Toaru Majutsu no Index:Toaru Jihanki no Fanfare

Status: Incomplete

28% completed (estimated)

   

Illustrations

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  Cover

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  Page 021

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  Page 029

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  Back Cover

Story

Prologue

A certain pirated broadcast A.

On a certain day in July.

Do you know about the Level 5 espers? My, my, this isn't some gaming production thing; they're the people who stand at the top of the six-tier hiearchy amongst our 2.3 million residents! The pyramid in the vast desert of Level 0s!

So, are the Level 5s standing at the pinnacle of the pyramid? That's just a wrong conclusion that you made. Those who stand at the pinnacle of the pyramid are Level 3s! The birds who are gracefully flying through the sky are Level 4s, and though they fly through the air freely most of the time, there are situations where they fall into a sandstorm when wind blows. Far above this chaotic situation that can't be seen, located high up in the sky, are the Level 5s.

"Accelerator", "Dark Matter", "Railgun", "Meltdowner", "Mental Out", "Eh, who's that Number Six...? Well, forget about it", "Hm, that Number Seven who's said to be really powerful"... Such a group of people are like the stars in the Big Dipper: so high above that we can't reach them.

Amongst them, there seem to be guys who've worked their way up the pyramid and to the stars, but they started off as Level 1s and not 0s. That's right, a sandstorm can't become a bird even if it can clip one.

What's there to talk about a bunch of pitiful people who've had drugs and electric signals injected into their bodies and still can't even bend a spoon? They're just defeated mongrels.

But even mongrels can become a pack of wolves when gathered today. Today, let's talk about the legendary man who led the pack of wolves with their fangs pulled out, Kurozuma Wataru...

Hearing such a network broadcast, the youth with a nose ring on him, Hamazura Shiage clicked his tongue and said,

"What 'Kurozuma', damn it? It's Ritoku-san's age now."

This pirated broadcast was directly aired through all sorts of channels in all sorts of places like a cat-and-mouse game, and even in Academy City, it can be considered a form of entertainment.

The Skill-Outs were divided into many groups, and though Hamazura's a member of a larger group, he didn't even have a bit of power at all. Though he had the indecent talent of stealing cars, in Academy City, he- rather, they were just treated completely as Level 0s.

Hamazura cut off the broadcast link as he praised his leader's name. As he said that, the surrounding Level 0s all nodded their heads and laughed as they agreed with Hamazura.

The bits of sand who'll knock the stars down kept being fearful of the existence of these beings that were treated as heroes as they continued to think that they were unable to be heroes, giving up on themselves.

Rewind to ten seconds back... In a certain dorm, a girl was listening to this same pirated broadcast, and clicked her tongue in disgust.

What's there to talk about a bunch of pitiful people who've had drugs and electric signals injected into their bodies and still can't even bend a spoon? They're just-

The girl cut the broadcast here, and inside the dark dormitory room, one can only hear the sound of the computer being used.

"Damn it, why are they describing people as stars?"

Sighing at the "star" comparison the broadcast raised, one of the seven Level 5 espers that Academy City's so proud of, Misaka Mikoto was grumbling softly about this stupid behaviour.

Behind her, another girl's growling angrily.

"That's really unbelievable, Onee-sama! Onee-sama's not just a star! Onee-sama's a sun that shines warmly on the Earth and brings forth the seeds of hope for the life of tomorrow! And I'm the moon that accepts this radiance of the sky. Right now, this is a mysterious celestial performance of two, forming together like an eclipse- GUAH HAHAHA!?"

"INSTEAD OF CALLING YOURSELF A CELESTIAL BODY, YOU MIGHT AS WELL CALL YOURSELF A PERVERT!"

Speaking midway through, Mikoto tucked the opponent's head underneath her armpit and performed a wrestling move. Shirai Kuroko's arms and legs were still twitching as she showed a happy expression while continuing to scream.

"AHH, AHHH! I CAN FEEL ONEE-SAMA'S TENDER ARMS, WAHH!"

Now increasing the force in her arms, Mikoto casually said what she thought.

"Speaking of which, even espers will feel uncomfortable about the last part of the broadcast."

Saying up until here, she suddenly remembered a boy who calls himself a Level 0.

"But maybe I can use that as a taunt."

While thinking of this as she continued to use the wrestling technique, while Kuroko's head started to go purple,

Mikoto's head got grabbed onto by a certain small hand.

"Huh?"

Though she thought that Kuroko had used teleport, she still continued to remain in that position as she fearfully turned around to look.

Over there was a person who had walked in, looking over without any expression. The sophisicated lady with a round face was standing there.

"Lights out was twenty-five seconds ago, yet you're still here practising your wrestling techniques. How passionate, Misaka."

"Dorm mother."

The needles of ice that had pierced through Mikoto's back melted, causing cold sweat to come out.

"Hm, while you're training, let me remind you of the dorm rules and show you what real wrestling techniques are like."

"No, but this..."

And several seconds later,

In the girls' dorm room, the girls' tragic cries of despair replaced the broadcast as it aired throughout.

Main Story: Toaru Jihanki no Sonzai Shoumei by Narita Ryohgo

On a certain day in July, in a certain hospital in Academy City.

"I can make it."

"Unconscious state."

"Black widow's eyes."

"Unbelievable wound."

"AIM?"

"Brain."

"Sensei's coming along?"

"That Child Error?"

"Kiyama was too early."

"Tokiwadai's Railgun."

The noises could be heard echoing through a certain large hospital's research facility.

Normally, this was an area that can only be accessed by those involved, and right now, there's a girl who looked like an elementary school student listening intently to the "crowds of voices".

The girl got the necessary information from here- and asked the doctor beside her about something. Facing the problem the girl raised, the doctor could only shake his head in apology.

Thus, the girl showed a glimpse of a dark smile, and then said with a calm expression,

"Well, I'll deal with the problems; don't worry, doctor."

"But Child Errors are flawed. It's impossible for them to wake up on their own."

At the end of the conversation, the doctor could only sigh heavily at the smiling girl.

♦

During summer vacation, in a certain Anti-Skill office meeting.

"THE LEVEL 5s ARE FIGHTING!?"

The man who shouted this was just taking off the equipment with the trident-shaped coat of arms on them as he stopped. He widened his eyes and stood up.

To the extremely tired Anti-Skills who continued to deal with troublesome things day, this report caused a ruckus amongst them.

"Where?"

"The park in the 7th district."

"THE PARK!? WHAT'S THE SITUATION OVER THERE!?"

"Why did that happen?"

"What's the status of those injured!?"

"Are there any injuries other than the espers?"

"No such reports up till now?"

"WHO ARE THE LEVEL 5s!?"

"Seems like the 3rd and the 7th."

"MISAKA AND SOGIITA!?"

"Why?"

"WAS THAT THE REASON WHY TOKIWADAI REPORTED A POWER SHORTAGE!?"

"WHERE DID YOMIKAWA GO!?"

"Seems like she's still giving remedials!"

"GET HER OVER HERE NOW!!"

"Yes!"

Though the chaos remain, they aren't in a state of panic. The Anti-Skills are adamant as they get ready to sortie--

"No, wait, there's no need to call Yomikawa. It seems like it ended!"

The man who reported the situation in the first place frowned as he uses his hand to stop the Anti-Skills beside him.

"It seemed to have gotten weird. There seemed to be 2 Judgement members there, but one of them seem to be related to 'Kihara'."

"!?"

Kihara. After hearing that name, the Anti-Skills start to make a commotion again. The female Anti-Skill with the glasses tilts her head.

"Eh? Kihara? Is that the one involved in Level Upper?"

"That's Kiyama. Not 'hara', 'yama'. Ah well, it's not like they don't have any relationship."

"Basically, the entire family is composed of researchers. It's a rather famous name in Academy City. Well, basically, that entire event was also because of that Kihara's research. Since everything ended, the Higher-ups gave an order for the Anti-Skills not to sortie. It seemed like they dealt with the damages."

Hearing the man's explanation, everyone starts to look at each other's faces, muttering as they look lost here.

"Two level 5s and one really important related person; What experiment were they doing?"

"Why happened in Tokiwadai's park!?"

It's an abnormal situation that the Anti-Skills are all jumpy about.

The reason behind it was,

Just because of a loss of 120 yen at a certain vending machine.

♦

One hour ago, in the 7th student district park.

"Uu. My neck's still aching. Those injuries during the 'Level Upper' incident, and the pain when the dorm supervisor twisted my neck still remains."

Twisting her neck lightly, Mikoto grumbled to herself.

"Looks like I have to exercise periodically."

The girl who's sigh as she twists her upper body like she's ready to exercise stops after seeing a vending machine in front of her.

It's the vending machine that's infamous in Tokiwadai Middle School for being a little faulty.

If one uses a battering ram-like force to knock it, occasionally, there would be good cases of having cans of juice drop out without the use of electronic cards or cash, but since the legend originated from Tokiwadai Middle School, the school of ojous, it's basically impossible to see anyone do it.

Let alone--

"HAAA!!"

Misaka Mikoto is definitely the only person who would kick it with electricity around the leg.

CRACK CLACK, with the sound of something being fractured, a can of juice appears in the exit.

"Mn, my body's okay now."

While grumbling as she cracks her shoulders and neck, she wonders,

--Well, as Judgement members, Kuroko and Uiharu should have it tougher than me. I shouldn't grumble like this.

But right now, she doesn't realize that what she just did was basically interfering with Judgement's work.

She opens the seal of the canned juice and drinks half of it down in one gulp.

At this moment, there's another figure that appeared beside the vending machine.

--Hm? Kuroko?

She saw the obvious twin ponytails that appeared beside the vending machine, and remembers that Kuroko can teleport. With this information, Mikoto gathers her concentration to defend herself.

And then, before she can react and fight back--

A strange sensation strikes her.

The surrounding air is distorted. There seem to be something that entered her, as every single strand of muscle fibre and even her internal organs seem like they can be seen through. This was what Mikoto felt.

--?

Feeling insecure, Mikoto hurriedly turns around--

"Judgement desu wa, Tokiwadai onee-san."

"EH?"

A twin-ponytailed girl who's slightly shorter than Mikoto appears in front of her.

For a moment, she thought that it was Shirai Kuroko, but the way she said that 'Judgement desu no' is completely different, and the voice is completely different as well. Though she's definitely wearing the armband, there's a slight difference in the shape of the ponytail. And to add on, the girl has shiny blond hair.

And more important than anything else, the only thing that's different from Kuroko is--

The girl who said 'Judgement' has a red kiddy school bag.

"Ah, about that."

Not knowing how to respond, Mikoto tilts her head and gives an earnest smile.

In Academy City, 'Judgement' is formed by student volunteers from all schools, including Uiharu, Kuroko and the rest. Though there are many instances of many different schools working together, it's basically a system where each school works independently. Over here, there are also elementary school Judgement members, and Mikoto knows that, because Kuroko and Uiharu started training since grade school.

The hair doesn't look dyed, and Mikoto doesn't even know if she's Japanese. Remembering that the girl used Japanese when she made her entry, there seem to be nothing that's worth taking note.

At first, Mikoto didn't understand why this grade-schooler Judgement member she doesn't know would approach her with such a term, but after looking at the can in her arm, she seem to realise somthing--

The girl in front of her slowly lets out a smile and says in a somewhat delightful tone,

"I didn't think that 'the chance would be here so easily'."

"Chance?"

At this moment, Mikoto suddenly feels that something's out of place.

It's not really a bad premonition--in fact, 'something' swallowing her.

"!? Wait, what are you doing?"

"'You're under arrest for vandalism and theft, you know'? Onee-san."

And then, the direct emotion came from the girl's expression and voice.

Overwhelming antagonistic intent.

"!"

Though she doesn't know what's going on, Mikoto can feel a terrifying force creating a signal within her.

The kid in front of her is dangerous.

Having been shown an 'antagonistic intent' that would let her let out electricity in reflex, Mikoto tries her best to hold back her power while backwing away from the source of this signal within her.

Thus, seemingly in the next moment, 0.5 seconds from where she was, she could see the blond girl rushing at her. There should be a distance of several metres, but she had already reached that place. And then, logically, she should fall here. However, the twin-ponytailed girl kicks the gravel floor and immediately rushes at Mikoto.

--This isn't any ordinary girl!

"It's time to rest, level 5 onee-san!"

The girl's right hand is twitching strangely as she rushes in like a bullet, trying to grab Mikoto's neck.

--!

Mikoto's entire body is now stimulated by an even stronger signal--

She lets out her ability in reflex.

And then, blueish-white sparks spread through the park--

♦

Near the park.

Haratani Yabumi is depressed.

It's supposed to be a rare summer vacation afternoon, walking down the hi-security Tokiwadai district while getting uninvolved with delinquents--

"AMAZING PUNCH!!"

It should amount to such an unordinary scene.

As the weird technique name could be heard, that man's fist let out a mysterious wave and sent the huge man flying.

Even if it's a level 5 walking about in Academy City, this can be considered an 'abnormal' situation.

The big guy who got sent flying stands up with light feet and gives a smirk.

"Ku, to be able to send this visceral grinder Yokosuka flying away in this 30th revenge match. Sogiita Gunha, you brat, you seem to have gotten stronger than before."

In contrast to the man who looks like some evil terrorist boss in movies, the boy with the Rising Sun flag T-shirt has a white uniform over it, and though splendid looking, it looks somewhat old-fashioned. 'The 7th level 5 of Academy City' Sogiita Gunha replies with a strong tone.

"Oi, hot pot guy, you actually managed to tank 10 of my amazing punches. Seems like you got guts. As a token of respect, let me show you my more powerful technique."

Haratani knows the males called Sogiita, Yokosuka and the nickname 'hot pot guy', but it's too troublesome to remember them as he can only sigh and watch them fight.

"Wh, what!? So it's coming!? I'M SO HAPPY, SOGIITA!! GO TO HEELLLL!!!"

Standing up with a delighted expression, Yokosuka jumps up and rushes at Sogiita.

Facing him head on, Sogiita clenches his fist, and with all his strength, he shouts.

"SUPER AMAZING PUNCH!!!"

"IT DIDN'T GET ANY STRONGGGGEEERRRR!!!"

Flying out and crashing into the railings on both sides of the road, Yokosuka loses consciousness just like that. Seeing him and the railings that got reduced to scrap metal, Haratani sighs as he wants to say something--

But before that, a girl who suddenly appeared says to Sogiita.

“Judgement desu no.”

The twin-ponytail girl's hair is swaying about as she shows her armband to Sogiita. Though she seems to be a middle-schooler from nearby, she should be a somewhat impressive one given that she's a member of Judgement.

“I came here after hearing a commotion of a fight. That person over there fell asleep because of your attack, am I right?”

Facing the girl who definitely used teleport to get here, Sogiita nods his head calmly.

“Oohh, I see! A girl like you can become a member of Judgement. Which means that you have quite the guts! Do your best!”

“...”

“On a side note, the answer to your question is 'yes', But then, it's more accurate to say that he got knocked out instead of saying that he fell asleep. But even though he fainted, that guy got guts. Got to remember that!”

Seeing Sogiita give her a thumbs up, the girl from Judgement frowns and pulls out metal needles-like things from the inside of her thighs, and says something that a Judgement member should says.

“It seems like you don't understand your situation now. Anyway, based on the situation I see from the battle just now, you're suspected of causing damage. Please explain further after you're arrested.”

That's right, Haratani says,

“Ahh, no, Miss Judgement member, that was--”

He just fought back in response to an opponent's taunt. Though it was an overkill act of self-defense, they wouldn't know if that guy was a leader of some gang members with arms. This can be a decent way to defend Sogiita—but before that, the suspect responds with a gutsy tone,

“Fighting? That's not right, Missy.”

“Huh?”

“All I did was to get guts into him!”

--YOU BASICALLY SAID THAT YOU ABUSED HIM!!!'

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