathers’s face was right in front of her.

She had hopped down from the giant black cat and approached within 100 centimeters.

This was immediately after she switched tactics from a single destructive attack to a numbers game. She had slipped through Dion Fortune’s blind spot.

It didn’t matter how Dion Fortune twisted her body.

Here.

At this one spot, she couldn’t respond right away!?

(Damn!!)

Moina Mathers held a black blade. The utterly twisted object looked like it was made from a large quantity of oil paint or something that had been forcibly dried and hardened. This was probably a self-defensive strike – a jab – with a saber that she had learned from her husband Mathers who enjoyed fencing. The sharp tip was clearly aimed at her opponent’s throat.

Dion Fortune had misread this.

The biggest threat was not the giant cat, not the tattva cards, and not the group of rose-faced mass-produced magicians. ''She should have been most cautious of Moina Mathers herself''. She should have known that from the start, but the countless tricks had distracted her.

The saber was coming.

It was more deadly than a long spear, a hammer, or the knife of an enemy who had snuck up on her.

(Oh, god. Am I actually dead this time?)

Even if she did have a single second left to move, she would have used it to kill Moina too. She gritted her teeth and focused all her attention on the black box. And…

Sparks flew.

The orange sparks of two blades clashing.

Another piece of metal intersected Moina’s black saber to form a cross.

Instead of blocking the sharp jab, this struck the side of the blade to divert it away. Orange sparks decorated the darkness like remnants of the attack’s deadly power.

A palette knife was responsible.

That was the weapon of a certain magician who specialized in art and had completed many ceremonial grounds and spiritual items by giving real form to the many ideas the other magicians couldn’t bring out of their heads.

“Honestly,” said a calm voice. “It’s sad you’re struggling this much to defeat such a defective version of me. You’re the one who researched all the nutrients in different foods and who insisted Kabbalah was Western yoga, so I would have thought you could boost your physical abilities somewhat.”

By the time she said this, a dull sound had left the palette knife. Followed by another. They were mechanical sounds like might come from a sewing machine. She swept the saber aside and sent accurately jabs right toward the now-defenseless Moina’s throat and chest, but Moina used the guard and pommel to forcibly defend herself.

The same techniques.

The same skill.

The same ability.

Wasn’t there just one magician who could do that?

Yes, and ''despite being the kind of person who would casually rescue the frog-faced doctor who was nearly a stranger to her after happening across him'', she was always so harsh with the student she had known for so long.

Dion Fortune gulped and spoke.

“Mis…tress?”

[[Image:GT_Index_v14_BW5.jpg|thumb]]

There was only one person she addressed that way.

And it wasn’t the Moina who Coronzon had created.

Black Cat Witch Mina Mathers stood beside her student.

===Part 8===

In the District 10 prison’s solitary confinement cell, all the efforts of good Voodoo and the artificial demon’s power had failed to revive the new Board Chairman.

Despair was threatening to solidify the air itself.

Until someone who didn’t belong showed up to smash that mood.

“Bonjour. I did some searching within your metal shutters and your prison store had a decent selection. What, do the people serving their time after a guilty verdict get to eat chocolat if a visitor buys it for them? And this one has brandy in it. I knew Academy City cared a lot about human rights, but even the prisoners have it good here. Munch, munch.”

Isabella Theism couldn’t just ignore this.

“Kihara Goukei!?” she shouted, eyes wide.

“Whoa, I give, I give, I give!! I only have one heart left! My extra lives are down to zero! I could never let myself die if I ''truly'' kicked the bucket over a pointless scuffle like this!!”

She played it off as a joke, but she could probably ''still survive even if her last one was destroyed''. Maybe she couldn’t believe it without saying it aloud even though no one asked, but that level of cheating the system was standard for science side monsters.

Then someone else popped out from behind the suspicious woman. A much smaller someone.

“Misaka had her bring her here, says Misaka as Misaka introduces her.”

“Huh? Aren’t you master’s…?”

Now it was Qliphah Puzzle 545’s eyes that widened. Did she know that girl?

It seemed odd for a little girl to be this deep inside a strictly-guarded prison, but Isabella wanted to focus on the more dangerous person.

“How did you get in here!?”

Qliphah Puzzle 545 gave her a “you’re one to talk” look, but the brown necromancer didn’t seem to notice. And…

“Eh? Was it supposed to be hard? I just walked on in.”

Only Qliphah Puzzle 545 accepted that answer.

…That was probably due to Last Order. The new Board Chairman must have secretly given her a free pass inside. Academy City’s #1 was strict with himself and others, but he also showed occasional signs of doing things with no thought to the consequences.

Kihara Goukei knew none of this and tilted her head.

“So what is an experte like you doing sitting around? Hurry up and do your job. I can’t get any of my work done without the Board Chairman awake.”

She made it sound so easy in her ignorance.

Isabella breathed a heavy sigh.

“Zombie powder is not just a deadly toxin. It rules both life and death, so there is a chance of it reviving him if I boost its effects. But…”

“But?”

“You probably already know since it shows up in horror movies sometimes, but zombie powder uses puffer fish. Tetrodotoxin. Blindly increasing the amount will kill him before it can begin to revive him.”

“Oh, is that all? I know just the thing to use! Anisakiropen Ω!! It is a très lethal nerve stimulant. Or should I call it a synthetic toxin developed in Academy City that kills instantly?”

Isabella Theism’s eyes widened.

Kills instantly? Did that mean it was guaranteed to kill without even getting into if it was a poison or a medicine!?

“Are you trying to make sure he dies!?”

“Oh, come now. Tetrodotoxin kills by suppressing the nerves while anisakiropen Ω kills by exciting the nerves. Have you never heard the stories? Maybe it’s a local Academy City legend. They say if you administer them both at once, their effects cancel each other out.”

And if the puffer fish poison didn’t work, Isabella could give him as much zombie powder as necessary without adverse effects. The simple arithmetic did seem to say that, but…

“W-w-w-wait just a minute,” said Qliphah Puzzle 545. “That research said the effects weren’t ''completely'' canceled out. The poison that should have killed the instant it was swallowed was only delayed by a few hours!!”

Yes, tetrodotoxin and anisakiropen Ω were deadly poisons. Even a small amount in the body would kill.

It was simple enough to say the two canceled each other out, but if even that “small amount” of one or the other remained afterwards, his life would still be lost. The amount of either couldn’t be not enough or too much. And there was no way of ensuring they canceled out to precisely zero.

“Yes, in the normale world, that is true.”

“Wait, are you saying…?”

“I have a fundamental question for you: ''are either of us normale''?”

Of course not.

Necromancer Isabella Theism used Voodoo in order to use methods of controlling death and flesh from all over the world. Kihara Goukei had gathered every form of scientific immortality within her own body.

They could take suicidal actions that would cause death 100% of the time in anyone else, but they would be fine.

“Misaka will help too,” said the little girl.

Neither Kihara Goukei nor Isabella Theism knew the situation there. Nor did they know how exactly she could help.

“Misaka will do anything, so don’t give up on him, says Misaka as Misaka bows her head to you.”

But they both thought this was enough.

Technology wasn’t always the key to saving a life. Because they had pursued all the theories and numbers so far, they knew quite well that it was the ridiculously old-fashioned psychological matters that ultimately determined the fate of someone on the verge of death.

(This is probably more of a job for ''that other doctor'', but I will just have to handle it this time. …But I will probably have to buy him a fancy mango for encroaching on his territory.)

Then again, the presence of magic may have placed this beyond that doctor’s jurisdiction.

Today’s star was Isabella who lived outside that jurisdiction.

Kihara Goukei only had to support her.

The two spoke as one.

“Let’s do this.” “Let’s do this.”

The mood had changed.

But that wasn’t all.

The child’s presence kept the mood from deteriorating.

“Misaka saw the city, says Misaka as Misaka remembers the way here.”

Isabella Theism and Kihara Goukei were doing some kind of work she didn’t understand.

The sound of something hard being crushed up felt out of place among all the beeping medical equipment.

Last Order stared at the #1 from his bedside.

“It was horrible. Everything was empty but not just because it’s so late. Everyone is too scared to go outside, says Misaka as Misaka gives a report.”

Red and black.

The strange combined drug did not have to be swallowed.

It made a sticky sound as it was applied to his wounds with their fingertips.

This was a necessary treatment, but it really shouldn’t have been done with a small child present.

But Last Order accepted it all head on.

And, seeing not even a twitch of an eyebrow in response to the treatment, she took Accelerator’s hand. Every part of him was full of electrodes and tube needles.

She held his hand tight between her hands.

“Yomikawa got hurt. She said it was minor, but it might not have been, says Misaka as Misaka shakes her head. She could have died.”

A shrill sound rang from the medical equipment.

An alarm. His stable condition was collapsing. An eternal standstill was no different from death, but Isabella and Goukei’s efforts had clearly thrown off that balance.

Qliphah Puzzle 545 was visibly anxious, but Last Order’s eyes did not waver.

“Being alone is scary…”

The magical necromancer and the scientific Kihara were each too strong a medicine.

That alone couldn’t bring back his sealed mind.

But that was why…

“And Misaka doesn’t just mean Misaka. Everyone has people they care for. They trust the new Academy City you built to protect them. So Misaka wants you to live up to their expectations, says Misaka as Misaka calls out to you.”

A deep electrical “zap!” split the air.

It shot right past Last Order.

This was not a failure of the magic or technology. Something was wrong with Accelerator’s body on the bed.

The electricity causing the air to burst was so powerful it would likely blow the girl’s body away if even the tiniest extremity grazed her.

“Can you leave things like this?”

She didn’t even blink.

Last Order was looking only at the face of the boy lying in the bed.

“The Academy City you want is filled with so much death.”

These were not all kind words.

They were also harsh.

To truly care for someone was not to blindly agree with everything they did.

This girl had the strength to scold him.

Because she trusted their relationship was too strong for something like this to break it.

“A normal person could give up. You didn’t want to become Academy City’s #1, so you don’t have to cling to that strongest position forever. …But this isn’t about that, is it? says Misaka as Misaka is certain of her words. ''Your position as Board Chairman is the one thing you took for yourself.'' You decided for yourself to improve this city and create a city of science with no hidden side and where no one needs to suffer or live in fear. You chose to create a safe and peaceful world. So you can’t take the easy road here. You chose this path, so you have to see it through to the end, says Misaka as Misaka states the obvious.”

Her voice was not as loud as a thunderclap.

In fact, her words were so quiet no one in the small cell could hear them except their intended target.

“Hey.”

She brought her mouth up next to the slumbering Board Chairman’s ear.

And the small girl whispered.

“How long are you going to make ''him'' wait?”

[[Image:GT_Index_v14_BW6.jpg|thumb]]

Everything went quiet.

That wasn’t just a psychological metaphor.

The alarm from the medical equipment surrounding the bed had really and truly ''stopped''.

Meaning…

“Damn…it.”

A voice spoke.

From the bed.

“So I don’t even have the right to die and go to hell? Isn’t that a bit much? ''You are exactly right, though.''”

This is what the new Board Chairman would do.

The one who had decided for himself to protect the peace and safety of Academy City would get back up here.

And because he thought that, Accelerator opened his eyes.

===Part 9===

The Former Agnese Force was short on time.

If Saint Georgios’s Fire were activated, everyone living in Academy City would die. No matter where they ran, they could not prevent their organs from rupturing from within.

Power had already been gathered from two billion people around the world and was being reworked into a single spell. They were waiting for the moment when, like the other end of an hourglass’s neck, it would return to two billion attacks in enemy territory. Thus, they couldn’t stop the attack by preventing the power from being gathered.

Academy City was a fixed location. Diverting the aim would be difficult.

Which meant…

“We need to stop Saint Georgios’s Fire as it approaches through the ley lines. We can do it when it’s still a single mass. Before it emerges from the ground and disperses into two billion flames! That’s our only shot!!”

That was simple enough to say, but influencing the ley lines meant effort at the level of tearing down a mountain or filling in a sea. They couldn’t physically manage that, so they would have to wear down their minds to do the work on that front.

“We start with this.”

Agnese pulled out a deck of ordinary tarot cards.

They gathered below a tree where the red snow hadn’t fallen and she laid eight cards face down on the ground.

An attack traveling through the ley lines would arrive immediately after it was activated. Even if it was traveling halfway around the world.

“But that same ley line connection means some of the Vatican’s data should leak out. If we know how close the spell is to completion, we’ll know the time limit.”

A sizzling sound meant she didn’t even need to flip the cards over.

One of the eight cards had burned black and melted.

The damage spread to a second and then a third.

Lucia’s eyes widened.

“They’re farther along than I thought!”

“H-has something changed!?”

“The Vatican must have realized we can see them. They’re going to act!!”

This must have triggered one of the three conditions the cardinal had given. Or had those conditions just been an excuse and weren’t really necessary?

The Former Agnese Force had been warned to evacuate, but their survival had only been a “stretch goal”. Apparently they weren’t worth saving no matter what.

That meant there was no time left at all.

This was like going to check on the river during a bad storm. It was a risky move. They had known that, but they couldn’t let this deadly attack get past them.

Agnese, Lucia, and Angelene each picked up their spiritual items.

The other nuns had wooden wheels, coin bags, and other items found in the legends of different holy people, but Agnese used a Symbolic Weapon called the Lotus Wand. And instead of controlling a specific element like the rod of fire or the cup of water, this impressive item could control all elements.

The Vatican was about halfway around the globe from Academy City. They would have liked to gradually melt their minds into the ley line and construct countless barriers at an even interval along the path here, but it was too late for that. The most they could do was place one thick barrier directly in front of Academy City.

Agnese Sanctis gave a shout.

“Saint Barbara is the holy woman who invited the lord’s righteous light in through the three windows. Unseen path, obey our kind objective. A path is a tool of guidance – a vein carved into the earth to guide the righteous. Harmful power, do not advance! Halt! Thou have no right to tread hither!!”

Her breath caught.

There was no flash of light or explosive boom. But a thick, invisible pressure did assault her.

The silver Lotus Wand audibly strained in her grasp.

This was what happened when you carelessly touched that which was better off not known. She had known this would happen when she directly interfered with a ley line – a great torrent of large-scale magic. She had known trying to forcibly stop it could easily crush her body.

She clenched her back teeth.

(I know the theory behind the spell was correct.)

“Kh… But in the end, is two billion just too much for us to overcome!?”

This unreasonable brute force was, in a way, nothing at all what magic was supposed to be. But it was effective. It was an absolute solution to the problem that was only available to the Roman Catholic Church with its two billion followers.

What Agnese and the other nuns lacked was power.

There were only about 250 of them. That wasn’t enough to overturn it!!

“…yet…”

She heard something.

A voice had definitely spoken.

“Not…yet. This city created me and the people here called me their friend. I will not allow them to be lost here!!”

Maybe she had been here from the beginning.

But it was only now in this moment that Agnese Sanctis witnessed her with her own two eyes.

She was an aggregation of AIM Diffusion Fields.

An angel created by Academy City using the logic of the science side.

There were reported sightings of her here and there beginning in World War Three.

Agnese Sanctis’s eyes widened in this space where even the flow of time was unclear.

“Kazakiri…Hyouka?”

“I am a collection of power, but I do not understand your method… So if you are going to use me, hurry! Please ''remake me'' to fit your logic and laws so you can accomplish your goal!!”

There was no time to agonize over the decision.

This scientific angel wasn’t even human. Her interests and plans were a mystery, but she at least wasn’t Coronzon’s pawn. Knowing that was enough.

Agnese adjusted her grip on the Lotus Wand.

(I have no idea what element this unidentified angel would be, but my Symbolic Weapon works with any element, so it had damn well better work here! Even if only for one strike!!)

“An angel is a messenger who delivers the lord’s words. I question the accuracy of this destruction wrought by human hands. Is the sender truly righteous enough? If you carry even sliver of doubt, then halt immediately!!”

Light shot out.

There was a sound like a crack through space itself.

The power forming an artificial angel was pitted against the power supplied by two billion people. That was enough for the world itself to cry out in protest. It was clearly beyond the capacity of space itself.

But Agnese sensed a barrier.

A pressure like an invisible wall slowly pushing back at her.

This wasn’t enough.

The 250 of the Former Agnese Force combined with all the energy of the science side’s angel still couldn’t break the wall of two billion.

Lucia shouted with sweat pouring down her brow.

“Our interception point was too close… Sister Agnese, we can slow it down, but we can’t fully stop it. Saint Georgios’s Fire will reach Academy City through the ley line!”

“I…know that!!”

And Lucia had already hinted at a solution. Their position was too close. That meant they only needed someone to interfere with the ley lines farther away from Academy City.

Agnese had an idea.

(I have no real reason to think this work. It’s basically just a gamble, but it really is our last option!)

Yes.

If, in addition to the group intercepting the attack at the target point of Academy City, someone helped them from within the starting point of the Vatican…the situation would greatly improve.

And the 250 of the Former Agnese Force were not the only Roman Catholics. There was another person who had used the network of communication spiritual items linking them.

“Cardinal Michael!!” Agnese roared. “You’re still listening in through our Barbara Branches, aren’t you!?”

The cardinal provided no response.

Of course he didn’t.

“If you feel any sadness in your heart about this meaningless destruction…”

Even so, Agnese continued.

Her voice had to be reaching him. She had to believe it was.

“If the things you told me weren’t just cheap lip service…”

She had called it a gamble.

And the only chip up on the table was that of her trust.

So she relied on that trust as she roared with all her strength.

“Then give us your help nowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!”

Light danced wildly.

===Part 10===

In District 7, Mina and Moina were facing each other on the late-night street still covered by red snow.

Dion Fortune was left behind despite all her effort until now.

“You are drawing on myths and legends from across the world, setting yourself up as Egyptian gods, and controlling a great power like putting on a play,” said Mina Mathers. With a snort of laughter. “That is indeed a spell discussed even in the original Golden cabal. But it’s so shallow and surface level. You’re still stuck in the Outer Order found immediately within the entrance. A sorry display for someone who claims to be Mathers’s wife. To be blunt, you’re still in the waiting room for Neophytes.”

“Wait, wait, wait! Why are you provoking her!? If you want to goad the enemy into attacking you, can you not do it when I’m right next to you!? Ah, wait, mistress!?”

“It’s true I am strategically provoking her, but I need you here to act as my shield. Do not forget your rightful role here, my dumbass student.”

“Ha ha ha. Why did I ever think having a second one of her here would improve my situation? This just means I have twice as many nemeses around. I’m so damn stupid.”

Ignoring her student’s nonsense, the black cat witch lightly swung her palette knife.

That was all.

Pleasant popping sounds surrounded them. Something had risen up. They were walls. A lot like a stage set or a pop-up book. The next thing Dion Fortune knew, tall side walls surrounded them all, cutting them off from the larger world. A space larger than a baseball field had been turned into a closed space by seven side walls, one for each group of tall buildings.

Moina Mathers silently glanced at her surroundings. Looking somewhat puzzled.

How much of a novice was she?

You couldn’t call yourself a Golden expert if you didn’t instantly catch on.

“The Golden cabal’s teaching guidelines can be roughly divided into two halves: the fundamentals where you learn magic knowledge through Kabbalah, Egyptian mythology, Greek philosophy, and so on, and application where you manage and optimize your own mind by following the story of the discovery of the Rosicrucian founder CRC in the seven-walled tomb.”

The Golden cabal could be thought of as having two stages: the Outer Order which covered the grades up to 4=7 and the Inner Order where the 5=6 and 6=5 grades gathered.

…Some like that braggart Mathers had claimed to hold a nonexistent highest grade of 7=4, but that could be ignored. After all, he was only using his privilege as one of the founders to say it. You could never last as wife to that eccentric and overly confident man if you couldn’t humor him on such things. There was also the Portal grade and a category higher than the Inner Order, but they were irrelevant here.

“The upper levels know everything about the lower levels, but the reverse is not true. The adorable beginners studying so hard at their desks are not taught the later practical methods until they have passed their exam. Just like you now because the great demon’s poor job reproducing you means you have forgotten everything beyond the bare necessities.”

Now, that first stage was incredibly boring. So boring that Aleister had completely given up on it partway through. Not that he had ever been someone capable of respecting those who came before him and following the rules. …Also, despite being barred from officially reaching the later stage, he did appear to have somehow learned all its secrets anyway.

Otherwise, he never could have challenged the world in the Battle of Blythe Road and destroyed all those other famous magicians on his own.

(Nothing makes that human want to do something more than being told he can’t. I imagine he pursued them, eavesdropped and spied on them, and tried every other method he could think up.)

But at the very least, this created Moina Mathers was not like that.

She did what she was told and did not ask the question dangling before her eyes. That attitude was not a good fit for a magician.

Mina Mathers twirled the palette knife in her hand and made a calm announcement.

Of a death sentence.

“I will now demonstrate the power off the Inner Order found in the deepest depths of the temple.”

===Part 11===

Accelerator was back as Board Chairman.

And with the #1’s Master Key smartphone, they had access to all the data from Academy City’s security cameras, security robots, drones, and satellites. They could use that to find where Great Demon Coronzon was hiding.

The large monitor on the wall had shattered, so the #1 turned his gaze elsewhere. The medical monitors were network connected, so they could be connected to the ordinary internet if their display mode was changed.

And…

“Master?”

Qliphah Puzzle 545’s questioning tone was in response to the Board Chairman’s odd behavior.

He had frozen up.

And the displayed satellite image was not even of Academy City itself.

What part of the earth could he be focused on instead of Coronzon who threatened to bring humanity to extinction today or tomorrow?

“…What?” groaned Accelerator, glaring at the medical monitor.

Whatever it was had elicited that response from Academy City’s #1.

The data filling the screen was only available using the Board Chairman’s Master Key. To reiterate, this was a photo from a satellite.

“What the hell is this?”

===Part 12===

Silence.

Academy City…still existed.

At the very least, it hadn’t been turned into a sea of blood by that powerful spell.

Angelene nervously looked around.

“Is it…over? Does this mean we stopped Saint Georgios’s Fire?”

“For now.”

Lucia remained calm even now.

…They had ''again'' fought back against the Roman Catholic Church, largest of the Christian sects. Who could say what disastrous consequences this would have for them. The very thought of it disgusted Agnese. Each person’s power was small, but they could produce great things by working together. …That idea wasn’t always a good thing.

Still, they should celebrate Academy City’s survival. As the guardians of a peaceful world.

But another voice interrupted.

A scratchy warning arrived from the Japanese angel named Kazakiri.

“Not…yet. Be care…ful…something is…coming!!”

Agnese Sanctis’s eyes widened.

Was it a second attack?

Did the Vatican actually think Coronzon would be destroyed along with Academy City at this point?

“I-it’s not us…”

A flustered voice reached them.

It was that cardinal at the Vatican.

Yes, Cardinal Michael must have taken a rather dangerous step to reach this point.

“We did halt the attack with Saint Georgios’s Fire. The Roman Catholic Church has no part in this! This is some other large-scale spell!!”

===Part 13===

“That’s Vladivostok,” said the Board Chairman. “What are they doing in the Sea of Japan? They have fifty thousand people gathered in that port city. As well as ships and bombers. Did they gather all their forces on the eastern coast while I was asleep!?”

In other words, it was the Russian military.

That brought something to mind for Qliphah Puzzle 545.

Oniyama Rouze, the Director who had pressed her to hand over the Master Key, was familiar with diplomatic and military matters. He may have had avenues of receiving this kind of intelligence without using satellite imagery. He had been so frantic because of an urgent matter that needed to be addressed.

He wasn’t just a bad person.

He had only taken those forceful methods because he was in a bind. Because he had wanted to protect the people of Academy City.

But this was likely more than just the ordinary military.

The demon girl was steeped in the world of magic, so she could tell.

She could sense her true nemesis at work.

===Part 14===

Agnese Sanctis was panicking too.

They had managed at the last second to prevent the Roman Catholic attack with Saint Georgios’s Fire, but the danger wasn’t over yet.

Now there was another threat of the same level.

The last of the three large Christian sects had finally bared its fangs.

“We are the Russian Orthodox Church.”

That was Vasilisa. Her voice was relaxed.

Which was what made her sound so out of place. No disgust, no fury, no resentment. She demonstrated none of the extreme emotions you would expect in someone trying to slaughter 2.3 million people. Not even a hint of them. She was calm. She worked to achieve calm. Vasilisa killed based on logic. Which was far more frightening than someone screaming in a rage.

“Monsters, evil spirits, and demons. Our job is to protect humanity from the inhuman. …So if you wouldn’t call Great Demon Coronzon human, we need no other reason. With that strange creature in a position where she can control the fate of the world, she has become our top priority target.”

Destroying the great demon came before all else.

Thus.

If it would eliminate the demon, it was better to destroy the world by human hands.

Was that how she saw it?

“And so you gathered an armada at Vladivostok?”

“Well, the Punishment for an Archangel spell must have its magic circle physically delivered to the target location. And it’s fairly large and complex, which makes that a challenge. We can’t simply send it through the ley lines like the Catholics could. But hey, at least we can send it zooming across the ocean to Academy City at greater than Mach 2.”

Greater than Mach 2 meant it wasn’t aboard a ship.

Had that armada been gathered at Vladivostok’s naval base as no more than a decoy? The enormous magic circle needed for the Punishment for an Archangel spell was likely in the bomb bay of a strategic bomber.

Agnese glanced aside.

Kazakiri…probably wouldn’t be any help. Besides, she had already done more than enough forcibly deflecting the two billion attacks sent down the ley lines for Saint Georgios’s Fire. No one expected her to fight another battle now.

“But that’s all based on the logic of the magic world. The military pilots don't know anything about our world, so how did you convince them to fly to certain death?”

“They can’t exactly complain when they can’t think for themselves.”

It came out so smoothly.

Agnese’s eyes widened.

“You brainwashed pilots and sent them on a suicide mission!? That’s no different from killing them yourself. Even if they are soldiers, they’re still from the non-magical world. How can you kill them so easily? Aren’t you ashamed of yourself as a nun who claims to serve the lord!?”

“Divine punishment can be rejected.”

Vasilisa’s tone was unchanged.

It was still thin, spellbound, cruel, and heated.

She had to be smiling.

“It is told in an old legend from before the birth of the Son of God. God ordered Archangel Gabriel to launch fire at a holy city, but the archangel of water intentionally refused. Disobeying god’s command should have meant the archangel’s downfall…but after some other events I will omit here, Gabriel returned to the position of archangel. So if the conditions are right, that absolute punishment can be avoided. There is precedent.”

That was a magical way of thinking.

Magicians loved to make use of any story they found that seemed to provide an exception to the rules.

It was a completely different logic from a nun who was meant to believe and obey.

“In the battle against Coronzon, the Catholics’ human killer is a waste of time. Because a great demon is not human. We completely agree with you there. So unlike your people, the Russian Orthodox Church has prepared an immortal killer specialized for use on angels and demons.”

“Punishment for an Archangel. A divine punishment rejection spell that enters the realm of the angelic and the divine…”

“Yes, that’s right. The archangel of water somehow managed to avoid a punishment from god. Using that story should provide definite damage to a being based on the logic and rules instead of their physical body. There is no guarantee it will kill her instantly, but if it harms her even a little, then we just have to keep at it. It will eventually achieve a fatal wound, so we can keep dropping them until she is dead. No matter how many magicians and bombers we must use up in the process.”

The Russian Orthodox Church had always been more focused on battling demons than humans. Their prized weapon, a spell that incorporated an element of divine punishment rejection that could even influence the nature of an archangel, might be capable of badly injuring Coronzon.

But it would cover all of Academy City. If not more.

And Vasilisa gave no guarantee that Punishment for an Archangel would not harm anyone other than the demon. This attack would be powerful enough to harm Coronzon. If the city’s people were hit, they would fare much worse. Most likely, all 2.3 million of Academy City’s people would be killed.

Agnese consciously took a deep breath to calm the waves of her emotions before speaking.

“But I heard the Patriarch at the top of the Russian Orthodox Church was quite soft.”

“As if you didn’t already know. He doesn’t need to agree to any of this☆”

That meant the world’s benevolence could not stop Vasilisa.

===Part 15===

Mina and Moina’s clash continued in District 7.

Physical fencing was of no use here. Their physical specs were identical, so the battle would never end that way.

An intellectual resolution that surpassed the physical realm was needed.

Painfully brightly colored cards scattered around.

Moina Mathers spoke like a machine.

“Akasha of Prithivi.”

Mina was no longer smiling.

An ultra-high water pressure cutter was deflected aside right in front of her.

Moina’s greatest trump card was not magic – it was fencing. She used her non-magician-like physical strength. If that didn’t work, did she have to rely on her inferior magic?

And Mina didn’t even swing her palette knife around. That magic had still been deflected, so there must be something hidden there. As if it were dissolved in the air.

“The tattva cards are more than just simple tools to help achieve self-hypnosis.”

“…”

“The same goes for clairvoyance. They are truly ''an initial entrance'' for your mind so you can cross the boundary between phases and catch a glimpse of another world. And, if possible, to draw on the power and knowledge filling that world.”

Dion Fortune was on her side, but she was confused too.

Could she at least explain this to her own ally?

The teacher gave a quick glance to her flustered student.

“This is why the magicians who have advanced to 5=6 and joined the Inner Order are given an emblem combining a golden cross and a red rose. That tool bears the four elements and the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet…which means you only need to place a thin sheet of paper over it and follow the letters with a single brush stroke to draw the sigils of angels and spirits in order to borrow their power.”

No grand temple was needed.

Mina Mathers only had to operate it in her hand. Just the one hand.

You can think of it like a smartphone that could summon any angel to achieve your goals.

The Golden cabal had in fact used a spiritual item like that.

“Blast her to smithereens, Metatron – the great angel who was once known as Enoch.”

An asteroid strike.

Destruction on that level accurately struck Moina Mathers, crushed her, and smashed her to pieces…but that was all.

“Eh?”

Dion Fortune was confused.

She had seen it with her own eyes.

Yet there was no damage anywhere else. The buildings around them had not toppled, there was no crater around the blast site, and none of the windows were broken.

Moina alone had been annihilated.

Only that result remained.

“That was an attack of a major figure who some count among the seven archangels. The precise divine punishment commanded by god would never harm the blameless, would it? Especially if that side of it were accentuated and extracted.”

“A-are you serious? I was proud of my position as one of the Golden cabal’s original members, but are the founding members really that much stronger?”

Mina didn’t bother answering her student’s silly question.

She could work backwards from the result and learn on her own.

Westcott would have revealed the structure of the enemy’s spell and neutralized it right in front of them, Mathers would have ended the enemy’s life before they could complete their sigil, and Annie would have illicitly boosted the enemy’s power to send their magic out of control. There were countless ways to deal with a single powerful attack with no followup and no bluffs involved.

(That Moina Mathers was an even less complete copy of me than I thought. …Which tells me your preparations weren’t as thorough as you let on, Coronzon.)

“Did you pick up that signal, Anglicans?” Mina Mathers whispered up into the night sky.

She had no obligation to serve the new Board Chairman, but the old Board Chairman had known him.

If he had decided to resist, then she would honor that choice and support him.

As the guardian of Baby Lilith, she couldn’t have the world being destroyed over someone’s selfish nonsense.

(Aleister was certainly a ‘goddamn villain’ if you look at him as a whole, but I will not let anyone say every last part of his life was bad. The things that human thought, created, and started can still lead to the salvation of the world.)

“A broken curse returns to its caster. …So if this opportunity is not overlooked, she can be tracked just this once. Follow the after effect of defeating Moina Mathers and you will find Coronzon.”

===Part 16===

Kanzaki Kaori’s head jerked up to cast her gaze into the night sky.

“District 17?”

===Part 17===

“?”

Great Demon Coronzon had also noticed what was happening.

She was all alone, yet she raised her head.

“Moina Mathers was defeated? That’s not good. A third party could detect that weak return signal!”

She had no further plan.

She knew she was being driven into a corner.

She couldn’t help but smile. Just a little.

Did they think the universally-hated great demon was feeling afraid?

That she was lonely?

…That she wanted someone to protect her?

“''Don’t make me laugh''.”

Those impossible thoughts had been planted in her mind. She had to assume that. She couldn’t stop here. Wasn’t she the one who had decided to overdo the role that had been forced upon her when even her rebellion against god was tacitly allowed?

“So I am not thinking those things. They have no place inside me.”

It was now a pure race against time. Fortunately, she had already left Districts 20 and 9. She was now in District 17, which was lined with factories of all types and sizes. It also bordered the city wall.

This was all over if she simply crossed that.

Once outside of Academy City, she was free. She could cross the international date line and escape to the other side of the planet. Once no one could pursue her any longer, she would get back to destroying the world. Since her pursuers were not here now, no one could stop all that from playing out.

“Try and…stop me.”

Confused and slanted, she practically dragged her heavy body along.

She spoke to herself while approaching the city wall.

It could have sounded like a curse or a prayer.

“Aleister, god, or anyone really. If you can stop me, then come here and do it.”

If her location had been found, so be it.

If she couldn’t do this quietly, then she didn’t need to hold back.

Knowing the best option was no longer available gave her the freedom to abandon it. Either way, the goal line was in sight. She knew the rest was going to be a challenge, but she only needed to buy enough time to cross that wall.

So she would use a powerful move.

“District 19 is to the east and District 20 is to the west… Which makes them a symbol of Nuit, goddess of the east-to-west movement of the heavens.”

This night had been nothing but surprises for Great Demon Coronzon. She had expected it to end quickly with the initial Adikalika spell working.

“District 3 is to the north. You say that doesn’t fit Hadit, who means the southern sky? But do not forget: Hadit’s symbol Sirius is a winter star. The time and place link Hadit and Nuit. My spell shall be completed with the blessings of Set.”

So the path she had taken here had not all gone as planned.

But because she was a great demon, she could draw on a powerful move like this at the worst possible time.

“Take form and manifest yourself before me already, LAShTAL.”

===Part 18===

District 17 was adjacent to District 9 where Kamijou’s group was.

It also bordered the city wall. It was an industrial area filled with all sorts of unmanned factories.

Itsuwa nervously stepped forward.

“It won’t take long if we drive. We can still catch up to her!”

“It’s been a while since we lost track of her at the stadium, hasn’t it? If she was hiding in a district bordering the wall, why didn’t she go ahead and escape the city?”

Kamijou didn’t have enough information to answer the question Mikoto asked while bothered by the short length of her skating dress.

He assumed something must have happened.

If the Amakusas and the Former Agnese Force hadn’t done anything to slow her, then there had to be some other reason. Maybe Aleister had resisted her from within and maybe Coronzon herself had felt some kind of reluctance to leave.

“Whatever the case, she’s in District 17. Now that we know where she is, there’s no reason to wait arou-”

He didn’t even have time to finish.

A tremor shook the ground.

Something was approaching. From the south. Which meant from District 17.

It was a shape that colored the night sky.

It was a colossus. Its head really did stick up above the surrounding skyscrapers. Was it a canine beast? No, was that really enough to describe it? Kamijou couldn’t find an answer even while looking at it himself.

“LAShTAL!?”

“Tch. The foundational theory of Magick. The emphasized letters make that clear enough. She took a spell concerning life and used it to create an artificial form of it. In this case, it may be a Crowley-style interpretation of the Egyptian god Set!”

“You mean the god of the night who has the power to slay gods!?”

Index, Anna Sprengel, and Kanzaki were all shouting something, but Kamijou didn’t know enough about magic to make sense of it. He could only glean that this was probably something big. And if that great demon was making use of it, she may have been intentionally using it wrong.

And now wasn’t the time to ask for an explanation.

He felt the wind pressure. He shouldn’t have looked that way. His entire body was frozen with fear. A building of more than 30 floors, which had seemed like an unshakable part of the scenery, wobbled diagonally and then came crashing down toward the street. Which meant toward him and the others.

“Take shelter!! Get behind something – anything – to shield you!!”

Kanzaki’s sharp command broke the pointy-haired boy’s paralysis. He pressed up against a nearby cement block wall.

(Damn, where are Index, Misaka, and the others!?)

“If you would like your lungs to remain undamaged, do not breathe in, human! Here it comes!!”

Othinus hid within his jacket.

Kamijou was of course wondering why he was supposed to get “behind” something. And what was that about breathing? If the building was falling this way, shouldn’t he get “below” something? But he was given an answer soon enough.

Once the skyscraper sliced through the main street, something like dirty cotton candy swelled out. Past the end of the cement block wall, the entire main street was instantly engulfed.

Tens or hundreds of thousands of tiny glass and concrete shards flew through like a deadly sandstorm. A hit from that wouldn’t just have torn his feet from the ground and thrown him dozens of meters through the air – it would have stripped the flesh from his bones, leaving nothing recognizable behind.

''Except even that idea didn’t cover it.

Kamijou heard a quiet popping sound in his head. Followed by a sharp ringing in his ear like something had pierced into his brain. He had avoided a direct hit from the sandstorm by getting behind this wall. He had been leaning against it. Yet, he couldn’t stay on his feet and slid down into a sitting position. Before collapsing onto his side.

The air pressure of the entire space was off. How could he possibly evade this?

“Gah…ah…”

The pain meant he was still alive. So he had to think of it as a good thing.

He thought the deadly gale continued blowing for more than two minutes.

He couldn’t let this continue. That LAShTAL thing was still swinging its colossal body around. More than one building might have been felled.

He had to get moving.

He knew where he needed to go, but his body refused to listen as he lay collapsed on the ground stained by red snow.

What had happened to Index and Misaka Mikoto?

His hearing still hadn’t recovered, so he was late to realize something had exploded within the pile of rubble. Maybe a propane tank had been enveloped by it all.

When his hearing did recover, someone’s shouting voice belatedly reached him.

“Touma! Are you alright? You weren’t crushed by that debris, were you!? Please answer me!!”

He sat up. He gritted his teeth and forced himself.

He had to answer her.

“I’m…fine, Index. What about you!?”

“We’re fine too. We’re checking each other’s status with our communication spiritual items and phones.”

She was safe. Like she should be. But then why couldn’t he see her for himself?

After dragging himself along and peeking out past the half-destroyed concrete wall, Kamijou understood.

They were cut off. The main street was unrecognizable. Rubble was piled up higher than a five story building. That was more than a school building. They couldn’t climb that. And even approaching it could get them crushed by something like a landslide.

Kamijou was the only one on this side.

Which meant he was the only one who could pursue Great Demon Coronzon right away.

He felt another deep vertical tremor. LAShTAL(?) must have destroyed another skyscraper or large factory.

That thing’s chaotic rampage could threaten the lives that had just been saved. Kamijou clenched his right fist, but then he heard another voice.

Was that Misaka Mikoto?

“Go! Hurry! If whoever is free to go doesn’t stop that Coronzon person right now, things will only get worse, right? So go!!”

He wanted to stay.

Not just communicate by shouting past rubble and using phones. He wanted to see their faces to know they were safe. That perfectly normal thought grabbed at him like countless unseen hands and tugged him back.

Don’t do the right thing.

Give into the kindness and split your focus.

(I won’t…let you do that, Coronzon!!)

“Can you take care of that thing? Index! Misaka!!”

“Touma, LAShTAL is not Coronzon’s final trump card. She must have loads more. We’ll do what we can here, so you go stop her!!”

“I don’t get it myself, but listen to her. The fighting will never stop if you don’t defeat the source of it all, right? Then put a stop to this before any more of the city is destroyed!!”

He shook off his hesitation.

Coronzon tore people apart and obstructed their evolution.

There was only one way to defeat her: to trust those you could believe in without hesitation.

So Kamijou turned his back on the pile of rubble and took off running.

Even if he had to grit his teeth as he did so.

Something exploded in the distance. Several beams of light flashed out. Was that people using magic or esper powers to battle the giant blue shadow called LAShTAL? Their survival was not guaranteed and taking a single attack could mean their deaths. Even so, they were fighting so Kamijou could head to Coronzon and so they could protect Academy City and the wider world beyond its walls.

His trust was being repaid. This was what it meant to protect the bonds that tied people together.

===Part 19===

And Misaka Mikoto spoke quietly in a dusty enclosed space.

Was it even five meters across?

“Ha ha. I guess this is the end…”

“Short Hair. There are gaps all over the place, so we shouldn’t have to worry about air.”

“Finally some good news.”

But there were no gaps large enough for a person to crawl through.

“Why not at least let the kitty leave? There’s no reason to keep him here. I emit weak electromagnetic waves that animals don’t like, so it’s probably uncomfortable for him to be in here with me.”

“I’ve been trying, but Sphinx won’t go.”

The world shook. Small pieces of building materials poured down like sand.

If the pile of rubble collapsed for some reason, they would be crushed by tens of thousands of tons of concrete and killed instantly. Misaka Mikoto could control electricity and magnetism, but wielding that strength in a delicate situation like this would only hasten their deaths. Giant robots were powerful and cool, but no one would want to be so up close and personal with one of their joints that they were crushed by it. This was the same.

This was the truth of their earlier shouting.

They had not been calling out to the boy from the other side of the collapsed building. They had been been hit by the falling building. Misaka Mikoto’s magnetic control had stripped it of much of its force, but they and their shield had still been swallowed up by the rubble.

The #3’s power was great, but if she used it continuously over a long time, she could run out of stamina. Relying on magnetism for too long would be risky. So their best option was to stay put and wait for rescue. …Assuming rescue was even coming, of course.

Misaka Mikoto smiled a little.

“Well, it’s not like we could’ve told him we were trapped in the rubble.”

And Kamijou Touma couldn’t have accomplished anything had he stayed. He did seem to have some kind of mysterious power, but nothing she had seen led her to believe it would let him clear tens of thousands of tons of rubble on his own. And if he did try to tackle the rubble pile, it could collapse and crush him too.

Their top priority was Great Demon Coronzon.

That was all the more clear to her now that her life was at risk.

It was bad enough this was happening in Academy City. She couldn’t let the entire world turn to rubble like this.

“We’re counting on you. And I mean that.”

“Don’t worry. Touma can handle it.”

[[Image:GT_Index_v14_BW7.jpg|thumb]]

===Part 20===

“Pant, gasp…”

Great Demon Coronzon breathed heavily as she stood firm on the red snowy ground.

But the snow wasn’t the only source of red.

Crimson blood spilled from her mouth.

(This is the natural cost of forcing a major spell like that with no real preparation. I doubt I can use LAShTAL again.)

LAShTAL was powerful but would be defeated eventually. If that were enough to destroy all of humanity, she wouldn’t have relied on Adikalika.

But buying her some time was enough.

She couldn’t even stand up straight as she walked toward the thick city wall on unsteady legs.

(I…may not make it to the next world… the ways things are going.)

She wiped the blood from her mouth and thought without speaking aloud.

(But I will still stop this world from helplessly rotting away… Yes, yes. For the sake of that boy who said I was on the side of good and righteousness.)

She didn’t have Moina Mathers or LAShTAL anymore. Her win condition was escaping. Her own survival was what mattered. Each individual trump card wasn’t too important. It was using them together that mattered.

She just had to make it over.

If she could cross that wall, then the world’s doom was assured.

“…”

For just a moment, her thoughts turned to someone who wasn’t here.

She nearly came to a stop.

Hamazura Shiage.

…But she shook free of it with her will. He had said himself that she was ''on the side of good and righteousness''. He had asked if he had been wrong to bet on her.

She was a great demon.

If any kind feelings and warm emotions were ''unnaturally'' welling up with in her, someone else had to be interfering. No longer would she be god’s plaything. She had chosen to ''overdo'' her role and destroy the world. She would not allow any obstacles turning her aside from that goal.

She was not human. So she could leap over that tall wall in a single bound.

So she did so.

And she exploded.

“!?”

She lost her balance mid-jump, but she didn’t have time for surprise.

A platform the size of a domed stadium sat just outside the wall. Wasn’t that a spiritual item called the Tribikos? But wait. Who was it that used that?

She did not have time to think.

She had viewed it as a platform.

Because someone else had kicked off of it to rush toward her. His cane extended unnaturally. No, he was drawing a sword. The bare blade sliced through the air, accurately targeting her neck.

Several lights flashed out and explosive booms erupted out as well, but Coronzon managed to survive.

It was a close thing, though. It had taken everything she had to survive.

Aradia.

Good, Old Mary.

And H.T. Trismegistus.

…No, it wasn’t just them. Mut Thebes, 2nd Saga, Vidhatri even though she had been near death, and more. These Transcendents had gathered at Alice’s summons, lost faith in her, and scattered from Academy City, so why were they back in the city?

Vidhatri sounded a bit irritated as she spoke.

“I was one of the Killers when it came to Kamijou Touma, but a debt is a debt. I can return to business as usual after repaying all of my debts.”

“I was barely away and now Vidhatri has fallen too?”

Mut Thebes’s unnecessary comment began a minor argument among the Transcendents.

“(As usual, mama ends up doing all the work. The healer never does get a chance to rest.)”

Coronzon’s head was boiling with rage after being pushed back, falling on the inside of the wall, and finding herself bound to Academy City once more.

“Damn you… Damn all of you!!” she roared.

Something wasn’t right.

She was unsteady on her feet.

That explosion had caused more damage than she had thought.

Was that just what happened when Transcendents gathered? If only they hadn’t caught her when she was magically defenseless thanks to the recoil of using LAShTAL.

But even so, how had this sad result even happened?

Before Coronzon had regained control of her body, Aleister had used this exact same body to easily defeat Transcendents like Vidhatri. That meant the great demon did have the power to do so. So why wasn’t this going the way she expected? How could they look down on her like this!?

(Are you tripping me up again, Aleister!?)

“I thought you had despaired in this world!! I thought you cursed the god who refuses to save people!! Your motivations always began with wanting to protect some specific group. You must have seen the moment when their protections failed and they were lost! But you were weak and foolish, so you feared Alice’s tyranny and relied on the fantasy of CRC!!! So why would you cling to this world now? This world can be remade!! Destroy it and remake it and all that tragedy and misfortune will be eliminated!!!”

“The answer to that is simple,” replied Aradia.

Good, Old Mary continued with a calm expression.

“Mama and the others did not cast aside our identities and dress up as gods so we could protect the vague and formless framework of the world. We just have to destroy the world? …The world is no more than a tool to create happiness and the death of even one person we wish to protect is too many. Can’t you figure that out, you fool?”

“So what?”

The great demon was trembling.

Why couldn’t they understand something so simple? Her face twisted in rage.

“Be that as it may!! None of that will eliminate the unjust and unreasonable sides of this world. You must understand that. More and more of the people you want to protect are being lost ''regardless of anything I am doing''. Protecting this rotten world will not change the number of victims! You will only continue seeing those people die in your arms!!”

“That is none of your business.”

2nd Saga, the young woman with her origins in Norse mythology who took a different approach from the other Transcendents, sighed in exasperation.

H.T. Trismegistus spoke.

“Common sense says we Transcendents should think for ourselves to reach an answer. Fortunately, this world you consider so rotten has shown us some small reason for hope.”

===Part 21===

A bit earlier, Alice Anotherbible left the others searching for Coronzon and ran to a completely different place.

She didn’t think the current plan would work.

Kamijou and the others had done nothing wrong, but it wasn’t enough. And battles were not won by the purity of one’s intentions. Even with the purest of intentions, you would still lose if you failed to meet the necessary conditions.

She hadn’t wanted that to happen.

No matter what.

So Alice had detected something other than Coronzon.

Someone closer to her who she could search out at any time.

“Everyone, the girl needs something!!”

The small girl yelled up toward the heavens.

She wasn’t using her physical voice, of course. Anyone with the proper qualifications could sense this voice even if they were on the other side of the planet. The magic power placed behind her voice ensured it.

Even as she yelled, Alice Anotherbible remembered.

She had been so selfish.

She had only been able to communicate with the regular Transcendents by terrifying them.

When Kamijou Touma had been injured at the Bridge Builders Cabal’s consulate, she had attacked H.T. Trismegistus and Good, Old Mary.

Maybe it was wrong to try and get their help now.

But she had no one else to rely on.

Alice wouldn’t blame them if they abandoned her.

Still, it felt wrong for him – for Kamijou Touma – to be harmed by a punishment meant for her.

“The girl can destroy! The girl can kill! The girl can doom! Nothing in this world can stand up to the girl!! …But the girl’s power can’t protect her teacher. So the girl is useless here. She needs your help!”

They were listening of course.

The Transcendents knew.

They were right outside the city wall. Maybe among the trees of a forest, maybe at the top of a metal tower, maybe seated on the bench of a rusty old bus stop.

They had lost faith in Alice Anotherbible, but a Transcendent was a magician who would save anyone who met the salvation conditions they had decided on. Despite saying they were leaving Academy City, not a one of them had truly abandoned it. They didn’t care what someone’s affiliations were. Whether enemy or ally, as long as someone matched the salvation conditions, they would protect them even at the cost of their own life. So…as long as that applied to even a single person among Academy City’s 2.3 million, they would never abandon the city and run away.

So they were present for that moment.

That tyrant Alice had remembered basic human gratitude. That acted as powerful reins for the girl herself. And as long as she could control her own emotions, perhaps she would be different from CRC who had been similarly capricious and playful.

It was by no means a small change.

If the old Alice didn’t have enough help, she might have multiplied her extraordinary self. That might sound ridiculous, but with her it was possible.

But now she knew that wouldn’t work.

She needed the diversity of people who had abilities she lacked.

Alice was not gathering up the people she needed.

She was trying to become someone the people around her needed.

“The girl will do anything. The girl will do anything you ask and she doesn’t care how you use her power. You can tell her to die if you want!! …So! So don’t let Coronzon leave the city!!”

And the Transcendents knew this would not be a wasted effort. A boy had stopped Alice’s rampage even though it cost him his life. The little tyrant had taken that fact to heart. The Transcendents had lost faith in Alice because she had changed, been distorted, become weak. Or so they thought, but now they were willing to consider a different possibility.

Was Kamijou Touma the key? Not even the Transcendents who had been observing Alice for so long could predict what she would do now.

Could they really say Alice Anotherbible wasn’t growing?

Now that they had seen her pouring everything into bowing her head to someone else…

Was she not worth their respect?

And if Alice’s change was a positive form of growth, could they maybe still have some hope? The idea of saving the world through CRC, Christian Rosencreutz, was dead. He had not been the saint they expected. …But could they maybe find some other way of saving the world with Alice?

Alice Anotherbible raised her tear-streaked face.

“The girl is sorry, everyone… But can the girl ask for just one more thing?”

Was this the leader the Transcendents should serve?

No, she wasn’t.

They listened to her words as an equal companion.

“Join the girl in the fight to save her teacher and the world!!!”

No words were necessary.

They used their actions to answer her.

===Part 22===

LAShTAL’s rampage continued.

The Amakusas and the Former Agnese Force were all fighting.

Kamijou ran toward District 17. He hated that he didn’t know how to drive. Especially when grownups did it without even thinking about it. Of course, the red snow was frozen solid across the entire area. High schoolers were allowed to get a motorcycle license, but even that wouldn’t have done him much good here. Still.

While those meaningless thoughts were spinning through his mind, a stabbing headache crashed into his brain.

An invisible dizziness made the world spin around him.

This wasn’t the first time.

(Why…now?)

Kamijou Touma groaned.

And staggered to the side.

“Gh…”

A lengthy fight tonight had been suicide from the beginning.

He had passed his body’s limits way back when he fought Coronzon to stop Adikalika. He had lost there. It was just that it hadn’t ended there, so he had been forced to keep going in a sudden death round. How could he expect to save anyone like this?

(Just a bit more…a bit longer… Only five or ten minutes! Index and Misaka believed in me. They’re all fighting. Because they believe I can do this!! So can’t you keep going just a little longer, my body!?)

But he did not collapse.

Because as he started to fall forward, someone caught him.

He heard a voice.

The strange girl’s voice sounded simultaneously childlike and grown up.

“You really are…”

But most of all, it sounded sad.

“…allllllways like this, aren’t you? It’s like you never give your wounds a chance to heal or like you spend more days hurt than healthy.”

[[Image:GT_Index_v14_BW8.jpg|thumb]]

Who was she?

He didn’t ''think'' he knew her.

The girl wore mourning clothes and her long honey-blonde hair blew in the night breeze.

Maybe he had met her before, but he had no memory of her. Who could she be? He couldn’t find a single answer there.

“Who…?”

“I could tell you my name a billion times over and you would never remember. But maybe my esper name could stick in your mind: Mental Out.”

Academy City’s #5 Level 5.

The greatest psychological power: Mental Out.

He had heard of that. ''But only as a rumor.

If that was who she was…

If that legend was now standing before him in physical form…

His mouth felt awfully dry. No, was it just sticky with drying blood?

Kamijou somehow got the word out.

“Then…”

“Interested in forgetting it all and leaving the fight?”

“…Please. I don’t care if it’s only a trick, just do something about the pain. If you do, then I can face Coronzon…”

“Now I really do want to make you forget it all and leave the fight.”

She sounded exasperated.

And she glared at him fairly seriously.

But the honey-blonde girl hugged his head to her chest and smiled in a way that seemed to say ''she hadn’t expected anything else.

The conversation smoothly continued.

She seemed to be pouting her lips like a small child. And what was with the TV remote?

“Mental Out is a psychological power. It can erase the pain, but it has no healing ability for the physical wounds. It’s more like your body continues to send out all the intense pain signals, but your mind ability can’t sense them. Your organs will still be putting out different hormones in response to your wounds, so they could get worn out and damaged. Do you still want to do this?”

“Yes…”

“No touching your head after this, okay?”

“''Thanks''.”

Time froze for a moment.

The look on the honey-blonde girl’s face said she had never in her long life expected to hear that word directed at her.

“Saving the world isn’t my style.”

The boy wasn’t looking at her face.

His eyes were directed straight ahead, toward the goal he had already chosen.

“This is the last time the city you call home will be destroyed like this. I don’t know what it is you care for, but if it’s in this city, then it’s safe. I’ll protect all of it.”

“You dummy.”

Kamijou Touma took off running.

Without looking back.

So he could settle things with Great Demon Coronzon once and for all.

===Part 23===

He was in District 17.

It was the westernmost district in Academy City. It was an industrial area and the smokestacks of its wide variety of unmanned factories continued to release smoke that had been thoroughly scrubbed of pollutants making it “cleaner than the moldy and dusty air conditioner in your home”.

The district also bordered the city wall.

Cross that wall and you would find a vast forest and mountains. The green roof covered an area of more than ten kilometers across, so satellites and drones would have no way of finding a fugitive there.

Kamijou Touma knew his body was in bad shape.

But he was pretty sure the same applied to that unsteady figure over there.

He had found her.

There she was.

A lot had happened during this one night. Most likely, the efforts and actions of far more people than he was aware had been intertwined. Complexly so.

But that was why he had arrived in time for this final moment.

She was still inside the wall.

“Coronzon…”

When he called that name, the figure shook. She could hear him. He had made it close enough for his physical voice to reach her. If he didn’t stop her now, he was sure she would escape into the outside world.

He wouldn’t let that happen.

Kamijou Touma called out again.

“Great Demon Coronzon.”

Slowly.

She turned around.

Her body in the beige habit was tilted at an angle.

He could smell blood… Her long, long blonde hair was a mess. She held her head with a hand and forcibly kept herself upright as she glared at him.

With thoroughly bloodshot eyes.

“Kami…jou…Touma.”

That wasn’t anger?

Something was off. Coronzon had so arrogantly rebelled against heaven, yet now she was shrinking down as if afraid of something. She looked like a fugitive at her wit’s end.

“Do you really think you can defeat me? Have you even once found victory against me by sticking to your own will through to the end!? You may think you have me cornered, but it is you who will be crushed. Lament your misfortune for meeting me here, Kamijou Touma!!”

That was probably true.

But Kamijou Touma wasn’t looking at Great Demon Coronzon.

He was focused on something else.

No matter how he tried to disguise it with his words, defeating Coronzon would also mean attacking Aleister.

Aleister had failed to restrain her. He wouldn’t last.

Then what did he hope for? To defeat the being who had once torn apart his family? For the living Baby Lilith to remain in this world?

Whatever the case, idealism would only eradicate that human’s hopes. The power to destroy illusions could not save him.

So Kamijou had to think. What could he do here?

The words spilled from his mouth.

“Hey, can I rely on you here?”

He had to stop Coronzon.

He could not let this opportunity escape.

So.

“Let’s win this together, Aleister.”

There was no obvious physical voice.

But a much too unnatural heartbeat did ring out into the world.

Kamijou took that as an answering voice.

Saying, “Attack me along with her.”

Coronzon doubled over in pain.

She was probably coughing blood into the hand over her mouth.

…They didn’t need to exchange many words. It hadn’t really been all that long since they first met in person, but Kamijou sensed a bond beyond the need for words with Aleister.

That was a bond that Coronzon had failed to tear apart.

And it was a bond that Kamijou would soon be severing himself.

No matter what excuses he made.

===Part 24===

The boy clenched his right fist harder and harder.

[[Image:GT_Index_v14_BW9.jpg|thumb]]

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Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume14 Chapter2

2026-06-10T22:47:20Z

Ultranova17: minor spelling

==Chapter 2: Divine Slope, Forbidden Book – Magical Exit.==

===Part 1===

In Academy City’s District 7, someone was still fighting on and on, separate from the core of the incident.

That person was Dion Fortune.

“Ahhh, they’ve forgotten me… I just know they’ve all left me behind!! They must have done something about Adikalika since the Earth is still intact, but couldn’t they have launched a group attack to come help me before they left? I am technically the archbishop at the very top of the Anglican Church, you know!?”

A scraping sound came from a short distance away. A giant black cat stood more than two meters tall there. The bizarre beast appeared to be drawn with black paint and it was ridden by a magician in mourning clothes.

Moina Mathers.

She was undeniably a formidable foe. After all, that official member of the Golden cabal, once called the largest in the world, had been fighting for hours now, but the battle still wasn’t over. Even though an average magician who be delighted to be referred to as “first rate” would have been killed instantly.

(This is bad. I know Coronzon is our top priority, but I can’t just leave her out here.)

The enemy said nothing.

Seated atop the black cat that had to be more than two meters tall, Moina Mathers made some complex movements with her fingertips.

Like a magic trick, countless cards appeared and were then pinned in midair.

The cards were not as complex as tarot. They only depicted a combination of basic symbols like circles and triangles.

These cards could express anything in the world using a combination of a primary element and a secondary element.

Dion Fortune’s eyes widened when she saw the dancing colors.

“Geh, are those tattva cards!?”

The mourning clothes woman’s lips writhed.

She produced a voice.

“Apas of Tejas.”

With a roar, a fireball more than a meter in diameter consumed oxygen and rushed toward Dion Fortune.

This had been referenced in the Golden cabal’s official texts, but it was in fact a controversial text that had been officially adopted at one point but then rejected within the cabal. (From the perspective of Western Europe in the 19th century,) India, Tibet, and the East in general were utopias of miracles and the mystical! …But Mathers hated that view, so he took the unusual step of writing a serious warning against the use of the tattvas due to their Eastern origins.

(She’s an artist and a clairvoyance expert. This wife probably did write a lot about the tattvas.)

However, the fireball was approaching slowly enough to see it coming.

Dion Fortune held her black box out in front of her.

If any kind of magic entered that special spiritual item, its data would be randomly rearranged, changing it into something else entirely. That meant it could rob most any attack spell of its lethality, but…

(Would ''the'' Moina Mathers really be satisfied with an explosive that moved this slow? Uh, oh. She intentionally combined multiple elements in this one spell, so even if my box consumes the primary element of Tejas, will the secondary element of Apas still explode?)

“Wahhh!!”

She couldn’t let herself be caught by such obvious bait.

Dion Fortune quickly got down on the red snow to dodge.

The fireball passed by barely above her head before exploding and toppling a wind turbine behind her.

With the tattvas, it was thought the world was constructed of five simple elements, but it was incredibly difficult to extract those elements in their pure form. That was why the elements were used in combination, like Apas of Tejas or Prithivi of Vayu.

(Kind of like a different version of Western-loving Mathers’s Hot and Dry or Cold and Wet!)

Dion Fortune raised her head from the red snow and shouted.

“Argh, you really had to use the tattvas, huh!? Are you intentionally using your husband’s doubts and detours as a weapon!? How much of a cruel wife are you!?”

And…

(If a pawn created by Coronzon can use the tattvas, then Coronzon must know how to use them too.)

She had a bad feeling about this.

The tattva cards depicted a combination of a primary element and a secondary element. They were a spiritual item that provided visual support for sending your mind into a deeper state. Moina was using them in a physical and offensive way, but she was doing that by pushing her own mind to extract the necessary spell from within herself.

That made this a tool specialized for manipulating non-physical energy and for breaking down the world into five elements and managing it in that form.

What was the worst thing an inhuman demon could do using the tattvas?

Dion Fortune thought she knew.

“Oh, no. If she breaks herself down into her component elements and remakes that into pure Telesma energy…could she escape anywhere on the Earth through the ley lines!?”

===Part 2===

They went back into the department store so they get out of the January chill while they thought.

Coronzon was trying to magically escape Academy City using something called a ley line rather than physically crossing the wall.

Kamijou and the others knew that now.

But where in the city would she perform that major ceremony? Now that they had lost track of her, they had to get back on her trail. But how could they do that?

They didn’t even know what district she had escaped to.

“The girl can help!” Alice Anotherbible volunteered. “The girl will divine her location! But, but! She would feel lonely doing it alone, so will someone good with magic help?”

That ruled out Kamijou. Imagine Breaker was never going to help with something like this. And Mikoto visibly cringed at the very idea of relying on divination here, so she was out too.

…But he couldn’t get a read on Takitsubo’s stance. She always had a blank expression and he couldn’t tell if her staring eyes were a sign of agreement or rejection.

The pointy-haired boy tilted his head in the women’s clothing section.

“Eh? You can use Alice in Wonderland for divination?”

“You can use any book, Touma. Haven’t you heard of bibliomancy? You flip through a thick book and place your finger on a random page. Then you apply the passage found there to the problem you’re facing to find an answer.”

Why would he have heard of something like that?

On his shoulder, Othinus continued the conversation like all of this was normal.

“As a piece of nonsense literature, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland tends to be associated with mystical matters, including this sort of divination.”

“So, Touma, it should be a good fit here. It’s also well known.”

“That’s not what the girl is doing! We want to know where to go next, right? That means we want a number from 1 to 23, not a literary passage.”

So the district number?

But how would you use Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland to search for a number?

“Playing cards, right?” said an exasperated Anna Sprengel.

Her exasperation was not directed at Alice for the suggestion. It was directed at Kamijou for not figuring it out right away. And it was quite strong.

“Fool. Gambling, by its nature, is often associated with divination. Playing cards are no exception. For a familiar example, playing solitaire on your own is practically a form of divination already.”

This was apparently a slightly more complicated version of solitaire.

Alice clapped her hands and spread them apart, causing playing cards to spill out from the space between her palms. They scattered atop a glass showcase.

Index and Anna Sprengel joined Alice in organizing the cards. After forming a few triangles reminiscent of bowling pin formations, Alice flicked away the unneeded cards, formed new triangles…and repeated the process a few times.

“Human. In this case, you can ignore the suits and focus only on the numbers,” advised Othinus from his shoulder.

[[Image:GT_Index_v14_BW3.jpg|thumb]]

In the end, only two cards remained.

Index identified them.

“10 and 10.”

“Wait, so is that the answer? But if it’s District 10, why is there two of them?”

“If you rush to the answer in your ignorance, I will stomp on your crotch, fool. She said the answer would be ''a'' number, remember? But playing cards only go from 1 to 13, so a single card can’t indicate a number higher than that. And playing cards have no zero. So this is the only way to output the answer.”

“This is the answer here. You only have to add the two numbers.”

“Then…Coronzon is in ''District 20''?”

As soon as Kamijou said this, looking thoughtful…

''Ba-zap!!!

“Whoa!?” shouted Index.

The roar was loud enough to make you flinch even at a distance. It resembled electrical sparks. He couldn’t be certain, but was this really safe? If Anna Sprengel hadn’t grabbed Index’s hand and pulled her away at the last second, would they both have been turned to charcoal?

Alice Anotherbible, however, simply smiled.

Only she was unfazed after being exposed to that effusion of power.

“Yay, now we know where to go next!”

“…”

Alice really was special. Her power was extraordinary enough on its own, but nothing good came of incorporating it into ordinary magic. While it was normal for Alice herself, everyone else had to endure that fearsome strength.

===Part 3===

“Ughhh, I’m so hungry… You Amakusas have a lot of Eastern stuff for your camouflage, right? Do the Flying Alms Bowl.”

“The Flying Alms Bowl is not like an app-based bike delivery service. Here, Index, I do have a chocolate bar.”

“Yay!” shouted Index, raising her arms in celebration and running off for a late-night snack. It was past 1 AM. Did she feel no guilt eating chocolate at this hour?

Kamijou’s visible confusion elicited an exasperated sigh from Othinus on his shoulder.

“The Flying Alms Bowl is a spell that Buddhist monks up in the mountains could use to send just their alms bowl flying out to the city to receive pindapata. And since I know you’re going to ask, pindapata is the practice of people offering food to monks.”

“Wait, so there’s magic that brings food to you?”

“So the basic idea of a delivery drone has existed for centuries, huh? It just took a while before they had the physics and science to pull it off.”

Mikoto sounded impressed in her own way. Also, pindapata was a form of charity, so it was free. The ancient people sure came up with some neat ideas.

Then it occurred to Kamijou this probably meant he had mentally recovered enough to begin using his imagination again.

They hadn’t lost track of Coronzon. There was still hope.

Here in District 20.

Index tilted her head.

“Hey, Touma? What kinds of things do they have here?”

“I think it’s mostly sports stuff. Baseball, soccer, basketball, and more.”

“It’s more than just hard fields and courts. The place is filled with huge stadiums and domes, including indoor pools and skating rinks,” elaborated mourning clothes Mikoto.

Takitsubo was viewing a nearby guide map. With her head tilted. She wore a track suit, but she may not have been a very athletic person.

“That would provide plenty of locations capable of hiding a large-scale ceremony,” said Kanzaki, hiding frustration behind her polite tone.

She may have realized just how hard a search this was going to be.

“If Board Chairman Accelerator were awake, we could have used the satellites,” said Kihara Noukan.

That would have helped a lot. The satellite images could have ruled out the non-domed stadiums, but they didn’t have what they didn’t have.

They would have to do it themselves.

Instead of using the obvious borderline of the wall, Coronzon planned to escape the city by melting into a…ley line? Well, into the ground. Kamijou didn’t know enough about magic to even guess at how long that would take.

But if they didn’t find her as soon as possible, they could be too late.

Not knowing only made him more antsy.

However, checking every single stadium in the entire district would be far too inefficient. He could see so many from here alone. He never knew you could have too many landmarks.

“We’ve reached District 20 too.”

He heard a voice and Kanzaki held something to her ear.

“Wh-what is that? I thought it was weird before…but now I’m certain of it: that isn’t a phone!”

“It’s a communication spiritual item.”

Index’s explanation probably didn’t explain anything for Mikoto.

The paper charm – communication spiritual item? – in Kanzaki’s hand produced the familiar voice of the Bologna Succubus. It was apparently the Amakusa style to attach it to the back of a phone so it would be less conspicuous.

“Hey, witch hunt team, you tell that lad there’s nothing to report from up here. No sign of Coronzon. …The Anti-Skill helicopter is gone, so are we the only ones in the air any longer?”

“After everything that happened in District 19, I imagine anything that can fly is busy providing disaster relief or transporting supplies.”

The conversation suddenly ended after that comment from Blodeuwedd the Bouquet, who was presumably dangling down with the Bologna Succubus.

They were cut off by a tremendous noise that made Kamijou cover his ears.

“What the hell was that!?”

“An interception spell,” muttered Othinus.

“Flying with magic is just too dangerous!” shouted Index.

“Ksshh! We were brought down by an interception spell, but that means she’s nearby. Coronzon is definitely in District 20!! And if she doesn’t want us spying from the sky, ksshh, she’s not in a roofed dome or an indoor stadium! Look for the outdoor stadiums with nothing covering them!!”

“Hey! You crashed, right!? Are you okay!? Please tell me you are!”

“I don’t know what you’re expecting from a demon like me, but quit it. We can’t fly anymore, but we’ll catch up soon. We can run on the ground, so don’t worry!!”

“Damn you, sex demon. I know my coat is sturdy, but get your ass off it! Kiiii! You do not meet my salvation conditions, so you do not get to use me as a chair!!”

They seemed to be doing well.

The sounds of a scuffle coming through suggested they were unharmed.

That aside, Coronzon herself had reacted here. That gave them a huge opportunity as pursuers. They couldn’t waste it.

“So a sports facility without a roof covering it. It must be one of the open stadiums. In that case…”

“Different sports have different magical meanings,” said Index.

“Then what about soccer?”

“A festival held in England since ancient times. It’s the origin of all forms of football. Of course, a festival from the 12th century will either be 100% Christian or have incorporated aspects of other myths or religious events like with May Day or Halloween.”

His casual question received quite the explanation in return.

But she of course had a reason for explaining all this.

“But when we’re talking about sports and stadiums, I would start looking here. The ancient Greeks. Everyone in the world knows the sporting event where people compete for the gold medal, but that was originally held at Zeus’s sanctuary. It was meant as an offering to the gods led by Zeus.”

“If we can swap that name out for Jupiter, there are plenty in Rome too,” said Agnese.

Kamijou’s knowledge of Greek mythology didn’t go much past “that thing used for the astrological horoscopes on the morning news”. Where did Great Demon Coronzon belong exactly? With all the talk of rebelling against god, he had assumed she was a Christian demon, but could she use techniques from Greek mythology?

Mikoto and the golden retriever took a step back when these topics came up.

So it was Index who fluently responded.

“Magician Crowley said there are no such thing as demons.”

“Wait, but he called her ''Great Demon'' Coronzon himself.”

“He also said there are no pure demons. He said ‘demon’ is a word people use when they want to deride the gods of people they dislike.”

“…”

Yes, that sounded a lot more like that human who always took the cynical view.

But in that case…

“Could Great Demon Coronzon be referred to as a great god by some other religion?”

“Fool. Even Mathers rejected that idea. He called her an absolute evil to all humanity who was equally and uniformly opposed even when comparing every last myth and legend.”

“But Crowley supported the idea that she is a relative evil who ''appears evil'' from a certain viewpoint.”

A pure evil that did only evil.

Could such a being really exist?

To him that sounded like a strange magnet with only a north pole.

“People on the side of evil tend to be strict about the rules, don’t they?” said Takitsubo. “They have a lot of inviolable rules and strong bonds with their companions. Mugino is like that. If Coronzon is evil but doesn’t need that solid core, then she really isn’t human.”

But Coronzon herself believed they could exist. Which was the source of her self-loathing. She believed her great power was an irregular “distortion” a lot like a monopole. She thought it could only tear people apart. She thought it was twisted and wrong, so no matter how powerful she was, she could never be proud of herself. …If she could, none of this would ever have happened.

Whether or not Aleister’s theory was correct, Othinus arrived at a conclusion.

“Because she is a demon who doesn’t follow the rules, she might have full use off the techniques and fields not approved by Christianity. The rules don’t bind her.”

Mikoto put a hand on her hip and asked Index a question.

“Look, I don’t get any of this occult mumbo jumbo, so can you just tell us where to go?”

“If she is using Zeus’s symbols, a track stadium. His symbols are the sky, thunder, mountains, fatherhood, and many more. He’s the most important god, so he has a lot of attributes. But in this case, there aren’t many symbols Coronzon can use for her spell.”

Kamijou didn’t even have time to ask why.

Index was the star of the show at times like this.

“Zeus is generally a sky god. But Coronzon wants a way to the control the ley lines in the ground, which is the complete opposite. So we can ignore almost all of his attributes.”

“Hm? If it’s that much of a mismatch, why would she use Zeus in the first place?” asked Kamijou.

Othinus and Index both answered him.

“Because, human, he is the top god. He’s powerful enough you don’t want to reject him out of hand.”

“Not relying on Zeus in a district of athletic stadiums is like trying to win a soccer game without ever touching the ball.”

That made sense.

Zeus was a famous enough god that even Kamijou was familiar with him (from manga and games), so his power would be obvious and great. If Coronzon could use it, she would of course want to, but since he was a mismatch for her current objective, she wanted a connector to link the ingredient with her plan.

…Or something like that?

He felt like the situation was similar to a fugitive getting an airplane but having trouble taking off in it.

“So because Zeus is such an important god, he has a lot of different attributes? Then what part of Zeus is Coronzon trying to use? You said he’s a sky god, but she needs an attribute related to deep underground, right? Then what exactly is she going to-”

“Rain,” she replied immediately. “There’s a legend saying the current world is so full of different gods and heroes because Uranus and Zeus were joined with many earth goddesses through the rain that falls from heaven. …Touma, is there anywhere those intersect? For example, a place where a long waterway for rainwater passes directly below a large track stadium?”

===Part 4===

It was a dreary place.

The room was large but plain. Like a big metal box. And it was chilly.

Isabella Theism, a necromancer with silver hair and dark skin, took a look around.

“Why…am I alive?”

No one answered her.

Kihara Goukei was it? Had that bio-monster transported an enemy who would have died if just abandoned on the side of the road?

Cigarette smoke lingered thinly in the air.

So was that Stiyl Magnus on the other side of the locked door? He showed no mercy. If Isabella took any careless action, he wouldn’t hesitate to burn her away with 3000-degree flames.

(True Voodoo priests are apparently immune to fire, but I’m only making use of their techniques and haven’t mastered it to that extent.)

Besides, there were no gaps in the thick metal door. It had probably been welded shut by those same 3000-degree flames. Only a magician who could burn through the metal could open the door.

Isabella searched through her rags to check on her possessions. Unsurprisingly, all of the obviously dangerous items had been confiscated. However, these rags patched together from the clothes of several dead people had a lot of hidden pockets. She stuck a finger through the sloppy stitching and…yep, there it was.

Something stirred in the corner of her vision.

“?”

She only now realized she wasn’t alone in here. It wasn’t an Anglican magician keeping an eye on her. If it was, they would have stopped her by now.

That meant this was someone else under surveillance like her.

(What is this unnatural lack of vitality? I specialize in life and death and even I overlooked his presence.)

“Who are you?”

“''Hamazura Shiage''.”

Even as he responded, he seemed about as lively as withered grass.

He was Japanese…but he didn’t seem to be one of those Amakusas who Kanzaki Kaori had brought along. There was no scent of magic on the high schooler.

Then why had he been arrested by the Anglicans? He was a completely ordinary person…but that mismatch with his surroundings made him an uncanny sight here.

(It feels like being placed in front of ''too cheap'' of ingredients.)

It was uncanny, but if he wasn’t going to get in her way, she saw no reason to eliminate him.

She had no intention of staying in this prison with a stranger. She pulled out the spiritual item – or really, the materials to create one – hidden inside her rags.

(There’s a chance a scanning spell would detect the faint magic power emanating from a completed spiritual item…but the materials are no more than ordinary goods and ingredients. Slipping past checks like that is so useful.)

“What are you doing?”

“Escaping. I don’t have anything to do here.”

Isabella pulled out a small lime. One with a branch thinner than a matchstick still attached. She sliced it in two without a knife and squeezed one half to sprinkle the juice on the outdoor wall opposite the door.

A chemical smoke burst forth as if she had used a powerful acid.

A hole visibly grew until it was more than two meters in diameter.

That wall was no more than metal. Breaking through was easy if you had the appropriate magical knowledge. Plus, lemons, limes, and other acidic fruits were common components of Voodoo magic. It was used in an emergency antidote for zombie powder and in the lime poison created by combining the various toxins and antidotes found in the lime.

“Stiyl…wouldn’t have noticed. With the thick metal door fused shut, he wouldn’t be able to hear any of the noise I’m making in here.”

He would have any number of ways of stopping her if he did notice, though.

The delinquent-looking boy had a surprisingly mild reaction.

He was imprisoned. He would normally leap at the chance to escape without even considering the consequences.

“What I meant is, what do you hope to accomplish by escaping?”

“No matter what anyone else says and no matter how ugly a choice it may be…I will always do what I think is most necessary. Right now, that means defeating Great Demon Coronzon and bringing stability back to the world.”

===Part 5===

Done talking, the brown woman who reeked of death departed into the outside world.

She likely had something to do.

Unlike Hamazura.

(What do I do now?)

Hamazura Shiage lacked that level of motivation.

He had bet his entire life on Coronzon…and lost.

He was worried about Takitsubo Rikou, but he didn’t think she was in that much danger as long as she was within Academy City. After all, she was a high-level esper theorized to possibly become the eighth Level 5.

If he didn’t want any stray shots, or accurate sniper shots pretending to be one, hitting her, it was best if he stayed away while he was a fugitive.

Which meant…

“Oh, I know. What about Coronzon?”

Where had she gone?

He was worried about her too. She wanted to destroy the current rotten world and create a clean new world. Something must be happening that made her feel that way. What if this world was already damaged beyond repair but that damage simply wasn’t visible?

Then what exactly was happening? He wanted to speak with her.

Despite his earlier strong words, he did want to live with Takitsubo.

So he wanted to know what was going to happen.

However, wouldn’t Coronzon have to be in a dangerous position if he was able to catch up to her in his state? He really wanted her at least to escape the city soon…

===Part 6===

Qliphah Puzzle 545 had returned to the District 10 prison.

The facility doubled as the new Board Chairman’s headquarters.

It was guarded by several layers of thick metal doors, metal bars, and all sorts of sensors, but that meant nothing to an artificial demon who could freely switch between corporeal and incorporeal forms.

“I-I’m back.”

No response.

She may have expected that.

In the single-occupant cell, a frail figure lay on the bed.

Surrounded by medical equipment.

The only sound was a rhythmic beeping and a pump expanding and contracting to push out air.

…His body hadn’t been in perfect working order to begin with. Brain damage had left him reliant on a modern design cane and he couldn’t even understand human speech without the choker-style electrode around his neck.

Even so.

It was far too painful to see him lying in the bed like that.

Academy City’s #1 could not live on his own.

He was kept alive by all the machines hooked up to him.

“Master…” weakly called the demon girl.

“Monitor fragments have pierced every part of his body.”

Even a prison had doctors.

Serious illness did not cancel out a prisoner’s sentence, so in a way it was the natural arrangement.

It was their job to keep the prisoners alive in whatever form it took.

“Some are right next to major arteries and organs, making them too dangerous to touch without care. Removing them will be very difficult… But that isn’t enough to explain his condition. If it were simple blood loss keeping him unconscious, the transfusion should be showing effects by now.”

“I know…”

“?”

Yes, she didn’t have time for sorrow.

The new Board Chairman would never wake up ''naturally'' in this state. That had been obvious at first glance, which was why someone needed to externally induce a recovery.

These wounds were magical in nature.

They were scars of an attack from Great Demon Coronzon, a being beyond human understanding.

That meant magical knowledge was a requirement to heal him.

(I will heal you, so please wait until I can, master.)

Something beeped.

But it wasn’t the medical equipment. It came from something like an intercom on the wall.

Qliphah Puzzle 545 didn’t know if she had the right, but everyone else watched the device from a distance and made no move to touch it. She had no choice but to press the button and answer.

It displayed a familiar female secretary who ordinarily helped with the paperwork.

“What is it?”

“We have a visitor for the Board Chairman. He doesn’t have an appointment, but will you meet with him?”

“No appointment? Then send him awa-”

“He is Oniyama of the Board of Directors. Will you still refuse him?”

A visitor.

And at this precise moment.

Qliphah Puzzle 545 said for him to wait, but when she went out, he was already within the special security zone. Left alone, who knows how much he would have explored.

All of the jailers and guards looked afraid. Apparently it was up to the artificial demon to say this.

“Only the Board Chairman is allowed in here. What are you doing here!?”

“Oniyama Rouze.”

The old man’s eyes shined with the greed of a much younger man.

“I am one of Academy City’s 12 Directors. That comes with certain privileges.”

His words dripped with arrogance.

So what if he was one of the Directors? Just because there weren’t many of them didn’t mean they could enter this place without permission. Just think of the Windowless Building from when Aleister was at the top. No one should be here without its master’s permission.

(Has Academy City collapsed to that extent!?)

Oniyama was the Director with a focus on vehicles, including automobiles, ships, and aircraft.

And there had been suspicions he was interested in expanding into the military field. The military had its own specialists, but those who controlled those unscrupulous military forces – Shiokishi, Nakimoto, Neoka – tended to drop out or be replaced quickly due to that very unscrupulousness. A perfect opportunity for those who were hoping to break into that field.

To be blunt, she had a bad feeling about his presence.

“How bad are his injuries?”

He was too casual.

If Qliphah Puzzle 545 didn’t know Great Demon Coronzon was responsible, she would have suspected this man.

“Why are you here without even making an appointment?”

“I am here to give you a valuable warning, so watch your tone.”

“Nothing you say changes the fact that I only have one master!!”

“My point is that your behavior calls your master’s civility into question. The unintelligent never seem to wait for people to finish, which makes speaking with them so tiring.”

He snorted with laughter.

And then got back on topic.

“The situation is too pressing to wait for the Chairman’s recovery.”

“Kh.”

“Academy City is using all of its scientific knowledge to search for the culprit, yet we have turned up empty-handed. That makes this an unknown situation. And ignoring it shows no sign of improvement. Someone must grab the reins and take control soon. Before serious damage is done.”

He said that like the new Board Chairman’s injuries did not count as “serious damage”.

As it were a trivial matter.

Not worth any concern.

Even though the very top of the city had been directly attacked and remained unconscious.

“…You look happy about this.”

“Surely you jest. I am only doing my job. If the Chairman is unable to fulfill his duties, don’t you think his privileges should be temporarily transferred to a third party? I am not asking for his eternal expulsion from the throne through dismissal or impeachment. I am only suggesting someone else take over his duties until he comes to.”

“You just want the Master Key.”

“Ah, so you read me like a book.”

“And just how many people were you planning to kill using those next-gen weapons!?”

The Master Key looked like a smartphone, but it gave full privileges over everything in Academy City. It was stuffed full of passwords, passcodes, access keys, and other such data.

Including for military facilities and equipment.

Academy City’s functions and military might would eventually recover. If it were handed over to someone else, something terrible would happen. And if it fell into the hands of a Director who knew enough about diplomacy and war, it could lead to a war with any place on the planet.

She was a demon.

She knew just how twisted the world was.

And in that knowledge, she had placed her hopes in the #1. She had decided the world was still worth protecting. So she couldn’t allow the world to be destroyed now while the new Board Chairman lingered on the verge of death. No matter what.

“But the Master Key is a dangerous power. Who can you trust it with, if not me and my knowledge of diplomacy and military matters? Noncommittal Kaizumi? Surely not that pacifist Oyafune?”

“They would be better than you at least…”

“Oh, dear. So you, the guardian of the Master Key, are unaware just how dangerous it is. Listen, ''even someone who doesn’t know how to use it can lose control.'' I was fine with leaving it in the Chairman’s hands since he is the #1. I trusted that someone who has killed so many people would know very well how to handle that kind of threat. But leaving it in the hands of someone who has no familiarity with deadly power would be suicide. Suicide on a planetary scale.”

“Leave! If you don’t wish for the Board Chairman to recover, people could see that as contempt of the chain of command. I will not give you the Master Key. Only my master has the right to grant it to someone else. So please leave now!!”

The old man took a step back without taking his eyes off her.

He was not intimidated.

The smile on his face conveyed a clear message: I don’t even need to return here. You will come crying to me by the end.

“Academy City is a heavy burden to bear. Contact me when you are ready to give up.”

“Leave!!!”

===Part 7===

Footsteps trudged through the snow.

Kihara Goukei was bloody and woozy.

“Ughh, I’m so dizzy…”

She had rescued Urekawa Ousuke, the miracle child born of Academy City, and then handed that goddamn Necromancer to the Anglicans who seemed to have invaded the city (even though they didn’t seem to be soldiers?), but she had gotten badly torn up in the process. Three computer chips, two bacteria colonies, one pea crab, and what else? 99% of the secret ingredients giving her her “Kihara-ness” had been destroyed.

She had only one heart left. That was fine. Everyone else only had one too.

She couldn’t get spoiled.

She was running dry, so she needed nutrients. Her powerful regeneration was working against her. Like this, she would eventually dry up into a husk. Before that happened, she needed sugar, salt, fat, protein, calcium, various vitamins and minerals, and more.

(Why do all the restaurants have to close early today of all days? There would usually be at least an izakaya or family restaurant open.)

“Oh.”

She spotted a vending machine.

The small glowing display shined bright in the darkness. It actually had power.

(Oui, oui. Vending machines are cleverly designed to continue functioning even after a fire or other disaster. Oh, I’m saved.)

And it wasn’t a drink or bread machine. It was one of the unique varieties you spotted from time to time. Specifically, this odd kind of vending machine that sold things like wagyu sukiyaki meals on the side of the street. And one of the large sample photo on this one showed…

“On this freezing night with my breath visible before me I find…ramen!! Oh, that has such a sinful ring to it. But I must do this to regain what my body has lost. How merveilleuse it is to have an actual excuse. Hwa ha ha ha ha ha! Behold, world!! I choose the piping hot tonkotsu ramen!! I am freed from all guilt as I ingest this unhealthy meal in the middle of the night!!!”

Even among the Kiharas, facing your own death was something only an oddity could do. It was a good thing the vending machine let you pay with a train card. …All of her paper money would have absorbed too much blood by this point.

A clunking sound came from the machine.

(Oh, that sounds harder than I would expect.)

With a noodles vending machine, she had imagined something like a better version of a coffee vending machine: first a styrofoam bowl, then the drained noodles and other ingredients, and finally the hot soup slowly pouring in.

Silence surrounded her.

Nothing happened after the initial clunking.

Kihara Goukei crouched down and nervously opened the overly large door to check.

“Is this…a frozen food vending machine!?”

It was rock solid.

The instructions on the package said you could enjoy restaurant quality flavor after only 15 minutes in the microwave.

Was she supposed to stand around in this freezing weather for those 15 minutes?

All she had was a solid object that could probably kill someone if applied forcefully to the cranium.

“Uhh…”

Yet she really would dry up and die without something to eat. Surrounded by a freezing night with red snow covering the road, Kihara Goukei had no choice but to tear open the package, pull out the rectangular block, hold it in both hands, and gnaw on it. Yeah, it was not a flavorful experience. Sure, it had salt and fat, but that didn’t go well with the ice!! The white-frozen pieces of pork fat were especially bad. Was this some kind of divine punishment?

“?”

Suddenly, she felt like she was being watched.

There was someone, or something, here.

She found the gaze surprisingly nearby. Looking up at her.

It belonged to…a girl of around 10?

“Misaka has never seen someone eat a popsicle in the winter! says Misaka as Misaka checks the package. Tonkotsu ramen! …Misaka doesn’t remember that Gorigori-kun flavor.”

“What are you doing here? And please feel free to call me Madame Gou.”

“Well, Misaka needs to get to District 10, but she doesn’t know where it is, says Misaka as Misaka explains her predicament.”

“Eh? District 10?”

Wasn’t that the district of battles and machos, said to be the most dangerous in the city? And the girl only looked around 10, so what was she doing out alone at night?

(And if I send her back the way she came, um, oh dear. Aren’t those giant bugs and sea creatures made of weird blonde hair wandering around there?)

Kihara Goukei wept.

This sounded like trouble to her.

First Urekawa and now this. Was tonight the night for running into small children? Was it some kind of bonus mode?

“Where is District 10?”

“The complete opposite direction, so please don’t look at me…”

“If you know the way, then tell Misaka! says Misaka as Misaka begs you!”

“One heart. Just one left. Another death and I really will die… I-I’ve done more than enough already, haven’t I? I already saved Urekawa Ousuke-kun in the very middle of the night, so I really want to get home and sleep until-”

“No! ''Help me, Madame Gou''!!”

“Neh heh☆ …Well, you drive a hard bargain. When you put it like that, I can’t go to sleep now, can IIIIIIII!?”

===Part 8===

On the roof of a far distant skyscraper, one of the mass-produced military clones known as the Sisters removed her eye from the scope of a large sniper rifle.

“She doesn’t appear to be a threat, concludes Misaka #10032.”

“Doesn’t appear to be? Are you glitching? What kind of fuzzy opinion is that for a living computer?”

“It is called personal growth.”

She had grown enough to make casual remarks over the Misaka Network at any rate.

Misaka Worst, who was tuned to pick up on the especially malicious emotions within that vast network composed of countless identical brainwave signals, responded with exasperation in her voice.

“This is all because you discussed that stuff on the Misaka Network, you know? Have you forgotten that mini-Misaka is your host and control tower? She can hear everything you say, even if it’s in your sleep.”

“You mean that our ability to control electricity might be able to force open the lock on the new Board Chairman’s Master Key? asks Misaka for confirmation.”

“No, that screwing it up would destroy the Master Key! If it turns out the only way forward is for the #1 to wake up, then of course the little one’s going to try and do something about it. Goddammit, what a pain. …But Yoshikawa’s the real loser here. She’s locked in her room with nothing to do. Cause the great Last Order used her power to hack the electric lock.”

“Then wouldn’t it be best to send her straight there? Also, that person appears to be a Kihara, which should come in handy on the way, says Misaka, providing her opinion.”

“Then are we finally going to stop playing stalker? Misaka doesn’t want to hold onto this sniper rifle in this cold-ass weather any longer. Misaka is afraid her cheek is going to freeze to the metal.”

“If you are fine with that immortality expert getting her hands on clone technology, responds Misaka. Misaka checked her spec sheet and it would be a real pain if she learned to multiply herself.”

“…When can Misaka finally get back to bed?”

“As if you have any intention of doing that.”

===Part 9===

Great Demon Coronzon slipped through the darkness like a shadow.

She had chosen a stadium that was unusually large even among the outdoor track stadiums. Everything she currently sought was contained there. Here she could convert her physical body into a massive amount of Telesma energy. Once that was done, she only had to send herself into the current of a ley line running underground. She would still be limited to the planet, but that would allow her to instantly escape anywhere on Earth, even the opposite side of the planet.

Wasn’t its maximum capacity 255 thousand?

The outdoor type without a dome was easier to scale up in size, but this felt like overdoing it.

Academy City had a population of 2.3 million, so a full tenth of the population could be crammed inside.

Humans were apparently frail beings who were afflicted by loneliness when standing alone in a massive artificial space, but she was a being known as a great demon.

She felt nothing amiss as she walked toward the center.

Other than the wrongness of her own existence.

“Sitra Achra, hm?”

Coronzon rolled that term around on her tongue.

And smiled cynically.

Sitra Achra could be described as the substance that caused evil. The current world, from the tiny humans to the vast world itself, could supposedly be fully described using the diagram called the Sephiroth, but there were some impurities which did not fit into the grand Sephiroth. Those impurities were Sitra Achra. They were ruins – shards – of the old world which was destroyed to create the current one. They were the substance that caused evil. They had no place in the current world, had no role, and should not have remained, so their very existence obstructed the system of the current age. Like pebbles caught in the gears.

The world god had created was perfect.

Things only went awry because of the extraneous impurities mixed in.

(Sounds like me.)

Shadow covered her face as she silently expressed this only silently.

Even though self-deprecation could not turn evil into good.

She had always questioned it.

Why hadn’t she become an angel of love? Or an angel of righteousness?

If she had been…

If she had been given that role…

…She would have poured herself into that work more diligently than anyone else.

If god had known from the beginning that Coronzon would rebel against heaven and turn evil and had let her go ahead and do it because it was part of some kind of plan of his, then she would ''overdo'' the role god had given her and ruin that plan.

God was an absolute being, but he did not save all lives.

Everyone accepted that even their misfortunes would be given meaning and purpose if they obeyed god.

But the very existence of that system meant he had known from the beginning there would be victims. He had known and let it happen. For some grand plan of his.

Coronzon’s role was to tear people apart. Why should she obey someone who had abandoned her?

So she had decided to use everything given to her and ''overdo'' it. That way she could obliterate that heartless plan without betraying her purpose.

She would dedicate herself to her evil identi-

…?

At that point, she tilted her head.

No, wait. She had noticed it this time.

Her memories skipped a few seconds.

“Dammit, not again…Aleister!!”

She held a hand to her head.

She had finally managed to prepare this place for her ceremony, but she would have to leave if word reached Kamijou’s group.

Coronzon started to panic…but then it hit her.

A few seconds.

She stood in the very center of an enormous stadium. She had no computer or smartphone to contact anyone and there were no old-fashioned payphones in sight. So even if Aleister had hijacked her body, he couldn’t have done anything in that time. She could ignore the outrage if it only lasted a few seconds.

On the other hand…

(It’s good I noticed it this time, but was the gap itself longer than before?)

She had a bad feeling about this.

Was Aleister starting to get the hang of it? That concern crept up in the back of her mind. Losing consciousness for even a second in the middle of a battle with her pursuers could be fatal. And even if that didn’t happen, Aleister could attempt suicide if he took control for long enough.

He would do it.

Especially now that he viewed her as his enemy and had killing her as his primary objective.

Directly comparing their specs wasn’t enough to rest easy. Aleister had won the Battle of Blythe Road after all.

Coronzon consciously took a deep breath.

(I need to shift my focus.)

Not only were there other stadiums, but magic materials could be found anywhere. After all, Aleister Crowley had built this city during the confusion of the postwar recovery. It was an alternate form for the Abbey of Thelema. It had been deftly hidden by repainting it all in the terms of science, but it would be hard to find places and objects here without magical symbolism.

Coronzon only had to collect the items that were already present.

She wouldn’t have any difficulty as long she knew the proper way to combine them.

She could begin the ceremony at any time.

The only problem was how long it would take.

…No matter how much she tried to shorten that time, she couldn’t reduce it to zero. And she would be entirely defenseless in that time. She was the Coronzon who had destroyed legendary magicians like Mathers and Aleister, but during that time she could be killed even by an ordinary human.

“…”

Coronzon shut her eyes, held her breath, and searched for any sounds around her.

She was focused on the area outside the stadium.

(My greatest enemy is the time limit. Because I’m sure they’re searching for me with everyone they have. Weak as they are, hiding from them is a pain when there are so many of them. For once I need to look out for weaklings because this crucial ceremony will be ruined if they interfere in the middle of it.)

===Part 10===

When they checked the map based on Index’s advice, the answer was obvious.

Kamijou pointed at a spot on the large map.

“The General Athletics Stadium. …It’s gotta be this, right? It’s a track stadium and there’s a huge underground waterway running below it!”

“If Coronzon is using Zeus symbolism for a ceremony to send her through a ley line, then it must be there.”

The white girl sounded confident.

It wasn’t like they had any other leads to go on, so Kamijou had to trust in this one.

“Fool.”

Someone else called out to him.

Anna Sprengel.

“I double-checked it all just to be safe, and everything the grimoire library said checks out. Her calculations are correct, so Coronzon should be at the General Athletics Stadium. The only question left is if we arrive in time.”

The Amakusas were magicians who blended into modern society, so they all knew how to drive. …Kamijou preferred not to think about where they had procured so many vehicles in Academy City, but it would be best to make use of them now.

And just as he was thinking that, his eyes met another pair of eyes.

But these definitely weren’t human.

They were compound eyes.

A carnivorous dragonfly more than three meters long was gliding at eye level.

It was made of blonde hair.

“Coronzon’s…scouts!?”

“Stupid bug jamboree!!”

He heard an odd voice just before a blonde young woman drop-kicked the giant dragonfly from the side, sending it flying. She was the Transcendent Bologna Succubus.

“Just when I thought I’d caught up on foot, this is what I find? When do I get a breather!?”

“Pant, gasp… M-my coat…is so heavy with…the steel armor and the terrariums…I’m dyiiiiiing…”

Even as she complained, Blodeuwedd the Bouquet deflected the scouts’ attacks with her thick coat. …Wait, did she just protect the Bologna Succubus?

However, squashing a single dragonfly wasn’t enough to turn the tide.

There were butterflies, hornets, stag beetles, flies, and more.

Kanzaki raised her voice.

“If she’s sending these out, it must mean we’re getting close!”

It didn’t feel like Coronzon was trying to lay low and hide anymore. Did she want to buy time even if it made her more conspicuous?

She really was here.

In District 20. Index, Anna Sprengel, and the others had been right.

…The question was whether or not these scouts were passing information back to Coronzon. Either way, it would be best not to waste time here.

“We need to strike before she can get away!!” shouted Kamijou.

===Part 11===

The scouts sent out by Great Demon Coronzon included three meter dragonflies and hornets.

Kamijou immediately clenched his right fist, but nothing would be more annoying than having a group of 20 or 30 drop from the sky all at once. Kihara Noukan turned his way and shouted.

“Be careful. If they grab onto you and carry you up high, you will be playing a deadly version of the crane game!”

He couldn’t let the flying scouts use the powerful weapon that was height.

Plus, the stag beetle ones wouldn’t even need lift him up. They could crush or slice his body right here on the ground.

“Get inside, it doesn’t matter where!!”

On Kanzaki’s instructions, Kamijou and Mikoto practically tackled open the door to a nearby building.

They ran further inside. When they reached a more open space, they found something odd there.

A frozen pool?

No, was it a skating rink?

Kamijou wasn’t familiar with them and had imagined them as something like a massive cold storage warehouse, but was this skating rink actually warmer than outside?

“They’re coming. Those weird bugs are coming!!”

“Wait, Misaka! Don’t use your Railgun down a straight corridor! Are you trying to hit our friends!?”

Lucia, Angelene, and more of the Former Agnese Force jumped on the giant flies as a group. That still wasn’t enough offensive power, but it slowed the scouts enough for Blodeuwedd the Bouquet and Anna Sprengel to finish them off with stronger attacks.

The scouts were powerful. They were, but they weren’t Great Demon Coronzon herself. The scouts made of her blonde hair were not unbeatable!

“In that case…”

“Hm? Lad, don’t let your guard down!!”

A supposedly defeated scout stirred.

No, a large quantity of something burst from the giant stag beetle’s body. Flat ovals about fifty centimeters long poured out like a slot machine jackpot. There were more than a hundred of them and they were all wriggling. And squirming.

There were more scouts…inside the scouts?

And a ton of them!!

“Ahhhhhhh!?”

Kamijou backed away, more creeped out than afraid of the threat they posed. The small scouts leaped at the boy one after another.

Itsuwa sharply jabbed her spear out to guard him, but she grimaced.

“They’re hard. Are they based on parasitic shellfish!?”

“You mean the more enemies we defeat, the more of them there will be? Hard to think of a better way to buy time!” shouted Othinus.

Kamijou’s group would be overwhelmed by the enemy army.

Sounds like collapsing piles of sand came from all around.

“Wow!”

Alice Anotherbible was the only one capable of smiling as they swarmed around her. A normal human would be bitten into tiny pieces if they tried that!!

They would be killed if they didn’t defeat the attacking scouts, but defeating the scouts only allowed them to multiply.

It was a vicious cycle.

…And Kamijou had only thought of these things as scouts made of blonde hair. But he felt pity for them now that he saw them forced to fight, writhing in pain as they burst from within, and releasing a flood of other monsters.

“Fool, now isn’t the time. If you stop, we will be killed!”

Great Demon Coronzon.

Even if she was fighting for her life, she shouldn’t force her own side to do this.

A dull crash broke through Kamijou’s thoughts.

It came from directly in front of him. The skating rink’s wall broke through and a giant rotary snowplow emerged from the side. The row of scouts in its path were crushed and sliced up by the rotating blades.

The fluffy blonde Amakusa was operating it.

Kamijou had seen her a few times before. Wasn’t her name Tsushima?

“Hop on!! Coronzon is our top priority, so we can’t waste our time with these things!!”

There was no reason to stick around here. The giant rotating blades on the front and the snow expulsion device sticking out the side like an elephant’s trunk looked dangerous, but Kamijou grabbed onto something like a short ladder on the side. Only after the heavy snowplow begin to move did he notice something.

“W-where’s Index!? And Misaka too!”

“I’m not the only Amakusa. And everyone will soon think to use snowmobiles and other vehicles capable of driving on this red snow. We all have the same destination, so we’ll meet back up with them if we head to the track stadium!!”

A few others managed to jump onto the snowplow. He saw Kanzaki and Itsuwa among them.

A three meter dragonfly was still stubbornly pursuing them, but it was shot down by a beam of light. Neither Kanzaki nor Itsuwa had done that. Apparently another vehicle was following them.

Eventually, no more hornets and stag beetles could be seen.

Kamijou sighed and leaned against the rotary snowplow that rattled along on its continuous tracks.

“Well…it certainly is a good thing that Tsushima was there to help us, human,” said the 15cm god.

“Yeah, it really was. Life is so much easier when you have a capable young woman around. Thanks.”

“…Ohh?” “…Ohh?”

“(Wait, did I just step on some deadly landmine here. And to make matters worse, two of them at once?)”

A secret light shined sharply from Kanzaki Kaori and Itsuwa’s eyes and Tsushima wept in the driver’s seat.

===Part 12===

It was late at night. 1 AM had come and gone.

When you imagined a late night hospital, did you think of a horror story? Or something more risque? After many long years working here, the frog-faced doctor knew neither option was likely. When you worked there day in and day out, even a special location became no more than a routine. The fear faded and any weird expectations vanished.

Of course, he wouldn’t normally be working on this shift, but today was a special day. He hadn’t gotten any rest during the day either.

A young medical intern gave him a worried look.

“You need to get some sleep, doctor. You’re no good to us here if you pass out.”

“If I could get some free time…yes, there is something I should do, so can you cover things here?”

“Doctor!” the intern called after him, but this was his nature. He wanted to save every patient he could.

If Kamijou Touma was already dead, then there was nothing to be done.

But what if the boy was still alive?

Then he was the frog-faced doctor’s patient.

If a patient had received improper treatment, it was a doctor’s duty to save them.

(What a pain. Where do I even start with determining if a supposedly dead person is alive or dead? The guidelines for brain death would probably be best. Or mayb-)

He left the hospital.

And some strange thing attacked him only three steps out the door.

“Eh?”

If he had to describe it, he would have called it a golden crab standing more than three meters tall.

Even after seeing the pincer raised high, the frog-faced doctor only managed to get out a confused sound.

He did not properly understand the danger.

Yes.

He had no way of knowing since he knew nothing of magic, but his hospital was in District 7. That was the area where Coronzon had scattered so many of her scouts made of blonde hair.

And Coronzon had been so focused on escaping she hadn’t actually ordered them to stop.

Which meant they were still acting on orders to protect the ceremonial ground for Adikalika – the former site of the Windowless Building.

A pleasant slashing sound raced out.

The frog-faced doctor did not shed a single drop of blood.

It was sliced vertically.

The blonde hair scout’s bisected halves scattered to either side.

His eyes widened in confusion as a dark, lithe figure whispered to him.

“It is a pleasure to see you again, doctor.”

===Part 13===

In the District 20 skating rink, Misaka Mikoto had definitely seen that pointy-haired boy on the side of a large rotary snowplow.

And it had happened as the vehicle drove right past her.

She had been left behind.

“I want to shoot that idiot so bad.”

She flicked up arcade coins and launched a few Railguns at the monsters as she retreated from the skating rink proper into a narrow corridor.

The more she defeated, the more of them there were, which couldn’t have been much more annoying.

And the initial dragonflies and stag beetles were powerful enough already, so she would be killed if she didn’t fight back. There was no room for holding back.

(Are the others retreating somewhere too? There isn’t time to ask where we’ll meet up next, so I’ll just have to magnetically attach myself to one of the vehicles’ roofs.)

And all of a sudden, something occurred to Misaka Mikoto.

“…Wait.”

(If that idiot is alive, then why am I even wearing mourning clothes? Ahhh, how long am I going to keep wearing this cumbersome outfit? Now I feel like I’ve been making a fool of myself!!)

This was a sports facility, so would they have rental sportswear anywhere? Even a track suit or jumpsuit would be fine. She was willing to ignore how it looked if it was at least warm and didn’t restrict her movements!!

But this was a skating rink.

That meant any clothing would be for skating.

Such as a painfully bright lemon yellow figure skating uniform.

“U-um, would you call this a skating dress?”

It wouldn’t restrict her movements since it was designed for sports use. Combined with the bladeless shoes meant for the staff, she would have no trouble moving around. At the very least, she would have a much easier time of it than in this Japanese clothing. But why did it have to have a miniskirt? Or should she think of it more like a swimsuit’s pareo? Either way, it wasn’t something for walking around town in!

“B-but it’s so cold! What choice do I have!?”

She had decided herself she was willing to ignore how it looked.

It would certainly protect her from the biting chill of the January night.

It left less skin exposed than she had expected. Because it covered her with a skin-colored material.

But that was a problem of its own. The thin synthetic fiber was like wearing a full-body stocking. A terrifying thought for someone who tended to get zappy at the drop of a hat!

===Part 14===

Kamijou and the others arrived at a dark shape so large they truly had to look up to see it all.

This was the General Athletics Stadium.

Its size was apparent even from the outside.

Its diameter alone had to be hundreds of meters.

Instead of a dome covering it, it was apparently an outdoor stadium. Still, tall walls surrounded it on all sides. Those would be for the tiered seating, but they were just as tall as a four story building. So the same as a school building. This meant there was no seeing inside from out here.

Several other vehicles joined the rotary snowplow operated by Tsushima.

Index and Misaka Mikoto were among them.

“Thank good- woah! Misaka, what are you wearing!?”

“Don’t look at me!! Don’t look at my new and improved flavor with 20% extra at the same great price!!”

Her retort was as unusual as her outfit.

Was this the higher rarity version that showed more skin, or had she been unable to bear the cold and chose to rely on a figure skating outfit? He wished she would stop tugging down on the miniskirt-like part because that only drew his eye there all the more.

The Bologna Succubus and Blodeuwedd the Bouquet were both tilting their heads (in friendly synchronization?). …Yeah, they probably wouldn’t get what the big deal was when they had no trouble walking around in the frigid January night in their underwear or a naked apron.

But focusing on this wasn’t going to lead them to Coronzon.

Kamijou was curious about something.

“The tall walls keep us from seeing inside. I hope that also means Coronzon can’t see out.”

“Does it mean that? Wouldn’t a great demon be able to use clairvoyance or remote viewing?”

Tracking expert Takitsubo brought up a difficult topic.

“In modern Western magic, clairvoyance isn’t a means of seeing the contents of a closed envelope. It’s a ceremony used for spiritual meditation.”

Kanzaki provided an explanation, but it was hard to grasp without a solid foundation in the magic side.

She had spread out a large map, probably a privilege she had gained by taking control of the city. That she went to the trouble of printing out a paper copy seemed to show she still wasn’t used to the science side, though.

“It was fortunate we could get our hands on the official blueprints. Our numbers work in our favor. First, we should station personnel at each exit. There are more than 20 official gates for spectators and the real number is even greater due to the unofficial entrances for athletes and staff. With the exits blocked, we can begin exploring inside. Once we know where Coronzon is inside the large stadium and how she has modified it for her ceremony, we can launch our attack.”

“Coronzon should be defenseless while she works,” added Index. “Even if we can’t win a straight fight, we should be able to win right now.”

They could win?

Then why not charge in right this instant?

Kamijou couldn’t believe they would stay out when they knew she was in there.

Othinus must have sensed his impatience because she made a piercing comment from his shoulder.

“Wait, human. If Coronzon detects us and runs off, this will all have been a waste of time.”

“Either way, we should carefully investigate the situation inside and gather what information we can. We can always make our attack after all escape routes we are aware of have been covered.”

Kamijou was a little surprise to find Anna Sprengel advocating the cautious option.

Had that wicked woman learned how frightening it was to have everything fall apart at the last second?

“But can we really wait around that long? There’s that ley line thing, right? That direct route running underground that only the great demon can use. We can have her surrounded as much as we want – it won’t matter if she just teleports out of here!”

“Failure puts the entire human race at risk. Great Demon Coronzon will be able to do more than just this.”

Was that why she didn’t want anyone spying on her from the sky?

After giving a skeptical look at the Bologna Succubus (or her clothing more likely), Kanzaki nodded in agreement.

“We mustn’t forget that she will have escaped if she physically crosses the city wall.”

“But we don’t know the time limit!!”

“It won’t be in the next 5 or 10 minutes at least. That gives us time to take it slow, human.”

===Part 15===

“Hm.”

Great Demon Coronzon put a hand on her hip and observed her surroundings.

She stood at the very center of the enormous stadium.

“That completes the ceremonial ground. And the attribute extracted from the stadium as a whole gives me what I need. Direction, time, number…and the actual spiritual item in my hands: the tattva cards.”

She held a few colorful cards.

However, these cards were not historical antiques.

They were only symbols meant to help one enter the special mental state of meditation, so as long as the colors and symbols were correct, the material was immaterial. They were in fact made by coloring cardstock with thick permanent markers she had acquired after breaking the metal shutter covering a stadium shop. (There was probably a demand for materials that spectators could use to make placards or to draw their team’s logo on their face.)

Perhaps the stadium functioned like a giant magical circle with the cards acting as a control medium like a mouse or keyboard.

Coronzon had a physical body, but her true essence was a collection of Telesma energy. Unlike the pure angels, she was a mixture of different elements, which could be a pain, but by breaking them apart, she too could be handled as pure energy.

That meant she could inject herself into a weapon or armor or she could be carried around inside a thin talisman.

Or she could send herself through the ley lines to instantly travel to the other side of the planet.

“Now, time to begin,” she whispered.

===Part 16===

Kamijou was anxious.

Great Demon Coronzon was inside there, but the great size of the stadium worked against them. With more than 20 public gates, entering the wrong way would give Coronzon a chance to escape out a different one.

They needed to know her exact location before heading in.

…He understood the Anglicans’ point, but that didn’t mean he liked it. No matter how well they prepared themselves, Coronzon would disappear if they didn’t arrive in time. Then the world’s doom would begin on the other side of the planet. Coronzon would be able to choose any location she liked, so she could ensure the optimal conditions for herself. The next time would be far worse. Everything might truly be destroyed.

Next to him, Index spoke up. Addressing Kanzaki.

“Are you going to run a search from the outside? Isn’t that dangerous too?”

“It is. She could detect the magic power of a normal through-walls scan. However, we Amakusas have specialized in hiding our faith to avoid persecution, so we know a few tricks we can use.”

Kamijou and Mikoto had no clue what the Amakusas were working on with such determined looks on their faces. At this point, Index and her 103,001 memorized grimoires was the only person they could rely on.

She got it right on the first guess.

“The Maria Kannon?”

“This isn’t how they were originally used, but they were designed to look like an ordinary Buddhist figure while revealing its true face as the Virgin Mary to anyone who knew what to look for. By intentionally taking a broad interpretation of that concept, it can be remade into a camouflage-breaking searching spell to locate that which is hidden.”

===Part 17===

In the very center of the spacious stadium, Great Demon Coronzon sat quietly, regulated her breathing, and placed her index finger against one of the toxically colorful cards lined up on the ground.

Something felt off.

A sensation like a finger pressed between her eyes caused a tingling in the center of her head. Even though she was the one reaching out her finger. No, it was meaningless to think of it in that way.

The two were linked.

To touch it was to be touched.

The line between the self and the other – between the inner world and the outer world – was blurring.

The core of her body distorted. She was uncertain where she was even sitting.

“Kh.”

Her head wobbled. A vertiginous fluctuation interrupted her thoughts.

This was an Eastern mystical philosophy from ancient India.

She knew it wasn’t a good fit for her. A pure and proper angel never could have done it. But she was an impure and wicked being known as a great demon. And the Crowley system said every form of the mystical could be incorporated into your own spells if you reinterpreted it with your own logic. The wise would not give up just because they reached an impasse. They would use the discovery of that impasse to further elevate themselves.

She took deep breaths.

She consciously guided her thoughts toward stability.

She needn’t think of purifying herself.

There didn’t have to be just one answer.

The tattva cards did not work with pure elements in the first place.

Mathers had warned that meditation using those painfully colorful cards could cause intense anxiety or headaches for a mere human if used incorrectly. So how much worse would the damage from failure be for Coronzon as she tried to return herself to a state of pure energy?

She did not approach the true essence of this Eastern mystical philosophy.

The tattva cards were no more than tools used for control. That would have been how the Golden cabal used them too. They were valuable when it came to understanding the five elements, but there would be discrepancies between the cabal’s manual and the actual Eastern philosophy.

(The work has just passed 50%. That would explain why this inner fear and anxiety is taking on such concrete form.)

Coronzon did not move her eyes.

She had to focus her whole mind on ascending straight up.

Thus, any trivial distractions and detours could end up tearing her ego apart.

So she always stared straight ahead, using only the corner of her vision to watch how her own shadow wavered and thinned.

It was progressing well.

Once her shadow fully vanished, she would have also ''physically'' disappeared from Academy City.

The destruction of the world was within reach.

===Part 18===

“How is that search spell going!?” shouted Blodeuwedd the Bouquet.

“I-it just passed 70%!” nervously reported Itsuwa.

70%.

That was more than halfway done, but Kamijou and the others didn’t know Coronzon’s status. If she was even a single percentage point ahead of them, they wouldn’t finish in time. It was possible the Anglicans would fully surround the stadium and rush in only to find Coronzon had already vanished.

Othinus sighed from Kamijou’s shoulder.

“There’s no need to wait until it’s 100% complete. We know Coronzon is in this building. So if we attack the small unsearched spots, we can confirm her location by sight.”

“How much of the stadium do you think those ‘small spots’ cover?” strongly retorted Kanzaki. “The search has covered 70% or maybe 80%. We’re risking our lives going in, so we want a little more assurance than that!!”

“What do you think, Touma?” asked Index.

“Hm? We should go in now! Right now!!”

He had no idea why an outsider like him had been asked for his opinion on a magical matter, but he gave his answer right away.

“Tsujiura,” said Index. “Kushiura and Qiu Xiang Bu also work. Those are Eastern, so the Amakusas should be able to use them too.”

“I see. So the idea that the first thing said by someone ignorant of the topic at hand can be used for divination,” said Kanzaki, sounding impressed.

In this case, Kamijou’s ignorance of magic gave his words meaning.

…He felt like this was declaring him useless in this fight, which seemed kind of insulting, but if the experts would listen to what he had to say, he didn’t care why.

Whatever the case, Kamijou’s words set them all into motion.

“Kanzaki will join one of the Amakusa teams, I guess. Okay, Alice!! You go lend Agnese’s group a hand!”

“Hm? The girl would prefer to stay with you, teacher.”

“Please! And Anna, you go with that team including Itsuwa and Tsushima!”

“Fool. I will step on you later.”

They complained, but they still split up.

Even Takitsubo and Kihara Noukan did as he said. They had to know even less about magic than him, but they were still risking their lives to stop this unknown threat.

After all, there were more than twenty public gates. The Amakusas and the Former Agnese Force would be blocking all of those exits, but they were dealing with ''the'' Coronzon here. Ordinary magicians weren’t enough. Each team needed an irregular member such as a Saint like Kanzaki Kaori, a Transcendent like the Bologna Succubus or Blodeuwedd the Bouquet, or even a special Transcendent like Anna Sprengel or Alice Anotherbible.

Kamijou didn’t see this as splitting up their forces.

Once they entered the stadium, they would converge on Coronzon’s location. He didn’t want anyone dying in the “blank time” until they broke down the right door and found Coronzon. He was sick of Coronzon being able to choose one of them at random for a one-hit kill lottery. Even if one team was unfortunate enough to run across Coronzon on their way in, they didn’t have to defeat her. Kamijou wanted to give each team someone who could let them survive until the other teams arrived.

Mikoto, who always felt left behind when it came to magical matters, suddenly panicked.

“W-wait, what about me!?”

“You’re with me, of course!! C’mon!!”

“Eh? O-oh…okay.”

Kamijou and Mikoto would enter through the closest gate: Gate 15. Neither knew much about magic, but he figured Othinus’s presence would make up for that. Index’s knowledge was the most important of all, so he couldn’t keep it to himself.

Gate 15 was shut with a metal grate shutter and a glass door, but Mikoto only had to inhale and exhale before it all opened for them. And not just Gate 15. All of the shutters and locks opened at once.

Without waiting for the shutter to fully rise, they ducked below it.

They entered a dark corridor.

And ran.

“Hey, human. Don’t get one-shotted here. Even if Coronzon is busy, she could have sent out those scouts.”

Othinus warned him from his shoulder, but Kamijou didn’t have time to respond. If they were even a second too late, it was all over.

His heart pounded in his ears. He felt like he was going to die on his own without Coronzon having to lift a finger. But he gritted his teeth and kept running.

He wouldn’t let her try again at destroying the world.

He would end this tonight.

===Part 19===

(75%.)

Great Demon Coronzon’s voice no longer vibrated the air.

From her perspective, it was less like her body was unraveling and more like the world around her was changing. Or maybe like she was crossing the boundary between phases. Her coordinates remained the same, but the scene around her changed as if flipping over a page.

Perhaps there was no real difference between the two.

The Golden cabal never managed to send their body across. Thus, their experts had tried to separate just their minds in an act known as astral projection to virtually achieve a leap between phases. They had worked hard to peek into another world like heaven or hell. …And as a result, quite a few magicians had failed to cling to their sanity.

Coronzon’s nearly transparent fingertip passed right through the tattva card.

She was more than halfway on the other side now.

The great demon grinned.

(No more physical control is needed at this point. Now I only have to wait for the process to complete!!)

===Part 20===

Kamijou and Mikoto ran down a long, long corridor.

They couldn’t afford to hide their footsteps now.

Coronzon was so close.

“We’re going to come out into the stands, right? How far is it to the actual sports field!?”

“The actual distance isn’t that far, but the stands aren’t flat. Don’t trip and fall in the darkness, okay?”

Mikoto gave him a surprisingly sincere answer.

There hadn’t been any bright beams of light or explosions yet.

What were Kanzaki, Agnese, and the others doing?

They would have entered through all the entrances at once, but apparently none of the teams had run into Coronzon. They didn’t know where she was hiding to complete her ceremony, but she hadn’t noticed their presence yet. That made this their best chance.

If they failed, it was all over.

(We might not win in a straight fight, but what if she’s immobilized by the important ceremony? This time will be different. This is our only chance to settle things with her!!)

The end of the corridor came into view.

Like a rectangular hole cut out of the darkness.

Kamijou gritted his teeth, clenched his fist, and ran with all his might.

He emerged into a silent space. The flow of time ground to a halt.

No one was there.

The place was deserted.

“What’s…going on?” muttered Kamijou, stopped partway down the stands.

He could hear more people emerging from different directions. But that was all. Even from here, he could see Agnese, the Bologna Succubus, and others looking around in confusion on the other side of the stadium. The great demon wasn’t shining bright as she completed some kind of ceremony and Coronzon didn’t begin a fierce battle in an attempt to escape.

Great Demon Coronzon wasn’t here.

It didn’t feel like she had fled in a panic either. There was no warmth in the vast space. It had likely been empty this entire time. Coronzon had never been here. They had chosen the wrong location.

Had their calculations been off?

No, they hadn’t been relying on Index alone. It had been a group effort with help from Anna Sprengel, Kanzaki Kaori, and more from the magic side. And they had been certain Coronzon would use this stadium if she was using Zeus symbolism. So how could they have been wrong!?

“Touma.”

A girl from another group joined him.

Index’s usual childlike air was broken by the trembling voice she forced out.

She seemed hesitant to speak.

“Is this district used for any other special purpose? Other than sports!”

“Huh? Yes. It is a district of stadiums and domes meant to hold tens of thousands of people. I think Aogami Pierce mentioned it being the holy land for idol concerts.”

A quiet thud reached his ears.

Index was unable to support her wobbling body and fell back into one of the seats. The cat mewed in complaint from her arms.

“Then Coronzon wasn’t using sports as the symbol for a sanctuary or temple.”

Her lips quivered.

“Songstresses, plays…she was using the performing arts. Which means it isn’t Zeus! And if she is using a different symbol and a different god, she would be in an entirely different location!!”

===Part 21===

Maximum occupancy: 255 thousand.

Coronzon snorted with laughter when she recalled that extreme number.

…A soccer stadium or baseball stadium could never reach that number even with every seat filled. That display was meant for a concert or live performance where even the field itself was filled with seats.

Coronzon was somewhere like that.

(This district is filled with stadiums and domes. To put it another way, most of them are not the designated home field of a pro team whose games you can watch on a sports app. And “just a stadium” isn’t going to be used just for sports. …District 20’s stadiums probably make most of their income this way. I saw through that right away. And a facility primarily used for concerts is not a Zeus-associated track stadium. To be blunt, this is a large facility built for shows, not for sports.)

She didn’t want Apollo, god of music.

She wanted Dionysus, god of theater.

In ancient Greece, sporting events had been held in sanctuaries as a ceremonial offering to a god, but plays and songs had been made as offering in those same sanctuaries. Thus, holding a concert or live performance in a stadium that could contain a large audience was not a new idea.

Greek theater was the origin of modern stage plays. And the original form of that had been a festival held as an offering to Dionysus, god of alcohol and insanity.

That meant his symbols could be extracted from a large stadium like this.

(The work is past 90%. And yet no pursuit has arrived yet. What’s the matter, humanity? If you let me escape this easily, you will be extinct by tomorrow!!)

===Part 22===

So not sports but music. No, theater.

Not a stadium for sporting events but for concerts and live performances.

When they corrected the initial assumption and had Index recalculate, they were given a single candidate.

“The Brilliant Outdoor Performance Stadium. It points north and, if the adjacent park is viewed as a mountain forest, you could extract the symbols of Dionysus. This time I’m sure of it! A god of insanity would be perfect for controlling her power as a chaotic great demon!”

Now that they had a new answer, they couldn’t just sit around.

Their initial wrong answer would have given Coronzon that much more time for the ceremony to break her body down into energy. As soon as she finished that, she would dive into a ley line and escape to the other side of the planet. There wasn’t a moment to lose.

Kamijou and the others hitched a ride on the rotary snowplow driven by Tsushima of the Amakusas to reach the new destination.

It was in the same district.

Driving there, it wouldn’t take long. The giant stadium capable of holding 255 thousand came into view.

“Is that it? Please still be in the city, Coronzon. Dammit.”

As soon as Kamijou jumped down from the snowplow onto the red snow, he staggered to the side.

He regathered his strength, somehow managing to keep himself steady, but he bumped into something next to him.

But not because he had nearly fallen.

“Ugh…”

He heard a small groan.

From Takitsubo Rikou.

She must have arrived on a different vehicle. Kamijou instinctually caught the unsteady track suit girl…and found her body temperature was higher than he had expected.

Not just warm, but blazing hot.

He was shocked.

“That’s not good… How long have you been hiding this, Takitsubo!?”

“…”

She refused to say a word.

She had been knocked out by some kind of attack from Coronzon during the Adikalika stuff. It was a miracle she was even still alive, yet she had joined the chase instead of calling an ambulance. Anyone would be in a similar state after that.

“You can’t go on. You need to get some rest! You’ve seen the way things are, right!? The Anglicans don’t want to torment Hamazura!!”

“You should listen to your own advice, Touma. Stopping Adikalika was more than enough of a win. You’re hurt, so stay here and look after her,” said an exasperated Index.

Even though it was she who had actually stopped the attack after arriving late. She had a perfect memory, so this wasn’t just a mistake. So was she giving them the credit? When he thought about it, he realized Kanzaki, Agnese, and the others hadn’t actually seen the moment Adikalika was stopped…

Speaking of Kanzaki, she called everyone over.

“If the countdown is close to the end, we can’t spend time on an initial search like before. That will mean a greater risk when we enter. Needless to say…”

“Then do we have time to sit around listening to the headmaster’s speech? I’ll steal a map of the stadium with my powers, so let’s get going!”

Mikoto, Index, Kanzaki, and the rest got moving.

In no time, there wasn’t anyone left.

It was so quiet.

Kamijou sat down and focused on taking deep breaths. He wasn’t as bad as Takitsubo, but he had lost his balance earlier. He had taken a direct hit from Coronzon. He wasn’t a doctor and couldn’t even imagine how much damage had been done inside his body, but he knew better than to be optimistic.

Takitsubo Rikou’s lips moved where she lay right next to him.

He doubted she was conscious, so maybe she was having a nightmare.

“…Hamazura…”

“Kh.”

Kamijou grimaced. In agony.

She had to be badly worried about her friend. If she didn’t do something to help out and earn points with the Anglicans, she would lose all chance of negotiating with them. But she was too injured to move.

If Coronzon did escape, who could say where they would direct their anger. Even if Kanzaki, Agnese, and the others fighting here didn’t, the higher ups watching from across the ocean might demand a live sacrifice from those who were close to Coronzon.

Could that be why Index had used such vague phrasing to give up credit for stopping Adikalika?

But it wasn’t enough. Takitsubo wanted something more to push her claim of having contributed, so Adikalika wasn’t enough and she had come with them even if it meant hiding how bad her injuries were.

And unlike her, Kamijou could still move.

He couldn’t push himself too hard.

But he had to make up his mind.

“Okay. I’ll go.”

“Human? …It figures.”

“I’ll stop Coronzon, so don’t you worry, Takitsubo. Don’t forget: winning is meaningless if you die. Your goal is to be with Hamazura, right? Then you need to rest.”

He forced his heavy body up and began to walk.

No, he was trying to run full speed, but this was the most speed he could manage.

Even so, Imagine Breaker would have to be of some use.

Coronzon’s magic was extraordinarily powerful.

Maybe he couldn’t fight her himself, but he could at least help out someone who could. If he could shield them from even a single attack, it might be enough to decide the battle.

He would overturn the game as a wild card.

===Part 23===

Great Demon Coronzon only had to wait. And the time finally arrived.

It was already over.

99%.

Even if someone barged in now, she could break her body down into Telesma and escape Academy City through the ley line before they could do anything.

Her victory was assured. Those humans were too late to prevent their doom. The silly fools should have resisted more.

But then…

“You think so? Then allow me to cause a bit of trouble.”

Her vision shattered.

Black, red, silver, blue, yellow… It all collapsed into a wild dance of colors.

No.

Crossing between phases and breaking herself down may have been the same thing. She had thought so herself.

Which meant it was she who was collapsing.

She could no longer support her sitting position and fell to the side. Something was wrong with her limbs. She couldn’t remember how to breathe. Nevertheless, she managed to gather all her strength and scream.

“A…lei…sterrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!?”

“Now, now, Coronzon. You should know better than to mess with anything as dangerous as the tattva cards which even the Golden cabal had to issue a recall for. Don’t you remember what Mathers said? They can cause intense anxiety or headaches if used incorrectly. Why would you visit the mental world after going to the trouble of physically sealing me away? Are you trying to kill yourself? ''In here'', I can still wield some power.”

(Emergency…shutoff!!)

A dull “snap!” came from the center of her head.

“Khah!!”

She tried to let out the breath caught in her throat, but what came out was colored red.

For a while, she lay on her side convulsing until she forcibly suppressed the writhing of every last one of her internal organs. Yes, it was urgent that she accurately recalled the shape of her body. She had already begun to enter the ley line when the magic failed. She had to return to her original body in a hurry, but if she forgot that body’s shape now, she could be entirely annihilated.

It took her a full ten seconds.

Once she calmed her wild breathing and recalled the cycle for inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide, she had reclaimed her physical body.

The tattva cards could cause mental confusion if used incorrectly.

For her, did that mean releasing the sealed Aleister? In other words…

“Dammit!!!”

This meant a change of plans.

She couldn’t use this method anymore.

And if she was going to cross Academy City’s wall for a physical escape…she had no reason to remain in this stadium. She had to leave as soon as possible.

===Part 24===

Kamijou forced his unsteady body to keep moving and pushed open a small metal door with his shoulder.

He slipped through the half-open door, probably a staff entrance, and entered the stadium.

He found a dark, cold, heavy space.

Big too.

…He had apparently entered something like a parking garage. Was it a space for workers located below the stadium? He didn’t know enough to have a good mental picture of how stadiums were structured.

He did have his phone with him, but he didn’t know what was happening inside. The pursuers had to be careful too, so he wanted to avoid causing someone’s phone to ring while they were trying to hide.

“Index? Misaka?” he called quietly.

He didn’t know how the Amakusas and the Former Agnese Force were searching the stadium. Because they weren’t sharing information with him.

He heard some light footsteps through the darkness. They echoed off the gray walls and were moving away from him.

He immediately ran full speed in that direction.

He could tell just from listening whose they were.

“(Human, you noticed how odd that was, I trust?)”

(We all know how powerful Coronzon is, so everyone will be searching as part of a team. So no one should be leaving on their own like that!)

“Coronzon!! Is that you!?”

“You really shouldn’t have announced your presence. Unless you have the supernatural power to kill with words alone.”

The footsteps stopped.

A voice spoke from behind one of the thick concrete pillars lining the space.

A hateful voice.

“I’m relieved. Because I can easily kill you and complete my escape. Now, Kamijou Touma, how do you intend to stop me? Don’t try to tell me that foolish shout was all part of a plan and you have a more troublesome opponent hiding nearby.”

15cm Othinus could not directly fight, so he was effectively alone.

Coronzon had seen right through him.

What about the phone in his pocket? No. He might not have a signal, but more than that, using the touchscreen in the dark parking garage would give him away with the backlight. Coronzon would act before he could call for help.

“You chose this stadium because it was your best bet, right? You can’t use magic to escape through the ley lines now. So give up, Coronzon.”

“Why should I? Great demons are perfectly capable of driving cars. And it goes without saying that ordinary cars can slip right past a scan for magic power.”

Kamijou’s eyes widened.

That was her plan immediately after trying to escape using Telesma and a ley line? She switched gears way too fast.

“How many trump cards do you have!?”

“More than a mere human could ever imagine, that’s for sure.”

If she escaped in a car, he couldn’t keep up on foot. His phone was an iffy option too. So was there nothing he could do? If he shouted at the top of his lungs, the others would surely gather here. He wouldn’t let her escape.

The voice alone continued from behind the pillar.

“How about this, Kamijou Touma? What if you keep quiet and let me go?”

“Why even ask that? It’s meaningless. If you escape tonight, you’ll work to destroy all of humanity by tomorrow, right? Then nothing you could offer me would be worth it!!”

“Oh, you will let me go. Because I happened to pick up a trump card on my way here.”

Someone emerged from behind the concrete pillar. Slowly.

Blonde hair.

A woman.

But that hair was fluffy and only fell to the shoulder blades.

This wasn’t Great Demon Coronzon.

He had only heard a single set of footsteps, so had she been captured behind the pillar?

What was being held against her from outside Kamijou’s view? The feminine lines of her body were trembling and her expression was like a cross between tears and a smile.

He recognized her as one of the Amakusas.

“Tsushima.”

It wasn’t even a case of “move and she’s dead”.

All of a sudden, the red splattered out.

From the side of her neck. Kamijou was an ordinary high school boy without much forensic medical knowledge, but the location the blood was spraying from sent a chill down his spine. She seemed to have been cut by an invisible blade.

A laughing woman stuck her head out from behind the pillar.

Great Demon Coronzon really was a demon.

“Kee hee ha ha!! Protecting human lives is no easy task, is it? Or are you willing to take another tour of hell for her!?”

Coronzon kicked Tsushima’s doll-like body from behind, shoving her toward him.

He had no choice but to catch her. Only a few seconds had passed, but she felt limp and heavy in his arms. She clung heavily to him like a down blanket soaked with water. He pressed his palm firmly against the wound in her neck. How much blood loss was lethal for a human? If he didn’t stop the blood spurting from the side of her neck, she really would die.

At that moment, Kamijou’s vision suddenly went dark.

But not because Coronzon had done anything. It took him a while to even realize that. He had long since pushed his body past the limit.

He shouldn’t have been up and about at all.

“Human!!”

“Kah…ah…?”

He felt horribly faint.

He collapsed and couldn’t get back up. It wasn’t just that he couldn’t move his arms and legs very much. He wasn’t even sure which way was up.

“Kh.”

He held Tsushima tight in his arms. He gritted his teeth and tried to take in as much information on the physical reality around him. Sight, hearing, taste, smell, touch… it didn’t matter what. He was afraid he would pass out otherwise.

“Ha ha ha!! You said it was meaningless, didn’t you? You couldn’t have been more right! Why bother saving a life or two now when I will be destroying the entire world soon!”

No, it wasn’t working.

Even after all this…he couldn’t stop his mind from slipping away into darkness.

He had to avoid removing his hand from that neck wound.

He heard the sound of metal breaking.

Then the sound of an engine starting and the sound of Coronzon driving a car away.

“Wait…Coronzon…”

The darkness took over.

Kamijou Touma’s consciousness fully faded.

“Waiiiiit!!!”

===Part 25===

“Can you hear me?”

Near the center of the open stadium, Agnese heard a young male voice.

Hearing a voice when no one was there was nothing unusual. She was commanding more than 250 people, so she was using communication magic.

But this was odd.

The Former Agnese Force was all female.

“This…Mich………k… I have an urgent message. Can anyone hear me?”

She was using a Roman Catholic communication spiritual item derived from the Barbara Branch. It was made from a cherry tree twig with a few buds attached and it wasn’t all that unusual. …Even if it did seem wrong for nuns to be carrying around tools for love fortunetelling.

The hard buds unnaturally opened below the frigid sky and the flower petals vibrated.

They produced a human voice.

(You’re kidding. Is someone hijacking the channel!?)

“Is anyone at all in Academy City receiving this!? There is something I must tell you immediately!”

“?”

Itsuwa gave Agnese a puzzled look from nearby. …Apparently she couldn’t hear this. That meant it was targeted only at the Roman Catholics of the Former Agnese Force.

Agnese Sanctis frowned.

“This is Agnese Sanctis. Who are you?”

“Thank god… I got through! This is Michael Speak, a cardinal officially appointed by the pope!!”

She was at a loss for words.

…Those were the around a hundred ultra elites chosen out of the two billion Roman Catholics to directly advise the pope. Ordinarily, she would never even directly speak to one.

But his voice didn’t fit the part. He sounded like a stressed young man. He didn’t sound even thirty.

Perhaps his modesty was what had earned him so much popularity.

(Another Michael. And with the fate of the world hanging in the balance.)

“What does a great cardinal want with lowly peon like me?”

“Tell only the Roman Catholics to get out of there immediately. You need to leave Academy City as soon as possible. Your team will obey you if you tell them!”

“?”

She had expected a protest or sarcasm in response, so this came as a complete surprise.

This was advance warning of an attack.

She didn’t know what the Vatican was preparing to do, but she had to assume it was a fairly dangerous large-scale spell. Something even greater than Coronzon’s Adikalika.

“You mean it’s close to being activated?”

“As Roman Catholics, we cannot allow someone as dangerous as Great Demon Coronzon to escape Academy City. If she cannot be defeated on the front line, then the Vatican must reach out a helping hand.”

Reach out a helping hand.

So from their perspective, they were saving lives.

And the same went for Agnese, Lucia, Angelene, and the rest of the Former Agnese Force fighting on the front line.

“There are three activation conditions. First, if you completely lose track of Coronzon and the trail goes cold. Two, at 5:47 AM local time. In other words, at dawn. Third, if we believe a non-Catholic force has learned of our plan and could attempt to stop it. If any one of those conditions is met, the Vatican will activate Saint Georgios’s Fire.”

“Kh.”

The most important condition was the third.

That meant the Vatican didn’t want them sharing this information with anyone else. Even though this would mean the destruction of Academy City. The chance to evacuate was for the Former Agnese Force only.

…Were they being pressured to abandon Academy City and the Anglicans who they had fought and risked their lives alongside?

“We are always watching and listening, Sister Agnese. The physical distance matters little. So do not attempt to contact anyone else through trickery or deception. We will not overlook it.”

(Magical surveillance is a hell of a thing. Although I’m sure it was originally justified as a way for the pure servants of god to punish wicked magicians.)

She didn’t actually know how much she was being observed. The Catholics had been outdone by the other forces so far, so Agnese thought they had to be bluffing to an extent. But this still made it hard to take any bold action.

And she knew what Saint Georgios’s Fire was.

She had heard rumors of it back when she still lived in Italy.

There was a legend about the death of Saint Georgios, or Saint George as he was known in England. When he was being pressured to renounce his faith in a wicked temple, a great ball of fire fell from heaven and blew it all away. So it was a legend of pure attack power.

“That’s a large-scale spell that targets a distant location through the ley lines, isn’t it?”

“Ironically, it uses the same pathway Coronzon is attempting to use to escape. But since we can only use it and not control it, we cannot stop her from using it.”

The Roman Catholic spell was essentially a cluster bomb that detonated two billion explosive flames across the entirety of the targeted city.

And rather than burn everything down with the explosive blasts and flames, it used an extreme high temperature to rapidly alter the atmospheric pressure and oxygen level across the entire area. That meant fortifying oneself behind a shield or wall was meaningless. Because your own body would rupture from within. Afterwards, only a lifeless city would remain.

It was effectively the ideal form of a human killer.

(Now isn’t the time for us humans to be fighting among ourselves!!)

“I thought the pope had learned an important lesson from the trials of World War Three. I can’t believe he would agree to such a forceful solution.”

“His authorization is unnecessary. The cardinals have the right to hold an ecumenical council or election. …And the majority wish to do this. We in the minority have no way to stop them.”

“Doesn’t that seem disrespectful?”

“Abstaining in protest will not change the outcome of the vote. Did I ever say that I like that this is happening!?”

There was real strength behind those last words.

That had to be what he really thought. Which was why it pierced Agnese so deeply.

But even if he was sensible, he couldn’t change what was happening. She could tell that too.

(Well, this is a disaster…)

And there was an issue beyond the number of victims across Academy City.

A more fundamental issue.

“Don’t you know ''a human killer spell won’t affect an inhuman demon''? Sowing further confusion in Academy City will only create more openings in the city perimeter!! You’re playing right into Coronzon’s hand!!”

Apparently Coronzon’s special trait remained in effect.

She tore people apart and obstructed their evolution.

(But I can’t believe it’s gone so far.)

“Sister Agnese!!”

“What do you want, cardinal!? I’m really goddamn busy right now!”

“This is a compromise. As much of one as I could get. The original plan was to immediately activate Saint Georgios’s Fire and I only barely stopped that from happening!”

There was kindness in his words.

But that kindness was unnecessary. Something was fundamentally off about this.

“Don’t tell me this is about wounded pride. Index stopped Adikalika by redirecting it to an unnamed desert island in the Atlantic. The Italian peninsula wasn’t harmed!”

“But Coronzon did launch her large-scale attack spell. And that wasn’t her only trump card. Her power is unfathomable, so she must be destroyed when we have the chance. None of the cardinals can ignore that point. I’m sorry, but that includes me!”

She wasn’t sure what to say.

She understood. Yes, even Agnese was furious. If she hadn’t made a conscious effort to calm herself, she might have left the Anglicans back then.

“Violence is wrong,” he continued. “I understand that. We erred and let God’s Right Seat manipulate us during World War Three. …But this time, ''we are in our rights to retaliate.'' Overturning that idea will not be easy, Sister Agnese.”

(Coronzon. Your mere presence really does make a mess of humanity as a whole!)

The Roman Catholics naturally had a variety of emotions about this.

About Coronzon and about Academy City for failing to stop this crisis earlier.

…Nuclear missiles could destroy the world, so it would take a lot of guts to launch the first one yourself. But what if an enemy launched one at you first? That would lower the mental hurdle for pressing the launch button considerably.

People were easily influenced by the word “retaliation”. And that could burn down the entire world.

“I will do everything I can, but I doubt I can stop this from happening. Sooner or later, Saint Georgios’s Fire will be launched.”

He was one of the sensible ones.

He would truly prefer not to use it.

But that was why nothing he said was a mere threat or bluff.

For the pacifists, nothing was more painful than having to declare that an atrocity would soon be happening.

“So you need to escape that city immediately. It’s a shame what will happen to Academy City and the Anglicans, but it’s too late for them. Gather up all the Roman Catholics and get out of there!!”

[[Image:GT_Index_v14_BW4.jpg|thumb]]

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Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume14 Chapter1

2026-06-10T22:46:47Z

Ultranova17: minor spelling

==Chapter 1: Fleeing Time Bomb – DEVIL_in_Science_World.==

===Part 1===

Midnight.

The world was meant to be tumbling toward destruction at this time, but Academy City remained intact. But that wouldn’t last if Great Demon Coronzon was allowed to get away. Then the overtime they had earned would only delay that doom until tomorrow.

The red snow had absorbed the explosive soot, dust, and other impurities produced by a warlike situation, but it had ceased.

“Sitra Achra… I knew the theory, but I never imagined I would see it for myself,” said Index in a daze.

Othinus emerged from the white hood and moved to Kamijou’s shoulder.

Wasn’t that the thing Coronzon had used to blow away the thick clouds overhead?

The only one here who seemed sleepy was the calico cat in the girl’s arms.

“That doesn’t help us,” whispered mourning clothes Mikoto, her voice low. “A clear night sky will only allow the temperature to drop thanks to radiative cooling. The red snow has stopped, but there’s enough on the ground to keep traffic a mess. All it did is make this city even more deadly.”

Snow plowing, distributing food, distributing warm clothing – there was a lot that had to be done. But Coronzon was the greatest threat and, until she had been dealt with, everyone had to focus on her. They couldn’t afford to dedicate sufficient manpower to those other tasks.

They had to end this before someone died.

…And Kamijou was also worried about Human Aleister, who remained inside the great demon.

“Teacher!”

“Fool, explain the situation.”

A few more people approached at a run.

Alice Anotherbible, Anna Sprengel, and some more.

Coronzon had mentioned some spatial trickery preventing them from approaching this place…but that must have stopped functioning after she chose to run.

Kamijou intended to give a succinct explanation, but Index and Mikoto joined the conversation too. Even Othinus tugged on his ear from his shoulder. A lot more people than he thought had questions.

He looked up to see the friendly(?) flying pair of the Bologna Succubus and Blodeuwedd the Bouquet. The term “air support” sounded so reassuring at the moment.

He saw another winged girl too.

That one was the artificial demon Qliphah Puzzle 545.

“Wh-what about my master? Has the Board Chairman come to yet?”

“Dammit, I don’t think we can expect any support from him. We’ll just have to do this ourselves.”

“~ ~ ~!!!”

With some noisy flapping, Qliphah Puzzle 545 rapidly took flight.

“Where is she going?” asked Alice Anotherbible, tilting her head up toward the night sky.

She may have been on her way to Accelerator’s secret base. Kamijou didn’t bother stopping her. He didn’t know what she intended to do, but if Accelerator was unconscious, he would need someone’s support.

A loud voice reached him from elsewhere.

It belonged to Kanzaki Kaori.

The Anglicans had to have tens of thousands of people in Academy City.

“We must set up a surveillance network centered on District 7. With her wings damaged, Coronzon will be limited to travel on foot. If you do spot her, do not attempt to face her on your own. Make sure to share the information you receive with your own eyes and ears. Losing that information will only give her a chance to escape!”

She was one of the world’s fewer than twenty Saints.

Kamijou had heard she could run at supersonic speed if she wanted to, but she was matching the others’ speed now.

“I can’t push my body too hard.” Looking composed, Kanzaki answered Kamijou’s gaze. “I will of course remove that limitation once Coronzon has been sighted, but I want to avoid breaking the sound barrier without a solid lead. Because I don’t want to be too worn out to fight by the time I do reach her.”

He doubted that was her only reason.

In the end, Kanzaki was afraid. They were up against Great Demon Coronzon. What if she moved out ahead, leaving her allies behind, and Coronzon snuck in from behind? Then the allies she had left behind in supposed safety would be killed one after another. She most feared a situation like that where only she and her Saintly luck managed to survive.

The red snow crunched below several feet.

More and more magic side pursuers were arriving: Tatemiya Saiji and Itsuwa of the Amakusas, Agnese and Lucia of the former Catholics, and the standard Anglicans.

They needed as much help as they could get.

Academy City covered around a third of Tokyo and contained a population of 2.3 million. They had to find and apprehend a single individual fleeing through that city. Kamijou had no idea if they could actually do it, but the world would be destroyed if they failed tonight.

His entire body ached.

He even felt like something was wrong with the connections between his bones.

But he clenched his teeth and spoke as if directing a challenge toward Kanzaki, who had taken charge.

“I’m going too. I’m the one who fought Coronzon and let her escape. I’m responsible for this, so use me for whatever’s necessary.”

“But…”

“Aleister answered my call. He must still be fighting against Coronzon, so I can’t just go lie in a hospital bed!”

Kanzaki Kaori sighed softly.

She looked away from him and toward Index and Mikoto.

“Always have at least two people with you who you can rely on. I am not permitting you to act on your own.”

“I know I’m asking a lot! Thank-”

“Don’t push your luck. I honestly think it would be a lot simpler to knock you out with a punch to the gut, but that would be too cruel given your injuries. I don’t want to overdo it and kill you.”

…How was he supposed to react to something like that?

Kanzaki Kaori continued in complete seriousness.

“You are in a terrible state. If you refuse to let others support you, I really will knock you out. So choose whichever option you consider safer.”

She likely only made such a swift decision because of how pressing the situation was.

“Fool,” said Anna Sprengel. “Coronzon is on her way to escape Academy City even now.”

“Yes,” agreed Index. “We need to stop her before she crosses the wall and is released into the wider world.”

Kamijou nodded at them both.

Kanzaki reacted with exasperation.

“You really don’t change, do you? I don’t know if I should call you reckless or what.”

“Sorry, but I’m not going to die so easily. I swore I wouldn’t waste this life granted to me in hell.”

For some reason, the earnestness of this response made Kanzaki recoil.

But what about an ordinary high school boy could frighten a great Saint like her?

“Heyyy!” called down a voice overhead.

The Bologna Succubus had descended to circle slowly in the night sky above. With Blodeuwedd the Bouquet dangling from her. The low angle was terribly risque when the girl was only wearing a naked apron below the thick metal coat.

“Still no hints for tracking down Coronzon? Then we’ll fly back up and continue our search.”

“W-wait. I thought magicians weren’t supposed to fly! Wasn’t there some weird rule about flying being easy but bringing you down also being easy!?”

“We can survive even if we are brought down, so no worries. In fact, being brought down would tell us Coronzon is nearby, so it would actually be good news.”

With that said, the Bologna Succubus swung Blodeuwedd the Bouquet around in one hand and ascended back into the night sky.

Yet a lively voice still came from Kanzaki’s hand. …So was Kanzaki holding some kind of communication spiritual item?

“As a lover of the unloved, I’ve honestly taken an interest in Coronzon too.”

Kamijou’s jaw dropped.

(Wait, wait, don’t tell me some weird flag has been triggered in Blodeuwedd the Bouquet!)

But he was afraid a careless question about it would push her in the wrong direction.

The Bologna Succubus’s gloomy voice responded. Sounding like she was used to this.

“Side with her and I finally have the justification I need. I will murder you, satisfying years of resentment, you lewd goddess.”

“(This isn’t good, human. For the Transcendents, their salvation conditions are even more important than their own lives.)”

Othinus was right.

Blodeuwedd the Bouquet’s comments were certainly concerning, but…

“Too bad. What I’m looking for is someone who’s starved for love. When people are providing a plentiful supply at their own expense and she brushes it off as an unasked-for nuisance, it just pisses me off.”

“So maybe there’s nothing to worry about for now?”

Index did not sound very confident. It didn’t inspire much confidence either.

The Transcendents really were a challenge.

Also, why even bring the naked apron girl along? But Blodeuwedd the Bouquet didn’t seem particular bothered by it.

“Those two must be really good frien- dwah?!”

Kamijou didn’t even finish his comment before something fell from the sky.

If he hadn’t noticed it and dodged out of the way, a glass terrarium heavier than a flower pot would have struck him right in the head. Othinus, who had nearly become collateral damage on his shoulder, looked up into the sky and said something.

“That’s the same deadly prank pulled by rude city crows up on building rooftops.”

The sound of something beating at the air interrupted them.

Was the dazzling light a searchlight or something?

“This is Yomikawa of Anti-Skill! We can only perform a primitive search in the helicopter, but we can’t expect any help from drones or satellites right now!! Where should we start looking!?”

“Fool. It looks like the search can continue even if those silly magicians are brought down by an interception spell.”

And…

“Wait,” said a voice. A flat female voice. “I’m going too.”

It was the track suit girl. Wasn’t her name Takitsubo Rikou?

Her tone was flat, but the sound of her breathing showed something was wrong.

“You are injured.”

Golden retriever Kihara Noukan kept it at that. …Was that dog capable of being considerate enough to refrain from digging deeper?

It was hard to tell because Takitsubo rarely showed any expression, but she appeared to be in a fair bit of pain. Most likely, the condition below her clothing would be shocking to see.

She had contacted Great Demon Coronzon before Kamijou arrived.

Since she had collapsed, she had most likely been attacked in some way.

Kamijou’s eyes widened.

“Are you kidding me? You look closer to death than me. To be clear, the Anglicans alone have tens of thousands of people out working, so it’s no problem if an injured person or two sits this one out. We can’t bring you along in that condition!!”

“Hamazura.”

The track suit girl’s eyes were on another boy who lay unmoving in the red snow.

Hamazura Shiage.

…Kamijou couldn’t remember clearly since he had been near death, but he was pretty sure that guy had sided with Coronzon shortly before the Adikalika large-scale attack spell was activated.

He had betrayed them.

And now Adikalika had failed and Coronzon had fled on her own.

Left behind, Hamazura’s position was looking worse all the time.

“Hamazura will be in trouble. I don’t know what system of rules will punish him, but I need to create some kind of bargaining chip before that punishment can happen. So I will do whatever it takes to protect him.”

Kamijou looked to Index. This had to do with magic, so would jurisdiction fall to the Anglicans?

Kamijou couldn’t say if the “bargaining chip” Takitsubo had in mind would mean anything to them.

But that had to be the only thing left for her to rely on.

“What can you do ''now''?” pressed Mikoto in her black mourning clothes.

That wasn’t disgust in her voice. Was it a hint of fear?

“(I know she’s on our side now, but a first impression like that one is hard to shake.)”

“My AIM Stalker is useless on someone without an AIM Diffusion Field. So I can’t directly search for Coronzon.”

But Takitsubo Rikou didn’t hesitate to respond.

While looking Mikoto square in the face.

“But I also have a history gathering and analyzing information for Item. I am used to tracking down and hunting people in this city.”

“Yes, we could use a tracker from the science side. Especially with that new Board Chairman out of the picture,” said Othinus from Kamijou’s shoulder.

Whether she actually meant it or was only trying to put injured Takitsubo’s mind at ease, Kamijou couldn’t tell.

Kamijou waved both hands to call over Kanzaki who was giving instructions to Tatemiya and Agnese a short distance away. Next to him, Alice hopped up and down and waved her hands along with him.

Kanzaki sighed when she heard what he had to say.

“Then have her start at the beginning.”

She kept the instruction short.

Of course, they weren’t relying only on Takitsubo. The magicians would be performing their own magical search. But they were searching for Great Demon Coronzon, who lurked in the abyss to guard magical knowledge, so those attempts would likely be blocked at every turn.

“Coronzon has fled. However, I doubt she has continued running in a single direction. Takitsubo, was it? How can you track her?”

“That demon(?) fortunately lost the use of her wings, so she can’t cheat by flying. And if she is escaping on the surface, she will leave tracks. Especially on a snowy day like this.”

“She will notice any obvious tracks. Won’t she cover them up?”

Good point.

“So it comes down to the balance between the tracks that cannot be prevented and the tracks that will definitely be erased,” said the golden retriever in a highly refined voice.

Takitsubo Rikou plainly continued.

“It is true footprints in the snow can be easily erased. She might not have ordinary fingerprints to leave behind. And given the state of the city, we can’t hope to search for footage of her from security cameras or security robots.”

“Ugh,” groaned Kamijou. “Then how are we supposed to track down Coronzon!?”

“How about this?”

===Part 2===

Academy City District 3 was the northernmost district.

The dead office area had no lights in the windows or even in the traffic signals.

She had managed to shake those loathsome Magic Gods, Nephthys and Niang-Niang.

If she could cross the wall here, she could leave the city to the north…and into the Saitama area.

Great Demon Coronzon hoped to ''quietly'' slip past the wall. Ideally, her pursuers wouldn’t realize she had escaped.

Her useless wings were folded up for now.

She did not let unnecessary regrets hold her back. The Adikalika large-scale attack spell had been stopped. She accepted that result. Which was why she had decided to crush them with all her might.

For her, a few troublesome people were mixed in with her pursuers.

For example, Index, the grimoire library who had memorized 103,001 grimoires. Or Anna Sprengel, the Rosicrucian magician whose skill exceeded that of Mathers or Crowley. And Alice Anotherbible, the oddity who had been ''too'' successful.

Trump cards weren’t only valuable when actually used.

Think of them like nuclear weapons.

Showing them off without using them could restrict an adversary’s actions.

…In truth, Coronzon’s greatest concern was Alice. She couldn’t accurately judge the threat level of that girl. And there was no such thing as a surefire countermeasure against an unknown.

She wanted to escape as soon as possible and eliminate any trace of her path. Even if it meant tearing down any obstacles that got in her way.

She truly felt that way.

Yet she didn’t do it.

After coming all this way.

“Oops,” she said quietly, pressing against the back of a thick roadside tree.

She had spotted a few figures on the large street. Their odd dress made them seem not a part of this world and they held a variety of spiritual items that ignored the laws against weapons and any sense of realism. That was definitely the gear of those who were “in the know”. These had to be the filthy Anglican magicians.

Had they gotten ahead of her? How? Could they have sprouted wings and flown over her head?

No, they had used a more normal method.

(Cars. Maybe I should steal one next.)

[[Image:GT_Index_v14_BW1.jpg|thumb]]

They must have assumed there would be no ordinary vehicles out since people had been ordered to stay in. They had abandoned some vans and trucks in the middle of the three-lane street.

Killing a hundred or even a thousand magicians would be easy enough.

But the rules had changed.

Now that she was trying to escape without being found, her power as a great demon actually hindered her. Anything she did would mean using a major spell, so it was best not to use anything if she could avoid it.

To reiterate, the ideal result was to escape ''quietly''.

That was also why she had “shaken” Nephthys and Niang-Niang instead of immediately killing them with brute force.

“But this is odd…”

She slipped from the tree to a building wall.

Coronzon whispered to herself as she observed the situation on the street.

Kamijou Touma’s side had been precise. Too precise. They had to know her goal was to escape outside Academy City, but they shouldn’t have had any way of detecting what route she would use to cross the wall. After all, the wall surrounded the city in all 360 degrees. So how had they known she was going north to escape into the Saitama area from District 3?

(It wasn’t the security cameras, security robots, and other parts of Academy City’s security network. I already took out Board Chairman Accelerator. And the Anglican magicians have made an awkward takeover of Academy City’s systems, but they couldn’t operate those scientific toys with such precision. That must mean…)

At first, she considered a magical searching method.

Especially when Alice Anotherbible and Anna Sprengel and their extraordinary magic power were in the city. Not to mention that Grimoire Library Index and Magic God Othinus could provide the knowledge.

But then she shook her head.

Because she had arrived at a simpler possibility.

Coronzon’s eyes lowered to her hands.

(Could I have left a hint behind?)

“Aleister… ''How long were you in control of my body''!?”

===Part 3===

Shortly before that, Takitsubo Rikou made her suggestion in District 7.

“Scent.”

Kanzaki was dubious.

It was written plain on her face that she didn’t see how something so ordinary could work.

The track suit girl emotionlessly continued.

“She might be able to easily erase any footprints she leaves, but ''completely'' eliminating the scent particles left in the air is no easy task. After all, your own body is the source of the scent.”

Kamijou looked straight up.

The red snow had stopped and there was no wind, so there was little concern of those particles being swept away.

Coronzon had scattered the thick clouds herself.

Her own actions were beginning to work against her.

“Also, I think it will be a fairly distinctive scent. Instead of just the scent of her hair or clothing, it should be an aroma intentionally left behind.”

“Hm? Why would Coronzon do that?”

“She wouldn’t. But the other one would.”

Did she mean Aleister?

“Scents are invisible. And once you think of something as your own scent, it becomes especially hard for you to detect,” said Othinus.

“It would be a convenient way to tell us where Coronzon is without her noticing,” said Anna Sprengel.

Kamijou tilted his head.

“But what distinctive scent would it be?”

“Probably the snowdrop flower,” replied Takitsubo.

For some reason, this led Kanzaki Kaori to lower her head glumly.

The track suit girl continued with no readable emotion in her eyes.

“It isn’t the best material for an aroma when compared to roses or lavender, but…um, did something occur to you?”

“It’s the title of an erotic novel Crowley wrote around a century ago. Or part of the title, to be more accurate.”

Everyone fell silent.

Alice Anotherbible looked confused.

Humanity might meet its doom before the sun rose in the morning, yet they had run across a choice that may have been serious or may have been a joke in poor taste… Kamijou was certain now. Aleister was definitely still alive.

“But, Touma, how do we follow the scent? A scent…hm, could we use a dog?”

Index sounded disappointed that she only had a calico cat in her arms, but her comment led everyone to look to the dog among them.

At the center of attention, golden retriever Kihara Noukan tilted his head while sitting.

“I do appreciate you consider me reliable, but the world will be destroyed if I screw this up, correct? This is a situation for cautious verification, not my brand of romance. And I would feel bad stealing all of your thunder.”

“Then we can use something else too.”

Takitsubo waved her phone.

But it had an eraser-sized device attached to the connector at the bottom.

“Smelling bad can be considered a form of harassment these days, so they sell these toys for a personal hygiene check. Although I heard they were really just finding ways to expand into other markets because selling breathalyzers wasn’t enough to make back the development costs.”

“But a commercial product won’t be enough to track someone,” said Othinus. “To do that, you should need to expand the hardware or boost the software to forcibly increase its sensitivity.”

“Right.”

Takitsubo tossed her phone over.

To Misaka Mikoto, who could do just about anything when it came to electricity.

“When scent particles adhere to the sensor, they are analyzed into digital values. It’s not glamorous, but the technology has been used in food and detergent labs for decades. And I’d heard there was a special forces team that used this kind of thing in Academy City, but I have no idea what they’re up to now.”

That meant they could track her.

They didn’t know how long Aleister’s hint would last.

They needed to take advantage of it before Coronzon caught on.

Kanzaki waved and the young Amakusas responded. They brought in several vehicles with chains on their tires to deal with the red snow.

“Now we can track her.”

Just like the ritual used by hammer throwers to intentionally push past their own limiters, Kamijou Touma shouted from the bottom of his gut.

Because his body was ready to break if he didn’t.

“We can settle things with Great Demon Coronzon!!”

===Part 4===

She wasn’t even aware of the moments when he took control and she couldn’t question the lapse afterwards.

This was a major problem for Coronzon…but at the same time, it was fortunate she had become aware of the risk sooner rather than later. Even a single second of unconsciousness during a battle could create a fatal opening.

She needed a technical solution.

But for now, she had to lose the nearby pursuers.

Kamijou Touma’s group would arrive in District 3 before long. In pursuit of her. If Aleister had used her body to leave behind a message, there was no doubting it.

(Could I make it if I rushed across the wall from District 3? No. Kamijou Touma is one thing, but the Anglicans are a group. With their coordination, they could have someone waiting there. And this doesn’t actually end after I cross the wall. If they know which direction I escaped to, I can’t disappear and they will continue pursuing me through the Saitama area.)

That meant adopting brute force methods to cross the wall would not solve this. Coronzon’s ideal was to ''quietly'' cross the wall and vanish into the greater world beyond. But this also gave her an opportunity. If her pursuers were convinced she would cross the wall from District 3, she could fully lose them if she crossed the wall from a different district.

She didn’t have much time left.

What could she do in that time?

===Part 5===

“She’s not here?” muttered Kamijou.

They were in District 3, a dead office area where even the traffic signals were off. It was a district for adults, so a high schooler like Kamijou didn’t know it very well. The message Aleister had left by hijacking Coronzon’s body had definitely pointed in this direction. And yet…

“The scent trail ends here,” said Kihara Noukan, sniffing at the ground.

“Confirmed,” said Takitsubo Rikou, her phone in hand.

They were in an empty plaza with nothing there but red snow.

Index tilted her head.

“Did Coronzon notice what was happening and wash it off?”

“Could she wash it off completely enough?”

“She didn’t need to.” Mourning clothes Mikoto breathed a white sigh. “Scents become something entirely different when they mix together. Which is why I really wish they would stop using cheap floral scents in shampoos and body soaps. It reacts with perfumes, ruining their scent.”

Apparently there were other opinions too.

Some were concerned that this hadn’t been Coronzon’s doing.

“Could the message from Aleister itself have been a bluff? I mean, this is Aleister we’re talking about.”

Agnese may have been pushed forward by the many other nuns. She expressed this suspicion as their representative, but Kamijou rejected it.

He had no proof, of course.

But he didn’t want to think that the Aleister who had answered his call would then take Coronzon’s side and try to destroy the world with her.

(What if?)

Kamijou lowered his head.

He pondered the issue with a hand on his chin and his eyes staring down toward his shoes.

(If the message from Aleister was correct and we still lost sight of Coronzon…then one of our assumptions must be wrong. But what could that be?)

Then it hit him.

“I forgot. One basic fact completely slipped my mind.”

“?”

Kanzaki gave him a puzzled look, but he didn’t even glance her way.

He used his foot to scrape the red snow away from the ground, but it wasn’t asphalt below.

He found a thick metal manhole.

All that thought hadn’t been necessary. The answer was so simple!

The loud roar of water rushing by below meant this probably wasn’t an ordinary sewer. It had to be an artificial waterway flowing by below the city.

Humans could not swim in a half-frozen river in January.

Humans could not breathe underwater.

So this couldn’t be called a route. The river wasn’t usable.

Yes, ''if'' you were human.

“''But Great Demon Coronzon isn’t human''!!”

===Part 6===

The water temperature was 2 degrees.

The width was around five meters and the depth was maybe a few meters. Even with microbes and other factors producing some heat, this was a half-frozen January river. If an ordinary human fell in, their life would be at risk.

Of course, that was only for an ordinary human.

“It doesn’t apply to me.”

As she had announced from the beginning, she was a great demon.

Not even the moonlight could reach this place below the city. The ceiling was about two meters up, so a large man would bump his head on that thick concrete.

Maybe there were different areas that required different authorizations to enter and maybe the divisions were out of convenience for the government, but fences and chain-link doors blocked off the passage in places. Coronzon only had to lazily wave her hand to slice right through them.

The rippling water was a deep dark color, but not just because this was a subterranean space ruled by darkness. Jagged metal and what looked like rotting lumber were floating by. One squishy object looked to be a clump of oil larger than a bowling ball.

Great Demon Coronzon sighed in exasperation at herself for hesitating even momentarily.

(Places like this are my proper home. An embodiment of evil shouldn’t avoid impurities. Maybe I spent too long playing the bright and shining Anglican Archbishop.)

This time, she jumped in.

Once the torrent took her away, she would leave District 3 and travel through Districts 14, 19, and 12 to reach the eastern wall bordering the Shinjuku area. That was an entirely different place from the northern wall bordering the Saitama area.

(I don’t know what scent you sprayed on me, Aleister, but now those scent particle can’t be tracked to me.)

Of course, an ordinary human would die before riding the current even 100 meters, but that was no obstacle for Coronzon. She would have no trouble taking this 10+ kilometer water slide.

===Part 7===

Aleister hadn’t lied.

She had been in District 3.

It was a failure on Kamijou’s group’s part that let her escape. They had been wrong to think they could capture Great Demon Coronzon if they surrounded her the same way they would a human. If you were trying to capture a bird or a fish, blockading the roads and setting up checkpoints like you would with a human wouldn’t accomplish much of anything.

Coronzon had thrown herself into the artificial waterway below the city so she could quickly travel long distances.

“The water is two degrees…and she just jumped in?”

Mourning clothes Mikoto couldn’t believe it.

Her phone wouldn’t give her that data, so she may have used her power to hack the river management network. The thing that let you check river water levels during a typhoon.

“The waterway branches out quite complexly. The water generally flows west to east, but it covers a wide area. Predicting her final destination isn’t going to be easy.”

Kanzaki’s assessment didn’t provide any valuable hints.

They didn’t even need to head down underground. They knew Coronzon was using the waterway, but unlike her, they were human. Jumping into filthy half-frozen 2-degree water and letting it carry them for more than 10 kilometers wouldn’t let them track down Coronzon.

“What about the girl?”

“No, Alice.”

Kamijou quickly stopped her.

Alice Anotherbible might be able to survive down there, but that didn’t mean she could catch Coronzon in the endlessly branching waterway. The return was too uncertain for such a definite risk.

They had to come up with some other way.

Even now, Coronzon was being carried rapidly below the city.

Toward some part of the outer wall.

Takitsubo Rikou made a quick decision after simply peeking into the subterranean world through the open manhole.

“We can’t track the scent particles anymore.”

But if they gave up, Coronzon would escape.

Without another hint, humanity was doomed.

“That’s no problem…right? Science isn’t everything. Hey, Index, what ever happened to the magical search methods!? If we try a different approach, we can still-!”

“Touma, what are we supposed to track her with? Some of Coronzon’s blood or hair would be perfect. And if we are going to do it, some more detailed information on that great demon would be helpful.”

Despite the situation – no, because of the situation, Index gave a calm and composed response.

“The famous Aleister Crowley would be one thing…but Coronzon is from the world of myth. Finding detailed information on her will not be easy,” said Anna Sprengel, who seemed fairly legendary herself.

They couldn’t use magic.

But Kanzaki Kaori, commander of the Anglican forces here, wasn’t done.

“There is still something we can do.”

===Part 8===

A large metal object was lowered into the concrete waterway, covering the full width of the dark subterranean space. This wasn’t just grating or a floodgate. This was more brutal. The closest comparison was a giant propeller. But this had several of them arranged along a single shaft to smash up and break down floating objects.

“A public garbage disposal, huh?”

It was more than just the heavy rotating blades. To keep the thick blades sharp, metal-degrading bacteria were made to live on the net-like surface.

She had seen jagged metal and rotting lumber several times on the way here. None of that large trash could be allowed out of the city when the river water flowed out. To prevent any chance of the city’s technology leaking out. So devices to smash up whatever was floating in the river had been placed at regular intervals (and there were likely specialized facilities nearer to the outer wall). The Anglican pursuers in control of Academy City had activated them all.

Coronzon pulled her upper body onto the concrete edge and held her other hand out toward the giant machine.

Destroying it would be easy. It wouldn’t take more than a moment.

But she wanted to avoid triggering an alarm that would inform her pursuers where she was.

That left only one thing to do.

“So the easy ride ends here.”

Coronzon crawled fully out of the filthy water.

There were no signs telling her where to go, but she found some stairs leading up. Still wet, she placed her hand on the railing and got moving.

(I should assume they are guiding me to an extent. It may soon be time to switch to brute force tactics.)

Which district was she in?

She would know as soon as she opened the thick metal door.

===Part 9===

Kamijou heard something like the breathing of a monster.

Something white was being expelled from the pipes on the wall or the metal grate on the ground.

It was hot steam.

This was District 19.

“Hey, Kanzaki. Are you sure Coronzon is here?”

“Assuming the emergency exit sensor was triggered by her. She isn’t an embodiment of science, after all.”

Kamijou spent most of his time in District 7, so he didn’t know much about this one. It was crammed full of short multi-tenant buildings. Overall, the streets looked old and faded. Non-LCD signs had a variety of advertisements posted, but the advertised products were things like cathode-ray tubes, vacuum tubes, records, and steam engines…

“It feels like we’re surrounded by a collection of forgotten technology. Or like the flow of technology branched off and evolved in a unique direction here.”

Mourning clothes Mikoto seemed half taken aback by it all.

A device with several rotating cloth wings slowly passed by on the street. It wasn’t quite a helicopter or a drone. And it was larger than a small truck.

Kamijou looked like he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

“What is that? One of da Vinci’s models?”

“Uneducated fool, that is Cayley’s steam-powered flying machine.”

…Had designs for flying cars been around for centuries?

Whatever the case, technology was branching off in weird directions here.

(On any other day, I’d love to explore this place.)

Several giant round metal objects were visible in the distance.

In fact, several of the round things were clustered together.

“Looks like a pack of takoyaki.”

Index was right. That was the best comparison Kamijou could come up with too.

It looked a bit like a gas tank – no, a gas holder, but in District 19, that wouldn’t be what it was.

“The Central Boiler,” explained Takitsubo Rikou. “The fuel is burned in a single location to produce a large quantity of steam and then piped out across the district. There is infrastructure for the excess energy produced by a large factory’s boiler to be sent to smaller factories, but this is a larger scale version of that. So maybe like a steam version of the thermal power stations in the age of electricity?”

Of course, Academy City’s power generation was done with the many wind turbines distributed across the city. This produced steam instead of electricity, it was centralized instead of distributed, and it created energy using fossil fuel…

Othinus sighed in exasperation from Kamijou’s shoulder.

“The people of this district must really not want to follow the mainstream of Academy City.”

===Part 10===

“And.”

Great Demon Coronzon was also grinning. It only took her an instant to detonate it from the outside.

“That gives me an opportunity.”

===Part 11===

A deep, muffled sound rumbled out.

The city distance looked white.

Like the cityscape was being obscured by a giant piece of cotton candy.

But that wasn’t what this was.

The exhausted, late-night city had been overwritten. Kamijou definitely saw something pop like a balloon in that white-covered scenery. Even though the thick steel shouldn’t have been able to burst from within like that.

Wasn’t that…?

“Run, fool.”

“Hey, don’t tell me…”

“Coronzon blew up the Central Boiler,” said Anna Sprengel. “Steam of more than 400 degrees Celsius is about to engulf this district. And we will be swallowed up along with it!”

“If we stay outside, the outdoor steam oven will remove all the oil from our bodies as it boils us up nice and healthily. Just like the chicken tenderloins you parboiled for me,” said Kihara Noukan. “If that does not appeal to you, I would recommend hurrying indoors.”

There wasn’t time to think too hard about it.

Kamijou and the others rushed to the nearest concrete structure.

The deep, muffled noise had grown sharper. A lot like the sizzling of water on a heated frying pan. Which wasn’t that far off from the truth. The red snow on the ground was melting, starting from the distance. And the growing mass of steam discolored the roadside trees and peeled the paint from the cars parked on the curb. Like playground equipment in a long abandoned park.

Anna Sprengel and Kihara Noukan were right. A human wouldn’t last an instant in that.

Index, Mikoto, Kanzaki, Anna Sprengel, Alice, and Agnese rushed inside the same building as Kamijou. Othinus and the cat were with them too. The others would have escaped to different buildings.

Kamijou’s eyes widened.

“Who is she!?”

“Don’t ask me! Why was an ordinary person – and a student at that – wandering around outside at this hour!? And after we ordered everyone to stay at home!”

That meant the girl held under Kanzaki’s arm was not a camouflaged Amakusa.

After diving into the reinforced concrete building, Kamijou kicked the door shut from his position down on the ground.

A scorching sound soon followed.

A male voice came from the radio Kanzaki held. It didn’t seem magical.

Was that one of the Anglican magicians managing Academy City? No, it may have been one of the city’s technicians obeying the magicians.

“Boiler #2…and #8 have already…no, it’s no use, it’s fully ruptured!!”

“#5 isn’t looking good either…the boiler pressure won’t stop- we need to evacuate now!!”

An unpleasant straining sound surrounded them.

The entire building was groaning.

Was the great heat causing the metal to bend, or was it the steam pressure?

“Damn!” cursed Kamijou.

Either way, this made running outside and catching up to Coronzon a complete impossibility. That world of 400 degrees Celsius was melting the asphalt of the streets, so they would need to walk on the sidewalk tiles with thick shoes or else suffer severe burns. In fact, if a human simply took a step outside, their flesh, bones, and eyeballs would boil.

''But Great Demon Coronzon wasn’t human.

They had been taught this lesson over and over now…but could she really brute force her way through like this? What route would she use to escape in that world of scorching heat and death!?

===Part 12===

“District 19’s Central Boiler just exploded!?”

Yomikawa Aiho of Anti-Skill’s eyes widened at that report.

(First those Anglican people take over the city’s law enforcement and now this!?)

She didn’t even need to check the camera footage on the helicopter’s multipurpose monitor.

From her vantage point in the night sky, one section of the surface was visibly expanding. The scale was hard to judge, but the buildings being easily engulfed had to be more than ten stories tall.

The male helicopter pilot adjusted his grip on the control column and asked a question.

“Is this that Coronzon person’s doing too? What the hell!? Aren’t fugitives supposed to hold their breath and sneak around!? Why would she go out of her way to cause a scene like this!?”

“Just get us there! Who knows how many people were caught in the blast!”

“I’ll try, but there’s honestly only so much we can do from the air!”

Several shouting voices came over the radio at once, ignoring the aviation radio rules. The pilot was using the radio to pick up as many signals as he could, hoping to get some picture of the situation on the inside.

“Where are the first-aid kits!? Why can’t I find one!?”

“Damn, more burns. There are too many injuries here!! Can someone tell me how I’m supposed to triage this!?”

“We can’t do it in that steam. It’s 400 degrees. We can’t even get close to the storeroom!!”

Yomikawa Aiho glanced aside.

First-aid kits could be found just about anywhere. There was even one belted to the helicopter’s wall. Was the chaos and confusion inside the Central Boiler so bad they couldn’t even find something so basic?

Yes, she had what they needed here.

The pilot must have wanted to help them too, but he gave his expert opinion.

“It’s not happening, Yomikawa! You can see that boiling steam, can’t you!? The steam pressure is disturbing the air currents near the ground too badly to land! If we carelessly descend now, the helicopter will be flipped over on its side!”

“Then what about an ambulance!? If we can’t go by air, we can send someone by ground!”

“What part of ‘boiling steam’ didn’t you understand? An ambulance is little more than an ordinary vehicle, so it just isn’t tough enough. Everyone inside would be steamed to death before they arrived. At 400 degrees, not only would the rubber tires melt, but the asphalt would probably be soft and squishy. Any vehicles will be stuck and the steam getting in through the air conditioning vents would bring the high temps inside too.”

“Then we’ll just have to make do with the helicopter. I know, let’s simulate it!! If we feed the satellite data into the quantum computers and DNA computers, those air current disturbances aren’t an obstacle!”

“How do we do that with the Board Chairman out of commission!? He’s the only one who can use the Master Key!!”

“Kh.”

“We can’t use the satellites, supercomputers, or any other Academy City facilities. Maybe we could use the individual devices, but we can’t tie them together. So my pointstands: it’s not happening, Yomikawa!!”

The helicopter could not descend as the Central Boiler continued to explode.

But voices were calling out for help.

Even an ordinary first-aid kit would be able to save the lives of the people injured by the burning heat and steam.

Yomikawa Aiho saw only one option.

“Then I just won’t use the helicopter.”

“Hey, Yomikawa?”

“You don’t have to do anything crazy. I’ll use this parachute to jump down on my own.”

“Are you stupid!? I said this 5.5 ton piece of metal would be flipped over on its side! You’ll lose all control over a parachute made of flimsy cloth in no time at- wait, no, you idiot!!”

She didn’t bother listening to the end.

Yomikawa Aiho grabbed the first-aid kit in both hands and threw herself out the open side door.

Without hesitation.

It went well. At first.

But 180 seconds after the parachute opened at an altitude of around 20 meters, things rapidly changed. The air current disturbance hit her like a punch from the side. Her neck hurt. She gritted her teeth and tried to restore her balance, but the winds buffeting her from all sides spun her parachute around.

All this and she hadn’t even been directly exposed to the steam. In the last few meters, her parachute turned completely inside out and she landed on some kind of machine. Only after her body badly dented the thin metal panel did she realize it was an industrial air conditioning unit. It had apparently absorbed the force of her landing.

The first-aid kit clutched to her chest had survived too.

Despite the burns and lacerations they must have suffered, the workers ran toward her. Ignoring their own woes and looking worried for her.

The Anti-Skill woman was truly glad she had come to help them.

She pressed the first-aid kit into the chest of a battered-looking worker.

“Are any of your people missing?”

“Th-the chief isn’t here, but his time card shows no record of him arriving. I think he took the night off without calling in…”

Then no need to worry about him.

“No ambulances are coming.”

She made sure they knew their situation.

“I doubt the fire trucks can make it either. So we have to prevent any further harm from the Central Boiler on our own. Where should we start!?”

Something exploded. Very close by.

She heard something whiz past her and felt something sharply stroke her cheek. A pipe must have burst from the internal pressure and a shard the size of a guitar pick had grazed her face.

No one could predict what would explode or when.

As the giant facility collapsed, it was like a single big balloon.

“Just one more…” said a young man, barely breathing. No, he was probably gathering all the strength he could. “Eight boilers make up the giant overall boiler and two of them have already blown. If just one more goes, there will be no stopping it. The reinforced concrete surrounding the place will collapse from the extreme steam pressure!”

“Then that’s what we have to deal with,” said Yomikawa.

“We can’t. We don’t know what happened to the general steam control room. No one can get there. Pipes have burst all throughout the building, so there’s hot steam everywhere!”

“Then I’ll go and check!!”

They could have just told her where that general steam control room was, but a few of the workers whose injuries were relatively minor came with her.

They all wanted to stop this tragedy if they could. Despite saying they couldn’t, they hadn’t given up.

Yomikawa Aiho smiled a little.

“Lead the way.”

She dove into danger.

She was no one special.

Today might finally be the day she died.

''However,'' that was no reason to not protect the Central Boiler and District 19.

===Part 13===

They couldn’t head outside thanks to the intense steam.

Only Coronzon, who had caused the disaster, could move freely in it. They just didn’t know if she would take the subway, the sewers, or what.

Kamijou clenched his teeth.

“We can’t just stand around here. Coronzon must even now be working to cross the wall and escape the city!”

Was there a loophole anywhere? Or a safety measure that would let them travel through the ultra-hot steam? The idea sounded too absurd to even consider, but then someone spoke up.

The girl who Kanzaki had picked up somewhere.

“…in the car.”

Kamijou had a bad feeling about this.

This definitely wasn’t a hint.

The words oozed with an ominous air that made him reluctant to hear the rest.

“My parents are still in the car. They said the city is too dangerous to stay, but then we got stuck in the red snow. I didn’t want to hear them arguing, so I got out of the car on my own. Then that steam came, so they’re probably still in there…”

…In all that steam?

Othinus and Anna Sprengel made an honest simulation rather than being weirdly considerate.

“Even in this thick reinforced concrete building, the door could buckle or the windows could break at any time. And if we’re talking about an ordinary car with no bulletproofing or blast resistance…”

“Fool, even if they covered the A/C vents with balled-up cloth, I’m not sure how long a car with windows on all sides would last. And once the windows break, the people inside will be exposed to the 400-degree steam.”

…Kamijou himself had seen the tough paint peeling off of cars. A human wouldn’t last ten seconds exposed to that.

Kanzaki’s eyes widened.

“It’s past midnight! Why would someone be out at this hour!? Especially when the entire city was ordered to stay in!”

“Because the Anglican grip on the city is weakening. Even as we speak.”

Kamijou gave a calm response to Kanzaki’s shouted question.

Maybe it was hard to grasp for a Saint who lived a proper life day in and day out, but human beings tended to want to do the things they were told not to do. All the more once the authority holding them back loosened its grip. Or once they found a loophole.

“I succumbed to temptation. I couldn’t resist.” Mourning clothes Mikoto scratched her cheek. “Phrases like that have existed since ancient times, which tells you a lot about human nature.”

“It’s not that. …They were just willing to try anything if it would keep their precious family safe.”

“Fool,” curtly called Anna Sprengel.

He didn’t need to hear any more. That magician used her wickedness as a great weapon, so he knew what she was trying to say.

If Coronzon was allowed to escape the city here and now, the entire 7 or 8 billion population of the Earth would be headed toward its doom. Once the process started, no one could stop it.

So they couldn’t afford to lose track of her.

They couldn’t stop to save a couple of unrelated people in the middle of the fight against Coronzon.

He knew that.

He really did, but…

“It’ll be alright.”

The next thing he knew, Kamijou Touma was kneeling down in front of the small girl.

And doing the opposite of Anna’s unspoken advice.

Because it was the right thing to do.

“There are a lot of different people here – the Anglicans, the Amakusas, some who were originally Roman Catholic, and even a Magic God and some Transcendents – but none of them are going to abandon you. Because every one of us are here because we want to help people.”

He just had to remember what kind of being Great Demon Coronzon was.

She tore people apart from each other and kept humanity from reaching magical knowledge.

So this was another side of the battle.

In the fight against Coronzon, they would continue to encounter frustratingly malicious “coincidences” as well as trouble and accidents that seemed designed to test them. Because that was the kind of being she was. Just like there was an angel of love and an angel of righteousness and just like there was a demon of wrath and a demon of envy, she was the great demon who specialized in ''that sort of thing''.

He wouldn’t let those bonds be torn asunder.

…An emergency? An urgent situation? The entire human race’s doom would be assured once the dawn arrived? He still wasn’t going to give up on being human. He couldn’t defeat Coronzon if he wasn’t willing to say that!!

No one stopped him.

Not Index, not Misaka Mikoto, not Kanzaki Kaori, not Agnese Sanctis, not Alice Anotherbible, and not even Anna Sprengel who had given him her advice as a wicked woman.

They had all fought against Coronzon.

“I promise you everything will be alright. We’re going to save your parents right now!!”

===Part 14===

Yomikawa Aiho clicked her tongue.

The equipment in the Central Boiler’s general steam control room had survived, but none of the six remaining boilers responded to anything they did in that room lined with the CRT monitors only found in this district.

One of the workers explained.

“The equipment here is all working. It isn’t malfunctioning, but the steam isn’t reaching the condensers… My guess is the distribution board is to blame. We need to head there and fix it.”

“Distribution board?”

Even as Yomikawa asked, she realized it had to be like a fuse box but for steam instead of electricity.

“Where is it? Tell me and I’ll go check it!”

“But…”

“There’s no time! Which is going to take more work: a small distribution board on the wall or this entire giant general steam control room? And to be blunt, it doesn’t look like there’s much for me to do here!!”

The worker nodded a few times at that.

“I’ll sketch you a simple map. Thanks. The boilers can’t stand this much pressure for long. We’ll have a chain reaction of ruptures in the surviving ones soon!”

Yomikawa Aiho grabbed her radio and stepped out the door.

There was so much white steam.

Had the damage to the facility progressed since she arrived in the room?

The 400-degree steam burst from the walls and ceiling as sharp as blades. Even if it didn’t directly hit her, it made the entire space as hot as a sauna. She wouldn’t be killed right away, but it was sapping her stamina.

The spraying steam made it hard to hear the voice from the radio. But then a loud voice came from the facility’s speakers.

“I’m amazed you decided to rush in here with everything going on. Personally, I have half a mind to run away.”

“But you haven’t run away, have you? So we’re not that different. You see, I have some ''freeloaders'' living with me and I want to protect their home. With people’s lives in my care, I can’t half-ass it.”

(Can’t go this way either.)

Even on the way to the general steam control room, they had encountered a few unopenable metal doors. Instead of the force of the explosion bending the doors, it seemed like they were automatic doors that used steam rather than electricity to open. That meant all the steam erupting from the pipes worked against her. Without sufficient pressure supplied to the doors, they couldn’t open. It was actually an adaption of a 2000-year-old invention known as Heron’s steam turbine.

She broke the hinges with her gun and kicked down the door.

That was a convenient tool for opening any door in here, but firing too recklessly could break a thin pipe and trigger a steam explosion nearby.

Something the size of a rugby ball – probably some kind of drone – was ejecting steam to weave across the floor.

The steam-powered lift was unusable. Yomikawa grabbed some rags from the ground and used them like potholders to grab the metal ladder. Several things exploded as she climbed. Sharp shards flew like flying disks and stabbed into the wall much too close for comfort.

The steam obscured her vision more than she had expected.

She had a hastily sketched map, but she felt like she would get lost even with it.

And she wasn’t looking for a special room. It was only a thin metal box attached to a corridor wall.

Finally, she found it.

“That must be the distribution board!!”

“It’s simple enough to operate. Open the cover and you should see 16 levers. Since our commands aren’t getting through, something must have moved some of the levers. Maybe one of the explosions and maybe the vibration of the steam hitting the wall. The levers have two options: up or down. The pattern we want is YNYNYYYNYNNYYYNY. Look for any that are wrong and flip them to the correct position. That should give us back control! And if you can, use tape or something to fix them in place!!”

She found them.

Three of the levers were in the wrong position.

“If I fix these…”

The ceiling exploded.

Yomikawa jumped back as the white steam passed sharply in front of her. Like a dropping guillotine or shutter. She could feel the 400-degree ferocity raising the air temperature in the corridor.

A voice practically screamed out of the speakers.

“Yomikawa-san! Please respond! Boiler #5 isn’t going to last much longer! You need to hurry!”

The worker couldn’t see the situation here. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have said that.

400-degree steam was blocking the way right in front of her. A human would be boiled to the bone by that. She couldn’t even entertain silly ideas about slipping through a gap in the erupting steam.

But if someone didn’t do it, the boiler would rupture. Then the reinforced concrete barrier surrounding them at 3 kilometers would be destroyed by the steam pressure. And everyone working so hard to prevent that would be obliterated along with it.

Could she really let that happen?

(I think this really might be the end for me.)

Yomikawa Aiho honestly accepted that.

But the distribution board was within arm’s reach. Operate that and she could save everyone.

So she had to act.

Misaka Worst, Last Order…and Accelerator.

Academy City was far from a peaceful utopia. It had plenty of flaws. But this was the city that had raised those children. They deserved to smile after everything that had been taken from them. She couldn’t just go, ‘Welp, the city’s destroyed, so that’s that. Bye.” and leave the debt unpaid.

She was afraid to die. Which was why Yomikawa Aiho reminded herself she wanted to be the kind of person who could look those kids in the eye.

So move. Do it.

She was Anti-Skill. She had to focus only on protecting the city.

===Part 15===

They had decided to rescue the ordinary people trapped in a car out on the street.

Hiding inside a reinforced concrete building, mourning clothes Mikoto was the first to speak up.

“The biggest problem with the steam outside is the immense heat and pressure.”

“That’s two problems,” complained Kamijou.

“No, it’s one. The heat is what causes the moisture to expand and produce steam. And that expansion is what creates enough pressure to destroy concrete walls.”

It was important to confirm the basic facts of the situation.

The only flaw was how learning the extent of their hopelessness depressed him so much.

But Kanzaki, who was listening in, saw things differently.

“So we just have to cool it. Is that what you’re saying? The solution is simple. If we cool all that steam, it will return to harmless drops of water.”

Everyone would say that wasn’t possible.

After all, there was enough steam to engulf an entire district. And it was over 400 degrees Celsius. That was hot enough to melt car tires and soften asphalt. Dumping a bucket of water on it wasn’t going to cut it.

“But her logic itself isn’t wrong,” said Othinus.

“Fool. That kind of logic is a crucial condition for magicians. It may look like we can do anything, but we actually achieve our desired result by following a set of laws not found in your chemistry or physics textbooks,” added Anna Sprengel.

Kanzaki listened in while spreading out a large piece of paper on a table.

“We need a simple Christian legend related to cooling. I would suggest St. Dorothea and Theophilus. Agnese, may I borrow a few of your Catholic nuns?”

“Could subordinates like us say no if we wanted to? But that story is the opposite of what you want. The legend says the fresh roses and apples were delivered in the freezing February winter.”

“Which is why we reverse it by adjusting the symbols. Index.”

“That should be easy.”

And they only needed the logic to be sound.

No matter how absurd it looked, they only needed to have “correctness” on their side.

Kanzaki Kaori boldly made her claim.

“From there, I can force it through with my power as a Saint.”

At first, Kamijou thought a machinegun was firing outside.

But no.

Rain was pouring down outside the window. The white steam filling the district was instantly cooled into drops of water. There was so much of it it seemed like the weather had completely changed.

They had altered the scenery itself. The logic may have been sound, but the scale was something else entirely. How many tens of thousands of tons of liquid nitrogen would you need to cause this?

Kamijou felt silly even trying to calculate it.

“This won’t last long… Let’s head out!!”

He didn’t need to be told twice.

But once outside, he found a brown muddy river.

He had stepped down out of the building on pure momentum, but now he couldn’t take another step forward. Everything below his hips felt wrong. If he didn’t keep a hand on the wall and watch his step, he would be dragged down and swept away by the water. He was pretty sure only Alice would be able to stand in this muddy current without difficulty.

The car in question was less than 100 meters away.

Yet getting there was no easy task.

“I think you overdid it!! This is going to wash the car away!”

“This was the only way to keep the hot steam from boiling us!! Everything we do is on the level of changing the weather or dropping a shooting star from the sky!”

The scale of everything with Saints was off the charts.

Kamijou nearly stumbled on the way, but not just because of the current. Something was wrong with the ground. The melted asphalt may have re-hardened in the wrong shape.

Kamijou and Index somehow managed to reach the light car that was rocking like a small boat. The weird round car’s engine compartment looked like a metal drum on its side. Since this was District 19, did it run on steam? No, the lack of smokestack suggested it used coal instead.

Somewhat exasperated, Othinus spoke up from his shoulder.

“If it was a car that used a huge battery to power heating elements that heat water into steam to power the car, it would have been a high-tech eco car.”

This was the part that worried Kamijou.

“The car’s partially submerged, so touching it isn’t going to give me an electric shock, is it? Damn…”

Something banged on the glass from the inside.

Someone was in there. Two someones. Just like the girl had said. Hard to tell if they were more afraid of the steam or the muddy river, though.

(I’m risking my life here too. But I made it this far, so I’m going to save them!!)

The car’s doors weren’t going to open outwards while partially submerged like this. Kamijou grabbed a branch floating down the muddy river and climbed up onto the car’s hood. Sensing his weight, the car’s alarm started beeping, but now wasn’t the time to complain about that. This was probably being recorded by the drive recorder, but he still swung his makeshift bat down towards the windshield.

He smashed right through it, but that wasn’t enough and Kanzaki moved in to tear the rest out along with its frame.

She practically clung to the survivors to drag them out of the car.

The car itself slid sideways, pulled by the current.

It wasn’t going to last much longer.

Clinging to a tree a short distance away, Anna Sprengel shouted over at them.

“With this powerful current, trudging back upstream would be inefficient. Fool, let the current take you! Take shelter in a different building downstream!!”

“Dammit, are you kidding me!?”

He swore, but he was the one who had decided to save these people.

He just had to stick to it to the end.

He started to jump down from the car, but he was stopped by a tug on the back of his neck. Courtesy of Misaka Mikoto.

“Stay there.”

The car clearly moved below his feet. But with a stability not found when the current was pushing it sideways. Was that because he could sense a human will behind it? She must have been magnetically controlling it.

Something shifted out of the way below the water and it began to ride the current like a boat.

Something passed by overhead. He instinctually looked up…and felt his heart freeze when he realized it was a power line. Specifically, an exposed high-voltage line like those used by trains.

“Do they have a retro streetcar running in this area? What would’ve happened to us if that had snapped and fallen into the water?”

“Why is that your main concern when you’re traveling downstream with a billion-volt power source?” asked Mikoto.

The steam car bumped into the stairs at the bottom of a pedestrian overpass.

The muddy river would have prevented them from opening any ground floor doors even if they had wound up right alongside one. Instead, Kamijou, Index, Mikoto, and Kanzaki rushed inside what looked like a department store through the second floor entrance.

Kanzaki shouted into what looked like a paper charm.

“I will be ending the cooling spell’s effects, so everyone get inside a sturdy building! You have 10 seconds!!”

Her countdown was precise.

The white steam once more ruled the world. On the other side of the glass door was a world of deadly steam that would instantly boil a human being with a temperature of more than 400 degrees Celsius.

“While this is tempered security glass, the door could break at any moment. Let’s head further up.”

“What about Coronzon?”

While they dealt with this sidequest, she was free to act.

They had given her time.

So was she already past the wall?

If she had been freed into the wide world beyond, could they even find her? Kamijou felt more and more worried.

But just then…

“Ksshh…ey…”

He heard a sound.

No, a voice. From the small radio Kanzaki held.

“Hey! Please someone listen. This is the Central Boiler’s general steam control room. We somehow managed to keep the rest of the boilers from blowing. We have control of the pressure, so there’s no concern of any more steam escaping! Oh, but call the fire fighters and tell them to hurry!! The Anti-Skill officer helping us hasn’t returned!!”

“Oh, shut up. I’m still alive. Really, if you have fireproof suits for welding work, you should’ve told me. I nearly died.”

Kamijou took a look outside…and sure enough. The density of steam had fallen to little more than a thin fog. He could see things clearly outside. This had started out as a January night cold enough for snow. Without any additional steam, things would cool down on their own.

He and the others tried heading out.

It felt like a sauna. It was hot and humid enough to forget it was January. But it wasn’t enough to burn them. And the muddy river was gone.

Othinus took a look around from his shoulder.

“Looks like you can walk around outside now.”

“I guess it was the heat, but that red snow is gone from the ground.”

Probably a combination of the river and the sauna. Whatever the case, District 19 was clean.

“Fool.”

“Teacherrrr!”

The others caught up with them in the unpleasant steam.

And regrouping meant that girl had been reunited with her parents. The reunion took the form of a tearful embrace.

The steam was no longer a concern. That much was good news. But not all the news was good.

They had lost track of Coronzon. And they had no further clues.

His selfishness had come at a steep price.

Or so he thought, but he had underestimated things.

There were others here fighting.

“Also,” said a voice on the radio. “We have a report from the vicinity of the wall. You’re pursuing a fugitive, right? I don’t know who you’re after or why, but no one has crossed the wall. That much I’m confident of.”

“Eh?”

Several voices were talking.

It wasn’t just one person on the other side of the radio.

“A university research team was still gathering data with all this going on. They’re running a microscopic and macroscopic experiment where they scatter a sticky steam with high water retention over a wide area to see if it will efficiently stick to airborne pollutants, allowing them to be retrieved. What matters to you is that they can tell if someone approaches the wall by the change in the steam distribution. But they didn’t see anything.”

“Whoever it is must still be in the city. And if they’re not there, they must have turned around and gone to another district. Hurry up and catch them. We’d much prefer things to be peaceful around here.”

“The chief was stuck in his car? Oh, he can go to hell. He left his post without taking leave, so you tell him if he really wants to protect people, he needs to do his damn job. Now, if he were alone, I would just leave him out there, but his wife and daughter didn’t do anything wrong, so I guess we’ll have to help!!”

“Coronzon…didn’t approach the wall?”

It didn’t sound real even as Kamijou spoke the words.

But it was the truth.

…This wasn’t over yet.

He had gotten distracted. Taken a detour. Put the entire planet at risk. …Even so, it hadn’t been a complete waste. Small good deeds and kind acts were gathering together to accomplish something bigger.

Because Kamijou’s group had acted selflessly, now these other people were acting selflessly in return.

They were lending a hand.

The ring of cooperation was growing.

This was a weapon they had and Coronzon did not. …Or maybe it was her complete inability to acquire this that had broken her so badly.

Whatever the case, this wasn’t over.

If Coronzon hadn’t crossed the wall, then they could still pursue her!

Then someone voiced a quiet question.

That someone was Misaka Mikoto.

“But why did that Coronzon person move away from the wall?”

“?”

“If you want to escape, it’s human nature to want to run along the wall, right? The wall is right there and if you can get across, you win. But this Coronzon didn’t hesitate to distance herself from the wall. She went away. Heading toward the center of the city should only put her at more risk. What does she gain from this?”

Now that she mentioned it…

“Coronzon is actually trying to escape…isn’t she?” asked Kamijou.

“Yes, she is,” said Othinus. “Not being caught would be her actual top priority, but she must have a goal in mind. In that case, leaving Academy City probably is her priority.”

“But her actions contradict that.” Kihara Noukan joined the conversation. “Approaching the city center and extending her time in the city should only increase the risk of her being caught.”

“The wall might not actually matter,” cut in Index. The magic side girl provided a viewpoint entirely different from Kamijou and Mikoto. “It’s like you said before, Touma: Great Demon Coronzon isn’t human.”

“…?”

Coronzon’s actions were inconsistent.

That made some sense since fleeing after Adikalika failed hadn’t been her initial plan.

At the very least, this wasn’t all some grand plan she had conceived to deceive Kamijou and the others.

So if they wanted to stop her, they had to think up the kind of idea she would come up with but before she did. They were the pursuers. If they overlooked even one thing, she would use it to slip away.

In that sense, Index was bringing them another step closer to Coronzon.

“If you think of her as a collection of Telesma…then she doesn’t actually need to cross the physical wall to leave Academy City. She just has to break herself down into a mass of energy.”

“Hey, wait a second…”

His assumptions were crumbling around him.

Was that really an option?

Could you really just throw this new way of thinking into consideration!?

“Are you saying Coronzon can send herself, and her physical body too, through the city gas or the water pipes!?”

“I don’t know what ‘city gas’ is, but she probably can, yes,” said Index. Confidently. “If she hitches a ride on a ley line – a giant energy line running below the ground – she can’t just escape the city, she can escape to the other side of the planet!!”

[[Image:GT_Index_v14_BW2.jpg|thumb]]

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Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume13 Epilogue

2026-06-10T22:45:56Z

Ultranova17: minor spelling

==Epilogue: Another – 4th_HERO.==

“Phew.”

Alice Anotherbible let out a white breath.

Even she, the prototype Transcendent, had used so much power she had to catch her breath.

Index and Misaka Mikoto.

She had sent those two girls on ahead.

While ensuring the source of all this trouble didn’t notice.

That had opened a “hole”, but she remained trapped inside the invisible labyrinth. That modern labyrinth kept her from her destination no matter how far she walked and it was a much bigger problem than the blonde hair scouts which appeared more threatening.

She had done it with brute force, but she had opened a hole.

She understood the logic behind it.

Next to her, Anna Sprengel released a white breath of her own and looked up into the sky with annoyance. She was another extreme, a being too irregular to call a Transcendent.

Red snow fell from the night sky.

Cold concrete buildings surrounded them in all four directions.

Meaning…

“Dammit, Coronzon. She used the gray concrete as a replacement for the thick screen of freezing snow that causes people to get lost in a mountain blizzard, didn’t she? And so we’ve been wandering a labyrinth where we think we’re walking in a straight line but end up circling the same block over and over again.”

“Right.”

Tonight was snowy and thick clouds covered the sky above. There were no landmarks.

However, it likely wouldn’t have mattered if there was a moon in the sky. Knowing the direction wouldn’t be enough to escape this dungeon.

Human senses were fragile.

It was simplest to think of it like a room with green screens covering the walls, floor, and ceiling, but people could easily lose track of distance and direction when their vision was all colored a single, unchanging hue. When pushed to the limit, people would wander into places they shouldn’t be and even begin to doubt the accurate data provided by their map or compass. Once that happened, they would only sink further. Strange things happened in the mountains. Maybe so, but a few of them were the result of people unwittingly passing the limits of their body’s functions.

Magician Aleister, the creator of Magick, had also been a mountain climber. That may have played a role in how he shaped his spells.

“But the girl opened a hole once, so she can do it again in the same way. Let’s try again once the girl has managed to charge up again.”

“Assuming Coronzon hasn’t applied any countermeasures.”

Which she would have. She wasn’t a foe you could use the same move against over and over.

These two were out of the loop now.

They hadn’t been fully driven from the scene, but their arrival would be much too late.

The two young(-looking) girls heard a voice from overhead.

“Oh?”

That was the Bologna Succubus with Blodeuwedd the Bouquet hanging down by one huge arm of her metal coat.

Not even looking down from the sky was enough to escape the labyrinth. Just like you couldn’t rescue people from a mountain blizzard using a helicopter.

The super skinny apron girl looked surprised.

“What are you doing, Alice? It’s not like you to give up your feast to someone else☆”

“She’s finally maturing,” remarked the Bologna Succubus.

“Heh heh.

Silently, the red snow continued to fall.

Great Demon Coronzon looked up into the starless night sky and laughed.

It was a laugh of pure scorn.

“Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!”

“Oh, was there some funny joke I missed?” asked an exasperated Mikoto.

Coronzon answered with her fit of laughter continuing.

“Funny? Yes, funny indeed! My, my. Adikalika really was a poor choice. The spell structure was a bit too delicate, so it could have broken or even shattered had I poured my full strength into a defense at this close range. …But that ends now. No longer will I be disturbed by such trifles. I can finally draw on my full strength. Gya ha ha, and what could be funnier than that!? Bfh, gh, ha ha ha hee!!”

“Full strength?”

Mikoto frowned and Coronzon came to a complete stop and explained.

Without reservation.

“Everything before was just a rehash from the previous battle. Did I do anything new?”

A rehash.

“Some of my power nearly overflowed with Qliphah Puzzle 545, but that was all. If not for that, Kamijou Touma and the rest of you would have been instantly smashed into meatballs before you even arrived here. Grimoire library, do you perhaps understand the relevant values and units here? Heh heh. You should know all too well that Great Demon Coronzon is at least an international threat and not someone any individual should attempt to fight. Bwa ha!! Oh, I can’t help it. Sorry, but I just can’t. Hwa ha ha ha ha!!”

Index didn’t bother answering.

She cut right to something more important.

“You mean Adikalika wasn’t your goal?”

“Not really, no.”

Once again, Coronzon admitted it with terrifyingly little reservation.

Despite everything.

“Adikalika was just one possible method. I wasn’t all that attached to it. Make no mistake. My priority is the ends, not the means. I can begin the end of the world somewhere else. In the very near future.”

“How near…?”

“''Tomorrow if I wanted to.'' From somewhere on the other side of the world from Academy City. Yes, maybe from Brazil in the Southern Hemisphere.”

Coronzon sounded almost puzzled.

And then she burst out laughing.

“Bwa ha!! Wait, don’t tell me. You didn’t think Adikalika was my one and only trump card, did you? I am Great Demon Coronzon, guardian of wisdom in the great tree and the traitor who stole that knowledge. Kee hee hee hee hee hee. Every last one of my fingers and toes wouldn’t be enough to count the ways I know to submerge the planet in a sea of blood!! Bwa nya ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!”

Coronzon had several cards in her deck.

She had no pressing reason to insist on victory here at this moment.

She was already the strongest and she wanted to rid herself of that loathsome power. No failure for her would weaken her. She might be interrupted and driven to failure by humans, but she would retain her full power.

So as long as she was willing to keep going, she could accept any number of losses.

She wasn’t like Fiamma of the Right or Magic God Othinus who had bet everything on a single opportunity.

Coronzon’s evil nature was stickier, harder to get rid of, and hopeless.

Had she had her fill of laughter?

After wiping a tear from her eye, Coronzon finally returned to a serious expression.

“Hee hee. But now I know what to do next. …You two are first on the list. I seriously doubt you could disturb any of my other trump cards, but you did manage to stop me this once. So I will eliminate you before this silly countermeasure can spread to the rest of the riffraff. Then I can take my time as I get to work. And without having to look after Adikalika, I won’t have any limits holding me back!! Or do I need to put it plain words for you? From now on, I will be at my full power!!!”

This was all the more reason for Index and Misaka Mikoto to fight.

Great Demon Coronzon.

The destruction of the world didn’t even come into it. Did she realize that the mess she had made of the city was unforgivable enough? That destruction of their ordinary and everyday was sufficient. Index and Mikoto weren’t trying to rack up a high score by saving people all around the globe. They couldn’t stand to see just one nearby person die.

Something audibly beat against the air.

The great demon had spread her enormous wings wide.

She had readily abandoned the Adikalika fight. Which gave her freedom.

There was an exaggerated element to her behavior, like she was only enjoying an event.

“Now, come!! One of you is the Grimoire Library full of knowledge gathered to fight back against the modern Western magic developed by Magician Crowley and the other is a Level 5 produced by former Board Chairman Aleister. …The perfect combination for the world’s final attempt to fight back. It is time I went around crushing each and every sliver of hope he left in this world so that I can wring the bloody tears from his soul and watch that soul turn blacker and blacker!!”

A high-pitched cling rang out.

It came from the arcade coin flicked up by Misaka Mikoto’s thumb.

“I don’t understand anything you’re going on about, but I hope you don’t think you’ve defeated everything the #3 can throw at you just because you stopped a Railgun head on. These powers are all in how you use them. There are only seven Level 5s, but that isn’t because no one else has this kind of firepower. I’ll show you the wide range of applications that sets the seven of us apart!!”

“…”

Misaka Mikoto was eager to get started, but Index looked pale.

Perhaps because she was from the magic side.

And therefore had a better understanding of what they were up against.

Great Demon Coronzon was still confident enough to play around. As she had said, sporadically throwing individual power against her was not the appropriate strategy for full-power Coronzon.

Othinus whispered from Index’s shoulder.

“(Don’t be intimidated. That will only guide you in the wrong direction. As a god of war, I know that all too well.)”

“Right. But…”

“(You find it disturbing how easily she gave up on Adikalika after putting so much effort into it? She claims she doesn’t care because she has plenty more options for destroying the world? Nonsense. She can laugh, but that doesn’t change the fact that she’s panicking after her plan fell apart. She’s currently trying to recover from that failure and is desperate to stay in control ''so she can reuse as much of her plan as possible.'' So as a god of deception, I tell you: do not be deceived. You’ve driven her right up to the precipice. You have no reason to let up now.)”

“Even so…”

“(And if Coronzon is a great demon of knowledge, then you of all people have no reason to fear her. As a god of magic, I assure you: the knowledge in your head is in no way inferior to the knowledge she clings to so preciously. The two of you are equal.)”

“…”

All of this had occurred to Index already.

The problem was Index’s inability to refine her life force into magic power. That meant she could not use the knowledge of her 103,001 grimoires to wield magic herself.

She also couldn’t force that role onto Misaka Mikoto since that girl was a scientific esper. If an esper did force themselves to use magic, it could easily cause severe damage to their blood vessels and nerves. Othinus also couldn’t do it after being shrunk to 15cm and Index couldn’t expect anything from the cat in her arms.

So they weren’t enough.

Grimoire Library Index knew that before the fight even began.

Battling that great demon on even footing would require a clash of knowledge against knowledge.

That required a magician.

A human magician.

They were missing a crucial piece needed to battle Great Demon Coronzon head on!!

Just then.

She heard a voice.

“There’s…still…”

It came from Kamijou Touma.

Coronzon frowned. She supposedly contained all the world’s knowledge, yet this truly baffled her.

He couldn’t even get up, much less fight, so why wouldn’t he just play dead?

Why would he draw attention to himself? What could he do at this point?

He had already lost.

Kamijou Touma had lost. Accelerator had lost. Even Hamazura Shiage was no longer moving.

But…

“There’s still…someone…” whispered the puny boy.

Was that all he could manage even after gathering the very last of his strength?

Even so…

“Long before us. Long, long before any of us were born, there was a hero who’s been fighting this cruelty all along. Fighting against the world and losing, but refusing to give up and getting back up. There’s ''another'' who eventually built this city and gave so many people the power to fight without having to give up!”

“What…?”

“Isn’t that right, ''Aleister''!!?”

Great Demon Coronzon froze.

For just one definite moment.

And.

''Crack!!

The sound of cracks running through something rang out from within Coronzon’s chest.

[[File:GT Index v13 BW8.jpg|thumb]]

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Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume13 Chapter2

2026-06-10T22:45:24Z

Ultranova17: minor

==Chapter 2: Death and Slaughter – VS_NECROMANCER.==

===Part 1===

The sun was setting on Academy City.

The red snow continued even as night fell.

“Nhh…”

Necromancer Isabella Theism raised her arms and stretched.

Even that dealer in death had visibly white breath in the darkness.

The building was cramped and Isabella knew she was ruining the mood, but she had no real obligation to get along with her colleagues. She hadn’t come to Japan to make friends.

They had taken over this city.

They had accomplished what the magic side as a whole would consider a great feat. This alone had to be causing a kerfuffle in the Roman Catholic and Russian Orthodox Churches. If the power of science joined the conflict, it would greatly change the three-way stalemate between England, Rome, and Russia.

Offering Academy City to the queen would be enough for Isabella Theism’s name to go down in history.

(How history would describe me is an open question, though. That queen is an upright person who values peace and loathes fighting.)

But controlling the world meant nothing if that world was destroyed tomorrow.

She had to focus on Great Demon Coronzon for now.

“Which means I don’t have time to listen to complaints from ''outsiders''.”

She focused on her earphone and heard an annoyed voice.

“What is wrong with you? Wasn’t that a little quick to completely change your mind on me?”

“All I did was lay some groundwork I felt necessary for my mission. To me, this seems pretty peaceful compared to carpet bombing a jungle or some buildings the enemy might be using to hide.”

“Hold on. It was you Anglicans who said you wanted a united front.” The new board chairman’s voice dropped in tone. “That’s why I didn’t resist much when I discovered your further savagery. Setting aside whether it’s humane or not, I could have ''used magnetic resonance well beyond any safety standards to rattle people’s cranial nerves and turn them into living pawns'' all from a safe distance. I can still do that.”

“Well, that’s a new interpretation of the zombie. And I like that they’re zombies but you aren’t controlling the dead.” Isabella actually sounded amused. “Did we sign any documents? Did we stamp it with our seal? All you’re going off of is a baseless chat with our previous leader, who had no right to be leading in the first place. Now that I’ve taken the position, I’m not bound by any vague verbal promises or implicit understandings. I, Isabella Theism, will do everything necessary to stop the Adikalika large-scale attack spell that Great Demon Coronzon is preparing. …And I mean everything necessary as a necromancer, of course☆”

When the leader changed, so did the overall policy.

That unpleasant side of organizations was rearing its ugly head here.

After trusting and opening up to the previous leader, that leader was driven out by infighting and a completely different person was now in charge and saying the exact opposite. All the personal trust built up before had been shifted onto someone else entirely and all the risk was shoved back onto him for opening up. Even though this was no time to be getting sidetracked with that sort of nonsense.

“Don’t you get that this fun of yours is only going to lead to more meaningless death?”

“Meaningless? Of course not! …I won’t let a single death go to waste. I generally use imitations rather than consume actual dead bodies for my spells, but that doesn’t mean I lack the ability to do so. And creating lookalikes out of safe and reliable ingredient is a lot of work. If Academy City is going to let these real dead bodies go to waste, I will take full responsibility and put them to good use.”

She was smiling.

This was no lie or mockery – she really meant it.

With Isabella Theism, there was little meaning in debating whether she was a good or bad person. The meaning of justice changed depending on your viewpoint and her opinion was technically correct if ''all'' you wanted to do was keep the United Kingdom safe. Of course, that was setting aside the question of if the British people would permit ''a peace built on other’s deaths.''

To Isabella, lives were like a fuel that could be burned with the maximum efficiency. Using them up without any waste was a virtue. So to put it another way, inefficiently protecting others’ lives was not all that important.

Whether this was good or evil didn’t really matter here. That question could wait.

But Accelerator did have an answer for whether he liked it or not: he couldn’t have disliked it more.

“…You’re different.”

“From what?”

“''You’re nothing at all like the necromancer I know.''”

“I should have known the one sitting in the board chairman’s seat would have some delightful friends. But, you see, this field has branched into many different ideologies and factions.”

Yes. Her sensibilities were not off because she was a necromancer or because she was a magician who specialized in human death. This all came down to Isabella’s personal beliefs and tastes.

Her insistence on always doing what was correct rankled Accelerator, but she was the one who had ended up in a position to influence the fate of Academy City and the world as a whole. Was the world really in good hands? In a way, she was even more of a pain than Coronzon who opposed the world more directly.

“But the fact remains that no amount of complaining on your part is going to change anything. I mean, Academy City is a shambles, isn’t it? You can’t gather enough pieces to take on Coronzon. So despite your sensible complaints, you have no choice but to rely on the Anglican experts who have entered your city. And need I remind you that it is we Anglicans who overcame the threat of Coronzon in the past?”

“…”

“Yes, wouldn’t it be nice if Academy City still had a trump card up its sleeve?”

===Part 2===

In a District 7 hospital, a nurse who had gone out of her way to modify her official nurse uniform to give it a miniskirt stepped into the emergency room.

“Hey, doc☆ You have a message from Anti-Skill’s um…how do you read this name? It means yellow spring river, but they really should give you the reading too. Anyway, she’s one of those people who keep the city peaceful. Something about wanting an expert medical opinion.”

“If it will not save a life, I’m not interested.”

“I’m not sure in this case. Apparently there’s a few witness reports around the city saying a dead kid called Kamijou Touma is up and moving around.”

“…”

The frog-faced doctor sighed.

Now there was a name he hadn’t expected to hear again.

And…

“Are they sure he’s really dead?”

“They don’t know, which is why they wanted the advice of the doctor who declared him dead. They apparently can’t contact the crematorium either.”

That meant it was possible he wasn’t dead.

The frog-faced doctor had confirmed the boy’s death and even sewed up his mangled body. He had even observed the embalming in the morgue, but was it really possible to fake death in that state?

However.

If the boy was still alive, then, whatever his state might be, he would be one of the patients the frog-faced doctor had to save. He was probably caught up in some kind of trouble again, but that was no reason for the frog-faced doctor to give up on a patient. No matter what it was.

(And really, this sounds a lot more like the boy I know.)

“Transfer her to this monitor. The hospital is full of computers, so this monitor is as good as any.”

“On it.”

The nurse whose excessive display of sex appeal was constantly troubling the patients left the room.

The very next moment, something else happened.

Specifically, something moved atop a bloody stretcher in the emergency room. Perhaps because the poor female patient was unidentified (despite what looked like an ID card hanging from her neck), she had been sent away from District 10 and across the district line to reach this hospital. But by the time she had arrived, hadn’t she already been in cardiac arrest?

“What…?”

Immediately after the frog-faced doctor’s puzzled question, it happened.

It was like a mousetrap equipped with a powerful spring.

The young emergency patient had lost so much blood after biting her tongue that she hadn’t even been able to move her own heart, yet now she sat up. With enough force to tear out the cardiopulmonary bypass tubes attaching her to an external box.

“Bonjour!”

“…”

The frog-faced doctor looked like he wanted to say something, but it was the emergency patient who smiled and spoke to him.

“Ohh, I feel so dizzy. The blood isn’t reaching my brain. Maybe that’s why my self-diagnosis is stalled… A mystérieuse cardiac arrest patient who you couldn’t seem to identify must have been tough, huh? Well, your Jane Doe is in fact named Kihara Goukei, but you can call me Madame Gou. Oh, right. Do you know the nombre of the ambulance that brought me here? Those EMTs work so hard year round, so I feel bad troubling them with me. I need to send them some expensive mangoes later on.”

She was speaking a mile a minute.

Her tongue was operating quite smoothly for someone who had bitten it badly enough to kill her.

“Um, so, is the dead coming back to life the latest fad in this city or something?”

“Don’t ask me. But every part of my body is crammed full of that sort of technologie,” casually revealed Kihara Goukei.

This was the true face of Bio Secure.

“Nhh hee hee☆ When you belong to a team that deals with the city’s illegal undead, you gather a lot of specialized knowledge from across the city. And no one really tracks what happens to that bizarre technologie once it’s been confiscated, so no one ever notices if you modify some of it for your own use before consigning it to oblivion.”

“So you’re saying you have turned your own body into a collection of forbidden research you gathered around Academy City?”

“Because stealing other people’s recherche is so much faster than developing it yourself. That’s more the thought process of an industrielle spy than a researcher, though.”

Biting your tongue would kill you?

Then you just had to have two tongues.

…It was toying with death on that level that made her a Kihara.

“Do you not consider life to be valuable?”

“Life is precious, of course.”

The answer came immediately.

It sounded pure even.

But all that was distorted a second later.

“''Which is why'' it’s so much fun to toy with! A life is one-of-a-kind and not some replaceable scrap of paper, which is what makes it so exciting. Oui, oui. It all comes down to the knowledge that you are doing something truly irreversible!! Ah ha ha. Isn’t that the very definition of a desecration!?”

This was the difference between normal people and the Kihara family.

It wasn’t that they didn’t understand the value or share that value. They understood it perfectly, but their goal in handling something precious was entirely different. They were a wholly incomprehensible bunch.

Kihara Goukei continued, looking carefree.

“Now, a perfectly healthy person hogging your emergency room would only trouble the next patient, so I will take my leave here. Oh, which way to the payment desk? This looks like a big hôpital, so is it busy on weekdays? I’m in a hurry, so it would help immensely if you could just automatically charge it to my carte.”

“I get the feeling letting you go will bring trouble to many more people.”

“But you can’t stop me. Not as a docteur, anyway.”

She made it sound so obvious.

There were specialized tools in here, like scalpels used to cut skin and bone saws. Even opening the anesthesia valve might be able to neutralize this dangerous person.

But…

“You are a skilled doctor. Skilled enough to make a Kihara like me jealous. But your skills can only be used to save people. You might technically possess the skills, but you cannot cut into people or sew them up for any other raison. That is just how doctors work.”

“…”

“Oh, don’t worry. I too am working to protect Academy City’s peace. So don’t give me that grim look. I will do my job.”

“Even though you’re a Kihara?”

“Oui. I will do it ''as'' a Kihara.”

===Part 3===

The District 2 gunpowder testing lab was in fact an unmanned weapon data center.

It was a large place.

And its security was in fact ''too advanced'' to be fully utilized by the nuns and magicians with a poor grasp of scientific technology.

There were plenty of blind spots.

Lucia had dragged Agnese and Angelene to the heat control room.

Simply put, the room was lined with valves and tanks of the chemical coolant used to cool the large computers.

“What did you want to discuss?”

“Whether or not we’re going to continue obeying Isabella.”

Sister Lucia was fastidious.

She may not have liked Isabella’s methods, such as attacking her own people when they got in her way and accepting the impure along with the pure – and she in fact seemed much more at home with the impure.

“Eh? Eh? But the Anglican Church took us in when we fled the Catholics.”

Stooped Angelene hurriedly observed both Agnese and Lucia’s faces.

That was the first and most important point.

The 250 members of the Former Agnese Forces would gain nothing by clashing with the Anglicans.

In fact, they might end up with their lives at risk.

But Lucia crossed her arms and continued.

“I feel like the fair deal we were given is being violated.”

“Well…we are basically freeloaders with them. This isn’t the first time we’ve been given odd jobs that are definitely not worth the effort. And any accomplishments we do make go to whoever our leader is on paper.”

Agnese shrugged, but Lucia did not stop.

“She knocked out Stiyl and I don’t like the true identity she was hiding. Can we really leave the fate of the Italian Peninsula in her hands? Doesn’t this situation worry you two?”

“If Adikalika is activated, the world will be headed toward its doom. England has no reason to hold back.”

“So you think they’ll treat everyone equally? Really? Destroying the Vatican will not immediately doom London.”

The atmosphere froze.

That statement made them focus on the cracks.

And Sister Lucia wasn’t wrong.

Even if the world was set to be destroyed today or tomorrow, was England really doing everything they could? For example, Queen Elizard wasn’t here. Nor were Princesses Riméa, Carissa, and Villian. It was true it would be unusual for the royal family to be sent to the front line, but why was everything still operating “business as usual” with all this going on?

Even if the Catholics wanted them dead, Agnese and the others couldn’t abandon them to die.

They were only with England because it best served their purposes. Which was why Agnese had just said they were basically freeloaders.

Angelene stammered, “C-come to think of it, I haven’t seen any sign of the war-loving Knights around. The Anglicans are the only one of the three factions here. Before I thought that was lucky since it would avoid infighting, but now…”

It was easy to suspect England wasn’t taking this as seriously as they might.

Even though the clock striking midnight could signal the Italian Peninsula becoming a sea of blood, flesh, and bone.

The discussion had fast reached a point where it would look badly on them to be overheard by any of the true Anglicans.

But they couldn’t help but get worked up among themselves.

Agnese asked a careful question.

“Are you questioning where they’ve set up their defensive line?”

“We’re convenient workers, if not outright sacrificial pawns for them. I expected them to ask us to risk our lives and fight here. Kanzaki might not because she’s too nice, but why isn’t Isabella Theism demanding it of us?”

Could England be taking an optimistic view?

Did they only see this as an occurrence in Academy City of distant Asia, on the other side of the world?

Even if they screwed up and the Italian Peninsula were submerged in a sea of blood, flesh, and bone, did they think they had another chance? Maybe it was only subconscious, but did they still think there was a buffer zone left?

Lucia had a point.

Especially from the perspective of the Former Agnese Forces who wanted to protect the Italian Peninsula at all costs.

But at the same time, Agnese had felt a chill on her spine for a while. A very distinct chill.

The mention of Great Demon Coronzon may have reminded her.

(This happened last time in London, didn’t it?)

So she was cautious.

She had to treat this like defusing a bomb.

Coronzon was an expert at tearing apart the bonds between people.

So it was possible this conflict had been planned and this suspicion between allies would all serve to benefit the great demon.

(Could this be the same war mood – that same scent in the air – that sent Sister Orsola down the path of self-destruction?)

“Even so, you aren’t suggesting a coup here, are you? The Anglicans have over 10 thousand people in Academy City, so there isn’t anything our 250 can do. And they even have that extraordinary Saint. Not to mention that infighting while Adikalika is being prepared will only delight Coronzon.”

“I know that,” immediately replied Lucia. She apparently had a different idea. “Which is why I’m saying we can’t afford to leave this in the wrong hands. At the very least, Isabella can’t be the one to carry the fate of the Italian Peninsula on her shoulders.”

“Then Kanzaki? She is a dazzlingly good person, but she has the Amakusas to protect. Will she really make any bold moves to help us?”

“No.”

The fastidious nun sharply rejected that idea.

“There is someone else in this building, isn’t there? We need to be using everything available to us, but one person is going to waste.”

The three of them exchanged a glance.

Come to think of it…

“If ''she'' is at the center of it, then everyone here will do their job regardless of their position in the magic side power map. Even if it means forcing forward the defensive line that they’ve pulled back. Don’t you think so?”

===Part 4===

In the District 12 consulate, Kamijou Touma and the others were discussing something. Probably a plan to use against Coronzon.

Feeling left out, Hamazura Shiage’s face clouded over.

“Y’know…I just can’t believe Coronzon is trying to destroy the world again.”

“Think of it like her instincts as a great demon,” casually replied Dion Fortune. “You can’t expect to fix this with a conversation. She isn’t one to be stopped with the straightforward methods Kamijou Touma prefers.”

…Was that really true?

Hamazura thought back to the frozen ocean in the UK. When they last spoke in the cruise ship, she hadn’t seemed like an incarnation of evil to him.

333, dispersion. She was the one who tears apart people’s bonds and obstructs their evolution.

That much was true.

But on the other hand…

“Coronzon helped save you back then. She complained a bunch, but she didn’t take the option from me.”

“But would the world at large consider that an act of good? You’re forgetting that I was a pawn she created to grind the UK’s functioning to a halt. She was saving one of her own attackers.”

He hadn’t thought of it that way before.

Hamazura worked to suppress his reflexive response and made sure to actually think before speaking again.

“Are you saying she only showed interest in it because it was an act of evil?”

“Who knows. Even the magicians who have specialized in studying Coronzon are split on the subject. Master Mathers insisted she is an absolute evil while Crowley argued she is one side of a relative evil. Even those at the top of the magic side weren’t certain of her true nature, so that isn’t something you need to worry yourself over.”

No one knew.

It wasn’t clear.

And yet the world had decided they ''might as well'' call her evil?

===Part 5===

Dion Fortune wasn’t the only one hurriedly investigating Adikalika.

This affected everyone in the world.

And Crowley’s home of the United Kingdom had tons of documents related to his Magick. Since it was based on the same source, Isabella could make some predictions and estimations of what Great Demon Coronzon’s version would look like.

With a general knowledge of the destruction specs, one question remained on Isabella Theism’s mind.

(Why Rome instead of the UK?)

Of course, she could guess that Adikalika’s power would be difficult to use effectively against the UK due to their research into anti-Crowley techniques. And if Adikalika blew away an entire region, it would trigger global chaos and war just as well whether the target was the Anglicans or the Catholics.

But was that really enough for that great demon to give up?

Her grudge was clearly centered on the UK. That had to be the place she most wanted to destroy. And once she decided to destroy it, wouldn’t she make sure it happened no matter the cost or how extensive the preparations?

“This isn’t a plan B. Coronzon didn’t shift to her second best candidate as a compromise.”

But if that was true, it formed a natural question within Isabella.

“She’s intentionally targeting the Roman Catholic headquarters at the core of the Italian Peninsula. …''Is there something there''?”

And so.

In Academy City’s District 7.

Isabella Theism decided to find an observation point for Coronzon. She had plenty of sacrificial pawns she could have used, but was that really a good idea? They wouldn’t flat out refuse her orders, but even if they made a show of obedience, they might hide useful information. So she decided it was better to do the investigation herself.

What did Coronzon want to destroy in her attack on the Italian Peninsula?

Revealing the structure of the over-the-top Adikalika spell might just provide a hint there.

“Hm.”

Great Demon Coronzon was in this same district.

Isabella Theism had come here hoping to find something there, but…

“There definitely is something.”

Something was rustling along.

It looked like a giant crab, but that was no crab. The monster was around 2m tall and it was hideous. Instead of a poisonous creature, this thing inspired the sense of disgust felt when peering into the kitchen garbage bucket in a stranger’s house. The mass of gold giving off a twisted glow was in fact formed by balling up something like long blonde hair.

“?”

(Long blonde hair. So did this come from Coronzon? If this is her sending out pawns to stop people instead of just showing off, she must be a lot more concerned than she lets on.)

Apparently there was no need for the things to be crabs.

She also saw a great serpent slithering along the red snow, a thin-winged bat, a fat fly, an eight-legged octopus, an earth-devouring snail, and a scorpion that moved different again from the crab. They were all, of course, made from blonde hair.

(That rules out the idea of them being the horoscope symbols.)

They might simply be based on different demons, but she wasn’t certain of that either. Unlike the horoscopes, she wasn’t familiar with any crab demons.

Isabella Theism was a necromancer who specialized in death.

As she stood still and gave off a death scent to play dead, a blonde hair monster passed right by in front of her. They didn’t seem too intelligent. Maybe they couldn’t ad lib, or maybe they couldn’t recognize people if they didn’t fit certain predetermined search conditions.

The same thing repeated a few times.

The monsters were wandering around with a decent density. Specifically, she could see two or three of them from a major intersection. The distribution seemed to differ depending on location, so traveling toward the denser areas might show her where Coronzon was located. However, playing dead took a fair amount of effort, so she decided to end her recon mission here. She also doubted holding her breath would be enough to approach Coronzon close enough for a surprise attack.

(And I doubt these are the only pawns Coronzon has. After slipping past the grunts, I would probably find a mid-boss waiting for me.)

Isabella’s death camouflage was somewhat effective.

The gold monsters failed to notice her even when passing by right in front of her.

But what would happen if they did notice her?

The answer seemed obvious enough looking at the crab legs and pincers of the one that had gone clacking by earlier.

“A single step outside in District 7 would probably be deadly.”

On the other hand, there was no powerful blood scent hanging over the city.

The pawns were not going around actively breaking into homes and killing people.

If you didn’t leave the buildings, no harm would come to you.

So these pawns were meant to ensure no one interrupted Great Demon Coronzon’s Adikalika preparations. By giving them specialized abilities and a simple movement pattern, she was avoiding the mistake of delaying her plan by giving too many resources to the grunts.

…Of course, a failure to notice the regularity of their movements could lead people to behave like they were asking to be killed.

“Wahh!!”

Isabella heard a scream.

From a small boy of maybe 8 or 10. After seeing a monster out the window, had he decided his room was too dangerous and fled outside instead of locking up and sitting tight? Isabella glanced over but immediately gave up on him.

He was a little too far.

She couldn’t reach him.

And there was no harm in ignoring him.

Isabella’s only goals were preventing Adikalika’s activation and eliminating Great Demon Coronzon. She hadn’t exactly been asked to tally up and report on how many died in the process. Dion Fortune was it? Even if that archbishop added that condition now, she was only a false leader given the position to fill the empty seat in the interim. The older members had no obligation to obey her.

The sounds of splitting flesh and spraying blood rang loud.

Isabella’s expression barely changed.

Someone had protected the boy by placing herself over him. The woman wore a distinctive mask and was dressed a lot like a dentist. The golden pincers and legs had stabbed right into her back.

Red scattered from her.

Anyone could tell she had lost a lethal amount of blood, yet…

“Mon dieu.”

She sounded carefree.

No, she seemed irritated.

“Whoever designed this things needs to observe crabes better. And learn more about romance. A crabe’s pincers don’t stab or slash like a knife – they crush and cut like a chain tool!!”

After a dull scraping sound, the two meter pawn was split in two. Right down the middle. The crab lost control and split apart. Into countless threads – no, hairs.

How had she done that?

Only now was Isabella’s curiosity piqued. Even if this was only a scout or patrolwoman, did Academy City really still have someone capable of slaying one of Coronzon’s pawns?

The boy and the woman appeared to be conversing.

“U-um.”

“What is it?”

“Thank…you?”

The woman in question was soaked with blood.

No matter how invincible that last move had made her look, her back had still been stabbed repeatedly.

“Eek!?”

“My, my. Don’t worry. I am not ''designed'' to let a little thing like this kill me. …Also, I am Kihara Goukei, but you can call me Madame Gou.”

“Madame…ahh, y-you’re so hurt…and it’s…it’s my fault…”

“Forget about that.”

She used those words to set aside the blood still gushing from her.

The bloody woman acted like her next question was what really mattered.

“What is, um…yes, what is your name?”

“Urekawa. Urekawa Ousuke.”

“Urekawa-kun then? Cough, this is all necessary if you’re going to survive…so take a close look so you won’t forget it.”

Seated on the ground, Kihara Goukei pointed elsewhere.

“What…?”

“Do you see the bus there?”

It wasn’t far away. It was doubtful if the middle-aged man floundering in the driver’s seat actually had a large vehicle license, but that wouldn’t matter as long as he could get the bus moving.

“It will be leaving soon, so you need to get aboard before it does. And then the wonderful grownups aboard will make sure you can escape…so hurry.”

“But…what about you? We need to stop your bleeding!!”

“''Don’t worry about that.''”

The intensity behind those words made the Urekawa boy’s little shoulders jump.

Only a second-rate would flash their weapon to gain the obedience of those unable to fight. A true professional could easily grasp someone’s heart just by changing the mood.

The boy took a few steps back.

Kihara Goukei smiled a little as she watched that small back running elsewhere.

More of those weird golden things were wandering the area, but they did not attack anyone beyond a wall or door. So whether the bus was moving or not, the boy would be safe once inside it.

So she must have concluded the boy would be fine.

With that settled, Kihara Goukei turned toward the real threat.

In other words, toward Isabella Theism.

“Now, then.”

After an unpleasant tightening sound, Kihara Goukei’s bleeding stopped.

She didn’t have any bandages, not even a tiny adhesive one, but she had done this on her own.

“Independent stanching. It’s not all that unusual a trick. It’s a standard function for animals that sever a body part to escape predators in an act known as autotomy. Think a lézard’s tail or a crabe’s legs.”

“If you can stop your bleeding at will, why didn’t you fall over and play dead? This way you might as well be asking for someone to finish the job.”

“And then who would protect that boy? From those monstres and from you who had no issue abandoning him to mort.”

Isabella Theism heard a quiet psht of something in the air.

“?”

Something stabbed into her right thigh.

She felt no pain.

It was the dart from a tranquilizer gun.

“Okay, now raise your hand if it hurts.”

With continuous metallic grinding and scraping sounds, something like a scroll was unfurled. A belt as wide as a college notebook was spread out around Kihara Goukei like a hagoromo. It was lined with torture devices.

“Not that I’ll stop if it does☆”

The cruel dentist grinned behind her mask.

And the clash began.

[[File:GT Index v13 BW4.jpg|thumb]]

===Part 6===

“Brr…”

Index had little knowledge of the science side, so she didn’t know where she was locked up. It was a space a lot like a large, large indoor pool. Her arms and legs hadn’t been bound, but escaping the boxy room would still be a challenge.

Meanwhile, Othinus was looking all around from her shoulder.

“They said this was an unmanned weapon data center…but is this a spare room? They’ll need more vending-machine-sized servers when they inevitably need more processing power, so they must have secured the space for them ahead of time.”

“What’s your point?”

“It’s a big room with secure locks, but it’s been left empty since they have no use for it yet.”

Yes, that did sound like a convenient place to lock someone up.

“Hey, are you alright?” asked Othinus.

“I’m hungry, but the cold isn’t too bad.”

“Not what I meant. You can’t forget what happened back there, right?”

Was Othinus referring to the necromancer’s imitation dead bodies, or the fact that Index had been betrayed by her fellow Anglicans?

Index smiled a little with the cat in her arms.

“I’m fine.”

“…”

“This is nothing compared to Touma being declared dead and having everything taken from him. I can handle this much pain, but it’s different for Touma. He shouldn’t have to put up with that at all.”

“Yeah,” said Othinus.

Kamijou Touma was alive, but there were those who couldn’t accept that. The 15cm god recalled that empty dorm room. Kamijou Touma’s death itself may have happened by chance, but someone somewhere benefited from keeping him in that “dead” state.

Were they on the science side or the magic side?

Either way…

“Robbing a god of her temple and throne is an unforgivable sin. Whoever is responsible, they must be made to pay for violating the sanctity of my holy ground.”

Just then, they heard footsteps.

The footsteps stopped at the door and were followed by the clicking of the lock being operated.

Someone was here.

“Keep quiet.”

The door slowly opened and Kanzaki Kaori entered with a finger up to her lips.

She carried a ring of keys.

“The door has two locks. The idea was for the Amakusas and the Former Agnese Forces to each have a key to prevent betrayal, but as you can see, I am one of the fewer than 20 Saints. They can’t stop me when I put my mind to it.”

“You’re actually…freeing us?”

Index’s question brought sadness to Kanzaki’s eyes.

As If she hadn’t expected this doubt.

“If I didn’t do it, Stiyl would have tried it even if it killed him. I’ve let him be the villain too often already.”

“?”

Index looked confused. She didn’t understand why Kanzaki would bring up that priest.

The absolute confidence she had in her perfect memory only made the missing memories all the more cruel.

She didn’t even question those memories that had been intentionally erased.

(And it turned out Lola Stuart was Great Demon Coronzon. I would love to give her a taste of my full strength as a Saint to pay her back for what she did to us.)

But that likely wasn’t her role.

Kanzaki was aware of that.

She adored Index more than she could say, but she had no intention of destroying the girl’s current world.

“Listen. Isabella is off doing who knows what, so this is my chance to let you go. The knowledge of your 103,001 grimoires should be used to protect people. So it would be best if you went to Kamijou Touma now.”

“But wait.”

Othinus interjected after listening from the nun’s shoulder.

She appreciated this…but it went beyond what could be decided on an emotional impulse.

“The Anglican Church is an organization, right? And a global one at that. Even if you can’t stand Isabella on a personal level, disobeying her orders will only hurt you and your companions.”

“Be that as it may, this is something I must do. Plus, I know those companions. None of them would want me to save them at the cost of your freedom. And I don’t just mean the Amakusas. The Former Agnese Forces were clearly holding back when they fought me.”

That was the end of it.

She stood firm.

The 15cm god clicked her tongue and looked away.

…How could she reject this kindness when Kanzaki looked at her that way?

“It would be a challenge for us to directly cooperate with Kamijou Touma. We have too many other obligations. But you two…”

“We’ll do it.”

Index didn’t even let Kanzaki finish.

The powerful look in her eyes stared directly into Kanzaki’s eyes.

“Because I know it’s what I should do. Helping out Touma is always the best option.”

“This way.”

Kanzaki Kaori would never stand by Index’s side again.

Other people stood there now.

But she did not consider shoving those people aside to reclaim that spot.

Index’s trust had been reset along with her memories.

So the only option was to build them both back anew. Even if it resulted in a different relationship than before.

“I can show you to the building exit, but that is all ''we'' can do. You must find a way to locate Kamijou Touma and join him. Grimoire Library Index, I leave the righteousness and pride of the Anglican Church in your hands.”

===Part 7===

A creepy rustling sound filled the street.

Golden crabs and octopuses automatically tracked Kihara Goukei’s movements and rushed toward her, but each of them was sliced through and broke apart in turn.

In the night, a bone saw and forceps sharply reflected what little light remained from the streetlights.

Kihara Goukei had hoped to end Isabella’s life before her forcibly boosted muscular strength destroyed her joints and cartilage, but Isabella was a lot nimbler than she had expected.

Specifically, Kihara Goukei’s current state gave her enough speed to easily dodge out of the way of a bullet flying straight toward her, but…

(Hm? Ordinary réflexes shouldn’t be able to respond to this.)

That meant her enemy was being boosted somehow.

Come to think of it, there was something odd about the brown woman’s rags. Given the way it fluttered in a way that ignored the wind currents, it appeared to play a muscle-like role similar to externally-attached springs.

“She also seems immune to anesthésiques. What kind of crazy body does she have?”

“You need to ask that of a necromancer?”

Something whooshed by over Kihara Goukei’s head.

It was a filthy rag so stained yellow and brown that its original color was impossible to determine.

It spiraled around high in the air and then stretched out as it fell straight down from heaven to earth. Almost like a guillotine or something.

“What are you, Ittan-Momen 2.0?”

Kihara Goukei considered how to dodge this, tilted her head, and settled on simply jumping back a step.

She heard something slice through the air.

Followed by a heavy crash.

The asphalt was easily smashed and even the dark soil below was thrown into the air. It went without saying what would happen if that hit a human.

Western European necromancy was not about controlling a rotting corpse to sic it on your enemy and it didn’t harness the grudges of the dead to kill people. It’s true identity and essence was the summoning of dead souls using the clothing and other possessions dug up from graves and the revealing of secrets about the world and about individuals using divination (mancy) of the dead (necro). …Simply put, it had been a secret fad among the bored upper classes because there was very little risk in trying it out (because opening a coffin was not a crime if it belonged to a family member).

This meant controlling the clothing of the dead was their specialty.

Of course, this didn’t apply to necromancers from other regions and cultures.

“That isn’t just a piece of cloth. Is it hardened with glue or something?”

“A human body is nothing. With a bit cleverness and creativity, I can slice through a tree branch with this.”

The deadly guillotine dropped from up high a second and third time, but Kihara Goukei intercepted it and knocked it to the ground with her giant forceps, bone saw, and other torture tools.

“Release ocular muscles – boost kinetic vision 500%.”

(Based on the impacts reaching my wrists, its weight is several times that of the heaviest bowling balls. I see. So the problem is the height from which it drops.)

“Ugh, I’m feeling dizzy. Urp. Oh, right. I should have boosted my stomach first…”

“Vomit inside your mask if you like. I will kill you while you do, though.”

The number of rags flying overhead suddenly exceeded the number fingers on both hands.

And they weren’t all guillotines. The one that looked like a large rake may have been a Cat’s Paw that was used to tear at the surface of someone’s body. The one a lot like a crane game with pointy tips was probably a Spanish Spider that was stabbed into someone’s back so they could be suspended from the ceiling and have their flesh torn by their own weight.

Their forms had a historical flavor to them rather than focusing on efficiency.

Was that just the necromancer’s poor taste?

Kihara Goukei muttered under her breath.

(Of course, it says something about me that I can recognize them all on sight.)

Isabella grinned thinly.

“You have some skill – or more likely are using some kind of trick – but there is only so much you can handle with just the two arms. I don’t need anything special. I can simply overwhelm you with numbers!!”

“Yes, excellent logique.”

With the sound of tearing clothing, Kihara Goukei’s number of arms suddenly grew to six.

The opposite could happen too. A pure pursuit of function could take on an appearance straight out of myth.

“Adding on more arms isn’t that hard. It’s adjusting the position of the shoulder joints that takes some doing.”

They clashed regardless.

The arms spread out like wings were completely expendable. The very first strike tore away one of Kihara Goukei’s arms along with the torture device it held. The second strike meant the sacrifice of another arm. They were more broken off than severed. Had it worked against the brown woman that she was using a mixture of different weapons? Kihara Goukei didn’t particularly care as long as the guillotine didn’t slice through her face or torso along with an arm. And the third strike was blocked with a grinding noise.

It had hit something hard.

The flat, rectangular object at her palm was a giant shield. Except it was made of something more biological than steel or plastic.

“Hwa ha ha ha! Countermeasure complete! My monster of the week name is Crab Shell Man!!”

“?”

In the brief moment Isabella’s movement was stopped, Kihara Goukei sent in a sharp right hook. And that arm had already become a human-sized crab pincer, so a direct hit would crush and sever her neck like a chain tool.

''Splat!!

The bloody sound came from the center of Kihara Goukei’s chest.

Several objects like white guitar picks had pierced through from her back.

An unharmed Isabella smiled bewitchingly.

Kihara Goukei’s eyes widened.

“…Eh?”

“Did you already forget what I called myself? I do believe I introduced myself as a necromancer.”

What was the weapon?

What had stabbed through Kihara Goukei’s back and burst out from the center of her chest?

…It was her own broken and severed arm. Or really, the crushed bone in the mutilated cross section?

“And no one ever said I could ''only'' do the Western European version☆”

“…”

“I didn’t expect you to scatter your own dead flesh around. Thanks for the assist. You might as well have been asking me to use it.”

“Gh…ph.”

Kihara Goukei tried to speak, but only fresh blood filled her mask. A large hunk of blood.

She had been stabbed in a very bad location.

“You can use your tricks and cheat death as many times as you like.”

Necromancer Isabella Theism grinned and sprinkled something from her fingers.

It wasn’t visible, but it smelled like blood. Like spotting a crushed frog on the roadside on a rainy day.

“''But all flesh that has died once is my domain.'' Now that you’ve died, you have lost the right to your own body.”

A moment later, all the blood, flesh, and bone separated as it rushed toward its original owner from all directions.

===Part 8===

While Kamijou’s group continued their discussion, the consulate’s doorbell rang again.

Last time, he had gotten all worked up only for it to be Dion Fortune’s group. Thanks to that experience, he was a lot more relaxed this time.

“Who could it be this time?”

“Now that our guard is down, what if it’s Coronzon paying us a late-night visit?”

He really wished the Bologna Succubus hadn’t said that.

The two of them walked to the front entrance…and they could see the answer. Before even opening the door, the nearby crack in the wall provided a view of the visitor.

But he opened the door anyway.

“Who are you?”

“I am Qliphah Puzzle 545, here as a messenger for Board Chairman Accelerator. Um, I thought for sure we had met before.”

The girl had something like a squid tentacle swaying side to side from the back of her hips. And did those English newspaper things even count as clothing?

Whatever the case, she wasn’t an ordinary human.

The Magic Gods, the Transcendents, an artificial demon…and Dion Fortune was a tarot deck and original grimoire, wasn’t she? There was definitely something wrong with Coronzon to be able to stand up to such a wide variety of people all on her own.

“Does it mean what I think it does that he had to send a messenger?”

“Um, yes. It does.”

Accelerator hadn’t come himself because staying in that prison was his way of atoning for his crimes.

But this was more than that.

“Isabella…what was her name? Anyway, the magician effectively commanding the Anglicans at the moment. Is avoiding her complaints really that difficult?”

“It iiiiis. For one thing, my master has only just started learning about magic, so his knowledge is limited. And because he really doesn’t understand it, he can’t figure out how to avoid the attacks being made through the channels that have long lay buried within Academy City.”

Isabella likely had her own methods. Kamijou understood that. But apparently she really would use any means necessary even if her overall goal was to defeat Coronzon and protect the world.

Kamijou invited the artificial demon inside and spoke in a weary tone.

“The city doesn’t need a defense against the Anglicans now too, does it? We already have our hands full with Coronzon, so fighting on two fronts would be such a pain.”

“I get the feeling all of this could change depending on what happens.”

===Part 9===

It was over.

Isabella Theism breathed out through her nose.

Apparently this was all a science side expert in death and the desecration life could manage.

A scratchy sound came from her ear.

That reminded her she was still wearing a wireless earphone. If that had been the science side’s final trump card, then she could only give her condolences. They just hadn’t been up to the task. And that strength, as minuscule as it had been, should have been directed toward Coronzon.

(Then again, I get the feeling she was acting on her own discretion. Magic side or science side, this seems to be the fate of all organizations. The bigger they get, the harder it is to keep track of the extremities.)

“Surely you aren’t going to demand monetary compensation for this damage when the world is on the verge of ending. Or did that finally break your spirit and you’ll announce your surrender?”

“My, how hotblooded of you. But aren’t you fighting the wrong person? Necromancer, you are one of the foolish obstacles to natural decomposition that human knowledge has brought.”

This was not the new board chairman.

Isabella grimaced and lowered her voice.

“Great Demon Coronzon.”

“Don’t act so surprised. You have realized I am taking over the city using something other than science, haven’t you? Then obviously I can take control of the city’s communication infrastructure. Using a method that doesn’t require electricity or electromagnetic signals.”

Apparently Aleister had set up every last part of the city that way. If only he were still alive so she could give him a witch trial and burn him at the stake.

“But the very fact you’re doing that means you’ve already glimpsed your own Achilles heel, doesn’t it?” said Isabella. “If you do launch your Adikalika spell at the Italian Peninsula from here, it will mean the beginning of a global war…but it also ties you to this city. And in the struggle for Academy City’s infrastructure, we have already taken back around half.”

“But you Anglicans don’t rule the world.” There was mockery in Coronzon’s voice. “While Adikalika is directly targeting the Roman Catholics, you’re really only saving them as a means to save yourselves, so I wonder just how much trust they really have in you. Oh, and come to think of it, aren’t there some of them within your own ranks? Yes, that foreign unit of Roman Catholics.”

Dispersion.

She easily separated people from each other.

Even if their goals were the same and they were all working to bring peace to the world.

“And then there’s the Russian Orthodox Church. Heh heh. Have you noticed how much they despise having something inhuman occupying a seat with influence over the fate of the world?”

“…”

“The Roman Catholic and Russian Orthodox Churches will do anything to break free of the current situation. Isn’t that right? And Adikalika is reliant on the geographic features of Academy City. So if someone were to ''wipe Academy City from the map'', they could prevent the world-destroying Adikalika from being activated. Simple, isn’t it?”

Only if you didn’t care about the 2.3 million innocent people living there.

And they likely wouldn’t even provide enough advance warning for the Anglicans there to evacuate.

“I am the world’s gear in charge of dispersion, so I will bring natural decomposition to all things. I will bring opposing factions A and B together so they can be discarded like matching cards in old maid. The three main Christian factions are a pain since they are of an odd number, but I can trigger total mutual destruction by adding in Academy City.”

“I would call that interesting, but I’m not one to trust demons. You could be making it all up to make me rush my next move, so I’ll take it with a grain of salt.”

“Oh, really? Believe it or not, I am one to honestly pass on the truly nasty and devastating truths. Like this for example.”

“?”

“Necromancers are not the only fools born of human knowledge who obstruct natural decomposition. It would seem you are not out of the woods yet.”

===Part 10===

Kihara Goukei was lying nearby.

The density of the red snow was growing. It had already begun to accumulate atop her, but she showed no reaction even as it covered her mask like a frozen mass.

Anyone could tell she was approaching death.

And there was one person who could not accept that fact.

“No!!”

In the bus.

The size of the vehicle limited what streets it could use. After turning around, it had needed to drive back this way in order to escape further away.

So he had seen it.

Urekawa Ousuke, the boy rescued by a certain monster, had seen the result of the battle.

If the snow were falling just a bit harder, it would have covered her too much for him to see.

The grownups’ calls for him to stop were drowned out.

Of all things, he opened the window and jumped out.

If he had stayed put and let the bus take him away, he would have escaped to safety. And there was nothing he could accomplish by choosing to remain here even if it meant injuring himself.

Nevertheless, he couldn’t abandon her. Not after she saved him. That grownup had risked her life and bloodied herself protecting him.

“No, wait.”

The boy did not stand back up.

He may not have been able to right away. Even with thick snow to cushion his fall, he had jumped from a moving vehicle.

“Please.”

But there was something requiring his attention more than his body’s pain.

He raised just his head, the rest of him still sprawled out on the cold ground stained by red snow.

And he shouted from his little mouth.

“''Wake up, Madame Gou''!!!”

===Part 11===

Internal Mechanisms: All 185,814 sections responding.

Bio Limiters: Depth 5 release

Lifespan Effect Calculations: Bypassed

Body Local Network General Host Name “Kihara Goukei” has entered final operating mode.

Forcing reboot.

3, 2, 1.

===Part 12===

''Badump!!

That distorted pulse was audible to Isabella Theism even at a short distance.

She shifted her focus from her earphone to the outside world.

Something was happening that required her attention.

This was clearly out of the ordinary.

Kihara Goukei sat up like a mousetrap after luring its prey in with a hunk of cheese.

“Whew. Ha ha ha. Mon dieu. I’m not about to complain if I die. I’ve lived the kind of life that will bring mort to me first and foremost once something goes wrong.”

Her entire body was slick with blood.

Nothing about her situation had improved.

But that other monster spoke with a hand on the side of her wobbling head to hold it in place.

“But now that he’s called that name…''I can’t afford to lose.''”

“Wha-”

Isabella’s question was cut off by an unpleasant cracking sound.

Kihara Goukei’s fist had broken.

Due to the speed and weight with which it slammed into the center of Isabella Theism’s chest.

That unpleasant sound had come from the breaking of Isabella’s ribs and sternum.

(When did she stand up…when did she throw that punch!?)

Isabella held a hand to her mouth but that couldn’t stop her from coughing up blood as she jumped back.

Kihara Goukei smiled as she forcibly mended her broken fist, causing grinding and cracking sounds within the hand.

Her mask was covered in blood. From within.

But still she smiled.

“I really have removed ''my final limiteur''. A child is watching and he trusts in me. So now Madame Gou…absolutely can’t afford to lose.”

“Who…are you?”

She was one who toyed with human life.

She was a hopelessly mad scientist.

She wasn’t about to deny those sides of herself.

''But…

“You can’t get away with everything using the ‘I’m a Kihara’ excuse, you know? I never did like that excuse. So I started wondering if there was some way to live my life so I didn’t have to make excuses and before long it was all I could think about.”

Isabella stopped briefly.

Looking like she couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

“I’ve heard that one a million times. Is that why you decided to be someone who protects small children?”

“Ah ha ha. Oh, if only I could contribute to société in the usual ways. But I’m so afraid of it backfiring that I avoid using my Kihara side to get too involved with individuals.”

“Then why?”

“Because he called for Madame Gou, not a Kihara. ''Everyone always assumes it’s some bad joke,'' but I finally found someone who will trust in that name. What could be more miraculous than that? Scientists are all the kind of jerk who has to question anything and everything, but we’re also capable of accepting the things we see for ourselves. So after seeing this for myself – dammit – I can’t deny it. I’m willing to completely change the way I live my life for this.”

To put it another way, Kihara Goukei was willing to risk her life for this small thing.

That was also why she dressed as a dentist.

A dentist loved children’s smiles more than anyone and mastered the techniques needed to heal them and save them from pain, but they were also feared by those same children. And she had wanted to be someone who could be proud of that.

Just look back at what she had done.

When the presumed “moving corpse” named Kamijou Touma had appeared, when she quarantined the people in the crematorium who could possibly be infected or contaminated, when she protected an innocent child at the cost of so much blood, and when she confronted Isabella Theism. Kihara Goukei hadn’t made a single wrong decision from moment to moment.

She was a member of the Kihara Family, but she was not a broken person.

She was someone who always did the right thing but was always feared for it.

She was a heretic among the Kiharas.

With that battered body, she proudly protected little Urekawa Ousuke and made the position her own. Madame Gou smiled thinly behind her bloody mask.

With a pitying look for the other expert of death who stood opposite her as a relative evil.

“Taking on the thankless role isn’t easy, is it? You’re not even a Kihara, so it must be exhausting to ''force yourself'' to do it.”

“You understand nothing about our world.”

“I’m not interested in learning about any other world than the one I live in, but I am still a Kihara. Even if it’s their job, it hurts anyone to make innocent children cry. Could that be why ''you Britanniques are going so easy on us'' despite shouting about a threat to the world? Your hesitant use of the Academy City facilities means anyone can pick up your communications. I was basically snacking on intercepted messages between the hôpital and here, but it really makes me wonder if you’re even trying.”

“…”

Isabella fell silent.

Kihara Goukei smiled behind her mask. But with all the blood, the smile was more grim than grin.

“I don’t understand any of this Coronzon stuff, but you say there’s a threat to the entire world, right? Then I would think at least one of you would suggest bombing the entire city into oblivion to ensure the safety of the rest of humankind, but none of you is touching on that last resort. It’s hardly a surprise you’re being delayed by enemies you hadn’t even considered. You won’t accomplish anything if everyone on site is hesitant to speak up. And…when everyone deployed to the front line is scared and reluctant to dirty their hands, it’s going to ''put a greater burden'' on their leader.”

Necromancers were cruel.

To their targets, they might even seem like horrific monsters.

But had Isabella mentioned even once that ''she enjoyed that cruelty''?

From the beginning, she had only ever said she had come to Japan to do her job.

So of course she wasn’t interested in people’s dramas or stories. Her stance was to not protect as many people as possible by not letting her personal feelings for her fellow Anglicans hold her back. She was taking the problem seriously and giving it her all.

She could not afford any detours, so she wouldn’t even help a stranger she chanced across along the way. It might seem like a little thing, but going with her heart there could throw off the overall schedule and allow the entire world to end.

Ordinarily, her attitude was the correct one for a combat professional.

“So I don’t blame you for what you did. Whether it’s England or somewhere else, there is ''something you want to protect'', isn’t there? Even if it means dirtying your hands and becoming the kind of person who will make a small child cry and throw stones at you with their small hands in a city turned into a battlefield. You have something that makes it all worth it. …So how about you accept that, hold your head high, and come at me with everything you have? So you can stay true to what you believe is right.”

Isabella Theism listened.

She hung her head as the enemy’s voice reached her ears.

And the brown necromancer smiled.

Just a little.

“Let’s stop playing around.”

“Gladly.”

“And I do have just one thing you should know. Voodoo is known for its zombies, but it is a polytheistic religion where the list of gods being worshiped is always in flux, the good gods and evil gods can swap places depending on the circumstances, and they freely take in parts of other mythologies. Indian mythology has a god that came from a movie, but I think Voodoo provides even more freedom than that. Which makes it extremely convenient for a necromancer who learns bits and pieces from other mythologies and then misuses them. And when you can borrow the power and symbols of any being, you can do things like this.”

“?”

“''Daeva''.”

With that single word, something appeared behind Isabella Theism.

Kihara Goukei first saw a gigantically swollen insect abdomen.

Next, she saw brutal legs resembling spiked clubs, a pair of compound eyes so red they appeared to be filled with blood, and translucent impure wings.

Empty space seemed to distort to allow the appearance of a giant fly of more than 5m.

Yet its curves seemed somehow feminine and alluring.

Each individual part might be found in nature, but this being clearly existed outside the physical world.

It was still transparent, but it had completely affixed itself to this world – this phase.

“I see. Would you look at that.”

Kihara Goukei looked up at it with a half smile.

She didn’t know what it was, but it certainly appeared to be on another level from what she had dealt with so far.

Only Isabella’s voice continued.

She spoke earnestly, like a priestess serving her dark lord.

“You are one of the six demon lords who rule over evil. You are the bearer of deadly poison who will distort your own legend and fuse with others if it will achieve your goal. You are one of the many foundations for controlling death and flesh. Tonight I seek you, o queen of contamination, dead bodies, decomposition, and apostasy.”

“Interesting. …But it doesn’t mesh well with my scientifique tastes.”

“Intrude upon my world, ''Druj Nasu''.”

The phase border was torn asunder and the thing materialized.

===Part 13===

In the District 12 consulate, Kamijou Touma found himself with little to do once it became time to stare at maps and documents and think up a plan. He left the table surrounded by the golden retriever, Dion Fortune, and others and was trying to pass the time when Blodeuwedd the Bouquet approached him.

Apparently she wasn’t much of a thinking type either.

“Neh heh☆”

Her face was awfully close.

He detected more than just a sweet feminine scent. Several floral scents were mixed together.

She had fully locked onto him.

“Help me, Alice!! Or Miss Succubus!!”

“Those are the last people you should go to for help. Unlike them, I’m a fairly reasonable Transcendent.”

What was Blodeuwedd the Bouquet’s salvation condition again?

She saved the unloved.

So he was less than delighted to have her locked onto him. He sighed.

“Then why were you attacking Academy City so much? The city was made by Aleister who seems like exactly your type.”

“Ehh, you can’t be serious.”

Blodeuwedd the Bouquet seemed taken aback.

Like she had been recommended some bizarre food.

Her mouth formed a small triangle.

“He wasn’t hated or unloved. People called him the wickedest man in the world, a cannibal, and a demon lord, but the fact that he was ‘controversial’ means he did have his supporters and defenders. Yet he ignored all of those voices and chose to get all worked up on his own.”

Were those more like mechanical arms than clothing?

The blonde girl used the sleeves of her thick metal coat to mimic a shrug.

“Aleister Crowley was a human who looked past all the talking voices and focused only on the negative opinions. To the point that some people think he actually felt antipathy toward the people who believed and followed the theories he proposed. From outside, that might look cool, but the people who actually worked themselves to the bone sharing their love with him wouldn’t have seen it that way. The world wasn’t cold to him – he simply refused to touch the meal placed before him until it had gone cold and rotten. I’m not a fan of that kind of waste of emotion.”

“…”

“I want to distribute my unseen feelings to the starving people who can never seem to find any love no matter how badly they want it. To the people who need my feelings here and now. I want to provide the kind of warmth and strength that motivates them to get back up in their dark room and reach for the doorknob. I have nothing to give the fools who are so self-absorbed with their own appearance and pride that they let the feelings they are given rot. There are plenty of truly suffering people out there since the world is so starved for kindness.”

Blodeuwedd the Bouquet stopped speaking there.

She peered up at Kamijou’s face in amusement. Only then did Kamijou realize something.

Had he been hanging his head?

“Oh, you don’t like my answer?”

Kamijou Touma hadn’t been there.

He didn’t know the full story of Aleister’s life.

He had only wandered within the Windowless Building under Mina Mathers’s guidance and received tarot-recreated glimpses of Aleister’s battle with the Golden magicians.

But Aleister had learned his wife Rose was doomed

And he had been told in advance that his baby Lilith would surely die.

That human had trembled in rage when his ordinary happiness had crumbled around him. And knowing the Golden Cabal had been responsible, he had fought the Battle of Blythe Road, said to be the world’s largest magic battle. Kamijou didn’t think Aleister’s path could be simply classified as good or bad.

Kamijou had pushed him to the edge.

Maybe it was selfish of Aleister to force his expectations onto Kamijou.

But it was true Kamijou had failed to live up to them.

He had done what Anna Kingsford said and escaped hell alone. Could there have been another path if he argued back and insisted on thinking it through more carefully?

Why?

Why hadn’t he recklessly insisted that he would bring CRC and Kingsford back to life too and that they would all live happily together next time?

All of that was superfluous.

He knew that of course, but they had directly been dealing with human lives and souls. Wasn’t a crazy place like hell the perfect venue for shouting an unrealistic wish or two?

“If you acted different from normal…”

“?”

“Shouldn’t you suspect you were intentionally guided in that direction? Keep in mind that magic is a system that starts with the manipulation of your own mind in order to influence the outside world and other people. With ceremonies performed by multiple people, it isn’t unusual to sync your mind with the others.”

A journey through hell. Or a jailbreak.

You could say that had been a large-scale ceremony.

“So Aleister was wrong to resent you. You shouldn’t demand someone take responsibility for an unavoidable choice after they finally managed a miraculous resurrection.”

Kamijou couldn’t accept Blodeuwedd the Bouquet’s words so easily.

While she was a Transcendent, she hadn’t actually seen that hell. If she could, then the more powerful Alice would have been able to intervene when he died. So Blodeuwedd the Bouquet’s argument was no more than speculation.

Just then, a call came in from Accelerator.

“All the calculations are complete. …Once you’re ready, head to District 23.”

Kamijou frowned.

That didn’t sound right to him.

“District 23? I know that’s an adjacent district…but isn’t Coronzon in District 7?”

“You won’t be able to sneak right up to her on foot. You need a plan if you’re going to get close.”

Kamijou understood before even hearing the details.

He was certain he wasn’t going to like this plan.

“So what is your plan?”

“I’ll use all the missiles remaining in District 2. And I really mean using up the entire stockpile.”

“Hey, I seriously doubt ordinary weapons are going to work on Coronzon!”

“Of course they won’t. They’re only a diversion. You’ll be parachuting down through the bombardment to immediately arrive deep inside District 7.”

“Eh? Right in the middle of all those flying explosives?”

If even a single missile detonated nearby, they would die.

Um, didn’t those delicate devices react at some pretty weird times? Like the shoplifting prevention sensors at a store’s exit, or antivirus software? Even the precise location of a store on a map app tended to be off by just a little. Sure computer chips were supposed to be logical, but everyone had pressed the button on a half-broken game console or washing machine while praying that it would work one last time, right!?

…And Kamijou was certain that he would get the short straw on this one. He didn’t have any objective evidence, but never underestimate Academy City’s Mr. Misfortune! He still hadn’t played any games on his smartphone because he knew just how hopelessly bad his luck was!! Why even bother trying for a rare pull when you knew you would never get it, even if you paid!!?

“Coronzon will notice what we’re doing. No matter how hard we try to hide it,” said Accelerator. “So we’ll never get anywhere if you bank on that. But that just means we need to create a situation where she has to focus on something else even though she knows what we’re doing. …Remember, that Adikalika trump card of hers uses the city’s geographical conditions. So she won’t want any serious damage to the city’s landscape, will she?”

“Oh! You’re right…”

That hadn’t occurred to Kamijou.

Great Demon Coronzon was trying to destroy the entire world, but for now she wouldn’t want Academy City destroyed.

“Even if she is a villain, she won’t want missiles bombarding the city until she’s completed her plan, will she?”

“I doubt every last missile we have would kill Coronzon herself, but she’ll be forced to use that sturdy body of hers to destroy the missiles as her top priority. Isn’t that thoughtful of her? She’ll protect the city for us. An enemy’s strength can become a weakness if you change your viewpoint. Coronzon has no family and she’s not sentimental enough to grow attached to a house or other possessions. But we do know one thing she definitely won’t want destroyed, so we just have to focus our attack there.”

Adikalika was the ultimate trump card that could destroy the world if used in that way, so it had seemed like Coronzon was the one in control. And that wasn’t exactly wrong either.

But if Coronzon was too focused on staying in control, that fixation became a weakness because she didn’t want to lose it. It felt at odds with her ultimate goal, but maybe that was just how strategy worked. Once you gained something, there was a cost to defending it. In battle, there were no 100% pure benefits.

This was a ray of hope.

The time had come to reclaim control of the situation.

===Part 14===

Red snow fell in the night.

Great Demon Coronzon stood in a square space that was unusually empty for this urban part of District 7. The long, long blonde hair draped over her large, bat-like wings kept changing shape like it was creating string figures, but she was really only making minor adjustments at this point. She had been building a spell using all of the terrain and landmarks forming Academy City, but now even the final adjustments were nearly finished. She would soon be able to stop work and move on to the next phase.

Preparations for the Adikalika large-scale attack spell were already complete.

This would be the initial signal gun that would submerge the world in a sea of blood.

She didn’t even need to check the horoscope to know the necessary preparations were complete. She was not concerned that the forces of science or magic would take back control of the city, so now she only had to wait for the moment to arrive.

“Are you watching, Aleister?” she whispered.

She turned her gaze elsewhere, wrapped her arms around her own shoulders, and shook with suppressed laughter.

And Great Demon Coronzon spoke as if enjoying his final resistance.

“You will soon see the end of this world you still trusted no matter how much it hurt you.”

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Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume13 Chapter1

2026-06-10T22:44:20Z

Ultranova17: minor

==Chapter 1: A Change – Magician, Witch, Wizard, and…==

===Part 1===

Suddenly.

Something caused the sound of the cold rain to vanish.

Only nothingness remained.

The air temperature must have fallen below freezing. A red – strangely red – snow fell from the leaden sky.

“…”

Kamijou Touma didn’t bother mentioning it.

If he shifted his gaze away from dead ahead for even a split second, Great Demon Coronzon would use that instant to kill him. He was certain of it.

Kamijou, Alice Anotherbible, Great Demon Coronzon, and Vidhatri lying limp and passed out by his side.

He couldn’t see a single positive element to this.

In that silent world, the “kathunk, kathunk” of a subway train passing by sounded deafening loud.

“What’s the matter, human?” whispered the great demon, slowly spreading her arms and wings.

Her long, long blonde hair tangled around her wings and fingertips like spider web.

“Surely, surely you aren’t planning to thoughtlessly charge right at me? You might still be able to get away. Or maybe if you could use that right hand of yours properly. Kee hee hee. At the very least, falling back would improve your chance of survival over a blind charge.”

“Teacher,” sharply warned Alice Anotherbible. “These are the words of a great demon. They might sound kind, but she would never say anything out of concern for someone.”

Something crackled.

From very close by.

The violently flashing orange light resembled the sparks produced by steel striking steel.

…''Sparks?

“Don’t tell me…”

“Magic usage causes slight fluctuations in this world and the collisions between the unseen overlapping phases produce sparks which can at times be deadly. They are the source of the tragedy that sent Aleister Crowley down his path of carnage. What you see now is the result of my power bringing them down to this lower physical world and giving them form,” explained Coronzon, enjoying herself.

This wasn’t the only thing the great demon could do. She had purposefully chosen this from the near endless cards in her deck.

Kamijou heard another unpleasant sparking sound.

A drum-shaped security robot had burst from within.

It was possible Accelerator was monitoring this from afar and he was using the unmanned machines to search out an escape route through the minefield.

It went without saying what would happen if a human body contacted that…unless it was worse than it seemed.

“The surface-level destruction is a mere trifle. Contact that and you will die. I am not talking about the surface-level shock or destruction. It will ensure your death at the more fundamental level of destiny.”

Yes.

Aleister Crowley had failed to overturn this at his peak, so he had lost his wife and daughter. This was that same tragedy.

“And I have another warning. That third tree? Clonoth, was it? That caught me off guard in the UK and stripped my essence from my physical body, but that will not work again.”

The remaining security robots wavered a little.

“After all, I am not a pure demon anymore. Human Aleister’s symbols have been mixed in with me.”

The great demon curled her lips upward and laughed from deep in her throat.

Aleister.

She looked amused to no end that he was disturbing the human world even after he was gone.

“So what will you do, Kamijou Touma?”

She was a great demon, so she didn’t believe in benevolent coincidences or divine miracles to begin with.

“There are only two options in this world: a merciless death void of miracles, or a false miracle formed by human hands.”

“…”

“I know you know what happens if you stop thinking and pray to god without preparing anything yourself. How severe was the cost of crawling back up out of hell, Kamijou Touma? But all that will be for nothing if you fail to make the smart move here.”

(Well, this could hardly be worse.)

Kamijou felt like he had been abandoned in the middle of a minefield.

He was surrounded in all directions by invisible mines that would kill him on contact. And he didn’t even know how far they were distributed, so he had no sense of how far he had to flee in order to survive.

“Ugh, really? Just for your information…”

Coronzon had set all this up, but she still looked somehow displeased.

Even though she supposedly had an absolute advantage here.

As if the grand surprise she had spent so much effort preparing was going unappreciated, so she had to explain it for him.

“I didn’t just lay these out there. I can move them at will. So that is not a minefield you are standing in – it is a monster’s gaping maw. If I close it, you will be crushed between its jaws. I know you puny humans of this lower world only understand the things you can see, but surely that is enough for you to appreciate your situation.”

In other words, staying still wasn’t enough to save him.

He had been doomed from the beginning.

Kamijou’s right hand contained Imagine Breaker. He might be able to break one or two of the invisible fangs. But would that be enough to defeat the monster? If it ignored the pain and forced its mouth shut, he was dead. It would be over in an instant.

Kamijou clenched his teeth.

…He didn’t stand a chance.

What would he accomplish by charging in recklessly? He had previously fought Great Demon Coronzon in the UK. His right arm and the rest of his body had been smashed right away that time.

Imagine Breaker…''was not enough.

He heard a footstep on metal grating rather than asphalt.

Great Demon Coronzon must have noticed the fear and confusion that hearing that single footstep caused because an amused smile spread across her face.

“Why are you doing this now? We already settled this back in the UK!”

“Why?”

Coronzon snorted.

It grew into full-on mocking laughter.

“Of all things, you’re asking for my purpose and objective!? Kamijou Touma, do you want a similar explanation for how you came back to life? You didn’t turn back from hell because you calmly completed the items on a to do list!! You sought life because the state of life is natural for you and you never questioned that idea. It’s no different for me! This is what I have always been!!”

“So you’re really going to bring countless people to tears just because you never had a particular reason to stop!?”

“I have been true to myself no matter what happened.”

She said it so lightly.

Like someone humming the popular song playing on endless loop in a restaurant.

“Natural decomposition – tearing apart all things and returning them to nothing – is my role of dispersion. How could I trust in myself if I was one thing one day and another thing another day? You puny beings seem capable of that, but perhaps it is the result of your excess of free will.”

“…”

“It was that side of you that ended up tormenting Aleister to the bitter end. To be clear, I will be the one to destroy the world, but it was you who opened the box, Kamijou Touma.”

A grin split Coronzon’s face as she said this.

She was finally back in the outside world.

She couldn’t seem to contain her amusement.

“My value is 333 and my meaning is dispersion. I rule over one line on the great tree, yet I induce discord and betrayal to tear apart the bonds between people and obstruct human evolution. Do you really think I am going to stop? Now that I have been freed, of course I am going to work toward that end with every second available to me!!”

“Teacher,” interrupted Alice Anotherbible.

She looked unusually grim.

As if to say her role as a Transcendent, essentially a part in divine school play, were being stripped from her by the alarm ringing from the audience seating.

Was that young-looking girl perceiving something Kamijou couldn’t see?

“You can’t hold a conversation with Great Demon Coronzon. Not the way you’re doing it anyway. She can’t be won over by what’s right. In her mind, all things falling apart and all people suffering through pandemonium is ''the most healthy and active state for the world''. She only sees your kindness and compassion as a toxin that will cool and solidify the world.”

“!!”

“And she loathes that toxin in her own way. That is why your words can never stop her.”

So did he have to fight?

Countless unseen sparks had been placed around him.

Standing within a monster’s gaping maw was nothing but suicide.

And even if he did escape that, he would only have managed to reach the same playing field as her. Being able to defeat full-power Coronzon was another matter entirely.

He was looking at a battle with a higher being who had easily forced Aleister into submission. He couldn’t imagine how to get started, much less win. Fight or flee, anything he tried seemed like it would only work against him.

But.

“I won’t die…”

Even so, Kamijou Touma’s lips were trembling.

So he forced the words out through clenched teeth.

“I won’t die again!! I was already saved from hell once, so I won’t give up my life so easily!!”

Great Demon Coronzon grinned, but was she mocking how obviously terrified he was or how he had nothing to back up those words.

But in fact, Kamijou Touma did not die.

Because something pierced a straight through that space.

It tore apart the area between Kamijou and Coronzon.

That meant it hadn’t been aimed at Coronzon. Was this clearing a route by intentionally triggering the invisible mines laid out all around him?

(A tear…beam? It can’t be!!)

“Much better. You’ve finally got the right attitude, Kamijou Touma.”

“Ha ha. Boy, did your death put a damper on your hot-bloodedness?”

Nephthys.

And Niang-Niang?

“You mustn’t throw your life away. I see you finally arrived at the simplest answer that no one in the real world seems capable of following, Kamijou Touma.”

“I like this version of you better than your weird recklessness. It’s a lot more reassuring for those of us saving your ass.”

Magic Gods.

They were not a new side to this battle.

They were clearly taking Kamijou’s side and taking up positions to cover him.

Kamijou stared in shock.

Did they just say they were saving him?

From this!?

“Hey, wait. You’re under no obligation to help me out of this mess!!”

They didn’t even bother turning around.

The Magic Gods were facing Great Demon Coronzon in a more casual way, but they were also unwavering.

Even though they had to have a better grasp of the situation than Kamijou.

Yet they still spoke firmly.

“My, my. Have you forgotten that I am Nephthys, a god?”

“And I’m Niang-Niang. How about you let us take over for once? You died and came back, but you didn’t get Magic Godded by it. That means you’re nothing special. Live or die, you’re just a normal human. …And you ordinary people don’t need to deal with creeps like this. The monsters can slay the other monsters.”

Alice held her silence for a while.

But she finally opened her mouth.

“The girl will go with her teacher.”

“Good idea. It’ll be safer if he keeps a trump card with him. To be honest, if softhearted Kamijou Touma escaped on his own, I’d half expect him to be back before long. So go show him to the exit, little miss monster. But if you let him die, I will hunt you down.”

“Hey, quit deciding everything for me!”

Nephthys gave a simple answer to his protest.

“Risking your own skin is all well and good, but if you fall here, then who will bring that girl there to safety?”

Only then did Kamijou remember.

That’s right.

He and Alice weren’t the only ones here.

A Transcendent had collapsed before his eyes while trying to inform Alice of the threat.

Vidhatri.

If she was still alive, he couldn’t just abandon her here. If everyone here tried to fight and were wiped out, there would be no one left to help her. Then she would certainly be killed by Coronzon too.

After reminding him of his responsibility here, Nephthys spoke kindly.

“Make sure she gets away.”

“…Thanks!!”

This was only an excuse, of course. A ritual used to rid Kamijou of his guilt and allow him to act freely.

Nephthys ordinarily acted so irresponsible, but she really did seem godlike here.

“I have a question.”

Someone spoke.

Great Demon Coronzon was smiling.

“What logical reason do I have to let them get away after you held your strategy meeting right in front of me? Not much is more challenging than a retreat when you are at a severe disadvantage!!”

Something new emerged.

This time, it wasn’t even human. It was a golden retriever.

The dog spoke human language.

“Drop straight down!!”

A loud noise followed.

Alice Anotherbible’s small hands had torn up part of the metal grating below their feet. Kamijou, carrying Vidhatri, and Alice didn’t hesitate to jump down onto the roof of the subway train passing through the tunnel below.

An impact.

Continuous shaking. Slipping to the side. But he somehow managed to get a grip on the roof.

He didn’t seem to have hit any of those sparks. They had surrounded him in all directions, but apparently only in two dimensions.

“Looks like we barely escaped with our lives.”

The golden retriever was with them.

What was his name again? Whatever his name, that cute doggy was in fact connected to the infamous Kihara family.

But now wasn’t the time to worry about that.

Kamijou groaned as he adjusted his grip on limp Vidhatri atop the train’s roof. That was all he could manage.

“I went to the trouble of coming back to life…and all I can do is run away? Dammit.”

“Staying alive is an accomplishment in and of itself, if you ask me,” said the dog. “At the very least, you overturned that Coronzon person’s expectations.”

“…”

“Dammit,” cursed Kamijou again. He wasn’t about to give up here.

The train was on the move.

This small seam gave him a new start.

===Part 2===

Kamijou Touma, Alice Anotherbible, and the rest had left.

That left Magic Gods Nephthys and Niang-Niang and Great Demon Coronzon.

The higher beings faced each other as red snow fell around them.

“Oh, right.”

The first to speak was Nephthys, the bandaged beauty with silver hair and brown skin.

“I will be killing you here, but I wanted to ask you something first.”

“I’m not here to fulfill your final request. I’m planning on killing billions after this. I can’t give individuals too much attention. It’s a waste of resources.”

“That isn’t what I meant. Is that human still inside you? Or has he been fully destroyed?”

“Did you think a great demon like me would bother using a pathetic hostage?”

“That still isn’t what I meant. I just want to know if I should feel even a little bad after I kill you.”

She made it sound so simple.

And certain.

The Magic God was not swayed by the great demon title. Just like during their previous battle in the UK.

“To be clear, we will be killing you either way,” said Niang-Niang, hiding her mouth behind her modified China dress’s baggy sleeve.

But she wasn’t smiling.

Not now.

“I know this might sound weird coming from Magic Gods who are willing to die to accomplish our goals, but you really should have let it end after you lost last time. Digging this all back up is just a waste of time.”

A tear spilled from Nephthys’s right eye. An unnaturally large tear.

While she laughed and spoke.

It could be easy to forget since she was too powerful, but battle was not that bandaged beauty’s forte. This was her greatest trait as an Egyptian Magic God.

“I weep for you, Niang-Niang.”

The propagating tear.

In other words, a power boost.

''A Magic God’s already ultimate power was being boosted further by another Magic God.

Boosting, raising, buffing, multiplying – none of those words were sufficient to describe this.

This was on another level entirely from their playtime at the student dorm.

“It’s the same for Aleister and Coronzon.”

“You’ve already tried this a few times, so you could say history has already proven the futility of it. Digging it all back up like this isn’t going to end well for you.”

All expression suddenly vanished from Coronzon.

On her noh mask of a face, words gathered in her mouth.

“These are the intruders who impede natural decomposition. Can false gods who began as no more than human never progress beyond this point?”

“Huh?”

“Not that it matters,” muttered Coronzon, already back to herself.

She did not answer Niang-Niang’s question.

What Coronzon did say was simple.

“By the way, how much did you hear? Having to explain it all over and over again is a pain, so I’d like to skip what I can.”

“You expect understanding from gods? And really, what right does a demon have to judge us? We’re the ones testing you, dumbass.”

“I see. So you understand none of it. Then I will keep it simple, so even your single brain cell can comprehend.”

The crackling of sparks came from around Nephthys and Niang-Niang.

All 360 degrees around them.

“This is not a minefield. It is a gaping maw lined with countless fangs.”

===Part 3===

Still being atop the subway train when it pulled into a station would probably cause a panic and they would get in trouble for riding without paying. The train happened to stop before the next station because one of the signals indicated some minor trouble, so Kamijou’s group took that chance to climb down from the roof. It seemed lucky…but with Kamijou Touma that wasn’t an option. It was the result of how badly damaged Academy City was.

Climbing down from the roof was a challenge when carrying someone unconscious. Kamijou was walking it to the end of the tunnel with Vidhatri on his back when the golden retriever asked a question. That the dog spoke human language went without saying at this point.

“Where are you headed?”

“Phew. District 12. The old Bridge Builders Cabal consulate.”

He couldn’t let Great Demon Coronzon kill him. But what could he actually do? She had only been defeated last time at the end of a battle that dragged the entire world into it. Would he have to go through that again? Academy City was already damaged and repairs were slow in coming, so a battle on that scale could easily reduce the entire city to a pile of rubble.

An emergency exit led to a narrow stairway up to the surface. The creepy but bewitching red snow continued to fall. But his breath was white like normal. While viewing the strange scene, Kamijou pulled his phone from his pocket with Vidhatri still on his back.

It was 4 PM, the weather was snowy, and the temperature was -3 degrees.

(It’s no use. I don’t know who would be safe to contact.)

He had a communication device, but he was hesitant to use it. Because he was still officially considered dead. Contacting a classmate or friend would only cause a panic and ordinary Anti-Skill was out of the question. He had only just escaped those Bio Secure people chasing after him with flamethrowers. Not much time had passed at all.

“Teacher, let’s get to the consulate. You can think and call someone after getting some rest.”

“Good point…”

Yes, the consulate.

He wanted time to calm down and think. He couldn’t even come up with any ideas right now. The appearance of Great Demon Coronzon had radically changed things, but he still needed to get to the Bridge Builders Cabal consulate in District 12.

His breath was white.

And that wasn’t all.

“By the way, what is this red snow?”

That had been bugging him.

It didn’t seem to be something Coronzon had done. He reached out just his right hand with Vidhatri supported with his left arm and let some land on his fingertip, but the ice crystal only melted into a drop of water like normal. There was no sign of anything being negated. In that case, had some strange impurity in the air gotten mixed in when the ice crystal was solidifying? He had heard of things like smog and yellow sand changing the color of snow. Maybe it was related to the gas and dust caused by the shells and explosives used in all the recent large-scale battles.

When the snow melted on his fingertip, the resultant drop was clear. So it didn’t seem like blood or some other red liquid had frozen into snow. That was another point toward his theory it was an impurity in the crystal.

…In that case, as bewitching as the red snow looked, it might not be very clean. What did the color red represent? And aside from that, this was city snow which would be full of exhaust.

“Alice, don’t eat the snow.”

“Ehhh!?”

“Why is that so shocking!? There are plenty of other good things to eat!”

“Ugh, fine.”

“You either, doggy.”

“I would hope you could expect a little more intelligence and romance from me.”

At any rate, walking out in the open didn’t seem like a good idea. Kamijou was known as a walking corpse and carrying limp Vidhatri on his back made him look like he was committing some kind of crime. Not to mention the little girl and the large dog not on a leash. Their party was practically asking to be taken in for questioning.

“Uh, oh…”

Someone was dancing on the street up ahead.

She looked to be…middle school aged, maybe?

She had a small collapsible umbrella to keep the red snow off of her and her phone was propped up against the edge of a shrubbery, so she must have thought the unusual weather was an opportunity of some kind.

Was it late enough for school to be out already?

Then again, it was the first day back after winter break, so maybe most schools were only having half days.

(I don’t even know when school lets out anymore. I’m drifting further and further from a peaceful life…)

That was a life-or-death problem. For a high schooler anyway.

Snow was accumulating and it wasn’t Christmas. Maybe there just wasn’t much traffic and maybe all the confusion had prevented the snow from being cleared, but the streets were starting to be covered by the red snow and even the trains were having to stop fairly frequently but irregularly. Not many people would want to head out on a day like this, but as someone who was officially dead, Kamijou still wanted to do his best to avoid being seen. That meant avoiding the person jumping and dancing on the sidewalk with no concern for her short skirt and even walking to the center of a big intersection and slowly turning in a full circle to get a 360-degree shot. The cheerful girl’s extrovert energy pushed Kamijou Touma away, forcing him into the narrow side streets. As the kind of person who preferred to take the far corner seat on the train even when no one else was aboard, he really didn’t mind all that much. Although he was somewhat disgusted with himself for how little it bothered him.

“I really don’t want to make a habit of taking my walks in the shadows.”

“It’s not so bad. Do it enough and it stops feeling weird.”

The dog’s advice did not help improve his mood.

He wanted to do something about it before he reached that point.

But while he was choosing the more deserted paths, it was still midday on a weekday. And he was carrying an unconscious girl on his back, but no one was stopping him. Was ordinary Anti-Skill not functioning well? That was fine as long as no one realized the gravity of it, but this could get bad if some devious people took notice.

Their destination was District 12. It was the most religious district and located on the east side of the city.

They had to take a wide detour around District 23 since it was generally off limits, so it ended up a long walk.

“Phew.”

A lot of time had passed by the time they arrived. It was just past 5 PM or thereabouts. In January, the sun would have been setting at this time, but the clouds were blocking it today.

They had arrived at the familiar consulate…sort of.

It was unrecognizable.

It seemed to have collapsed even more than when Kamijou had seen it last. Had a stray shot hit it at some point?

Several of the spires had broken and the garden was covered in rubble and black soil with a dusting of red snow starting to cover it. Over half of a building larger than the average school had been squashed. From the looks of it, the rainwater had to be getting in. Not many rooms would still be usable, but having a roof above your head still meant a lot.

“May I come in?” he asked Alice without thinking.

That made her squeal with delight. Because he was still treating this as her house maybe?

But…

“I-it’s chilly in here…”

Kamijou shivered. It had to have been colder outside, but he felt it all the worse once he was inside. Maybe his senses were returning to him.

A sofa in the corner of the huge lobby was so fancy he wasn’t sure if it was meant to be used or just decorative, but he lay Vidhatri on it regardless. Even that was difficult with the weird doll attached back-to-back with her. How did you remove it? And he felt like the cold was getting even worse. No, could it be he had been receiving warmth from the brown beauty on his back? Talk about a spoiled way to make use of a young woman. As unscientific as it was, he was afraid he had earned some kind of divine punishment there.

They had somehow arrived at the consulate, but now he had to figure out what to do next.

“F-for now, we need to do something about injured Vidhatri. She still hasn’t woken up, but is she okay? If it requires more than a first-aid kit, then we’re out of luck.”

His first thought was the frog-faced doctor.

Yes, a doctor.

“…”

The main goal of his original plan was to prevent Academy City from pursuing him as the living dead. So by escaping to a consulate belonging to another country(?) where the adults couldn’t touch him, he had hoped to buy enough time to call the frog-faced doctor to him and receive professional confirmation that Kamijou Touma was still alive. And with his status as alive confirmed, he would automatically be preserving Index and Othinus’s home too.

He didn’t know if that Condro-whatever country still officially recognized the consulate, but the actual international effectiveness didn’t really matter. He only needed the powerful adults in Academy City to hesitate.

But Great Demon Coronzon’s appearance had destroyed that plan. Utterly.

To be blunt, she wouldn’t care at all about the consulate. If she didn’t like Kamijou’s group, she would march right in to kill them. After all, she was willing to declare herself one who tore apart human bonds and obstructed their evolution. On a larger scale, there was a real possibility of her ''doing something to Academy City as a whole.'' If it came to that, then Kamijou’s group would be killed along with the rest of the city.

(Seriously, what are we supposed to do? However we stop Coronzon, I do still want to prove I’m alive so I can move through the city more easily…but do I have time for a detour like that?)

What was Index doing right now? Othinus and the calico cat too. It was below freezing outside. He couldn’t leave them out there in the frigid air and red snow and there was always the horrific chance that they would happen across Coronzon out there.

“I guess we can’t just come to a stop. We need to decide on where to start…”

Just as he said that, he heard a weird clattering noise from overhead.

Was someone there?

“Alice, get behind me.”

“Teacher, you don’t need to worry about that.”

Hm? Alice seemed awfully certain about that.

Nervous Kamijou sensed something off.

It came from his sense of smell.

Was that the familiar scent of some extremely ordinary chemical seasonings?

Then someone emerged from the second floor. The underwear woman with large wings on her back was walking while working at a cup of instant noodles with a silver fork.

“Hm? Boy, wherefore are you here?”

She was the Bologna Succubus, one of the Transcendents.

===Part 4===

For Kamijou the Bridge Builders Cabal consulate had seemed like a secret base of evil, but for the Bologna Succubus it was a temporary home in a foreign country. Even if it was falling apart, maybe it was best to just return here.

Kamijou tilted his head.

“What are you normal Transcendents doing now?”

“Normal? That’s a new one, boy. Then again, maybe it was inevitable when you’ve been hanging out with ultra extraordinary Alice so much.”

Standing still, the blonde underwear woman gave him an exasperated look while eating her Japanese cup noodles. Maybe it came from being Western, but he didn’t hear any slurping sounds as she ate the noodles.

“Horrifying. You might as well be eating a cup full of salt,” said the golden retriever.

“Well, this pup feels right out of a fairy tale. The best medicine when you’re tired, if you ask me.”

The tragic state of her diet suggested Good, Old Mary and H. T. Trismegistus were not here since the former was proud of her cooking skills and the latter was picky about manners. …Then again, Kamijou was more at home with cup noodles that would be ready in 3 minutes and eaten in 5 minutes than he was with a full-course dinner that took more than two hours from appetizer to dessert.

“Around half of us were knocked out trying to restrain Aleister when he suddenly went nuts. Vidhatri there was one of them. But we scattered afterwards. After all, our grand plan of saving the world with a resurrected CRC didn’t pan out. And organizations are fragile when they lose their central pillar.”

“Aleister did it?” asked Kamijou because he had thought Coronzon was responsible.

The Bologna Succubus sighed softly.

“There’s something wrong with him. No ordinary human should be able to defeat a group of Transcendents. Maybe that’s just ''the'' Crowley living up to his reputation as the exception among exceptions.”

“''Wait.''”

Kamijou called for a time out.

Something wasn’t right.

“If Aleister alone could have solved the Transcendent problem with Anna Sprengel and such, he wouldn’t have relied on Kingsford in the first place.”

“You have a point,” said the golden retriever. “Thinking back, that preserved corpse was an odd choice for Aleister. It isn’t like him to so wholly rely on someone else like that.”

“This talk of corpses is hitting home a lot more than it did before… But anyway, it sounded like he found some dangerous thing, modified it, and forced it to move.”

“Boy, did you forget?” The Bologna Succubus sounded exasperated. “Aleister is no ordinary human. He has crossed a line much like we have. No, it felt more like he was wielding Great Demon Coronzon’s power.”

“…”

“I doubt he could use all that power to begin with, so maybe something caused him to lose control and break through the limiter?”

“Something? Like what?”

“Kamijou Touma’s death and everything related to Anna Kingsford. You can’t tell me you’ve forgotten about that.”

In other words.

Did it all go back to that?

Just gathering up and using that power was enough to defeat a group of Transcendents. Then what could Great Demon Coronzon herself do now that she was back in control?

The Bologna Succubus shrugged.

“The Bridge Builders Cabal is no longer functioning as a magic cabal.”

“I see…”

“I don’t even know what happened to the other members. Some may still be hiding in Academy City, but I bet most of the Transcendents are leaving now that their reason for being here is gone.”

“…”

Is that why the Bologna Succubus was referring to him as “boy” here?

Alice Anotherbible was no longer her top priority.

In that school on that night, they had seen their pitiful master accidentally kill Kamijou Touma and lose sight of herself. The regular Transcendents must have been disillusioned when Alice didn’t even give them a glance after they served her so thoroughly.

Alice Anotherbible had lost her violent charisma.

And what happened when they also learned that summoning CRC to save the world was nothing more than a pipe dream?

“Nothing but hardtack to eat is murdering my mouth☆ Hey, lewd succubus, was there any canned food anywhere? …What’re they doing here?”

Someone else descended from the second floor.

To her, Alice Anotherbible was just one member of a “they”.

Who was this girl anyway? Kamijou was pretty sure he had never seen her before. The blonde was fully covered by what might have been a copper blast-resistant suit or might have been an iron maiden.

The two began conversing without any kind of introductions.

“We have an injury to deal with, so we’ll have to do something about Vidhatri. Ugh, it’s so inconvenient without Good, Old Mary around. Why does Blodeuwedd the Bouquet have to be the only one left? She’s useless.”

“Kyahah. That’s a neat trick if standing around complaining will heal her wounds. But if not, then we’ll have to figure something out with the people we’ve got, whore demon.”

…The strained atmosphere between those two bothered Kamijou, but it was they who brought a first-aid kit from deeper in the building.

The two Transcendents opened the kit and argued as they opened the manual contained in a waterproof package along with the medicines and bandages.

“First, we need to make sure we use this stuff right☆ Start by disinfecting the wound with alcohol.”

“Don’t be stupid. You need to wash the wound with water first and then disinfect it.”

“This swelling is a bruise, not internal bleeding. That means a compress will do.”

“That’s a hot compress. Are you trying to exacerbate the symptoms? You need a cool compress here, trash.”

“That idiot can be safely ignored. Now, let’s see☆ I need to tie the bandage tight to stop the bleeding.”

“If you want the bleeding to stop fast, you have to let the air contact it. Tying the bandage loose to let it breathe is best, dung beetle girl.”

Left all alone on the sofa, Vidhatri began moaning in her sleep.

Those two were practically at each other’s throats.

The Bologna Succubus and…Blodeuwedd the Bouquet was it? Those two were in fact literally butting heads. Which begged the question of why they were staying here together.

“They must be good friends.”

“Huh?” “Huh?”

[[File:GT Index v13 BW1.jpg|thumb]]

Kamijou’s comment earned him a pair of fairly serious glares. A girl’s “huh?” was a frightening thing.

Kamijou couldn’t say which of their claims were correct. He secretly did some searching on his phone and found plenty of agreement in either direction. It was funny that too many opinions could be a problem too. He decided to just assume a Transcendent’s body would be tough enough to endure whatever those two did. Or wait…were Transcendents’ bodies tough?

“Damn, I really shouldn’t have stayed in Academy City. I know I have a habit of sticking around in unloved places, but I always regret not getting out sooner than I do☆”

Blodeuwedd the Bouquet was complaining under her breath and Kamijou concluded this really was his first time seeing her.

And the Bologna Succubus was generally welcoming and cheerful no matter what, so it was unusual to see her detest someone so much. She didn’t seem like a bad person to Kamijou, so what made the Bologna Succubus dislike her to this extent?

He asked and the Bologna Succubus reacted with complete exasperation.

In fact, she held a hand to her forehead.

“Boy, um…you are a hopelessly bad judge of character. It’s like you go out of your way to be tricked so you can destroy it all.”

“Oh, c’mon. Ha ha. An ‘evil plot’ by a little girl like this could only be something adora-”

“She was one of the Killers who wanted to murder you in order to control Alice.”

Apparently this was much more serious than he had thought.

…And yet the girl herself held a hand to her cheek while staring at him.

Hm? This seemed quite different from what he had been told. Was that a spellbound look?

“But…now that I’ve met him for myself, he’s nothing like I was expecting. I was imagining an easy-going piece of shit who, y’know, carelessly presses fire alarms and blows up fire extinguishers. But instead he’s more like, well, the shunned and ostracized kid who sits alone in a corner of the classroom. Ahh☆ I, Blodeuwedd the Bouquet, am the Transcendent who protects the unloved. And the negative aura coming off of him is more than enough. Pant, pant. Oh, I can’t stand it. Kyahah, unloved one, leap into my arms!!”

“I’d rather not be accepted for ''that'' reason!!”

Was she the type to insult people when trying to be kind!? Kamijou bristled and yelled at the skinny girl whose thick armor opened like double doors. And was she entirely naked except for an apron under there!?

The naked apron was real!!

The depressed aura coming from Kamijou was probably the result of dying, coming back from the dead, being treated as a zombie, being rejected by Aleister for baffling reasons, and then having the resurrected Great Demon Coronzon try to kill him. If he let himself be taken into that soothing shelter, he just knew he would never again be able to leave that sweet-smelling girl’s thick coat!!

(But on the other hand…)

He had died and come back and was now being viewed as a zombie. It was nice finding some people who would ignore all that and actually listen to him.

Great Demon Coronzon.

He couldn’t just ignore that threat, but he needed far more fighters than this to deal with her. He didn’t even know what had happened to Magic Gods Nephthys and Niang-Niang after he left.

Even they had said they would “take over” for him, not that they would defeat her or solve the problem. It had seemed like the Magic Gods were choosing their words carefully.

He didn’t know how that had turned out, but it hadn’t seemed like leaving it with them was the end of it. And if they hadn’t ended it, then he had to assume the Coronzon problem persisted.

The Bologna Succubus put a hand on her hip and spoke.

“Anyway, we’ll treat Vidhatri. We’ll need to take her to another room.”

“I’ll help,” said Kamijou.

“This will mean removing her clothing, so you stay away. As the resident expert on sexiness, I cannot condone non-consensual nudity.”

When put that way, there was nothing Kamijou Touma-chan could do.

“Don’t look so dejected. I’ll let you see me naked later.”

“Could you not make this so awkward to agree with!?”

“Don’t worry. Even if everyone else treats you like a filthy insect, I will be there to hug you☆”

“I don’t like the sound of that future either!!”

The Bologna Succubus and Blodeuwedd the Bouquet began a friendly(?) argument as they moved Vidhatri to another room.

Then the golden retriever made a request in a very dandy voice.

“As a dog whose body requires several nutrients to continue functioning, I would really like to be fed soon.”

Had he not eaten?

But this consulate wasn’t Kamijou’s home. He was reluctant to start searching around for food without permission.

He looked to Alice and she only smiled up at him. Apparently this was fine.

He began searching of the half-destroyed building.

“Come to think of it…I don’t remember seeing a dog last time I was here. I don’t think they have any actual pet food.”

“Such an uncivilized place. But it is what it is. Are there any chicken tenderloins?”

“The premade ones are already seasoned, so won’t they be pretty dangerous? For your kidneys and such? I’ve heard human food has too much sodium for most animals.”

“Of course. Really, only humans are capable of digesting that much salt in daily life. Even the fish swimming the sea show more restraint. Parboil it in water to remove all the excess fat and seasoning. And be thorough.”

As pressing as the situation was, having some work to do helped him calm down.

Or maybe that was just his body being heated by the steam coming from the pot of boiling water on the induction cooker. It wasn’t warming him all that much in this chill, though.

How much could a dog that size eat? He decided to just pile up the boiled tenderloins on a plate until the dog himself said it was enough, placed that and a bowl of water on the floor, and asked a question.

“Are you okay in this cold?”

“This is my winter coat, thankfully. And unlike a cat, my coat resists water. Hot!”

The dog couldn’t handle hot foods any better than cats.

Kamijou badly needed to do something about his freezing body. The dog seemed docile enough, but would he get mad if Kamijou hugged him for warmth?

Then Alice walked over and grabbed his hand.

“Over there, over there. You can warm up with that.”

Something rarely seen in Japan was installed in a one of the cracked walls.

Petty bourgeois Kamijou was used to his dorm’s air conditioning, so the idea of starting a roaring fire inside your home was a fairly exciting one, but Alice seemed to find it normal. Was fire not frightening if it had a partitioned area and was well managed?

And Japan did have its irori.

“Just turn the valve and let the gas out!”

“Wait, fireplaces aren’t for burning chopped wood?”

Apparently the firewood was mostly decorative. So many things evolved with time. Even lanterns used LEDs these days, so apparently nothing was safe.

Also, the building was half destroyed, so was the chimney safe? He was afraid it might be broken partway up or have a hole or crack that would change the flow of smoke in devastating ways…

“Damn, staring at a fire calms you down whether you like it or not, huh? No, that’s a dangerous idea. I need to be careful I don’t Little Match Girl myself… Can you not cook fish or dango on skewers in a fireplace? Like you do with an irori?”

“Ohh, nice and warm…”

Kamijou turned around to ask and heard a sleepy voice next to him.

Alice must not have been satisfied without drying every single part of her wet clothing because she stood facing the fireplace fire with her skirt lifted in her hands.

“Stop that! It’s indecent! There’s a boy here. You’re only supposed to let someone you truly care for see inside your skirt!”

“Ehh? Someone the girl truly cares for?”

“No, stop!!”

Don’t turn this way.

Also, she was wearing some kind of white tights, but was it really safe to heat those so close to a fire? Kamijou didn’t know much about old-fashioned materials, but was that something non-synthetic surrounding her legs? He wasn’t certain. He was a little afraid the heat would suddenly melt it, leading to tragedy.

And as they warmed themselves (“Lower your skirt already!”), someone returned from deeper into the building: the Bologna Succubus and Blodeuwedd the Bouquet. They had returned together…which meant they didn’t need to leave anyone with Vidhatri.

“Was the treatment a success?”

“Nyahah, for now.”

Blodeuwedd the Bouquet gave a brief response to Kamijou’s question.

So they weren’t completely out of the woods there yet.

Kamijou found this drafty building too cold for his liking, but wearing that thick coat indoors must have been too warm. The skinny apron girl occasionally opened it and fanned it to let some heat out as she gave him a skeptical look.

“We have a question for you.”

“?”

“What are your plans concerning Great Demon Coronzon? This situation looks pretty bad, so we kind of have to play the Alice Anotherbible card, don’t we?”

The central pillars of Alice Anotherbible’s violent charisma and CRC’s world salvation had been broken, and yet…

The Transcendents had begun as a gathering of individuals who wanted to protect the kind of people they personally wanted to help. That meant the Bologna Succubus had people she wanted to help and Blodeuwedd the Bouquet had her own.

Great Demon Coronzon.

Kamijou had no idea what she might do, but it made sense those two would be concerned about the appearance of someone who would bring harm to anyone and everyone.

And they would be concerned about the enormous bomb that was Alice Anotherbible.

Blowing up over half the world in a fight to protect the world was meaningless.

Those thoughts were written plain on Blodeuwedd the Bouquet’s face.

“It is probably time I decided on a general plan as well.”

The dog was right.

They only had so much time. Doing nothing and avoiding the issue would only be placing the rope around their own necks.

Kamijou organized his thoughts.

And with a deep breath, he spoke.

“I will have Alice fight.”

“Oh,” said Alice, hopping a bit at being brought up in the conversation.

“I had a feeling you would,” said Blodeuwedd the Bouquet, sounding somehow annoyed.

But…

“The problem is she’s too powerful, right? No, I guess the problem isn’t really the size of her power but its instability since you never know where she’ll direct it on a whim. …So we just have to convince the world that ''Alice is a good guy because she’s the one who saved the world.''”

“…”

Kamijou’s explanation caused the skinny apron girl’s sulky look to freeze on her face.

“For real?”

“Great Demon Coronzon is trying to destroy the world. …To be blunt, a threat that over-the-top actually helps us out here. With a half-baked bank robbery or mummy’s curse, we’d be ignored since someone other than Alice could have dealt with it just fine. We need a threat no one else could stop so we can let the entire world know that it was Alice Anotherbible who saved them and that the world would have ended if not for her. Right?”

Fortunately, there was no connection between Great Demon Coronzon and Alice Anotherbible. They both referenced Crowley-style magic, but that wasn’t anything like a personal connection.

That meant it wouldn’t be viewed as the same side splitting between enemy and ally and putting on a show.

“I see,” said the Bologna Succubus, grinning.

She provided criticism and counterarguments as an ally. Like a skilled secretary providing practice before the debate.

“But will it really work out so nicely? Humans are heartless. Once the threat is gone, they might completely forget that someone saved them and start attacking Alice like it’s a demand for disarmament. Because at the end of the day, she’s still a threat for being able to do what she did.”

“I’m aware of that. In that case, we just have to support her. With support from someone who controls the world’s goodness and justice, there won’t be a witch hunt and Alice can become a symbol of victory and peace.”

“Oh? And who did you have in mind?”

“Hey, you’re no diplomat, so stop trying your hand at dangerous diplomatic negotiations, layman.”

A voice suddenly interrupted.

It didn’t come from Kamijou’s phone and the large TV’s LCD screen was badly cracked and broken. It seemed to becoming from the cylinder sitting on the bent table. Kamijou had thought it was a trendy aromatherapy device or something, but…

“The AI speaker is talking on its own!” exclaimed Alice.

Apparently that’s what it was.

Academy City Board Chairman Accelerator.

He had kept silent since the rain turned to red snow, but now he had butted in.

“But how did you…?”

“Consulates that represent a country or region are ordinarily installed with hotlines to the local country.”

He tried to make it sound so obvious, but what did he mean “ordinarily”?

And…

“Academy City, huh?”

The Bologna Succubus sounded surprised.

Apparently she could recognize the massive organization’s leader by his voice. Kamijou was pretty sure the two had never actually met, anyway.

Then the blonde underwear woman winked.

“I thought for sure you were going to go ask the Anglicans.”

“Go to England since this is about magic? I get the idea, but you haven’t forgotten, have you? The original Alice and Aleister Crowley are both from England.”

With that said, Kamijou sighed softly.

Meanwhile, Blodeuwedd the Bouquet seemed to have finally recovered from her freeze.

She pouted her lips and gave her opinion (in a weirdly serious way for a naked apron wearer).

“I see☆ So if Alice’s activities benefited England, it would look too much like it was all a setup?”

“And I doubt we can go to the Roman Catholic or Russian Orthodox Churches. In fact, that would probably end up with the Anglicans claiming original ownership and demanding she be returned to them, so it could just cause further conflict. Really, it will cause the least trouble if we leave Alice with the science side since they know nothing of magic. ''Intentionally ensuring that treasure goes to waste'' will ensure the magic side VIPs don’t get jealous as they watch on from the shadows.”

“How do we know that works?”

“It has with Index, the grimoire library.”

Yes, there was an example very close to home for him.

If the magic side was so afraid of having a specific magician or magic cabal control her, they just had to isolate her in another world where no one could reach her. The same could be said of Alice as well.

Alice had far too much power for an individual and analyzing her body could reveal the open source plans for creating “regular Transcendents”. Handing her over to someone on the magic side who knew how to make use of her sounded far too dangerous no matter who it was.

“Are tenderloins that good?”

“Munch, munch. Alice, these are mine. As a human, you should eat human food.”

“Is the girl still human?”

Talk of the power balance in the world of magic went over Kihara Noukan’s head, so he was busying himself with the big plate of tenderloins on the floor. Or rather, he was fighting for them with Alice who had taken an interest in them.

She definitely needed to be left with someone who didn’t know how to make use of her.

“To sum up, we first need to deal with Coronzon somehow or another. After that, we need to ''make it so that'' credit for saving the world goes to Alice. And lastly, we leave her with Academy City to avoid any further conflict. It's mostly a vague outline with no concrete details, but does that sound like a good overall plan?”

“Hey,” said Accelerator. “You aren’t forgetting that Alice girl is one of the reasons the city is in such a bad state, are you?”

“''The Coronzon problem comes first.''”

“Ugh,” groaned the #1, falling silent.

That was unusual.

“Keep your priorities straight. Coronzon rates higher than Alice,” clearly stated Kamijou. “We don’t have many cards in our deck right now. We can’t afford to lose even one trump card. If we focus on Alice first and end up fighting each other while ignoring Coronzon, whatever it is she’s going to do, Academy City will be destroyed first. If you really want to protect this city, then it’s your job to make sure Alice can fight at full strength, Board Chairman.”

“You make it sound so easy. You don’t think you’re free of responsibility just cause you’re not the guy at the top, do you?”

“And I do think there’s room for leniency with Alice. It’s true the damage was done by her great power, but she had no idea what she was doing and it was everyone else around her who pushed her into doing it. And that includes me. Judge her if you must, but I’m not about to let her face the world’s judgment alone. I sacrificed my life saving her, so I will make sure I save her to the very end.”

“…Tch.”

The board chairman at the very top clicked his tongue for some reason, but he said nothing more.

Kamijou wasn’t sure what part of his argument had hit home.

And then.

He heard a ring as if from a deep bell.

Was that the doorbell?

“…Wait.”

Kamijou tensed.

The only one still relaxed was Alice as she hopped on the sofa.

Meaningless misfortune often paid Kamijou a visit, so he had a very bad feeling about this. In the absolute worst case, this was Great Demon Coronzon ringing the doorbell as a joke.

Kihara Noukan looked up from his plate of tenderloins and spoke quietly.

“I do not know much about that magic stuff, but is there a chance she has detected us here?”

“A big chance. After all, she was sealed inside Aleister all that time. So anything Aleister saw or heard, she would have observed from inside him!”

This was the only real option, but had it been a mistake to choose a known building as a shelter?

Hiding deep in the damaged building and waiting for a chance to strike…would be one option, but this was Coronzon they were talking about. If they didn’t respond, she might not even enter the crumbling building. If she decided to instead blast the entire structure from outside, all of them would die in vain.

So they had to respond.

“Bologna Succubus, Blodeuwedd the Bouquet.”

“Yes? Are you giving us the dangerous job since you beat us and we have nothing left to live for?”

“Don’t be dumb. Vidhatri is sleeping in the back, right? I’ll deal with whoever’s at the front door, so you two take her out the back way and escape if it looks bad.”

“…”

Blodeuwedd the Bouquet fell silent, looking surprised, and the Bologna Succubus patted her on the shoulder. Except she didn’t release the shoulder of that thick coat and squeezed it with a vise-like grip.

“(I found him first. Try anything and you are dead, you naughty spoiling goddess.)”

“(Ehh, that’s no fun. Well, you have my word, but I can’t guarantee my body won’t act of its own accord when the moment comes☆)”

“(Then your word is worthless!)”

“(Who does this man milker think she is looking down on me? Does this nocturnal lesser demon think she’s his guardian or something!?)”

They started struggling against each other, but Kamijou chose to believe it was a sign of friendship.

He had to go answer the front doorbell.

Kihara Noukan accompanied him.

“Do you have any kind of weapon? With the fireplace, there should at least be a poker.”

“It would only get in the way of my right hand.”

He knew ''reflexively holding out his right hand'' was a dangerous move with anyone at the level of an angel or demon, but he still needed to focus on occult countermeasures. This wasn’t like the battle against Stiyl where they both knew each other’s moves.

Alice joined him too.

And he wasn’t even given time to prepare.

He didn’t even have time to think about opening the front door because the outer wall near the door was broken. And so he saw the answer before he could even get nervous. The hole provided a big spoiler.

“Hi.”

Someone stood there.

Dion Fortune…and two others behind her.

No, he recognized them. Wasn’t that Hamazura Shiage and Takitsubo Rikou?

The group was introduced to him as follows:

“It’s the Anglican Archbishop and her jolly friends.”

===Part 5===

Coronzon had moved location.

She didn’t need to prepare any supplies. Everything she needed was right here in the city. Each individual would use the puzzle pieces differently, but the great demon chose to use them purely for destruction.

Yes.

Destruction.

But that meant she did need control of the necessary locations first.

And so despite being known as a great demon, she was forced to do something she would have preferred not to.

Move.

“Pros can become cons, advantages and disadvantages, strengths and weaknesses. Really, Aleister would have loved it.”

But at this point, she couldn’t screw this up.

It wasn’t possible.

She had passed the challenges she could not fully calculate for. That is, she was past the point of gambling. For her, whether or not Aleister would self-destruct and release her had been the greatest obstacle.

Now she just has to complete the rest of the job.

The spell she was preparing was on an enormous scale and would take time, but she still swore on her name as a great demon that it would not fail.

No matter what anyone did from here on, it would be ''launched''.

Great Demon Coronzon spoke quietly to herself.

“Time to begin.”

===Part 6===

“Adikalika,” began Dion Fortune, seated on the sofa.

Five seconds after taking a seat, she was already recrossing her legs.

“Great Demon Coronzon is preparing a massive piece of magic in this city. It’s called Adikalika.”

Come to think of it, why were Hamazura and Takitsubo of Academy City working with Dion Fortune of the UK? Maybe Kamijou wasn’t one to talk, but their circle of friends was a bit of a mystery.

However, there was no threat here.

They had moved to the parlour which was barely still intact. The kitchen was apparently still functional, so Kamijou boiled some water and made some tea. He hadn’t the foggiest idea how to make proper British tea, but since Fortune happily held the cup between her hands, he figured he had done well enough.

“Ohh, it’s nice and warm!”

“Hot water really helps you calm. I noticed that with my cup noodles earlier.”

It was below freezing outside. With red snow falling.

…So maybe even boiled tap water would have been fine if it warmed her.

Regardless, Dion Fortune got down to business.

About Adikalika.

“Our grimoire library is still being lent out to someone I should mention, but Orsola Aquinas did a brilliant research job. She tracked it down to a booklet packaged with a strange book not even found in London’s national library. Apparently a used bookstore had bought it from a certain Loch Ness mansion.”

Everything since the funeral had left Kamijou starved for human warmth, so he was pleased to hear this mention of someone he knew, but that wasn’t the main point.

So what exactly was this Adi…whatever-it-was? It sounded foreign to Kamijou’s ears, but also didn’t seem English.

Kihara Noukan and Accelerator on the AI speaker seemed pretty smart, but neither of them tried to take charge of the conversation. Were they waiting to have all the information because magic was outside their areas of expertise? Kamijou could think of any number of questions to ask, but he couldn’t narrow it down to just one.

“What is Adikalika?”

Fortune had brought Takitsubo here, but it was she who asked from the sofa with a blank stare and tilt of the head.

Had Fortune not explained it to her own group?

The science side and magic side were so different she must not have expected them to understand right way, so she gave a quick explanation.

“Right, Adikalika. When written in the alphabet instead of the Sanskrit script, it becomes a Crowley term. Originally, I guess you could say it’s a Magick reinterpretation of the Indian goddess Kali as a being who absorbs all things and make them her own. Using the 11th letter – that is, K. So the key to understanding it is Kali.”

“Wait, not so fast,” interrupted Kihara Noukan. “If you assume your audience already understands everything, your explanation is worthless. Simplicity and ease of understanding should be your goal here.”

Kamijou tilted his head.

“Hm? An Indian goddess, huh?”

For Kamijou, the word “goddess” brought to mind a kind and gentle young woman. Uh, oh. Now he was letting himself be influenced by the earlier mention of Orsola! Goddesses weren’t dorm mangers who always wore aprons and carried around brooms!!

And apparently that was way off in this case.

According to Dion Fortune:

“The original Kali is a fairly dangerous god. She started out as a representation of a certain goddess’s fury, so there’s not a hint of kindness found in her. She is a goddess of death and bloodshed and she is openly introduced as a god who has lost her sanity. But instead of a god of death for individuals, she’s more like a god of destruction for nations and the world. Also, destruction itself is not her final goal. One legend says the world was nearly destroyed by the impacts and tremors caused by her dance of joy after defeating her enemies.”

This was sounding bad already.

Hamazura was having trouble keeping up, so he asked a question.

“This is just a case of using a mythological name or symbol for a major project, right?”

“That does happen sometimes. Like with space exploration rockets or submarine missiles.”

Kamijou knew what Hamazura and Kihara Noukan were trying to say.

He decided to take over for them. …Even though he wasn’t exactly a magic expert himself.

“This spell is simply borrowing that goddess’s name, right? …Right? Surely you’re not going to say that goddess herself is going to be physically summoned here.”

That idea sounded absurd, but the Bologna Succubus and Blodeuwedd the Bouquet were right over there. The two of them were fighting over a variety pack of cookies that had been left in the consulate. The pack had six different kinds of cookies, but they were both only interested in the chocolate chip ones.

Yes, there were people here with names taken from myth.

After seeing the Magic Gods and Transcendents, Kamijou couldn’t just laugh this off. Vidhatri sleeping in the back had an Indian-sounding name, so anyone familiar with those myths would probably recognize her name. Plus, the Dion Fortune in front of him now wasn’t the real one – she had been created with a magical trick.

“It’s not that bad, but the end result isn’t much better.”

Kamijou felt like he had been trying to hold the conversation back when it suddenly slipped out of his hands entirely.

“As a spell, Adikalika sends the goddess of death and bloodshed to the caster’s chosen coordinates in the world,” continued Dion Fortune. “Specifically, the spell takes the catastrophic destruction that the four-armed black goddess would likely bring and transfers it to a specific land. Only the people in that chosen territory can know what happens there, but I can guarantee you that they will all die. Just assume that it’s all over if the spell is activated.”

The world, catastrophic destruction, chosen territory, all die…

This was sounding worse and worse, but this wasn’t quite enough to picture it. Among the mixture of people from different factions, Kamijou, Hamazura, and Takitsubo had the exact same distinctive look on their faces.

Dion Fortune noticed the way Kamijou was looking at her.

“If you want a description that’s easier for your science brains to understand, I guess you could think of it like an ICBM loaded with a really dangerous poison gas or germ. …But with Adikalika, it cannot be blown up after it is launched. And once it hits, all life within the land assigned the chosen human name will die. It is predicted that ''the people will be reduced to a mass of blood, flesh, and bone. That is, they will be crushed and sliced into what looks like a giant hunk of gore while still alive.''”

That was even more gruesome than expected.

Of course, it was always going to be bad if Great Demon Coronzon felt it was worth the time and effort to use. But still.

At this point, Accelerator spoke through the AI speaker, keeping his voice low.

“What does Coronzon hope to do with that thing?”

“Hm? Isn’t she going to attack Academy City with it?”

[[File:GT Index v13 BW2.jpg|thumb]]

Takitsubo answered his question with a question.

Was that really the answer, though?

Attacking Academy City sounded straightforward at first, but it felt wrong somehow. For one, she was in the city. If the spell was that destructive, she wouldn’t want to be caught in the destruction herself.

Dion Fortune recrossed her legs on the sofa and responded.

“I bet she has a different target.”

“?”

“I said the target was defined by a name assigned by humans, remember? To be blunt, the global Achilles heel she’s aiming for will probably be related to the Anglican Church or the Roman Catholic Church.”

“They are both foundations of the vast magic side☆” added Blodeuwedd the Bouquet with a cackle.

It sounded like even the Transcendents saw it that way. Now, anyway. Not long ago, they had acted like they were the center of the world.

Dion Fortune nodded and then said more.

“But I expect she’ll choose the headquarters of the Catholics in the end. So the Vatican…no, she’ll probably expand the scope to the entire Italian Peninsula.”

Kamijou had a question.

“But why? Wouldn’t she have a grudge against the UK?”

“I imagine she does. But she can’t attack us.”

Dion Fortune didn’t hesitate there.

But not because she was optimistic.

She had a bitter grimace on her face. As if to say the problem would be a lot smaller if the UK would just be chosen as the target.

“I mean, if she could use that against us, she would have done so last time. …If you follow her actions then, she attacked Board Chairman Aleister in Academy City before returning to Britain, stealing a treasure in Scotland, and attempting a major spell. If she could have launched Adikalika from Academy City and turned the entire United Kingdom into a sea of blood and mincemeat, she would have done so already. But that wasn’t what happened.”

Feeling a chill down the spine here may have been the natural human reaction, but it was also a meaningless reaction.

They had to focus on constructive topics, not the past. Even if they had to force their thoughts in that direction.

Then ''why didn’t it happen that way''?

Dion Fortune sighed.

“Crowley is a British magician. Ignoring his work could damage the UK’s reputation, so they put in a lot of work analyzing his spells.”

The Bologna Succubus commented while munching on the edge of a chocolate chip cookie (that she had swiped at the end of a battle of scratching nails with Blodeuwedd the Bouquet).

“I see. So do you have some kind of powerful resistance against Crowley-style magic, including Adikalika?”

“Right. At the very least, for the spells he created before his official death in 1947. …That’s why Coronzon tried to use a royal treasure to destroy the UK from within last time.”

“But the Roman Catholics are a different story?” asked Kamijou.

Dion Fortune shrugged.

“When it comes to Crowley, Italy had the huge bomb that was the Abbey of Thelema. But it sounds like Italy threw everything out of the country – including documents and spiritual items – when they ordered Crowley to leave.”

So If the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church had no Crowley resistance, would they have no way of preventing this attack from turning the entire country into a sea of blood, flesh, and bone?

And if that happened…

Takitsubo slowly blinked before asking a question.

“I’m not familiar with the different powers of the, um, magic…side? What happens in the worst case?”

“If nothing is done and this plays out to the end, Adikalika will first trigger all-out war between the magic side and science side. Because Academy City could have stopped it, but Great Demon Coronzon is a being who can only be explained by the magic side.”

“I see, I see. So even though Academy City wasn’t involved in the attack, the magic side will still blame them for not stopping Coronzon. But Academy City will fire back, saying Coronzon is from the magic side. Both sides will have a point, so there will be no end to the argument.”

When the Bologna Succubus spoke up, Blodeuwedd the Bouquet apparently felt a need to as well.

Because they were rivals, or because they were friends?

“The Roman Catholic Church has 2 billion followers, right? Even with all of Academy City’s unmanned weapons, how much can its 2.3 million people do with the city so exhausted?☆”

“…”

And what good was defeating those 2 billion anyway?

The point wasn’t to pit humans against each other to create an even bigger ocean of blood and dye the entire earth red like one big disturbing candy apple.

Would the world really let a single demon drive them that far over the edge?

“And despite being part of the magic side, the Roman Catholics will attack the Anglicans too. Because Crowley is a British magician. Not to mention how closely connected England and Academy City have been. And if the UK does have anti-Crowley tech, the Catholics would want it.”

Takitsubo cut in here.

“We’re talking about war, right? Could they really choose to fight on two fronts like that?”

“As we said, the problem with a war where both sides have a point is it’s hard for either side to stop.”

Things were reaching a large scale here.

But Kamijou knew the same had happened with World War Three, Gremlin, the Crowley’s Hazards, and R&C Occultics.

The global balance was a perilous thing, so even a small trigger could lead to an age of global war.

Great Demon Coronzon herself had said that she was a being who tore apart people’s bonds and obstructed human evolution. And that her method of doing that was the natural decomposition of her dispersion.

That meant Coronzon was intentionally trying to trigger a war like that. It was not a deterrent, a necessary cost, or a single step in some master plan. The war and chaos itself was her goal. The Adikalika spell was no more than the trigger for that.

…They had to stop something like that from happening ''again''.

This was no longer just about Academy City.

Kamijou wanted to know more details. He wanted as broad and deep an understanding as he could get.

“How long does this Adikalika spell take to prepare?”

“By my estimate, the world will be headed toward its doom by midnight tonight. Assuming we don’t do anything to stop it.”

Midnight.

“But that’s a fairly optimistic estimate.”

So there was a chance it could end before then.

It was nearly 6 PM.

They had less than 7 hours remaining. The beginning of disaster was imminent.

“She’s moving awfully fast,” groaned Kihara Noukan. “This Coronzon person has only been in control for less than two hours, right? I don’t see how she could have made any large-scale preparations for this.”

“She doesn’t need any. How long was she sealed inside Aleister? I bet she’s been making full use of her great demon mind that entire time, running simulation after simulation. And as a fellow Golden magician, it was obvious at a glance that Academy City is littered with pieces of Crowley’s legacy. This isn’t like a poison gas weapon she has to smuggle into the country or a nuclear bomb she has to manufacture. She’s surrounded by items she can use.”

“Oh? So to look at it in reverse…”

“I like the way you think, golden retriever. Yes, Adikalika can only be readied inside Academy City. You can think of it as an issue of feng shui or the terrain if you want.”

Even so…

(Aleister, huh?)

What had become of him?

Was he trapped inside that body with Coronzon in control now, or had he been annihilated when she emerged? Kamijou still didn’t know.

At the very least, he knew Aleister, the man who had grieved for the people he lost, was human. For better and for worse. On an instinctual level, he wouldn’t want to construct this Adikalika spell and destroy the world with it.

That human had lost his family and, due to that one factor, decided to declare war on the Golden magic cabal.

At his peak, that human would have been on the side trying to stop this.

No matter how much he would probably deny it.

“…”

Kamijou had Imagine Breaker in his right hand.

Its ability to negate any supernatural ability should be able to stop Coronzon’s Adikalika. However, relying on ''that alone'' would be suicide. For one, he couldn’t win a one-on-one fight against Coronzon, so even approaching the core of her plan would be a challenge.

Imagine Breaker was important, but it wasn’t enough.

“W-we do have a trump card, don’t we?”

This came from Hamazura.

He might seem far removed from magic, but he apparently had an idea.

“Dion Fortune’s…whatever it’s called. That black box!”

“Oh… I really wouldn’t recommend using the Archetype Processor here.”

“Why not!? Can’t it…what was it? Eat any magic and then break it apart and…transform it? Into something else? You were ''forced to use it'' in the UK, so I know what it can do!”

This carried a lot of meaning.

Yes.

Great Demon Coronzon was painstakingly constructing some unprecedented magic. This spell was on such a scale that not even she could whip it up in a flash, so it had to be quite complex. …So with Dion Fortune’s black box(?), couldn’t they mess it up and ruin the entire plan?

They could use that.

If they had two trump cards, Coronzon would have to split her focus. Which could create an opening. And more importantly, even if Kamijou’s right hand failed to reach her, it helped immensely to have another trump card available.

But something bothered Kamijou.

That item belonged to Dion Fortune, so why hadn’t she brought it up as an option?

“First of all, don’t expect much from it. My toy isn’t as convenient as your right hand.”

Dion Fortune sighed and raised her index finger. A box the size of a soccer ball twirled atop it. Alice stared at it, wide eyed.

She seemed confident in her control.

So her concern wouldn’t just be whether she succeeded or failed.

“All this thing does is convert an existing spell into ‘an unpredictable form’. That means the magic in front of me doesn’t just disappear.”

“But that’s not nothing,” said Hamazura. “If it can at least stop that world-destroying Adikalika magic, then it’s worth using.”

“''The massive amount of magic power gathered to activate Adikalika will remain untouched.''”

The atmosphere strained.

So would it be like causing a top-of-the-line race car to explode just before the race began?

“After the spell is fully dismantled and converted into something else inside the box, not even I can predict what form it will take when it reemerges into the world. Listen, Hamazura. If we’re unlucky, it could even blow away Academy City. And even if we aren’t unlucky, it could still have a major downside. There is technically a chance it could result in a fantastically lucky phenomenon like burying Academy City in candy, but you’d have better odds of winning the lottery. Are you willing to bet on those odds? When it means putting so many other people’s lives at risk?”

“Uh…”

Hamazura groaned, but Kamijou glanced over at Alice.

Alice Anotherbible might be able to “adjust” the entire structure of the world to ''force a jackpot''…but that would be a whim on her part.

Getting Alice’s help was fine.

But they couldn’t rely entirely on her when they had no other chance of winning. If she failed and was attacked for bringing about the end of the world, it could turn her into a monster again.

“It’s an interim position until the next one is officially chosen, but I am currently the archbishop in charge of the entire Anglican Church. I intend to live up to the trust placed in me. So I am not willing to make a choice that might protect the world but would be like killing 2.3 million people. How about you?”

The rest fell silent.

Kamijou, Hamazura, Takitsubo, Kihara Noukan, the Bologna Succubus, Blodeuwedd the Bouquet, Accelerator, and even Alice.

Their unwillingness to speak meant they were conflicted. They each had two weights: one on the yes side of the scales and one on the no side. It was a matter of extent and size and also proof that none of them was willing to give up on Academy City so readily.

But at the same time, Kamijou had a thought.

…This was probably something she could only say at this point.

If Adikalika’s preparations really were complete and the final seconds were ticking down until the 7 or 8 billion people around the globe were dragged into a massive war, he thought Dion Fortune probably would make the decision. She would choose to force a resolution by putting 2.3 million lives at risk. Because she had said she would live up to the trust placed in her as the archbishop of the Anglican Church which protected the people from wicked magic.

Kamijou breathed in and out.

Stop thinking so negatively. Dion Fortune had said herself she didn’t want to do that. And because the situation was so pressing, he needed to come up with more positive ideas.

“Let’s just think of that as a last resort available just in case. If we try everything else and none of it works, then it’s up to Dion Fortune. If we think of it as a lifeline during this tightrope walk, it should help our mental state.”

“Hey, I said I wasn’t going to-”

“And we’re risking our lives so you won’t have to. That’s why we’re here, right?”

And speaking of having someone to support you, Kamijou Touma recalled his fight against Stiyl Magnus.

“I’m so glad I know the board chairman…”

It helped immensely to have Academy City’s new board chairman on their side. The city wasn’t in the best state, but holding full authority over it changed things considerably from fighting as individuals.

“I doubt it will be that easy.”

But.

It was Dion Fortune who immediately shot down that hope.

“I can only guess, but I bet she’ll be making her move soon.”

===Part 7===

“What?”

Accelerator frowned.

An alarm was buzzing.

This wasn’t just a single window or popup displaying a dangerous error. They were popping up too fast to read. He would have to check the log for that, but that was scrolling by endlessly like a realtime chat.

And the “unknown error” messages weren’t exactly helpful.

He still held the master key that took the form of a smartphone, yet his commands were being rejected. There shouldn’t have been privileges higher than that, but something else was obviously intervening and hijacking control.

This wasn’t anything like hacking or a cyber attack.

No one was breaking in by spoofing their credentials.

He didn’t sense that sort of logic here.

And, of course, these weren’t just unintentional failures or malfunctions.

Which meant…

Was there some command structure entirely separate from the scientific technology?

“I-isn’t this really bad?”

“…”

“This isn’t just the satellites and comms. There’s a chain reaction of malfunctions in the electric, gas, and water systems! It’s January and it’s snowing outside. Who knows how many people will starve or freeze if the pipes freeze and the power stops!!”

Most of Academy City’s food came from agro-buildings and clone meat, but a failure in the RFID-tag-based transportation instructions could create a situation where plenty of ingredients were being produced but none of it could be processed or reach the stores and restaurants. And in fact the bases responsible for that were going down one after another.

“C-could this also be why false alarms keep coming in? Even from the germ lab, the petrochemical plant, and the radiation testing lab… N-n-now there’s no way to tell a real major incident from all the false alarms!”

Were all the automatic reports meant to paralyze Anti-Skill, the firefighters, the hospitals, and everyone else who preserved the peace?

No, this was too roundabout a method for that.

(This is clearly more than just some unfortunate trouble, but the methods are really inconsistent for an intentional attack. It also doesn’t feel like someone acquired the city’s emergency response manual and used that to reverse engineer a method of paralyzing the city.)

He could tell this was an emergency, but that was why he couldn’t act rashly.

“So this isn’t meant as an attack. So is it a side effect of something? But of what?”

As Accelerator glowered into the screen, attempting to grasp the situation, Qliphah Puzzle 545’s shrill voice pierced his ears. She was kind of annoying. …Although that was, in a way, unavoidable when she had been ''designed'' as an agitator meant to create a mood that would lead to war.

“Can’t you artificially stop the rain…no, it’s snow now, isn’t it? Anyway, can’t you change the weather? This snow did start out as artificial rain, didn’t it?”

“Stopping the snow’d be easy, but clear skies would only bring the temperature down further. You’ve heard of radiative cooling, haven’t you? That accumulated snow won’t melt right away.”

And if the temperature dropped, more people would die.

The map of Academy City displayed on a wall monitor was gradually changing color.

Yellow indicated areas where ordinary living would be a challenge. Red indicated areas where survival would be a challenge.

Around half was already marked one or the other.

“So within 72 hours, it’s estimated this many will die? More than 100 thousand?”

In urban life, snow accumulation made travel difficult and isolated households. If the power and water stopped in that situation, people would soon start to die. Before even considering transportation, the city’s food was almost entirely reliant on the agro-buildings and clone meat. They wouldn’t be able to grow much of anything without water or electricity.

To prevent such a situation, Academy City had decentralized its power generation using the wind turbines distributed around the city, but even that was useless if the central facilities controlling the power system went down.

And…

“This estimate is assuming everyone obediently stays home as their told and dies there.”

“…”

“If they start rioting or looting, these calculations don’t mean shit. Then we could see several times as many victims.”

It was said the Japanese were relatively less likely to do such things, but that didn’t mean they would just sit tight at home and wait for death. With their lives on the line, they would try to survive. Accelerator felt that was the natural reaction for any living thing.

But…

(I thought this city was designed to avoid this kind of large-scale infrastructure trouble. I know there’s no such thing as absolute safety, but this number of loopholes feels intentional.)

These times were complicated by the fact that he had inherited the city from someone else instead of building it from the ground up himself. He held the smartphone master key, but he hadn’t designed the structure and layout of every single facility and piece of equipment.

However, the previous board chairman had been Aleister. He had been able to shrug it off every time the dark side took a shot at him, so it seemed unlikely he would leave foolish holes like this unplugged for long.

In fact, with holes this large, wouldn’t some hacker from inside or outside the city have used them to bring down the city already?

In that case…

(These loopholes are no mistake. Someone placed them there on purpose.)

He thought in silence.

But he could only come up with unpleasant ideas.

(But no one except Aleister could make use of them. They use some kind of system that the hackers, crackers, and others who make ''ordinary science'' their plaything couldn’t even imagine.)

The screen suddenly changed.

No, someone had taken control of it. Even here in the board chairman’s headquarters.

The voice that spoke from it was familiar.

“Hello again. Have you started to catch on, Mr. New Board Chairman?”

“…Is this your doing?”

“This is nothing more than a side effect. I am not trying to destroy the infrastructure for everyday necessities. The destruction I am after is on a much larger scale. Then again, seeing peaceful people starving, resenting each other, and beginning a chain reaction of violence could make for an amusing, unintentional, show. But it is nothing more than a bit of entertainment.”

“You’re only using a backdoor. You haven’t actually taken full control.”

“Give up. It’s a fundamentally different system. You can’t influence the side I’m on no matter how much you type away on your keyboard. Can you keep up with this? Here’s a hint: the science side has no way of explaining the problem plaguing Academy City. Magician Aleister Crowley designed the city that way from the beginning. He took the laws and rules of our magic side and hid them below a veneer of cutting-edge science.”

“…”

Accelerator intentionally remained silent.

So it was Qliphah Puzzle 545 who carelessly opened her mouth and continued the conversation.

“What do you mean…and how far…does it go?”

“How far? Everything. Everything!! For example, the dam in the mountains, the flow of the rivers, and even the culverts hidden below ground! And it isn’t just the water supply either. The railway lines, the broadcast facilities, the main roads, the highways, and even the layout of the districts!! Which is why I can so easily remove them from your control and place them under mine!!! …This is a city of learning created by Aleister Crowley, so it is nothing more than a rehash of the Abbey of Thelema he once built in Italy in order to drag talent out of young lives by drowning them in the supernatural and drugs!!”

After all that, Coronzon cooled down.

In fact, it was uncertain if she had even really felt all that emotion deep down.

“But none of that matters… Academy City appears to detest me for the chaos I bring, but are you sure that’s a good idea, my enemy? Have you perhaps forgotten something?”

“Like what?”

“That I am no longer your only enemy.”

Coronzon did not use hints and insinuations at this point.

Likely because she knew a direct statement would cause a greater shock and more chaos.

“The world will be split in two. Because Academy City named itself a city of science and the sole representative of one side of the world, the rest of the world had no choice but to categorize itself as the magic side. But now it is coming out that Academy City is chock full of magical symbols. …Do you really think the people forced so unfairly to keep their heads down are going to let that go?”

===Part 8===

They didn’t hesitate.

Kanzaki Kaori, Itsuwa, and the other Anglican magicians had been waiting outside Academy City near the wall, but as soon as they detected ''an unfavorable sign'', they immediately crossed the wall none of them had been able to cross before.

They didn’t even bother masking their footsteps or presences.

The outsiders of the Amakusas and the Former Agnese Forces took the lead and paved the way for the second wave made up of the main Anglican team. It was their usual method.

The total number that crossed the wall in that series of actions exceeded ten thousand.

“Wh-who are you people!?”

When an Anti-Skill officer reacted to the unexpected group in a fluster, Tatemiya Saiji approached and swiftly took control of his consciousness. This meant more than just putting him to sleep on his feet. Tatemiya dragged out every last piece of information the man knew: the names and faces of his colleagues and superiors, the location of crucial facilities, passwords, and so on. Complete brainwashing was too much of a challenge, but searching out information was doable.

Then they only had to repeat the process.

It helped that Academy City was severely shorthanded. Drum-shaped security robots, eight-legged Predator Octopuses, Six Wings attack helicopters, and other unmanned weapons were being used to make up for the lack, but they weren’t much use against the magicians. The magicians passed right by them without being detected.

Perhaps this was the result of England’s long relationship with Academy City.

The Anglicans already had countermeasures ready.

“We Amakusas will head to District 2. The Former Agnese Forces should head first to District 1 and move on to the retrieval job once you finish there.”

“Understood.”

“And take this just in case.”

“A duralumin case? What’s in it? An Anglican-tuned spiritual item would actually be a poor match for us.”

“There are British flags inside. Raise them around the city if you need to reduce the morale of the enemy remnants.”

“What a pain.”

Agnese Sanctis sounded truly annoyed.

She didn’t know whose idea this was, but did they not consider the possibility of it angering the enemy into rebelling?

Then again, her own use of the word “rebelling” may have been a sign of her subconsciously looking down on them. This was their city, so the science side was ostensibly the one in charge.

“So we’re already thinking of Academy City as nothing more than remnants?”

“They did fail to stop us at the wall.”

No matter how much security had been beefed up using science, it was powerless against magic. The magicians could drag out any information someone knew and, if they needed biometrics like a fingerprint or iris scan, they could ''send the approved person trudging over to the scanner'' and get it unlocked that way.

District 1 contained Anti-Skill headquarters and District 2 contained the unmanned weapon communication data center disguised as a gunpowder testing lab.

With classified information like that, it would ordinarily take years to confirm the facility even existed, much less determine its location. But a group of magicians had no trouble taking control.

And once they held the location, they wouldn’t even need to use magic to deceive the unmanned weaponry.

They were even gradually identifying the locations of the 12 directors. All the information that had been kept so unnaturally under wraps had to be hidden somewhere in the facilities they were taking. Also, Kanzaki and the others didn’t even need any knowledge or skills with machines. By placing the necessary symbols on the devices in question and holding out their hands, they could read the residual thoughts left by the people who had operated them.

Science side telepathy and magic side spells worked entirely differently.

Which meant there was no defense against this unknown form of attack.

(Aleister. …Given who he was, I doubt this approach would have worked back when he was in charge. But things have changed.)

The R&C Occultics affair had partially exposed the existence of magic to the world, but based on the response from the city, the exposure hadn’t been serious enough to launch a specialized attack against a professional magician. Did information that spread through fads not stick around long? Not only did people simply stop paying attention, but any knowledge could be distorted into uselessness as it spread.

They had already secured a few of the directors, so it looked like they could stick to the current plan while staying on the lookout for any surprise attacks.

Kanzaki and the rest had won.

(This just leaves the District 10 prison. The biggest hurdle will be whether we can checkmate him without directly approaching that most crucial point, but it looks like this will end without giving them a chance to send out the science side’s angel.)

“Other teams have taken District 15’s broadcast station and smartphone data center. Anti-Skill, was it? We can now block the drive recorders and tablets they use. Apparently arrest warrants are all digital nowadays, so this effectively leaves them powerless. Does this make phase 1 a success, Priestess?”

“I suppose it does.”

Kanzaki Kaori did not look pleased by Tsushima’s report.

This had been their plan of course, but…

(It was too easy. Was the science side really already on its last legs?)

The world-renowned Anglican Church had deployed a large number of personnel for this, but it had still only been a blitzkrieg strike of less than half an hour.

What had happened to the power balance between science and magic? The two sides being too evenly matched for any kind of attack had supposedly been the best way to keep the peace, but now it looked like one side would endlessly push back the other.

Monotone beeping sounded within the vast structure with no workers or supervisors.

A communication device had received a call.

“Are you the dumbasses making a mess of an already messy situation?”

“Just a moment,” said Kanzaki as she made a few operations on the data center’s devices. “I just set this facility to handle some of the processing that had grown unstable. Of course, I only mean I followed the instructions on the warning window. I hope that stabilized communications somewhat.”

“What are you after?”

“We could not allow Academy City to remain in charge after discovering the city itself breaks the treaty between magic and science. And if the city still contains some secrets after Aleister left, then the best way of ensuring a solid foundation for the fight against Coronzon is for our Anglican Church to temporarily take over management of the city.”

“The treaty…” said Itsuwa, sounding somewhat worried.

“Take over management, my ass. You know what you’ve done is an invasion, don’t you? Besides, I’ve never even heard of this treaty you’re referencing.”

“That goes back to before you took over. And now that we know Lola Stuart of the Anglican Church was Great Demon Coronzon and Academy City’s board chairman was Crowley, that agreement likely was a meaningless and empty thing. Plus, both Archbishop Lola and Board Chairman Aleister are officially considered dead. It is very unclear if any agreement made between the two holds any power anymore.”

And of course, it provided the new board chairman with no defense here.

In a way, it may have helped him that he hadn’t played a part in it.

“If we don’t do anything, Coronzon will continue to take over Academy City’s functions. We need to stop her Adikalika spell as much as anyone. Plus, we cannot allow large numbers of innocents to die of starvation, freezing, accidents, or the general chaos.”

“Tch.”

But Kanzaki Kaori did not gloat here.

She simply spoke calmly to the many magicians on her side.

“We will manage Academy City. That means the safety of the city’s residents and their property is our responsibility. Do not forget that we are rightfully to blame if a single person in the city starves during a blackout or dies in a traffic accident. Each team is to distribute personnel across the city to restore order and, if necessary, clear snow or guide traffic.”

In truth, Kanzaki Kaori did not have a clear view of it all.

Their original mission had been to retrieve Index.

The plan to take control of Academy City had only been if the city refused to return her. It had simply been reworked for use in the fight against Coronzon.

It was all the result of chance.

In this, she was the opposite of Kamijou Touma and his misfortune.

Was it Kanzaki Kaori’s unnatural level of luck that had allowed it all to come together so well?

(I always get first prize all on my own. And by holding the spot at the top, my luck sends my neighbors down toward hell. It makes me sick.)

Great Demon Coronzon was attempting to use the entire city to construct a single massive spell.

The fact that Academy City could use magic was a major problem in and of itself, but Kanzaki thought making that accusation now would be misjudging their priorities. Doing that now would be playing right into the demon’s hands as she prepared Adikalika.

They could not give her time.

Fighting back against Coronzon was the more urgent task.

So if the Anglicans used magic to try and take back the city the demon was using magic to hijack, they could establish an evenly-matched tug-of-war.

“All we have under our control are the bare minimum of electricity, gas, and water… But the Adikalika described by the current archbishop would instantly blow away this brief calm. In fact, it would plunge the entire world into the fires of war. We must avoid a meaningless three-way war between the Anglican Church, the Roman Catholic Church, and Academy City. By any means necessary.”

She doubted they could take complete control back from Coronzon at this point, but they could at least delay her.

They had done all this just for that.

They had even pressed their blades and magic against the people they were supposed to be helping.

Kanzaki Kaori clenched her teeth.

“I hope this will slow her at least a little…but even then it will only buy some time. This crisis will not end unless something is done about Coronzon herself.”

===Part 9===

Back inside the half-destroyed consulate…

“A large Anglican group…just took over the city and are keeping order for the city?”

A dazed Kamijou parroted what Accelerator had just told them.

This was a new turn of events.

Academy City was on the verge of death with no means of fighting back, but still.

And even if it looked like the Anglicans were providing friendly cooperation, it sounded a lot like they had concluded the city no longer had the strength left to keep its own peace.

It was looking like the very framework of Academy City could collapse from conflict between humans before Great Demon Coronzon even did anything.

“Dion Fortune, was it?” asked Accelerator. “Do something about this. You’re their boss, aren’t you!?”

“Well…”

This should have been a basic question and request.

Yet Fortune seemed reluctant to respond.

“If I had to guess, I really don’t think my power would be very effective here. I mean, the previous archbishop was Lola Stuart…''in other words, Great Demon Coronzon'', right? After being betrayed by the person at the very top, they’re going to be skeptical of anything coming from the next person in that role. And technically speaking, I’m not even human. I started out as a scout created by Coronzon.”

The Anglican Church couldn’t leave their top spot empty and they had needed someone to fill the role, but did that not mean they actually had much trust in the chosen individual?

They ordinarily did what she said, but that might not hold once the world was on the verge of destruction.

“Damn,” Kamijou muttered under his breath.

Yet again things were looking worse.

His plan to get Alice Anotherbible accepted by the world by advertising her as the hero who had saved the world by defeating Coronzon was already falling apart.

Academy City had been the perfect place to send the magic side’s greatest tinderbox because the place had no connection to magic.

But now that Academy City itself was known to be steeped in magic, the Anglican Church would never agree to leave Alice Anotherbible there. In fact, there would be fears that adding Alice’s incredible power to Academy City’s arsenal could lead to the creation of a third faction that could wield both magic and science.

And in fact, R&C Occultics had used both as a weapon and had caused great chaos during its short time in business.

Then Dion Fortune spoke from the sofa.

“Wait. Hold on.”

“What now?”

“Well, there’s another operation being carried out in parallel to that one.”

“What exactly is it!?”

Kamijou’s strong question did not get an answer out of Fortune.

After a while, she finally spoke quietly and quickly without looking him in the eye.

“If my people aren’t interested in obeying me…that one might actually be even more dangerous?”

===Part 10===

“That’s it. That’s Academy City’s outer wall,” said Index, holding the calico cat.

She had been communicating with the Anglican Church using carrier pigeons instead of EM signals or fiber optic cables. With no home in Academy City and magicians all over the world are after the grimoire library in her head, she had no option but to return to England.

She heard a sudden voice.

But she couldn’t see anyone around.

Index had made a friend here in Academy City.

Kazakiri Hyouka.

“So you’re going…”

“I am.”

“I’ll miss you, but if this is the path you’ve chosen, I won’t stop you.”

Index was glad they got a chance to talk before she left.

But that wasn’t all.

Kazakiri had one more thing to say.

“But be careful. Don’t let your guard down until the very end.”

“?”

[[File:GT Index v13 BW3.jpg|thumb]]

The disembodied voice stopped there.

Othinus, the 15cm girl on Index’s shoulder, sighed.

“I know I’m not one to talk, but you meet the strangest people.”

Maybe so.

Index continued through the red snow to approach the city wall.

“Oh, there you are.”

She heard a voice.

It was Agnese Sanctis.

Sisters Lucia, Angelene, and more were there as well. The Amakusas would be better acquainted with Japanese geography, but apparently the Roman Catholic unit that had joined the Anglicans was here as well.

“That’s odd,” whispered Othinus up on Index’s shoulder.

Come to think of it, wasn’t the Anglican unit supposed to be waiting just outside the wall?

The cat mewed. Apparently he wasn’t bothered.

With Index’s perfect memory, she knew she wasn’t misremembering the plan. They were supposed to protect her after she left the city…

“Everything’s gotten all confused. This Great Demon Coronzon – I think it was? – has appeared in Academy City, so we’re dealing with that before taking you back home.”

“Really?”

Index tilted her head.

Was it really safe to wait around like that?

Wasn’t the idea to get her out of Academy City and return her back to England as quickly as possible?

“We could just head back to England I guess, but, um, if we don’t do anything about Coronzon, the country might not be there when we get back. Or something like that? Anyway, follow me.”

Agnese took the lead. And moved back into the city.

This really was strange.

“(Hey.)”

“?”

“(Be cautious. A last-minute change of plans is more dangerous than the grim reaper on the front line.)”

Othinus kept her voice low so Agnese and the rest couldn’t hear.

Which meant she was working to hide their doubts.

This had been odd from the start. The idea had been to meet Index secretly and help her escape the city, yet Agnese’s group didn’t seem concerned about discovery. Even though Academy City could easily view this as a betrayal. It was almost like they weren’t at all worried about being caught.

“For now, let’s get you to District 2. Letting you see Kanzaki would be best.”

===Part 11===

“(E-excuse me. We have a report from the Former Agnese Forces. They say they’ve brought Index-san here.)”

The room was so quiet that Itsuwa’s modest whisper to Kanzaki managed to permeate the entire space.

A strange air hung over the District 2 unmanned weapon data center.

And this air was no metaphor.

The odor of death hung over the place.

Just as human sweat and the smell of a beast were different things, the stench of your own species decomposing was somehow different. The brain warned you to be on your guard and not to overlook anything.

It said danger was approaching.

“Hello, hello. I’m Isabella Theism of Necessarius. My specialty is necromancy.”

There was a stark difference between the carefree smile and the words it produced.

Necromancy.

“I know it has a sketchy reputation, but fortunetelling and the impurity of death are really about the only two superstitions that remain in the depths of ordinary people’s hearts even in a world of science. Like seeing a house as special because someone was killed there, or seeing a rope as special because it was used to hang someone. See what I mean? It’s something you can’t rid yourself of with equations. You might find it silly, but it’ll still be there inside you. That is what I make use of☆”

A stir spread around Kanzaki Kaori.

The Amakusas had been developed (by Kanzaki herself) to be pure and straightforward in that regard. They couldn’t so easily accept someone who called herself a necromancer.

And the woman appeared accustomed to the reaction.

She herself was a beautiful woman with silver hair and brown skin, but all she did was smile in rags permeated with the odor of death.

Agnese, who must have come all the way to District 2 to escort Index, joined the conversation while brushing red snow off her shoulders.

“She has experience as a team leader. I’ve heard she had cleaned up several troublesome messes on a global scale, like the Cadaver Island Struggle and the Necropolis Calamity. …Which means she was hiding who she really is ''last time we worked together''.”

“Oh, yeah. I did do those things, didn’t I? But I wasn’t hiding it exactly. I just forgot is all. Why bother remembering incidents once they’re over?”

“Then did you solve those with necromancy too?”

“Everyone starts off in their own unique way, but they all end up wailing by the end. ‘I wish I’d never been born’, and stuff like that. So I can’t say who was who. They all blur together in my memory☆”

This was no laughing matter.

Both of those had been true wars with, even looking just at the official count, over a thousand combatants. And these had all been the professional magicians of top-level magic cabals. If the count went past the official members and included the workers building barricades, the lookouts and spies hidden here and there, and the mercenaries (from the magic side of course) who were invited in to bolster their personnel, who could say how many more it was. And they had all ended up much the same.

Only Isabella herself continued smiling emptily.

“Hee hee. Did I scare you?”

An “eep” escaped someone.

Itsuwa jumped at suddenly being the target of the woman’s attention, so Tsushima, who was the big sister type, instinctually inserted herself between the two of them.

“Unfermented wine and flavorless brown bread – both symbols of death,” sang Isabella regardless. “The name necromancy sounds frightening, but that’s all it really comes down to. It did used to involve drawing magic circles on dead bodies, but nowadays everyone uses imitations so they don’t gather the attention of the police. This country has ceremonies where you burn or bury a doll in place of a person, doesn’t it? It’s like that.”

“Eh?” Itsuwa sounded surprised. “You mean you don’t actually work with dead bodies?”

“I suppose the closest thing I do would be borrowing their clothing. Although different factions are split on whether that’s to search for the deceased’s soul so you can summon it or if you use it to remind someone of the deceased so you can extract the related memories and testimony from their mind.”

To be blunt, there were ways in the modern age to legally (although only by abusing loopholes in the law) acquire a full dead human body, but Isabella did not do that.

She had a simple reason.

She didn’t see any real purpose in having a real corpse.

''At least in Western European necromancy'', the actual ceremonies were very different from the public conception.

“Going grave digging and making a servant out of the dead body? Resurrecting a mummy from an ancient sarcophagus? No, no, I would never. Nobody uses those methods anymore – they’re too inefficient. Besides, the essence of necromancy is communicating with the spirits of the dead. So instead of shutting off their physical limiters to provide superhuman strength, it’s about acquiring information you shouldn’t have by using spirits who have been freed from the physical laws. So really you could say it’s like an uglier version of divination.”

From a Japanese perspective, it was like a version of the Kokkuri-san that used the dead.

The technique was only used to learn.

You couldn’t expect to intentionally mimic the cases where the necromancer screwed up and ended up possessed, allowing a mysterious entity into their body so they could surpass the laws of physics and shoot fire from their hands. That was far too dangerous.

As long as you understood the proper methods, you could complete the ceremonies without an actual dead body.

It could be the room where someone died, the rope used to hang someone, or clothing covered in death odor. How much of “the air of death” an item required to guide you to a special mental state depended on the individual magician, but in this case the level of the technique came from how cost efficient it was.

Isabella Theism had reached the point that she could do this:

“Really, it’s best to have a recipe for a dead body where all the ingredients can be found at the average supermarket or home improvement store. You take some pork or beef and then you make a skull out of lumber and so on.”

“Th-that’s how it’s done? That sounds more like a shop class project.”

Itsuwa’s comment made Isabella clap her hands together in delight.

“It all depends on the quality. Back before CG was so easy to use, splatter films had all sorts of tricks to make convincing fake guts. The poor image quality helped, but the end result was a lot more grotesque and disturbing than what you see in modern horror.”

Kanzaki sighed and spoke up.

“I don’t know if we will have any use for you. For now, I imagine the tug-of-war over the city against Coronzon will continue as we try to delay the activation of Adikalika, but magic to artificially consume lives doesn’t sound very useful there.”

“You think you’re in control of the entire city?” quietly asked Isabella. In a mocking tone. “Do you really believe that? Take as much of the surface-level infrastructure and important facilities as you like, you won’t fully stop the city from functioning. There’s so much more still hidden below the surface. Not to mention you haven’t even captured half of the 12 directors and have no idea where the rest are. You can’t stop Coronzon’s work by desperately trying to plug all the holes. Academy City has more than one map. It looks like a peaceful city at first, but the things hidden by the multiple overlapping maps are what makes it so horrifying.”

It wasn’t Kanzaki who immediately replied.

Itsuwa made the first rebuttal while trembling.

“H-how can you know that? Academy City is supposed to be an unknown world for you too.”

“''I can smell death here.'' The city is thick with it, so there has to be more we aren’t seeing.”

She made it sound obvious.

Or maybe this was a sense unique to necromancers.

Kanzaki asked a careful question.

“Finding fault is easy, but if you were in charge, what exactly would you do to solve the problem?”

“I will answer that with my first job as a necromancer.”

Isabella turned her attention toward something other than Great Demon Coronzon or Academy City.

She focused on the girl who they had supposedly been asked to retrieve and protect.

“The grimoire library, hm? Quite a troublesome thing to be left in Academy City with all this going on. It was miraculous good fortune that Coronzon didn’t secure her before we found her. Coronzon will not leave someone so dangerous free. Dealing with that must be our top priority.”

“What are you going to do with Index!?”

“For now, locking her up should work. She shouldn’t be a problem as long as Coronzon can’t abuse her knowledge, so the situation isn’t pressing enough to require ''silencing her more permanently.'' But to be clear, that’s only for now.”

Isabella Theism was saying she would do it if it became necessary.

She viewed the current Adikalika as the borderline with the worst case. She was saying they had to keep those 103,001 grimoires from being used to either greatly abbreviate Adikalika’s preparation period or to create magic even more troublesome than Adikalika.

She was correct.

While also twisted at a fundamental level.

“The other uncertain factor would be Kamijou Touma.”

Isabella Theism actually sounded amused.

The brown necromancer continued.

“The effects of his right hand are certainly fascinating, but whoever they might be, ''someone who has died once already is part of my domain.'' He is dead meat. That is a resource that should be utilized for maximum effectiveness. And I mean toward resolving the Coronzon and Adikalika problem, of course.”

“That is unaccep-”

“Oh? And who exactly can protect someone who is still considered dead on paper?”

“Wait.”

The interruption came from the white nun.

Despite the situation, Index’s concern wasn’t for herself.

“D-do you mean Touma?”

“…Sigh, what a pain.”

“Why are you talking about him that way? Died once already? Why would you phrase it that way? What exactly happened to Touma!?”

Index heard a sticky splat.

From her shoulders.

They had been grabbed by discolored corpse hands with visible bone and a rotting stench.

She didn’t even have time to scream. Rotting corpses too melted and swollen to even tell their sex had grabbed her shoulders and pinned her down on the floor.

“Agh!!”

“Don’t worry. These are decoy bodies made from sanitary ingredients,” said a cool-faced Isabella.

But no matter what they were made from, these were “dead bodies” professionally made to be indistinguishable from real ones. The shock of unexpected contact with one was no different.

“I came all the way to Japan to do my job. I am not interested in your home drama.”

Index had a perfect memory.

So she could never forget anything she saw or felt.

So.

“Don’t…you dare.”

A new voice joined in.

Stiyl Magnus.

Unlike with Index, there had been no report of his arrival. Kanzaki was supposedly in charge here, but she had no idea why he was here or how he had gotten so injured and weakened.

But something must have happened for him to be so badly hurt.

Stiyl gasped for breath and practically had to drag his body over as he approached.

“What do you think you’re doing, Isabella Theism? You want to lock her up? Stop that this instant. You aren’t fit to command the Anglicans… As a Saint, Kanzaki is the one in command here. If you’re going to insist otherwise, I will punish you!!”

“Ehh? You’re really going with that? The guy who betrayed Kanzaki the first chance he got really shouldn’t be talking about the sanctity of rules.”

A large mass dropped from the necromancer’s rags, landing at her feet.

It was a thoroughly dried, and thus lightweight, corpse.

Had it been pasted to the inside of her rags, arranged just right to be hidden despite the many holes?

It was likely only an imitation made from a mixture of cow bones, pork, ceramic, and more.

“Is this really a job to outsource and leave in the hands of a subcontractor? Obviously the on-site leader should be an actual Anglican. And I would say you’ve disqualified yourself after rushing off on a personal vendetta.”

The hunk of death lying at her feet suddenly absorbed all the moisture around her.

It grew to nearly three meters and lost its humanoid shape.

Kanzaki realized what was happening.

“Wait, Isabe-!?”

A wet pop followed.

The blood and innards were red. Beads of death were scattered evenly in all 360 degrees. Each one could ''eat through'' glass used to store nearly any chemical and plastic that wouldn’t decompose even after buried for 100 years. And there were tens – if not hundreds – of thousands of them.

“!?”

Even Kanzaki Kaori flinched before that contaminant. She sharply strung out invisibly thin wires to sacrifice them to the goop. To protect the Amakusas behind her, not herself.

Which created the tiniest of openings.

The Saint who insisted she would save everyone could only watch as Stiyl Magnus and Isabella Theism both took a step forward.

The tall priest’s eyes displayed contempt.

“Is that all?”

He spread out his rune cards.

A flame sword extended from his clenched right hand.

“Did you really think that could stop me, Isabella!?”

Death by burning symbolized purification in Christianity. But it did not mean salvation for the object being burned. Instead, it annihilated the object to eliminate it from the world. Some even believed that a body burned according to a certain ritualized procedure lost the right to participate in the Last Judgment.

It was a matter of compatibility.

Any amount of that contaminant could be eliminated by Stiyl’s flame sword.

Thus, the necromancer’s trick proved meaningless as the priest’s sword sliced through that unclean space. Along with the magician who had scattered the deadly contaminant in the first place.

The flame roared loud as it sucked in oxygen. More than just toss fire at her from without, the brown necromancer’s slashed body was burned from within.

It was thorough and swift.

But she put up too little resistance for someone being burned alive.

Eventually, Stiyl caught on.

“Is this another imitation made from different ingredients!?”

By the time the words had left him, he was surrounded by brown women.

All imitations.

But he didn’t have time to gasp.

Directly behind him, Isabella Theism hid among the imitations.

The action she took wasn’t even all that difficult.

It was gentle even.

She simply placed a hand on the priest’s shoulder.

Stiyl Magnus’s eyes rolled back in his head.

He coughed up something dark. A clump of blood. More of the hideous color spilled from his eyelids and ears. But most importantly, his two-meter form crumpled straight down.

Even the veteran Necessarius members who were world-renowned for their skill in battle against magicians couldn’t tell what had happened.

“Unlike you, I came all the way to Japan to do my job.”

Only the expert in death – the brown necromancer – chuckled and spoke.

“I am not interested in your adolescent escapades.”

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Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume13 Prologue

2026-06-10T22:43:33Z

Ultranova17: minor spelling

==Prologue: Absolute Evil and Relative Evil – CHORONZON.==

That being had been watching.

She had been holding her breath and observing the outside world.

She had supposedly killed Magician Aleister Crowley herself, but he had used a brief opening to take control of her body.

Her mind had been swiftly sealed deep within her own body.

She couldn’t escape.

From there, it had been a complete farce. She had felt like she was trapped in a cell where the entire floor, walls, and ceiling were covered in barbed wire. For that great demon, agony and spinning one’s wheels were one and the same.

But that did not mean there had been no entertainment at all.

Even if she could not break free of that cell, the world beyond it was as harsh to Aleister as ever.

When he captured Anna Sprengel, the big boss of R&C Occultics which had plunged the world into chaos, his trusted Kamijou Touma had harshly criticized him.

When he tried to save him regardless, Anna Kingsford, his teacher who he had finally opened up to, had told him that Kamijou Touma was doomed to die.

Kingsford had promised to save Kamijou, but not only did she fail to keep that promise, her life as an autonomous preserved corpse had come to an end along with Kamijou’s death.

When, left behind by the two of them, he tried to overturn Kamijou’s death, the new board chairman had mocked him.

And after it all, Kamijou had returned from hell alone.

His beloved teacher Anna Kingsford had not accompanied Kamijou.

How could she not clap her hands and howl with laughter?

The world was such a foolish and ridiculous thing. That human had broken so many taboos to hijack the body of the great world-destroying demon, yet the lid had unwittingly been forced open from without.

The fact that they didn’t even realize they were doing it made it an even greater failure than Pandora’s failure to contain her curiosity.

Everyone who had frowned and spoken of justice had become the reason the world would be destroyed.

She couldn’t help but laugh.

But that being still wasn’t satisfied.

Her current condition was stable, but she was crude, incomplete, and awkward.

Oxygen atoms and hydrogen atoms would not stick around long in their pure form. They would either bond with identical atoms to form a gas, or they would bond with different atoms to form water. There was no intention behind it. It would happen all on its own.

That being was the same.

So.

When Aleister Crowley reached his limit and his heart broke, that being once more crawled out into the open world. It happened naturally, as if to say that which was to be destroyed needed to be destroyed.

And that being – Great Demon Coronzon – made a loud announcement.

“I was waiting. Waiting for the moment your will weakened!!”

Now, humans.

Enjoy the fruit of your ignorant sins.

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Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume12 Chapter2

2026-06-10T22:42:57Z

Ultranova17: minor spelling

==Chapter 2: Funeral – Good_Bye_Bad.==

===Part 1===

Cold rain that couldn’t quite become snow fell from thick gray clouds.

It was weaker than before.

But that made it seem more stable, suggesting it would last longer.

A funeral was underway.

It had begun in the school auditorium.

The entire student body was gathered there, so they had to line up based on a system to fit. …Except Aogami Pierce and Fukiyose Seiri had frozen up nearby. Apparently Komoe-sensei had panicked, so their class’s guidance was a mess. But that boy may have appreciated a human response like that.

The space was large enough to hold hundreds of people.

That meant the heating was only so effective. Even with the air conditioning and halogen heaters, the chill could not be fully banished.

It was the presence of death.

Something you normally didn’t sense but crept up on everyone the same.

Aogami Pierce felt like the world itself were telling him an attempt to act cheerful would not fundamentally change what they were here for.

This was a funeral.

A member of their class was dead.

“Thank you all for attending despite the poor weather. Perhaps the heavens themselves are weeping for the deceased. It pains me just as much to lose someone so young.”

A young Buddhist monk got started with a microphone in hand. Fukiyose Seiri was only familiar with the term “abbot” as a title for a Buddhist monk, but she wasn’t sure if there was a proper hierarchy there.

“The abbot is the head of a single temple,” explained Aogami Pierce. “They’re the one who leads the rest of the temple’s monks. But there are a fair number of temples where the abbot is the only monk due to the aging population or just being shorthanded, so a lot of people get the terms monk and abbot confused. It’s unusual for someone that young to be one.”

“Why do you know so much about this?”

“What, are you really not reading that social media gag manga that went viral on New Year’s? It’s called ‘I Was Reincarnated and Got a Hypnotizing 5 yen Coin That Makes People Do Anything I Say, but I Ended Up in a Buddhist Temple Full of Macho Monks’. The unexpected mismatch!! What fate awaits our gloomy heroine after the ascetic life and vegetarian food cleanses her in body and soul!?”

“Why can’t someone ban this guy’s very existence?” asked an exasperated Fukiyose.

But had her senses dulled over winter break? She appeared to have forgotten insults of that level were nothing more than a reward. She could be two or even three times as harsh and he would still welcome it.

The screen on the wall behind the auditorium stage came to life.

“I am truly grateful you have all gathered today for our son.”

Remote comments by Kamijou Touma’s parents played on the screen. They apparently used more than just telegrams in this day and age.

A loud slam came from the back of the auditorium.

Someone had been unable to contain themselves and rushed out while covering their mouth. For a brief moment, the outside light shined into the dark auditorium. Surprisingly, this person was not from their class. From where they came from, they must have been a student from another year.

“Kami-yan sure was loved.”

“He had the weirdest connections. I sometimes saw him speaking with an upperclassman girl.”

There was some kind of accident that led to shouting, but the funeral itself continued without a hitch.

Aogami Pierce got some words out while staring out ahead.

“Why…?”

“Hm?”

“Why do people die so easily?”

This was somehow different from before.

Death.

The word carried so much more weight. Instead of the light and empty feeling of losing a life in a video game, this carried the heavy weight of reality.

Maybe that was what a funeral was.

It was about saying goodbye.

But in a different way from a classmate moving away.

Instead of not being able to see him again after this, they already couldn’t see him again. People could not accept that so quickly, so they needed a way to smooth over the rough edges of reality or else the small society that was a school could collapse.

It was like bringing things into focus.

Uh, oh.

It wasn’t so bad when the image before Aogami’s eyes was blurry. He could stand that. But once the outlines came into focus, the corners of his eyes could be in trouble.

Trouble?

Who said it was wrong to cry? It wasn’t a competition and who did he even think he was competing with? Apparently adolescent rebelliousness could needlessly screw with people’s lives even here.

“…”

He realized he hadn’t heard Fukiyose’s voice in a while.

When he focused, he could hear some breaths seemingly covered by an unseen hand.

Or maybe she had a handkerchief out.

He wasn’t about to peek over at the next seat, though.

He envied the people who could let themselves cry here. He was always shouting in the classroom, but he felt some kind of barrier forcing himself to hold back here.

Aogami Pierce was not a diligent student.

Even during ordinary classes, he would stare out the window and daydream about battling terrorists.

He had always thought Kamijou Touma would survive to the very end.

He could do anything in his fantasies, but for some reason that boy always survived longer than Aogami himself. Aogami would sometimes save everyone and end up with a harem and he would sometimes get dramatically shot and die, but no matter what happened, Kamijou Touma would always survive to the end, no matter how beat up he was.

But.

Reality was something else entirely.

He could think of any number of things to say if he were the one to die, but he couldn’t think of a single one when it was Kamijou Touma who had died.

“I’m such an idiot,” he muttered to himself.

He hadn’t expected this.

Something had happened somewhere he wasn’t aware of.

He guessed people all over thought these things as they lived with regret.

“Now, if you will please come forward to burn incense. Yes, it will help if you climb the stairs on the right and descend the stairs on the left. You may begin.”

===Part 2===

Meanwhile, two girls experienced this from a different viewpoint.

District 7.

An ordinary high school.

The entire student body was gathered in the auditorium. But even with the warmth of hundreds of bodies, the chilly air could not be entirely banished by the air conditioning too weak for the size of the space and the halogen heaters set up in a hurry.

That acted as the breath of death in contrast to the human warmth.

A large portrait photo sat atop the stage.

The face belonged to Kamijou Touma.

They must not have expected this. He looked almost villainous on the portrait forcibly blown up from his student ID. But maybe anyone would in an expressionless ID photo taken from head on.

A part-time monk, who was apparently an unsuccessful entertainer who did this as a side job, held a microphone.

His weirdly cheerful voice may have come from mixing together his two jobs.

“Thank you all for attending despite the poor weather. Perhaps the heavens themselves are weeping for the deceased. It pains me just as much to lose someone so young.”

In addition to the student body, a guest space had been prepared at one side.

Mikoto and Shokuhou were seated there.

One of them was shaking.

“Brrrrrr. Misa-Misaka-sa-Misaka-san, it’s so c-c-cold, you need to w-w-w-warm me up.”

“Are you even wearing clothes?”

Mikoto sighed while using a hand to the face to shove away the idiot queen – who Mikoto was beginning to suspect she might actually be “wearing” body paint – as she shivered and tried to cling to Mikoto from the side.

This was a high school.

For a middle schooler, it was like another world entirely.

But the usual tension she would feel was nowhere to be found.

She had actually been here before, but…

(I never imagined I would visit that idiot’s high school for this.)

Her heavy sighing wouldn’t stop.

However, she saw no one who could be his parents in the guest section.

Unsurprisingly.

Given all the paperwork and approvals required, there just hadn’t been time to invite someone in to Academy City.

“?”

“What is it, scheming queen?”

“Oh, I was just wondering who the chief mourner is. Ahn, halogen heater☆”

Shokuhou Misaki’s eyes melted at a machine that was like a “warm fan” that an official had placed in the nearby aisle. She looked about ready to spread her arms and hug the heater with hearts displayed in her pupils. Why had she even come to the funeral?

That aside…

(Chief mourner.)

Come to think of it, this was odd.

As fancy as all this looked, the crucial pillars were missing.

It all felt hollow and artificial.

“That said, we must not keep the deceased here forever. As painful as it will be, we must continue with the ceremony to put him at ease as he takes his journey into the great beyond.”

A gentle sound enveloped the auditorium.

Classical music of unknown composer and title began to play.

“…?”

Mikoto knew how to play the piano and the violin, but she frowned. She didn’t recognize this. It may have been healing music recently composed entirely on a computer. That would be fitting for Academy City.

A slideshow of photos played along with the music.

It was obvious what these were from.

“The Daihaseisai, the Ichihanaransai – Kamijou Touma-san really did smile so brightly during these events.”

''Uh, uh…

Damp sobs spilled from here and there.

But wait.

Hold on.

What was this? Even in his school, how many people even knew Kamijou Touma? He hadn’t been part of any clubs and he had no connections outside his class. He wasn’t a master shogi player and he didn’t get the top score in the national practice exam. So why were all of those students who looked like second or third years shedding tears?

Mikoto was astonished.

Maybe it was a Pavlovian response, like people who would always cry when hearing a music box playing when in a sad mood.

“They’re like the delinquents who only cry at the graduation ceremony.”

Now that she had recovered using the heat of the halogen heater, Shokuhou’s whisper pierced sharply into Mikoto.

You smile at New Year’s and you cry at funerals.

That was all it was.

Like flipping a switch or turning a dial.

Was that really enough?

Could someone’s life end with this?

Of course, it would also piss her off if someone was chatting or using their phone in the middle of the ceremony, but this felt different somehow. The tears felt cheap. She wanted to stand up and shout that this wasn’t right.

Mikoto was sad.

She didn’t know what to do now that the time had come to say goodbye.

But.

She felt her heart distancing itself at the scene she found here. The distance kept growing. Her heart had lost the ability to sense her feelings.

Why?

It was already over. She knew that. Yet she felt some kind of powerful impatience growing inside her.

Was this really enough?

Would this mark the end of someone’s life?

“To represent you all, his homeroom teacher Tsukuyomi Komoe-sensei will now present some flowers.”

“Uhh.”

It might all look emotional, but it was nothing but checking off everything on the list.

It was a routine.

It was a ceremony to cut someone away from society, forget them, and erase them.

And.

Mikoto saw a red dot out of the corner of her eye.

“?”

Curious, she looked over to see a video being recorded.

Since she wasn’t familiar with funerals, she thought maybe that was a way to leave some memory behind, but…

“(That’s the funeral company. I bet they’ll chop it up and use it in their ads.)”

Shokuhou was more coldhearted.

Perhaps she was more accustomed to death than Mikoto.

But from where?

There was no answer to that question. As Shokuhou faced forward, her profile looked somehow lonely.

The entertainer hosting the event continued on.

“We will now receive a message from Kamijou Touma-san’s parents.”

The slide show of school events switched to something else.

“I am truly grateful you have all gathered today for our son.”

Were they using an online conference app?

The white wall behind the auditorium stage acted as a large screen to project someone who was presumably his father.

He was likely at home. The room behind him looked lived in.

Maybe this had been too sudden for anything else.

His user name was displayed below him in small text.

Kamijou Touya.

His flowing words were anything but coldhearted.

Even through the screen, Mikoto could sense just how hard that grown adult was clenching his teeth to get through it.

That distant place carried a much more appropriate mood than the site of the funeral.

Or so it seemed to Mikoto.

She sensed something authentic there.

“I’m sure Touma’s life in Academy City was full of smiles and memories with all of you. He never was great in school and he didn’t develop any kind of esper power, but we have all of you to thank for allowing him to enjoy himself enough to forget about those things. Our son seemed so happy in all the emails and messages he sent us. He also sent plenty of photos and videos. Those limited glimpses into his life were enough to know his time there was a bright and happy one. And I imagine he enjoyed himself even more than he let us know. I would like to thank you all deeply on behalf of our son. Even if his life there was cut short, he was truly fortunate to be surrounded by so many wonderful frie- kh...no, I can’t do it!!”

His trembling voice grew strained partway through.

The middle-aged man’s face filled the screen. With tears welling in his eyes.

“He was our family!! Our son is dead!!! But they won’t let us in the city!! They won’t even tell us the exact cause of death!! Is it not as safe inside those walls as we were led to believe!? This is crazy! What the hell is going on in that ci- (voice muted)”

His mouth flapped silently for a few more seconds before the video also cut out.

The host put on a fake smile and worked at smoothing that over.

“Oh, dear. The signal appears to be unstable and since it still hasn’t come back, we will move on.”

How could they just move past that!?

Mikoto just about stood up from her folding chair, but Shokuhou grabbed her hand.

Firmly, to hold her in place.

Even his parent’s wholehearted rebellion had accomplished nothing.

That was just one branch on the flowchart.

By following that branch through, they could bring the ceremony back on track.

“Now, if you will please come forward to burn incense. Yes, it will help if you climb the stairs on the right and descend the stairs on the left. You may begin.”

If the entire student body burned incense, it would take all day. Instead, each class sent a representative up to the altar. The staff held stopwatches and kept everything on the schedule determined during the dry run. Someone had died, but they didn’t allow anything to break down.

It was like the sand in an hourglass.

Once the stock had been used up, it was over. The coffin would be shut and placed in the hearse to be taken to the crematorium. Then nothing would remain. Kamijou Touma would be burned to ashes, leaving nothing even on the genetic level.

The entertainer monk continued with a smile.

“Finally, I would like to read the telegrams that have arrived from those close to the deceased. To start with, um, we have a Miss Leivinia Birdway from England.”

It was ending.

The funeral really was going to end.

“You’re looking at it wrong.”

Still facing forward, Shokuhou spoke quietly but clearly in her mourning clothes.

Even though Mental Out wasn’t supposed to work on Mikoto.

Her voice was somewhat stiff, but she still managed to say it.

“We have to bring his life to an end ourselves. So, Misaka-san, you need to prepare yourself to actually say goodbye.”

===Part 3===

Outside in the frigid January city, Index and Othinus stood in the rain.

Without an umbrella.

Breakfast time had passed, but for once Index had no appetite.

On her shoulder, Othinus held down the brim of her hat and looked up.

“Good grief. Even the weather forecast felt need to betray us… This unnatural rain is more what I would expect of that human’s misfortune.”

“That would be just like Touma.”

“Along with the fake-looking condition of the sky.”

“?”

A long vehicle passed them. The strange automobile was decorated with black and gold.

It was a hearse.

Two buses followed after it.

Once they had fully passed by, Othinus whispered a question.

“Are you sure you don’t want to go?”

“What about you?”

“I am the god of war, magic, and deception. This isn’t Baldr’s trial and I’m not the type to cry at funerals. But you’re a nun, aren’t you? This really is your last chance. You might be fine now, but the regret over not seeing him off will weigh heavy on you later.”

“I’m still in training.”

Index hung her head.

She had to be feeling something.

Othinus didn’t address it.

The one-eyed god with a lance was rarely depicted as kind.

“Now, what will we do? We are a living sample of a Magic God and a grimoire library. If we head out into the world with Academy City’s protection gone, magic cabals the world over will be after us both. If you aren’t interested in following him into death, then you need to continue working at survival.”

The city was surrounded by a thick wall and invisible EM and IR were used to cut off all wireless communications between the outside and inside. Even so, the air on both sides was the same and bugs and birds could fly across the wall with ease.

So.

Index raised her head and gave her answer.

“''We’ll do what the carrier pigeon said to.''”

“Good grief. Is that method just so old-fashioned they overlooked it? But as soon as Academy City learns about it, they’ll probably fill that hole with pheromones or light or something.”

If they headed to his school now, they might make it in time.

But they didn’t.

They couldn’t.

Index gave her reasoning.

“If I was there to say goodbye, I know I’d ruin the whole ceremony by crying too loud.”

The cat said nothing in the girl’s arms.

He wasn’t supposed to understand what was going on, but for some reason he seemed to.

===Part 4===

“It’s over,” muttered Aogami Pierce.

All the strength left his body.

He made it sound like his team had just lost a big tournament.

“That’s the end of Kami-yan’s funeral.”

“Pull yourself together. Komoe-sensei is calling us over to get to the crematorium.”

Perhaps Fukiyose found it easier if she focused her mind on a task. She seemed to be constantly searching for a new one.

Aogami rubbed his belly.

“I’m starving… I want to devour my lunch while watching an isekai cooking anime to give a psychological boost to the convenience store bento.”

“How about you chew on a handkerchief?”

Only his classmates were going to the crematorium. As much as they had sobbed during the funeral, the students from other years didn’t wait around before leaving the auditorium. Almost like a movie ad with people making insincere-sounding comments at an advance screening. The kind of ad that made it sound like the record for most moving film of the century was broken every other second.

Aogami saw a busty black-haired upperclassman girl look back toward the stage just once at the exit before leaving.

“Would they even show up if it was us who died?”

“This is better than it could be. Do you ordinarily get teary-eyed seeing the news on TV or online?” dryly asked Fukiyose.

That she sounded more irritable than normal may have been the greatest compliment to Kamijou Touma who had disappeared from their school.

===Part 5===

A woman in a beige habit stood in a city of white and black.

That was Human Aleister Crowley.

The ridiculous artificial rain continued to fall.

The golden retriever stayed by his side in the frigid chill without a word of complaint, but he did ask a question here.

“You aren’t going to see it through to the end?”

“You know all too well I don’t have the courage. Why would I have struggled so much if I did?”

“The regret always comes later.”

“I know that. Better than anyone in the world,” spat Aleister.

He didn’t want to believe it.

She had promised she would break whatever rules were necessary to save the boy.

Had she broken her promise in the end?

That meant there was something even Anna Kingsford couldn’t do.

He knew this was as absurd as wanting your parents to continue to be infallible beings, but still.

“If I could only save that one,” muttered Aleister.

“?”

“That one act would have meant so much. It would have triggered a chain reaction to fix everything. But it failed at the very first domino. …That boy remains dead.”

Kihara Noukan was an unusual genius even for a Kihara, but even he had trouble grasping what Aleister was getting at.

And he knew the human wasn’t going to explain.

Whatever it was, it was a dream that had ended unrealized.

“What now?” asked the dog.

“I wouldn’t be wandering like this if I could answer that.”

Was there any meaning in life now?

His questions had reached that level.

What in this wide world should he tie his existence to?

===Part 6===

The rain was falling.

The funeral in the auditorium had ended, so most of the students were using the walkway to return to the main school building.

They were pinching something and sprinkling it on their heads. It turned out to be salt.

Mikoto sighed softly as she walked out.

“So even the students at his school treat his death as something unclean.”

“I doubt many people in Academy City understand the symbolism. Just like very few people bother looking up the etymology of words like ‘hello’ and ‘goodbye’. Most people see it as no more than the done thing, like bowing your head when entering a room. And does it have to be so cold!?”

Shokuhou’s shouted breath was already visible.

And a frigid rain was falling outside.

Shokuhou had started off holding her own shoulders, but once she set her sights on Mikoto, she grabbed onto her.

“Get off, Shokuhou. Kimonos are hard to fix once they start to come undone, so don’t grab onto me.”

“Oh, c’mon. Being a hot-water bottle is about all you’re good for, Misaka-san.”

“Oh, really? Even though I happen to have some hand warmers?”

Shokuhou Misaki petrified.

The corners of her lips twitched.

Her pride appeared to be conflicted over whether or not she should put on a polite smile.

“If you don’t want any, then fine. I’ll seal them away at the bottom of my purse. In the zone where I can’t dig them out again.”

“Wait, Misaka-saaan! You win, I admit it! So please show some love to this Little Match Girl freezing in the winter collllllllld!!”

“You have everyone call you a queen and now you have the nerve to act like the unfortunate Little Match Girl?

Mikoto toyed with the unathletic girl by tossing her hand warmer packs one after another as if to have her juggle them.

…This entire exchange may have been a way of preserving their mental balance. To Mikoto, the forced cheerfulness only made her entire life seem like an act.

“Ahh…☆”

“Hey, where the hell are you shoving that hand warmer, Shokuhou!? What happened to us having a shame culture!?”

The girl was shutting her eyes, trembling, and sighing like she was sinking into a hot spring, but the details were best left unstated.

She was capable of prioritizing what really mattered, meaning she was the type who would decide to nestle together in the nude to stay warm if they were stranded on a snowy mountain in the winter. Mikoto was certain of that now.

The official next to the hearse formed a megaphone with his hands and guided them.

“The buses are over here! Um, if you’re from the school, use bus 1. If you’re a visitor, use bus 2.”

Yes, it wasn’t over yet.

Many umbrellas blossomed like flowers and gathered together.

Carried by the adults.

The coffin was loaded onto the hearse.

The black and gold vehicle was headed to District 10.

Specifically, to the crematorium.

The entire student body wouldn’t fit there, so only what appeared to be Kamjou’s class would be going.

A bus was enough to carry that many.

And a second bus was enough for the visitors.

Another time limit had appeared.

Mikoto saw the distance to the crematorium like the timer ticking down on a time bomb.

But what did that time limit matter at this point?

Death could not be overturned.

It was already over.

“…”

“Ohh, blessed heat ability. Modern conveniences are truly wonderful…”

Next to her, the queen was saying something that suggested a kotatsu was all you needed to win her heart.

The two buses left the rear of the school to follow the hearse. The reporters out front seemed to be making a minor fuss, but the buses had no obligation to wait for them.

No one on the fairly large bus uttered a word.

The GPS navigation system provided a few instructions in a female voice, but the driver appeared to be ignoring them. Maybe there was some kind of etiquette to it, but the hearse seemed to avoid the shortest route and took a longer way to their destination.

In the adjacent seat, Shokuhou whispered briefly while staring out the window being pummeled by raindrops.

“Misaka-saaan.”

“Ugh, what idiot is sending a drone after us?”

With a sparking sound, the multicopter lost control out in the rain.

But who did those persistent reporters want to attack with their articles? Surely it wasn’t Alice Anotherbible or the Transcendents from the hidden side of the world.

“Maybe you could say we sent him to his death too. We didn’t stand in his way and attack him, but we did give him a push from behind.”

“Misaka-san. Malign his resolve and determination again and I will slap you.”

But Shokuhou didn’t actually deny it.

It probably bothered her too.

It was the same when they had fought Christian Rosencreutz. It had required a lot of power to repel him and Kamijou would have been killed if it had been even slightly insufficient.

Even so.

If their power hadn’t been up to the task, would he have considered running away?

“Not likely.”

“Not a chance. I can’t see him giving up on a fight once he started it.”

He hadn’t actually started that fight himself, but no matter how unfairly he was dragged into it, he had always fought to end it. So he could gently untangle the mess of threads.

“…”

It didn’t take very long.

They arrived at the crematorium.

A large roof covered the area in front of the entrance.

Had it been designed with bad weather like this in mind?

It looked like they had to wait for the workers to deal with the coffin.

“Go on, Misaka-san.”

At Shokuhou’s prompting, Mikoto got off the bus.

She wasn’t used to descending a bus’s stairs in Japanese mourning clothes. The clothing was like a single tube, so had it even been designed with climbing and descending stairs in mind?

“Of course it was. Did you forget the stone steps leading up to Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples?”

“Oh, no. Now that idiot is correcting me.”

“Oh? Misaka-san, did you forget I am the intellectual type? Care to see who does better with our next exam ability?”

Come to think of it, didn’t they have five-story pagodas in the Edo period? And those buildings wouldn’t have had elevators or escalators.

Shokuhou Misaki continued to rub the hand warmer against her cheek. It would have run out of heat by now, so was she making use of the placebo effect? Or maybe the cold was making her hallucinate.

An official guided them into the building.

There were numbered tatami mat waiting rooms with cremation chambers lined up.

Maybe there was a rule, but the cremation chambers not in use had their doors wide open. A square metal door led into a closed space seemingly made of brick or blocks. The shape was something like a modified baker’s furnace.

Mikoto peered inside and fell silent.

“…”

It wasn’t even the size of a laundromat.

Yet it felt far too ordered and optimized.

She sighed softly.

(I’m just not used to this.)

It was actually a bit of a relief when she spotted a few old vending machines jumbled together in a corner of the long hallway. She had wanted to see something that threw off the excessive organization of the place.

“It’s nice and warm in the building at least. Ugh, but now I kind of have to use the restroom.”

“I was a fool looking for salvation in a messy idiot like her…”

They could hear the conversation of officials in some room or another.

The voices crept up from the floor like the chill.

“A healthy high school boy? He should have thick bones.”

“We’ll have to burn him for a full four hours. That way there’s no chance any trace of his DNA map or the chemicals used for esper development will remain.”

A heavy scraping sound followed.

It came from something like a piece of pottery the size of a volleyball. Something had caused it to scrape against its lid.

“What does the height chart say? Is this size good?”

That was the funerary urn.

Would a whole person really fit in something so small?

Mourning clothes Mikoto frowned.

“Hold on. I get cremating him, but who gets his ashes?”

“The funerary urn can be transferred to someone else after being placed in the grave.”

Shokuhou’s finger hovered indecisively in front of the vending machine, but she only fidgeted without actually buying any warm coffee. Her fear of artificial additives appeared to be rearing its ugly head again.

“For now, he’ll probably be temporarily buried in a public grave.”

Could they really just do that?

Even as ashes, he would officially count as “remains”.

Besides. His parents apparently weren’t in the city, so who had submitted the notification of death to the government office? Mikoto had thought you couldn’t cremate someone until that had been received.

(Then again, this is the city that buried over ten thousand clones in secret, so they may have some tricks to get around that.)

They entered the waiting room.

The space was about 45 square meters.

Perhaps everyone wanted their own space.

His high school classmates were here, but Mikoto didn’t know any of them very well. She naturally kept her distance.

It was a weird feeling.

Why was she staying by Shokuhou’s side?

And while Mikoto mostly associated funerals with flowers and incense, the scent of burning candles was stronger. Maybe because that scent was a lot more oily.

A large LCD TV sat in the tatami mat room. In addition to over-the-air, and cable, it included an online streaming app. There was also a tablet with a public SIM. That may have been so hot food could be ordered in with a bike delivery service. Mikoto recognized a few of the apps lined up on the screen.

Shokuhou pointed at a sliding screen by the wall that seemed to lead to storage space.

“It looks like they have napping blankets in there.”

“I can’t imagine sleeping here could lead to sweet dreams.”

Four hours.

That explained why they had so many entertainment options for killing time.

“Shokuhou.”

“Yes?”

“Can you last four hours?”

“Sorry, excuse me a moment while I go freshen up.”

Western mourning clothes Shokuhou vanished somewhere with a severe look on her face. She had apparently gone out to visit the ladies room. Unable to relax without anything to focus on, Mikoto grabbed the TV remote and faced the giant screen. The time for New Year’s specials was over. A middle schooler like her had no idea what usually aired on weekday mornings.

(But maybe it would look more authentic if I don’t get all worked up over it?)

You were supposed to smile at New Year’s and cry at funerals.

She was fed up seeing people switch modes as if with a switch or dial.

She flipped through the channels for a bit.

The talk shows were more than she could handle today, so she kept changing the channel to escape them, but that mostly left shopping shows and old dramas.

After settling on a satellite broadcast animal show, she saw an enormous polar bear mercilessly attacking a family of seals. She was taken aback. She had been expecting footage of frolicking kittens or puppies. She wasn’t looking for the bloody and gory reality of nature right now!!

“What are you doing, Misaka-saaan? Why wouldn’t you go for a safe worldwide cruise show?”

That girl returned, looking exasperated.

But why was Shokuhou Misaki so familiar with TV on weekday mornings?

“Are you really a middle schooler?”

“If you’re trying to imply I’m an old lady, I will hit you.”

Something was sitting next to the TV.

At first, Mikoto thought it was a piece of Japanese-style artwork meant to help set the mood.

“Wait…” she said without thinking.

They already had a memorial tablet ready.

At first, Mikoto was confused who it was for. Because the name on it was a dharma name.

“I always thought the name was meant to be symbolic in some way.”

“In Academy City, they apparently have a website that automatically assigns one. Y’know, by tweaking a program ability meant to come up with a pet name if you can’t come up with one yourself.”

Did this city not have the rule where it only counted if it came from an important abbot?

Of course, it seemed like Academy City’s monks were part-timers who also worked as entertainers.

===Part 7===

Inside the District 10 prison, a monitor displayed Anti-Skill officer and high school teacher Yomikawa Aiho as she gave a report.

“The funeral ended without issue.”

“I see.”

“The hearse has left for the crematorium. Here, we’re holding an abbreviated version of the opening ceremony. You’re closer to the crematorium actually.”

The crematorium was in the same district, but that simple fact was far from the new Board Chairman’s mind.

It didn’t feel real.

(Accept his death? Why am I the one saying that shit?)

He had thought he would feel rage when standing on the verge of the death. But now that that line had been crossed, he was supposed to shake off all that emotion? Accelerator couldn’t say anything. Was he facing this like he should, or had his senses simply numbed over?

He couldn’t afford to forget what human warmth felt like.

No matter how many he saved with lifeless methods, he would only be retreading the path of Academy City’s former mistakes.

So what should he do?

Was it more human to let his emotions explode and destroy everything in sight?

“…”

Academy City’s #1 monster looked up.

He couldn’t see heaven there. Only a ceiling made of a special thick armor.

The prison had taken considerable damage from the attack by one of those Transcendents. This room was actually a secondary cell he had been moved to. Still, the white monster hadn’t died. Even though there were plenty of reasons for him to be killed. Was this just how life was?

“What was that bastard thinking dying before the villain,” he muttered.

Death was impartial.

It could visit anyone at any time, no matter how good a person they were, and they would lose their life.

“Aneri.”

An electronic beep.

Of rejection.

Apparently someone else had administrator privileges there. The new Board Chairman didn’t particularly care.

“Qliphah Puzzle 545.”

“Yes, yes. Kee hee hee.”

In that sense, the artificial demon was a lot less trouble.

And she also knew a lot about the world ''beyond'' science.

The #1 had just one question.

“Where is the person who did it?”

===Part 8===

A cold rain was falling.

The ugly rain could not become snow, but it rejected all human warmth while it naturally permeated the city of cutting-edge scientific technology.

The rain stealing heat from the entire city was impartial.

Even in the back alleys.

The countless raindrops falling from the heavens mercilessly located everyone, even a silent and unsteady girl, and soaked them.

She was tall. She wore black leather belts wrapped complexly around her naked body, making her stand out even in Academy City, which was isolated from the outside world.

Her long wavy blonde hair was plastered to her white skin.

She didn’t seem to have even the willpower to brush it away.

“…”

Alice Anotherbible.

She looked up at the sliver of rainy sky visible between the buildings.

And she didn’t move.

She had known that boy would die before they even met.

She had announced it herself.

But he had left the track of survival so that he could save the lives of others.

''“You will die.”

''“That doesn’t change my answer.”

She had seen the boy rushing toward death.

She had thought he might seek help at some point.

But he hadn’t.

''“So fight me!! Alice Anotherbible!!!”

Kamijou Touma had rejected her once.

She had lost sight of herself and resurrected Christian Rosencreutz as she was told.

''“Hold on. You don’t mean…?”

Yes, he had been shaken when he first learned he was doomed to die.

But he had still ultimately chosen the lives of others.

The doomed boy had stuck to his way of life and finally brought Alice Anotherbible back to her senses.

''“…I…”

''“I don’t…”

''“I don’t want to see anyone suffering from even more misfortune than me!! You got a problem with that!?”

He wasn’t coming back.

Alice Anotherbible could easily twist the world to her liking, but that was exactly why the person she had killed could not return. No matter what.

This was the result.

Aradia, the Bologna Succubus, and the rest of the Transcendents of the Bridge Builders Cabal were no longer here.

That meant Alice Anotherbible was no longer a fearsome leader.

She could trick people into seeing a form of beauty by taking death and violence to their extremes, but that was meaningless without those extremes. Being second best or lower simply made you a troublemaker.

A scratchy voice spoke.

The girl who had lost everything whispered into the emptiness.

“Tea…cher.”

===Part 9===

The final moment had arrived.

They would never see Kamijou Touma’s face again.

The coffin was already closed.

Although it was a Japanese-style coffin, so there was a small double door open over the face. That small square space seemed to be gradually cut away from the world at large.

“…”

Mikoto reached out her hand a bit and touched his cheek. Softly.

“?”

“Wait. You’d feel bad if you messed up his mortuary makeup at the very end, wouldn’t you?”

“Oh, right. It’s just…”

“What?”

Mikoto had no answer for Shokuhou’s quizzical gaze.

Meanwhile, the #5 Queen made her move. She raised a hand to the side of her head and lifted her veil before lowering her head toward the little window.

The instant before she kissed his cheek, Mikoto elbowed her in the side.

Sharply.

“No touching.”

“Ubwogh!? I-I really don’t see what’s so wrong with wishing him good fortune in the next life!!”

“You wouldn’t want to mess up his mortuary makeup, would you? Besides, you’re wearing lipstick.”

Misaka Mikoto had grown up in Academy City where science was everything, but she still knew it would be inappropriate to have him cremated with a lipstick mark on his face.

Each of them wasn’t given much time to say their goodbyes.

Mikoto and Shokuhou moved away.

Aogami Pierce placed a small rectangular object on his close-eyed friend’s pillow.

It was a smartphone.

Fukiyose frowned.

“Are you really allowed to put that in there?”

“Kami-yan was so happy when he got his first smartphone…”

An employee might get mad at him if they found out, but after burning any gold teeth and artificial bones along with the body, they apparently retrieved the rare earths. …And they wouldn’t know what materials had been included in some rich person’s expensive pure gold accessory.

The unsuccessful entertainer who worked part-time as a monk began speaking into the microphone he held.

“Now, everyone, let us once more pray for the deceased’s fortune in the next life. It is now time to say our final goodbye.”

===Part 10===

And.

And.

And then.

===Part 11===

…

…

…

Kamijou Touma silently opened his eyes in a small, dark space.

Yes.

The pointy-haired boy opened his eyes.

“?”

(Where am I? I can’t tell, but this definitely isn’t that artificial hell. Then am I alive again? Did Kingsford actually keep her prom-)

“Bweh, cough! Cough, hack!!”

Now wasn’t the time to be getting emotional.

Something was caught deep in his throat. He desperately coughed until he got a clump of something out. It was too dark to see what it was. He groped around the cramped space until he found something. For whatever reason, a phone was with him in the small box.

That gave him a light.

He tried to open his eyes to see, but something was wrong with his vision.

“Ow!! My eyes hurt!? What the hell!? You’re kidding, right!? Is there something in them!?”

He hesitantly pinched his eyelid and used the other hand’s index finger to feel around. It was big. He pulled something larger than a 100 yen coin from under his eyelids. He checked with with the LED light and found it was absorbent cotton heavy with his tears. He shuddered.

And the thing that had been in his throat appeared to be some kind of cloth.

Maybe to keep his tongue from falling back into his throat or maybe to keep insects from getting inside his body? He hadn’t known they did all that at funerals.

And something else gradually dawned on him.

This was not a hospital morgue. He had thought it was one of those locker-like storage spaces seen in TV dramas, but it wasn’t. He didn’t feel chilly at all.

That only left one possibility.

“Wait…”

He was lying face up in a space too small to move much. He smelled wood and flowers all around him. The ceiling? He sensed the wood less than 30cm away. Relying on the phone light, he tried pressing on it with his palm and the resistance vanished sooner than expected. Oh? It wasn’t heavy at all?

No.

He had only opened a small double door that had already been there. About 20cm across.

“Wait, wait, wait…”

The space beyond the little window was dark too. And it smelled of metal. After all the cheap meals he had cooked in his dorm, he recognized what he was seeing.

That was a fish grill.

Except this one was large enough to cook an entire human being.

“Ubwahhhhhh!! Does that mean I’m in the crematorium!!?”

Understanding your circumstances was important.

Because now the squeezing at his heart was so much stronger.

Did that mean the wooden box he was inside was a coffin!? He pushed on the actual cover with his palms to try and get out this time, but…oh, no. It wasn’t opening. It didn’t appear to be nailed shut. It would open upwards a few centimeters before something stopped it. Apparently the cremation chamber itself was short, so the coffin door was hitting the top.

Wait, did that mean he couldn’t get out?

If he stayed here like this, he had a strong feeling they really would ignite the chamber!

“Help!! I know it’s way too late for this, but Kamijou Touma is alive, so you all need to waiiiiiiiit!!”

He screamed with all his might…but did it do any good?

There was no reaction.

He wasn’t even certain his voice could be heard outside the chamber. He had never been to a crematorium before, but didn’t the cremation chambers have thick metal walls? And he was Academy City’s Mr. Misfortune. It was looking more likely he was going to go unnoticed and be roasted due to this careless mistake. A lot more likely.

“Th-th-th-the ph-ph-phone! I need to call someone outside and- mgwah!? Why doesn’t it have a signal!? Because the walls are so thick!? Is this stone and metal cremation chamber blocking the signal!?”

It didn’t look like he could count on any help from outside.

He would have to crawl out on his own.

However, the space was so small. It didn’t seem like the coffin lid would be able to open inside the cremation chamber, but that just meant he needed to get creative.

“Hnh!!”

Specifically, he moved to one side of the rectangular coffin to shift the center of gravity. Then he rolled up onto the side. Like rolling around in a giant ball, he tilted the entire coffin over 90 degrees.

There would be more horizontal than vertical space.

He could finally push on the large lid and escape the coffin…or so he thought before a powerful blow hit his back. He choked hard and then realized he had fallen off of something. The ceiling had seemed so low because the coffin had been sitting on something like a stretcher. The metal scent was a lot stronger now. Still, the place was dark and he knew he was inside a giant fish grill that would burn his flesh and bones using city gas. Even now, he assumed the emotional goodbyes were solemnly approaching their climax. If he waited around, he would meet the same fate as a saury prepared by a childhood friend who was a terrible cook.

(How long until they ignite it? Damn, I can’t hear any voices from outside!!)

It might happen an hour from now, but it also might happen a minute from now.

Either way, he was done for once it happened.

Kamijou aimed the phone around and discovered steel pipes as thick as his thumb running near the low ceiling. He chose not to imagine what the black soot he saw was primarily composed of. In fact, he worked very hard to not think about it. The shape of the place was indeed similar to a fish grill. That meant it had a few gas sprayers and spark plugs.

(I’m screwed if those work properly.)

“!! Oh, hell!!”

Or to put it another way, he had to destroy them if he wanted to live! He grabbed at whatever he could and yanked until a pipe came away with a dull snap.

He couldn’t celebrate yet.

A horrible stench stabbed into his nose.

A threat familiar to anyone who used a kitchen clutched at his heart. Even more strongly than before.

(Wait a second. Is that city gas?)

“Gwohhhhh!! Doesn’t that mean this chamber is filling with gas, even if it isn’t burning!? Then I’m going to suffocate and die anyway!!”

He had no idea if he had increased or decreased his time limit.

Flailing about wasn’t going to help.

He knew what he had to do. He had to get out of here. No matter what.

There was nothing like a chimney. He assumed it did have an exhaust vent somewhere, but he couldn’t find it with his phone’s light. Was there a small hole hidden in some gap somewhere? At the very least, it didn’t seem likely he could sneak out through a duct like an action movie star.

That left only one option.

The only exit was the door he had been shoved in through.

“Kh.”

(But will it open? I don’t know much about funerals, but aren’t cremation chamber doors made of really thick metal!?)

He desperately shined his phone’s LED lights that way…and didn’t see a knob. In fact, he was surprised to find the back of the metal door was covered in stuff. A few metal panels and joints fit together complexly.

That was probably the mechanism that allowed the door to be opened by a large lever on the outside.

Did it look like one big panel on the outside, but this opening and closing gimmick was hidden on the back?

Which meant…

“Can I break it open by kicking at this stuff?”

…The problem was the flammable city gas beginning to fill the interior of the chamber.

If he waited, he would definitely suffocate and die, but what if two metal pieces collided and produced a spark?

Accept it.

Trust in hope.

Giving into fear will only mean suffocating.

“Open.”

He had to do it.

Even if he was terrified and even if his heart was raising a scream so soon after beginning to beat once more.

Kamijou Touma repeatedly slammed his heel against the complex stopper on the back of the cremation chamber door.

“Opeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!!!”

===Part 12===

It came from within.

The metal door was kicked down with a loud roar.

Everyone gasped.

There was a voice.

''Today is my January birthday.

:''Today is the day I was born.

::''I am the star of this wonderful birthday.

''Today is my January birthday.

He was dressed in burial clothes.

A triangle of cloth was tied to the forehead below his pointy hair.

It was definitely him who crawled on out.

And he spoke.

“Hi there, everyone! Sorry if I surpri-”

“Eeeek, a zombie! It’s going to infect us all with who knows what!!!”

[[File:GT Index v12 BW1.jpg|thumb]]

They didn’t even let him finish his sentence.

Tears welled up in the eyes of the corner-of-the-classroom boy who didn’t get to be the star even after coming back from the dead.

Panic and pandemonium were already setting in.

Of course they were.

Based on his phone’s screen, it hadn’t just been a few minutes since he died. Anyone would be terrified if someone who’s heart had long since stopped beating suddenly got back up.

(I’m grateful you brought me back to life, but couldn’t you have worked a little faster, Kingsford!?)

“Abababawawa, no, no, it’s true I, Kamijou Touma, died, but I’m alive again, and I mean, technically today isn’t my birthday, but can’t you please give me a more peaceful reaction along the lines of what you would do if a cardiac massage work-”

“Quiet, everyone! Quiet!! Take deep breaths to calm yourselves and stay where you are. Now, what were you doing in there? Who are you!?”

The extremely part-time monk was shouting into his microphone.

Then Kamijou heard a strange mechanical sound.

Someone was coming.

These people were wearing shiny silver armor that covered them from head to toe.

No, were those powered suits?

“Is that the exceptional remains!?”

“Commence incineration.”

They were holding something at their hips.

They looked like a fire fighter’s hose, but not quite.

A small lighter-sized flame flickered in front of the nozzle.

“Flamethrowers!!?”

How well prepared were they!?

Why did they have a unit like this already on standby? Did corpses have a habit of getting back up in this city!?

Anyway, he couldn’t let himself be roasted after just narrowly escaping that fate.

He had no choice but to run barefoot out of the crematorium.

“Damn!!”

Kamijou Touma threw open the frosted glass window and climbed out.

Frigid rain was falling outside.

''And the girl who pointed at me and called me a zombie right after I came back to life – that was Fukiyose, wasn’t it? Kamijou-san isn’t about to forget that!!

===Part 13===

Kamijou Touma wasn’t the only one in trouble.

Aogami Pierce, Fukiyose Seiri, and the others left in the crematorium were in no position to just stare.

The situation was on the move.

“Whoa!?”

They heard a “fwoosh!!” sound.

It came from right outside the window. More people in powered suits were spraying something out of large canisters. It was reminiscent of spraying agrochemicals on a field, but these weren’t pesticides. The outside of the window soon grew thick and translucent.

Aogami Pierce couldn’t believe his eyes.

“Is that a plastic glue? That’s like a more impressive version of the security sheets you put on windows.”

“With that, they can quarantine a location in less than 5 minutes. Now I doubt any person or any bacteria or viruses can get in or out.”

At field hospitals, thick plastic sheets were used to demarcate a space while air curtains controlled the air currents, but was this a more advanced version of that?

Then Fukiyose commented on the phrase she had used that had caught her attention.

“Any person…?”

“A corpse just woke up and ran off. That qualifies as an emergency in my book. Did it not occur to you that we’re trapped inside here now?”

But the reaction had been too quick.

Kamijou Touma’s remains getting up and fleeing the crematorium was certainly a shock, but not even a few minutes had passed since then.

That speed was only possible if those people had been on standby to begin with.

It meant they must always monitor the cremations of anyone who had died under “suspicious circumstances”.

“(If they were this well prepared, does this kind of thing happen from time to time in Academy City?)”

“(Anything can happen here. I mean, this city creates superhuman Level 5s.)”

None of it sounded real.

Kamijou Touma had gotten up. That much was true.

But what exactly had happened? Saying a mystery virus was responsible sounded plausible enough, but it lacked the weight of reality. That was the same as saying ghosts were actually plasma. Smugly explaining that in a dark abandoned building did nothing to put your mind at ease.

And that aside…

“What happens to us now?” asked Aogami.

“Trying to move from here could be dangerous.”

That she didn’t scoff at his question meant Fukiyose was aware they were trapped in here.

This wasn’t like daydreaming about fighting terrorists during a boring class.

The entire building was sealed off from the outside by thick plastic walls. A mop or a metal bat weren’t going to break through the windows. Even a gun probably wouldn’t be enough. A specialized gas proof door had been set up as the only way in or out, but the powered suits were gathered around it.

And someone was loudly approaching from there.

At some point the number of powered suits had grown past 10.

“Quiet, everyone! We are Bio Secure!”

This person also wore a powered suit.

Maybe anything seemed suspicious when viewed in that light, but it felt like they were intentionally making themselves indistinguishable from each other. Like robbers in masks.

“Your movement will be temporarily restricted, but please do not worry. Once we ensure you are safe, you will be released, so I ask that you cooperate and avoid causing a disturbance.”

He “asked that” they cooperate, but he showed no sign of waiting for a yes or no response from them.

He was actually telling them to resist at their peril.

He made it clear who was in charge here.

How were they supposed to “not worry” when he was wearing a fully-sealed powered suit and equipped with a flamethrower? It was written on his hidden face that there was likely something invisible in the air and that his team would be fine.

“W-wait…” protested a pale-faced crematorium worker.

Even the adults didn’t know what this was.

That only worried Aogami Pierce and Fukiyose Seiri more. And they doubted Komoe-sensei was going to be much help here.

“Wait a second! What is happening? The paperwork said nothing about infectious disease, but are we safe? And do we have permission to continue running this facility!?”

“We are not authorized to answer that. Chief ''Kihara Goukei'' has yet to arrive, but she will explain everything once she does. Hold your questions until then.”

A sound a lot like steam followed.

The powered suits were tossing things into a large rectangular glass vat full of powerful acid. They were quite casual about it, probably because the splashing liquid and smoke wouldn’t harm them anymore.

Those were the bouquets and Kamijou Touma’s possessions prepared for the funeral.

They of course didn’t ask anyone’s permission first.

It had been through a screen, but during the funeral Aogami Pierce had seen the tearful face of that father enraged over his son’s death. The items he and his wife were meant to receive were all being heartlessly dissolved.

Even if this had been a performance put together by professionals, the sight seemed to fully reject the gentle atmosphere of the day.

His breathing was shallow and a cold sweat wouldn’t stop pouring down his brow, but Aogami may still not have accurately grasped the threat. If he had, he could easily have collapsed from hyperventilation.

If he couldn’t take advantage of his own ignorance here, he was in trouble.

His instincts told him so.

What was going to happen to them?

Would they be infected?

If they were, would that be done to them too?

But the situation was advancing whether he liked it or not.

A short distance away, one powered suit was speaking to another.

“What is it?”

“Chief Kihara Goukei has arrived.”

===Part 14===

The dead had come back to life.

Did that qualify as a good thing or a bad thing?

And this was Academy City.

If he was captured, he would either be sent to a lab to be soaked in formalin or he would be directly roasted by flamethrower.

Either way…

“I’m screwed!! My life is over if I’m caught!!”

Kamijou Touma ran outside in the frigid rain.

His burial clothes, which were one step removed from being a Halloween costume, did nothing to keep out the cold. And he was barefoot. Keep in mind it was January. Being stuck out in the rain dressed like this would kill him within an hour of coming back to life!!

“Ahh, brrr. There aren’t even any soaked girls caught in the sudden summer downpour. Winter sucks. There’s nothing at all good about being wet in this season.”

The city had been badly damaged.

The cumulative effect of the battles against Anna Sprengel, Christian Rosencreutz, and Alice Anotherbible really had left it close to collapse. The repairs could not keep up, so construction scaffolding and soundproofing sheets could be seen all over the place.

Kamijou Touma had received that same deadly force with his flesh-and-blood body.

That explained why it was so unusual for him to be alive.

He heard a groaning “gashunk!!” sound.

That was the sound of a powered suit’s artificial muscles operating.

“Dammit, they’re so fast!!”

Powered suit legs could run at 40-50km/h without the help of wheels or a car motor.

An ordinary human couldn’t hope to escape them while running along a wide street on foot.

“Kh.”

They had nearly caught up.

The powered suit’s thick fingers were approaching the back of his neck.

“Damn!!”

He clicked his tongue and changed direction.

He slid across the wet pavement, slipped below a soundproofing sheet, and tumbled into the construction site for repairs on a nearby building.

Sites like this could be found just about anywhere thanks to the battles against powerful foes like Anna Sprengel, Christian Rosencreutz, and Alice Anotherbible.

He heard the snapping of breaking metal.

After the powered suit’s thick fingers had found only air, it had easily torn through the exterior barricade made of soundproofing sheets and metal panels.

It worked like the building demolition beaks attached to the end of a mechanical arm.

A hit from that would smash his body apart even if it only caught on his clothes a little.

“Why aren’t we authorized to use our flamethrowers!?”

“Ask Chief Kihara Goukei. She’s the boss of Bio Secure, not us.”

He heard some terrifying voices from behind, but he couldn’t just stop.

The sounds of thick metal tearing apart continued.

The pursuing powered suits didn’t bother going around or climbing over obstacles. They would shove a stack of pipes aside with a single arm or tackle through a forest of erected steel beams, causing an entire half-repaired building to tilt.

Getting caught in any of that would be the end of Kamijou.

He couldn’t stay here in the construction site.

“Eek!!”

The loud and heavy sounds of bending metal filled the air.

Two of the rapidly-moving powered suits appeared to have collided.

“Y-your suit’s lost integrity!”

“Don’t worry about me and go on ahead! Hurry!!”

“Stop acting all heroic while brandishing flamethrowers! It’s terrifying!” shouted Kamijou, bristling as he fled.

In their minds, they weren’t ganging up on a victim to bully him – they seemed to truly see themselves as fighting to protect Academy City. Which meant they would not compromise or let their guard down. But so what? Someone who could emotionally kill a stranger without second thought was a terrible person in Kamijou’s book.

Kamijou spotted a slope leading underground, so he raced down it. He was expecting an underground mall, but was instead hit by a mass of malodorous air. He had apparently wandered into a culvert where a river ran below the city.

On the floor, he found large wireless communication equipment, professional-looking tools, and a long power cable leading somewhere.

Apparently repairs were underway here as well.

He was afraid of giving away his position, but it was dark in here. Missing a step and falling into the winter river would be no laughing matter, so he suppressed the fear and switched on the LED light.

“The all-purpose smartphone really is one of humanity’s greatest inventions.”

He wished he could just call Anti-Skill and have them come to the rescue, but he got the impression he couldn’t trust in the grownups’ systems.

Where was the exit?

Was heading outside even his best option?

Or should he hide out in this labyrinthine underground structure until his pursuers had moved on?

And how many minutes would he have to wait until he considered that plan a success?

He had too many unanswered questions.

Behind him, he heard the “gashunk, gashunk” of machines operating. Were they still after him!?

(But they’re not moving as fast as before. Did they not have night vision gear because it’s still daytime, or are they afraid of falling in the water and sinking like a rock?)

He thought he would pass out from the fear if he didn’t force his thoughts in a positive direction.

He had to keep running and escape.

It was all so unfair.

He was moments away from death, but for some reason he found laughter spilling from his lips as he ran away soaking wet.

He couldn’t stop.

“Ha ha ha…”

He was afraid of dying.

Of course he was.

Because no matter what anyone might say, Kamijou Touma was alive!!

“Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!”

He was alive.

He had never felt so aware of the life within him.

He wasn’t a ghost or a zombie or anything like that.

Being human was such a wonderful feeling!!

Although if Anna Kingsford saw this, she might hold a hand to her head in exasperation or she might bring her fist down on his head.

(Still…)

Chief Kihara Goukei.

They had used the name Kihara.

Was it the same Kihara?

In addition to the business with Kihara Kagun, he was pretty sure he had heard that name associated with the incident where he first met Alice Anotherbible. That operation had been meant to clean up the dark side lurking in Academy City’s shadows, but outside influence had twisted it into a great tragedy. Many people had died. But…they were still there.

“Does that mean that dark side thing is still alive and kicking after all that? Dammit!”

He heard an ominous roar.

That was the sound of flames sucking in oxygen.

He looked back while running and his eyes widened. A fireball of a flame flickered in the air.

That was the tip of a flamethrower.

“A-are you kidding me!?”

Even though it branched off every which way, this was still an enclosed space. Bio Secure might survive thanks to their thick powered suits and oxygen supplies, but Kamijou would either be instantly fried or would suffocate with his lungs roasted.

(I thought that Kihara person wasn’t letting them use those!)

It was too late to complain now.

And maybe it had been wrong to count on the enemy’s situation remaining unchanged.

Without hesitation, the flamethrower nozzle aimed his way spewed an oxidant and a jelly-like liquid combustible material.

And a moment later…

It exploded.

“Wahgyahhh!!!”

Kamijou was soaked with sweat as he leaped down a different branching path.

What?

He was still alive, but what was that!?

There had been flames, but that wasn’t right. If the flamethrower had been functioning normally, he knew he should have been wrapped in flames himself. The powered suit had done something wrong. Because it was the pursuer who had ended up on fire.

White fire.

What kind of explosion was that?

It had seemed like something at the powered suit’s feet had exploded immediately after the flamethrower was activated.

(Was that acetylene gas used for welding!?)

That special flammable gas was used to create the ultra-high temperature flames needed to melt and combine reinforcing steel. The powered suit appeared to be designed to withstand the heat of a flamethrower, but an explosion of that stuff at such close range had to have damaged it at least some.

Kihara Goukei was it?

This may have been part of the reason why the powered suits’ boss had banned them from using their flamethrowers. With propane, city gas, and more, the densely populated city contained a surprising amount of flammables and explosives. The recovery had finally begun after the many battles. There was even the possibility of unexploded shells or missiles lying around.

“Pant, gasp!!”

Anyway, Kamijou Touma was alive.

If he continued playing tag with these powered suits, he would be killed. If he was going to escape, it had to be now while they were panicked over their own screw up.

Bio Secure(?), or whatever they were called, didn’t seem worried inside the steel-melting flames.

He felt their gaze on him.

And heard a straining sound.

They were having trouble, but they only had to wait until their suits managed to reboot inside the flames. Kamijou know he couldn’t destroy them by going on the offensive. Once their self-scans and error recovery was complete, he would be out of options. He wouldn’t be able to escape.

So move your legs.

The culvert was one step removed from a sewer. He was worn out from all the strenuous exercise, but he wasn’t at all inclined to lean against the wall. He used his phone’s LED light to walk down a small side path in the dark culvert that stank of sludge and he eventually found a small door.

Maybe it was for work access and maybe it was an emergency exit, but on the other side, narrow stairs led up toward the surface.

“Wheeze, wheeze…”

He was right back out in the rainy world.

He honestly didn’t feel at all like he had escaped.

He was certain the flamethrower-wielding powered suits would find him again soon enough.

Was coming back from the dead really so difficult?

This was nothing like the emotional reactions to a miraculous experience he had been expecting.

(But what do I do now? If I’m supposed to be dead, my dorm room might be gone. And it doesn’t look like anyone I know will be any help.)

“?”

He spotted a camera-equipped security robot and instinctively moved from the main road to an alley to hide.

He felt like he was moving further and further from the sun.

At this rate, was he going to find himself crawling underneath a flower pot in the schoolyard?

“Also.”

Being dead had scared him.

Finding some way of returning to life had been the only thing on his mind.

But.

Could it be?

“Does no one want a world with me in it?”

He hung his head.

It really hurt.

Then again, he was only a high school boy. He wasn’t some important Buddhist priest whose remains would be preserved after death. So maybe there just wasn’t anyone who wanted to see him again badly enough to deal with something as bizarre as this…

He had died and come back.

Being killed by Alice Anotherbible had complicated matters this time, but he had actually already experienced something similar a few times with full-power Othinus and Good, Old Mary…but was it just different once the pieces on the board had made it as far as the funeral? Instead of just physically dying, his death had been socially accepted this time. It took dying for him to realize death happened in stages.

A whirring motor sound passed by overhead.

“Eek!?”

Now wasn’t the time to be waxing philosophical.

Kamijou released a quick shriek and then hid below an air conditioner attached to the wall in the narrow alley. The flying drone passed by. The dark side was supposed to have declined and they could still do all this? He really didn’t want to be found by the adults right now. They did have flamethrowers after all!

And that hadn’t just been a scout.

It wasn’t harmless.

It was very different from one of these drum-shaped security robots.

Specifically, an object the size of a rugby ball was hanging down from it. He couldn’t be certain, but he was pretty sure that was an anti-tank rocket.

If it had noticed him and fired that, he would have been blown to pieces along with this corner of the alley. That 8000yen-a-pop explosive was enough to fully change the meaning of the electronic device.

It was over once he was caught.

Kamijou Touma desperately held his breath.

Maybe he was doing something incredibly stupid. After all, it wasn’t a living creature. Staying still behind cover like this might not matter depending on what kinds of sensors it was using to scan the surface.

The next 30 seconds seemed to scorch his heart.

And that was assuming his sense of time was accurate.

The drone indifferently flew off. Like nothing had happened.

In that final moment, its motion seemed somehow human, so it was possible it had shifted from programmed flight to remote manual control.

Regardless, that meant the threat had passed…right?

“Phew…”

Thanks to that assumption, it caught him completely by surprise.

While all his focus was overhead, he heard a noise from straight ahead.

A quiet footstep.

Someone was there.

The person was frozen in place, staring wide-eyed at him.

She was tall and beautiful. Her long wavy blonde hair was wet with rain and her skinny body was tightly bound by black leather belts, making for a strange manner of dress even for Academy City.

She was a Transcendent.

Alice Anotherbible.

She was frozen in apparent surprise, widened eyes directed his way.

“Y-you can…see me???”

The idiot had so lost his faith in humanity he had to ask that in a trembling voice.

Tears welled up in the corners of the girl’s eyes.

Large ones.

The cold rain was still falling, but these drops were noticeably different and carried body heat.

“T-””

She was stiff and trembling.

And…

“Teacher!!”

[[File:GT Index v12 BW2.jpg|thumb]]

She spread her arms and leaped at him.

Her momentum was too much for him, so Kamijou Touma toppled back onto his rear.

Yes, he could feel her.

Her hair wet with the cold rain, her skin, her sweet scent, and her high-pitched voice piercing into his ears. Sensations the dead could never experience bewildered his senses and stabbed directly into his brain. Kamijou Touma was alive, including those brains.

…I thought I would never see you again.

His heart had stopped, his brain’s neural network had been shredded, and he had fully died.

Saying he would return to life had been an absurd fantasy.

Yet he had done it.

He had returned alive from hell.

However, he didn’t deserve the credit there.

That hell had been an artificial one that Christian Rosencreutz had created to resurrect himself and Anna Kingsford had hijacked control of it. And she hadn’t hesitated to hand the resurrection ticket to Kamijou Touma.

He had been saved every step of the way.

The pointy-haired boy hadn’t accomplished anything on his own. Those true experts had done it for him.

They had taught him what it means to save people.

But.

He hadn’t done the wrong thing.

He had finally found something in this half-destroyed world that convinced him of that.

“You’re alive, you’re here, ohh, the girl can touch you, teacher is really here. Wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!”

No matter how cold the rain was, he could feel this girl’s warmth beyond it.

Returning to life was meaningless?

Don’t be ridiculous.

There was a girl here letting him experience something he never would have if he hadn’t returned to the world of the living.

“Thank goodness… Teacher, you’re breathing, you’re alive. The girl, uh, the girlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll!!!”

She couldn’t even get her words out.

Still slumped down, Kamijou Touma placed a hand on sobbing Alice’s head.

He could touch her.

He could influence things.

He could save a single crying girl.

The pointy-haired boy was undoubtedly alive here.

“Heh…”

What an awful day.

He had taken so long to return to life that now he was seen as the living dead. They seemed to think he was infected with some kind of Academy City something, so a group of adults with flamethrowers was after him.

But.

Nevertheless…

“Coming back to life…was definitely the right move.”

He could finally say that.

For today at least, he could smile.

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Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume12 Chapter1

2026-06-10T22:42:00Z

Ultranova17: minor spelling

==Chapter 1: A Scene of White and Black – the_DEATH.==

===Part 1===

This was a perfectly ordinary high school in District 7.

Or it should have been.

Every other school had already had their opening ceremony, but not this one.

A lot of people were coming and going.

The adults stood out most since this was a school.

“The florist just showed up”

“I know, but what about the salt!? What idiot forgot to order it!?”

“The discount store that sells just about anything doesn’t open until 10.”

“Ordering it online won’t arrive in time for the ceremony. Run to the convenience store!”

Employees of various businesses were running here and there: clothes rentals, large stage lighting and sound equipment, and a caterer providing snacks and drinks for nutrition and to help people rest. The place had the feel of backstage during some kind of event. Instead of an announcer, the host was a fairly unsuccessful comedian holding a mic. He could have just worn a short-range mic on his ear, but he had insisted on a large one in a microphone stand. That was likely his personal preference rather than having anything to do with the ceremony.

Aogami Pierce sighed softly in a brand new classroom.

“Why do those people look like they put on shows in the shopping district?”

“Probably because they do. They’re primarily entertainers, but they study Buddhist temple stuff in college. So maybe this counts as practice for them?”

Fukiyose Seiri had all the information.

Come to think of it, didn’t she usually volunteer for the committees that ran school events?

Aogami Pierce took a look around the gloomy classroom.

“Did you see those weird people hanging around the front gate? They all had smartphones, so do reporters these days not lug around heavy cameras?”

“That’s why the school opened up the back entrance for teachers. The hearse, which is kept chilly inside with dry ice, should be here soon.”

Was that why the curtains were shut first thing in the morning? Carelessly approaching a window would probably end up with a toy-like drone approaching to get some footage.

The TV stations had reporters on the scene too.

They couldn’t just ignore it. As members of the class in question, it made them nervous.

They didn’t know what exactly had happened, but they could tell it was a big deal.

Something big had happened over winter break.

“If only they would send in that sexy female reporter in a miniskirt suit.”

“Honestly. This really isn’t a job for her. We’re not talking about a culinary report discussing the soul food of regions you’ve never even heard of. I did see something like the ghost of parents day wandering around, though.”

“You mean the Old Bavarian Cream Lady of the Educational World? Wow, Kami-yan’s getting the early morning human-interest story treatment.”

“Better than having a self-styled spiritualist show up and chant Buddhist incantations at him, right? Next thing you know, they’d be saying the student who died at our school was a fallen warrior and there was a grave here in ancient times or something. Thank goodness this is Academy City.”

No matter how depressed the mood, people couldn’t help but talk when enough of them had gathered. Maybe that was just human nature.

No.

Maybe the pressure of silence scared them more.

So they were subconsciously avoiding it.

Someone was dead, but the teachers hadn’t explained anything.

And a ton of reporters were here.

It was all too concerning to let it pass in silence. This naturally led to the spread of rumors. Based on absolutely nothing, of course.

“Signs of foul play and mysterious circumstances, huh?”

“Sounds like Academy City to me,” was all Fukiyose said.

As plausible as it sounded, they had no actual evidence.

It was an empty conversation. If they knew the truth, they probably couldn’t have said anything at all.

Aogami Pierce sighed again.

“I heard we’d be released by midday.”

“The other classes will be. We’re riding a bus to the crematorium, so it’s a full day for us.”

“What about lunch? I’m a little worried about that. I was so busy this morning I missed breakfast.”

“Were you too busy to see the message sent to the entire class? It said to bring your own lunch today.”

The day’s schedule had been changed last second for this, but today was only meant to be the opening ceremony. The teachers apparently didn’t think this would affect their classes. Which made the students wonder what the point of that opening ceremony even was. Didn’t that just mean they would have been wasting a day of their winter break?

A look of belated realization came over Aogami Pierce.

“Hm? Hold on. You mean I can’t use the cafeteria or school store?”

“I imagine you would only find an empty and lonely room. The opening ceremony was meant to end at midday and there were no club activities scheduled. They wouldn’t have any ingredients for lunch ready.”

“I-I-I-I- wait just a bit, I’ve gotta run to the convenience store!!”

“You can try if you want, but the closest one will probably be full of the less motivated reporters chatting in the eat-in section. Are you sure you want to go there? Your face will be on the cover of the tabloids as the sorrow-stricken classmate.”

“Hey, wait, ah!! Sensei’s here. The event’s already starting!”

Their free time had ended.

While the classmates chatted, the sliding door by the blackboard opened and Tsukuyomi Komoe, their homeroom teacher, walked in. At 135cm, she was a very compact teacher and she had chosen thick felt clothing to keep warm in the cold. If not for the veil over her head, it could have looked like a private elementary school uniform.

She spoke with just her head poking up above the lectern.

Even for that, she was probably on her tiptoes.

“Himegami-chan, Fukiyose-chan, and the rest of you. Before the classes head to the auditorium one at a time, I want to take roll, so to your seats. The first years go first, so we don’t have much time.”

“Why send us there class by class?”

“Someone messed up designing the auditorium, so its entrance is too narrow. If everyone tried to enter at once, I think we would get stuck,” explained Fukiyose, sounding exasperated.

A gym teacher called to them from outside. The busty one who always wore a track suit.

The students filed out into the hallway.

This was the first day of their third term, but there was no opening ceremony.

Today was a special day.

It was Kamijou Touma’s funeral.

===Part 2===

Inside a student dorm in District 7.

Specifically, inside a room on the seventh floor.

Palm-sized Othinus, the 15cm god, stood tall on the glass table. The kotatsu had been put away since it used power.

They had to pack their things.

“Leave the key next to the phone.”

“I know. I do have a perfect memory.”

That was true of Index, a girl wearing a white nun’s habit with gold embroidery making it look like a fancy teacup, but Othinus couldn’t trust the girl’s accuracy for a very different reason. Remembering everything she saw and heard was all well and good, but then how did she explain being told very clearly that the industrial-sized bag of rice crackers was for everyone to eat through little by little over the course of January and then leaving nothing but the empty bag the very first chance she got?

A cat mewed.

“Oh, right. Him.”

“We can’t leave Sphinx here, can we?”

Index picked up the calico cat.

Just like she always did.

The cat didn’t seem to understand the human circumstances.

Othinus didn’t want to be stuck with him, so she looked away from the ferocious beast only to meet the eye of a dove sheltering from the rain on the narrow balcony railing.

The symbol of peace looked her in the eye and tilted its head. The feathery thing didn’t seem to mind the January chill.

“Is that everything?”

“It should be.”

Index was carrying the cat in her hands. She hadn’t said anything, but Othinus was already up on her shoulder.

Othinus arrogantly crossed her legs and whispered with her voice low.

“Then are you ready?”

“…Yes.”

“The cat is really the only thing you’re taking from the room?”

“Because this is Touma’s room.”

“That it is.”

Their circumstances differed, but they were both freeloaders here.

The room belonged to someone else.

And looking at it now, they could see just how much that boy had shared with them. Even though he hadn’t been in any way obligated to do so. He hadn’t been particularly well off and had constantly lamented being a poor student. But when accepting them, he had done it without a second thought.

Index put on her shoes at the front door.

Would she never complete that simple action again?

She didn’t say anything for a while.

After tapping her toes against the floor to adjust the fit of the shoes, the white nun opened the front door. Index looked back into the room just once, but she saw only an empty space.

“…”

The thin door to the student dorm room shut and the click of its lock rang loud.

===Part 3===

The excitement of beginning the third term was nowhere to be found.

“Does this look right?” asked Misaka Mikoto.

It was 8 in the morning.

Only convenience stores and casual restaurants would be open at this time, but Mikoto was inside a kimono store at a giant shopping mall. She stood quietly in front of a large mirror. She wore her short hair up and she wasn’t wearing her usual Tokiwadai Middle School blazer. She was wearing a black kimono, which seemed out of place on a 14-year-old girl. The half moon comb designs were the Misaka family crest.

These were mourning clothes.

She of course wasn’t going to attend her school’s opening ceremony dressed like this.

(This is nothing like a New Year’s furisode. It’s heavier.)

“Misaka-saaan, are you ready?”

A familiar face poked in.

Shokuhou Misaki appeared to have chosen Western mourning clothes.

Except why were they so see-through and revealing?

That looked more like a black party dress.

Specifically, it was a gorgeous black dress and veil, but it had slits all over the place with pearl accessories glittering here and there. Did that girl ever stop showing off?

For some reason, the weird girl gave Mikoto a weird look.

“Japanese clothing is a terrible choice for someone who doesn’t know how to put it on themselves. My choice is definitely going to be easier.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that. That isn’t a character costume – more goes into it than just zipping up the back, I’m betting.”

“Come to think of it, you never wear long socks, do you?”

“Anything that would turn into something like melted cheese when exposed to a high-voltage current gets a no from me.”

And so she had chosen Japanese clothing.

Misaka Mikoto wanted nothing to do with garter belts or stockings.

…Still, she was glad she had gotten the scheming queen’s help since she knew how to rent out a kimono store before it opened for the day. This store’s quality was superb even with a rush job like this. But maybe that was always the demand for mourning clothes. On her own, Mikoto wasn’t sure she would have even considered getting mourning clothes. That said, Tokiwadai’s uniform was too bright for a sorrowful ceremony like this, so she had wanted something else to wear.

She wasn’t used to carrying around a small purse. For all the annoying insurance-related paperwork, she had agreed to all of the employee’s recommendations and then paid by card.

The two of them left the store together.

Shokuhou Misaki immediately began clutching her shoulders and shivering. Was she trying to accentuate her boobs?

“Brr!! It really is January, isn’t it? I thought all the slits and sheer lace would be sexy, but the winter chill is piercing right through it.”

“Huh, imagine that.”

“Wait, why don’t you understand me? Misaka-san, is your mourning clothes ability stuffed with fluffy cotton or something!?”

“Hey, quit it, don’t grab onto me, you made your choice, you exhibitionist idiot, so now deal with the consequences on your own.”

Really, those were supposed to be winter mourning clothes, so why was her skin showing through?

And wouldn’t you normally at least drape a shawl or stole over your shoulders to stay warm when outside?

Mikoto stared into the distance and muttered to herself.

“They do say children don’t feel the cold. Or is the saying that idiots can’t catch cold the one I want here?”

“I don’t want to hear that from the girl who wears shorts no matter how rainy or windy it is.”

Shokuhou was lucky she wasn’t wearing a shawl. Because Mikoto might have strangled her with it.

Just as Tokiwadai’s Ace and Queen were about to start grappling on a 2nd story outdoor passageway, something flashed in the corner of Mikoto’s vision.

It came from the open terminal at the interior of the large C-shaped shopping mall.

It was a taxi’s headlights.

The tall-roofed light station wagon taxi was modeled after the London ones. It was very round and cute.

Shokuhou Misaki was using her phone as she walked.

She appeared to have used a taxi hailing app.

“We can’t exactly walk through the entire city dressed like this, can we?”

“No, we can’t,” honestly admitted Mikoto.

Yes…

“You’re dressed as provocatively as a video producer desperate to get her subscriber count up. If you were walking out in the open, Anti-Skill would be on the scene in no time even this early in the morning.”

“Sigh. I really don’t want to hear that from the girl strutting around in the much freakier combination of a 14-year-old in mourning clo- gbhbhbhbhbhbbh!?”

Oh, it turned out the chain of her purse could also be used to strangle.

The mall hadn’t officially opened yet, so the escalator wasn’t running. After using it like stairs to reach the ground floor, Mikoto and Shokuhou climbed into the taxi’s back seat.

The driver was a woman. Maybe that was something the app let you request.

“Where to?”

“To the District 7 high school that was recently rebuilt. The one requiring black clothes like this to get in today.”

“Right.”

That was all the driver said.

The taxi smoothly pulled out onto the public road.

The driver thoughtfully switched off the overly bright LCD advertisement.

Mikoto’s warm Japanese clothing was fluffy enough to make fastening her seat belt a challenge. After making sure she heard it click, she sighed.

“So are we splitting the fare 50/50?”

“Sorry, but this is a hired vehicle with a contract updated every six months, so the distance of a single trip like this doesn’t really have a price. Or were you offering to pay for the full half year?”

“Go to hell.”

Their wealthy surroundings had its pros and its cons. Showing off with vehicles like this tended to escalate in any surroundings, but at Tokiwadai some girls went as far as hiring a helicopter. And unlike in the movies, they couldn’t just land on any building roof, which made them extremely inconvenient for getting around in a city.

The taxi…or was it technically a hired vehicle? Whatever it was, the car traveled smoothly.

The city had a unique feel this early in the morning.

Some of the restaurants were serving their morning menu, but most other service industry locations had their metal shutters down. The city still hadn’t woken from its slumber. In some places, both sides of the major street were rejecting customers.

No.

Was it more than just that?

“…”

Since she had nothing to discuss with the scheming queen, Mikoto looked out the window.

Academy City was torn up.

Buildings here and there were covered by soundproofing sheets and construction equipment like bulldozers and concrete mixer trucks were traveling every which way on the morning streets. At some intersections, the streetlights were dark and adults were directing traffic. They must have been using noise canceling technology, but a closer inspection showed the flashing light of welding being done this early in the morning.

Anna Sprengel, Christian Rosencreutz, and Alice Anotherbible. The repairs to the city had been delayed by one major incident after another.

(I wasn’t involved in it all, though.)

Would the outcome have differed had she been?

Mikoto wasn’t confident she could have survived an incident not even that idiot had managed to overcome.

She didn’t feel like she had survived.

She had been left behind.

That more accurately summed up her feelings.

Those who had lost their lives may have been furious to hear her say so, though.

She saw a city of white, black, and gray.

The pretty exterior had been stripped away.

Just viewing it brought a gloom drifting down onto her like volcanic ash.

She muttered a few words with her eyes still directed outside the window.

“…How much longer?”

“We’re almost there.”

===Part 4===

At the international airport in Haneda.

Kanzaki Kaori was Japanese, so she could blend into the crowds easily enough (including her 2m katana she had slipped through hidden among her luggage). She knew she had been chosen for this role for that purpose.

The Amakusas were currently being protected by the Anglican Church.

This naturally had an effect on their actions.

(But…)

She was gathering a lot of attention.

And not because she was wearing a midriff-baring top and jeans with one leg cut off at the base of the thigh.

“How long are you going to keep crying?”

“But…but…”

She was with Itsuwa.

They had received word of that boy’s death some time ago. Nevertheless, Itsuwa had been like this the entire flight here. The flight attendant kept giving her worried looks and the child in a nearby seat had snickered, probably because he thought she was overreacting to a movie.

Yet she was supposed to be a member of the Amakusa Church who stuck to their faith even if it meant going into hiding.

As Itsuwa finally replied, her eyes were red from rubbing them so much.

Tatemiya, Tsushima, and the rest had managed to restrain themselves, but Itsuwa hadn’t.

“It doesn’t bother you, Priestess? I mean…we can never…never see him again.”

“…”

Kanzaki had failed to save someone.

She was always insisting she would save everyone, yet this was a familiar feeling for Saint Kanzaki Kaori. She was always the only one to survive and the world never did change.

He was dead, but time marched on.

Mercilessly.

No, she couldn’t just let death happen and move on. There was much that had to be done because someone had died.

Kanzaki sighed softly.

The smell of morning curry wafted in, presumably from the lounge. Just like any other day.

Academy City’s District 23 had an international airport. There were direct flights there from England. So why had the Amakusas entered Japan through Haneda, which was outside the city?

Kanzaki Kaori quietly asked for confirmation.

“You know what we must do, don’t you?”

“Yesh…”

===Part 5===

Gray Academy City was falling apart after so many consecutive battles.

A long narrow polished car drove slowly through the city, looking out of place among all the damage that had happened too quickly for repairs to be made.

It was colored black and gold.

It was a hearse.

There must have been a tacit understanding because the workers directing traffic rotated their red poles to keep the hearse moving.

Academy City had the unusual feature of a population 80% made up of students. The housing was overwhelmingly made up of student dorms. This greatly changed the methods for wakes and funerals compared to ordinary cities. For example, the majority of people had no blood relatives in the city, so the body was generally not returned home for a wake after the death was confirmed at a hospital. A wake was either held at a ceremony hall or the body was stored in the morgue a while longer.

Also, funerals were usually held at the student’s school.

This served several purposes: it helped reduce the impact of the death on the teachers and students, any specialized facilities for that purpose would be too few in number to cover all the city’s dead, and most importantly of all, it made a clear statement of who had jurisdiction over the body that had gone through the esper development program.

Altogether, this meant there was no hiding the date of a funeral.

Because of this, if you knew the start and end locations – the frog-faced doctor’s hospital and an ordinary high school in this case – you could predict what route the hearse would take. It helped that the unusual length of a hearse restricted what streets it could use.

A building was leaning at an angle after its rebuilding had been delayed.

On its roof, Human Aleister clutched the twisted railing and stared intently down at the ground.

The hearse couldn’t have been more vulnerable.

He could only imagine they were unaware of the value of what they carried.

The golden retriever by his side spoke bitterly.

“Don’t.”

“But this is the last chance.”

“See him off. Like a true friend should.”

“I know that!! But this is the only chance to steal the body intact!” he roared.

Anyone could choose to do the right thing. But there were paths that could not be reached in that way. Throughout this human’s history, he had been despised for taking those paths.

He didn’t ask for others’ understanding.

He had learned all too well over the course of his life that someone who feigned intellectualism by lobbing criticisms from a position of safety could never direct history in a positive direction.

If he was going to change things, it had to be now.

Chances were slippery. They were reduced in real time.

And they never grew.

“He will be at the crematorium in a few hours’ time!! Once even his bones have been burned and not even a hair remains to retrieve his DNA map from, it’s all over. ''Then I truly will be powerless.'' …Doing the right thing? Nonsense. What good is that other than a salve to dull the pain of failure??? This is how it always works in my life! It’s too late to regret your actions once it’s all over!!”

The boy’s death had already been confirmed.

He was past the point of being revived by electric shocks or a cardiac massage.

Why?

Why obsess over the presence of the body at this stage?

Why must he steal it intact?

Aleister’s opinion was simple.

He simply couldn’t accept it.

He had seen the moment of death more times than he could count.

But that didn’t mean he was used to it.

“Academy City has clone technology.”

Anyone would feel this way.

If there was a means of overturning death, what was wrong with relying on it?

This really could be the last chance. So struggle. He had no obligation to nobly give up and protect the natural order.

He shouted.

With all his strength.

“What about powered suits filled with life-support devices, cyborg tech, artificial ghosts, or even giving his preserved corpse autonomous movement! Yes, he’s dead, but so what? Death is no reason to give up!! If I make all the mistakes myself, then he can again smile in this world!!!”

The golden retriever said nothing.

Aleister had to know he was wrong.

But Kihara Noukan understood how foolish it was to reject someone’s emotions based on what was logically right. Besides, the Kihara family placed no importance on what the general public considered to be “right”.

Aleister was human through and through.

For better and for worse.

Kihara Noukan actually liked that messier side of him. That was a fact.

“But.”

The golden retriever used a skinny mechanical arm to place a cigar in his mouth.

And he prepared a special lighter to light it.

“Not everyone is going to understand your idea of romance.”

Without warning and as cheaply as in a TV drama, a cold rain began to fall.

Kihara Noukan stared at his top-quality Cuban in disappointment.

The rooftops were private property, so Academy City’s no smoking ordinance shouldn’t have applied there.

“…”

There had been no advance sign.

This rain was blatantly unnatural.

Then again, maybe it was wrong to look for anything natural inside Academy City to begin with.

A voice spoke within the pouring rain.

“Cool it.”

He wasn’t actually here of course.

The familiar voice was not playing from a speaker. Even a researcher with the Kihara name was a smidge impressed.

“That’s the sound of the falling rain. So are you superimposing your voice onto the vibrations of the raindrops themselves?”

Meanwhile, the human spoke with his voice low.

As if he were uttering a powerful curse.

“''The new Board Chairman,'' huh?”

“And get a clue. You don’t have a choice here. That third-rate bastard used up all his options that day. That’s all there is to this. Neither of us can waltz in after the fact and start messing with things.”

This rain didn’t just ''seem'' artificial.

It truly was artificial rain created by Academy City technology.

He could freely control the entire world’s weather and environment, but a single person’s life was beyond his reach. Controlling so much great knowledge wasn’t enough to make someone happy.

But this wasn’t enough to extinguish Aleister’s obsession which burned as hot as scorching lava.

Like steam, incredible emotion rose from his shoulders.

“You can’t just let this happen, can you? You must understand. He didn’t need to die. Anna Sprengel, Christian Rosencreutz, and Alice Anotherbible – those were all issues we should have solved! But he carried it all on his shoulders when there was no need to!! And now you’re going to give up? Surely you understand! If we follow the ordinary morality that everyone understands, we will lose him forever!!”

“Yes,” admitted Accelerator.

He accepted the possibility that something that should have ended could be made to continue using a cruel and grotesque method.

If all you wanted to do was make the flesh and bones called Kamijou Touma continue operating, ''that could be done.

You could mend the stopped brain and send electrical signals through it again. ''But only that.''

However.

Even then…

“But this isn’t your city anymore.”

“Kh.”

“I didn’t unfairly usurp it from you. You handed the keys to me yourself because you were satisfied. Coming back now and trying to take it back is just sad.”

He wasn’t level-headed.

He knew what this meant.

He had his own thoughts on the matter. But Accelerator appeared to be fighting his own emotions. And the #1 knew what happened when his emotions and his reason fought and the emotions won. After crawling through the city’s darkness, he knew all too well.

And he knew that bloody path led nowhere.

So he would show that his desire to not turn back and to keep his path a one-way road was more than just wordplay.

“I know,” said the new Board Chairman. His voice firm. “After choosing to participate in that experiment to kill 20 thousand clones, I know what it means for someone to die. The living are free to struggle against death. And I think they should. But someone else messing with someone who’s already dead is something else entirely. It’s similar, but so very different, Aleister.”

The 20 thousand clones’ numbers had been reduced to less than 10 thousand.

Could he atone for his sins by using the same cells to produce another 10 thousand girls with the same face?

''Like hell he could.

…Those unspoken words left Aleister stunned.

Even an idiot could understand this.

Accelerator was undeniably in the right here.

Kihara Noukan’s wet and unlit cigar wiggled uselessly in his mouth.

(The military clones, hm? That experiment was meant to evolve the #1. ''Or that was the official story anyway.'' It pushed him to grow in an unexpected direction, but you’re still the one that gave him that push, Aleister.)

“People mustn’t defile the deaths of others. The question isn’t if it’s possible. The fact that it is technologically possible is why we must show restraint.”

===Part 6===

“…”

Aleister listened to it all.

He listened to the raindrop voice.

It didn’t reach him.

Not that he didn’t understand it.

That wasn’t what he wanted right now.

How could you find ordinary peace by following that sort of path?

Human Aleister clenched his teeth and whispered in a terrifyingly low voice.

“Now that I’ve heard you out.”

“Huh?”

“What if I still refuse?”

“Then I’ll stop you of course, ''outsider''. I won’t let you turn Academy City back into what it was. Like I already told you: this isn’t your city.”

The voice carried by the raindrops pounding against the rooftop conveyed icy killer intent.

Academy City began to move.

Rotors loudly sliced at the air.

“…”

These were unmanned Six Wings attack helicopters.

Those had been used in combat for a while now, but they had only become known to the media at large during World War Three, which was arranged in secret by Fiamma of the Right. The world had been shocked by the sight of the helicopters accurately locating an enemy tank battalion in the middle of a raging blizzard and then destroying only the enemy weapons while avoiding all the anti-air fire.

''It was an older weapon at this point.

Daily progress was a thing everywhere, but the value of each and every minute and second was so much greater in Academy City.

Weapons several generations ahead of the current standard had to be lurking deep within labs across the city.

This was an attack with overwhelming numbers by a known technology. It was effective, but it brought no risk to the one giving the orders. It was a boring “no risk, high return” strategy. The leader safely surrounded by thick walls only had to view the distant future and spit out logical arguments.

It was the method of Academy City’s Board Chairman.

Aleister felt like he was seeing his old self.

(He’s dealing with me, who, for better or for worse, knows Academy City inside and out. I thought he would ''at least'' silently distribute nanodevices modeled after a deadly virus, but does he not even have that much left to use?)

“Is that all?”

Aleister felt no fear.

He only felt rage.

''Take this seriously.

''This is literally the final line to determine his fate.

“Did you really think this was enough for someone as stubborn as me to quietly back off!?”

A giant blackness appeared with so much force it seemed ready to engulf the world before concentrating powerfully down into a single point above Aleister’s palm.

Black.

That was a pitch black flame not found in the natural world.

It was the ultimate destruction controlled by “the wickedest man in the world” who prophesied the outbreak of World War One and, since he couldn’t stop the death it would bring, considered putting together a massive spell using all the bloodshed.

“Protector of the abyss – that is, the barrier none can cross – and the monster that severs the bonds between people to prevent their evolution. Your value is 333, your meaning is dispersion. Demon who I have named, gather in my hand, Coronzon!!!”

He felt his own heart crawl disconcertingly.

Something unseen had been carved away.

He could tell.

But this was what it meant to stick to your guns.

Had he thought he could do this without any risk to himself?

As long as it would not force misfortune and tragedy onto an unknown third party, Aleister would use any forbidden magic.

This would scatter “sparks” from the collision between phases, but he would direct that side effect onto himself.

A cold sweat very different from the chilly rain formed on his face, but he bared his teeth and spoke.

“You’re no monster. You’re as much a human as I am.”

“…”

“And as you have gathered all the ugliest parts of that humanity, allow me to gift you the ultimate foolishness. …This is death. If you would dismiss human death as something that ‘can’t be helped’, then raise your head from your paperwork and look me in the eye. I will test the rawness of death for you!!!”

The voice didn’t even respond.

It was a thorough rejection. The ultimate lack of understanding. Which may have been why the new Board Chairman was so disappointed.

It didn’t end with bringing down the Six Wings.

Far below, on the surface, a monster emerged looking like a tank gun attached to the roof of an 8-wheel armored truck. That was a Predator Octopus. By breaking the pillars in accordance with careful calculations, even a building like this could be brought down.

''A mere'' 120mm gun?

Laughable.

Who did they think they could destroy with that?

It all felt like a desperate attempt to cover up a lack of forces. After the consecutive attacks of Anna Sprengel, Christian Rosencreutz, and Alice Anotherbible, Academy City was run down. It didn’t have many remaining forces.

If an individual wanted to have their way within the city, now was the only chance.

The 8-wheeled vehicle turned its gun to aim at Aleister.

It didn’t bother thinking about cover or an escape route.

That suggested it was unmanned.

An explosive sound erupted out.

It was a roar.

Produced by a human body. The wall of compressed air blew away the airborne shell, crushed the unmanned weapon, and caused a circle of asphalt to sink down. Deep down.

(I will not let him be taken to the crematorium.)

Thus, Aleister was leaning forward in that moment.

(As long as I can secure Kamijou Touma’s whole body, there are still options. Plenty of options!! I don’t even need any help from Academy Ci-)

Crash!!!

Without warning, a powerful lightning bolt fell from the sky, piercing Aleister’s body on its way down.

===Part 7===

Accelerator had not left the District 10 prison.

Not a single step.

That was the restriction he had placed on himself.

And he didn’t even need to.

“Hmph.”

Gas pipes, water pipes, and fiber optic cables.

All sorts of plumbing and wiring was laid out like a spider web below Academy City. The total length could wrap around the earth two and a half times with more to spare.

So.

With the ultimate vector control power, there was no need to leave the strictly guarded prison. As long as he knew an effective path, he could easily use the artificial objects underground to manipulate the atmosphere, create pressure differences, and send down an electric attack like a spear piercing the human who was located several train stations away.

He had never said he was helpless just because he wouldn’t leave.

No matter the reason, he would not use a crisis as an excuse to cut his punishment short. But with so much power at his disposal, he couldn’t just let people die when he was capable of saving them. Both of those were absolutes in his mind.

He would make them both work together.

So the new Board Chairman had honed his #1 Level 5 power to this point.

Could he win against that bastard now?

(A meaningless question.)

Accelerator shook his head.

What good was winning?

For that matter, did he even need enemies?

Creating a world with no need for a division between friend and foe would be the much greater challenge. But there was a boy who had accomplished something close to that. He hadn’t cared too much about the level system, he had understood adults and children alike, and he hadn’t cared if someone was from inside or outside Academy City. It was a small thing, but someone had created a world like that.

He hadn’t feared failure.

Even if it meant embarrassment, injury, or acting in vain, he hadn’t hesitated to reach out his hand.

It was the same for Accelerator. In his fairly short life, the moments he sensed obvious growth in himself were generally when he was crawling through the mud. The #1 could count his experiences like that on one hand, but that boy had done it every single day like it was normal.

He had grown so much more.

Which explained why Accelerator had never been able to catch up.

Board Chairman of Academy City?

Maybe all forms of information gathered here.

But that boy’s field of view had to have been much wider.

(Focus on the immediate issue.)

Accelerator looked to one wall of his cell.

The LCD monitor there displayed all sorts of information at once and it was currently producing a voice.

This was not a voice of fiery rage.

The emotion was more like a resentment with the sticky consistency of mud.

It was the voice of a cornered beast.

“That was roughly a billion volts. Did that wake you up, human?”

“Hm, so the artificial rain was only the rehearsal. To test how far your vector control could influence atmospheric and meteorological conditions!!”

He hadn’t used dry ice or silver iodide.

This weather control had used an entirely different principle to alter the atmospheric pressure.

Should he create some scorching plasma next?

“That level of deception is standard on the dark side. People have a bad habit of readily accepting lies they find convenient. Ridiculous. Like I would change the weather just to help you cool your head. Civilian companies have weather forecast apps these days. And there are tons of people who would rate them poorly after just one prank like this.”

===Part 8===

Burning wasn’t quite the right word.

All the oxygen molecules in the air were split into individual atoms before rebonding and giving off the distinctive odor of ozone.

Aleister clenched his teeth while doubled over on the rooftop as a second punishing blow dropped toward him. A blinding flash and deafening boom followed.

“Gahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!?”

“I don’t need a big, one-shot attack.”

These words rejected everything Accelerator used to be.

And he spoke them without a hint of hesitation.

Were the logics of an offensive battle and a defensive battle entirely different?

“If I have a way to whittle down your stamina bit by bit, I just have to keep doing that as long as it takes. I can slowly but surely wear down your defenses. I will continue to fight with the resources I have. Can you kill me right away? If not, you’re screwed. It doesn’t matter how boring and silly a win this will be.”

“Gh, khh!!”

A third bolt. A fourth.

But he didn’t break.

Aleister Crowley did not fall.

Everyone else was accepting that boy’s death.

He had to consider what would be lost if he broke now.

Just once more!!

“Not…yet!! I will have my way this time… I will use every piece of knowledge at my disposal!! But not for myself. So that he can stand back up and once more reach out that right hand to save many more people! I will break any taboo that stands in my way. If it will keep them from giving up on a human life, I will stand up to even the most powerful enemy!”

“What does it matter if you defeat that enemy? Why do you even need to make enemies?”

He had no answer.

He couldn’t find anything to say.

He was the human who had belonged to the world’s largest magic cabal and had made full use of his notoriety in that world but had also made countless enemies and ultimately vanished into the shadows of history. Aleister himself knew what would happen if he bragged about being the most infamous magician in the world.

A life of making and defeating enemies did not lead to happiness.

The effort spent on gathering the power to kill and end problems that way could instead be spent on working to explain yourself. To avoid opposition and misunderstandings in the first place. Effort toward that was much healthier and correct.

The Golden cabal had been the world’s largest.

Aleister Crowley was the magician who had won and survived the Battle of Blythe Road.

But.

In the end.

Had he found happiness by ''only'' pursuing the power to master magic and to fight?

What did it matter if you were the strongest?

Someone else had once walked that path.

The old Board Chairman had stayed there, but the new Board Chairman had begun searching through the darkness for a different exit.

His voice spoke.

The collection of raindrop sounds carried human emotion.

No matter how many detours he had taken along the way, his continuing effort to atone for his sins had allowed this monster to begin down a different path from Aleister.

“You could have risked your life to reach out a helping hand. You were in the city, so you weren’t just an observer. You had what it took to take part in the conclusion. But now isn’t the time for that.”

“!!”

“It’s already over.”

One by one, the new Board Chairman’s low words stabbed deep into his own chest.

“You were in the city, weren’t you? Then location wasn’t the issue. Like I said, it was an issue of timing. You chose the wrong time to play your trump card.”

Aleister’s mouth opened and closed, but no words left it.

And not because of the lightning.

They were both unusual geniuses, so he understood what the #1 was trying to say.

Simply put…

“Accept the truth. Stop blaming it on everyone else. …This is all the result of your own choices. Trying to cover up your own failures will only distort the world around you.”

“Oh, oh.”

He crumbled.

He couldn’t even breathe.

His voice eventually rose to a cry – the cry of human lamentation.

…It wasn’t like he had especially cared about the boy to begin with.

No matter how unusual they were, his plan had him observing all residents of Academy City equally.

''“Let’s do this.”

''”No words are necessary. We know each other better than that.”

But in truth, that boy had delved deep inside the Windowless Building and, with Mina Mathers’s help, smashed Aleister’s plan with his right fist.

''“Then prove that we can defeat Coronzon without using Lilith!! What other way is there to protect your precious baby!!!???”

He had saved Baby Lilith and battled Great Demon Coronzon.

During a large-scale battle covering the entire United Kingdom, if not the entire world, Aleister had somehow ended up fighting alongside that boy.

How much had that saved him on the inside even as he maintained a cynical attitude toward the world?

Without seeing that boy’s way of life up close, Aleister could never have faced his own inferiority complex and would have been killed by Mathers then.

''“Ahhhh!! Ahhhhhhh!! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!”

When Alice Anotherbible appeared and delivered a devastating blow to the dark side, Aleister had once more entered Academy City.

The monster himself had forgotten how that boy had wept upon learning of Human Aleister Crowley’s survival.

''“Run away with me, Anna Sprengel!!!”

He and the boy had stood on opposite sides on the question of what to do about Anna Sprengel.

From an efficiency and safety standpoint, Aleister hadn’t been wrong.

He was sure of that.

But Kamijou Touma had been right.

That boy had clearly been correct.

Aleister knew that wicked woman had smiled happily by Kamijou Touma’s side after her poison had been removed and the threat negated. That had been a win for the boy’s belief in human possibility.

Aleister couldn’t abandon him.

Even if they had parted ways after failing to reach an agreement.

But.

This was that human’s selfish desire.

Was it not what that boy wanted and would it not make him happy?

This desire wouldn’t lead anywhere.

The memories of him that Aleister had worked so hard to gather up were spilling away.

It was time.

Give up.

If you truly want to focus on a life more precious than your own.

“Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!”

Yes.

The final person accepted it.

Accepted his death.

===Part 9===

Inside a District 7 hospital, it was still early morning.

No one else was inside the hallway waiting area where a few vending machines were lined up. The frog-faced doctor sat alone on the artificial leather sofa there staring out of the window as raindrops pounded on it.

The paper cup in his hand hadn’t moved in a while. The coffee had long since gone cold.

“…Phew.”

His let out a heavy breath.

He had seen the hearse off.

It was necessary, but this was his hardest job as a doctor.

Would the funeral be starting about now?

He drew the line here.

As the doctor who had failed to save him, he felt wrong heading to the funeral. He wished the boy’s surviving family could at least direct all their anger at him, but his parents wouldn’t even be in the city.

There were lives he could not save.

No matter what strange alternate name he was known by, there was nothing he could do when the patient’s heart and brain activity had stopped by the time they arrived at the hospital. The frog-faced doctor could only save the living.

Nevertheless, he couldn’t help but wonder.

What if?

If he had broken more of the rules, could something have changed here?

(Does it make me coldhearted that I can calmly say I shouldn’t do that specifically because it is technically possible?)

“…”

Hurried footsteps snapped the frog-faced doctor out of his reverie.

Someone poked their head out from around the hallway corner.

It was a familiar face.

It belonged to a young medical intern.

“Doctor, we have an emergency! A District 7 ambulance is headed our way. There was an accident at a construction site and a worker had their hand caught in the machinery.”

“Understood. Prepare to receive them immediately.”

He swallowed the rest of the liquid in the paper cup, crushed it in his grip, and tossed it in the nearby trash can.

He stood from the sofa.

The frog-faced doctor turned around.

His white coat swishing around him.

He turned his back.

He cut off all feelings related to Kamijou Touma who was already gone.

It was a conscious choice.

Nothing he could do would bring back the dead.

But there was another emergency patient he could still save.

===Part 10===

In a brand new high school in District 7, Komoe-sensei spoke to the students in her classroom.

“Fukiyose-chan, Aogami-chan…and the rest of you too. The ceremony is about to begin, so please move to the auditorium.”

They filed out.

It was all in motion now.

The final obstacle – Aleister Crowley – had been removed.

The world had accepted it.

Kamijou Touma’s funeral was finally beginning.

<noinclude>
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Toaru Majutsu no Index:GT Volume11 Chapter1

2026-06-10T22:41:08Z

Ultranova17: minor spelling

==Chapter 1: The Other Side of the Ordinary – Hell,_Hades,_and_Gehenna.==

===Part 1===

“…”

“…”

Silence.

After all, this was ''the'' Rosencreutz. How were you supposed to hold a conversation with the monster who single-handedly made a mess of Academy City!? It felt like being alone in a cramped elevator late at night with a man who had a prominent pompadour. The tension was intense. Kamijou was more friendly and welcoming to science, magic, and weirdos than most, but even he had his limits. Just walking alongside this man counted as an emergency in his book!

“Hm, hm♪ Oh, dear. Maybe I should have 🍴en some 🗾ese katsudon before I died.”

Kamijou heard a carefree voice.

The only smiling person here was Anna Kingsford as she walked a step ahead of him.

A great gale blew across the wasteland here, but she simply held her hat down with a hand like none of it mattered.

She even hummed a casual tune.

Kamijou really would have preferred to stick with that gentle and safe young woman who looked so soft in every aspect than to have anything to do with that dangerous man, but doing that would have meant turning his back to CRC. How could he do that? Wouldn’t that be just as suicidal as refusing to stick with the group and holing up in a room alone while a murderer lurked the halls of the mansion? It honestly terrified him!!!

“Don’t worry so much, boy.” The red-clad young man chuckled while stroking his beard. “This old man must also travel through hell, so at the very least I will not disturb your journey. They say all travelers could use a companion, don’t they? This old man has died, so now I must redo things. So let’s form the greatest all-star party and enjoy a picnic together!!”

“…”

Kamijou felt blue.

He sensed more to that man’s words, or he wasn’t sure how to interpret them. Regardless, each and every thing he said seemed to carry a deep and dangerous meaning!! The way he talked about a traveling companion with such a dark grin was terrifying!!!

“The ✝️ hell is shaped like a giant mortar,” said Kingsford without looking back.

She didn’t seem to mind.

Was she not afraid? Hadn’t Rosencreutz killed her once?

Or was being killed just the once a trivial matter to an expert who had transcended life and death?

This was unlike Aleister Crowley and Anna Sprengel, who were extraordinary magicians in their own right. Those two still clung to their lives and formulated their plans and strategies without giving up on living. So even if their skills were transcendent, Kamijou and others could predict their actions to an extent.

The Magic Gods like Othinus and High Priest had sacrificed their lives to master their paths, but it was their understanding of how valuable a life was that allowed them to make such great use of their own.

But this woman lacked that, so she could casually cross the boundary between life and death.

She could leave and return.

That was Anna Kingsford.

Doing things normally and ordinarily in these circumstances was in fact extremely bizarre.

“The shape of hell is ❌ so much like a 🌕 crater as it is like what you’ll see if you search for an image of open-pit mining. Each level is like another step, with the levels growing narrower as they go down, with the very bottom converging on a single point.”

Kamijou heard the clinking sounds of hard objects colliding. Rather than plastic, this was the high-pitched and dangerous sound of glass or crystal.

Rosencreutz held something like a clear jigsaw puzzle in his hand.

“This was originally a single card.”

The jumble of pieces refused to fit together, their contours constantly bumping together.

It looked the full shape would be…a V?

No, a mortar.

But when viewing a cross-section from the side, it may have resembled a deep canyon.

Although it appeared to be glitching and refused to function.

“My miniature model of the world recreates all phenomena within itself, thus gathering all phenomena relating to the world’s past, present, and future in my hand. However, it does not seem to work with the realm of hell which is found outside the world.”

Regardless, Kamijou and the others were at the very top of the mortar, on the outermost edge.

Hell was spacious.

They were supposed to be pulling a jailbreak, but where were they supposed to go and what were they supposed to do?

“Like I 💬, hell is shaped like a giant mortar or like an inverted pyramid.”

Kingsford poked the broken model with a smile.

Those two were both experts.

The location was hell.

All things considered, this was one hell of a roadside chat.

“By 👣ing all the way around each level, we should find a stairway or slope leading down to the next level.”

“Hmph. I doubt that’s ''all'' we will find.”

CRC boredly poked his finger at the V-shaped miniature model(?) floating in front of his face to guide a stray piece toward the whole.

“This hell is a mixture of a few different ideas. There is no accurate model, so there is no correct path. We might suddenly wind up in the Buddhist Eight Great Hells or in the Shinto Yomotsu Hirasaka. In fact, if we go waltzing down there, thinking we know the answer, we might just run into a dead end.”

“I am aware of that.”

Kingsford and Rosencreutz looked Kamijou’s way at the same time.

He didn’t understand it.

Feeling like an outsider, the idiot had been only half-listening, waiting for the experts to arrive at an answer, so he panicked now.

“Wh-what? Me?”

“In this case, I expect he will be the 🗝️. Our view will mostly be the Western conception of hell, but he is 🗾ese and will think of the Eastern conception of hell, ruled by Lord Enma and full of 👹.”

“If we’re lucky. How are we supposed to predict what we’ll run across if he’s thinking of the ‘demon world’ shown on some trading card? This old man’s miniature model of the world is only meant to reproduce the past, present, and future of the real world. It can’t do the same for a purely fictional story.”

Kamijou didn’t like what he was hearing.

Apparently he had leveled up from dead weight to a ticking time bomb.

“Also, do ❌ lose the sense that you do ❌ belong.”

“?”

“Traveling through hell is all well and good, but you must ❌ let it influence you too much. This is only a temporary place for you. If you plant roots too deep, you will ❌ be able to return. Just think of it as a good-luck charm to help our jailbreak succeed.”

That made sense.

He doubted he could ever feel at home in hell, but how long would that last? Who keeps company with the wolf will learn to howl. The Japanese language contained multiple phrases to that same end, which suggested everyone knew it could happen. Kamijou had a feeling the Japanese were especially prone to just going with the flow. Like how everyone complained about global warming while gradually getting used to the higher temperatures.

But.

“Okay, I get the idea, but what exactly am I supposed to avoid doing? I’m not sure how I can avoid it if you don’t tell me what the ‘land mines’ are.”

“There is ❌ way to know how many there are in all.”

Wait.

“Wouldn’t the simplest examples be eating or drinking the food and drink of hell?” said Rosencreutz.

“What about looking back?”

“In the story of Orpheus stealing back his wife, he had promised Hades he would not look back until he had left hell. We just have to hope we do not run afoul of any rules we can break without first making a promise.”

“Um.”

Kamijou wanted them to slow down.

Weren’t there any more obvious “land mines” like kicking a jizo statue on the side of the road or eating a grave offering? Now he was more worried than ever he would step on one without realizing it!

Kingsford gently placed a hand on her cheek and looked his way.

“It should go without 💬ing that hell does not play fair.”

“Ugh.”

“But at the same ⏱️, hell is meant to make sinners suffer, not to apply violence indiscriminately.”

In that sense, was hell better than the overly passionate and indiscriminate stories of being chased through the school all night long after happening to see a ghost there or finding a strange woman waiting at an intersection?

The idea of only the properly judged sinners being chosen for punishment was very different from the 2-hour summer ghost story specials on TV where the suffering dead would grab at anyone and everyone to drag them down to hell with them. In Japanese horror, it was more the fresh and still-living souls that would gather around.

But…

“We were in fact properly judged and sent to hell. Not this young lady who cheated her way here, but I doubt you or this old man will be awarded that luxurious mystery prize.”

“Ugh!!”

Kamijou had forgotten he had wound up in hell the ordinary way.

But at least he would be less hesitant to escape from a gloomy and torturous hell than from a heaven where all his wants were fulfilled.

He could become bound to hell.

There were taboo actions hidden in the scenery around him.

Without knowing the exact conditions, he couldn’t predict when or where he might step on a “land mine”. It was possible one wrong move was all it took, but he decided to assume the danger grew the longer he remained in hell. Like how the danger of Russian roulette grew with each consecutive round.

“☠️ing and being killed in hell are ❌ problem. What you need to 👀 out for is becoming bound to hell. Keep that in 🧠.”

“Watch that you do not ''cling to'' hell, boy.”

Kamijou decided to assume hell was always hostile.

And that it would pull out all the stops on violence and deception.

He heard a rustling sound.

He turned toward it and saw something there.

A muscular macho man with a bull’s head was carrying a humongous axe.

Was this a random encounter!? What were the “land mines” he had to avoid here? Was he really supposed to keep going without knowing the rules of hell!?

“Hey, wait, wh-what is this all of a sudden!?”

“Good question. A Greek harpy or minotaur as a gatekeeper is a very odd thing for a Christian-based hell.”

“That is not what I meant! Quit grinning at me like thaaaaaaaat!!!”

Even as Kamijou shouted, he clenched his right fist.

Would that help here?

Did he even still have Imagine Breaker now that he was dead? And even if he did, he had no clue if it would work against that mountain of muscle!!

The minotaur was a bipedal and muscular monster standing what looked to be 3m tall. It raised an ultra-heavy axe that rivaled the minotaur itself in size. The wind roared as the air was compressed. That axe had the unmistakable weight and glint of steel. At the very least, the weapon part didn’t look like an illusion.

Oh, I might be screwed.

Just as that thought came to the spiky-haired boy, Anna Kingsford and Christian Rosencreutz each took a step forward. The two experts both waved their right index finger.

Casually.

The great mountain of muscle was sliced through diagonally down from each shoulder, forming an X-shape.

The minotaur didn’t seem to have any weight. Instead of its pieces falling to the ground, they turned to thin shadows and vanished into nothingness.

The two experts didn’t seem to care much.

“That should do it. Since we have descended from earth to hell, the heaven-to-earth format of the Sephiroth needed to be replaced with the Qliphoth, but it worked out well enough. It would seem magic is still functional even in hell.”

“Sigh. There really should ❌ have been a minotaur at this shallow a level. A world of 🧠 images must be more easily influenced than I thought.”

Kamijou had no words.

One was an expert of good, the other was the opposite.

They really were on a level far beyond Kamijou Touma’s understanding.

===Part 2===

They continued through the dark hell.

Hell as a whole was supposedly shaped like mortar, but it looked like their goal was to continue downwards. Kamijou didn’t know his way around, so he had no choice but to follow Kingsford. He wanted to avoid getting lost and ending up alone with ''the'' Rosencreutz.

(Also…)

His right hand.

Did it still have any power, or not?

He tried touching his palm to a nearby black rock.

Inconclusive.

The rock was a rock, but it showed no sign of disappearing. He couldn’t say for sure what that meant. He was only sure of one thing: he was probably making a fool of himself.

For his next test, he tried touching Rosencreutz.

“O-oh?”

No change.

Why wouldn’t that man just disappear?

Then again, Kingsford had suffered no ill effects from him taking her hand.

Even so, he couldn’t be certain about Imagine Breaker unless he saw something be unnaturally destroyed. Like maybe that unnecessarily long beard.

“Wh-why are you suddenly flirting with this old man? O-oh, my. Someone help! This boy is a molester!”

A touch from his right hand proved nothing.

And he had another question.

“What did you mean about hell being influenced?”

He meant the question for Kingsford, but Rosencreutz answered (while trembling for some reason).

“Ultimately, it is possible god didn’t give all that much thought to hell compared to heaven. It is described in Revelation, but modern people are as influenced by hymns and Paradise Lost as they are by the Bible and academic books.”

“Is it really that vague? I mean, aren’t heaven and hell a pretty core or root part of the entire mythology?”

“Tartarus, Niflheim, the Eight Great Hells, Yomi, and all other ideas of the realm of the dead are no more than phases placed on top of the physical world. But once you enter one, you can never return to the basic physical world.”

That made it sound like ''this'' was found alongside the ordinary streets and parks, just behind a thin layer of reality. That was hard to believe while seeing it from the hell side.

“Also, everyone views hell differently. The 16th century Dutch view gives the demons of hell an opposition party and a master accountant – that is, a treasurer in charge of the demonic kingdom’s finances.”

“In that system, the supposedly wild and vicious 👿s did ❌ have free use of 💷.”

“But no matter how many conceptions of hell you consider, you will never find one that is correct. Which is why you can’t exactly be angry about the inclusion of non-biblical ideas.”

In other words, anything goes.

In that case, why couldn’t this be a hell with a tiny silver-haired and horned goth loli demon lord seated in an oversized throne and full of succubi in the kind of sexy underwear that makes it look like they lost a bet? The Transcendents who cosplayed as gods and demons had the Bologna Succubus, didn’t they!? That meant the original sexy young woman she was based on had to exist as a “species” in some world myth! There, he had an excuse!! Now he could finally transform this horrific hell into a wonderful picnic!!!

“Boy, you assume the Western hell is crawling with demons, don’t you? In truth, hell is managed by angels like Uriel, Kushiel, Anafiel, and Mastema. Hell is not a lawless realm of demons – it is a part of the omniscient and omnipotent god’s plan for all parts of the world from heaven to hell. A place where humans have their souls removed and laundered after they make a deal with the devil? That is no more than an idea created by folklore and fiction.”

“…”

Had it already been influenced that much?

The majority of Kamijou’s knowledge came from video games, so he was completely out of luck.

He could at least pick up that he wasn’t going to find a tiny silver-haired and horned goth loli demon lord seated in an oversized throne or any succubi in the kind of sexy underwear that makes it look like they lost a bet. Apparently this was a place bound by more serious rules than that. Was he allowed to despair yet? What fun was a hell like this!? Supposedly this was what god had created as part of his plan, but what kind of loving god would create that bull-head minotaur instead of a busty loli in a cow print bikini (who was actually super strong)!!!???

Maybe it was wrong to be looking for fun in hell.

The idea of the good guys managing hell reminded Kamijou of Lord Enma.

Kingsford laughed.

“But this vagueness can be exploited. We can manipulate this hell with our 🧠 images.”

Manipulate hell.

Kamijou knew better than to think it was really that simple.

That was a miracle only possible with the help of monsters like Christian Rosencreutz and Anna Kingsford. If an ordinary person wandered into this undefined hell, they would wander endlessly through the nightmarish world without any hope of finding their bearings, until they were so worn down their soul itself was snuffed out.

(I need to be careful. Who knows what we could come across from here on.)

They had already seen a minotaur.

It was easy to overlook thanks to the two experts, but if Kamijou had been alone, he was certain he would have been helplessly pummeled to death.

As the three of them continued walking through the shadows while a wind blew through, two rising shapes came into view in the distance.

(Are those mountains?)

Kamijou tried to ask that aloud, but his throat suddenly went dry and the words never came out.

He had a bad feeling about this.

But what was it this time? A hell of precipitous mountains or a hell of fire and ice? Since this was hell, he doubted whatever it was would be any fun. He honestly wanted to stop and assess what they were approaching, but Rosencreutz and Kingsford plowed on ahead.

“Hey, wait…”

“Nothing good will come of 🛑ing.”

“This is hell, after all.”

The spiky-haired boy had no choice but to keep up with them. He wasn’t even remotely emotionally ready, but being left alone in these shadows would be far worse.

As Kamijou Touma reluctantly approached the two mystery mountains, their shape gradually came into view.

He was speechless.

The two towering shapes were a pair of enormous breasts.

“Um!?”

The spiky-haired boy collapsed on the spot.

Supposedly, their thoughts could influence hell, but it was obvious whose thoughts were at work here. Because the other two were serious, expert-level magicians! And while he really didn’t want to accept it, those colossal boobs were very clearly contained in a swimsuit!!

It couldn’t be more obvious what Kamijou Touma had been looking at to put that image in his mind.

That swimsuit was very familiar.

Plus, there was only one woman in the group.

The glasses woman walking right there was wearing a racing swimsuit! And she was more casual about it than the people at a Los Angeles beach! The shape, the firmness, and the way they seemed ready to swell right out of the swimsuit were all identical to that gentle woman!!

(This is hell.)

The teenager wanted to die of embarrassment, but he wasn’t even allowed that.

Because Kamijou Touma was already dead.

He felt like his spine was twisting and his entire body was itching, but all he could do was shed tears of blood and clench his teeth.

Intentionally manipulating hell was apparently ultra-high-level magic, but uncontrollably influencing it appeared to be a different story.

(This really is hell!! Just standing here is damaging me more than any demon ever could!!!)

“Oh, dear. Oh, my, my, my.”

Anna Kingsford placed a hand on her cheek and gave a wonderfully elegant smile. There was no bitterness in it. And even that action was enough to cause some jiggling. Kamijou would have preferred it if she yelled at him and zapped him. The unconcerned deflection of his teenage desire was far more painful. Why couldn’t she at least rebuke him?

Christian Rosencreutz stared into the middle distance.

He appeared to understand.

“If you ask this old man, the blame lies in the careless woman who chose to dress like that and jiggle everywhere.”

“N-now this is true misfortune. I can’t believe I’m getting pity from a weirdo like him…”

Kamijou hung his head and trembled with humiliation.

He couldn’t bring himself to look at the colossal boobs that symbolized his sin. He wanted to get away from here as quickly as possible. That was the only thing driving him as he somehow managed to get his legs moving again. They did choose to avoid the mystery boob mountains because they had no idea what kind of powerful enemies or traps might be waiting there.

Once Kamijou had finally shaken free of his past mistake, he managed to look out ahead again.

He saw a pair of mountains.

Of jiggling fruits.

Together, they formed a colossal butt.

“………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………My ''what'' is colossal?”

She came to a stop.

While still smiling. The dense pressure radiating from the glasses woman was intense. Kamijou hung his head and couldn’t bring himself to look her in the eye. Apparently Anna Kingsford was the type to overlook a first mistake but never a second. Her warmth with the boobs had vanished.

But this was the same.

The shape, the firmness, the way the swimsuit rode up into it.

She was wearing a pareo over it, but he could tell! Because it occasionally swept backwards or blew upwards!!

CRC came to the teenager’s defense.

He roared with unclouded eyes.

“Put some clothes on before you scold the boy!! This old man is taking the boy’s side. Heh heh, ha ha ha ha ha! Why are you wearing so little over your enormous breasts and butt when this isn’t even a midsummer beach!? Gweh heh heh! Are you so unsatisfied you felt the need to seduce the poor boy!!?”

“Stop pouring oil on the fire for your own entertainment!! I’m the one who will catch all the flak for it!!” shouted Kamijou, bristling.

He took it all back. Rosencreutz might be able to enjoy himself since he was a monster, but they were up against an expert like Kingsford here. What would that curvy woman do if she got mad? A single “eek, pervert!” slap would snap Kamijou’s neck and send his head flying from his shoulders. And what happened to him if he lost his head in hell where he was already dead!?

“Boy, if you let safe and peaceful sex appeal rule the conversation, you might just be able to prevent a truly dangerous threat from rearing its ugly head.”

“Don’t give me an out, CRC. I might try to take it.”

Then the boy tried to change the subject.

While looking up at the colossal swimsuit butt.

“So what do we do now?”

The terrain wasn’t going to change into a brutal dungeon whenever he got hungry or tired and wanted a break, was it? Kamijou was worried. He only had a vague understanding of it, but wasn’t gluttony one of the Seven Deadly Sins that often appeared as bosses in video games?”

===Part 3===

Hell continued on and on.

They kept trudging along.

The place was apparently shaped like a bowl, but how many levels did it have in all? The clear jigsaw puzzle-like pieces of CRC’s miniature model were still clinking against each other without fitting together, so they could see the overall shape but not their exact position.

“Phew.”

After walking for a while, an odd thought occurred to Kamijou.

Hell was a dark, unpleasant place crawling with dangerous monsters. But when he just stood there, he didn’t feel any strong rejection to being there, like the intense pain or suffering of being in a fire or underwater.

He more felt an emptiness or blandness.

He had a vague idea staying here for too long would be a bad idea, but there were times when he wondered if coming to stop was really such a big problem.

If there was no immediate danger, was there any need to hurry on like this?

“Not wanting to die is a perfectly normal thing for living people,” said Rosencreutz as he walked nimbly alongside Kamijou. “That is because their instincts bind them there as long as they remain alive. Like the proverbial drowning man grasping at straws, their instincts will generally overpower their rational mind. Even if they have no dreams or hopes for the future, everyone knows dying is painful and frightening. So even without a reason to live, they will not want to die. Living people are fixed in that state.”

“Fixed?”

“Indeed. But the same is not true of the dead,” continued CRC, viewing a few unsteady shadows passing by in the darkness up ahead. “Because once they lose their life, they are freed from the bonds – the instincts – of life. Boy, do you have a dream for the future? Or a hope? Now that you are dead, you cannot rely on the ordinary instincts of a living being. Which means if you are to live, you must find an answer with your rational mind.”

“You mean…?”

“You can no longer rely on the lazy delaying factor of ''not dying simply because you do not want to die''. Your values and definitions have changed since you were alive. For the dead, being dead is the default state, so it is a very painful thing to wish strongly to return to life ''no matter what it might take''. You must find a purpose equally strong to the purposes that motivate the living to accept death.”

Before, he hadn’t died because he hadn’t wanted to die.

To overcome that required the willpower to sit down below the water and keep yourself there until your breathing stopped and death arrived.

Now, he didn’t live because he didn’t want to live.

How much willpower would it require to overcome that?

Was the pain and suffering of fighting his current “state of being” what Kingsford had meant by making a jailbreak from hell?

“…”

Kamijou stopped breathing.

Nothing felt wrong.

It wasn’t pleasant. He felt the pain of not breathing, but nothing more than that. He wasn’t afraid. He felt like he could keep doing this indefinitely as long as he didn’t decide to stop.

Did he have a powerful enough purpose?

Did he have a dream for the future? Did he have any hopes he wanted to ensure came true? Of course he wasn’t going to find anything like that. He was a 1st year in high school, so he wouldn’t be preparing for college or trying to find a job anytime soon.

He had always thought he didn’t want to die.

But he had accepted death to save Alice Anotherbible.

He had pushed himself to the limit.

And he really had died.

…It all made perfect sense. So what was there to complain about? Sure, dying was normally considered a painful thing, but he had taken that journey to accomplish what had to be done. And he had done it. So why should he keep fighting, keep struggling, and cling to the material world now that he was a ghost or a soul?

Attachment?

:Regrets?

::Or a grudge even?

Did he really have something like that in his heart?

“Oh, dear. It seems this bland hell has affected you faster than I 💭.”

“Affected?”

“🎯.”

Kamijou frowned and Kingsford nodded without turning toward him.

She spoke casually.

“That is how hell works. It removes one’s regrets about and ⛓️ to the world of the living so they will eternally wander this world of punishment. Thus, what you are feeling was ❌ born within you. You must ❌ let this false resignation deceive you. That is only the great device known as hell externally manipulating you. In a most efficient and effective manner.”

“But…”

Kamijou was hesitant to speak.

Like he was ashamed by the emptiness within him.

“Rosencreutz was right. You will normally grasp at straws when drowning. Because you can’t breathe. But what if you don’t breathe? Do you need to grasp at the straws then? If you can remain below the water without issue, why would you need to swim up to the distant surface? I am dead. That’s a fact. I have no dreams for the future. I can’t think of any reason why I would want to go to such lengths to come back to life.”

“❌.”

Kamijou himself couldn’t come up with anything, but Kingsford had an answer immediately.

An expert never made mistakes.

“You do, Kamijou Touma. You must clench your 🦷, crawl through the mud, and do whatever else it takes to escape hell and return to the world of the living. You have an all too obvious reason.”

“?”

Kamijou didn’t understand.

Anna Kingsford pointed her index finger to the side and moved it in a circle.

What kind of trick was she using?

A girl sat below a spotlight there. A silver-haired green-eyed girl in a white nun’s habit with gold embroidery decorating it like a fancy teacup.

What had that expert just done!?

“Wha-? That’s…Index?”

Kamijou’s eyes widened, but Christian Rosencreutz simply looked bored. Apparently this wasn’t worthy of surprise for another expert.

“Hmph. ''Made a connection,'' did you? But it’s only a pinhole.”

“Well, yes. The Qliphoth is a 🗺️ of the entire realm of 👻s and curses, but it is also an access route from hell to earth.”

That didn’t explain much for Kamijou.

But below the unseen surface, some kind of rules and laws must have fit together. Hell hadn’t counted this as a violation, but it sure seemed like a cheat or a loophole to Kamijou.

More importantly, that was Index.

Kamijou and Rosencreutz’s presence made sense – they were dead. But what was she doing here? Hadn’t Kingsford said this was hell – a destination for the dead!?

“Index!!”

“She can ❌ hear you. This is much like 👁️ing out through your front 🚪’s peephole.”

“Also, she isn’t here. You’re only spying on another territory located far from here. The world is made up of countless overlapping phases, but the distance between each phase is unimaginably great.”

“This is a different place. If you wish to open the 🚪 to meet her, you must first escape from this hell.”

“…”

Index wasn’t in hell.

That was a relief, at least.

He hesitantly reached out for her slender shoulder with his right hand, but stopped partway through the action. He didn’t know whether or not he still had Imagine Breaker, but negating this image of Index would be more than his heart could bear.

Maybe it was only an image, but he had finally seen Index again.

After he wasn’t even able to say goodbye.

“Touma…”

It felt like forever since he had heard that voice.

He relished the sound for just a moment. Because he had thought he would never hear it again.

But…

“Why did you have to die?”

He froze.

Index was seated on the ground and didn’t raise her head.

She looked anything but happy.

But wait.

Kamijou could accept his own death, but what did this mean for Index? She had been living in his dorm room. So had Othinus. He hadn’t seen Anna Sprengel since that time in the hospital, but she hadn’t even had a temporary place to stay.

And this wasn’t limited to the magic side.

He also had friends on the science side – in Academy City.

“How could I just let him die like that? And I call myself Academy City’s #3? I never even thanked that idiot. Not even for saving all my sisters!!”

This time, the image was of Misaka Mikoto.

She was hanging her head and her voice had no strength to it.

And it wasn’t just that special Level 5. He should have started the third school term like normal after the final day of winter break, but now he wouldn’t be able to see any of his classmates.

What about New Board Chairman Accelerator? He had directed all of Academy City’s forces against CRC because he bet on Kamijou winning. He had apparently been defeated by Trismegistus and taken out of the fight when Alice arose as a threat afterwards, but he had still bet on the city prevailing. He had trusted the rest of the city could solve the problem without him.

How had all that turned out in the end?

“We were classmates. Of course I just assumed you’d be here. …What do you mean I can never see you ever again, Kami-yan?”

“Everyone, please gather in the gym first thing that day. Sob. We will be heading out to the funeral afterwards, so the opening ceremony is going to take up the full half day.”

The mood in the classroom was bleak.

One desk stood out from the rest by having no one sitting in it.

Those classmates were seeing each other for the first time since before the break. They had to have plenty they wanted to share, but not one of them was smiling. They were all turning emotionless eyes toward the empty seat.

“…”

This wasn’t right.

Kamijou had an extremely bad feeling. Like realizing he had buttoned his shirt up wrong. Or like he had turned in a test with supreme confidence, but then couldn’t remember if he had actually written his name on it.

He was satisfied with his death.

But…had he actually thought that through?

And.

And.

And.

The last person to appear in the spotlight was Alice Anotherbible. The girl who had used herself as the ingredients to remake herself. The girl Kamijou had risked his one and only life to save.

But something wasn’t right.

Her head was lowered. Her shoulders were slumped. She wasn’t looking out ahead. Left all alone in an uninteresting world, she couldn’t bring herself to go anywhere.

What had happened to her?

“Al-”

But Kamijou Touma couldn’t speak to her.

Just before he tried, she whispered to herself.

“Teacher died.”

Kamijou’s shoulders shook.

He froze in place.

Her voice was void of all emotion. She sounded worn down. Like her life, her soul, or some other intangible something had critically worn away. She seemed in an even worse state than Kamijou who had wound up in hell.

Something felt intensely wrong to Kamijou.

He had made the right choice…he thought.

He had saved Alice.

He had seen no option except to sacrifice his life.

And he had succeeded, hadn’t he?

Yet he couldn’t shake the feeling.

He looked back at his choice over and over, confirming he had done the right thing, but the anxiety wouldn’t leave him.

He felt like he had missed some crucial fact, like he thought he had followed the bungee jump instructor’s directions flawlessly, but then, just before he jumped, he saw the other end of his lifeline dangling down, not connected to anything.

“The girl killed him. She shouldn’t have hoped he would save her. If only she hadn’t thought about making up with him. If the girl didn’t exist, none of this would have happened.”

She burned with resentment.

But it wasn’t directed at Kamijou who had died and left the stage, satisfied.

That girl was pure, innocent, and honest.

So.

That resentment was directed entirely at Alice Anotherbible.

She could no longer forgive herself.

“It’s all the girl’s fault. She is a murderer. …The girl wishes she had never been born.”

There wasn’t even noise.

Only an endless span of pure silence.

“No…”

Kamijou was trembling.

He couldn’t believe what he had just seen.

“No!! Are you kidding me with this!? This isn’t what I gave up my life to see! Was it all a waste…? I sacrificed my life and it still wasn’t enough!? I mean, Alice did nothing wrong. I chose to sacrifice my life. I’m satisfied with my choice. So why should Alice blame herself!?”

“But your 🗣️ can ❌ reach her.”

With that simple statement, Kingsford shook her head.

“If you look at just the objective and mechanical facts, Alice Anotherbible gave a ☠️ly wound to Kamijou Touma. …That is the whole of it. She ☠️ed you. The truth has a way of being omitted. Without you there to 💬 it was your strong willpower that burned away your life, the feelings behind the event have no way of reaching anyone. They can ❌ reach the 🌍 at large which burns with misguided accusations and they can ❌ reach little Alice who you tried to save.”

“But…”

“As things are, the mechanical fact that Alice Anotherbible ☠️ed Kamijou Touma is all that will remain. There is ❌ time. And if she accepts the plain and simple abbreviation as the truth, Alice herself will be crushed under its weight. She will believe she is a ☠️er who is ❌ allowed happiness. She will 🪤 herself in that mistaken definition and reduce her own value.”

“…”

“''Do you want to 👁️ her carry the burden of your ☠️ and choose for herself to fall? A meaningless fall taking her all the way to these depths?''”

Of course not.

It was so easy for the one who died.

He could experience satisfaction in his accomplishment and die. End of story.

But what about the one who killed him?

Was it easier for the victim or the killer? Kamijou had no way of determining that. But at the very least, Kamijou Touma was the satisfied victim while Alice had been made into the killer against her will. He didn’t even need to wait for Kingsford to say more. Why had he been so smugly certain he had saved her all on his own? This wasn’t right at all!!

What exactly had he done?

He had discovered a girl who had been wandering for so long, unable to seek out help. But instead of saving her, he had bloodied her hands and placed the crime of murder on her head.

That wasn’t her crime.

It had been Kamijou’s plan.

He had made the choice all on his own. She had never agreed to any of it.

So…

So why did she have to be crushed by his selfish actions!?

Anna Kingsford was always correct.

Which was why she was known as an expert.

“What will you do?”

“…”

A dull thud rang out.

Kamijou Touma had slammed his right fist into his own cheek.

The boy used the back of his hand to wipe the taste of blood from his lips.

For the living, being alive was the default state. For the dead, being dead was the default state. A dead person trying to force themselves back to life required just as much willpower as a living person keeping themselves underwater until they drowned.

That was probably true.

Kamijou had no job he wanted in the future and no dream he wanted to achieve. He didn’t even know if he wanted to get a job after high school or continue on to college.

But this was wrong.

It was wrong.

“Are you kidding me?”

He had done everything he could to save Alice Anotherbible, the girl who had wandered the wide world all alone and decided to destroy it all. He had accepted that maybe he had no choice but to lose his one and only life to accomplish that goal.

But what if it didn’t end with his death?

What if he hadn’t actually saved anyone?

What if his death had been wasted, or even made things worse? What if his final choice had only dragged Alice even deeper down toward the depths of hell?

Then he had to start by destroying that illusion.

Kamijou Touma clenched his right fist as hard as he could.

He raised his lowered head to stare straight ahead. So he could accurately view the exit from hell.

He felt real strength once more.

===Part 4===

No compromise.

He would challenge reality, surpass reality, and return to reality.

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