Misfortune No One Sees, Until Now

by WwEpsilonwW

"All of you share bonds with that boy in some way, and so I present an opportunity. I will show you his memories, and the despair and hardship that lurks within. So, if you think you handle the amount of darkness behind that smile- then by all means, I welcome you...! To The Misfortune No One Sees... Until Now...!" -The stage has been set. Let the hell commence...!-

17. Angel Fall: Part I

Two months for 75K words. I can't tell if I'm just lazy or unmotivated ...Wait those are both bad negatives…

Also, wanna warn you guys. Word-chan helped me with this chapter, so you are not going to see a single grammar mistake, name-messup, or anything else…!

…Probably.

Anyway! Let's begin!

[ I DO NOT OWN THE AWESOMENESS THAT IS 'A CERTAIN MAGICAL INDEX' ]

---

Light clapping was heard through a mystical monitor.

—How can it not be seen as mystical in nature? It is able to grant the viewer the ability to see a person's memories as if they were scenes from a television adaptation.

Ah— but the screen was just a tool, a medium to direct power, if you will. The real magic came from the one wielding the great power; who was—

A bit sadistic (self-acknowledged).

Teasing.

May have a case of mild hedonism.

---

[ A/N: Look it up. ]

---

The thing— or person— or being that these words described were none other than, the Voice.

So, these clapping sounds resided from her.

"(Clap, clap, clap, clap…!)" The clapping continued, capturing everyone's attention. "Alrighty you bunch of cuties, gather around now."

"… …. ….. ….. …." A silence suddenly enveloped.

"Ah ha ha ha ha! Just kidding, you're already gathered around! Silly me~!"

"What are we, five?" Birdway asked in a mocking tone.

It should not have been her that asked that question.

"Well—"

"D-Don't answer that!" Came Birdways' red-faced retort.

"HAHA! Anyway! Let's not waste any time and just proceed with the next memory. It's um... ah ha ha— how do I say it? A rather… perplexing circumstance that a certain boy found himself involved with. I mean— wow. It really was ridiculous…! It is my hope that you think of it as entertaining as I have."

The Voice's flamboyance was ever apparent as she clued the onlookers in.

Ridiculous? Perplexing?

They wondered just how apt such words were when describing this one.

(I mean what could be weirder than those worlds Magic God Othinus created…?) Agnese wondered.

She doubted that there was a scenario more ridiculous than that.

Well— it was the Voice's job to prove her wrong.

"Without further ado, here it is...!"

---

[ Next Scene: Angel Fall ]

---

They blinked.

"Angel fall...?" Mikoto reflexively voiced her confusion. "What could that be...?"

As expected, with no other context or hints whatsoever, she could not even begin to piece together what such a thing meant.

"Maybe its magic?" Shirai then offered.

"That would make sense..." Uiharu suddenly chimed in. "After all, we already know that angels do exist, at least from what that sister said..."

Yes, Index and Komoe had used an angel in order to heal the former's wounds.

Saten suddenly got super excited. "Woah, you think we'll actually get to see one!?"

"Ah ha ha, maybe." Mikoto smiled wryly at the girl's excitement. "I mean if were banking on that guy getting into the most ridiculous situation possible—… which as I say that I realize the Voice said exactly that…" She muttered in a deadpan.

"That does seem to be the theme, Misaka notices. The savior is always in the center of what is deemed completely bizarre."

"Ah ha ha ha..." The Voice then chuckled. "You'd be surprised how much crazier it can gest~."

"I'm suddenly a bit worried..." Misuzu gives a cramped smile at what that could possibly mean.

"That idiot will be fine... probably." Mikoto said

Even she started to get worried over how unsure she was.

...

Meanwhile, Misaki pondered in silence.

(Will this be a memory I know nothing about, my prince...?)

But it wasn't as if she was disheartened at the thought. In fact, she would be rather eager if that was the case. Learning something new about the person you like — well — that's just a way for you to fall even deeper in love.

So, what was there to be sad about?

It was with this on her mind did Misaki smile in anticipation.

Also, Hokaze and Mitsuari were having their own conversation.

"Did you hear that Mitsuari-san? We might get to see an actual angel!" Hokaze was rather happy at the prospect.

"Yes, yes I heard. It's all very interesting..." Mitsuari replied with exasperation, but her lips were curved in a smile at the girl's enthusiasm.

...

"Angel..." Accelerator muttered to himself.

A certain golden humanoid bastard came to mind. (Better not be him.)

The last thing he wanted was to see that expressionless smug face again.

(Hm? Oh.)

He just now noticed that the small girl beside him was speaking.

"We have to see the angel, we have to! Misaka Misaka really really really wants to! Do you think it'll give people presents like Santa Claus? Oh, maybe it's all holy-like with feathery wings. GASP! Misaka Misaka gasps as she just now realizes! You have wings too! Are you an angel as well! Can I have a present?"

Accelerator just stared at the small child babbling with an unreadable expression. But before he could say anything—

"Pffttt! An angel? This guy? If that's true, then this Misaka is saint! And we all know that's not true! Ahahahahaha!" Worst laughs with amusement at the younger girl's questions.

"Hah..." Accelerator sighed.

(Let's just get this over with.)

...

"Angel Fall? Is that a fucking joke?" Mugino crudely brought up.

"I don't know about you, but if an angel gets decked in the face by Kamijou, I might just have a nosebleed." Kinuhata says rather boldly.

"Tch!"

The Voice suddenly clicked her tongue.

"Did… Did the Voice just click her tongue...?" Hamazura asked.

"Think so, maybe she's mad about something." Takitsubo said softly.

...

...While it was not an exaggeration to say that everyone was perplexed at the title of the memory, there were in fact exceptions to this...

"Well, damn. Looks like that's that." Tsuchimikado said with a knowing smirk, readjusting his shades.

It seems he understood. He knew his time of secrecy was approaching its end.

"?" Fukiyose gave him a confused look. "Tsuchimikado, something wrong?"

"Oh, it's nothing. Just wondering if Kami-yan is going to be womanizing any angels." He said with a straight face.

"THAT'S WHAT I WAS WONDERING AS WELL!" Aogami cried out with a serious expression.

Fukiyose seemed to glower at that, but then she realized that it could actually be a realistic possibility.

(B-But something like that, it couldn't possibly happen... right!?)

...

And for the other...? There was one more who knows exactly what this meant.

"I... see." Kanzaki said.

"Angel Fall. ...Right, you told me about that, about that guy being involved in it..." Stiyl said.

Although that's all he knew. He wasn't aware of the side effects of the spell.

"Yes..." She replied, donning a thinking face. (So, it's that occurrence that happened at the beach house. With Kamijou... and his pare—)

"—Oh! I completely forgot!" The Voice sounded worried all of a sudden.

---

[A/N: This is your fault. I hate you. Just kidding~. But not really. ]

---

"What? W-What's wrong!?" Komoe asked with a nervous stutter.

Anxiousness spiked, everyone started to imagine the worst.

"This memory requires the participation of two very special people. And by special, I mean more important than you can even imagine." The Voice said with a grave tone.

(M-More important than I can imagine...?) Itsuwa found herself wondering.

Everyone seemed to gulp. Such an ominous introduction was not helping their nerves.

"It is absolutely vital that you make a good first impression, the ladies in the room specifically."

Girls gave blank faces at that.

…Wut?

"The hell?" Worst frowned. "Just how important is this—"

POOF!

POOF!

---

A/N: One more time for good measure. I hate you. Okie dokie, enjoy~!

---

Inquiries suddenly halted as a cloud of pink mist appeared, hiding the forms of two figures.

"(Cough, cough!) What the—!? ... What's with this gas all of a sudden? Did the... the um... wait, what was I doing?" A man's voice reverberated, sounding quite distressed.

"Touya-san? (cough, cough...!) Is that you?" Then a female voice spoke, referring to the man.

"Eh? That voice— S-Shiina?"

"Y-Yes. It's me, though I don't know what's..." The woman trailed off because of one thing.

The pink mist finally subsided, giving everyone clear visages of each other.

While both the man and woman were clearly shocked, those looking at them mirrored that feeling as they stared back.

After all...

"They're... just some old people..." Hamazura said, expressing his befuddlement.

Well— he wasn't exactly wrong, given the appearances of the two, though one of them just barely looked to be fitting into that category.

Showing a worried visage, the woman looking positively youthful with her beautiful long brown hair, soft hazel eyes, and a face that barely looked a day over twenty. She was wearing a simple white conservative dress with a pink cardigan over it.

And then, looking quite restless at the situation as well, the man looked to be in his thirties, if his tired expression and aged face was of any indication, yet it still managed to look kind despite it. He had short black hair that looked slick with gel, appearing rather unorthodox on someone of his age. His apparel consisted of casual clothes with bland slacks and a beige collared shirt.

"That's...!" Index and Mikoto widened their eyes, instantly recognizing the two.

On the contrary, Othinus narrowed her eyes in confusion.

(This man and woman...)

Othinus locked her gaze on the two, trying for the life of her to recall where she had seen them before. However, it was not apparent for her to realize that she had only seen these two in one of the hell's she had created.

...

"Huh, definitely wasn't expecting this..." Tsuchimikado muttered, giving the man and woman a stare that implied he recognized them.

(Though, considering the memory we're about to see, I suppose it makes sense.)

Even he had to wonder though.

How would these people — of all people — react to what's coming...? Even a backstabbing liar like him felt an uncomfortable unease as he thought of it.

...

"Hey...!"

Mugino's shout of annoyance tore through the air. "Why are you bringing some random geezers to this thing?"

"Ah, but they're not random." Came the response, a certain amount of amusement in her tone.

"These two people are somebody's parents."

…What...?

It took a moment for that to register, a silence passing over the room.

"Par—... Did you say parents...?" It was Fukiyose who voiced her shock. "W-Whose?"

It wasn't just her who wondered this though.

Who was the child of this odd couple?

Regardless, sans Tsuchimikado and a rather wide eyed Kanzaki, there really wasn't many people who recognized the older newcomers. That is except for—

"Wha—! It's you guys!" Mikoto sounded quite flabbergasted as she cried out.

Everyone looked at her questionably.

(Even Misaka-san?) Misaki gave a look at the girl, then at the couple.

(Just how important could some middle aged—?)

"Oh, well that's unexpected, I didn't expect to see Kamijou-san's parents here." Misuzu said in a rather enthusiastic voice, catching everyone's attention.

"(Cough, Cough...! Cough!)" The honey blonde girl proceeded to coughing violently as Misuzu's words tore through her brain.

(H-His...) Misaki thought, her face draining of all color.

Then a beat passed in realization from everyone else.

"?! !? ?! ?! !? !? ?!"

—And then complete and utter pandemonium broke lose.

"H-His parents…!?" Arisa let out.

"His esteemed mother and father..." Itsuwa said.

"Loverboy's!?" Lessar said with a very suspicious look in her eyes.

"That's his mom and dad?" Kaibi could not contain her disbelief, especially when staring at the woman.

(So young!)

...

"Woah! Misaka Misaka shouts excitedly, those are the savior's parents! Look at them! Hey, let's go say hi!" Last Order tugged on the sleeve of her guardian. "Pretty please!"

"Not a chance in hell." Accelerator immediately shuts her down.

He didn't think he should be getting know and making nice with the parents of someone who he had quite ruthlessly thrashed several times up to now.

…

(K-... Kamijou-kun's parents...!) Misaki's flushed face caused a warm feeling to spread throughout her body.

It didn't matter if the child of the two in question didn't remember her, she could not squander such an opportunity!

"...!" Mitsuari was of a similar reaction, however on top of her blushing face, her mouth opened and closed rapidly, looking unsure of what to do.

(I'll um... go greet them. Yes, I can do that. If I do that, they'll think I'm a nice person. I'll surely get in their good books that way. Yes! Excellent plan!)

"..."

Her legs weren't moving though!

(Whyyy!? I can't move due to nervousness!)

…

Everyone's clamoring finally seemed to snap the dear couple out of their shock, especially on the wording of Misuzu's earlier statement.

"Ah Misuzu-san." Shiina looked relieved upon seeing another familiar face. "Did you just say 'Kamijou-san's parents'? Is something happening, where is our boy?" Shiina questioned with worry on her face.

Yes, that was Kamijou Shiina, Kamijou Touma's mother.

"And where are we for that matter? That boy found some trouble again, didn't he?" Touya stated in exasperation, but he smiled softly.

And that was Kamijou Touya, Kamijou Touma's father.

It was something to be said that both parents had immediately inquired about Kamijou's whereabouts, almost as if they subconsciously knew their situation was somehow attributed to him. This wasn't them thinking negatively or anything, no. It was just based off of past experiences.

Yes, past experiences told them that a situation such as this had to do with one person and one person only. Their beloved son.

"Is Touma-san okay?"

"Please tell me my boy is safe."

So, it should come as no surprise that the very first thing they wanted to hear about was the boy's safety, above all else. Their own circumstances were only second to that wish.

Misuzu and many others were rather flummoxed by that sincere worry, but maybe it was just expected of the parents of the boy they all knew.

They smiled softly regardless.

(Heh, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, does it?) Shutaura couldn't help but smile in amusement at what she was seeing.

That boy's parents being here of all people was certainly a surprise, but it wasn't something she minded. Rather, maybe this was good timing.

(Er... wait, good timing? Why did I...?) Shutaura's cheeks flushed red at her rather impromptu thought, wandering where on earth it came from.

"Excuse me, Shiina-san, Touya-san."

The Voice interrupted as everyone knew she would.

"I believe I hold all the answers you seek. I'm the one who brought you here, after all."

At this, both parents turned to the dimly lit television screen which had the words "Next Scene: Angel Fall" imprinted on them. They furrowed their brows in confusion.

"Is there a voice coming from the monitor?" Shiina asked in bewilderment.

But Touya remained attentive. "Answers you say? Please, we would really appreciate them." He even bowed slightly in earnest.

A soft chuckle came from the screen.

"Heh. You really are that boy's father, aren't you?" The Voice muttered softly. "But no need to worry dear parents, the truth will come shortly. But first, a question."

She paused, as if trying to find the most effective words.

"I have the power to grant you this knowledge in an instant. It will answer all your inquiries and clear any doubts you might have of my ability. And yes, it pertains to your child Kamijou Touma. In fact, everyone and everything here will pertain to that boy of yours. Do you wish to accept such knowledge—"

"Yes."

"Yes."

Their replies were instantaneous, surprising everyone.

Shiina and Touya didn't need to hear the rest to understand. This was about their son, of course they would do whatever it took when it comes to his sake.

"Oh~? Is that so." She seemed amused at the lack of indecision, but then her voice took on a grave tone.

"But… what I have for you isn't necessarily all happy and kind. Do you still want it nonetheless? Even if you may see something you might regret?"

There were a lot of warnings this time around. Everyone wondered why this was the case.

It... It was almost as if the Voice had a soft spot for the man and woman before her. An extended kindness if you will.

But regardless.

"Yes, if it's about Touma, then please show us no matter what." Shiina said resolutely.

"I agree. I wouldn't be much of a father I didn't pull out all the stops for my son." Touya stated firmly, reminding everyone of an all too familiar type of resolve.

Silence from the Voice. And then...

"I see, then I'm glad." She said with something akin to gratitude.

"And because of that, allow me to apologize in advance."

---

[ PLAY MUSIC ]

Sad Tragic Music: "Burial" by Yasuharu Takanashi

---

"?"

This was met with confusion, but they didn't get a chance to ponder it.

Not a single second. Because the change happened in an instant.

"!"

Touya and Shiina both clutched their heads in pain as a surge of information came barreling into their heads.

"Gh...!"

"(Gasp...!)"

Flashes came to them in waves, each being more peculiar and unimaginable than the last. Places they have never seen, people they had never met, and sounds and voices they had never heard.

Memories, they were all memories.

And it didn't take them long to realize that they all pertained to one person.

(These are... These are Touma's memories...!?)

One by one they came, changing those parent's expressions over and over again. They were amazed, confused, saddened, horrified, disbelieving. Their faces went ashen, to pale, to grief stricken, and then brought to tears.

They experienced so many emotions in the span of just five seconds.

And then an unbearable silence enveloped the room in its aftermath.

"T-Touma…?" Shiina's vulnerable voice came out as a hoarse whisper.

"Son…" And then Touya's which sounded disbelieving.

(What…)

What did they just see…?

Their faces fell, ones that were already twisted with hurt, sadness, and dismay.

They may not have fully understood everything they just saw, but for some reason, only one word came to mind.

This was a word that summed up everything they had just witnessed, a word that their son always said whenever he got into trouble, whenever he was in too much pain, whenever he needed to vent.

Such misfortune.

This was all nothing but misfortune.

"…"

Was this what their son had gone through after he was sent to Academy City? Was this the life they had asked him to brave by himself? They hadn't known of any of it, not a damn thing.

Ah— but that wasn't true, was it?

There WAS a memory they recognized. Only one.

They wished they could forget it, but doing such a thing would be spitting on the very suffering of the victim.

Because of nothing but bad luck, their son had been subjected to a horror that no child should be ever be allowed to experience.

Yes, they had seen a young Touma get run through with a knife, however this didn't make watching it again any easier. They could feel the same rage they felt on that day.

No, they didn't kid themselves. There was no way that was true.

It was more. They felt so angry they thought they might lose it.

And the misfortune continued. One after another.

In the span of such a short time, their child had experienced so much pain and suffering, had to deal with so many heavy burdens, and saved so many people at the cost of his own happiness— all of it making them wonder one thing.

It was a selfish thought that a parent shouldn't be having, but they thought of it regardless.

How was he sane…?

That's what they truly thought.

How was it that their boy was still so well adjusted to keep getting into other people's problems in the way that he did? Despite having suffered so much, why had he kept enduring burden after burden for the sake of others?

Especially since—

A heartbreaking thought came over Shiina. (H-He... He had-)

Kamijou Touma had lost all the memories he had gained prior to July 28th.

That was the true clincher.

"(H-Hic...!)"

In the silence that persisted, Shiina choked back a sob. She was trembling, trying really hard to prevent the tears from streaming down.

Her son had lost all those years of his life. Everything he had lived up until then had been completely erased without a trace to be found.

"Dammit Touma..." Touya said with a conflicted visage.

Their son had forgot them. That was the truth.

And then—

"Y-You mean... that head injury...?" Shiina's voice was completely shaky.

Yes. At a certain point in time, the Kamijou's had been called to Academy City because their son had experienced a head injury.

But...

Touya and Shiina's heart lurched in pain.

B-But...

"That's right."

The Voice spoke in a tone unlike they had ever heard before. It was incredibly sad.

"Your son had lost all of his memories, and saw his parents for the very first time that day..."

Slump…!

Their expressions absolutely crumbled in grief— Shiina sank to her knees in despair, while Touya glared at the floor in stunned shock.

"I… didn't notice. ...I didn't even notice my baby boy didn't recognize us! What kind of mother ignores that!" Shiina's lament tore through the room, making everyone shiver at the raw emotion that could be heard.

And then she cried.

And no one was brave enough to comfort her, not even her husband.

...

It took a while, but Shiina eventually calmed down.

—But there was still a grave matter that had to be discussed. Both of them had seen the memories.

ALL OF THEM.

That was a fact that could not so easily be swept under the rug.

After all, they had just learned that magic was indeed real. And they believed it. They didn't have any doubts as to its legitimacy. The reason for that was simple.

Because there was no way THAT would have been possible without it.

"Voice-san..."

Shiina called that name, with a tone lacking any of the cheerful woman that they all got accustomed to seeing.

"...Yes?" The Voice's unease was clear.

"The one with the blonde hair and eye-patch, the one who did those things to my child. ...What happened to her?"

With the exception of a similarly serious Touya, an unsuspecting chill ran down everyone's spines.

There was not an ounce of emotion in her question. It was calm, eerily calm.

Everyone froze at such a question— but that was nothing compared to the paralyzing sensation that stilled HER entire body.

"…!"

Othinus found that she forgot to breathe as such a question reached her ears.

She stiffened under such raw tension, despite not even being directly exposed to the glaring eyes of that mother and father.

The truth was, Shiina and Touya just could not get it out of their heads.

Before, they had seen their son battered and bruised, bloodied, a-and even dismembered. However, Touma had always recovered from that. No amount of misfortune that he went through broke his mind.

But... that place...?

They got to see with horrified visages as their precious son had his heart, body, and soul—

ABSOLUTELY SHATTERED.

In those ever shifting and fluctuating worlds, the previous incidents he had encountered looked like a joke, a playground.

Touma's emotional outburst had summed it up perfectly.

...

'Why the hell do I have to go through all this? What was I calling misfortune!?'

...

He was thrown into a world where everyone saw him as absolute scum, the vilest creature on planet earth. Authorities shot at him on sight, classmates attacked him with reckless fury, and his own teacher was there to deliver the killing blow. Touya and Shiina didn't blame them for it though.

They couldn't.

...Because in that moment, a wish that boy made came true. He had one final fleeting wish that he wanted fulfilled before he died in that world.

Where were his parents, were they okay? He thought.

In this world where his existence was reviled, where he was betrayed by those he cherished, he had wanted to make sure his parents were okay. But—

...

'But we have realized something! To destroy that absolute evil that is Kamijou Touma, the help of those who know him best is needed. You can judge us if you want, but please do so after it is all over! Please give us a chance to right the mistake we have made!'

...

In that world, in that cruel... shifting... and fluctuating world, their son had been killed while his own parents rejected him.

It was not them, yet they were the ones to say it. They would never say such a thing, yet their child had heard those words and thought them to be true. And whose fault was that? Where did the fault lie for the atrocities that followed?

—When Touma was made to forget who he was.

—When he had experienced death in every way imaginable.

—When he had resolved himself to jump off that building for the sake of the happiness of others.

Who had hurt their son in ways that people only have NIGHTMARES about?

"She..."

So naturally, the Voice seemed hesitant to respond. "She was saved. Your son saved her."

"Why...?"

That question immediately escaped Shiina's lips without pause. But—

"Wait... no..."

She took it back.

She didn't need to know why. It was for the same reason why she didn't need to know why her son had saved so many others. She was his mother; she knew the answer to that already. So, she took it back. And instead...

"Was it... Was it his choice...?"

Touya looked at her with surprise for a moment, then smiled. They had asked that very same question before at the Daihassei.

"Yes." The Voice's tone indicated that she was smiling. "Believe me when I say that your son had no intention of abandoning her, no matter how much misfortune he suffered as a result."

"I see." Shiina whispered, as if she came to an understanding.

"Then I won't hate her. I'll never forgive someone who put my son through that hell, but I won't hate her."

"...!"

A noise came from Othinus as her breath hitched in surprise.

Her statement sounded like a contradiction, but it actually wasn't. It was kind of how you can disagree with someone yet still be friends.

Shiina would never actively despise Othinus for what she put her son through, however that didn't mean she had to agree with what happened, or even accept that it was right.

So, while she wouldn't hate such a person, someone who her son went through the effort of saving, that in no way meant that she would find it in herself to forgive her. There were just somethings you couldn't do, and this was one of them.

"..."

Othinus was silent throughout the entire conversation, which at no point did the guilt welling up in her insides lessen. It just reminded her of how much her human had done for her.

Despite...

Despite her not deserving it at all.

...

"Wait a second, everyone here knows Touma right?" Touya suddenly asked the Voice, giving way to a question that had been bothering him for a while now.

"That's right. Everyone here is connected to him in some way or another."

"So..." Touya wore an impressive deadpan. "The reason the gender ratio is so skewed...?"

"Heh. It's as you've guessed, Touya-san~" The Voice chirped.

Touya's previously present smile faltered considerably.

(I really don't know whether to be disappointed or impressed with you Touma...)

Unfortunately for him, he would have to make up his mind.

"Oh my, so many from younger to older. Our son has gotten quite popular, hasn't he Touya-dear?"

"Y-Yeah, seems that way, doesn't it?" The man said stiffly.

He had to tread very carefully.

"Hm. Yes. And… whose fault do you think that is?" Shiina said innocently (that's a lie and everyone knows it).

And there it was. He was in for it now.

...

Everyone stared at the arguing couple.

—Actually no.

Arguing implied that there was an argument, and that further implied that there were valid points coming from both sides. No.

They shook their heads.

This...? This was just sad.

"Wow, Kamijou-san's mom sure is laying into him." Saten said with her arms behind her head.

"Yeah, she's rather... fierce?" Yeah, Uiharu felt that was a good word.

…

"(This looks very familiar, doesn't it girl?)" Othinus asked.

"Y-Yes." Index didn't really know what else to say, only the fact that she felt incredible deja-vu.

"I almost feel bad for Touya-san." Arisa said with a concerned expression.

"I really don't think you should." Shutaura said and left it at that.

She was starting to understand why the younger Kamijou was the way that he was.

...

A while later…

"E-Eh?"

.

..

…

Everyone was stunned speechless at what they were seeing.

"T-Touya-san?" Komoe asked in shock.

Yes. Something VERY surprising happened.

"Thank you so much."

These words left everyone taken aback because of how sudden they were and who was saying them. They found themselves staring wide eyed at a bowing Touya, and subsequently— Shiina as well.

Everyone seemed to stiffen at such genuine sincerity coming from the parents, that they even forgot themselves in that moment.

"Ahem." Misaki snapped out of her stupor, while clearing her throat. "Forgive me for asking, uh- s-sir and m-ma'am..."

Shiina just laughed at the overly flustered Misaki.

"You don't need to be so polite dear. Calling us Touya-san and Shiina-san is fine." Shiina replied with a warm smile.

Misaki seemed to bright up considerably at that, almost as if it made her day. "R-Really?"

Both of them nodded.

"R-Right, um— then forgive me for asking but... why are you saying such things with that level of sincerity ability?" Misaki asked, rather perplexed.

"..."

Both Touya and Shiina went silent for a time, as if hesitant on what to say. However, the woman suddenly stepped forward and stared at Misaki with a warm motherly gaze.

...And then her eyes shifted towards Mitsuari.

---

[ PLAY MUSIC ]

Kami nomi zo Shiru Sekai SAD OST — Memory Of My First Live (Piano)

---

Needless to say, both were caught off guard by such a genuine smile of comfort, especially as it was the two of them being stared at.

"Shokuhou-san and Mitsuari-san, right? Can... Can I call you Misaki-san and Ayu-san, though?"

"Y-Yes! —Ah!" Misaki said instantly, and then her face reddened at her obvious eagerness.

"A-Alright, sure. I-I don't mind." Mitsuari also sported a similar reaction, crossing her arms and looking away.

"Good... I'm glad." That was all she said.

That was all Shiina said before she did something that caused the both of them to go rigid in place.

Kamijou Shiina promptly embraced the two of them with a single step.

"—!?"

Misaki and Mitsuari, Hokaze, Mikoto, and Shirai... all the others went wide eyed at the sudden action.

(Ehhhh? This sudden physical contact ability is...!?)

(What the— Did I miss something!? Why is she suddenly hugging us!?)

Misaki and Mitsuari were definitely bewildered at the sudden action. But—

"It was rough for the two of you, wasn't it?"

They heard a voice right next to their ears, and their breaths hitched all of a sudden in surprise, mouth's hanging open.

"Wha— What are you...?" Mitsuari tried to say.

"I saw." Shiina said simply.

"I saw all the things you two had to endure. And I couldn't ask for better girls to be close to my son. I can't thank you enough."

They froze.

It was like the world had absolutely gone shock still.

—In that moment, a very noticeable tremor rocked throughout their entire bodies.

They blinked, and then the tears came; their eyes burning as a smoldering feeling assaulted their hearts, making it all too difficult to keep their emotions in check.

"H-How..." Mitsuari gasped out with a hoarse voice. "How can you be thanking us...?"

"Shiina-san..." Misaki then spoke. "If your son never would have met us, he wouldn't have suffered so much...!"

Yes, that was the truth.

Because Kamijou Touma met the two girls known as Shokuhou Misaki and Mitsuari Ayu, he had experienced misfortune that he did not deserve.

Kamijou had got in the middle of an organization numbering in over twenty, all resolute in killing the girl he was protecting.

And even before that, he had stuck with a girl who he could have easily abandoned, saving her from multiple meetings with death with nothing but a coward's meek bravery.

He without a doubt suffered on account of them.

But Shiina had only one thing to say to that.

"And that's exactly why I'm thanking you."

"Wh...at?" They both croaked out.

They could not believe what she just said.

"It's because you both did something me and Touya never could— at least not often anyway. Not nearly enough."

Both girls looked at each other from their respective positions, wondering what the woman could possibly mean.

"You made Touma happy."

Misaki and Ayu widened their eyes.

"You made him laugh, smile. You gave him a reason to look forward to the next day." Shiina's voice suddenly changed.

She too was now choking up.

"Even though he forgot you, you never stopped wishing to be close to him again. You both sacrificed so much for my son, even though you went through your own versions of hell. So, because of all that, why shouldn't I thank you?" Shiina softly whispered.

—Ah...—

Their throats went dry, and their eyes were quivering.

They felt like they didn't deserve what this woman was giving them, this feeling that made their hearts thump with such tranquil warmth.

And then to further convey her feelings, Shiina said it, one more time.

"Thank you. Thank you so much for being nice to my boy when we weren't there for him."

Their faces both crumbled at that, and they buried their heads into the warm embrace of the kind woman, softly sobbing into the nook of her neck.

Many people watched the crying girls with softened expressions. Some even shed tears of their own at the sight.

It was with this that two girls began to slowly forgive themselves for the demons haunting their pasts.

It wouldn't be instantaneous. Just little by little.

And maybe one day…

(I can…) Misaki wished.

(Maybe one day I'll be able to…) Mitsuari hoped.

—Stand beside the boy I love with all my heart.—

That fleeting thought echoes as they enjoyed the warmth surrounding them.

...

After some time, Touya suddenly cleared his throat.

"I'm sure you're all aware at this point but..." Touya began.

He looked unsure. Incredibly unsure.

"Touma… didn't have the best childhood. In fact, it would probably be better to say that… he didn't have any childhood. No one wanted to be around him, and he most certainly did not have any friends." Touya finished grimly.

Everyone's expressions saddened at that, once again reminded of those bittersweet memories from the boy's childhood years.

"But then—ha ha." Touya suddenly laughed.

"Imagine our surprise when our Touma brought someone over to that beach house." The man turned to look at Index in her noticeable white nun habit.

"Ah?" Index's cheeks reddened at the man's attention.

"Our quiet and melancholy boy was nowhere to be found. Here he was playing around with this girl, nonchalantly saying he had friends like it was no big deal, the little bastard." The man said with a small smile.

Lessar and many others chuckled at that.

"What Touya is trying to say..." Shiina took over, from where Misaki and Mitsuari were. "Is that Touma suddenly became very happy, fooling around, acting like a completely different person... and… I guess he kinda was at that point." Shiina's voice got softer.

Index's stomach suddenly twisted.

"I-I'm... I'm sorry." She said, taking a step forward, hands resting on her chest.

"It's my fault that Touma had to go through that, that he lost his memories...!"

"Don't be dear." Shiina said kindly. "I saw it. Touma did what he did because he cared about you. And I know you care about him as well, right?"

"Yeah... yeah!"

Index's eyes burned.

"T-Touma is the best. He cooks for me, takes me out to cool places, and comes and saves me when I'm in trouble. I don't ever want to be separated from Touma!"

Tears were pooling in the girl's eyes now.

"It's okay. "Shiina walked over to her and hugged the distraught girl. "Thank you for accepting our boy."

Everyone looked fondly at the scene, but this time along with a slight amount of jealousy.

(I-I want a hug from Kamijou-san's mother...) Itsuwa thought with longing.

It was enviable indeed.

Oh, and also...

(Pleasedon'tnoticePleasedon'tnoticePleasedon'tnotice!)

Othinus went rigid as she was a mere hair's breath away from the woman — who had just minutes before — said her name with such disdain.

"Not to mention— Ha ha..." Touya suddenly laughed joyfully. "At the Daihassei, Touma was making penalty games and having two girls fight over him."

Mikoto and Index both reddened at that.

"I wasn't really—... Touma was just being stupid as usual." Index crossed her arms, tears nowhere to be found now."

"I-I was not fighting over him! I just wanted to find out where that girl who was always draped over him lived! I-It was a completely valid question...!" Mikoto voiced out now.

"For a lover maybe, you damn tsundere." Accelerator said under his breath.

"Excuse me!?" Mikoto rounded on him, meaning he didn't say it as quietly as he thought.

"Damn." The boy's retort and subsequent cursing were met with amusement by the majority of the room, especially Misaki and Index.

But...

"It's Accelerator, right?"

Shiina now approached the white-haired boy.

—She totally switched targets just like that!— Everyone thought.

"...Yeah." Accelerator said with a tad bit of scrutiny.

He didn't trust this at all.

(What is this woman playing at? Is she planning to curse me out? Flip me off for almost killing her son?)

If that was the case, then Accelerator would accept it. He didn't have the right not to.

"You've done a lot of bad things." She said plainly with sadness in her voice.

"...I know." He didn't allow any emotion to escape his voice. He didn't want this woman to think he was making excuses for some reason.

Why was that?

"But you really are a good person, aren't you?"

"Hah?" Shiina's sudden comment could not have been taken in a better way.

"You listened to his words at that time, no... both times. When it came down to it, you didn't shut him out completely when it was easier to do so. You knew there was something out of place and you worked for it. So, I know you're a good person."

"That's... You can just say that after looking back on it. I'm a horrible person. I killed more than 10,000 girls because I thought it would make me more powerful than I already was."

He thought that would be enough to get this woman to back down. But Shiina just smiled, as if she was waiting for this very moment.

"If you're really as horrible as you say, then why does she look so concerned right now...?"

The boy froze. There was only one person she could have been talking about.

He very slowly looked downward. At Last Order.

"Why does she look so worried about you?" Shiina added softly.

"!?"

Last Order seemed to get flustered at the sudden shift in conversation.

"Ehh? Worried? Misaka wasn't worried per say, she was um- just keeping an eye out, Misaka Misaka lies, trying to hide her embarrassment."

"..."

Accelerator just looks at her, not letting anything appear on his face. Not confusion, nor annoyance, not anything.

"Wh-Why aren't you saying anything!? Misaka Misaka cries out, not knowing what to do!"

"Hah..." Accelerator then sighed, but...

He placed a hand over the girl's head.

"It always comes back to you doesn't it, brat."

And that boy smiled in a way Last Order's only seen few and far between.

"Ah- um- that's... Misaka Misaka thinks this attack is a bit unfair and is suddenly too nervous to talk to you!"

Last Order hid behind the taller form of Shiina.

"Heh, Heh." The woman chuckled at the girl's antics. "Aren't you a cutie."

"Wow, who knew you could smile like that number one. You're going to have to beat the ladies off soon enough~" Worst chided with a smirk.

"Shut up..." The boy looked away with exhaustion.

(That's the last time I'm ever talking to someone's mom...)

...

"Holy shit, she just went all super-mom on two Level 5's..." Kinuhata let out. "She's a badass."

"Yeah..." Mugino said with a trace amount of underlying meaning.

Hamazura saw this.

"What? You wanna see if you can get a hug too Mugino?" The boy joked.

"!?" Mugino actually went scarlet at the suggestion. "Wh-What the fuck are you spouting!? Do you want to die!?"

(Eh…? I was right?) He inwardly smiled at the reaction.

...

Two boys suddenly slipped their arms around Touya's shoulders.

"Sup Kami-yan's dad."

"Nice meeting you again, Touya-san."

Aogami and Tsuchimikado both slinked their way over to him with a casual finesse.

"Ah, hello." The man was seemingly startled. "Are you two friends of Touma's? Whew... And I was starting to think it was only girls. Wait, haven't I seen you bef-"

"That's a question we ask ourselves allllllll the time, sir." Tsuchimikado interrupted with a jovial tone. "I mean your son is quite the chick-magnet, it's making the rest of us look bad."

"C-Chick-magnet? You don't mean- Touma isn't-" Touya broke into a whisper. "(...playing around is he?)"

Touya really wanted to believe that wasn't true.

"Welllllllllll— not exactly? It's actually the opposite." However, Aogami's contradictory response threw him for a loop.

Touya sighed. "What are you trying to say?"

"Kami-yan sorta does it all... unintentionally it seems." Aogami said.

"But before he lost his memories, he was a total player." Tsuchimikado added.

"Ah, he was, wasn't he?" Aogami mused.

A small part of Touya died after hearing that.

(Touma, just what were you doing before you lost your memories...)

"But now, it's just he's too sincere for his own good and ladies are falling left and right. I mean look at all of them."

Tsuchimikado gestured to the wide expanse of females in the room.

"Kami-yan's not even here and their getting interested in him. It's almost as if that Voice lady's goal is to expand the harem as well."

"Wait..." Aogami paused. "Didn't she say something like that? About her wanting others to love Kami-yan in the same way that she does?"

"That's right, she did..." Tsuchimikado trailed off with realization. "...I want to punch him in the face."

"I know! Death to the Kamijou bloodline!" Aogami yelled. "Ah, sorry Kami-yan's dad. We don't have a problem with you, we just really want to inflict bodily harm to your son." Aogami added like it was no big deal.

"Uh... yeah..."

Meanwhile, Touya was truly at a loss.

(What am I even hearing!? The lady on the monitor as well!? Touma has the affections of all these girls and he doesn't even know about it? And these boys are telling me he's doing it all unintentionally? My son couldn't possibly be this dense! He's 16 years old for Christ's—!)

Wait, six-... teen...?

The man froze.

Aogami and Tuschimikado had likely continued to talk, however Touya did not hear a word of it. He had stopped listening altogether.

16 years old? His son was 16 years old...?

There was confusion in his tone because of one simple thing.

His son had NOT lived 16 years of his life.

He was not a teenager who had a childhood (no matter how horrible), lived with his parents, had birthdays, and made any sorts of memories that he could fall back on. In fact, was he even a year old yet? And another thing. Touma hadn't forgotten his memories, this wasn't amnesia of any known kind. The memories weren't just lost, they were completely destroyed.

...

'—This was less amnesia and more a case of complete memory destruction.'

...

That's what the doctor had said in that memory.

His son's memories were most likely never coming back and what was he doing? He was sitting here picking and prodding at his son's brand-new life like it was his business. Like he knew what he was talking about.

Being dense? Leading people on? Hadn't his son already stated his views on romance in general? Hadn't their misfortune-ridden boy already come to terms with that fact of his life?

...

'I can't take what was never mine to begin with. I can't take what was rightfully his. Not Kamijou Touma's.'

...

His own son thought no one was capable of loving him romantically. His own son didn't even think that the life he lives now fully belonged to him.

For that father, it was almost too much to bear.

(Touma...)

Sadness encroached his heart.

(You don't still think that way, do you?)

...

"Alright everyone. The next memory "Angel Fall" will be beginning shortly." The Voice said.

It was almost time.

Shiina steeled herself right next to her husband, as they were standing next to Misuzu, with her daughter and the rest of her friends.

She knew what was going to happen next. They were going to watch a memory of her son's.

Would she recognize it? Would it be a surprise?

And then even more concerning...

(Are you going to suffer in this one too, Touma?)

Shiina felt her skin go cold as such thoughts passed through her.

They had barely touched on it, but-... the severity of the misfortune Touma had gone through in the memories she had been shown thus far, shocked her to her very core.

No. It didn't just shock her, it absolutely horrified her.

She had thought that getting stabbed as a child was the worst thing to ever happen to her boy. And as much as she was distraught that her son's memories had been completely destroyed-... she...

She was secretly glad.

Wasn't that terrible? Wasn't it terrible for her to be relieved over that news; that Touma wouldn't have to remember that pain, the pain his misfortune put him through at such a young age?

But that relief broke apart into a million pieces as she was shown the rest of the memories everyone else had seen, ones that her mind recalled even now.

He had beaten within an inch of his life by people with red-clad armor, only being saved by the Shokuhou Misaki who had blocked out his sense of pain with her power (how close to death did that make her son!?), he had been shot at by assassins (ones who later helped her son and were in this very room!), infected with an airborne virus dangerous enough to weaken him to the point of death, thrown into a windmill at insane speeds, had his arm both sliced from his body and blown out of its socket...

Not to mention—

Shiina shivered.

—The actual deaths her son experienced in those constructed worlds.

"...!" She froze up in fright at the memory.

She couldn't. She couldn't go into to those. Just thinking about it all made Shiina nauseous. And that wasn't even considering the lasting mental damage that all of that left in its wake.

Her heart... hurt.

More so than she could ever express. This was her son, her own flesh and blood that she had brought into this world. And he had gone through so much pain.

And for what reason!?

Because he was too kind for his own good? Because the suffering of others made him unable to walk away? Because... he was unlucky?

Unknowingly, she had reached the same conclusion as her husband.

For a mother, it was almost too much to bear.

(Touma...)

And in that same way, her voice longed for her boy.

(Please don't hurt yourself any more than that, please...)

And with that, it had begun.

[ Scene Start ]

---

Prologue: Parallel World in Real World.

---

Today was August 28th, and the sky was clear.

Mikoto, Misaka Imouto, and Accelerator all reflexively widened their eyes. Additionally, Touya and Shiina pondered over it, thinking the date was familiar.

By having the date given so quickly, that gave many a preface of when this memory was taking place this time around.

(That's...!) Accelerator trailed off as realization set in.

There was no way he didn't recognize the date. After all, that was exactly six days after his life had changed completely.

Or conversely...

It was six days after he fought and lost against a certain unknown level 0 in that abandoned switchyard.

...

"Touya, that date...?"

"Yes, that's the day we met Touma at the beach house."

Touya answered Shiina's question as he finally realized why the date had bothered him.

"What reason is there to show a simple vacation though? Shiina asked.

"..."

Touya was silent.

He... He had an idea as to what they would see. Although maybe now he would finally understand what was going on.

High school student Kamijou Touma was awakened from his slumber by a girl's voice yelling, "Oniichan~!"

...Eh?

Everyone unconsciously tilted their head in confusion.

(D-Did I just mishear that or...)

Mikoto looked even more perplexed for a certain reason. Though, maybe it was her imagination.

"What was that shrilly voice just now?"

Kamijou, still half-asleep, slowly opened his eyes. The blanket that should have been covering his body was crumpled at his side.

The source of the voice was beyond the door.

His glance sideways revealed a six-tatami-mat-sized Japanese room. Worn-out tatami mats stretched out along the floor. On the ceiling was a fluorescent lamp covered with an old square covering for electric lamps. The wooden door was layered with specks of dirt and had a simple lock, the type that looked like one commonly used at toilets. A discolored yellow electric fan ventilated the room instead of an air conditioner. He breathed in deeply, and smelled the scent of the sea.

Everyone was quickly able to ascertain that this in fact wasn't the boy's usual dorm room.

This was not the room in his apartment, nor was it a place in Academy City.

This was a guestroom on the second floor of a beach lodge named Wadatsumi, located somewhere in a certain sea coast within the Kanagawa Prefecture. Kamijou's parents and Index each had a separate room.

"Ah, yeah, we're already outside."

Kamijou concluded with a half-functioning brain.

A... beach lodge?

This quickly led to confusion.

Besides that of Touya, Shiina, Kanzaki, Tsuchimikado, and Index, everyone was no doubt perplexed at the sudden revelation of Kamijou's whereabouts.

Especially since he was outside of Academy City.

(So that's why Voice-san brought Touma-kun's parents.)

Arisa understood now.

The Academy City where Kamijou normally lived in lay in the western part of Tokyo. Therefore, those people who were used to living inland might love the idea of going to the seaside (though they could still enjoy the waters if they go to the fishery schools, but not much).

As a countermeasure against abduction of students (samples) by a possible agent or spy, leaving the premises of Academy City was strictly prohibited. To leave, the student must first write up and turn in three written applications. After signing all of them, their blood has to be checked for authenticity of identity using a micro machine, and lastly, they need to have a guarantor to obtain a complete pass.

Mikoto's face soured.

They all tried to ignore how Academy City blatantly labeled its students as samples.

Even though it was technically true, and the Espers bred from the power curriculum were Academy's praised product, the clear dehumanization was still unsettling.

...

"Absolutely horrendous." Tsuchimikado shook his head in dismay.

"There's a quicker way than that to get out of the city, you know? Kami-yan's tested it loads of times!" Tsuchimikado said with a gleam in his eye.

(Why do I not trust that at all?)

Fukiyose felt a bad premonition with those words, and that smile!

However…

(I'm here right now.)

Kamijou stroked his right hand. The mark made by the mosquito needle that was used to draw his blood was barely noticeable even when touched.

Normally, the student was the one who'd beg the teachers for permission to leave, which somehow went like this: "Sensei, please allow me to leave~" However, it was a special case this time; the teachers actually ordered Kamijou to leave, like this: "Get out of the city, idiot!"

"Ah."

Komoe suddenly looked a little flustered.

"I d-didn't say it like that..."

Last week, Kamijou had defeated the most powerful Level 5.

The rumor regarding the denouement of battle had spread like wildfire despite the sparsity of students during summer break. With that, one might think that Kamijou's position had improved—but in reality, it had been the reverse.

"Tch...!"

Accelerator clicked his tongue and looked at the mention.

Worst snickered at the boy's attitude.

...

Meanwhile, everyone quite clearly bristled at the blunt approximation of Kamijou's deed.

"So, they sent him out of the city for that?" Saten said.

"But now that you mention it, I do seem to recall a rumor like that floating around. Everyone was talking about it like crazy on the forums." She recalled.

"I see! If we defeat that Level 0, we can have Academy City's title of the strongest esper!" Because of that rumor, the town delinquents had gathered, and had gone after Kamijou, starting the game of survival hunt.

(S-Survival hunt!?)

Uiharu thought that didn't sound good at all.

The higher ups, frazzled by this rumor, had contacted Kamijou, and said, "Hey, Kamijou Touma-kun, we'll handle the matters here by manipulating information, so in order to not cause any unnecessary uproar, can you go someplace else until the dust is settled?"

(They said that, but they were clearly showing their contempt by sending me here to a rundown lodge.)

Agnese had a question.

"How did they know it was him so quickly? The only people that were there were people that would suffer from it getting out, and I doubt that guy's the type to brag."

She was referring to Kamijou in the matter half of her statement.

"Heh..." Shirai suddenly laughed cynically.

"...I wouldn't be surprised if delinquents started hassling everyone who happened to be Level 0's."

Kamijou let out a big yawn. Even though it was summer, due to the outbreak of large jellyfish apparently inhabiting the waters near the shore, the number of customers visiting the place was close to zero this year. Putting that aside, leaving Academy City required accompaniment by a guarantor—in this case, his parents. Never mind if they were cute girls or sexy older women, but why would someone spend their precious vacation time with their parents at this age?

Touya's face faulted with incredible precision.

(T-That's a little blunt there Touma, your mother might actually-)

"(Sniff... sniff) Touma-san didn't even want to see us...?"

Shiina's voice reached him just as he thought that though.

(It's too late! She's already crying!)

For Kamijou, everything would be fine if things were just this simple.

The upshot of defeating the strongest Level 5 had forced a big project to be terminated. Some of the higher ups might have borne a grudge against Kamijou. Fortunately, thanks to the recent rumors, they could not take action immediately; the reason was that if they even thought of doing so now, it would be disclosed to the public immediately.

Misaki puffed up her chest, looking proud.

(That's right, my prince is untouchable.)

However, the still half-asleep Kamijou didn't feel even a fragment of uneasiness.

(Uhhh, I'm still sleepy… Is everyone up now?)

He absentmindedly recalled the sister in white that was supposed to be sleeping in a room across his own.

Index suddenly stiffened up as she felt thirty-something stares on her figure.

Yikes.

She was being given a variety of different looks, but some were a tad bit envious.

"(So that's what they meant...)" Mikoto quietly said.

She was surely recalling what Kamijou's parents said during their lunch at the Daihassei.

(Maybe she's still enjoying herself in dreamland,) he thought.

The sister in white would probably be filed under the "cute" category. Still, imagining himself shouting deep inside, "Thank you very much for the nice summer!" with tears of joy after seeing her childlike body in a swimsuit would be abnormally ridiculous.

He had been surprised at the sight of Index, who nervously came out of the fitting room after trying out the swimsuit they had bought in the supermarket—not to mention that he'd also been surprised at the number of zeros written on the price tag.

"!"

Index's cheeks flushed red at the sudden compliment, a small smile surfacing as well before she could hide it.

(Touma thinks of me as cute.)

But-

"Geh!"

Aogami looked like he received fatal damage.

"N-Not even a minute in and he already caused someone to blush..."

"Pretty sure he was more worried about the price tag though..." Himegami muttered in response.

"Honestly, it could be both." Fukiyose said with exasperation.

For your information, the white sister had no plans to tag along in the first place; she was supposed to stay in Academy City. Kamijou had planned to leave her—and her cat—in Komoe-sensei's custody. The swimsuit that they had bought was originally prepared for use in the school pool.

After reflecting upon it, it had naturally been the best choice. However, that white sister was not one of the students enrolled in the city; in other words, she was an outsider. That airheaded sister might be spotted and caught by Anti-Skill. That said, Kamijou still had no way to make her a pass to leave the city.

Kanzaki smiled at that.

"Let me guess, she broke down and cried until he changed his mind..." She said wistfully.

"And she'll somehow find a way to make you feel guilty no matter what you say." Stiyl added.

He deadpanned with a slightly annoyed visage, but his lips also curved upward as he recalled a similar memory.

But the sister in white had not cared one bit about that fact. Kamijou had given up when he had seen a crying Index after she had been told to stay home.

Komoe had something to say about that.

"Index-chan, while it was sad that Kamijou couldn't take you, girls shouldn't cry to get what they want."

She scolded the girl slightly.

"I-I know that! I just..."

The young girl seems to deflate all if a sudden as she looked down with a red expression.

"I didn't want Touma to leave me..."

"...O-Oh." Komoe said after a while.

The teacher's face went red at such a sincere reason.

As a result, he had tried smuggling the sister out of the city.

Smuggle!?

Everyone had to make sure they heard that correctly.

"Did he just..." Misuzu trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"D-Did he just say smuggle!?" Shirai exclaimed.

"Well that took a turn~!" Lessar said with excitement.

"Oh my..." Shiina suddenly sighed.

(I undertsand Index isn't a legal resident but that too far Touma-san!) Shiina thought, chastising her son.

To put it simply, they had just needed to call a taxi, let Index hide in the rear seat or compartment, and wait until they got past the gate. Kamijou could not believe that he had considered carrying out that cheap method. However, things didn't really go his way; they had been stopped at the gate. It seemed that an infrared seeker and a MRI scanner were used to monitor the vehicles passing through.

(Oh, no, we're gonna be caught,) Kamijou had thought on tenterhooks. However, they had not actually been arrested; it appeared that Index had been registered as a guest with a guest ID.

"...They resorted to breaking the law for no reason...?"

Kaibi found that a bit funny.

Both Kamijou and Index had not known about that.

(I wonder who registered Index?)

Everyone looked over at Kanzaki and Stiyl.

"Don't look at us..." The flame magician said with a bland tone, not looking away from the screen.

(Could it have been Aleister?) Kumokawa thought, deep in contemplation

.

The registration of a person required three things: fingerprints, a voiceprint, and retina patterns of that person. Well, voice and retina patterns could easily be forged by using a high resolution video camera, and even fingerprints could be duplicated by using either aluminum or carbon powder.

But why bother going through all those things?

Kamijou had felt dubious, but it hadn't manifested on his face. He could not possibly do something that would cast suspicion on them. Kamijou had just tilted his head as he had watched Anti-Skill restrain Index who had been putting up a struggle against the injection of a nanodevice (a transmission device) into her body (which actually does not hurt at all, thanks to the mosquito needle). They had finally passed the gate after that.

"Really...?"

Mikoto aimed towards Index.

"They were trying to stick something in me!" Index protested.

"Heh."

Aogami suddenly chortled.

"That's what she - OW! Okay my bad- my bad!"

He swiftly apologized after Fukiyose hit him.

(Uwaa, I'm sleepy~)

He covered his head with a blanket as he drowsily recalled the events. He decided to resume his sleep. His nocturnal habit from summer vacation probably hadn't left him yet. As his consciousness was about to fade into nothingness, he heard the voice again.

"Oniiiii-chaaan, waaake uuup!"

The energetic call of a girl which came from the hall outside the room penetrated the barrier of the door, and reached Kamijou's ear.

There it was again! It wasn't random!

"Okay! What's going on!? Last time I checked that guy doesn't have a sister!" Birdway exclaimed, livid for some reason.

"(A-And why does it sound so...)" Mikoto muttered, unable to finish.

For some reason, her face burned with a blushing visage, unable to decipher why it is the girl's voice bothered her so much.

...

"Tsuchimikado...?"

A voice similar to one asking for the bad news came from Aogami.

"What are the odds Kami-yan is just hallucinating and doesn't have a little sister character hidden away." Aogami questioned with despair leaking out.

"Little to none, but we can still hope." Tsuchimikado responded instantly.

"Y-Yeah." The blue haired boy choked back a sob. "I-I thought so..."

Kamijou thought that maybe there was a useless brother and a reliable sister also staying in the lodge.

All of a sudden, Touya rose an eyebrow.

(Well describing it like that, it kind of sounds like Otohime?) He thought absentmindedly.

(Wait...)

(Wait, what the hell is with that enticing combination!? Why do only weird girls like Index or Himegami Aisa flock to my place and not a girl like that?) Kamijou thought stupidly—and then remembered the fact about the large jellyfish outbreak that was driving away the customers. There were supposed to be no customers besides them today.

Index suddenly flushed red with anger.

"Touma you can't go calling girls weird!"

But also...

"Heh, heh heh."

Cynical chuckling was heard from Himegami.

"He hasn't said my name in so long and it's just to call me weird. Heh, heh heh heh."

She undoubtedly had it worse.

"Ah, he surely didn't mean it like that Aisa!" Fukiyose was quick to placate her though.

"Kamijou just says really stupid stuff sometimes."

She nodded to herself.

"Yeah, he's just stupid. Just stupid."

(Isn't she calling him stupid a little too much?) Musujime raised an eyebrow at her.

Then, a loud bang echoed across the room, accompanied by the sudden opening of the door.

WHA-!?

Everyone was startled.

(What!? What's happening!?)

Before Kamijou could bring his face out from the blanket, he heard light footsteps approaching.

"How long are you going to sleep, Oniichan? C'mon, get up! Get up! Get up!"

Hearing it this close, Mikoto truly froze and stiffened up completely.

"Eh?"

Her mouth opened and closed as nothing coherent came out.

The voice of a cute girl reached him along with the feeling of a body pressing on his stomach.

"Gwahh!?" Kamijou cried as he felt the shock from the conventional pro-wrestling technique usually seen in manga or dating sims.

Amidst this unexpected (re: expected) situation...

"Goddammit Kami-yan! I knew it wasn't a hallucination!"

...Aogami was quick to make his dissatisfaction known.

Kamijou coughed violently inside the blanket. This was weird; Kamijou Touma didn't have a younger sister.

A soft sensation ran down his stomach, which was partitioned by just a flimsy blanket. Just thinking about which part of the girl was touching his stomach would be enough to make any healthy boy excited, but unfortunately for Kamijou, he was feeling too annoyed at something else to realize that. Kamijou's stomach screamed "Kyaah!" in surprise before rolling onto the floor.

"Dammit, who is it that's trying to disrupt my sleep?"

When he lowered his gaze to confirm the identity of the nuisance…

He found the culprit to be Misaka Mikoto.

The room went dead silent.

Shock was abundant on everyone's faces as they were just revealed something otherworldly.

"..."

But quite noticeably, the first one to react was not Mikoto, but Misaki instead.

Misaki's mouth fell open as she was stunned speechless. She rigidly turned to look at the girl herself, who looked equally as surprised.

(This girl...? This flat unattractive tomboyish girl?)

Her mouth fell open as she was stunned speechless, which was the collective reaction in this case.

(Have I been underestimating her this entire time!?)

It felt the entire world had suddenly just shifted in on itself.

.

..

...

It was after a long silence did the room finally break into an uproar.

"Onee-sama!? You were there with him as well!?" Shirai cried out in more bewilderment than outrage.

"While Misaka applauds you for finally being honest with your feelings, she is a bit confused and envious that you chose to be a little sister, reveals Misaka with an underlying tone of dissatisfaction in her voice."

Imouto could not contain her shock at the scene either, which explained her blunt opinion on the situation.

"Oh dear, Mikoto. Did you really take it to heart when I said love changed a person? This wasn't really what I meant by that though. ...Ah - I don't really know what to say..."

Misuzu was also at a loss for words.

"Nooooooo! I won't let you steal Big Brother" Amazora shouted.

"M-... Me t-" Birdway started to say but clamped her mouth shut with a red face.

And all the while...

Mikoto was just standing shock still with what looked to be steam coming out of her ears. Her face was bright red and looked to be really unsure of how she should react.

And even though her mouth was opening and closing, no words were coming out, despite her intentions to do so.

"Ouch~ Hey, is that how you treat your sister who especially went over to your room to wake you up?"

The girl, who was wearing a red camisole, landed cutely on her back, and pouted her face in a manner that didn't suit the Misaka he knew.

Mikoto's face burned even further.

(What am I- Ah! I-I mean what is she wearing!?)

Her head was getting all confused. Especially since the very prospect of her being here was not something she remembered at all.

"Wh—?"

He wanted to say, "What are you doing here?"

Anyway, his drowsiness disappeared instantly.

Misaka Mikoto: an ace student of the prestigious Tokiwadai Middle School, she was one of the seven existing Level 5s in the city. Although capable of discharging high-voltage electricity—and with a cranky temperament to boot—she was also a crybaby. During a certain incident, Misaka owed Kamijou a debt, and every time he tried to bring that topic up, she would peremptorily assault Kamijou with sparks.

And of course, she was neither Kamijou's genuine younger sister nor stepsister.

Momentarily ignoring what the boy truly regarding the incident he hot involved with for her sake, it was at this moment did Mikoto choose to react in a logical manner

"WH-WH-WH-WH-WH-WH-WH-WHAT IS THIS!?"

Er... change that to emotionally.

She had cried out in absolute shock, impressively stumbling over her words.

Her face was dyed crimson red all the way up to her ears, but she still lashed out on the only possibility she could think of.

"Y-YOU! THIS IS YOUR FAULT, ISN'T IT!?"

It was obvious who she was referring to in this case.

"Y-Y-You're manipulating the memory again, aren't you!?" She vehemently said, an accusatory tone in her voice.

"Hahahahahaha!"

The Voice laughed out loud.

"I assure you Misaka Mikoto, I've done no such thing. What you see before you is definitely reality as it happened. There's..."

She paused for no other reason because it was fun.

"...Just more to it than meets the eye. Keep watching."

The Voice giggled as she replied.

Mikoto grit her teeth as she was quite vexed.

(I don't believe that for one minute!)

Many people shared that same disbelief, but they refrained from speaking out in a similar manner, just choosing to keep watching instead.

Meanwhile...

"Heh, heh, heh."

Tsuchimikado started snickering.

He was surely about to enjoy the chaos that was about to ensue.

...

(So, this was the side effect of Angel Fall...) Stiyl thought as he looked on curiously.

"The swap I heard about..." Stiyl muttered.

However, despite this knowledge, he made no actions to reveal it to anyone. Kanzaki and Tsuchimikado were the same in that regard.

(More fun for everyone else~!)

At least, that's what the Voice thought.

Due to his inability to comprehend the situation, Kamijou asked Misaka, "What? Ehh!? Were you also forced out of the city after the Sisters incident? …Wait, is this some kind of exile island for the congregation of expelled students?"

"Haahhh!? What are you talking about? Is me hanging around you really that weird?"

"Can you stop that disgusting act of fawning? It's been giving me goosebumps for a while now! You're not supposed to be a sister character… You're a tsundere! You should just stick to your proper character."

"(S-So if I fawned over you, it would be weird?)"

Mikoto muttered this softly to herself, not even bothering to deny that the claim of being a tsundere.

Being the only one who heard it, Misuzu just smiled wryly at the daughter's antics.

But more importantly...

Why was Mikoto even acting like this in the first place if she was so openly against it at present?

That was a question many of them had.

"I don't understand what you're talking about."

Kamijou felt more goosebumps at Mikoto's apparent nonchalance.

After a moment of being dumbstruck, Kamijou's brain began to fire up.

Hypothesis [1] : The authorities ordered Mikoto to pull Kamijou's leg with this canned joke.

Hypothesis [2] : Mikoto decided to play the sister role (stepsister setting: on) upon Kamijou as an act of repayment.

Hypothesis [3] : One of Misaka's clones for some reason or other had a glitch.

Wow.

Just... wow.

Everyone just blinked multiple times at the pure stupidity that they were witnessing in all its glory.

(I'm sure it's [1] ; there's no way it's [3] . I know that Misaka's clones are sister characters. If that's the reason, that would be nice—no, there's no way I'd have a fantastic flag like that. But what if… what if it's [3] ?)

"...Didn't even consider number two."

Mikoto grumbled out in disappointment.

Apparently, it wasn't even possible in his mind for her to be thanking him by acting in such a... such a c-cutesy way.

(Which I wouldn't!) She interjected in her mind suddenly. (B-But what if I wanted to...)

"Baka..."

Mikoto glared at the floor with a blushing face.

The big sisters' reaction aside...

Imouto surprisingly looks down with a timid, but quite noticeably happy expression on her face.

(He... He said that it would be nice, fantastic even...)

The expressionless girl had that thought amidst the incessant beating of her heart.

…

…Ohhh.

"Ha!?"

Kamijou returned to reality after a few seconds of reverie.

"Oh boy..."

Kumokawa sighed with amusement.

"What did he realize now?"

Shaking off the fantasy that summer had showed him, he shouted, "Idiot! Don't make fun of a high school student! Do you think a middle schooler like you can bewitch me with that technique!?"

"Oniichan, you've been hyper ever since this morning."

"Dammit, stop lumping me into the 'happy to be called Oniichan' category! First of all, why are you calling me Oniichan!? And is that coming from a true incest setting or a false one!? Goddammit, I can see where this is going! It's probably the latter, right? With a plot twist revealing that they were actually blood-related in the end stopping the possibility of the route! I'm pretty sure it is!"

They blinked at the unparalleled honesty of the boy's thoughts.

Kaibi being one of them.

(Why is he being so analytical about it? Wouldn't any other boy jump on the chance to take advantage of the situation?) She wondered with a deadpan.

And most confusingly? This for some reason caused her stomach to churn the slightest bit. And that was because...

(But... I guess he doesn't act like every other boy...)

...

"Haha..."

Itsuwa chuckled softly.

"You know, I sometimes think that Kamijou-san's thoughts are pointless at a times like these..."

"I agree with you there. That boy has no filter at all..."

A subdued Agnese responded with a red tint to her cheeks.

She was most likely still a little perplexed at what was happening at the moment, but she couldn't help but remember the various encounters she has had with Kamijou Touma, and how uncaring he often times was of how his words affected her.

"(Honestly, who tells someone they can see their panties...)"

Yes, she couldn't get that out of her head.

Beside her, Orsola smiled at the girl's grumbling.

As opposed to the Agnese, she honestly found the boy's ridiculous consistency to wear his heart on his sleeve endearing. Especially when most of the time it did not end up helping him at all.

She loved that about him with no embarrassment.

"..."

(Um... maybe it is just a tad bit embarrassing.)

Orsola thought after a while.

"Haah, I wonder what language you're speaking in? That double dutch? Anyway, who cares about whatever I call you? I'm calling you Oniichan because you're my Oniichan."

(I DISAGREE!)

Birdway and Amazora simultaneously though this.

"No, I'm not! Why are you my younger sister!?"

"Hmm?"

Mikoto poked her cheek with her own index finger as a sign of puzzling countenance.

(What is happening...? Seeing myself act like this is weird...)

Mikoto thought, getting right back to the main issue. And then with a more flustered reaction...

(Especially with him of all people...)

"Does me being your younger sister necessarily require a reason?"

Mikoto heaved herself up from the floor.

"C'mon, now. If you have that much energy, then get up. Afterward, come down to the first floor for breakfast," Mikoto said nonchalantly, and left the room.

"What's happening here?" Kamijou muttered while gazing at the exit of the room.

(…Ummm. In the end, what was that all about?)

"I don't get it either. Is Number 3 actually Kamijou-san's sister?" Sogiita questioned while scratching his chin.

"NO!"

Mikoto instantly responded.

"I-I mean- I don't know what's happening here. ...I wasn't even outside the city at this time..." She said with clear confusion in her voice.

"Then... who is that girl that looks like you?"

Sogiita's question was a logical one, despite that already being a contradiction.

Regardless, everyone pondered over what in the world was going on.

Especially Touya and Shiina.

A girl calling herself a little sister AND being close to their son? That only painted one girl in their minds, even though it was impossible for her to have changed her voice hair color, eye color, and body type.

It was just too unbelievable for them to believe this girl was the one they knew as Otohime Tatsugami.

(But still, Touma did get involved with something weird that day...)

These doubts clouded his mind, while his wife was thoroughly confused and oblivious.

Unable to grasp what was happening, Kamijou changed into his casual clothes, and left the room.

Which caused a massive spell of blushing and frantic averted stares to ensue.

(M-My heart...)

Misaki was a little red faced as a result.

She and many others would be thinking of a half-naked Kamijou for quite a while.

Outside his room was a short rectangular hallway. Abutting its lengths were three doors belonging to guestrooms—six in total.

The wooden floor was black like that of an ancient temple, and particles of dust and sand were scattered randomly on the surface of the floor, which would cause anyone walking on it barefoot to feel disgusted.

The stairs were located at the end of the hall.

That was Kamijou's destination when he heard the door open behind him.

"Morning, Touma. Hmm? Your hair's disheveled at the back of your head."

It was the voice of his father.

The man perked up at this. He was all of a sudden curious as to what his son would think about him.

"..."

Honestly, for reasons only he knew in depth, he was preparing for the worst.

Kamijou Touya. His age was somewhere around thirty. This middle-aged man, with a beard in the form of stubble, somewhat resembled Touma. His occupation in the exporting business had him leave the country thrice every month. His appearance was probably influenced by his job, as he looked intrepid yet somewhat intellectual.

Kamijou, who had lost his memory, did not remember the face of his father, so he had no way of attesting whether or not that person really was his father. In contrast, his father approached him without reserve.

To a high schooler, a college student who was two or three years older than them was already "a different person living in an unknown realm with a different lifestyle". Much more to a person with a significant age gap, Kamijou had no idea how to behave in front of him.

Touya's face fell.

It was as he feared, but to actually hear that his son didn't even know how to act in front of him... it gave him nothing but sadness.

A comforting hand wrapped around his. It was Shiina's.

But Touya suddenly stiffened as he realized something.

How bad would it be for Shiina? Why was he complaining, when it would be a million times worse if Touma rejected her instead of him, the woman who gave birth to him?

So, he squeezed back reassuringly. It was all he could do at the moment.

"Un~ Morning… eh?"

As he turned to greet his father, Kamijou's face lit up in astonishment.

"What's the problem, Touma?"

Kamijou's father, Kamijou Touya was knitting his eyebrows.

"...What's with that reaction? He was hiding his discomfort rather well until now, so why is he suddenly crumbling...?" Rikuri all of a sudden asked.

She had a point.

They all showed skepticism at that. After all, this was inherently different from the quiet nervousness he sported when addressing 'father'.

What was wrong?

But let us put that Kamijou Touya aside first…

Kamijou cast his glance to the source of the anomaly, who was standing beside Touya.

The scene suddenly shifted to give everyone a look at what Kamijou was looking at.

"Index, what's with that appearance?"

Yes, the girl standing beside Touya was a silver-haired foreign girl with green eyes.

That was weird.

"...?"

Index was wearing clothes she's never worn before. This caused many to eye the girl in confusion.

"Wait but- huh?" Index herself was confused.

But why was that?

If you asked Touma to describe Index, he would just simply say, "She's a girl in sister dress." However, Index was not wearing her usual outfit today. Even though it was hot, she was wearing a flimsy half-sleeved one-piece dress that stretched down to her ankles. Draped around her shoulder was a cardigan, and on her head was a big white hat (tsubahiro). Let's be frank: she did not look like a healthy girl at all. He was about to ask her which sickly character she was or which country she was from when he suddenly remembered vaguely that his mother, Kamijou Shiina, had the same kind of attire yesterday.

O... K

That last part caused them to blink slowly.

"N-Not just the same kind. ...Those were the exact clothes I was wearing..." Shiina said suddenly, much to everyone's surprise.

"In fact, I'm pretty sure it was me standing beside next to Touya on that first morning..."

The woman's information continued to astound them.

Shiina's hobby was paragliding. One time, in a park near their old house where a public exhibition was being held, she had sat on a swing-shaped parachute with a motor engine on her back that ran the propeller. There was a report at that time stating that local people had witnessed the sight of a flying wife in the sky.

That was... interesting.

"..."

Birdway found herself blinking in confusion as such an image conjured up in her mind.

"Where did you get hold of that dress?"

Touya, confounded at Kamijou's odd question, asked instead, "Touma, is there a problem with your mom's dress?"

For the second time now, everyone was rendered completely and utterly speechless.

"... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ..."

It took a few seconds for everyone to realize what the man had just said.

Eh? Mom?

"Wait, why did I say that?!" Touya suddenly exclaimed frantically

They all widened their eyes as far as they could go at the last part of the man's casual question.

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!?"

Their surprise couldn't have been met in any other way.

Kamijou eyed Touya with a "What!?" expression.

Touya turned his face to the girl beside him, and confirmed, "Yeah, it's your mom."

Kinuhata wore an expression of complete confoundment.

(That girl is Kamijou's mother!? There's no way that's true!)

"What the super hell is going on here!?" Kinuhata yelled while clutching her head.

"I... have no clue..." Mugino said in an unsure tone.

It must have been bad for even a vulgar hussy like her to not be cussing in response.

Suffice it to say, everyone was so confused.

Kamijou returned his gaze to the girl. No matter how you look at it, she had the appearance of an airheaded foreign girl of fourteen years or less.

"Eh? Wait, Father, don't tell me you see this girl as Mom?"

"Is there anyone you're seeing besides that?"

"Wait, just wait a minute! I'm having a hard time comprehending this joke—if it really is a joke. If you're intending to continue performing this joke up until the end, I have no idea how to respond."

"Is this why Touma-san was acting so strangely that day?" Shiina muttered as she just realized.

"Was he hallucinating or something?"

"We can't be sure of that." Misaki suddenly said. "We don't know if this memory is showing us the hallucination or... the real thing."

Of course, Misaki didn't even want to imagine that this could the 'real thing'.

"If it's real I think I would have noticed that my wife had been replaced with a silver haired child!" Touya exclaims with a twinge of panic in his voice.

Naturally, he shares these same concerns. He didn't even want to think of the scenario where he hadn't noticed that entire time.

But regardless of everyone's bewilderment at this situation, the scene continued-

"Pfffftttttttt-Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!"

-as the Voice was laughing uncontrollably all the while.

"Touma, tell me which part of your mom has a problem."

"Everything! Firstly, her appearance doesn't even look like that of a mother at all!"

(Literally everything.) Musujime interjected.

Kamijou pinched the cloth that the fourteen-year-old girl was wearing.

Everyone couldn't decide whether to scold the boy for being so rude to his own (mother?) or jump in with him and agree.

What was reality and what wasn't? There was no way this could be an actual occurrence that could happen.

(Wait- an actual occurrence?)

That's right, this couldn't be natural. So that only meant that it had to be unnatural.

(Or maybe I'm still missing something...?)

Birdway narrowed her eyes as she came to this conclusion.

"My, my, Touma-san, are you saying you don't like my sense of fashion?"

"Stop that, Touma, you're making Mom sad with that (worried)."

"No! I mean no matter how you look at it, she's younger than me! Even if this is a theatrical play intended for elementary students, she can't even pass as a high school girl that's already a mother!"

"My, my, Touma-san, are you saying I appear younger than my age?"

"Stop that, Touma, you're making Mom happy with that (jealous)."

"Hitting on his own mom, what a bastard..." Aogami grumbled. "-Wait no...!"

He paused.

"I instinctively thought of setting Kami-yan on fire just now! I need to snap out of it."

Aogami was trying to supress these commonplace urges (lol).

...

Shiina looked at Touya incredulously.

"What are you getting jealous about? Touma-san is our son!"

"I know, I know okay! Trust me. No one's gladder than me that he wasn't actually saying those things with you in mind..."

"So... you're saying I'm not pretty enough to be complimented, is that it?"

Touya froze at this line of questioning. And Shiina's disheartened face was enough to make him break out in a sweat.

(She's putting words in my mouth! O-Okay, no need to fear. There's a surefire way to calm her down in situations like these. Works every time.)

Touya steeled his resolve and looked his wife in the eyes.

"No, I just want to be the only one complimenting Shiina."

---

[A/N: ...I have issues. ]

---

Unsurprisingly, that got a reaction out of the mother.

"O-Oh. I see."

Red painted Shiina's cheeks as she looked down, smiling happily.

"Aahh, geez!" Kamijou cried while burying his face between his palms.

Kamijou knew it. The first time he had seen Touya and Shiina was a month ago in a hospital, after he had been hospitalized for a head injury. At first, he had doubted them when they had told Kamijou that they were both almost the same age. Kamijou knew that his mother looked like an elder sister in her twenties.

The first time...

Kamijou had seen his parents for the first time that day.

Those in the room didn't know how to feel about that.

However, Touya and Shiina smiled sadly at their son's thoughts.

"...Must be weird seeing your parents for the first time..." Saten suddenly spoke.

And then facing towards Shiina, she smiled and said-

"No wonder he's thinks you're so young, you're really pretty Shiina-san."

Saten's sincere compliment makes Shiina widen her eyes.

"Why thank you very much, Saten is it?"

"That's right, wait- uh... how'd did you know?" The younger girl asked confused.

But just Shiina tapped her head.

"It was in the memories I received. I remember you helping my boy with his Daihassei race. You even tried to get your friend to dance him. Thank you so much for that, Saten-san."

Saten was positively flustered at the sudden gratitude.

"O-Oh it's no problem really!" Saten moved her hands about frantically. "I was just helping out a bit is all."

Shiina chuckled at the girl.

(What a cute and kind girl. I wonder, what do you think of her, Touma?)

She thought that as the memory continued.

But no matter how young his mother looked, Kamijou would not be convinced that his mother was a fourteen-year-old girl.

"Why are you suddenly burying your face between your palms, Touma? Are you already experiencing puberty-related problems? In that case, I have a souvenir here that I bought during my business trip. It's an amulet to ward off trouble."

Several people were about to raise more question on why and how Index was suddenly pretending to be a mother- but those immediately died without fail.

And that was because of what Touya was holding in his hand.

.

..

...

Worst burst out laughing.

"Hahahahaha! What the hell! Hahahahahaha!"

Mouth's went dry as they stared dumbly at the object, trying to open their mouths, however nothing was coming out.

That's when Mugino... eloquently... spoke

"That's a %$#." She plainly said.

"YOU ACTUALLY SAID ITTTTTTTTTTTT?!" Hamazura screamed in response. "Aren't you a girl at all!?"

"The fuck's that supposed to mean!?"

The answer was no. But sometimes yes. Which was admittedly never.

"No thanks. I don't believe in amulets or any other superstitious stuff. I'm pretty sure it's just an ordinary product mass-produced in a factory somewhere… Eh, what's up with that palm-sized stone statue? It has the shape of male genitalia no matter how you look at it."

They blanched at the boy's lack of filter, one that in no way loses to Mugino's.

(...And I was trying really hard not to imagine it too.) Mitsuari said as she massaged her forehead.

"Ahaha, I think so, too, but it somehow looks like an occult amulet."

"What protection does it provide? If I try keeping this thing as a replacement for a cell phone strap, not only will people think that I'm a freak, but I'll also be arrested!"

"Wouldn't be the first time."

"(Wouldn't be the first time.)"

Both Index and Othinus had said that simultaneously, and upon looking at each other, smiling slightly.

"What, Touma? A souvenir from abroad doesn't suit your taste? In that case, here's one that I bought from Akita."

"What is it this time…?-

They prayed that it was something even remotely normal.

-Uhh, it's shaped like male genitalia again! This time, it's crafted from wood. Are you an elementary student who likes dirty jokes!?"

"Ah-Hahahahahaha! It's the same shape! THE EXACT SAME! Ah-Hahahaha!"

Worst was sent barreling into more laughter.

"...?" But Last Order decided to voice something that had been bothering her.

"What's a male genitalia, Misaka Misaka asks in wonder, having never heard of such a thing before. How can you get one?"

Last Order's seemingly innocent question left many people frozen in indecision.

Even Mikoto went rigid as she heard that echoing through the room.

"Don't worry Tou-san. I got this one. Don't even worry about it~." Worst quickly said with a certain tone of mischief.

She crouched down to Last Order's level and sent a cruel smirk her way.

"You see, the Male genitalia is-ah…e-eh?" Worst suddenly stopped speaking as she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"You know, I'm pretty sure you don't need that tongue to survive. That being the case, you wouldn't mind if I took it out...?" Accelerator's words sent a shiver down her spine, shutting down all attempts to share.

To everyone's relief, Last Order would not be learning the birds and the bees on this day.

"Mmmu. Come to think of it, my co-workers had roared with laughter when I brought this to the office on the day of my return."

"Why are you pretending that you have unknowingly ventured to the realm of sexual harassment, you idiot father!?"

Because of Kamijou's sudden unexpected behavior, Touya made a perplexed face and asked, "By the way, Touma. The lady with you, is it alright not to wake her up?"

"I'm already telling you, she's there beside you! Never mind that; tell me where Mother is!"

"My, my, Touma-san, you prefer to treat me not as a 'mother' but as a 'lady'?"

"I'll slap you with a paper fan if you say anything more than that!"

As entertaining as this situation was...

-Judging by how people were just looking on in wide eyed amazement as the ordeal Kamijou was going through-

...Some of them were able to pick out a few things.

"...They see Index has a separate existence, huh. But they're not able to tell something is amiss..." Kumokawa mutters out loud.

(That implies that they all truly believe that the woman claiming to be Kamijou's mother is in fact his mother. But wait if that's the case, then wouldn't something weird be happening to Index as well...? After all, there can't be two Index's...)

With this theory, she was convinced that whoever 'was sleeping upstairs' looked liked would confirm the situation.

That's... what she thought.

However, her mind ceased to work in the moments that followed, as something truly horrifying happened.

In that moment, the door beside Kamijou opened.

"Look, Touma, you woke up your friend with your commotion."

"Index?"

Kamijou turned to look at the direction of the door.

The person that appeared from the room, clad in sister suit, was a blue-haired guy with an earring pierced in one ear.

"... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... "

Silence ensued for a third time.

They stared...

And they stared...

And they stared some more.

Many people even rubbed at their eyes to make sure they weren't the one's hallucinating.

And then-

Terror.

Complete and absolute terror.

A tall man with a height of 180 centimeters. He was wearing Index's sister suit, though he appeared to have not donned it forcibly. Kamijou didn't know where he got the clothes, but it appeared to have the exact design in an extra-large size fitting his tall body.

Accelerator broke the silence.

"What... in the absolute fuck...?"

He looked more expressive than one has even seen him. He even looked a tad bit horrified.

"That's... That is... um... why is... ah... uh..."

Fukiyose was struggling to conjure up human speech, and she started to feel light-headed as a result.

"Uh..."

"Ah..."

Saten and Uiharu both looked completely aghast with pale faces, not knowing what to say.

The tall man said in a sonorous voice, "Fwaahhh, hmm? Touma, you're full of energy early this morning. Did something happen?"

…Ah.

The big man was acting in a cute manner.

That was it. That was the final straw.

Thud...!

Thud...!

Thud...!

Fukiyose, Himegami, and Komoe succinctly all fell backwards and fainted.

"You actually fainted!? Do I really look that bad in it!?"

Aogami just said something ridiculous.

"IS THAT REALLY THE FIRST THING YOU HAVE TO SAY YOU BASTARD!?"

Musujime wasted no time hitting the boy across the head with her military grade flashlight.

Tsuchimikado remained silent as he started to regret over something.

(I thought this was going to be funny. Is this my karma for thinking that!?)

...

Everyone else just looked uneasy and sick to their stomach.

The change regarding Kamijou's mother had been surprising and a weird. And then, recalling Mikoto's behavior prompted them to realize that she fell into the pattern as well.

But this...?

This knocked all of that out of the water.

"Ohhhhhhhh- I'm never gonna unsee that..." Lessar groaned.

Even she had her limits.

"I know it's late, but good morning, Touma. Anyway, the sea! I thought Japan's sea was concrete fortified with oil floating on water, but it's actually pretty. Mmmphhh, okay, I'm ready to play!"

"Ahhh…"

The big man inadvertently peeked at Kamijou's face from below.

"Hmm? What's wrong, Touma, suddenly looking petrified? Ah, don't tell me you're already fantasizing about my swimsu-"

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Finally unable to withstand it, Kamijou grabbed the blue-haired man together with the door, and… *Bam!* The sound of the big man being thrown inside the room, followed by the violent slam of the door closing, reverberated through the hallway.

"!"

As startled as they were at the Kamijou's sudden... meltdown, they silently thanked the boy for taking action so quickly.

(T-That was wrong. On so many levels...) Kaibi thought.

Her sisters showing disgusted faces next to her.

...

Meanwhile, Index looked absolutely cross.

(Touma's such a jerk! How am I supposed to know some word thing is happening where I look different...!) She pouted.

"(You didn't have to treat me like that...)" She muttered sadly under her breath.

"T-Touma! Sit there in the corner. I'll preach to you not to treat girls in a brutal manner!"

"My, my, Touma-san, I didn't know that you have a violent passion towards girls."

Touma ignored the apparently flurried Touya and the fragile-looking Index and started reflecting.

...They had no idea what was going on anymore.

They all thought this- Oh.

Looks like Kumokawa and Musujime were moving about to try to awaken the sole casualties of the previous scarring, that being Fukiyose, Himegami, and Komoe.

Anyway, as disgusting as it was to hear the blue haired Aogami talk like a girl, his words had been frighteningly reminiscent to what Index would say in that situation (maybe even that swimsuit line as well).

-The Index in the room reddened as she remembered saying that. -

Additionally, both Index and Mikoto who were impersonating both the "mother" and "little sister" were also very good in the roles that they played.

...They were starting to think that it was just Kamijou who was hallucinating all of this up? After all, what other possibility is there?

The science side were ignorant in this way.

(Calm down and think, Kamijou Touma. This must be a wide-scale prank. I don't know what Aogami Pierce is doing here outside the city, but if I keep making reactions like this, then that's exactly like falling to their plan.)

Kamijou seemed determined that this was a prank. And if that was the case...

Kanzaki started to sweat.

(Maybe... I should have been a bit gentler in my questioning...) She thought shamefully.

She was starting to remember how she approached Kamijou that day.

Ignoring his parents, who were worried about the man claiming to be Index, Kamijou made his way down to the first floor.

He thought, (I don't have time to play along with your prank.) But in reality, he was just too hungry and had no energy left to keep up with them.

Kamijou descended the narrow wooden stairs.

The first floor of the Wadatsumi lodge was built from wood and spanned a large area. Due to the absence of a door or a wall in the entrance and exit of the lodge, the sea breeze directly blew through it.

The self-proclaimed "younger sister", Misaka Mikoto (aka Biri Biri) was sitting at one of the tables (or was it a low tea table?) that were interspersed around the middle of the room. She was idly reading through magazines. Under the table, her feet, extending from her short camisole, were kicking back and forth. Her face clearly displayed extreme boredom. There was a TV nearby, but it was turned off.

(T-That camisole is really dangerous!)

Mikoto thought with an increasingly red face.

Kamijou put on an annoyed face.

"Hey, Biri Biri, why are you sitting there as if it's natural for you to be there?"

"What, Oniichan? Are you still mad about earlier? It doesn't matter, does it? Whether I hug you, cling to you, or flirt with you?"

Everyone did a massive spit-take, Mikoto included.

"W-Whaaaaat? What are you saying with my voice and face!?"

(This shouldn't be coming out of the mouth of someone who's a little sister!)

It goes without saying that this was enough to have steam blowing from her ears in embarrassment.

...

M-Meanwhile...

"Gah...!"

Tsuchimikado clutched his heart in pain.

"Oh my god, Tsuchimikado-chan...! What's wrong!?" Komoe asks in sincere worry.

"S-... ...oe"

"Huh?"

"SO MOE!"

He yells as the top of his lungs, making Komoe take a step back in fright.

"Wha... What a perfect line! That's exactly what a little sister should say!"

Any concern that Komoe had instantly died.

"…"

It seemed that she was intending to keep up this fawning act to the end.

"Uuu… I feel like a fool for going through all this trouble to leave the city."

Kamijou sighed heavily out of mental exhaustion. Mikoto sighed, too—out of boredom, though—closed the magazines, laid herself on the floor, and started rolling around.

"Ah, by the way, Oniichan, can I watch TV?"

"W-what is it, all of a sudden?"

They were confused as to why Kamijou looked so nervous.

"Mmmu, I can't find the remote anywhere. This TV has a 'This is for public use, so don't monopolize it, shorty brat' aura to it, so that's why I'm hesitating to turn it on myself without permission, Oniichan."

"…"

Kamijou clutched his head at Mikoto's persistent sister act.

"And why would the arrogant and self-centered Mikoto-sensei restrain herself from using the TV?"

Amidst the indignant "Whose arrogant and self-centered?!" from Mikoto, many people nodded their heads at such at the boy's words

"Holy crap he's right. Sparky would never be so weak willed and ask for permission." Lessar realized in wonder.

"Mikoto? Who's that?" The Level 5 seemed to feign ignorance. "Anyway, I'm not really restraining myself; it's just that the owner of this lodge is scary. Oniichan, go ask him for permission to use the TV."

"…Correction, even if you change your character, you're still arrogant."

Even though he said that, Kamijou had a habit of watching TV during mornings, so he found himself uneasy if didn't watch it.

(Where's the owner?)

Kamijou scanned the place nearby. There was no one at the counter. Kamijou tilted his head as he pondered about the inattentiveness of the staff when he suddenly smelled a burnt-like aroma of soy sauce wafting in from the exit.

(?)

Kamijou directed his attention to the exit. A slender and tall man was grilling something a small distance away from it.

"Ah, that's the owner. C'mon, ask him about the TV!" Mikoto said as she flapped her feet under the table.

Kamijou found it odd. True, the owner of this lodge was a tall and gruff man, and he may look intimidating at first glance. But was his hair originally shoulder-length- and on top of that, red in color?

Wait. Red hair?

Everyone froze as they felt a creeping realization hit them.

Kamijou walked towards the man, creating creaks from the wooden floor with his footsteps.

"Excuse me."

The red-haired man turned to face Kamijou.

Kamijou saw the face of the person that was wearing a T-shirt coupled with half pants and that had a towel hanging on his neck…

"... So that's how it is."

Stiyl suddenly said with a raised eyebrow.

…Which turned out to be the magician Stiyl Magnus.

"What the hell…!?"

Of course, there was shock at this realization, but...

It passed just as quickly as it began.

"Huh, I guess it's not even surprising at this point. Of course that guy would super show up. Everyone has been completely random." Kinuhata reasoned.

Kamijou's head finally reached maximum confusion. The Stiyl Magnus that he knew was a red-haired Englishman two meters in height who could manipulate fire at his will to scorch his enemy to death without any compunction.

"Oh, you're up early. The sea is still cold, though—or maybe you didn't get any sleep because of the heat yesterday?"

But the magician that he used to know, fanning as he was grilling the corn, instead said that.

"Oops, this isn't grilled yet, so I can't serve it to customers. Hey, Maou! Come over here and serve our guest breakfast from whatever food that's available!"

The magician wearing beach sandals ordered one of the staff.

(What's happening? What's going on around here?)

Kamijou finally realized something was amiss. That war freak and pro-in-atrocity magician would never participate in this cheesy prank.

Everyone had to agree with him on that front.

There was no way Stiyl would get involved in some trivial game to surprise him.

"Pretty sure that guy would rather sooner die than get in on a stupid prank..." Agnese said.

Based on that, everyone could conclude that there was definitely something wrong with Kamijou.

(But what could be the trigger? Some hallucinogenic drug perhaps?) Misaki wondered.

Kamijou's mind temporarily froze upon witnessing the shocking phenomenon before his eyes, but he came back to himself when he heard footsteps approaching from behind.

"Dad! You shouldn't say that in front of customers!"

(Who is it this time?) Kamijou thought.

When he turned around, he saw a tanned version of Misaka Mikoto that was wearing dark-purple shorts and an apron standing there.

"What? You have two roles? Ah, no, this one is Misaka Imouto, the clone one."

Now this was a surprising sight.

"That's..."

Misaka Imouto falters in her speech, greatly at a loss for what to say.

For one thing, the girl looked incredibly lively, not showing her usual apathy; that alone was surprising.

And the other?

"Dad, this is a customer, so I should refrain from reacting, right?"

Her face twitched, trying hard to keep her smile from collapsing.

That Misaka Imouto, who was constantly impassive even in the face of death, was unbelievably making an expression of emotion.

It was what she was wearing.

Imouto's cheeks flushed red, following everyone else's gasps of shock.

(No way! What the hell is she wearing? That's what people call a "naked apron" style! Looking from this side… Uwahh, her tits! For a mere prank, would they normally go this far?)

Mikoto's eyes became as wide as saucers.

Shirai was drooling slightly.

"W-Wait! Is-Is that the legendary naked apron!? I need to-blehhh!?"

And Aogami was doing what he typically did, making bad choices.

"H-He saw... Misaka says slowly..."

Imouto couldn't stop thinking of the boy's embarrassed reaction, being a little content that he showed such a face in light of her state of dress.

Though even though that was the case...

Imouto's face reddened further.

"T-This is still really embarrassing, Misaka mutters with while holding her cheeks in her hands."

This time, the original Misaka Mikoto's voice rushed in from inside the lodge.

"Oniiiii-chaaan! Have you asked about the TV? I'm turning it on now~!"

Kamijou peeked inside the house, and saw Mikoto, who was on all fours in front of the TV, turning on the switch. It was probably set up so that a lot of guests could hear it, as the volume was so high that even Kamijou, who was a significant distance away from the TV, could hear it clearly.

"This is Komori reporting live. A jailbreak occurred on Shinfuuchuu prison today at dawn. A prisoner convicted of murder, Hino Jinsaku is currently on the loose, and his whereabouts are still unknown. All middle schools in proximity have been issued urgent orders to cancel all club activities."

They rose their eyebrows at the news of a jailbreak, but suddenly focused on something more surprising.

"Eh? That voice is-?" Fukiyose said in shock.

Komoe also looked bothered as well.

The reporter's name was Komori.

Yet the voice that's coming from the TV sounded like Kamijou's advising teacher, Tsukuyomi Komoe.

"Don't tell me…!?"

Komoe started to sweat nervously.

(N-No, that's a preposterous. I wasn't even-)

Kamijou hurriedly dashed to the front of the TV. Then, he saw it: a girl with a height of 135 centimeters and the physique of a twelve-year-old girl gripping a microphone and reading the report.

"EHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH?"

Komoe understandably freaked out.

"It really is meeeee!?"

"Sensei too...?" Himegami muttered.

She looked like her brain hurt.

(What is Komoe-sensei doing there? Is this also a part of their prank? If that's the case, then this must be recorded beforehand? No, this is too real for a prank. Then, a radio wave jacking? For what reason? For the prank? That's weird, the scale is just too big to be a prank so early in the morning.)

Brushing aside Mikoto, Kamijou stood in front of the TV, and pushed the little button below the bottom of the screen to change the channel.

"Oniichan, what are you doing!? I'm eagerly waiting to watch 'Fade in Morning'!"

Kamijou ignored Mikoto who was suing for the rights of the TV. He repeatedly switched channels. Every program in the channel was weird in its own way: the supposed popular sexy newscaster was an old man, and the president of a certain country who was delivering a speech was a delinquent high school girl. Anyway, everything was mixed up and did not make any sense.

But what struck Kamijou as the queerest was the live report. Behind the reporter who was sedately reading the news (this one looks like a truck driver) was a preschool child gripping a large hose, a group of old hags wearing sailor uniforms fiddling with their cell phones, and a Prime Minister that Kamijou frequently saw in the news playing a guitar.

The site of the live report was in front of the train station. Behind the newscaster were throngs of people, and all of them were somewhat mismatched.

(Hey, hey. It's the same no matter what channel I tune in to!)

This was all way too weird. This entire situation was getting perplexing.

"Hey..."

Lessar suddenly addressed Birdway with an unsure tone.

"Could this be a widespread magical phenomenon or something?"

"..."

Birdway didn't say anything for a while.

"...Yeah, that's what I was thinking as well." She nodded slowly.

"I'm starting to think whatever Angel Fall means has something to do with this..."

And it wasn't just them, but Orsola, Agnese, and Itsuwa as well were starting to come to similar conclusions.

It was just more of the people belonging to the science side who were in the dark.

Even if that was a grand-scale joke intended for April Fools, the stupendous number of extras participating would cost a large sum of money. Moreover, the fact that a Prime Minister was also there proved that the entire story was very ridiculous.

It was obviously not a prank.

(But if this is not a prank, then what is it? Index proclaims herself as my mom, Aogami Pierce is Index, and even Stiyl is the owner of this lodge!)

It was as if everyone, be it inside or outside, had switched places.

If that was so, then what could be the explanation?

Kamijou grabbed his head with both hands. Trying hard to come up with a plausible scientific explanation seemed to be impossible.

"Ah- eh?" Mitsuari let out.

At that wording, those among the science side froze.

Scientific...? A scientific explanation...?

Sans Tsuchimikado, Kanzaki, and Stiyl; everyone was convinced that whatever affliction that was causing everyone's appearances to be jumbled was because of a distortion that revolved around Kamijou's perception. And they assumed this affliction had to be scientific in nature.

That it was some sort of hallucination.

But what if that wasn't the only possible cause? After all-

Hadn't they seen a magic god conjure up any world she saw fit with her almighty power? After seeing something like that, what wasn't possible?

"So was I right...?" Shirai thought aloud. "Is this magic that's causing this?"

...

(Magic...) Shiina thought with an uneasy depression.

It was a concept that she wasn't well-versed in, yet she knew that it was terrifying. What she had seen in her boy's memories transcended what 'normal' meant.

She just hopes to whoever was out there listening that her son would be okay.

(Were you in danger this time as well, Touma?)

---

Chapter 1: Hex Suspect of the Magician World. Part 1

---

Even if the reality before your eyes was inexplicable, time would still flow unremittingly.

Putting aside Kamijou, who was at a loss at what was happening, Touya, Index, and Mikoto decided to play at the beach. They ordered Kamijou to change into his swimming trunks, secure a place in the beach, and stand under a beach umbrella.

Under the beach umbrella and sitting cross-legged above the leisure sheet was Kamijou, alone.

Many of them (of the female gender) found themselves reflexively looking at a certain aspect if the boy's apparel- or rather lack thereof.

It was hard not to stare at the portion of skin that was exposed by Kamijou's shirt. And this subconscious action caused a plethora of cheeks to tint red as a result.

(I-It's not weird for me to stare at Touma-kun, right?) Arisa asked with flushed cheeks.

(I-I am a girl after all. It's only natural that I... that I...)

She completely gave up on giving an excuse and just continued to stare with a red expression.

(Is it alright to be wasting my time like this? I don't understand what's happening, but the world's in deep crisis right now. That said, I don't know of a means to deal with it.)

Due to the large jellyfish outbreak, there were no other people besides Kamijou at the beach today. A strident music song played lonesomely from the speaker, fastened from one of the trees that stood interspersed throughout the beach. Being like this, it seemed like the world was at peace; however, the TV program that he had seen earlier reminded him that it was not.

No matter what channel you tuned in to, all you'd see were mismatched people.

If all the channels were like that, it would mean that this commotion was occurring not only on this beach, but throughout Japan—no, in the worst case scenario, probably the whole world.

(…U-n. Maybe I'm just seeing a hallucination?)

So he even realized such a thing could be possible.

"Ugh, this was so much easier knowing before knowing magic existed..." Kaibi said with annoyance.

"True. Now anything could be possible, and it can't be ruled out for the simple reason that it's "unscientific"..." Rikuri responded, using air quotes with her fingers.

(If there was trouble occurring throughout the whole world, then that scale would be simpler. If "being mismatched" was normal for other people, even if you certainly thought you were right, you'd rethink that maybe the fault's within you,) the easy-to-be-influenced Kamijou thought.

Kamijou, sitting cross-legged, heard footsteps made from the crunching of sand approaching from behind.

"Hey, Touma! Good work on securing the place; well, we're the only people today, so I guess it wouldn't make a difference even if you didn't. Wahahaha," laughed the big man.

Kamijou was petrified.

"Hoo~ What is it, Touma? You like my swimming trunks that much?"

(Huh? Why the hell does he look so scared all of a sudden?) Migino thought with a raised eyebrow.

At first, they were confused at the sudden shift in demeanor.

But that's when they saw it.

The camera kindly shifted once again.

Kamijou totally ignored Touya, and directed his gaze to the girl beside him. He looked at Index who was supposed to be his mother, Shiina.

(H-hey, wait, what's with that ungodly swimsuit!?)

Their jaws dropped and many openly gawked in surprise.

Index was wearing a black bikini unbefitting her small figure.

Index froze, as if she was processing.

.

..

...

And then her face lit up-

"HYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!?"

-Which was promptly when she screamed.

A bikini usually comprises of string and cloth; however, in Index's case, the string was made up of a transparent nylon. Therefore, the cloth seemed like it was taped to the part it was concealing when seen from afar.

Frankly, anyone who saw it would say that it was an adult swimsuit.

"W-What is going on!? I-I wasn't wearing that!?" Index cried out, blood rushing to her face.

She hugged her clothed body reflexively in attempt change the scene being shown, but to no avail.

Shiina was also quite noticeably confused.

"B-But I wore that swimsuit…? Again... why is Touma-san seeing Index in my place?" She asked.

(Kuhh… Is this what you call the realm of gap and unbalance!? No, wait. This isn't the time to be glad. How did that Index, with zero pocket money, get her hands on that swimsuit?)

No one was in the right mind to notice Kamijou's desires slipping in there for a second.

Ah- never mind.

Kumokawa was smirking.

Index palmed her cheek with one hand as she gazed at the face of the perplexed Kamijou.

"My, my, Touma-san. Your face states that you have a problem with my swimsuit."

"H-H-H-H-HOW CAN YOU ASK THAT!?" Itsuwa loudly shouted with her eyes shut in embarrassment.

"E-even if that wasn't Index, what kind if mom would wear a bikini like that in front of her son!?" Agnese then added.

(Luckily?), Shiina had the decency to look embarrassed.

In which she turned to the real culprit.

(Crap!) Touya thought, as he had been sweating nervously the entire time.

"That's beyond the problem! Where did you get that swimsuit? It's different from what you used yesterday!"

"My, my. I just prepared two or three different swimsuits beforehand."

"Ahahaha," laughed Touya. "Yep, Mom still has her sex appeal active. Good to know it's worth giving this to Mom as a present even though it cost me a lot to buy it."

"Touya-san!" Komoe suddenly cried out with a flushed face of her own.

"D-Disregarding the fact that such an adult swimsuit is on such a young child, h-h-h-how could you let your own wife to go parading around in that, Touya-san!?"

Komoe - like a proper adult - directed the blame towards the guilty party.

"Well- that's- um... sorry." The man apologized.

He could only do just that as this was becoming a problem even for him. He looks like such a pedophile!

Kamijou's eyes gleamed the instant he heard that.

"Confounded father! What do you think you're doing bribing people!? More importantly, how did you know Index's three sizes!? Don't tell me you two went to the supermarket together without my knowledge!"

(M-My sizes!? What is Touma saying!?)

Index was still very much embarrassed by the whole ordeal, and the boy was not helping.

"My, my, Touma-san. If you keep pushing your thumbs against your dad's carotid artery, it won't be long until he meets his maker."

"This lolicon is after your body, so don't stop me, Index! Gaaaah!" Kamijou roared with a vehemence that could even spit fire from his mouth. "Shit, I knew it was weird that Mom looked younger than her age. Confess already, she's just twenty years old, right? In that case, how old was Mom when I was born!? Answer me, you pedo father!"

They observed this conversation in shocked silence.

This was... baffling to say the least.

"They really... don't see anything wrong with it, do they?" Takitsubo asked.

"Yeah..." Hamazura muttered. "And its starting to weird me out. Especially seeing that bikini on such a flat chested gi-oww! Takitsubo!"

The girl had hit him.

"No looking, that's bad." She said with a seriousness that was strangely cute.

"R-Right, of course." He said.

(Why would I want to look at some little girl when Takitsubo is the genuine article of femininity!)

Hamazura thought while sneaking a glance at his girlfriend's chest, before quickly looking away.

(I knew it, Hamazura really is only interested in mine.)

Takitsubo was a bit happy to see the boy try to steal a glance when he thought she wasn't looking.

"Bwrghgh. C-calm down, Touma. Here, have this souvenir that I bought from Ireland. It's an amulet to preserve family welfare."

"What's this naked figure of a woman!? Are you implicitly telling me that you're dying to do that kind of thing!?"

"Where are you buying all these obscene souvenirs!?" Mikoto yelled out.

"Well..." The father began. "What's weird in one culture might not be necessarily as weird in-"

"That's not what we're talking about here!" She interrupted.

"N-no. It's their goddess of fertility named Sheela na Gig, I thi—Ggggahh!"

Misaka Mikoto walked towards Kamijou, who was one step away from making a wrong decision in life.

"Are~ What's the fuss about, Oniichan? Ah, don't tell me there's an event revealing that you were not actually blood-related?"

(Eh? She's self-aware!?)

Aogami's thoughts became a bit weird.

"You, too, stop that forceful inclusion of 'stepfamily setting'! By the way, what's with that attire? We're not in a school pool anymore, so why are you in a school swimsuit?"

"Eh? Is it weird?"

"Kuh. So you're playing the cute sister character to the end, eh?"

Mikoto was getting increasingly flustered that "she" was so close to Kamijou in her swimsuit.

Kamijou, cast off his hands from Touya's neck, slumped his body like an unmotivated octopus before breathing out a sigh. Touya, coughing violently while grasping his neck, looked at his son…

"Uhh, It's my careless mistake… I didn't know Touma had this mother complex…"

"My my. I didn't know that the Oedipus Complex, Freud-sensei's psychology theory that boys unconsciously hated their fathers, was real."

"This is bad. The side effect of living a solitary dormitory life for years has probably caused Touma to develop a strong desire for family love."

"Why is everyone like this…?" Kamijou said, gnashing his teeth. "On top of making a completely amateur diagnostic, they label people as mother-cons! Everyone, line up in that corner! I'll bury all your bodies with the hole that I dug using this mini-spade!"

"He's completely lost it." Shutaura stated the obvious.

"Haha... It's understandable. I mean none of Touma-kun's family looks as they should." Arisa stated wryly.

"Kyaaahh!" the three happily screamed as they scampered to the sea.

"I won't let you escape!" Kamijou pursued them with a mini-spade in one hand—when he suddenly realized that he was forgetting something.

Kamijou then heard the crunching of sand from behind.

That's right; Aogami Pierce was also here for some reason. Kamijou froze upon remembering that.

"Ugh...!?"

Kumokawa and many others suddenly stiffened.

They all DID NOT need to be reminded of that fact.

If memory served him right, Index had worn a white one-piece swimsuit yesterday.

Today, Aogami Pierce was wearing the same sister suit that Index had worn.

Therefore, the dress that Aogami Pierce would wear when at the beach would be…

Terror assaulted their bodies in a paralyzing wave.

They all froze.

"N-No... they wouldn't..." Agnese took a step back in shock.

Everyone else held similar fears. Even Accelerator gained a nervous sweat.

But no matter what their minds told themselves, they did not look way. Something they would greatly regret.

(W-wait. That's stupid... What on earth is this answer that you'd arrive at from this syllogism—?)

"Touma, Touma! I'm late, sorry for waiting."

Horrifying. This cute manly voice was indeed too horrifying.

""""""Ack...!""""""

A cold shiver ran down their spines.

(Don't turn around,) Kamijou thought.

"D-Don't do it Boss! Think of the consequences!" Hamazura shouted, outright pleading for it not to be so.

He would probably lose a precious something after witnessing Aogami Pierce. Yet, as if facing a terrifying reality, he slowly swiveled his head around like a rusted robot.

In his view was…

A devil in a one-piece swimsuit.

Thud...!

Thud...!

Thud...!

Thud...!

Thud...!

Thud...!

Thud...!

Thud...!

"Goddammit Boss! I told you not toooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! Look what you did to Takitsubo! Takitsubooooooooooooooooo!"

Hamazura's cries echoed as he held the fallen body of his girlfriend.

More people had fainted this time. They could truly say that a teenage boy in a one-piece swimsuit was almost as terrifying as that blood soaked dragon.

...

When the (afflicted?) woke up, they were strangely silent for a time.

"…Hahhh!?"

When Kamijou regained his senses, the sun was already positioned at the highest point in the sky. In his hand was a mini-spade, and near his feet was the head of a swooned Aogami Pierce sticking out of the sand.

"Did I do this? I wonder what I've done…"

Judging from the angle of Aogami Pierce's neck, he was buried perpendicularly in a pit. Kamijou mulled over the issue, but he didn't consider exhuming his friend; he was sure that he would lose something precious after seeing his getup.

"You made the right choice Big Brother!" Amazora gave a thumbs up in gratitude.

"Yes, I'm pretty sure everyone here thanks you." Kaibi said with a strange amount of seriousness.

(That's right, where's Fath—eh, what the hell is he doing enjoying himself while playing beach volleyball with Index and Mikoto!? Moreover, his eyes are filled with seriousness, and he's directly aiming for Index! D-damn! My long-awaited summer vacation is ruined because of him!)

(Anyway, I have to bury that useless lolicon father at all costs!)

Kamijou, with a mini-spade in one hand, ran towards the direction of the three.

Touya flinched at the open hostility from his son, but the fact that he VERY MUCH deserved such hostility hurt him all the more.

(A-At that time I REALLY was trying to get Shiina's body to move as much as possible...)

His eyes instantly died as he must look like the epitome of trash by everyone watching.

Touya wilted to the ground.

"D-Don't be so down dear, that was definitely me you were playing with. S-So you shouldn't feel so guilty." Shiina said, trying to comfort him.

"Y-Yeah. Yeah you're right."

He nodded his head at his wife's words.

He had no idea what was going on, so he had the right to actually believe that this wasn't his fault.

Yes.

.

..

...

Y-Yes?

"A-AS I THOUGHT, I CAN'T! I CAN'T DO IT!" Touya suddenly exclaimed with his hands on his head.

The man looked to be having a meltdown.

"I mean look at me! I'm-... I'm...!"

True to his worries, everyone looked at the screen to see that Touya was indeed heavily staring at the incredibly thin coverings of the swimsuit.

The one that Index was currently wearing.

"D-Don't worry Index-san!" The father suddenly shouted to the girl who was beat red at the attention she was accumulating with that dangerous swimsuit.

"E-Eh?"

"I'll commit seppuku right now and make all if this right! I'm a father who look after the young generation when it counts!"

"Ehhhhhh?"

"Touya-san!?"

Index and Shiina were suddenly turned frantic upon the drastic change of the situation.

Meanwhile everyone was just watching in complete bewilderment.

"..."

Kumokawa just stared in passive silence.

(Is it 'as expected of that guy's father'... or has he just lost his mind...?)

She honestly didn't know.

On the way, he had a feeling that he was overlooking something more important…

"Unyaaa-! Kami-yan, I finally found you!"

…when a weird voice rushed in. If one asked what was weird, the origin of the cat-style-like speech was not a girl but a man.

"...!"

Many people were taken aback upon hearing such a familiar voice.

(Ehhh? What is he doing here?) Fukiyose thought.

(W-what? That voice just now sounds familiar. Could it be…!?)

Kamijou stopped his feet and turned around. His gaze reflected the image of a big man with a height of 180 centimeters running towards Kamijou's location.

"T-Tsuchimikado?"

Tsuchimikado Motoharu: Kamijou's next-door neighbor, and his classmate (he thought so, but because of his memory loss, he couldn't say for sure). His long arms were distinctive—they could even reach his knees when straightened out—and he had a tall height and spiky blond hair. He was wearing an aloha shirt and half pants. Light blue sunglasses covered his eyes. Dangling on his neck was a gold chain that matched the outfit of delinquents. Kamijou knew that he didn't have one bit of delinquency in him and was just wearing it because he wanted to become popular with girls. He had a stepsister named Tsuchimikado Maika, who was frequently seen in a maid outfit, that turned Tsuchimikado into a besotted and doting brother whenever they were together.

"T-Tsuchimikado-chan? Is that really you there?"

Komoe's question was asked with much certainty.

"W-Wait sensei, it might just be another-"

"No need for that Fukiyose, that's me alright. I was indeed there at this time."

Rather casually, the boy shut down both Komoe's and then Fukiyose's reservations.

They looked stunned at this information, to which Tsuchimikado just laughed at their reactions.

"I'm sure you're wondering why, right?" He asked with a amused smile.

He got many nods in return.

"Well too bad~! That's a secret, at least for a little while longer~."

Many of them groaned.

"...That's just like you to do that." Himegami muttered with a bit of a vexed expression of having her curiosity toyed around with.

"Hey, wait a minute! What are you doing here outside the city? How did you leave Academy City? Is Maika with you!?"

"If possible, I'd like you to not call my sister so casually, but… there's not much time left, Kami-yan. I have one thing to ask: do you see me as 'Tsuchimikado Motoharu'?"

That way of phrasing...!

That question left them all speechless.

They all looked at the boy incredulously.

"Hey, you know don't you...?" Mitsuari asked with narrowed eyes.

"Don't know what you're talking about~" Came the shades wearing blonde's instant response.

Kamijou couldn't comprehend the point of Tsuchimikado's question.

"Haah!? What are you talking about? Putting aside that nonsense question, how did you get he—?"

"Then that means… No, that's not possible…" Tsuchimikado mumbled to himself. "Well, whatever. Anyway, Kami-yan, you must get out of here ASAP. It's dangerous. What's dangerous, you ask? Soon, an irate nee-chin who went ballistic will come at you at any moment!"

Everyone thought those mutterings were strangely ominous and suspicious. But then something stood out to them.

Irate Nee-chin...?

(Haven't I heard that before?)

Accelerator thought the name sounded familiar.

And consequently, Kanzaki suddenly paled and started to sweat.

"U-Um. Wait a second Voice-san. D-Do you think maybe we can-?"

"Nope~!"

Her response - as if knowing such a question was coming - was swift and full of amusement.

So, while Kanzaki was nervous beyond belief at what was about to be shown, everyone else could just stare humbly at what was being talked about.

"Hah? Nee-chin? Hey, don't tell me you did something?"

"Quit asking and just listen to your neighbor's advice!"

Tsuchimikado could only smile wryly.

(Was I not trusted at all by Kami-yan after he lost his memories? He instantly assumed I did something…)

Tsuchimikado was probably in a state of confusion, as he couldn't convey his intention properly to Kamijou.

Kamijou just sloped his head to one side. Seeing his reaction, Tsuchimikado flusteredly badgered Kamijou to a degree that made his blue sunglasses slip off.

"Eeii! Kami-yan, did you notice something peculiar when you woke up this morning!?"

"Hmm? Yeah, everyone was somewhat strange, as if their insides (identities) and outsides (appearances) were swapped. Huh? Why do you know this?"

"So you do know!"

Mitsuari instantly rounded on the boy, causing many curious stares to be sent his way as a result.

"N-now, now." Komoe interjected. "Tsuchimikado-chan, were you affected in the same way as Kamijou-san?"

Komoe tried to calm the situation.

"Heh, heh. I think it's a adorable that you think no one's noticed you've been switching that honorific- But to answer your question... you're half right."

Komoe cocked her head in confusion at such a reply, but then turned insanely red.

She had caught on to the first part.

"Whhhaaa! It's not what you think Tsuchimikado-chan! I-I'm just showing my respect for him! N-Nothing more!"

"Don't worry sensei. I believe you~ (wink)."

"Say it without winking and I'll believe you!" She exclaimed with a very cute angered stare.

...

(What did he mean by half right?) Kumoka thought.

She was one of the few who didn't care for the current conversation.

A-And that's not because she was bothered by it!

Kamijou glanced at the seaside where the three are playing beach volleyball.

"Just like I said! Nee-chin thinks you're the culprit who cast this 'swap' magic!"

"Ha?"

(Culprit?) Kamijou who was completely in the dark continued tilting his head.

What?

Culprit...?

Swap magic...?

Too much information was coming in at once.

"(So that's how it is...)"

But Othinus was not at all hindered by such things.

The clues were all there, and the hints were lined up perfectly. It wouldn't take long for everyone else to understand as well.

They would have noticed the inconsistencies; like what the discrepancies in what Tsuchimikado had just said, or more importantly how a seemingly normal high school student - albeit a self-proclaimed sis-con - had just referred to this as 'magic'.

B-But something happened just before they could.

Then…

"I finally found you, Kamijou Touma!"

A girl's animosity-filled voice rushed in from his side.

"!?"

That voice tore through all of their thoughts.

"Great! Who is this now!?" Mugino asked annoyed, almost having come to a conclusion.

"Whoever it is, they sound super pissed!" Kinuhata said, to everyone's agreement.

Tsuchimikado faced the sky in despondency. Kamijou turned to the direction of the voice.

A girl with a height of 170 centimeters, too tall for her gender, was standing there. Her long hair was ponytailed in the back with a length that reached her hips. She had a nicely shaped body. One could easily associate her white skin with that of a princess, but mysteriously, unlike the conventional princesses, there was not one bit of transience or fragileness present in her.

A certain woman coughed.

(N-Nicely shaped...? A-And a p-princess...?)

The borderline adult looked rather meek at the boy's very familiar way of describing her.

The reason must have been because of her clothing style. She wore a half-sleeve T-shirt on upper body with the lower part of the T-shirt rolled up and tied exposing her navel. On her lower body was an overused jeans… but one lateral half was cut deliberately, exposing one of her white legs. Boots like those from wild wild west movies adorned her feet. An extra belt tilted on top of the other one that was fastened around the waist, had a holster to hold a handgun.

A beat passed, causing everyone to realize who exactly this was.

And upon realizing, everyone turned their heads to the sole woman whose cheeks were lit up like wildfire, Kanzaki Kaori.

"Whoa!" Lessar suddenly said. "Haha, you look like you're about to kill someone!"

Lessar's comment got so many turned heads and worried looks, it was almost funny.

"I-I'm not! I swear!"

But the thing that was supposed to be in there was not a gun, instead, a Japanese sword. One could tell at first glance that this sword, somewhere around two meters in length, was an extraordinary one. Combining it with her pony-tailed jet-black hair, she resembled a samurai during warring state period.

That Bakumatsu [1] swordgirl was glaring at Kamijou.

With rage in her face, she unreluctantly edged up to Kamijou's.

What was scary was that this girl had been repeatedly touching and letting go of her sword.

"Yikes..." Worst said. "That doesn't look good~"

But the excitement in her tone was clear.

"...She really looks like she's about to hit him." Sogiita said with what should be followed by a worried expression.

So why did he look so eager as well!?

...

"Uuuuu..."

Touya gulped.

(I don't know what you did son, but you should run away from a woman like that! Call it father's intuition!)

"Kamijou Touma! I know you are the one behind this swap magic… this Angel Fall! In the count of three, turn everything back to normal or else…!"

Swap magic.

There it was again.

(Tsuchimikado said that as well...) Misaki thought with a serious expression.

But her attention was a bit skewed at the moment, which probably had something to do with the very angry girl with the katana being unreasonable.

"R-Run away Kamijou-kun. Amazon women like that are bad news!"

Mikoto noticeably flinched in annoyance.

The girl was already before Kamijou's eyes. Her irate words had the subtext that she would even beat Kamijou before she could finish counting. Kamijou was fazed. Being approached by an angry person with a huge sword, anyone would be scared.

Huh.

.

..

...

"Is Onii-chan gonna die by this big breasted psycho Onee-chan!?" Amazora's shout showed her growing worries in this situation.

"Hush Amazora." Kaibi scolded, probably because it was bad to call people like she did.

"Just because it's true doesn't mean you have to say it out loud."

...Guess not then.

Kanzaki started to take actual damage at this point.

...

"Boss, I don't know about you, but you should evade, LIKE NOW!" Hamazura said, frantic.

Hamazura's advice was wiser than his years.

It was the type of sage wisdom that one could only learn after experiencing time after time of unjust female violence. And while he was sure Kamijou had A LOT (let's not kid around here) in that regard, he needed to build it up again because of his loss of memories.

Therefore- A-Ahem...

He should probably run.

...

And while all of this was swirling about in everyone's heads, the guilty party had her own thoughts.

(Wha...What are you doing!?)

Kanzaki internally screamed all of a sudden, eyes widening with disbelief and outrage.

(This stupid past self of mine! Why are you causing problems for him of all people!? You hadn't even thanked him for saving Index yet, you colossal fool!)

"Eh? What is this person saying? Tsuchimikado, is this the 'nee-chin' you're talking about? …Hey, don't run away by yourself, bastard!"

Tsuchimikado, who was furtively distancing himself while Kamijou was focused at the girl, froze at Kamijou's shout, then turned around. His sunglasses light blue lens glittered.

He was already making his escape!?

"Y-You already abandoned him!?" Fukiyose exclaimed.

"Don't look at me like that. If you haven't noticed already, Nee-chin is a bit of a super-human. If I got in between them I'd only end up as collateral damage. Yeah."

Tsuchimikado followed up with several nods, as if to convince himself of that fact.

"Kamijou would be in the same boat!" Fukiyose retorted angrily.

"..." Silence. Then-

"I-I BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF IMAGINE BREAKER!"

Kamijou gazed at the seaside. The distance between Index and others and Kamijou was more or less a hundred meters away. Yet, Kamijou felt for a moment that other side was a distant paradise that he wouldn't be able reach even if he spent an eternity.

Kamijou felt the desire to flee there, but doubled back on that thought. There wouldn't be any difference. A different problem would be waiting for him there.

"O-Oh dear."

Shiina cupped her cheek in her hand.

"Touma-san was in quite the predicament while were just playing around. He couldn't rely on us...(sad)"

However...

"(No, I'm pretty sure he would be equally traumatized if he went back to the scantily dressed sister, and that monstrosity that is his blue haired friend...)" Othinus suddenly said, causing Index to freeze up.

"(Wh-Why did you say something like that? I was trying to forget!)" Index whisper shouted back.

Othinus just sighed.

The girl in front of him had probably calmed down and said, "Ah, I see. That's right. I apologize. It seemed my rage clouded my judgment. For the record, let me ask you: who do you see me as?"

(She suddenly calmed down!?) Saten quickly thought.

But wait...

Everyone seemed to realize something.

Tsuchimikado asked him the exact same thing.

(Who, you ask…?)

Kamijou sloped his head at the strangeness of the question. From the way she had asked, she assumed that her appearance might look like a different person. Well, first of all, Kamijou, who had suffered memory loss after a certain incident didn't even remember that girl. Throwing a question like this to him, he had no answer but to tilt head.

The Samurai girl seemed to have sensed something from Kamijou's reaction. She said in an impatient voice, "…Geez, Putting up a lame act. You called me 'nee-chin' a while ago. My name isn't nee-chin. I am Kanzaki Kaori, an Anglican magician from Necessarius. I am aware that it was a short term encounter but don't tell me you've already forgotten about me."

"Kamijou-san- you..." Orsola let out in sadness.

That's right.

A certain silence blanketed over the room.

In the confusion they had forgotten one simple fact.

Kamijou Kaori did not remember Kanzaki Kaori.

And there was one more thing. How much scarier was this situation, when he couldn't even remember the one hassling him with an interrogation?

This only twisted Kanzaki's stomach with guilt.

(What am I doing? He saved Index at the cost of his memories and I'm treating him like a pest...)

Kamijou was shocked at Kanzaki's words, in two ways.

First, that queer Samurai girl, a mix-of-Japanese-and-English existence was actually his acquaintance.

Second, that she revealed her identity as an Anglican magician.

The Anglican Church's organization Necessarius was a group that specialized in dealing with magicians, and Index and Stiyl Magnus were both members. Speaking of which, though Kanzaki's weird outfit didn't fit current society, she did have the same job as Index and Stiyl (though mentioning this may be rather rude).

A blush rose up to Kanzaki's cheeks.

(H-He called my outfit weird again!)

Regardless, it would make sense for him to be nervous about another new acquaintance having ties to magic.

People with amnesia shouldn't have to worry about recognizing people that have the power of God inside of them.

Misuzu's face crinkled in worry.

"Poor boy."

But if that was true, then there was another suspicion within Kamijou's heart.

Why was Tsuchimikado related to this real magician?

"!?"

Wait...

That was a very good question.

Many cast a curious glance to Tsuchimikado, wondering the same thing.

(Could he really be-? No, that's crazy...!) Mikoto shook her head.

(This is Maika's brother we're talking about. There's no way he would have ties with the magic world...)

Mikoto doubted the suspicions festering within her.

...

In a similar fashion, Kumokawa narrowed her eyes.

It was crazy to think about, especially when it concerned a guy who frequently gets into fights over the most stupidest topics.

But that was who the public saw 'Tsuchimikado Motoharu' as.

Kumokawa knew that boy was capable of more, as did many others.

So...

Even with such heavy ties to the science side, secretly Tsuchimikado secretly be a magician...?

At that moment, Tsuchimikado sighed, and said, "Oi oi, Kanzaki nee-chin, you don't have to be so combative."

"What are you saying, Tsuchimikado? I'm just trying to solve the current problem. To me, you lack the sense of being a magician."

Hearing that, Kamijou gasped.

What!?

Their breaths hitched in surprised and they narrowed their eyes in confusion.

Lacked the sense...? Tsuchimikado lacked the sense of being a magician...?

Did that mean what they thought it meant...?

Everyone gave Tsuchimikado incredulous gazes.

"W-Whaaa..." Komoe let out a weird noise as she took a step back. "T-Tsuchimikado-chan? Just now- what does Kanzaki-san mean by that?"

"Ah ha ha..." Tsuchimikado just chuckled wryly.

(Thanks a lot, Nee-chin. Though, it was going to come out regardless.)

"Why don't you wait just a few more seconds, Sensei. I'm sure you'll be more than glad you did."

The boy's retort came out of his mouth with a casual air to it, as he faintly smiled while looking at the screen.

"Oi, what did you say? What about being a magician?"

Kamijou stared at his neighbor Tsuchimikado in disbelief. In response, Tsuchimikado let out a sinister smile.

"That's right. I'm a member of Necessarius too."

Tsuchimikado said casually.

...Necessarius.

The same group that Kanzaki, Stiyl, and even Index are a part of. The authority of the magical community...

An organization comprised of magicians.

It took a while for Kamijou to realize the meaning of what Tsuchimikado had said.

The blue sunglasses were glittering.

The sunlight reflected from it became a weird color.

"Wait…wait a second…you're saying that you're a magician?"

"Yeah."

Tsuchimikado straightforwardly nodded his head.

"Did you think that there aren't any magicians inside Academy City? It's the complete opposite. Academy City is the enemy of the world of churches, so it isn't strange to have one or two spies planted inside, right? Besides me, there seems to be many others."

The whole room went dead silent at that.

It was confirmed. The boy himself admitted to it. Tsuchimikado Motoharu was a magician.

And not only that, he practically admitted to being a spy as well.

"Really...?" Shirai let out in bewilderment.

She could not believe it.

Shirai also was aware of the younger Tsuchimikado, so this news must have come as quite a shock to her.

"Onee-sama... do you think she-... do you think Maika knows?"

Mikoto furrows her brow at that question.

It was obvious what she was referring to.

"I... I don't know. But I want to say she doesn't. I just can't imagine it..." Mikoto said truthfully.

...

Those apart of a A Certain High School were completely disillusioned. They did not know what to say.

How were you supposed to react in finding out a close classmate that frequently got into fights over the stupidest things was secretly an emissary for the occult?

"T-Tsuchimikado?" Komoe asked in shock.

"...?" Fukiyose just chose to give him an incredulous gaze. Himegami didn't say anything for that matter either, just widening her eyes at him.

"Whoa dude! A magician!? You're a magician!? Casting spells with an MP bar magician!?" Aogami exclaimed in surprise.

Everyone else looked on in shock as well, most likely similar questions on the tip of their tongue.

Tsuchimikado chuckled softly at everyone's reactions.

"Ha ha, sadly my MP bar kinda has a major glitch, so not quite."

"...?"

They didn't know what he meant by that, but they guessed it didn't matter too much concerning he didn't look keen on elaborating.

Musujime looked on from the side with a pondering expression.

(...This whole time.)

To think that her teammate in GROUP was a magician.

(Wait...)

She froze.

(Could... Etzali have been one as well?)

She had no basis to time to such a conclusion, yet she had a feeling.

It always seemed like the two of them - while playing the same game as the rest of them - they had been abiding by different rules the entire time.

...

"Wh...at?" Mugino said with a scary amount if hostile intent, her eyes twitching.

"So this guy is not only a magician by he's been feeding them information as a spy as well...!?"

She did not sound happy about that.

...

Surprisingly...?

Accelerator barely reacted to the news.

(That guy was way to happy-go-lucky to be your normal run of the mill Level Zero. Of course he had a different angle.)

As such, he didn't really see this as a shock or betrayal. Everyone was living in this world for something. It was none of his business what Tsuchimikado lived for.

...

However, amidst all of this backlash, Stiyl just stared in curiosity.

(Kanzaki said Kamijou Touma took it well- which I'm sure is what we're about to see. But I can't really say the same with these people...)

A small part of Stiyl - and he loathed to admit it - was worried as to how Tsuchimikado would be able to handle such a secret being exposed. He had worked with the blonde boy long enough to understand his personality. So he knew that Tsuchimikado would often use a joking atmosphere to hide any insecurities or fears.

But this? Getting exposed like this to the people closest to him? Would he really be okay-?

"Ha ha! Surpriiiiiiiiissssssseeeeeeeee!"

A loud shout tore the tall flame magician - and everyone else for that matter - out of their thoughts.

It was Tsuchimikado, waving his hands in the air exuberantly, gathering everyone's attention.

"Heh. You guys are really shocked aren't you? I mean of course you'd be! I was just your typical run of the mill high school student who happened to have a massive sister complex, a-allegedly of course." He coughed.

But other than that, Tsuchimikado showed no signs of feeling threatened of worried by the suspicion thrown his way. In fact, he seemed to take it in stride.

"T-Tsuchimikado..." Komoe suddenly spoke. "Why are you acting like this? This is no joking matter. Giving information to the outside of Academy City is very serious. Y-You could be imprisoned. O-Or even...!"

She was more worried about the consequences the boy would receive above everything else.

"Heh." He could only chuckle. "That's just like you to worry sensei. But that's not a problem." He said.

"N-Not a problem!?"

Now it was Fukiyose who found her voice.

"How is it not a problem for you to be an enemy of an entire city!?"

A legitimate question, but Tsuchimikado's response was swift.

"It's because it wouldn't matter either way."

"Just what-"

"If I was seen as an enemy by that guy, I'd already be dead."

This completely shut Fukiyose up.

Even without knowing who "that guy" was, this information was still enough to leave them all reeling.

(That guy…? Does he mean…)

Fukiyose herself had a small inking on who Tsuchimikado might be referring to, and the only reason for that was because of the information that had been gleamed during the memory regarding Deep Blood.

(The Chairman…?)

Tsuchimikado then changed his tone to a softer, more casual one.

"You guys can relax, you know. I know you think you can't trust me anymore…" He trailed off, looking at everyone's expressions.

"…"

Fukiyose and the others looked at him with unsure faces, even Aogami had his brow furrowed in thought. Mikoto and her group eyed Tsuchimikado with suspicion, however it wasn't as bad as the complete death glare Mugino Shizuri was giving him. Accelerator looked uncaring, as Tscumikado expected him to, and the rest were just looking at him with more surprise than any other emotion.

Well except for Kumokawa.

She had a massive smirk on her face. One that suggested bad intentions.

(…Well shit.) The boy thought upon seeing it.

He was fine with his secret being out, at least he thought so. But he at least didn't want this devious senpai to know.

"A-Ahem…!"

He shook his head out of these thoughts and coughed, once again addressing his classmates and teacher.

"B-But whether you feel that way or not, I'm going to reveal practically everything. As I'm sure you're all aware, Kami-yan is kinda slow when it comes to these things, haha." Tsuchimikado chuckled under his breath. "So rest assured, we'll be going over all it in detail."

And then he laughed.

"Soon, I'll be completely out secrets. I'll be as exposed as 70% of the girls in this room were at one time, courtesy of Kami-yan of course (wink)…!"

"!" The female gender flushed insanely red at that.

Namely:

Index (had numerous memories to peruse through), Misaka Imouto (recalled a certain hospital visit), Mitsuari (looked unbothered, however remembered the previous memory), Orsola (was still rather embarrassed of that time in Italy, trying to cup her heated cheeks), Agnese (panicking over her being seen not once but twice…!), Fukiyose (she scoffed, that is until she realized she had been seen as well, quite thoroughly), Komoe (who was trying really hard to forget that time…!), Kanzaki (who flushed so red she got dizzy, especially since such a memory was closer than she thought), Itsuwa (who blushed only faintly due to just having a rather modest view of herself seen, at least compared to the others), and then finally Arisa (who had been exposed to Kamijou while leaving nothing to the imagination, leaving her a steaming mess).

(W-Wait, he did see me in nothing but a towel that time…!) Mitsuari thought with a flushed face.

(H-He saw me not once but twice. During that incident with Orsola a-and on the Adriatic…!) Agnese thought, red up to her ears.

(A-At that time, Touma-kun, h-he…!)

Arisa couldn't even finish that thought, it was just too embarrassing, especially what it prompted her to think of next.

(He didn't even comment on me or anything. I'm not that unappealing, am I? W-Wait what am I saying?! Why do I care about that…?)

(I-I didn't even think much of it that time! K-Kamijou s-saw me…) Fukiyose didn't know how to feel about that one moment that she had forgotten until now, but she looked embarrassed all the same.

---

[ A/N: Does it make me a pervert that I had to remember so many fanservice scenes? …Don't answer that. ]

---

…

(And just like that, I distracted around ten people...) Tsuchimikado thought wryly, but then he froze. (Wait, only ten? I'm kinda disappointed in you Kami-yan.)

"W-W-W-Well, he has a point e-everyone. Let's... wait to ask Tsuchimikado-chan any more questions." Komoe said with a stuttering voice.

However, Musujime sighed under her breath.

(Did really no one hear him say he was going to reveal 'practically everything'…?)

"…But…"

What Tsuchimikado said didn't make sense.

But to hear Tsuchimikado that he knew from his normal everyday life say such logical things made Kamijou feel extremely unusual.

"Why do you think I could get to the 'outside' of Academy City? Don't you find it strange? Actually, thirteen hours ago, I was in Windsor Castle in England, together with Kanzaki nee-chin. Of course, I didn't write a permit, I didn't get nanomachines injected in me. I used a technique of getting out by the back door."

"…"

Shirai (the judgement member) bristled slightly.

"He just admitted to breaking out of the city illegally..."

Uiharu just chuckled wryly at the comment.

Even if he heard it from the person himself, Kamijou couldn't believe that this was true. To Kamijou, Tsuchimikado Motoharu was just his hostel neighbor in his everyday life. Purposely dressing up like a hooligan to be popular with the girls, frantically running over to Kamijou's room for help when his non-blood-related sister Maika just got summer flu. Anyway, he seemed like an ordinary guy, and shouldn't be related to that abnormal world called magic.

"Geez..."

Mikoto cradled her head in her hands.

"Worrying for his sister like that is fine, but now it makes me wonder how much of it is an act." She muttered.

However, she was not respecting a response.

"How dare you Misaka Mikoto!" Tsuchimikado was leveling a very serious stare at her, causing her to stiffen slightly.

(What now...?)

"I'll have you know I love my sister very much. So much so that I clean all of her laundry including her underwear!"

Was that... Was that pervert really nodding proudly like that?

"AND YOU DON'T SEE A PROBLEM WITH THAT!?" Mikoto obviously lost her temper.

"Heh Heh Heh." Tsuchimikado chuckled condescendingly. "Don't get all holier than thou on me Tsundere-san...! I know you wouldn't pass up the same opportunity if it was Kami-yan's underwear."

"Wha!?"

Mikoto turned red.

"I...!"

A beat passed.

"I-I wouldn't!"

"Hm. Sure, I believe you."

"THEN SAY IT LIKE YOU MEAN IT!"

Thus, Kamijou unconsciously racked through his brain for an excuse.

"Wait…hold on! You did go through the lessons and training of Academy City, right? I heard that espers can't use magic! So—"

"Oh yeah, don't their bodies go boom?" Amazora asked in a rather less than tactful way.

Either way, she had a point.

"That's right. Thus, to sneak into the enemy's territory, I, Tsuchimikado, was forced to give up on magic and the title as the Onmyoji professor of the highest order. But in the end, I got a Level 0 ability that I couldn't use at all, what a loss!"

The dorm neighbor let out a sinister smile.

"But in this world, in order to earn the trust of others, some spies can hide their names for at least fifty years! If I couldn't endure such a sacrifice, I'm too naïve."

Well that stumped them in that regard.

(So that friend of Kamijou-san's gave up using magic in order to become a spy...)

Itsuwa though, but then paused.

(Wait, but in Avignon...)

She could have sworn that the boy had used magic in order to fight off Terra of the Left.

"But you…"

Kamijou wanted to ask something else, but couldn't continue on.

Seeing Kamijou look so surprised, Tsuchimikado let out a self-mocking smile and said, "That's right. This is Tsuchimikado's real identity. A tool that reports every single action that Academy City does to the Anglican Church. Basically, I'm a spy."

The boy had referred to himself as a tool.

Beyond that, he no longer even shared in the same abilities that other magicians could use as a result of the power curriculum.

A spy.

The word that didn't have any surreal sense, the word that could only be heard in a movie.

At this moment, Kanzaki completely ignored Kamijou's shock and asked Tsuchimikado dully.

"Let me ask you again, Tsuchimikado. Is it really alright for you to reveal your real identity like this?"

"No problems. Besides, the higher ups knew about it, they just didn't take action. Right now, my situation is as if they're playing me in their palms."

Through the blue shades, Tsuchimikado's eyes narrowed.

"Since I haven't met any harm up till now, it means that the information I got isn't enough for them to kill me…it's true that we won't be able to fight them once they know the truth about the Imaginary Number District - Five Elements Institution. Besides, it's just a job, and I don't want to lose my life because of it. It's about time to retreat, there's some danger in probing further. Besides, we won't be able to do any damage to Aleister. Really, Academy City's dark side is not fun to deal with."

"…"

Tsuchimikado's words made Kamijou tremble.

Rikuri and Mugino similarly scoffed at that last part.

(That's an understatement.) They thought.

But even more glaring...

Fukiyose and company gulped.

(He really wasn't lying about what he said...) Fukiyose thought.

More specifically, that if Academy City really wanted him dead, they would have already done so. They were just using him.

But there was something else.

(Imaginary Number-? What the hell is he talking about?)

It wasn't just Birdway who had that question.

Kamijou didn't hear any explosive inside story. Actually, he didn't understand anything at all. However, since Kamijou couldn't understand Tsuchimikado's words, it showed that Tsuchimikado and Kamijou weren't people of the same world.

Kamijou had assumed that Tsuchimikado Motoharu was 'normal', just like he was. And while Kamijou wasn't necessarily normal himself in any sense of the word, he certainly wasn't a spy working for the religion-based occult.

This must be mind-blowing for Kamijou to find out.

Not, that it's any different for Aogami, Komoe, Fukiyose, and Himegami.

However, it just hasn't sunk in yet. Sure, they were told, but they needed to see it to believe it, or perhaps it would be better to say, 'accept it'.

"…So this means…that you're a real magician?"

"A somewhat unique, rather one-of-a-kind magician."

A spy.

Even if he knew this, the impression that Kamijou had of Tsuchimikado Motoharu wasn't broken at all. To Kamijou, Tsuchimikado was still his dorm neighbor, a good brother to his little sister Maika, a bad good guy that provided shelter for his little sister when she snuck out of the girls' dormitory.

Even if the man himself had just said his real identity, it didn't affect Kamijou's impression of him; that showed how much he had integrated into Academy City, and that was truly the most terrifying point.

"..."

Tsuchimikado sighed exasperatingly.

(The normal reaction would have been to feel betrayed Kami-yan...)

The boy was both shocked and unsurprised that he had been accepted by him so easily. But he really should have known better. More vile people than him had been forgiven by that boy in more stressful situations.

...

"He barely even mulled it over..."

Takitsubo was visibly surprised by how quick Kamijou decided the new status of "Tsuchimikado Motoharu". Despite learning that his "friend" was now a "spy" he still could not get rid of the "friend" impression he had given the boy.

That was truly a testament to Kamijou's character.

"If its Boss, it really wouldn't happen any other way. That guy even tried to understand someone like me even though I was rotten back then..." Hamazura muttered.

...

Shiina and Touya both smiled warmly at how decisive their son was in this instance. Or perhaps even beyond that, they found that things like betrayal and malice were not even applicable in this case, when they have every right to be.

(I'm so proud of you, Touma-san.)

Shiina thought with a glowing smile, exemplifying her role as a mother.

For all of his minor faults, Kamijou was not someone who was quick to hate or enact violence.

"Hm, let's not talk about this first."

Tsuchimikado briskly changed the topic.

"Right now, the main point is how we should handle the substitution in roles? Kami-yan, you should have noticed this scenario, right?"

"Hold on…hearing you say that, I suppose you're clear about what's going on?"

"Ah, it's not really that. Right now, we know only one thing, that the substitution in roles isn't the main aim here, it's just a side-effect nya."

"Side-effect? For what?"

Kamijou frowned. He could understand the meaning of 'substitution in roles'. Everyone wasn't right when he woke up that morning, he saw some strange things when he turned on the TV. But what did he mean by 'side-effect' and 'main aim'? Using those terms made it seem like it was all man-made.

Seeing Kamijou look suspicious, Kanzaki couldn't help but sigh.

"Tsuchimikado, it seems really hard for anyone to understand if the person hasn't heard of the Kabbalah tree theory."

Ka...

Kabbalah?

They all felt like they had heard it before.

"I know. But if so, wouldn't your original theory be wrong?" Tsuchimikado laughed and said, "How can a magical amateur like Kamijou Touma cause such a large spell that changes the inside and outer appearance like Angel Fall?"

Shocked by Tsuchimikado's words, Kamijou stared intently at him.

"What? What has this got to do with me?"

Kamijou questioned Tsuchimikado, but the one who responded was Kanzaki, who didn't look convinced.

"…There's a boy, for some reason, there were a lot of things that commonly happened around him. Right now, with that boy as center, something else occurred. The entire world is affected by this, and the only one not affected by this is this boy in the middle of the commotion. In this situation, we suspect that this boy is the culprit, isn't it unreasonable?"

.

..

...

They face palmed at how painstakingly clear they saw the gears moving in the boy's head. It was rather amusing actually.

Kaibi almost felt bad for finding it entertaining.

Almost.

...

Uiharu mutters something while looking sad.

"Poor Kamijou-san. Having to once again realize he's unlucky..."

"But it's kinda true you know. He's been at the center of so many incidents it's ridiculous." Saten jumps in.

"(Someone could even write a novel or something...)" She muttered to herself.

"Oi…oioi! Hold on! You're saying it really strangely! What 'something happened' again? By your explanation, are all these man-made?"

"Do you think that these are natural disasters?"

Kamijou inadvertently remained silent.

Tsuchimikado forced a smile and said, "Oi, Kami-yan, don't be so silent! Or you'll be blamed for this!"

(Shouldn't you be helping him!? You know, the guy who didn't show any outrage at all with you being a LITERAL SPY AND LYING TO HIM!?)

Mitsuari bit back such a retort, just choosing to glare at Tsuchimikado instead.

"Wh-What's with this open hostility I'm feeling...?" He muttered with a nervous sweat.

"Tsuchimikado, who did you say will be blamed for this? Right now, the only people in the entire world who aren't affected by Angel Fall is—"

"Hold up! What's that 'Angel Fall' which you talked of so many times?"

Kamijou picked out a term from Kanzaki's words, and the two magicians turned over to look at Kamijou.

"Oh that's right." Hamazura said out loud.

Everyone just now realized.

They had gotten so caught up in the side effects and suspicions that they had forgotten they didn't even know anything about what was causing such a weird occurrence in the first place.

"Ah—Angel Fall is…it's rather troublesome to explain it. Kanzaki, I'll leave it to you nya—"

"Tsuchimikado, don't be so old-fashioned when you talk." Kanzaki looked bored as she sighed, and said, "Basically, this substitution in roles phenomenon is a human-made event caused by someone using magic."

"Human-made event?"

Kanzaki silently nodded her head.

Kamijou looked like he didn't understand, and Kanzaki continued, "Right now, the entire world is affected by some magic, creating this phenomenon. Even the records of the library of England have nothing regarding this. As the specific spell and construct of the spell is still a mystery, we went according to the features of the phenomenon and temporarily called this spell Angel Fall."

"U-Um... this is kinda going over my head." Hokaze admitted sheepishly.

Mitsuari sighed. "Don't look at me, I'm struggling too."

"From what I've gathered..." Misaki suddenly joined in. "Some third party casted their magic ability, which caused everyone's bodies to be swapped. However, that was just an unintended side effect it seems. It's unclear what the main objective is..."

Hokaze' eyes lit up. "A-As expected of Shokuhou-sama. I totally understand now!"

(Show off...)

(Show off...)

Mikoto and Mitsuari thought at the same time, each showing an annoyed expression.

"…You didn't know how it was made, but you knew what's going on?"

How far away.

Such a conversation content made the noises of Index and everyone else playing seem so far away.

"(And there he goes, losing focus...)" Othinus says with a sigh.

"It's like a mysterious giant beast attacking a city."

Tsuchimikado smiled as he explained.

"Even after the guards investigated for at least half a day, they couldn't find out the real identity of the beast. They just know that they have to stop it to prevent the damage from becoming more widespread. Kami-yan, you're just restrained by common knowledge and your own perspective. You just need to imagine it as gaming rules, and it should be rather easy for you to understand it."

.

..

...

"...Wasn't that incredibly vague...?"

Sogiita actually said something that made logical sense.

"Sogiita-san's right. That doesn't really give them much information. How did they even know where to start investigating...?" Hokaze followed up, confused.

She able to pick up such a glaring issue.

"Your example here made me unable to understand it at all."

Hearing Tsuchimikado's words, Kanzaki looked completely perplexed as she tilted her head and said it.

(To think that this woman could do such a cutesy action.) Kamijou thought rather rudely.

"...!"

(W-What is he thinking when we're trying to explain it to him!?)

Even though she was trying to mentally scold him, Kanzaki's cheeks still reddened as a result.

"Let's explain it a little further. This spell called Angel Fall includes the ideas of the Kabbalah. Have you heard of it?"

"…No impression."

Actually, Kamijou seemed to have heard of it before, but since he didn't really remember, he denied it. Thinking about it, the magician Stiyl seemed to have said it before during the battle against the alchemist.

Stiyl scoffed. "Hmph, what a lazy response."

"The so-called Tree of Life is basically a hierarchy of identities, separating God, angels, humans and souls into ten levels on a pyramid; this is the basic concept."

"It's based on the picture drawn out to show that God reigns supreme over everything. Well, simply put, this picture shows that humans can only reach a certain level, and beyond is God's territory, so it can't be invaded."

"The number of humans and angels were already decided, thus in ordinary circumstances, humans are definitely unable to be promoted to become angels. In contrast, angels are never to be demoted to be humans."

"Because every single realm is already filled up."

Following off what Tsuchimikado said, Kanzaki continued, "But this spell called Angel Fall is just as what the name implies, it can force an angel that's in the heavens to become a human. And the human realm is like a cup full of water, if a drop of angel is to fall in—what will happen to the cup of water?"

"Ah…eh…" Kamijou looked rather awkward as he said, "An…angel…?"

"Yes. Strictly speaking, it's not heaven's messenger, but God's messenger. Are there any questions?"

Kanzaki answered seriously.

"Yeah, just a couple..." Musujime said sarcastically.

But seriously…? God's territory, angles coming down to earth, realms…?

Those civilians and Academy City residents alike were most thoroughly lost. It sounded way too crazy.

Even Mugino could not follow the train of the conversation, which made her consistent blinking with their arms crossed very amusing.

…

"An angel..." Komoe said in wonder.

What would such a thing look like?

She was thinking of the one she had to summon for the sake of Index's healing that one time.

...

"This is... exceedingly complicated." Shutaura said with a strained expression.

"Yeah, this is certainly a lot to take in, I don't know even know what I'm confused about..." Arisa said.

And funnily enough, that was likely the same way Kamijou was feeling as well.

…

"Why do you guys look so confused, everyone should know this." Index said casually as she puffed up her chest with a smile.

(Why does she look so smug about it!?) Mikoto thought with agitation.

---

[ A/N: ]

"It's freshly made. I mean…" (looks away dramatically) "...Freshly steamed...! (wink)."

"Why do you look so proud of yourself?!"

[ A/N: If you know, you know. ]

---

"Hm…"

Kamijou's mind stopped thinking.

Mikoto and company were having fun playing with the beach ball, and the sounds reached the ears of the completely silent Kamijou. As there were only the few of them on the wide coast, the sounds brought a bit of loneliness.

It was not like Kamijou didn't understand, but trying to click with those people who were from the magic world with scientific knowledge was impossible. Basically, Kamijou once got involved with a case involving vampires, and nearly lost his life.

"…"

Himegami's breathing hitched slightly.

The problem is…an angel? Wouldn't it be too far-fetched?

(If anyone were to hear that 'the problem that's happening on Earth now is caused by an angel!' and yet could respond with 'this is bad, what should we do?', it was likely that they had lost all hope on their own lives, right?) Kamijou seriously thought.

"…What angel? This is truly hard to believe. In this age, space shuttles can break through the atmosphere, and there's no sign of a heaven…"

HUH...?

Lessar, Birdway, Agnese, Itsuwa, Orsola, Stiyl, Index, and Othinus - without fail - all looked at Kamijou like he had grown a third head.

This boy truly thought that heaven can be found by exploring with a space shuttle...

They did not know what he was saying.

"Did he really just say that?" Birdway asked with a disbelieving expression.

"I-In Kamijou-san's defense-" Itsuwa intervened. "They don't even teach the bare minimum of what we consider common knowledge in Academy City..."

She was right about that.

Certainly, someone like Mugino and Misaki - as smart as they were - could not be relied upon when teaching matters of religion.

"Mm, the high and low relationship of heaven and hell isn't of height."

"Then what is it?"

"Here's an example. Human eyes can't see infrared rays, and human ears can't detect high frequency sounds. You can understand this right, Kami-yan?"

"Ah? Mn."

"The high and low refers to this, anything that's above or below what humans can detect. They can't feel it if it's too high or if it's too low. So even if God is to appear beside Kami-yan, you should be unable to detect it."

Tsuchimikado delightedly smiled.

"Yeah. The low is referring to hell of the devil. What's opposite Infrared rays are ultraviolet rays, and low frequency in contrast to high frequency; in other words, an inversion. Though both waves are different, both are still waves. In other words, even if there's an angel standing beside a demon, they won't be able to detect each other unless they interfere with each other in the area between heaven and hell called the 'human realm'."

"That's... actually really interesting." Shirai said, somewhat amazed at such description.

"Interesting? More like cool! Saten said with noticeable excitement. "There could be angels and demons right next to us and we wouldn't even be able to see them! Ah, that would make a totally awesome urban legend!"

The girl yammered away at the many possibilities.

"Tsuchimikado…"

Kanzaki's tone sounded rather stern.

She didn't seem to like Tsuchimikado using infrared and high frequency as examples.

(Well...)

Itsuwa shuffled nervously

(It is kinda weird to think of heaven in scientific terms...)

"But once objects are lit by infrared rays, they will grow hot. Glass will vibrate when there's a high frequency sound. This is called a Divine Retribution or a miracle. So on first glance, the heaven that doesn't react will sometimes affect the human realm. Of course, there may be opposite effects."

Kamijou still didn't understand.

Tsuchimikado continued, "Oh yes, Kami-yan. In religions that worship idols like Buddhism and Christianity, the power of God or power of angels do actually exist around us."

"…"

Kamijou looked suspicious.

"I'm not lying to you. Here's an example. Wouldn't there be a cross at the top of the roof of a church? These crosses have a special power, but are these crosses the ones used to kill the saints? The answer is obviously no."

Tsuchimikado continued to wave his hand and said, "The crosses on the top of the churches are all fake, but even a fake can have power. As long as the shape and purpose is similar, it can obtain a small portion of the real one. This is the Idol Theory."

Basically, adding a metal sword and light magic together will create a light magic blade.

Idol Theory.

They had heard that multiple times now, but many unknowledgeable of magic felt like they could finally understand it now.

(So, it doesn't have to be the genuine article for magic power to remain, is it? Interesting.)

Mugino thought the aspect of magic would make for a rather nice pick me up in case of emergency. That is-

"Tch…!"

(If only that whole thing about Esper's bodies exploding was bogus...)

"This Idol Theory rule applies to angels as well. As long as one uses some special skills, the power of an angel can be placed on an item. For example, an angel's sculpture on the tip of a sword can cause the blade to be infused with Telesma. Carving an angel's name onto a protective magic array will grant the defensive power of an angel…of course, the amount of power a substitute can get is extremely little. Only in the Old Testament of the Bible did an angel truly descend on the earth."

"Wait, that's all someone has to do in order to wave this magic stuff around...!?" Worst asked incredulously.

"W-Well" Itsuwa tried to explain it a bit better. "There's a bit more to it but-"

"Don't go running your mouth there." Worst suddenly interrupted. "What this Misaka was wondering is if that's all it takes to go conjuring up supernatural power."

"Um... Yes." Itsuwa responded after a while.

This left Worst stunned for a moment, then she laughed. "Really!? That's all it takes to shoot a fireball, to knock down a building!? Haha! It really is too bad. Power that comes by that easy sounds like a riot."

Worst really sounded like it was a wasted opportunity that she couldn't share in the wealth.

"Your absolutely right. It is that easy. Of course, for those who share in your mindset, we hunt them down, and often kill them."

The whole room froze.

Because it was not Itsuwa who had retorted, who looked a little startled, but rather it was Stiyl.

It did not take a genius to figure out who "we" was referring to in this case.

The members of Necessarius.

Kanzaki shifted uncomfortably.

"..." Worst looked rather unsure of what to say to that for a moment, but she quickly gathered herself.

"Oh? This Misaka likes the sound of that. You lot are nothing like those pussies in Anti-Skill and Judgement, are you?"

Worst's vulgarity left Shirai scowling and Uiharu with a slightly stricken expression.

But that was enough for everyone to understand. What Worst said was true. Necessarius was nothing like the authorities in Academy City.

It wasn't capture and detain in the magic side, but rather incapacitate and kill.

"These are to be made under one assumption, that angels exist."

"…This is really unbelievable."

Even though Kamijou was still suspicious, he didn't dare try to act snobbish. Besides, these guys were experts, and they were serious, not joking at all. When he faced off against the alchemist, Kamijou really had a hard time because he didn't listen to Stiyl's explanation seriously; thus, he learned his lesson.

"Heh."

After his earlier remark, Stiyl really had the gall to look smug.

Anyway, they certainly had to praise the boy. After only coming out of two magic side events so far, he was taking it rather well.

"I-I think Touma-kun is amazing. I would still be freaking out about the whole body-swapping thing—ha ha." Arisa said with a fleeting smile.

"I would have been too busy looking at that lady's outfit." Someone said.

.

..

...

Silence.

Everyone looked at Aogami with exasperation.

"D-Don't look at me like that! Kami-yan was thinking the same thing! It's inevitable for us boys! We will always be curious about the skin of a cute girl!" The blue haired boy shouted with wild fervor. "Tsuchimikado, Hamazura, Sogiita, Stiyl, Accelerator, back me up!"

"Sorry man, you're a bit outnumbered, so no." Tsuchimikado whispered cruelly.

"Uh... sorry." That's all Hamazura said.

"Wait, are we talking about just women, or men as well?" Sogiita was a lost cause— Just what did he mean by that?

"..." Stiyl ignored the question.

"Whose name are you calling like I know you...!?" Accelerator said with a tone that expressed his hostile intent.

Oof, 0/5. That's rough.

(He quickly shouted the names of all the boys in the room, in the order of who might be the most likely to help...!)

Uiharu, Saten, and Musujime were all thinking along similar lines. They were kind of impressed in a weird way.

"..."

Kanzaki expressed discomfort about this reoccurring conversation (her apparel) and tried to hug herself… but she kind of had a whole lot to hug.

And... even as vulgar as the boy was, he did have a point. Kamijou had shown a rather fixated curiosity on her figure.

"...!"

Her cheeks lit up.

"Sorry, I just want to confirm this…is this really not a prank?"

"I don't understand what you mean."

Kanzaki coughed a bit, and continued.

"Anyway, Angel Fall is a spell that forcefully pulls an angel down from above, and this will affect the four worlds—in other words, the original world, the world of creation, the formed world and the physical world."

"…Eh, Tsuchimikado-sensei, may I know what language this Missy is speaking?"

Misaki and many others smiled at the boy's mannerisms, finding it funny.

(He'll always shamelessly tell you when he's lost.) Misaki thought.

"I'll explain this. Like what you see, Kami-yan, everyone's inside and outside have switched. This is like a musical chairs game, once the game starts, the chairs and the people sitting on the chairs will change completely. But in this game, not everyone will get a chair eventually. The only one left without a seat will be squeezed into the sky—to sit on the chair that the angel originally vacated."

A substitution of roles.

What resulted were the scenes that Kamijou saw at the seaside and on the television.

Kamijou finally understood that part.

"(So whoever or whatever the angel is... got kicked off their throne because of the body-swap and was sent to the human world...?)" Kumokawa muttered to herself.

But that just begged the question...

(Who could have done something so... so...)

She couldn't think of a word that described the magnitude this problem presented.

Tsuchimikado casually chuckled and said, "However, the theory isn't important at all. We just need to know that something strange happened and that we have to stop it."

"…Stop it? Is there a way?"

"Yeah. It seems like this spell called Angel Fall is still incomplete. If we want to stop it, now's the time. Even if it's your right hand, it can't revive someone who's been burned to ash, right? Same logic, it will be too late if the spell is complete."

"…"

Your right hand.

Though it may not seem important, but how did Tsuchimikado know about the Imagine Breaker?

Tsuchimikado laughed at everyone's faces. Ones that were flabbergasted upon realizing that - the boy on the screen - already knew about the existence of Imagine Breaker.

"Why do you all look so surprised? Weren't you all listening when I said I was a spy? I'd have to be pretty bad at my job to miss that little tidbit of Kami-yan's secrets." Tsuchimikado said.

He... He had a point.

But this also caused them to realize something.

(That guy's hand, hadn't he always...) Mikoto thought

Hadn't Kamijou always been forthcoming when it came to the unique properties of his hand?

Sure, it's not like he was showing it off to everyone and anyone, but when asked about his power - which was often a result of him showing them first hand in a life or death situation - he would always be really upfront and honest about it.

Now, whether they believed him or not wasn't up to him.

Thinking along that train if thought, Mikoto sported a confrontational expression.

(In my defense, what kind of idiot would believe someone with a power like that is a Level Zero?! I totally thought he was making fun of me!)

Seeing Kamijou look so suspicious, Tsuchimikado paused momentarily, before continuing.

"Oi oi, do I need to explain this as well? The battle for the Index, the invasion of Misawa Cram School, the termination of the Level 6 project, I knew about all these events. I was even the one in charge of investigating for two of those events."

Tsuchimikado casually said such shocking things before returning back to topic as per normal.

Mikoto and Accelerator - amongst others - gave him a shrewd look.

"-..."

Mikoto looked like she wanted to say something, but then at the last moment thought better of it and stayed silent.

Accelerator on the other hand-

(It's not surprising that guy was snooping around during that time. Hell, if hero-for-brains found out about it, anyone could, much less a spy.) Accelerator thought.

"Though the real spell is a mystery, Angel Fall is a global spell. It's too much for a magician to try and carry it out, so the culprit should have carried out a ritual center like barrier or magic array."

Tsuchimikado then said with an enthusiastic tone, "Thus, there are two ways to prevent Angel Fall. One is to beat the caster, and the second is to destroy the ritual center. Of course, there's a time limit, but we don't know how much time do we have, which makes this thrilling."

(Beat the caster... Destroy the ritual center...)

Despite not knowing all the details yet, those words made Touya uneasy for some reason.

(Weren't... Wasn't there someone accusing me of something similar...?)

Touya remembered that much. However, considering he was under the effects of Angel Fall, he had no idea that it was actually Tsuchimikado who had threatened and harmed him.

After all, it was a popular male idol who had done so.

In the end, Kamijou was still confused. Anyway, because of a certain someone, everyone's inside got switched…that's what he meant, right?

At this moment, any ordinary person would have shouted 'isn't this too ridiculous'? But Kamijou himself was living in a city with 2.3 million espers, and had fought against magicians before. Thus, he knew that there were many things that couldn't be brought through with just a simple 'this is too illogical'.

Thus, Kamijou started to be bothered.

"My, how flexible of him~" Rikuri said with a amused tone.

The boy was most definitely out his depth and confused, yet he would try to adapt anyway. That's how people survived. That's how they made it out of situations that catch them off guard.

That very same type of thinking is what has saved many people.

It seemed like everyone's actions looked so strange because of the substitution in roles. Kamijou recalled what had happened that morning. It was extremely disastrous ever since he woke up this morning, Misaka Mikoto actually became his little sister—

Mikoto stiffened with an awkward posture.

"—Wait…hold on! This is too weird! Why do I have an extra little sister? I don't have a little sister at all!"

If all those strange phenomenon were caused by the substitution in roles (though it sounds ridiculous), how did Mikoto become Kamijou's little sister?

Kanzaki casually continued.

"Well, who knows? But since there's a substitution in roles, it means that there should be someone that originally exist. Or maybe you really do have a little sister in this world; just that you don't know of."

"What? So I found out about my family's big secret due to this?"

Kamijou was shocked severely, but still managed to make a little joke. Unfortunately, he was not really convinced.

Touya and Shiina both look glum at this.

(As I thought, that girl was Otohime-chan...) Shiina thought forlornly.

It was saddening that the girl was forgotten by her "big brother", but his memory loss wasn't so kind to make exception, even for family.

Otohime would have been heartbroken to find out that she was forgotten.

"Speaking of which, what's the culprit's intention to blow it up like this?"

"I can guess two reasons. One is to capture the angel who falls to earth as a slave, the other is to take the original position of the angel."

"Uhhhhhhhh..." Kinuhata makes a comedic stalling sound. "Both of those options sound super not good...!" She said with a cramped face.

She was right.

They didn't even want to imagine a reality where someone could either enslave or take the place of an actual angel.

"No matter what the reason is, if it succeeds, it'll be something big within the Kabbalah world. The members of the Golden Dawn should be panicking like crazy now."

"If it were to be used for malice—an angel's power can destroy the entire Vatican. This isn't a joke, the criminal's aim can't just be for something casual."

Lessar scoffed.

"Heh, no kidding. Not just them, everyone would be freaking out."

"Excuse me…" Completely being ignored, Kamijou carefully opened his mouth and said, "Can we get back on topic? What should I do now? What do you guys intend to do to me by coming all the way here?"

"That's... a good question..." Shirai said under her breath.

After all, just a second ago, Kanzaki was just about ready to strangle the boy.

As they thought this, many gave her suspicious glances.

"Geh!"

It felt like an arrow had been driven through her heart.

(I've totally lost all credibility here! Everyone thinks I'm some sort of criminal...)

Kanzaki was weeping at everyone's lack of trust - which she kinda deserved.

"Ah, about this…"

Tsuchimikado's tone seemed to indicate that this wasn't important at all.

"We've just said it before. According to the results of the investigation, this strange phenomenon seems to be caused by you at the center, Kami-yan. However, you're unaffected even though you're at the center…"

"…What?"

Kamijou was stunned and his eyes widened.

"So you're suspected as the culprit. It's like a hacker spreading a virus worldwide, the hacker won't let his own computer be hacked, right?"

"Uh-oh, that doesn't sound too good for you Boss..." Hamazura said.

He could only point out the obvious while making an uncomfortable face.

"You can do it, Kamijou-san." Takitsubo offered her own lackluster monotone as well.

"Wait…hold on! If you say so, aren't you guys still the same?"

"Kanzaki and I were lucky. I said before that Angel Fall started because it spread from you. Kanzaki nee-chin and I just so happened to be in London when the spell was activated."

Mitsuari pondered this.

"So rather than choosing to suspect Kamijou-kun outright, they noticed that the affected area began with him as an epicenter. ...Guess that answers that question." She concluded.

She and many others were wondering why Kanzaki and Tsuchimikado went to Kamijou's location so quickly despite the spell just beginning.

"…So this meant that everyone in London is okay?"

"As if. The power of Angel Fall is tremendous. We just so happened to be inside Windsor Castle. Windsor Castle has a stronghold-level defensive barrier, and its defensive capability is definitely not less than the white Walking Church. Besides us, it seems like the people inside the deepest parts of Westminster Abbey and Southwark Cathedral are alright."

Tsuchimikado chuckled.

"Under the double protection of the distance and the barrier, we managed to escape. However, most of the magicians got hit by the poison of Angel Fall, there are very few people who realized this."

'Very few people who realized this', the boy said.

"Hmph."

Birdway looked a bit irked at such a subtle jab at her own intelligence.

"Oh…though I don't really understand what's going on, isn't this a silver lining in the cloud?"

"Not just that. Nee-chin was okay, but I wasn't inside the deepest part at that time. If I didn't set up a barrier for myself during the 300 seconds when the outside barrier was activated, even I would be affected."

"Hah..." Himegami sighed.

"So Kamijou-kun is right back to being susp-... wait." She froze, looking at Tsuchimikado incredulously. "I... thought you said you couldn't-"

"…Eh? But you just said that you can't use magic…"

Himegami stopped speaking as Kamijou asked the same question.

Even now, Kamijou was still rather confused about this thing called magic.

However, Kamijou did witness the students of Misawa Cram School who were manipulated by the alchemist use magic, and their bodies exploded due to the rejection. Anyway, espers couldn't use magic.

Tsuchimikado seemed to understand what Kamijou meant, as he smirked slightly and said, "That's right. This is why there are some parts of me that are absolutely terrible now. I'll definitely die the next time I use magic."

A gust blew by, lifting up Tsuchimikado's flowery shirt.

Kamijou saw that underneath the shirt—there was a large black bloody patch on him. It seemed like his body had gotten corroded by something unknown.

Everyone grimaced in noticeable discomfort.

They instantly recalled it. The consequences an Esper faces if they use magic.

"Tsuchimikado..." Fukiyose let out in worry.

Similarly, Aogami, Himegami, Komoe, and even Kumokawa and Musujime's worries deepened.

The boy had used magic despite the possibility that it could have killed him outright.

"It wasn't as bad as it looks, so don't worry. Trust me, I'm... a quick healer." He said, flashing a smile.

"Even so, I haven't completely escaped the control of Angel Fall." Tsuchimikado chuckled, and continued, "Besides us and you, to others, I'm 'switched' now. My current appearance is of an idol superstar named Hitotsui Hajime. A few days ago, this person was exposed by the tabloids to have an affair with another famous female star. Thus, right now, if any of those rabid girls is to see me, they'll come chasing after me with metal bats. This is truly a unique life experience."

They blinked at such surprising information.

Then-

"How is this fair!? Am I the only spring hasn't come for yet!? Where's my popular phase!? WHEN'S MY TIME TO SHINE, DAMMIT!?"

Aogami wailed and cursed the unfairness of the world.

"I don't know about that, nya. It was rather exhausting. It was like borrowing Kami-yan's misfortune for a time, nya." Tsuchimikado replied with a shrug.

"A-Are you really humble-bragging right now!?" Aogami yelled in anger. "AND DON'T JUST START USING A VERBAL TICK WHEN YOU HAVEN'T BEEN USING IT AT ALL YOU BASTARD! IT'S CONFUSING AS HELL!"

Aogami tried to punch the boy. But Tsuchimikado dodged.

"I don't want to hear that from someone who's still pretending they're from Osaka! Come clean already you faker!"

"H-How dare you!?"

And thus, the battle raged on.

"A-Are you not going to do anything?" Uiharu spoke up as fists began to fly, asking Fukiyose.

Fukiyose blew a hair out of her face in exasperation.

"Just let them tire themselves out this time."

Tsuchimikado then pointed at his sunglasses and said, "So I have no choice but to disguise myself."

"Erm…this means that…" Kamijou carefully asked Tsuchimikado, "So you're that handsome idol to those substituted people?"

"That's the case."

Tsuchimikado said casually.

"Aren't you all too popular now! I'm in a mess here and yet you're so popular out there!"

(He was pissed for the exact same reason...) Shirai thought with a deadpan.

She sighed. "(Boy's really are idiots sometimes.)"

But still...

She couldn't deny it was amusing to watch. And for someone who lived in an All-Girl's School, this was a rather interesting sight to behold.

"Well, this life is rather tiring as well. Besides, if I want to destroy this Angel Fall, I can't let myself be dragged down by the crowd."

"…Well, at least you're being professional here."

Kamijou turned to Kanzaki and said, "That onee-san got switched in other people's eyes as well, right?"

Everyone perked up at this.

"…"

Kanzaki remained silent, her shoulders trembling slightly.

(Eh? Don't tell me I tripped on her land mine?) Kamijou wondered.

"…—iyl."

No way.

They had to have misheard what she just said.

"What?"

Kamijou was shocked.

Kanzaki then continued in a flat tone, "My appearance right now is that of Stiyl Magnus. That's right, to them, I'm now one over two meter tall man with long red hair. Once I enter a bathroom or a changing room, someone will call the police, I'll be mistaken to be a pervert while taking the train. Yes, I was shocked. For a moment, I thought that the whole world was against me."

They could not believe it. But even amidst that speechless disbelief-

"Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!"

-Birdway started laughing.

"..."

At the small girl's childish sounds assaulting her ears, Kanzaki wore a very displeased face as she stewed in silence.

Kamijou thought, so a human's emotions aren't necessarily expressed in facial expressions or tone. Such a monotone that doesn't have any emotions in it can actually be that terrifying.

Kamijou could be certain.

That onee-san really seemed to be angry.

With an emotionless puppet-like expression, Kanzaki forcefully placed her hands onto Kamijou's shoulders.

"Did you really not do anything? You were the culprit, right? To be honest, I won't be angry. An angel being controlled by a magician, this is one huge event that's unheard of. Do you know how dangerous that is? I had enough, I should immediately settle this. Do you know how terrible it is to be treated as a big and tall Englishman with a sissy's voice?"

Birdway laughed even harder- "Hahaha! A sissy's voice?! This is too much! P-Please stop! Make it stop! Hahahahahahahaha!"

"Um..." Itsuwa let out worriedly.

Everyone else just looked wryly at the chuckling girl, and then at the trembling (in anger) form of the older one.

"Uu…oooiii! Stop…shaking…stop shaking me!"

Without showing any expression, Kanzaki shook Kamijou's shoulders back and forth with a terrifying force that exceeded human logic. Kamijou was terrified that his neck would snap.

"Do you understand now? Being at the center of this strange phenomenon, you'll be viewed by every other magician in the world who escaped this as the culprit; you'll be hunted by them."

"STOP WATCHING THE SHOW FROM THE SIDELINES! HURRY…UP AND TELL HER TO STOP SHAKING ME!"

Kamijou shouted, feeling like he was about to throw up.

Aaaaaaaaaand Kamijou's life was suddenly back in danger.

"K-Kamijou-san...!" Komoe cried out in worry.

Additionally, the parent's reactions were more interesting. Rather, one of them was just frozen in shock.

(Touma's getting manhandled by an older woman...)

Touya's indecision at the very least, probably stemmed from thoughts like that.

Shiina however...

"Oh my, don't you think you're being a little too unreasonable, young lady?"

Shiina's smiling (not her eyes) made Kanzaki shiver in fright.

"I-I am very sorry for my actions miss!"

Kanzaki instantly prostrated.

"U…uuugh…THINK ABOUT IT, YOU GUYS! ANGEL FALL IS A MAGIC SPELL, AND I'M AN ESPER, HOW CAN I CAST MAGIC!?"

The hands of Kanzaki that were shaking Kamijou violently froze instantly.

Without moving, Kanzaki looked into Kamijou's eyes, and like ice in a cup melting, she frowned slightly, revealing a puzzled expression.

"Shouldn't that logic ability have been obvious from the beginning!?" Misaki cried in outrage towards a reeling Kanzaki.

"...S-Sorry."

"If so, this means that we're completely clueless here. We have no idea what the culprit intends to use the angel for, but we have to quickly prevent Angel Fall. Am I going to continue living on as a foreign juggernaut who's very fluent in Japanese but talks like a lady…?"

Hearing Kanzaki say this, though this incident wasn't Kamijou's fault, he did feel a sense of guilt and sadness.

What was that feeling? It was like seeing a neighbor's perfect nee-chan suddenly crying. It was completely different from the feeling that Index gave of wanting to protect her.

A collective sigh ran through the room (majority being the female ratio).

Kanzaki's shame suddenly halted as she felt a different feeling run through her.

"Eh?"

The woman flushed crimson at the boy's thoughts.

(P-Protect me?! What is he talking about?)

...

Additionally, Index looked rather embarrassed as well.

(I-I never knew Touma felt that way...)

Originally feeling casual, Tsuchimikado seemed to have that feeling as well. He said, "All right, all right. If so, I guess that we have to start over our investigations again."

"…Oh yeah…"

Kanzaki looked at Tsuchimikado and said, "Tsuchimikado, you're an esper as well, but you did use magic before…so it's likely that…"

Oh no.

They suddenly got a bad feeling.

However, Accelerator let out a rare grin of anticipation.

Kanzaki's tone was rather calm, but Kamijou felt goosebumps on his back, and quickly clarified, "Hold…hold on hold on! The problem is that I have no knowledge of magic at all!"

"That's right, but you do have the Index with you, right?"

"That's right, that's a blind spot," Tsuchimikado said in a casual tone, sounding rather impressed.

Really!?

"Stop opening your mouth, you're just making this more difficult!" Fukiyose rounded on him.

"Sorry-my bad! That's totally my bad!" Tsuchimikado apologized instantly.

And after which, he found Kamijou glaring at him and felt somewhat embarrassed, so he quickly rounded off, "But Kanzaki nee-chin, if espers use magic, it'll greatly damage their bodies. At the very least, there will be bleeding, and in serious cases, a massive body explosion—it was mentioned in the report of the Misawa incident, right? You can see that Kami-yan's body is rather healthy here."

"Mn, then let's confirm it."

---

[ PLAY MUSIC ]

Lyrics AMV — Toaru Kagaku no Railgun T OP 1 Full — Final Phase - fripSide

[A/N: That's right. You're getting music for this scene. Because why the hell not.]

---

Eh?

...Wait a minute there.

There was a collective assortment of confusion as everyone paused.

After saying that, Kanzaki naturally reached her hand out and tapped Kamijou's stomach lightly.

It was only after a few seconds of staring dumbly at exactly where Kanzaki's hand was landed, did everyone start to react-

—Kanzaki paled a ghastly color—

(A-Ah…!)

—And then her face turned red as she realized what her past self was about to do.

"WAH! WHAT…WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?"

-"...!?"

And with Kamijou's cry of surprise as the trigger, gasps echoed through the room with abundance, mainly belonging to the female ratio.

Misuzu, Shiina, Touya, and Komoe all wore stiff smiles.

"Etto… what is Kanzaki-san doing…?" Komoe asked slowly with a cramped smile.

"Why are you jumping up all of a sudden? I'm just checking to see if there are any wounds. Seeing your overreaction, there are some parts inside that are damaged and can't be seen by the human eye, right?"

"NO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT WON'T JUMP AT THIS! THIS IS A NATURAL REACTION, STOP TOUCHING ME LIKE THAT, FOR GOODNESS SAKE!"

"Hyehh?!"

And an embarrassed squeak came from none other than Kanzaki.

(W-Wait, wait, wait! Hold on...!) Kanzaki's insides were screaming at her as her face burned beyond belief.

...

The girl's faces burned at the sight of what Kanzaki was doing, as they had connected the dots.

More specifically, those girls being: Index, Mikoto, Shirai, Saten, Uiharu, Mitsuari, Misaki, Hokaze, Fukiyose, Himegami, Komoe, Arisa, Shutaura, Itsuwa, Agnese, Orsola, Birdway, and Kinuhata.

(Didn't expect this...) Even Lessar looked flustered.

(W-Whoa, this is kinda...) Shirai didn't really know what to think about this situation only that she was fighting a blush as she stared.

(Why is she saying things like it has nothing to do with her!? Anyone would decline in being touched all over l-like this!) Mitsuari thought with a massive blush.

Mugino, Takitsubo, Worst, Rikuri, Kumokawa, Musujime, Kaibi, and Othinus were by no means unfazed, but they certainly took it better than everyone else. They had to blink multiple times, just to make sure they were seeing correctly.

(Oh boy...) Kumokawa thought with an eager face.

As annoyed as she was at what was happening, she couldn't deny the joy that she felt upon seeing that boy's expressions.

Othinus just closed her eye though.

(How does that human get into these situations?)

Worst's reaction was particularly entertaining, as the pure confusion on her face all of a sudden made for a very rare sight.

And then there was Last Order and Amazora who didn't really understand what the problem was.

(Hm? But the savior is a boy, why is he acting so flustered for?)

(What's Onii-chan raising his voice for?)

The boys on the other hand, continued to look on with dumfoundment on their faces.

"Hah..." And then Stiyl just sighed, massaging his temples.

Accelerator however—

(What the fuck? Like what in the actual fuck is this?) He was completely unable to compute.

(Boss, you are above us lowly humans...) Hamazura was praising the boy, as expected.

(W-Whoa Kamijou-san...) Sogiita looked startled.

(All I can say is 'nice guts')

He flashed a thumbs up.

It was a wonder as to what he meant by that.

"..."

Aogami was silent.

Okay, that's actually really concerning.

(Why are we here? Just to suffer...?)

That blue haired boy was asking something we should all be asking ourselves.

"That's too suspicious. You're afraid of being checked, right? If you're innocent, you won't be mindful of being checked no matter the means, right?"

Kamijou stared at the shallow beach. If Index and the rest were to see him being molested by a nee-chin, it would be over. He wouldn't be able to wash his sins away even if he were to jump into a river.

"Mo—" Kanzaki had to bite back what was going to be a shrill scream.

(Molested!?)

"Kanzaki-san, you can't!" Arisa suddenly shouted. "You can't force Touma-kun to do those t-t-t-things!

The seriousness in the girl's voice nearly made Kanzaki fall over in shock.

"N-No, you got it all wrong. It was just checking for injuries, t-that's it! I had no other intentions, I swear!" Kanzaki pleaded her case.

"…(To indicate that anyone who refuses to be checked is the culprit. Kanzaki nee-chin really is one of the radical juries of the Anglican Church's Necessarius.)"

Rather understanding of the workings of the magic world, Tsuchimikado seemed to be rather impressed. Of course, Kamijou wouldn't know about such things.

"Once again, y-you're not helping at all!" Fukiyose shouted amidst her flustered reaction.

"I'm saving myself for marriage, nya~. If I got in the middle of that I'd never be able to look Maika in the eye!" Tsuchimikado retorted.

But that only got a "DID YOU REALLY JUST SAY THAT!?" from Fukiyose, and a betrayed "TSUCHIMIKADO!?" from Kanzaki, both of which were glaring daggers at him.

"Ugh…all…all right! My innocence can be proven if I don't have any external wounds or internal bleeding, right…OOOOIII! STOP…DON'T TOUCH ANY STRANGE PLACES!"

"? Anyway, please don't move."

Kanzaki's slender fingers moved underneath Kamijou's armpits, chest and other areas slowly. Though Kanzaki gave an icy impression, her fingers were unexpectedly warm. Facing this predicament, Kamijou started to sweat profusely. The sweat-stained fingers of Kanzaki felt like someone licking Kamijou's body with their tongue.

(Hold…hold on…! Not good…ooiii! If…if she continues to touch me like this…I'll develop some weird interests in the future…!)

As they clearly realized what it is Kanzaki was doing, those girls flushed red in embarrassment, shock, and outrage.

"Uwawawawawawawawa-" Mikoto's incomprehensible noises could be heard as she was beet red, steam coming from her ears.

(S-She's touching him! Why is she touching him?!) She screamed internally.

She knew why, but that did not explain why Kanzaki did not realize that it wasn't common sense to do what she was doing. Or maybe she just really didn't care.

(Is this what magicians do?! Completing the mission b-by any means necessary!?)

"E-Eh?" Misaki was not as vocal, not because she was okay with it, but rather because she had been distracted by another aspect of all of this.

(I've never seen Kamijou-kun make that face before.)

That's right, she had been staring at the boy's profile. A very embarrassed, nervous, and borderline submissive profile that she found herself unable to look away from.

Misaki was rather enthralled with it for some reason. It was like it was triggering both her maternal instincts and natural attraction at the same time.

...

What is wrong with you, boobs for brains!? J-Just what are you trying to do?!" Birdway shouted at Kanzaki with crimson face.

"I...!" Despite wanting to protest, no words came out of Kanzaki's mouth.

She could defend herself, but that wouldn't accomplish anything. Because she was undoubtedly in the wrong here.

Because it wasn't just Birdway who seemed hostile towards her. Most of the room were giving her accusatory stares that exemplified their outrage as well.

She had always wondered to herself, why had Kamijou Touma been so averse to her touching him?

However, it only took viewing it from an outside perspective for her to understand.

(I-I-It looks like I'm taking advantage of him! No that's wrong, I actually was...! I didn't even get his permission! What is wrong with me!?)

Her face was on fire because of embarrassment and shame.

"Kanzaki-san..."

A voice just said her name, causing Kanzaki to look over fearfully.

It was Shiina, Kamijou's mother.

"While I understand it's a bit different for boy's rather than girls... no one would be comfortable being touched like that without warning. A-Although, I think my son is freaking out for a reason that you don't yet realize- ah ha ha..." She weakly laughed.

The wife took it better than her partner, that's for sure. Touya looked really uncomfortable.

But nonetheless, Kanzaki gulped as she heeded the explanation. But-

(Wait- another reason...?)

What did she mean by that?

"…"

Kanzaki moving fingers suddenly stopped.

She silently looked down.

Kamijou Touma's beach pants.

"...!"

Mikoto, Misaki, Mitsuari, and Itsuwa all felt their heart's stop before they even realized what was going on.

That's right. Since Kamijou Touma was a healthy high school student, there was a reaction to Kanzaki Kaori's reckless palpation, and the center of that reaction was hidden inside the center of the beach pants.

(Eh..?) Kanzaki let out as she blankly stared in shock as if she could not believe what was happening.

Blink. Blink. Blink.

Many girls blinked rapidly at such a development, and then felt their face heat up to the point of dizziness upon realizing what exactly what lay beyond those articles of constructed fabric.

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

All of a sudden- Misaki, Mitsuari, Kumokawa, Lessar, Mikoto, Shirai, Mugino, Itsuwa, Arisa, and Himegami all got nosebleeds.

"H-Hold on a minute." A noticeable stutter entered Kaibi's voice.

"…? I don't understand, what's hiding inside Onii-chan's-mmhhhh!"

"NO WAY! I'M NOT ALLOWING MY CUTE LITTLE SISTER TO FINISH THAT SENTENCE!" Rikuri came to the rescue and clamped her hand over Amazora's mouth.

Kaibi breathed a sigh of relief.

She felt that a small piece of her would have died if Amazora asked such an innocently phrased question with her confused face.

"Wait…wait a second! Miss Kanzaki! This isn't some! This is an effective factor! It's an irresistible accident! I'm sorry, I'm wrong! It's my fault, please don't serve me up with that Japanese sword!"

Kamijou frantically tried to explain after being stunned for a while. However, Kanzaki didn't seem to be thinking about that.

(Th-Tha-th-th-th-that's his-…his…!) Mikoto stumbled even within her own thoughts with a bright red face that burned her neck, face and ears.

(A boy's-… Kamijou-kun's-…!) Misaki ventured upon that forbidden domain, but no matter how mature she made herself out to be, she could not finish that thought.

"…" Most concerningly, Lessar was completely silent as she watched with that heated face and ragged breathing.

"S-Supreme Pontiff-sama?" Itsuwa's tearful face looked at Kanzaki, as if pleading that she didn't do what everyone was imagining.

And then Misaki put a cap on her lust and lost her temper.

"Y-Y-You big exhibitionist hussy! Just because you fall right into his strike zone doesn't make it okay to do n-n-n-n-naughty things with him!"

(S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-SO HE WAS REALLY TALKING ABOUT THHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT-!?)

Kanzaki screamed internally.

"Nooooooooooooooooo!" She heatedly tried to deny it.

"I didn't mean it like that I swear. I'm not a pervert! I wasn't trying to do anything to him!"

She was overwhelmed with her embarrassment.

...

Meanwhile- Amazora, Last Order, and Hokaze couldn't be more confused.

(Irresistible accident...? What accident?) They thought.

Like a stone statue, she remained silent for a while, and finally said, "…You're right. If we're to start checking, we have to be thorough, even inside the pants."

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME!? WHO WILL ALLOW THAT…AHHH, YOU'LL VIEW ME AS THE CULPRIT IF I SAY 'NO', RIGHT!? BUT I WON'T AGREE TO IT NO MATTER WHAT! DON'T I HAVE A RIGHT TO PROTEST AS A HEALTHY YOUNG BOY!?"

"K-Kanzaki-san, you can't do that to Touma...! ...He's saying no."

Now it was Index's turn to look betrayed. But before Kanzaki could reassure such a soul shattering expression-

"(Cough) I-I don't know... to clear Loverboy's innocence, m-maybe this is the best-Gehhhh!"

-A very suspicious voice entered, which then was followed with a dull impact and a cry of pain from the guilty part- that which being Lessar.

"Stop acting like you have his best interests in heart, you weirdo...!" Birdway retorted quickly as she retracted her hand.

"Best interests!? Oh, you did not just say that...! Don't act all high and mighty with me, Imouto-chan! As if you don't also want to take a look inside!"

"T-Take a-" Birdway turned red. "I-I don't! Why would I want to see that guy's-... his-...? I DON'T!"

...

"(...It...)"

Kanzaki was suddenly muttering something.

"(...It wasn't my intention to see it e-either, you know...)" Kanzaki meekly uttered as she looked at the floor.

"Hm."

Kanzaki moved her eyes up from the beach pants.

"Alright, maybe my method isn't working. Since I'm of the opposite gender, it must be painful to be checked here like this."

"Did you really just now realize that!?" Agnese shouted.

Kanzaki refused to look up now, content on continuing to stare at the floor with shame.

There was no coming back for her now. She had lost all credibility.

(T-This is all I am now. J-Just a shameless pervert who inconvenienced Kamijou...)

"That…that's right! Just like this! We can still talk if you calm down!"

"So, being of the same gender, Tsuchimikado, please do the honors."

"Wait…Tsuchimikado? Like that palpation just now? Inside the beach pants? No…NOOOO! I DON'T WANT IT!"

Some of the girl's faces burned as the imagined such a situation-

-While the boy's faces twisted in disgust.

"NOOOOOOOOO! IT WAS FINEEEEEEEEE! I WAS DEALING WITH IT! WHY DID YOU HAVE TO MAKE ME IMAGINE THAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!?"

Aogami's ear shattering cry of wanton despair echoed - explaining that he had been dealing with the grief of seeing Kamijou touched so intimately - however it had shattered instantly upon hearing Kanzaki's next suggestion.

Hamazura's face twisted in disgust. "Ugh...! G-Great. Now I can't get that out of my head!"

"Guh... I think I'm going to be sick..." Stiyl muttered while looking upwards with his eyes closed.

"Really? Then I'll do it then."

"Why…WHY IS IT 'IF IT'S NOT A, THEN IT'S B'!? WHY ARE THERE ONLY A AND B AS OPTIONS!? HOLD…HOLD ON! MISS KANZAKI! WHY ARE YOU WEARING SURGICAL GLOVES!? HOLD…HOLD ON! WAIT…AHHHHH—!"

Option C, raising a toy shovel and shouting : "I'll kill you."

Mugino rose an eyebrow at this.

"You actually managed to make him lose his composure-Haha!" She cracked a grin, leveling a stare towards Kanzaki."

"Nice job."

"..."

Kanzaki did not respond to such a compliment, however the only reaction being the violently twitching of her shoulders.

Embarrassed and angry, Kamijou's tears were about to come out as he increased his distance from the strange neighbor and the nee-chin with the Japanese nodachi. Using his hands to hold down the beach pants that he barely managed to defend, he stared at those two like a wounded beast.

The two magicians felt rather awkward as well.

There was no repairing Kanzaki's heart as she gazed at the intensely traumatized visage of the boy.

That's right.

She had traumatized him.

Everyone else couldn't help but be rather overwhelmed while looking at such a Kamijou.

...

Meanwhile, someone had a thought.

(An attack such as this- would that have been enough to break him...?) Othinus wondered.

It had never once occurred to her to shame the boy in that way, on account of him being a boy first and foremost. Maybe she could have-

"Urk...!" She suddenly stopped such a train of thought.

(Actually...)

She found she didn't really want to imagine a scenario where her human fell at her hands by using such means.

...

(Forgive me Touma-san...!)

Quite guiltily, Shiina was basking in the face of a boy she would probably never get to see again. That being for the simple reason that he was no longer running around in diapers.

(Mama will enjoy it for all it's worth!)

You would think she would have been worried that her child was about to be assaulted by an older woman...

"S-see? I was right, right? Kami-yan wasn't switched not because he was the culprit, but because the effects of Angel Fall got negated by the Imagine Breaker."

"Hm, but if so, this is a bit problematic. We have already lost track of our goal. If Angel Fall is complete, it will cause devastation on a mythical scale; but we don't have a single clue…"

"It's not that we don't have a clue at all. At least we know that the Angel Fall started with Kami-yan at the center, so the culprit should be near him!"

"The problem is that we don't know whether the culprit actually interacted with Kamijou Touma."

"...!"

Touya suddenly got a bad feeling.

(That doesn't sound good. Maybe that's why...)

"That's rather troublesome. My pulse will explode if I use magic again. Ah, that's right, how about we get Kami-yan to help us track this culprit?"

"Your suggestion is rather illogical. Are you going to ask your guests to help you build your house when you don't have enough workers?"

"That's alright, isn't it? We will protect Kami-yan from being attacked by the culprit, and Kami-yan will destroy the location of the Angel Fall spell. We'll still need him though. What do you think, Kami-yan?"

Kamijou didn't answer.

He was silently writing a few words with his fingers: I'm going to sue you.

Many people expressed their condolences for- um... the boy's pride.

"O-Oof. That bad, huh." Lessar had the decency to look guilty now.

Kanzaki looked heartbroken.

It was an expression akin to finding out your beloved pet no longer wanted to play with you.

(W-What am I going to do? I wouldn't be surprised if he hated me for how I treated him...)

---

Part 2

---

After 8 PM, the real night of summer descended.

Kamijou's family was gathered at the first level of the seaside resort, sitting around the round table. Even though it was Kamijou's family, the roles had switched.

As 'Kamijou's friend', Kanzaki Kaori naturally blended into that crew of strange characters. Of course, to the rest, she was a rough red-haired foreign delinquent.

"-Which couldn't be more hilarious, thank you."

Birdway comment came with an insidiously smug face- as if to say, 'this is what you get for what you did, you big breasted tramp'.

Kamijou was feeling rather insecure. Since they didn't know when Angel Fall would be complete, how could she be sitting down there so casually? But to Kanzaki, since the phenomenon was centered around Kamijou, it seemed like protecting Kamijou was also one of her priorities.

They were secretly glad to know that Kamijou had regained at least the smallest amount of masculine pride that had been taken from him.

Even if it was by the smallest amount.

However, Tsuchimikado hadn't joined in. Right now, he should be playing with sea roaches along the barrier reefs. To the others, he was an idol who just got into trouble; and as a professional spy, Tsuchimikado most likely wouldn't want to get caught up with having to handle people.

"Well aren't you rather useless." Kumokawa said indifferently to Tsuchimikado.

"Don't get all pissy because I wouldn't pull down Kami-yan's pants."

This sent her into a fit of embarrassed coughs.

"Wha!? (Cough, cough!) I-I don't care about that!" She retorted with a frenzied blush.

So right now, everyone who was sitting around the round table were ordinary civilians (on the surface).

Everyone was hungry, but there was no sign of the shopkeeper.

Turning on the television, they only saw Komoe-sensei reporting the depressing news that the serial killer Hino Jinsaku had escaped from prison, and still had not been found. They were unable to use that as a topic for conversation.

Komoe's cheeks cramped at once again seeing her in a news apparel.

Also, Kinuhata folded her arms behind her head.

"That serial killer again, that's not super telling or anything..." She said.

This caused Hamazura to sigh. "I would say you're wrong, but I wouldn't count on it when Boss' luck is concerned."

If something bad was to happen, it was going to happen. It was like a cruel law of physics that only seemed to apply to Kamijou.

Even though he didn't know what to say, Touya still tried to talk to Kanzaki.

"Hello, I'm Touma's father. I didn't know that Touma has foreign friends; it's really the age of globalisation. Ah, let me give you an Egyptian talisman as a greeting gift. It's a scarab from Egypt. It's said that once you have it, you won't get lost in the desert."

Touya pulled out a grounded pepper-sized bottle, and Kamijou was stunned before he shouted out.

There was a dried dead insect stored inside.

They just stared in confusion and a little disgust.

"Kamijou-san's father is collecting the most interesting artifacts..." Orsola stated in wonder.

Agnese sighed. "Please don't call them artifacts, or interesting for that matter."

"Isn't this a dung beetle? Don't put such a thing on the dinner table, stupid dad!"

"No."

Kanzaki said calmly.

"In Egypt, the scarab represents transmigration. It is a representative gift of Egyptian culture, like the Eye of Horus and the Ankh (key of life)."

"Erm…yeah…that's right! Touma, Dad's not too sure, but you shouldn't be so quick to deny other countries' cultures like that."

"What…am I the only one? Am I the only one who feels that one shouldn't put a dried dead insect like that onto the dining table?"

Kamijou was hit greatly, but at that moment, Mikoto, who was sitting beside Kamijou, tugged his shirt and said, "…No, I'm on onii-chan's side. It's scary to use that kind of thing as a cell phone keychain. It may also tremble when the phone vibrates."

"I really want to thank you for your honest opinion, but hearing that act-cutesy voice of yours really irritates me."

Mikoto's brow twitched.

(It's not me, so why am I getting so pissed off...)

"What!?"

Mikoto puffed her cheeks, but Kamijou completely ignored her.

At that moment, Kamijou remembered something.

Kamijou's family shouldn't have a little sister. To everyone, who was Mikoto?

Thus, Kamijou moved his position to secretly ask Index, who was taking the role of his mother.

"(Oi oi, let me ask you, who's that imouto? I'm really curious…)"

Shutaura deadpanned, her palm meeting her face.

"That's not how you should talk to someone who's actually your mother..."

Shiina just giggled though.

"Ara ara, so does Touma like girls who are like that little sister?"

Seeing his that his mother's brain was short-circuited, Kamijou raised his fist and knocked her head slightly as if he was knocking a faulty television.

"(...Or maybe he just doesn't care at all...)" Shutaura further deduced.

"Ara ara, you really don't take care of a girl's feelings. That's Touma's cousin, Otohime."

"(…Cousin)?"

"Ara ara, has Touma forgotten about her already? Then you don't remember uncle and aunt Tatsugami already? You probably never met them ever since you graduated from kindergarten and entered Academy City. However, you did take an afternoon nap together with Otohime in the same bed."

"But…but no one was here yesterday?"

"She just came in this morning."

They all widened their eyes.

Kamijou Touma had a cousin. A girl named Otohime.

"His cousin, Touma-kun's cousin?" Arisa uttered.

Though she couldn't be too excited about learning such information. After all, she didn't even know what this 'Otohime' really looked like.

...

(That name...) Othinus pondered it.

A goddess that was turned into a dragon. And Hime, meaning princess.

Youngest Dragon Princess.

(How fitting.) She thought with a bemused grin.

As they talked, footsteps could be heard from the entrance leading to the seaside. The owner was back.

"Sorry sorry, I didn't have time to say hello to you people. The loudspeaker on the seaside was broken, and it took a while to repair it."

Stiyl huffed at hearing his own voice again.

The one closest to the owner, Kanzaki, turned around and said, "Please don't mind, the loudspeaker can be used to report any incoming tsunami and assist in relief work, it's most important to handle this since it involves human safety…Sti…Stiyl? What's going on?"

"Stiyl? Is that a common slang?"

The tall and huge man with long red hair said suspiciously.

"You're about to eat dinner, already, right? There's not much variety here, but the advantage here is that we're fast!"

"No…erm…(I was too careless…I forgot that Stiyl's here in Japan to hunt people down!)"

Misuzu looked smiled wryly at such news "T-That doesn't sound good…"

"Yeah, there should have been a better way to word that—even if it's true…" Mikoto then added.

Yes, it was truly weird to imagine that red haired guy—who was just a couple of steps away from them—hunting people in Japan like a bounty hunter.

Such a thought also passed through Touya and Shiina, prompting them to look at Stiyl curiously.

"(Touma-san sure does know a lot of interesting people…)" Shiina whispered.

"(Hm. And I can't be happier to know my son has made friends with so many different kinds of people—even if they frequently try to attack him.)" Touya whispered back.

"(Maybe its just the way their relationship works. Like a unique type of male bonding you think?)"

"(Normally I'd doubt that, but Touma has a knack for forming connections—as one sided as they apparently are…)" Touya muttered under his breath, looking at the various girls watching the screen curiously.

It seemed like Stiyl was completely controlled by Angel Fall. Thinking of which, all the magicians in the world should be the same now, and besides, there were very few magicians who detected that anomaly, like Tsuchimikado and Kanzaki.

Kanzaki muttered to herself, but the surrounding people didn't seem to notice it. Everyone was focused on choosing their main course from the few options of ramen, fried soba noodles and curry.

After the tall and huge boss took everyone's order, he took huge steps into the shop.

At that moment, Index placed her hand on her face as she stared at Kanzaki, and said, "Ara ara, your Japanese is really fluent. Aunty's really impressed."

"Eh?"

Kanzaki shoulders trembled slightly.

"Ah…it's…it's nothing, thanks for your compliments."

Though Kanzaki and Index were both members of the Anglican Church, for some reason, both of them were estranged from each other. Being talked to suddenly, Kanzaki was rather troubled.

Of course, the rest (including Kamijou, who had lost his memory) didn't know about that.

"Sorry it being my face made you uncomfortable Kanzaki-san..." Index apologized with honest to goodness regret on her face.

"D-Don't apologize! Please don't, you have nothing to be sorry for!" Kanzaki said quickly. "I'm just… not used to having you speak so maturely and with a motherly disposition, that's it."

Of course, that's not all it was, but Kanzaki did not find herself caring as the distraught expression suddenly vanished, turning into a happy one.

"Ara ara, humble and polite. Seeing you being so burly, aunty thought that you'll be a pretty rough person."

Being only slightly taller than an average Japanese, Kanzaki's shoulders trembled slightly.

Shiina paled immediately.

"Please forgive me Kanzaki-san! My comments towards you were inexcusably rude. To think you were actually a woman that time, I-"

"Please think nothing of it Shiina-san. In fact, I deserve it after what I—um, tried to do to your son earlier. …Rest assured, I forgive you."

At Shiina's heartfelt apology, Kanzaki smiled good-naturedly and brushed it off.

"Awww~ you're such a nice young lady. I'm so glad there are girls like you in Touma-san's life. Please continue to look after him for me, if you don't mind."

"Eh? Er... r-right."

Kanzaki looked rather embarrassed, being looked at so fondly by the mother of the person she inexcusably harassed just moments before.

However, the people surrounding her didn't seem to realize it.

Mikoto then said, "However, your choice of words is rather weird, it feels a bit feminine. You're so burly, it should be better for you to use a more masculine way of speaking. Also, your movements feel a bit like a girl."

Having trained more than an ordinary woman, Kanzaki's facial muscles trembled slightly.

She muttered slightly, "Only…only a little?"

Lessar and Birdway both started to reflexively shake on the inside.

At that moment, Kamijou sensed that something was wrong, but Touya added on, "Alright, alright, don't say it. Isn't language all about being able to convey the correct meaning? I believe he would say this should be because the one who first taught him Japanese was a woman. Also, it's not important whether he's burly or not, right?"

Kanzaki's entire body was already trembling slightly.

"Y-You—He he he—having fun there, Burly-san?" Lessar said with a giggle, while Birdway just smirked in amusement.

"..." Kanzaki clenched her fists in silence, suppressing the urge to go over and hit the girl.

Kamijou tried to use his body language to tell Kanzaki,

(Kanzaki! Kanzaki! Everyone's not talking about you! They're just treating you as Stiyl Magnus! They're definitely not telling you that you're tall and burly, no matter what, you're a brave and stout man—!)

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA"

Lessar and Birdway burst out laughing.

The next second, Kanzaki slowly stood up.

Kamijou didn't recognize that it was his words that were the most hurting.

Shirai and many others suddenly sighed at Kamijou's seemingly good intentions.

(You just had to go and deal the final blow unintentionally...) The twin-tailed teleporter thought.

Kanzaki grabbed Kamijou's collar and said slightly, "…(I see, so that's what you think?)"

After saying it, she dragged Kamijou away from the round table.

"(Hold…hold on! Where are you pulling me to? Are you going to execute me? Ah…it should be the bathroom over there…don't tell me…I heard of an interrogation method that's popular in American jails, that's to splash cold water on the criminals and make them lose heat..!)"

Arisa paled.

Lose heat, he had said.

"(Y-You don't think she's going to try and strip Touma-kun again, is she!?)"

"(That's... hm. It's hard to say actually...)" Shutaura said rather unsurely.

"..."

Their brief back and forth caused Kanzaki to start taking noticeable mental damage.

Kanzaki didn't reply.

Like a corpse, Kamijou was dragged further away.

"G-Good luck Kamijou-san" Uiharu offered.

That's all they could do. They could only pray for the boy's safety.

---

Part 3

---

Kanzaki didn't drag Kamijou to some strange place, just into the interior of the shop.

It seemed that Kanzaki didn't have a specific destination in mind. Arriving at a place with no one around, she told Kamijou off before turning her eyes to the sliding shoji doors.

(Told him off...? ...It being vague is actually bothering me. What did she tell him...?) Kaibi mused.

"Oh yeah, this resort has a bathhouse. It's hard for me to say it, but with all these going on nowadays, I didn't have time to bathe."

That was right, a seaside resort had a bathhouse. It was like building a simple toilet on the seaside, the purpose was to allow the visitors to wash away the seawater on their skin.

Many girls made a face at that.

"Huh, I get that he's younger than you, but is that really the sort of thing you should tell a boy?" Mitsuari muttered.

"W-Was that really that weird?" Kanzaki responded with a flush.

"U-Um-" Hokaze then speaks up.

"-I'm sure there's nothing wrong with being candid like that Kanzaki-san. I mean look, Kamijou-san is taking it in stride."

She was right, Kamijou hadn't been bothered by the statement at all.

...Which was kind of weird for a teenage boy. Kanzaki and the others didn't know whether to be relieved or disappointed.

Kamijou turned back to look at the corridor he had passed through, and said, "However…do you really have time to bathe? If Angel Fall's completed, wouldn't it be too late?"

"You're right…"

Kanzaki hesitated for a while, and then continued.

"…I know I shouldn't have any personal feelings, but I'm really not used to seeing that child smile at me. I don't have that right at all."

Kanzaki said bitterly.

Index looked sad upon Kanzaki's confession.

Moreover, Kanzaki was kicking herself for saying such self-gratifying words, mainly because of who she had said them to.

(Why am I saying things like this to him? He has no idea what I'm talking about...)

She seemed to be running away from something.

"…"

Kamijou remained silent. At the time when he attacked the Misawa Cram School, Stiyl had said that same thing with the same expression when he was talking about Index.

That should be a wound that must not be opened again.

Thus, Kamijou decided not to pursue further.

Kamijou had no recollection of Index's previous relationship with Stiyl and Kanzaki.

Granted, he didn't even know a whole lot even before he lost his memories, but within that miniscule amount of knowledge, he could still come to understand what both members of Necessarius had to go through.

And despite having forgotten, he still knew he should be sensitive about such topics.

Kanzaki smiled at such kindness.

It was unnecessary and undeserved, but it was given regardless.

"Ah…anyway, why did you drag me all the way here to the bathhouse? Are you going to discuss tactics with me?"

"…"

Kanzaki shook her head slightly.

"No, I have a simple request; I just need you to keep watch over here. This bathhouse should be public like an onsen or a public bathhouse, right?"

"Fwauh!?"

All of a sudden, a strange noise rang out.

Like a switch had been flipped, Kanzaki cried out and turned a vibrant red. It really had been from nothing, almost as if some demonic premonition hit her.

But there was no 'almost' about it,

(What's her problem?) Stiyl raised an eyebrow at her.

Everyone else also shared confused glances.

(W-Wait a second...!) Aogami thought.

He narrowed his... (already narrowed eyes?) while his brain worked a mile a minute.

Kamijou remained silent.

Of course, in this little seaside resort, the bathhouse wouldn't be sorted into men and ladies. There was only one bathhouse, and when a man entered, it would be a man's bathhouse; when a woman entered, it would become a ladies' bathhouse.

To everyone, Kanzaki was now Stiyl Magnus, so even when they saw Kanzaki's figure through the shoji doors, the other men may think "Ah, it's a man bathing!" and would rush in, especially that resort boss.

"So that means Kamijou-san is going to be waiting outside..." Itsuwa trailed off.

.

..

...

She instantly thought of the worst-case scenario, her face turning red.

(Wait that's rude of me! Just because it's Kamijou-san doesn't mean something Kamijou-like is going to happen. I have to be supporting of Kamijou-san!)

If the boy was listening to her, he would already be crying because of how many times she had said his name like it was a adjective.

"…Are you thinking that this may be interesting?"

"Hehe-guilty~" Lessar giggled while looking at Kamijou's expression.

"You're thinking too much! I don't want to risk my life with someone who's wielding a nodachi!"

Kanzaki stared suspiciously at Kamijou before saying "Then I'll leave it to you". She then walked into the bathhouse, shut the shoji door and took off her clothes.

"So quick to doubt him. How cold of you Nee-chin..." Tsuchimikado said with mock hurt in his tone.

Kanzaki glared at him then raised her voice. "I don't want to hear that from the person who-!"

She then quieted down as she was losing her temper. "...Who probably caused the whole- i-incident."

"Hm, I don't know~, Kami-yan DID sound pretty into it."

"Wha!?" Kanzaki's cheeks flushed red.

(C-Could that be true!?)

One could see Kanzaki's silhouette through the shoji door, and because it was impossible to see clearly, it would make anyone excited. Kamijou frantically shook his head to control his desire and turned his back around, gently sighing.

Kanzaki felt heat encompass her cheeks and face.

"Well isn't he a curious little boy~ hehe." Rikuri said with a teasing drawl.

"...At least he turned around quickly..." Kaibi muttered with a perturbed face.

(That's right, you better turn around.) Mikoto thought approvingly.

(That quickly? I thought for sure he would have basked in the view a little more..." Mugino muttered.

And that's when Aogami whistled 'appreciatively'-

"Urk!"

-Which was not the right move apparently as everyone started to immediately glare at him.

"(Cough...) I-I see, that's the type of mood we're going for. S-Sorry..."

The boy was a little stiff at the hostile atmosphere in the room.

"Hi! Kami-yan! What are you doing here?"

Tsuchimikado suddenly walked in pompously from the other side. Since the blue sunglasses on his face were a disguise, he couldn't take them off even though it was nighttime.

((((((((((This guy couldn't have worse timing!))))))))))

Everyone thought at once.

"Well, he tried." Accelerator said bluntly.

"You instantly gave up on him!? Misaka Misaka shouts, surprised at your lack of faith in your friends." Last Order went wide eyed at the boy's instant response.

"We're not friends. Don't ever say that again. ...Besides, that idiot with the shades is about to cause some trouble..."

"And why's that~?" Worst then asked rhetorically.

"..." Accelerator looked at her for a moment. "'Cause you both always have the stupidest grins on your faces when shit's about to happen."

Worst cackled.

Well, he wasn't wrong there.

"Oi, aren't others seeing you as some bastard idol who created quite the news recently?"

"Relax, it's alright that nobody saw me. This is how Tsuchimikado does things."

Tsuchimikado said casually.

To Kamijou, that guy's attitude wasn't any different from usual.

"…Sorry, Kami-yan."

"!"

Fukiyose widened her eyes slightly, something that was mirrored by everyone else.

(Where is this coming from?) She thought.

"Sorry about what?"

Kamijou asked, only to see Tsuchimikado looking extremely serious.

"Actually, those dangers that Kami-yan went through, I knew all about them. The attack on the alchemist's fortress, the slaughter of twenty thousand clones and so on…I knew all about them, yet I didn't help you out, so I'd like to apologize to you."

Oh...

That's what it was.

"..."

Himegami was unbothered by such a statement.

This didn't really affect her all that much. She didn't even want to leave the Alchemist's clutches until much later, so Tsuchimikado's words were not grating on her soul.

Mikoto however-

Her fists clenched as she seethed silently. She looked frustrated.

"I thought I could brush it off as nothing. I thought you were just doing investigations after the fact, that you only knew about it when it was all said and done. But...!"

She glared at the boy known as Tsuchimikado Motoharu, who was staring at her with the impassive lenses of those shades.

"Mikoto..." Misuzu tied to step into ease the girls rage but-

"But you knew...! You knew what was going on and you didn't even-!

Mikoto froze.

(Didn't even... what?)

What was she wanting to say right there? What did she really want this boy to have done?

Did she want him to spread the word? That wouldn't have worked.

Did she want him to jump recklessly into one of those alley ways to prevent one of her sisters from dying? That would be reckless and suicidal.

She...wasn't mad at him at all, was she?

(The person I'm angry at... is myself.)

She was mad at herself for having to wait until over ten thousand of those girls died before she could muster up the courage to act, or for that matter- even realize what was going on.

She laughed mirthlessly, and then sighed, staring at the floor.

What was about to be an explosion of anger turned into a rather calm sigh, surprising the majority of the room.

Tsuchimikado couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

"No railgun, not even any sparks? I at least thought I deserved a lightning sphere." He joked.

"...Your involvement might not have saved them all..." She finally said after a while. "...but saving at least one would have made a difference. That's why I was mad. But that anger is groundless, it was unreasonable. I was just as angry at myself for not being able to do those things. ...Yeah."

She nodded slightly, as if to convince herself of that fact.

"I couldn't expect some stranger to go and fight for me just because it was the right thing to do..."

"Is that so..."

Mikoto thought that was all there was to such a conversation. That she would be stewing in these feelings of regret for a while to come.

But then Tsuchimikado said something that that completely dissolved Mikoto of her depression.

"Then I guess... that makes Kami-yan one hell of an idiot then, huh?"

The girl widened her eyes, snapping her head up to actually look at him now.

"W-...What?"

He was smiling, one different from his usual teasing drawl.

"That's..."

That's right.

Who in their right mind would get involved with such a despairing situation with no plan or strategy whatsoever?

That was unheard of. It was suicidal. You'd have to be an idio-

"..."

Oh.

She stood there shock-still at the boy's words, surrounded by people who were feeling just as instantly satisfied and as she was.

Touya and Shiina both wore warm visages.

Misaki and Mitsuari adopted pleasant expressions as they recalled precious memories.

Index and Othinus each smiled in turn.

And then Mikoto-

(One hell of an idiot, huh?)

Then... she chuckled softly.

"Yeah, he really is."

"…"

"Besides, being powerless to help is completely different from being unable to help. I'm really sorry."

Being powerless or unable?

Kamijou knew those better than anyone.

So, they wondered.

Upon Tsuchimikado's apology, how would the unable and powerless Kamijou Touma take it?

Was he going to be mad?

Betrayed? Spiteful?

They knew Kamijou cared about protecting people's happiness more than anyone else, so would be able to accept such an apology from his friend?

"Don't mind these small matters."

Tsuchimikado revealed a tired look, but Kamijou was rather casual in his response.

"...!"

So, they were quite noticeably taken back at the instantaneous response they received.

Tsuchimikado was rather surprised regarding Kamijou's attitude, but Kamijou didn't say anything more, because he felt that there was no need to explain further.

No matter what, Tsuchimikado was still Tsuchimikado, that fact wouldn't change at all. To Kamijou, Tsuchimikado was still his dorm neighbor and classmate.

"So even that wasn't enough..." Mugino muttered.

Researching him behind his back, stalking through his private life, making friends with him just for the sake of information...

All of these were enough of a reason for someone to lose faith in another, to see them differently, to no longer trust them.

But even when finding out that Tsuchimikado had observed those tragedies from the shadows- Kamijou Touma had still chosen to see Tsuchimikado Motoharu as a friend and a neighbor.

(I have to admit, Kamijou...) Shutaura thought, (That type of grit is a bit enviable.)

The black-haired beauty wore a soft smile that was rare for someone like her.

"Hm."

Tsuchimikado chuckled.

"Kami-yan..."

Tsuchimikado sighed under his breath, but he was grinning.

He had thought that the boy's dismissal of forgiveness was faked, that he simply didn't let his true thoughts - one's of rage and irritation - creep up to the surface.

After all, Tsuchimikado already knew that his friend was a good actor. Not even him, the multi-organization spy, knew that he had lost his memories. So, once again, he surely thought this was that similar of secret.

"Haha..." Tsuchimikado laughed.

But he was wrong.

"Why was I expecting anything shallow, from you all people?"

He assumed that just because he himself had been tainted by darkness, that he could assume the nature of others with this cruel fact in mind. But that just didn't work on the unyielding.

There were just some people who didn't lash out, even when being hurt first. There were those who could not be broken by so easily.

So, that friend smiled.

"Alright, enough nonsense. We'll end the depressing stuff here. Let's get down to business!"

"Business?"

The boy had a strange look in his eye, one that Fukiyose noticed, but she ignored it.

(...It's probably nothing.) She thought.

Anyway...

"Finally." Accelerator grumbled.

It was about time they started hunting down this evil magician or whatever.

"Yessssssss!" Amazora cried out. "It's almost time to see the angel! I wanna see! I really really wanna-!"

"That's right! It's the most exciting summer festival activity! The peeping on Kanzaki nee-chin's naked body contest!"

.

..

…

As the boy shouted for all the room to hear, all noise ceased in an instant, making for a very uncomfortable silence, especially for one person (one with spiky blonde hair, with shades, with—okay it's obviously Tsuchimikado).

"—Eh?" Amazora's fervor suddenly halted as she sported a dumb look. "Peep…ing... contest?"

A cough was then heard, which may or may not have been from the guilty party, who was looking ten degrees of uncomfortable at the moment.

Regardless, Rikuri giggled. "Hehehe, this Kamijou and Tsuchimikado sure are fun lot to watch, aren't they?"

"Yeah, though you could also call it boy's being dumb-asses..." Kaibi said with a sigh.

"Don't be like that sister. I know you're enjoying it~"

Kaibi went on to give her an unimpressed look, but shook slightly at the face Rikuri was giving her.

(Geh—! She has that look on her face again!)

The first time was Kamijou handily beaten her in a fight, and now it was just from watching his normal life.

(Well—)

She paused.

(The word 'normal' is being stretched quite a bit…)

…

Anyway, more importantly—

Tsuchimikado had grounds to be fearing for his life at the moment.

"He saw because of you..." An eerie mutter coming from Kanzaki made Tsuchimikado go pale.

"U-Um... Kanzaki-san? Kanzaki-nee-chin?"

"Becauseofyoubecauseofyoubecauseofyoubecauseofyoubecauseofyoubecauseofyoubecaueofyoubecauseofyoubecauseofyoubecauseofyoubecauseofyoubecauseofyoubecauseofyoubecauseofyoubecauseofyoubecauseofyoubecauseofyou—!"

And on top of this scary death mantra, the rest of the female population glaring daggers at him did not help things.

"WAIT!" He suddenly yelled, halting an approaching God-level saint, as well as the lethal fists of an Iron Wall Girl.

Everyone stopped to listen to his last words.

"(Cough) I-I just want to let you all know that I have no regrets for what follows—!"

"TSUCHIMIKADOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

"Ayyaaiiiiiii!"

"What? Are you serious?"

"…Looky look, Kami-yan! The cell phones nowadays have camera functions!"

"Wow, he really super said that with no guilt at all." Kinuhata said with slightly widened eyes.

"T-That is very much a crime!" Shirai stated with exasperation, especially at the boy's casual excitement.

"I think Touma-san needs to pick better friends..." Touya says, assuming his wife would be on his side about this.

"Eh? Why? I think they're fun." Came Shiina's reply.

"Shiina-san!?"

"Are you even listening to me? I can't just joke around with that Bakumatsu swordswoman! Once she finds out, I'll be slashed in half by that whatsoever family secret move!"

"…But on the other hand, you'll peep if there's no danger, right?"

"…"

Guilty.

The non-impressed looks were a dime a dozen.

"(H-He didn't deny it!?)"

Kanzaki didn't know whether to be slightly relieved that the boy found her body interesting enough to stare at, or just flat embarrassed and disappointed at the apparent truth.

"Heh." Accelerator scoffed at the boy's indirect honesty.

"Well that just proves it! Loverboy is honest to a fault, ain't he?" Lessar smirked. "Especially if the girl is right in his strike zone."

(That's riiiiiggggghhhhhtttttt!) Mikoto thought as her face went pale. (I totally forgot about that!)

"He's a boy. Of course he'll want to stare at a naked girl with no repercussions..." Musujime said rather lackluster.

A lot of girls were starting to wonder if the boy would actively pursue a girl with romantic intentions if his type ever line up perfectly.

—Mikoto, Misaki, and Shirai couldn't help but once again think of that person again—

Their very scary and strict Dorm Manager.

"(S-Surely she isn't the final boss, right?)" Misaki looked away with a nervously contemplative look.

"…Kanzaki nee-chin will definitely look great when she takes off her clothes!"

(Great!?) Kamijou inadvertently lost his breath.

"!"

Kanzaki felt her heart beat in her chest rather loudly at the boy's noticeable interest and excitement.

He shook his head frantically, and said, "Bu…but…is this alright? Aren't you Kanzaki's comrade? You shouldn't betray her, right?"

"Th-That's right Tsuchimikado! You can't peep on girl, you absolutely can't! It's a very trying experience on their self-esteem!" Komoe added in.

"Even when Kami-yan's done the same to you?" Was the instant response from the boy.

"Hauh!? H-H-H-How do you know about that!?" Komoe cheeks were dyed crimson.

"…"

Tsuchimikado and the others stared at her with wide eyes.

"W-...Why are you all staring like that...?" She asked, tears forming in her eyes.

"Ah—um, well you see Sensei, I... was just joking. I didn't actually think Kami-yan... saw you..."

Those words passed through the empty air.

"Eh?" Komoe froze.

"Y-Yeah..."

The boy just kept that sink in.

Suffice to say, Komoe's insufferably red face with tears in her eyes was something that took quite a while to calm down.

All the parents in the room smiled stiffly.

(E-Even the teacher?)

Kamijou tried his best to stop Tsuchimikado, only to see Tsuchimikado's blue sunglasses flash.

"Ha! You're too naïve! I'm the spy of the Anglican Church's Necessarius, Tsuchimikado Motoharu! Known as the backstabber! The resident of the liar village is yours truly!"

"Wah! I don't want to suffer together with this sort of person!"

Kamijou continued to protest, and Tsuchimikado said impatiently, "Cheh, such a boring guy. Kanzaki nee-chin nearly wanted to take your life, so it's no wonder that you're afraid of her. However, she's not really that scary! Kanzaki nee-chin's really cute!"

"C-cute…?"

(Cu—!)

Kanzaki made weird noise.

"Yeah. You know, I came to Academy City after I finished middle school, and before that, I was in London all the time. At that time, I was one of the few who spoke both English and Japanese at the same time, and Kanzaki nee-chin, who just joined the Anglican Church at that time, understood only Japanese at that time. It was really interesting to see her so nervous and mime when she was questioned by the English!"

Tsuchimikado knocked on the wall slightly.

"At that time, I was the only Japanese person in Necessarius, so once she got an English letter, nee-chin would often look to me for help with a puzzled look on her face, she was so attractive at that time!"

"Wha-Wha-What are you doing Tsuchimikado!" Kanzaki yelled with a red face.

"Heh, heh." But the boy just smirked and gave a thumbs up—as if to say, 'I'm helping, don't sweat the small stuff'.

"…Really unbelievable, to think that you could be relied on in some instances."

"Forget about that, let's peep! Cute nee-chin!"

"And you're holding a camera phone, aren't you a little too much?"

"Kami-yan, you should be more honest with your lust!"

"N-No you shouldn't! Don't listen to the wiles of the Devil Touma!" Index retorted back.

"(I applaud you for trying stop him, but you do realize it's inevitable at this point, right?)" Othinus spoke the scarily honest truth.

It was another one of the world's Kamijou specific laws of physics: If there is a naked to be seen by Kamijou Touma, she will be seen.

"And why are you so enthusiastic? You should be tackling those girls who're younger than you, right? Aren't you called the siscon-sergeant?"

"Oi, stop using that nickname! Do you have any proof!?"

"No normal person would really love a little sister who's not blood related, right?"

"WAH! Who…who LOVED the little sister! Who told you that!?"

"Even if the law doesn't forbid it, you can't just do anything you want, right?"

"Do…do…do anything? What do you mean by that?"

"Eh? Why are you so nervous? Hold on, Tsuchimikado…don't tell me you really have feelings for your little sister…"

"STOP IT! STOP TRAPPING ME WITH THESE WORDS! ONE MORE WORD, AND I'LL KILL YOU!"

"…"

Stares.

So many judgmental stares.

Tsuchimikado flinched

"T-Those stares kind of hurt you know."

"And…?" Agnese retorted with an unimpressed look on her face.

"R-Right." Tsuchimikado said weakly.

…

They really... really, REALLY didn't know what the hell was going on anymore.

(I've never seen that guy look so nervous before...) Accelerator and Musujime both thought.

"...I think it's best that we try to ignore what just happened..." Shirai said while rubbing her forehead.

"Y-Yeah..." Uiharu replied.

Touya wore a confused expression. "Uh... did he just say—?"

"It's probably best you don't think about it too much…" Mikoto said.

(But Maika might actually be in danger…!)

She didn't follow her own advice.

(That's not actually his nickname… right?) Kaibi thought with a serious deadpan.

Tsuchimikado forcefully clinched Kamijou's neck, intending to make him shut up. At that moment, the floor let out a light cracking sound, and Tsuchimikado hastily retreated through the shadows like a ninja, disappearing without a trace.

(Ah, if we were to be seen just now, it'll make the headlines— 'Idol grabbed a boy's collar'.)

Kamijou casually thought as he turned towards where the footsteps came from.

"Pfffttt!" Saten let out a small laugh at the boy's sudden thought.

"Hi! Onii-chan, what are you doing here?"

It was Index and Mikoto.

No, they were his mom and cousin, it was just that they assumed Index and Mikoto's appearance.

"Oh?" Shiina cupped a hand to her cheek. "Looks like I just missed the important conversation at that time…"

"Eh? You finished eating already?"

"Ara ara, it's not that, Touma. It'll take a while before dinner's done, so we're here to bathe."

At this moment, Mikoto turned to look at the shoji screen.

"…Onii-chan, is anyone inside?"

"Ah, ya…that's why I'm standing guard here."

"Stand guard? What do you mean by that? Isn't it onii-chan's friend inside? You two can bathe together!"

"Eh?"

Mikoto's words confused Kamijou.

Many people face-palmed.

"Ah ha… looks like Kamijou-san already forgot why he was here in the first place…" Orsola let out with a laugh.

Agnese sighed. "That's so typical of him."

And then for a reason only Shiina knew, she paled all of a sudden.

"Ah—um, wait a second…" She even reached a hand out, but nothing would stop what was about to unfold.

About five seconds later, he finally realized what she had meant.

That's right. To them, Kanzaki was now Stiyl Magnus.

"Hold…hold on a minute! I never said that I wanted to bathe! Besides, does the law say that friends have to bathe with each other? I can go in when he comes out—!"

"If we have to wait for two rounds, the dinner will soon come and go cold! Since you two are both guys, there's no problem! Hurry up and go bathe!"

"WAHH! Hold…hold on…really—AAAHHHH!"

"Alright, alright, hurry up and go in!"

Without any hesitance, both of them slid the door open and mercilessly tossed Kamijou Touma into the changing room.

Everyone quite noticeably winced.

There was truly no other way to describe this than that boy's misfortune at work.

(B-But it really wasn't his fault this time around after all…)

Kanzaki face was beginning to heat up all the same.

Inside.

Right in front of Kamijou's eyes.

An indescribable Kanzaki was standing there.

If she was someone who took quite some time to bathe, maybe there wouldn't have been a tragedy when Kamijou got thrown into the changing room, since there was a door separating the bathroom and the changing room.

Just at that moment, Kanzaki walked out of the bathroom, completely naked as she reached back with both hands to tie her wet hair while holding a ribbon in her mouth. Maintaining that position, she looked like she was frozen.

In moments like these, there is always a very cruel silence where no one can move or make a sound.

3…

2…

1…

"CLOSE YOUR EYES!"

"YES MA'AM!"

Upon Fukiyose's staggering command, Aogami and Tsuchimikado didn't need to be told twice and did what they were told. Even though no names were spoken, both of them had enough of a guilty conscience to realize that there was no way of playing dumb.

As much as Aogami wanted to bask in the samurai-esque Onee-san, he valued his body feeling non-bruised, non-bloodied, and non-dead... a little bit more. And as for Tsuchimikado, he would eventually have to come in to work (Kanzaki), as well as school (Fukiyose).

"Damn." He cursed.

There was truly no escape for him.

Also, in a surprising twist, Sogiita also stiffened up and looked away despite not even being addressed.

Perhaps Fukiyose commanded a presence that powerful to make even a Level 5 submit. Sogiita swear he felt the fear of God run through him for just a moment, that's for sure. Is that why he was looking the Iron wall girl with such admiration in his eyes?

...

"Hama—eh?"

Takitsubo's calm voice rose a bit as she prepared to scold her boyfriend, but found he already had his hands over his eyes.

"I know the drill by now Takitsubo. And I don't want to see any random girl naked." He added with a lighthearted tone.

"I-I see." Takitsubo really made an effort to hide her face from her boyfriend.

...

Meanwhile, Accelerator was facing his own tirade.

(Why the hell is this happening…?) He thought to himself.

"You can't look! No matter What! Misaka won't allow it! That mature body is totally unfair- AND YOU'RE NOT EVEN LOOKING!? Why do you look so bored!? Show some initiative! Misaka Misaka yells as she is more concerned by your lack of interest than anything else!"

Accelerator had averted his gaze in disinterest the moment the unlucky boy had been thrown in, and because of such, was being subjected to Last Order's unreasonable questioning.

He could only sigh.

(I'm getting deja-vu.)

...

"…"

Stiyl was giving Kanzaki an odd stare.

And for some reason, she was a little intimidated by it.

(W-…What his going to say…) She thought while trying to maintain a straight face, which didn't really work since it was so incredibly red.

"I know you're a girl but…"

Stiyl began after a seemingly endless cacophony of silence.

"Shouldn't you be taking this a bit more seriously?"

Kanzaki's eye twitched, her cheeks still red.

(E-Even if he's right, why do those words sting so muuuuuuuuuchhhhhhhhhhh!?)

PA! At that moment, the door slammed shut behind Kamijou.

"…"

"…"

The silence in the sealed room exerted a heavy pressure. If Kanzaki were to cry or go into a rage, Kamijou would have known what was to come next, but she didn't show any expression at all, not even attempting to hide. She just reached out for the thin black nodachi that was leaning on the corner of the wall.

"That Onee-chan doesn't look very mad." Amazora noted. "Are we sure that she minded?"

Kaibi had her answer though. "Well she went for the weapon pretty quickly..." She said dryly.

Kanzaki's eyes looked as shiny as obsidian; they were trying to say something.

(Any last words?)

"Is—"

Even if he made an apology or an excuse, he would die either way. Now all confused, Kamijou let out these words, "—Is this some kind of new roleplay?"

Everyone's mouths hung open.

Did…Did he really just—

"Damn Boss, you're really brave." Hamazura instantly said before anyone could react.

"Oh dear, our son really is…" Shiina really didn't know what to say.

"Touma… you—" Touya sighed and shook his head.

Even though he couldn't see a thing…

—which was courtesy of Shiina pulling a blindfold form who-knows-where at lightning fast speeds and covering her husband's eyes—

…He felt like he knew exactly what the situation was just by hearing his son's comment.

By the way, it wasn't the first time Shiina had done this to him, so he wasn't even surprised.

…

"Huh, he really just tried to make a joke in this situation. That's pretty ballsy." Kumokawa said with an impressed look.

"No embarrassment, no shame, nothing…" Musujime calmly observed.

"Kamijou-kun sure likes to live dangerously." Himegami said in a weird sort of fascination.

"Why are you guys praising him…?" Fukiyose asked with a tired look.

The next second, the black nodachi swung without hesitation.

They really couldn't find it in them to object to the boy's punishment.

---

Part 4

---

It was 10 PM.

Kanzaki was standing on the balcony on the second level of the resort. The night at the seaside was like the night in a desert, as the beach didn't retain heat very well.

Tsuchimikado climbed up the pillar on the balcony. To others, he was a star who was exposed in a scandal, so he couldn't appear normally.

Tsuchimikado was currently staring at Kanzaki, who was letting the night wind stroke her.

They all wondered what the boy would say, looking all impassive like that.

(T-The mood turned kind of serious all of a sudden.) Uiharu thought nervously as she watched.

"What's up? Your face sure is red. Are you still thinking about what happened just now?"

"…Do you think I would?"

"Sigh…actually, you want to, right? There's a thrill on being seen—I…I was joking! Kanzaki nee-chin, as a swordswoman, can your temper not be that violent?"

Everyone sighed.

They really should have known.

But-

"Was there a thrill? Lessar asked with a teasing smile, hand covering her mouth.

"There wasn't!" Kanzaki all but shouted back.

"Hahahahahaha!" The smaller girl doubled over in laughter.

Now it was Kanzaki's turn to sigh. She was starting to feel a headache coming on.

…

Meanwhile, it was Mikoto who came to a sudden realization.

(Wasn't… Wasn't that his first tiiiiiiiiiimmmmmmmmeeeeeeeeeeee!?) Mikoto shouted internally.

Yes. By first time, Mikoto indeed meant seeing the first naked girl since losing his memories.

Milestones moments are important to remember. You never forget your first.

(Wait, w-why does that bother me so much?!) She thought with a blush.

And neither would Mikoto for that matter.

"I understand."

Kanzaki answered impatiently.

Then, she sighed gently.

"However, it seems that the boy really has nothing to do with Angel Fall. If he's really a magician, his personality wouldn't be so naïve."

"Naive? What's makes you say that, asks Misaka Misaka. Does walking in on people changing mean they can't be magicians?"

Last Order's sudden comment left Kanzaki a little stumped on how to respond.

"No brat." But Accelerator spoke up.

"It's because a magician with an ulterior motive wouldn't be wearing his heart on his damn like he does."

Many recognized Accelerator had a point.

A magician is often twisted into whatever their magic needs them to be. Or to be more precise, their magic name. They carve that name into their souls in order to grant their own personal wishes.

Anything that would get in the way of realizing that wish...

Well quite frankly- it's irrelevant.

For a magician, it is an intrinsic requirement that you no longer see the world the way you once did.

Suppressing your emotions, killing, doing whatever must be done in order to succeed in your goal- yes, there was no such person as a naive magician.

"He has no reason to do this. But if we're to think like that, the people around Kami-yan are like him. These people wouldn't even know what to do with an angel even if they captured one."

Those words weren't implying that they looked down on Kamijou, but that it was a different problem. Even if they got (what was said to be) the incredible power of an angel, it would be useless if they didn't have any knowledge of magic. Though Japan's household appliances were brilliant, they were useless if they were taken overseas only for the plugs to be different. Thus, it wasn't a discussion of superiority.

But if so, there were no other suspicious people.

Nobody knew what they should do.

While Touya and Shiina were glad to know that their son was being relieved of suspicion - and by contrast themselves - that still meant that they had no clue what was going on with this Angel Fall.

(But if that's the case, why is it that they wanted something from me...?) Touya wondered, still no closer to finding out why events unfolded the way that they did.

Both of them couldn't find the crux in their thoughts at all, and they could only focus on other stuff.

"Speaking of which, is it alright to put that child in Kamijou Touma's hands? It's been less than a day…no, just half a day, and that happened. To make the mistake of entering a ladies' bathroom, that's not something that even a third grader would do. Maybe he and that child had something…even worse…"

"Worse?" Index was confused.

"What's worse than... b-being seen by Touma...?" She said with her cheeks reddening near the end.

Othinus could only sigh, however she then spoke directly into the nun's ear.

"(Whisper, whisper...)"

Index's face which was listening intently in confusion, all of a sudden went aflame. "Bwauh!? U-U-Under?"

"(Heh.)" The goddess chuckled at such a naive reaction.

Index vehemently tried to deny denied the images that followed.

Some day in the future, a certain spiky haired boy would be confused as to why Index would not look him in the eye.

"Hm…however, Kami-yan should be able to control himself, right? He's not the type who'll attack when girls are sleeping."

A certain memory flashed most notably heads of Amazora, Kaibi, and Rikuri.

(I guess he really isn't like that...) Kaibi thought with a modicum of respect for the boy.

Tsuchimikado folded his arms in front of his chest and said, "And he's not an expert, you understand? He's not an expert. He's not like us who can get rid of the guilt of killing by a lofty reason. He won't push his own sin to anyone else; he'll always move forward with the guilt. Don't you think that's enough reason to be confident in him?"

...

'He's not like us who can get rid of the guilt of killing by a lofty reason. He won't push his own sin to anyone else; he'll always move forward with the guilt.'

...

Othinus shook.

Because—within those words triggered a memory that only she knew about.

It was one where a boy did not allow himself to get swept in the collective anger that poisoned everyone else, even his closest allies. He had the right to curse, scream, and spit on her for all that she did- yet he still chose not to.

Instead that boy chose to risk his life for her- unable to accept her dying just because it would put everyone else at ease, just for the sake of the world's conscience, for the sake of the need for an execution.

And then there was the guilt.

Even when he knew he had to betray his friends. Even when he knew that his actions would not be understood, he still braved that torment for Magic God Othinus' sake.

(For my sake...) She thought while tipping her witch hat over her lovely face.

It had to be easy to be a hero that everyone agrees with, to be on the side of good everyone could see clearly from their windows. No one doubts you, you have the support of countless others, and you are seen as favorable in the eyes of many.

But what about those heroes that are misunderstood, that are seen as nothing but villains because society sees them as such?

-When you are seen as nothing but the accomplice of a terrorist?

(He no doubt agonized over how they viewed him while he was helping me...)

But that boy didn't give up.

Even when she wanted to, he didn't let her, right to the very end.

And...

(I... was saved...)

"(I was saved by you...)" She repeated those words in a tone that no one could hear, as they only belonged to her.

In that moment, that black witch-hat was not hiding the regretful expression of a girl, but a single quiet tear that slid down instead.

"…Well…"

"Besides, Kami-yan was the savior of Index, and we couldn't even thank him enough. How can we pick on his shortcomings?"

"I know, I understand what you're saying."

That's right, when Index was at the brink of death, the one who saved her was Kamijou Touma.

Not Kanzaki Kaori, not Stiyl Magnus, but Kamijou Touma.

Index's expression brightened.

She couldn't help but feel a strange sense of pride well up in her chest upon hearing that. She was glad that people were able to trust the boy since he had saved her. The logic was selfish, and even a but petty.

However, she was glad for it regardless.

Normally, she should be thanking him. No, using such a term would be too light. She should repay him with all she had. Even the crane and the tortoise knew how to do that.

"…But I really can't find a chance to do that."

In truth, ever since what happened during the Index incident, Kanzaki was too busy with her job. Because of that and the circumstances, she never once thanked Kamijou, which made her feel guilty.

(I-...) Arisa looked stricken upon hearing that.

Many people still haven't said it. Even having still owed gratitude to Kamijou Touma, same as Kanzaki did...

'Thank you for saving me'

...Those words still hadn't left their mouths- her mouth

If they ever did, Kamijou would likely brush it off, saying that he didn't need thanks for what he did, that seeing them smile would be enough.

That's probably what he would do- no, that's exactly what he would do if such a situation ever arose.

But still-

(Even so, I want to say it. There is no way I can get away with not saying it- even if it's at least once.) Arisa thought.

She didn't want to leave things as they were.

"In the end, he actually did such a stupid thing, and it's really awkward for me to thank him now…"

"Aiya, Kanzaki nee-chin, he just saw you naked, is that enough reason for you not to thank him now?"

"Uu…"

Kanzaki was speechless.

"Aiyaya, so Kanzaki nee-chin's level of repayment is just this?"

"Uuu…"

Kanzaki gritted her teeth as she stared at Tsuchimikado.

Kanzaki looked incredibly uncomfortable at the moment.

"Why do you ruin everything the moment you open your mouth?" An indignant Fukiyose asked while massaging her temple.

"It's gift I'm afraid." Tsuchimikado shrugged.

"If it's a gift then take it back..." Musujime muttered.

"Was that a joke, Awaki-chan?" The boy grinned in amusement.

"Ugh... I regret speaking. Don't talk to me."

At that moment, Kamijou Touma was standing alone at the first level of the Wadatsumi resort as he pondered about something.

Though the lights were on, there was nobody else around. The girls could be heard laughing, maybe Index and the rest were playing poker cards or something.

The TV was on and airing the nightly news. The nightly news wasn't any different from the afternoon news, but had some unnecessary descriptions to buffer the load.

"Dear viewers—the criminal Hino Jinsaku who had escaped from the Shinfuchuu prison is still at large. Hino's modus operandi is rather unique. He's called a 'ritual killer', and so there are a lot of people who worship him and even imitate him. This time, the police think that these people may be helping him…"

Through the image displayed on the screen, Kamijou blankly watched Komoe-sensei report the news.

"…Besides that, Hino Jinsaku had a history of being a psychiatric patient in a hospital, and admitted before the trial that he has a split personality, so whether he should be responsible for the murders is still up for debate…"

Many people frowned at the horrid news.

It was extremely disconcerting that there was someone so dangerous—someone so humanly dangerous—running around free.

(Split personality, that's definitely not something you hear about frequently...) Shirai thought.

Hino Jinsaku.

To Kamijou, who had lost his memory, he had no impression on that killer before he was apprehended. However, whenever there was a serious case of homicide, his name would always be mentioned, and even now, there would occasionally be a photo of him on TV programs or weekly magazines. It was known that he was responsible for many infamous murder cases.

"I don't think Kamijou-san was missing out on much. I mean..." Saten mused while folding her arms. "I can't seem to recall this guy on the news."

Was she misremembering?

"Hm, I can't either." Mikoto adds. "But you would think that something this serious would have stuck out in my memory, him being a serial killer and all."

"And this is exactly why I don't watch the news Mikoto dear. Way too depressing." Misuzu says.

It wasn't good for the mood to continue watching such news, so Kamijou continued to switch the channel to a variety program that was introducing a diet food that allowed people to slim down fast. While watching the news, Kamijou continued to think of what he saw on the news.

(Split personality…that's right, the summer remedial did mention about espers with split personality…)

Kamijou casually watched the TV as he thought. In this so-called split personality, the line between personality A and personality B wasn't always clear. In some cases, there could be instances of both personalities appearing at the same time, like for example, the left and right hands were respectively commanded by different personalities, or when personality A was thinking, personality B was moving the hands.

—The above knowledge was what Kamijou had learned from the summer remedial a week ago. Komoe-sensei had said that there was a lot of data regarding those with split personalities, because there was a time where it was popular to research on people with split personalities to see whether they could have two different abilities.

"Woah…"

Sogiita found this information utterly fascinating.

(So your limbs can literally have minds of their own? That's cool!)

Meanwhile, Komoe positively beamed.

(Kamijou-san's listening to my lessons. Yay!)

She was rather happy at that fact, filling her with ironically child-like joy.

"…Ugh…"

Remembering the content of the lessons, Kamijou, who hated studying, lazily laid his head onto the table.

Of course, the small teacher's joy died instantly upon hearing the boy's next thoughts.

"Ka-Kamijou-san..." The woman quite noticeably pouted.

(Don't worry Kami-yan, I'm right there with you…! Plus, we all know the real reason why we stay for supplementary lessons!) Aogami shouted internally.

That blue haired pervert seemed to think Kamijou was really that desperate to see their small little teacher, enough for him to repeat the year.

A lot of things had happened today, and Kamijou's mind started to make some adjustments.

A spell called Angel Fall was activated.

It was said that this spell was aimed at controlling an angel with a strong power.

And the side effect was that everyone's personality and appearance got switched.

That much was certain.

After all, people like Mikoto, Index and Shiina could not be more confused at their apparent behavior in the memory they'd been looking at. They assumed Kamijou was hallucinating or something to that effect, but that was not the case.

A wide range magic spell had caused this unbelievable circumstance.

The effect lasted throughout everywhere in the world.

Angel Fall wasn't complete, so they had to destroy it now.

Once Angel Fall was complete, it would be all over.

If they wanted to destroy Angel Fall, they had to beat the caster or destroy the place of ritual.

Kamijou Touma was located at the center of that phenomenon, so he was seen as the caster.

A few magicians who noticed the phenomenon may come to assassinate Kamijou.

So Kamijou had to find the real culprit before Angel Fall was complete and either beat the caster or destroy the place of ritual.

Many sweated at the long list.

(That's a lot...) Kinuhata thought quite simply.

By anyone's standards, the difficulty of the task ahead of him was way too high.

(A normal person would begin to feel uneasy right about now. The waiting… the fear of the unknown… that is often the most terrifying. That anxiousness in their gut are one of the first things that make people crack..)

And yet...

Even when he was alone and secluded within his own thoughts, the boy was not freaking out at all.

"Kamijou— you…"

It was more fascinating than anything.

"…Hm…"

Lonely, Kamijou lay on the table and pondered.

For a person who was about to be assassinated, such an action was way too defenseless.

(There's no tension at all…)

That was right, this time, Kamijou wasn't sneaking into a killer's building like the Misawa Cram School, nor would he be slowed down and let twenty thousand people get killed. Though the world was in a dire situation, to Kamijou, he was feeling that this was somewhat comical and unreal.

Himegami and Mikoto smiled at that thinking.

This was perhaps just the logic of an amateur.

Someone like that will only wonder what they could now, how the things they do in the present moment can affect the outcome. Kamijou Touma is one such person. He will take the simplest solutions into battle against the most complicated enemies, not because it's the best way, but because it's the only way he knows how to solve them.

(And I have two experts from the magic world this time.)

Though to Kamijou, Tsuchimikado was still just a 'neighbor'. Since those two (seemed to be) experts in this, Kamijou felt somewhat safe now that they were with him.

Actually, Kamijou didn't notice that he was using the reason of being an amateur to push the responsibility to Kanzaki and Tsuchimikado, the experts. Besides, Kamijou was just an ordinary high school student.

(So that's what he thinks…) Kanzaki thought warmly.

But even so. Even so. Even if the boy was pushing the responsibility, Kanzaki still smiled.

But someone instantly ruined it.

"Hear that Nee-chin? Kami-yan was relying on us. That makes you happy right? I know it does, you don't need to tell me. That's why you're grinning with that giddy expression of a maiden, isn't it? Wow, that must have really made your day didn't, you big ole soft—ah, eh? Kanzaki I was just joking you know? Y-You don't need to pull out your Nodachi—ah! Since when did you even have it!? I blame you Voice! THIS IS ALL YOUR—GEHHHHHH!"

Nodachi-chan suddenly met the Tsuchimikado cheek's acquaintance, causing him to take considerable damage.

"Hehe~. You're lucky it was just the scabbard, Tsuchimikado-chan."

Everyone now looked away from the boy's pitiful beatdown and back to the screen.

"H-Huh?" Saten froze in shock all of sudden.

Why?

The scene suddenly shifted to something incredibly disturbing.

—'The owner of the stare' was now staring at the completely defenseless boy.

"—!"

The mood suddenly shifted in on itself in an instant, causing many to take sharp intakes of breath in shock.

And this 'owner of the stare' was hiding underneath the Wadatsumi resort. The resort had a seventy centimeter tall space below the floor to prevent sand and moisture from entering. In terms of structure, it was like the platform of a shrine.

'The owner of the stare' was staring at the boy from through the wooden planks.

"…Angel-sama, Angel-sama."

The frail and skinny middle-aged man had a shrill voice like an elementary school student before the voice breaks. The voice echoed throughout the darkness, bringing a sense of madness.

This abrupt change tore through the room like a serrated edge, stilling everyone into a paralyzing silence.

Chills ran down their spine as the monitor revealed nothing but a dark form lurking beneath the floorboards.

"Is… Is that p-person…?! Mitsuari asked with a trace of fear and worry in her voice.

"…Angel-sama, Angel-sama, please listen to me!"

One could slightly hear the sound of something like nails scratching wildly on the floor.

In truth, 'the owner of the stare' had nowhere to go. He didn't come to that place willingly. He wanted to find his comrades, but the police's movements were faster than what he had expected, causing him to be trapped there.

(Police's… movements…?) Hamazura thought.

That information was far too telling.

(No way... this guy couldn't be...!)

Hamazura's brain worked a mile a minute as a new jarring realization made itself known.

"Angel-sama, please listen to me, Angel-sama!"

However, the 'owner of the stare' didn't have the fearful and anxious look of a fugitive.

His right hand was holding onto a uniquely shaped knife, and his left hand was holding a thoroughly scarred wooden board the size of a notebook.

Krekrekre…the sharp edge of the blade continued to scratch the wooden board. The 'owner of the stare' spoke with a glare.

"The hell...?"

Mugino seemed mildly confused at the sudden intruder.

"Angel-sama, how can I escape the police pursuit and find my other friends?"

Krekrekre...as if responding to his own question, the right hand moved on it own, with a will that was completely unrelated to the 'owner of the stare'. The 'owner of the stare' continued to stare at the sharp edge of the blade. The scars on the wooden board were all carvings made by the knife. These were the instructions of the Angel-sama.

"Angel-sama, do you mean that you'll help me if I again offer sacrifices?"

"S-Sacrifices!?" Itsuwa cried out.

That raised some major alarm bells.

(And who the hell is this Angel-sama...?) Agnese thought.

She wanted to believe that there was another explanation other than-...

There was no way this was the real deal, right?

Krekrekre...the 'owner of the stare' would always follow the directions given by the words. The Angel-sama was always right. As long as he followed the directions the Angel-sama, he wouldn't be wrong. But sometimes, the Angel-sama would give requests that were somewhat uncomfortable. Under the orders of the Angel-sama, the 'owner of the stare' had already killed 28 people.

"Angel-sama, Angel-sama. How about I choose this boy as a sacrifice?"

Krekrekre…the knife carved three letters on the wooden board. YES. The 'owner of the stare's' expression darkened. He was going to kill again. How irritating. He hated it, he really didn't want to kill. But I have to do it. This is the Angel-sama's orders, it's not my fault.

Fear seized their hearts as such an eerie command was brought forth.

"T-Touma." Unease pooled in Index's stomach.

This did not bode well for Kamijou at all.

"Angel-sama, I'll believe you again."

The 'owner of the stare' said that as it licked its thick and short tongue on the uniquely shaped knife.

This 'owner of the stare' was the death convict, Hino Jinsaku. He used the knife to cut an extremely thick electric cable.

"Kh...!"

The reaction was unanimous; everyone showing surprise at the sudden revelation.

"A-Are you serious? That's the guy who escaped?" Fukiyose cried out.

"Whaaa- that's really scary...!" Saten says.

"Misaka thinks this is really unlucky, as that is the only way to describe such an unforeseen peril, explains Misaka." Imouto also interjected in her usual monotone, although there was a noticeable tremble in her voice.

...

"Damn, i-it really is him...!" Touya exclaimed.

Worry for his son was at the forefront of his thoughts.

Meanwhile, Shiina thought of something equally as terrifying.

(That man was watching us that night?! A-And Touma was in danger?)

Thoughts of what could happen sent the mother into a mild state of panic.

In a moment, all the lights went out.

"!"

This made many of them jump in fright.

(Huh. If that guy did that purpose, he's really not playing around...) Accelerator thought.

"No electricity?"

Kamijou frowned in the darkness. As the entrance to the resort was open, the moonlight shined in from outside, so it wasn't completely dark.

The moment the power went out, people would unconsciously turn to the electric appliances that lost electricity. While Kamijou casually turned to look at the ceiling lamp that had suddenly turned dark—

zzz…

There was a light cutting sound coming from the wooden floor below Kamijou's feet.

(What...What was that sound...?) Arisa wondered cautiously.

Feeling suspicious, Kamijou stood up and looked down at the floor around his feet.

At that moment…

PA! A crescent shaped blade pierced through the floor below his feet.

"…!"

The increasingly growing tension suddenly snapped like a taut line!

Kaibi staggered. (What the-? A knife?)

Kamijou felt his throat becoming parched all of a sudden. Just two seconds ago, if Kamijou's consciousness hadn't been attracted by the darkened light, and if he hadn't stood up, he would have been…thinking about this, uncomfortable sweat oozed out every single inch of Kamijou's body.

A short knife blade.

This crescent-shaped thirty-centimeter-long blade was sharp on the inside, and not on the outside. Thus, instead of calling it a dagger, it was more like a sickle or a claw.

Krekrekre, the blade swayed back and forth before gradually sinking into the floor.

"(Fuck...!)" Hamazura cursed.

"This psycho's really trying to stab him through the floorboards...!"

He had to get out of there. However, Kamijou couldn't move. His mind was blank, as if there was a mysterious drug in his blood. His heart was about to burst due to the sudden pumping. Kamijou barely glimpsed, the hole in the floor that was left behind by the blade.

Kamijou seemed to see something.

Looking through the hole on the floor and into the darkness, Kamijou saw something bloodshot, like a marsh, something that looked like it was peeking through a keyhole…

A crazy looking eyeball.

Everyone without fail seized up in revulsion.

That was a seriously scary sight to behold.

"Uwaaaa! T-That's an eyeball! Misaka Misaka shouts in terror!"

Last Order immediately sought shelter behind Accelerator's body, finding the situation too terrifying to continue watching.

"..." The boy didn't say anything at all as she did so.

"Ee…"

Kamijou inadvertently let out a terrified sound as he took one step backwards. Immediately, the blade that chased Kamijou pierced out near Kamijou's sole. Kamijou lost his balance and tumbled onto the floor. The blade again sunk as it prepared to make another strike.

(Calm down! Calm down!)

Kamijou muttered what sounded like a curse, but that caused his body to freeze up more. With his mind almost completely frozen, Kamijou started to think hard. He definitely mustn't fall onto the floor. That would be too dangerous. Since the enemy was attacking from below the floor, he just needed to jump onto the table. Just as Kamijou thought about that, as he intended to climb up—

PA!

The entire floor split open and a hand reached out from the floor to grab Kamijou's foot.

"UWA…AAAHHHHH!"

The sudden shock caused Kamijou's heart to nearly pop out of his mouth.

Fright. Fear. Shock. Terror.

This was too much; this was way too much!

It was like it was straight out of a horror film and Kamijou was the unlucky victim (as expected).

"Touma-san, please run away...!" Shiina yelled.

Though fear held her heart, Shiina wasted no time telling such things to her son.

Kamijou tried to drag his foot away, but he couldn't get rid of the hand that was holding onto it. That wasn't because the hand was particularly forceful, but because Kamijou's foot seemed numb and didn't follow his commands at all.

(Calm down! Don't panic! Don't be scared! I don't know who the enemy is, but it's definitely not a monster I never saw before! Piercing a knife through the floor and punching through the floor with a fist, these are things that humans can do! So if I calm down…)

"He's actually able to rationalize in this situation..." Mugino muttered impressed, unable to tear her gaze off from the screen.

But that brown-haired beauty spoke what they were all thinking.

This was a survival instinct; one they had seen from Kamijou many times before.

"(This situation is a bit scary, even for me...)" Shirai muttered.

She had to commend the boy for trying to keep a level head.

The hand that was holding onto his ankle.

Some fingernails were cracked, some were torn out; some were stained with blackish-red blocks. The fingers were bluish-black, and there was a large scar on the back of the hand. The blood spots continued to peel, and the disgusting black pieces of meat flipped out from the wounds.

It looked like a rotten fruit that was excreting some transparent fluid.

Like a corpse's hand that got infected by some mysterious killer virus.

"Ah…ah…ugh…"

They felt they had to look away.

"That's... ugh..." Hokaze had to turn away because the sheer repulsiveness of sight.

Kamijou's breathing started to hasten, and his heart started to beat irregularly.

Every single thing his attacker did wasn't something that a human couldn't do. It was nothing compared to Accelerator or the alchemist. From a passer-by's view, the person may wonder why Kamijou was breathing so hard and his pulse remained extremely messed up.

"(Don't use me as a coping mechanism..." Came the instant retort from Accelerator.

Though even though he said that, his expression barely showed any annoyance. He was just as enthralled with the current scene as everyone else was.

However, there was an easy to understand reason.

For example, if there was a live cockroach in a plastic bag; even if one knew that there was a plastic bag, they wouldn't dare touch the cockroach directly, let alone bite it to death.

It was the same logic.

Thus, even though logic told us that it was nothing, the fear and trembling wouldn't stop.

That attacker specialized in using psychological fear and irritation to cause the prey to be immobile.

They could feel it. It wasn't the same as what Kamijou was experiencing; there was no way it was. But they could still feel it.

But if they were already terrified- what did that say about being up close and personal like Kamijou was?

"Shit..." Shutaura bit her lip. "I don't think Kamijou can take this guy by himself..."

"Touma-kun, please be okay..." Arisa added.

Despite hearing such worrying news, wishing for the boy's safety was all she could do.

"Ah…ahh…ugh…UGH…!"

Kamijou continued to tug at his leg, trying to shake off the hand that was grabbing onto his ankle. However, his body felt like it got hit with anesthetic. Kamijou couldn't get rid of the black-colored fear rooted deep within his heart.

Kamijou tumbled onto the floor as a foot of his was grabbed. The sound of wood being cut by a blade could be heard near his chest.

The blade got closer and closer and closer!

"...!"

Wordless cries rang out.

They felt Kamijou was seconds away from experiencing a fatal injury—but!

On the other hand.

The owner of another stare was lying in ambush 150 meters away on the dim beach, looking at what was going on in the Wadatsumi resort.

It was a red nun.

Eh?

They all openly gaped at the sight.

"A... A girl...?" Komoe asked in dumbfoundment.

"W-What is she doing...?!" The teacher's instant instinct was to be worried though.

"Kh...!?"

Unnoticed by all however, both Tsuchimikado and Kanzaki felt their breaths hitch in surprise at the girl's arrival.

Now... why was that?

(It's... her...) Tsuchimikado thought grimly.

She was about thirteen years old, with wavy blond hair. Her white skin seemed to reflect the bright moonlight. Though the girl looked cute, her attire was rather weird. She was only wearing a shirt underneath her haori. Actually, the shirt wasn't any different from formfitting underwear, as it revealed the girl's pretty figure fully. Also, the girl was bound by black straps and metal braces, and they seemed to form a bondage outfit. There was an extremely thick ring around her neck, with a rein around it. The leather strap on her waist was full of tools like pincers, hammers, an L-shaped crowbar, and saws.

Those tools weren't used for carpentry, they were witch tribunal tools that specialized in cutting flesh, scraping bones and breaking bodies. Looking closer, these tools were slightly modified to be different from ordinary carpentry tools.

The girl with interrogation tools all over her remained expressionless.

This girl looked to be Index's polar opposite.

Quiet and expressionless to Index's bubbly naivety, and red and blonde to Index's white and silver.

But who was she?

Mostly everyone wore confused expressions as they wondered this.

...

However—

Othinus and Lessar both widened their eyes in unison.

(The adversary sent from the Russian Sect...) Othinus thought.

"The girl on the Star of Bethlehem..." Lessar muttered with a hint of recognition.

Both of them had each saw this girl during different circumstances.

...

However, to everyone else, this girl could not look more out of place.

"W-What the hell is she super wearing?" Kinuhata cred out.

"N-No, more importantly, is that a saw?!" Hamazura mentioned with an incredulous expression.

Mugino as well looked particularly interested at the girl's choice of apparel.

...

"Whoever gave her that outfit knows what they're doing..." Aogami muttered with a serious expression.

Fukiyose's eye twitched. (...I'm going to pretend I didn't just hear that.)

"She looks like a doll." Himegami said simply.

"Yeah, a doll outfitted with torture tools..." Musujime wryly added.

She lowered her head. Her hair covered most of her face, only revealing her small lips showing a slight sigh.

The girl was listening closely.

There seemed to be quite a few people on the second floor of the Wadatsumi resort. They seemed to feel that something was not right, but it would take them about six seconds to get down to the first floor.

Something strange happened in that moment.

"Eh?" Mikoto voiced her confusion as a weird effect suddenly happened to the scene they were watching with such apt attention.

Quite simply, time had suddenly slowed down.

Everyone noticed such a change with awe and surprise on their faces.

"Woah... everyone's all slow now!" Amazora pointed out.

Six seconds. The blade of the attacker from below the floor would have pierced through the victim's heart.

The girl, her expression hidden behind her hair, again sighed.

She then got up.

Without any preparatory moves, the girl's little body quickly moved forward, reducing the distance of 150 meters to 0; the time taken was far less than six seconds.

Everyone was surprised at the speed in which she traveled, even as they were watching things unfold slower than normal.

(S-So fast...) Kumokawa thought with widened eyes. (Even though she's such a young girl...)

"Please..." Shiina begged.

She didn't know who this girl was but—

(Please help Touma!)

Fifty meters per second.

It was about as fast as a crossbow. No, maybe even faster.

At that moment…

The red nun entered Kamijou's vision at an alarming rate.

As it was too fast, Kamijou didn't even realize that it was a girl.

The red girl lowered her body, almost sticking onto the ground as she continued to run. She drew the L-shaped crowbar and aimed at the hand that was grabbing onto Kamijou's foot and swung hard at it like a baseball bat.

The bone, and the entire wrist got fractured.

"Uo…ah…GYAAHHH!"

They visibly flinched at the sight— as well as the sound that followed.

Many had to hurriedly turn away in frenzy.

A cry of agony could be heard from below the floor. The hand that was grabbing onto Kamijou's ankle snuck down and escaped. From the sound of a body rubbing against the floor, the attacker seemed like he was trying to get some distance.

"…"

The red nun threw the crowbar away and pulled out the hammer. She then raised the hammer and slammed it hard onto the floor, forming a seventy centimeter wide hole.

Her blond hair fluttered about as the girl threw the hammer away and pulled out a pincer as she jumped into the hole.

After a second of silence…

BAM! A terrifying sound could be heard from underneath the floor. Something seemed to have been knocked hard, and it was followed by a sound like a beast trying to break out of a sturdy cage.

.

..

...

"I know this probably isn't the time, but damn that girl knows how it use her toys~!" Lessar shouted with a gleam.

Birdway glared at her.

"W-What?"

Vulgarity aside, they all knew Lessar had a point. For someone who looked so young, the girl was surprisingly mildly proficient in using such insidious looking 'toys'.

But a question still had to be asked…

(…B-But why are they torture tools...?) Itsuwa sweat dropped.

Kamijou could roughly hear the battle going on below.

BOOM! A hole suddenly opened on the floor five meters in front of him. A black figure leaps out of the floor like a dolphin.

That black figure wasn't that of the red nun.

A skinny and bony middle-aged man tumbled around on the floor and hurriedly stood up.

His skin color was extremely unhealthy looking; it was obvious at first glance that his insides were damaged. The rice-colored workclothes were stained with sweat, dirt, blood and fats. His right hand was holding onto a sickle that looked like a metal claw; and his left wrist was fractured, with bluish-black clotting underneath it. A red liquid flowed down his lips, and an incisor and canine of his were already forcefully pulled out.

They all finally got a good look at him now; and that wasn't a good thing in anyone's standards…

Seeing him closely like this did nothing to ease everyone's fears of the absolute danger this man presented. It only ensured one thing…

Misaki gulps.

(T-This man is really planning on killing Kamijou-kun…) She realizes with utmost seriousness for perhaps the first time.

"Guu—AAHHHHHH!"

The middle-aged man was like a wounded beast and he raised the curved knife to hack at Kamijou.

(Ugh...!)

Fear squeezed their hearts…!

"No!" Index then yelled out.

"Touma-kun…!" Arisa whispered in fright.

But such retorts were pointless. It wouldn't stop the danger just because they willed it so.

Kamijou reflexively looked around for a weapon that could be used to block the curved knife. He frantically reached into his pockets and searched around, and his fingers felt something hard. Pulling it out to look, it was just a cell phone. This thing couldn't possibly block a knife, Kamijou cursed. Suddenly, he thought of something. He flicked the foldable phone open and shined the screen at the face of that person who was attacking.

PA! The strong light instantly lit up the surrounding darkness.

"GYAAHHH!"

Having lost his sight, the middle-aged man stopped what he was doing. Kamijou tried to escape, but his feet weren't listening. He could only roll on the floor and get the distance from the attacker.

They blinked their eyes rapidly at the surprisingly effective move they just witnessed.

"H-Holy shit, that actually worked. I thought he was super gonna get stabbed." Kinuhata stammered out.

Mugino chose to react a bit differently though. (Using every tool at your disposal, no matter how little. Really, Level 0's are…)

She reached out and tentatively touched her eye.

Mugino was inherently a prideful person, that much was for certain. However, she wasn't egotistical. She wouldn't go on believing in something when cold hard facts proved it otherwise.

—So it was no surprise that she snuck a glance at Hamazura, who was wearing a very much satisfied grin while looking at the screen, and Takitsubo who looked quite impressed herself with her slightly widened eyes.

Mugino chuckled, in what seemed to be genuine amusement.

(Even in a situation where being powerless spells your own death… He really is just like you, Hamazura.)

After seeing objective proof time and time again, there was no way that even someone such as her could go on believing in what she had.

It was because she believed in something that wasn't true that she was handily defeated after all.

Level 0's were not weak; no, they were far from it.

The middle-aged man raised the curved knife, yet he didn't come pursuing.

His body wavered about, muttering in his mouth.

"Angel-sama…Angel-sama…"

On the workclothes, near the chest, there seemed to be something reflecting the moonlight.

Looking closely, it was a nametag.

"ANGEL-SAMA! ANGEL-SAMA! ANGEL-SAMA!"

On the plastic nametag that was sewn onto the clothes, there were a few words on it.

Prisoner number 710687 Hino Jinsaku.

Fear.

They felt fear.

This man caused that paralyzing emotion with ease.

"…" Agnese felt her mouth go dry.

Seeing his prison outfit clearly now only cemented the incredulity of the situation.

"Angel-sama, what's going on? Angel-sama, I followed your orders, why did I get this outcome!? Angel-sama, I gave up 28 lives for you!"

The man in prisoner clothes let out a confused, maniacal cry of despair.

At that moment, Kamijou suddenly remembered the news content he saw on the TV the entire day.

"—Dear viewers, I'm the live reporter Komori. The death row convict that escaped from the Shinfuchuu Prison at midnight this morning is still not found. The nearby middle schools have suspended all club activities. Right now, the atmosphere is very tense…"

(However...)

Kamijou saw this psychotic person that was shouting and rambling about. That person was definitely the criminal. It was not hard to tell from his clothes that he was the Hino Jinsaku that had escaped from jail.

However, why didn't Hino Jinsaku switch his appearance with others?

"…!"

Everyone widened their eyes as they heard Kamijou's suspicions.

In their distraction upon the man's crazed yells of an 'Angel-sama', they had overlooked one proof that was more important than any other.

—Under the effects of Angel Fall, wouldn't everyone's appearance be switched?

And who was that 'Angel-sama' that Hino Jinsaku was shouting about?

—What was the final goal of the Angel Fall spell?

(Don't tell me…this guy…)

Misaki frantically tore through her thoughts at insane speeds.

"H-His appearance, they really haven't switched with anyone. This person is definitely who it says on the uniform." Misaki mutters.

"That means…! Could this psychopath be—!"

Kamijou wanted to open his mouth and ask, but at that moment, Hino Jinsaku suddenly raised the knife.

"ANSWER ME, ANGEL-SAMA! WHAT SHOULD I DO? WHAT SHOULD I DO NEXT? ANGEL-SAMA! YOU HAVE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY, TELL ME THE TRUTH!"

"—!"

Misaki's queries were abruptly put on hold though— as the deafening screams of the madman, coupled with the evil movement of such scary weapon was enough to make several lose their breath.

The knife landed.

But not at Kamijou. Hino swung the knife at his own body. The blade violently moved about, creating a sound of things being ripped apart. The workclothes were torn by this blade that was swaying about, and the shirt was stained in sweat got shredded as well, instantly becoming red.

The large number of wounds seemed erratic, but they lined up in words like a child using a knife to carve a table wildly.

GO ESCAPE

"W-Wha...?"

Practically everyone was horror stricken, completely pale.

Shutaura found her stomach lurching.

(H-He carved up his body!?)

It was too late to look away, they just stood there watching in complete terror.

There was no other way to express it, just a line of letters. However, on seeing that 'instruction', Hino Jinsaku's bloody face showed a smile of despair.

Then, the floor between Kamijou and Hino was shattered. The red nun jumped up, holding a pincer that had something white between it; it looked like a human incisor. The red nun gripped the pincer forcefully, causing the white thing to shatter.

On seeing the red nun, Hino Jinsaku, who lost an incisor unnaturally was terrified as he backed away. He then pulled a wet cloth out as he wiped the blood stains of the curved knife, before throwing it at the girl.

The red nun swayed her head slightly, easily dodging the curved knife.

Having lost its target, the knife flew at Kamijou's face.

It took several agonizingly slow seconds for that sudden projectile to even register in the minds of those watching.

But when it did—

"—!"

Their hearts raced in a frenzy.

"Ka—!" Komoe couldn't even get her voice to yell properly in time.

"Eh?"

After letting out a puzzled sound, Kamijou suddenly realized how foolish he was. At that moment, the knife was still approaching Kamijou quickly, and the speed could be compared to a hammer swinging down on a nail.

"WAHH!"

Kamijou frantically rolled away and dodged it, but the knife still grazed his face.

Just a light cut.

"K-Kahh…"

Out of many others, Shiina and Touya both immediately let out a breath they had been unconsciously holding in.

This is what their son had to deal with? This is what he had to solve by himself? And it wasn't just this, this was just the tip of the iceberg. A man with a knife, it was laughable to think that it was just this level of danger that their son had faced.

In that moment, they couldn't help but see their son's misfortune for what it truly was.

A curse.

"H-Hah… Oh thank god." Shiina said with immense relief on her face, clutching her clamoring heart.

"Dammit Touma, this isn't good for my heart…" Touya then said, with an equally as terrified look on his face.

But that relief was short lived—

But at that moment, Kamijou lost his balance. He collapsed onto the ground, unable to get up. He was sweating profusely, and felt like vomiting.

(Poi…son? Damn it…what did he apply on that…?)

The action of rubbing the knife with the cloth was to apply poison.

All their hearts sank.

"P-Poison?!" Shirai cried, worry crinkling her youthful face.

She found this absolutely terrifying.

(Kamijou-san was just going on a vacation with his family…! One he was excused to go on because of how he saved Onee-sama and her sisters…! Why does he have to trade one life or death experience for another…?!)

Shirai thought it was unfair, but no matter of pity would resolve this situation.

It was said that among some minority tribes in Africa, they would apply poisonous caterpillar fluids on the tips of the spears before hunting. Maybe this was a similar poison. Kamijou's body had developed a rather decent resistance due to Academy City's training, but he couldn't prevent the power of the poison from taking effect.

Kamijou's vision became blurry, and then darker.

With an unbelievable laughter, Kamijou felt that Hino Jinsaku had already escaped the seaside resort.

The red nun wanted to give chase, but after hesitating, she decided to dash towards Kamijou.

At that moment, Kamijou lost consciousness.

The screen went black with Kamijou's vision, stifling the whole room into silence. Such a cold enveloping quiet only served as a way of mocking the collective worry of those watching. Then—

"H-Hey, is…?" Mitsuari gulped loudly as she tried to string her words together. "I-Is Kamijou-kun... is he going to be alright?"

Mitsuari wasn't even sure who she was asking, but she found herself doing so regardless. She couldn't stand not knowing the outcome, even for just a few more seconds.

Either way, she didn't have to wait long.

"...All I will say is that boy was saved in the nick of time."

Many breathed out sighs of a relief.

"O-Oh…" Mitsauri said.

That was surely good news.

Yet—…

An incessant worry persisted in the back of their minds; because that just begged the question.

—Would there come a time where that boy wasn't saved?

---

Part 5

---

He didn't know whether it was a minute or an hour.

Like a patient with fever, he woke up due to thirst. Behind him was the solid floor, and as he looked around, there was the vestiges of wreckage all around.

It seemed like Kamijou hadn't been taken someplace else. This place seemed to be the first level of the Wadatsumi resort. Most probably, he had been out for only a short while.

"Ah— thank the lord." Orsola said instantly, as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

(He... He really was okay.)

She was very much glad to see Kamijou Touma alive.

Between the earlier fearful suddenness of that knife, the crazed man behaving like a beast possessed, and the poison— Orsola had struggled to keep it together.

She looked down and— Ah. It was as she thought, her hands were still trembling.

(I... I really am no good in these situations, am I…?)

That was the truth.

Orsola had been involved in conflict after conflict. And as a result, there was not a single time where she wasn't as scared as she was right now. There was also not a single time where she was able to save herself by her own power, not once. Orsola had always needed a helping hand. She always needed to rely on the strength of others.

Her life was in danger and she needed to be rescued.

She put other's lives in danger and she needed to be rescued again.

And it could not be more of a coincidence that she was watching the very same boy who had saved her when she was lost in both mind and body both of those times.

Orsola Aquinas was a weak person who got scared just as normally as others did, and she was someone who often couldn't solve her problems for the simple reason that she lacked the power to do so.

Yes. She couldn't fight, she didn't have a supernatural ability, she didn't command a terrifying battalion of warriors, and she didn't possess the means to outwit her opponents— all in the ways she knew others could.

(But—...)

Orsola faintly smiled, a look that was likely to woo any man at a glance.

(...—Isn't that okay?)

...

"Abandon violence and fight with your words!"

"That's something that only you can do, Orsola! It's a strength only you have! Not me, not Fiamma, not Othinus, not the other Magic Gods, not Kamisato, not Aleister, and not Coronzon! The rest of us might talk big, but we always end up fighting! Only you really did let go of the weapon! You surpassed any of us in virtue and strength! …That had to be hard on you. You're more honorable than any of us and you did something no one else could do, so don't just throw that away!"

...

A boy had told her such things. The very same one on the screen.

He had told her she had the correct way of doing things. He even went as far as to call himself out on the way he solved his problems, saying that he was wrong, and she was right.

Even though she was selfish for wanting to fight without fighting, he had told her he admired that selfishness.

So, looking at things like that, she found it was okay that she was terrified. It was okay that she could do nothing but worry for others in the same ways she always did. It was okay that she couldn't fight.

She was okay with being Orsola Aquinas, because she had been told that she had a power separate from everyone else.

"Fufufu..." The woman then chuckled, as something greatly amused her.

(He really told me I was the most selfish person he had ever met, straight to my face. …Ah…)

But while thinking on that, Orsola suddenly blushed as she recalled something.

---

[ A/N: Insert Picture for Wattpad ]

NT Volume 20 — Chapter 4 — Page 414 — (or the second to last one)

---

Kamijou had been cupping her cheeks with a gentleness that did not seem in tune with the prior battle of words and phenomenon, speaking to her clearly without looking away.

"…!"

Her heart violently clamored just recalling that moment, especially the serious look in the boy's eyes.

(A-And my state of dress at that time was—)

Suffice it to say, her face was burning something fierce.

Tsuchimikado and Kanzaki were kneeling beside him.

After such a large commotion, Mikoto and Index still hadn't come downstairs. Normally, they would have woken up even if they were asleep. In other words, that meant that Kanzaki or someone else used something similar to the Opila rune that Stiyl had used, Kamijou pondered.

Index suddenly flushed red in anger.

(T-Touma completely ignored me...!)

Mikoto referred to no other person except for Otohime, who was the boy's cousin. Following that logic, Kamijou was not referring to the Index who was a man wearing a women's habit upstairs, but rather the Index who was actually his mother.

Then, Kamijou noticed Misaka Imouto wearing a T-shirt, shorts and apron among the magicians. She was trembling as she looked around to see the damage to the shop.

Right now, her identity should be that of a shop attendant there.

"I set up an 'empty area' spell, but the shop workers are unexpectedly sleeping at the first level. Good thing that the boss is settling some stuff on the second floor."

Hearing Kanzaki say that, Misaka Imouto trembled.

Her expression was like someone who just witnessed a crime syndicate committing a crime, looking extremely terrified as she didn't know how she would be 'dealt with'.

Kanzaki stroked the nodachi's blade as she said, "For your own safety, let me warn you. You must not talk about what happened today. If you think that this nodachi is a fake, you can just ignore it."

Kanzaki sounded really scary, but Kamijou noticed that Tsuchimikado, who was beside him, was about to burst into laughter…so she wasn't serious?

Lessar was laughing as well, holding her stomach in tandem.

"Wow~! You actually did just sound like a crime boss just now! Ah—! Maybe you can stay in that man's body. That way, you'll better fit the p..art? —Eh? Um… Saint-…san?"

Lessar suddenly stopped talking as she felt something pointy touch her neck.

(That's weird, that kinda looks like a ka... ta... na. Oh.)

Lessar immediately paled.

Kanzaki was smoothly looking at her as she had her dangerously sharp blade outstretched towards her.

"You know, last time I checked. The entire cabal of New Light is under watch from Necessarius, as they have committed numerous crimes against the country. But hm... — I can't seem to remember. Did it say they wanted you alive or dead? Oh well, I guess it doesn't matter."

The blade started to move.

"Wait, wait, wait! I'm sorry! I'm really sorry! I took it too far! I won't ever make fun of you ever again Saint-san! Nor will I joke about you being a sissy crime boss with an effeminate way of speaking—Ow, Ow! O-Okay, t-that was the last one, I promise!"

Lessar pleaded with all her might.

"Hmph." Kanzaki finally lowered the blade and turned back to the screen.

Lessar breathed a sigh of relief upon escaping such a situation with her life.

But then she paused.

(Wait a second...)

"H-Hey, Necessarius doesn't actually want me dead, right? R-Right?!"

She received no answer.

...

After that, Misaka Imouto cleared her throat, which was surprisingly amusing monotoned "Ahem."

"Misaka can't help but point out that you should be more accommodating to a victim sharing the shame face as Misaka, and saying so, can't help but feel a little disrespected."

Imouto said such willful words with her expressionless face, which honestly just killed the affect.

But regardless, she still expected an answer from Kanzaki.

"Ah—Er... sorry."

Kanzaki's head dipped down as she apologized.

Then, Kamijou noticed that slightly far away in the shadows was a red nun.

(Who is that?)

Kamijou felt puzzled. Thinking back, she did save him, but who is she?

"Ah, she's not an enemy." Kanzaki noticed Kamijou's gaze as she said, "She's a member of Annihilatus."

"Anni'ya what now?" Saten said rather crudely.

Even those like Misaki and Kumokawa looked rather perplexed.

Kanzaki's words had some strange language mixed in it, and Kamijou didn't understand.

Tsuchimikado seemed to understand his worries and said, "If the Anglican Church can be said to specialize in hunting witches, then the Russian Orthodox Church specializes in hunting ghosts, like will-o'wisp, spectres and pregnant spirits…all sorts of things that shouldn't exist are within their perimeters."

Kamijou again turned to look at the blond girl who was hidden in the shadows.

Seeing other people talk about herself, the red nun still remained still.

Russian, huh. A magician that belonged to the Russian Church.

They all looked at the girl in wonder, as that explained her unique appearance.

"…"

No, actually that didn't explain anything.

"Why is she dressed like a stripper!?" Mikoto exclaimed. "Is there a universal rule that all magicians have to be dressed exotically in some way!?"

Birdway was silent, while Lessar just grinned and gave a thumbs up. Kanzaki frowned as if she was contemplating something she had repeatedly been told, and Itsuwa was laughing with a sheepish expression. Oh, and Othinus made an indignant "Hmph" which only Index managed to hear.

"…"

Agnese chose not to say anything.

Maybe this communication breakdown in the magic world wasn't rare, as Kanzaki then explained, "Her name is Misha Kreutzev. She sucked out the poison from your wound, so you should thank her."

Many couldn't be more relieved in hearing that, and began to send grateful looks the girl's… the girl's…

Wait a second…

S-Su...ck…?

"—Eh?" Index's sudden confused sound was widely reciprocated.

One by one, ever so slowly, everyone's eyes traveled to the boy's wound.

Which was located on his face, almost near his mouth.

(SUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKKK?!)

As you imagine, there was some uproar.

"Kami-yan you bastard!" Aogami led the charge. "Getting a Russian Loli to suck on your face like a lollipop—ugh, so… enviable…"

That earned many looks from others, mostly in disgust.

"What the hell is wrong with your brain…?" Musujime asked quietly after a while.

Anyway, besides that—

Mikoto, Arisa, Uiharu, Saten, Mitsuari Komoe, Itsuwa, Fukiyose, and Index all noticeably turned bright red at the prospect.

Meanwhile, there was also a few who looked rather displeased with such news, that being those like Kumokawa, Birdway, and Misaki. Though, this changed when they realized that such an enviab—

"..."

—Such an embarrassing method was actually a 'life saving act', and they should be grateful for it.

(I… I wasn't thinking it was enviable…) Kumokawa thought to herself.

Just who was she trying to convince?

Sucked the poison out of the wound—on hearing that, Kamijou's ears inadvertently turn red. The wound was on the face, and though it was just healing, Kamijou couldn't help but sweat.

The seldom rule that those older should not get embarrassed over the actions of those younger sadly did not apply here.

—Meaning Kamijou's pride was most assuredly shot.

If the boy was present, he would crawl into a corner in shame.

"Hahahahahahaha…!" Which is why the Voice started laughing as she imagined such an image.

"Is…is that so…" Kamijou said with a hoarse voice, "Thanks, I would have been killed if you didn't step in…"

The smile that Kamijou barely forced out instantly froze.

Misha, who was originally standing slightly far away, instantly closed in to Kamijou. She used her right hand to draw out the saw that was hanging at her waist, and before Kamijou could even blink, she used the saw teeth to hold down Kamijou's neck.

"!"

Everyone went rigid before they even knew what was happening.

"Wh..." Mitsuari began to say. "What the hell is this!?"

The red nun's— Misha Kreutzev's actions had surprised the lot of them.

Wasn't she an ally?

Nobody could react in time, let alone Kamijou, even Tsuchimikado and Kanzaki couldn't stop her even though they were standing nearby. Kamijou could feel an icy feeling on his neck.

Kamijou lifted up his head and looked at Misha Kreutzev, who was holding onto the saw. Through the long bangs, he could see that her eyes had no hint of hesitation, and her irises were much colder than the saw.

Hokaze reflexively shivered in fright.

(Danger…) This girl was dangerous, she thought.

Misha asked with a flat robotic-like tone, "My first question: Were you the one who cast Angel Fall?"

Kamijou was so scared he couldn't say anything. Tsuchimikado and Kanzaki also look stunned as they stared at Misha.

(S-…She's interrogating him...)

Still shocked, Himegami muttered confused.

"Hold…hold on a minute! Misha Kreutzev. Didn't you assume that Kamijou Touma wasn't the culprit behind Angel Fall before you protected him and drew the poison out of him?"

They nodded dumbly, as they assumed that was the case as well.

(What is wrong with this girl!?) Mikoto thought.

Saving someone then interrogating them. While in hindsight that might be effective, most people didn't think that far ahead.

In regards to Kanzaki's questions, Misha turned her eyes and said to Kanzaki.

"My first answer: I came here to prevent Angel Fall. I couldn't get the answer from this boy, so I'm asking him now."

With the saw placed against his neck, Kamijou stared at Misha's face. Misha also turned her eyes away from Kanzaki's face and onto Kamijou's face, as if seeing Kamijou's eyes.

"Repeating my first question again: Were you the one who cast Angel Fall?"

"...No."

"My second question: Can you prove it?"

Misha said what seemed to be pre-prepared questions. Maybe she expected that Kamijou could be lying.

"…"

Their throats went dry.

The line of questioning had already hit a snag. If such a question was easy to answer, Kamijou wouldn't have had so much trouble with someone like Kanzaki.

"I don't have any proof, but I don't understand magic at all."

Misha slightly tilted her head to a side, seemingly expressing the suspicion in her heart.

Kanzaki sighed, and said, "As a member of Necessarius of the Anglican Church, I can explain this."

Shiina's and Touya's shoulders relaxed slightly.

(That's right…) Touya thought.

Their son wasn't alone. He had allies to help him.

And it was that thought that allowed many — not just them — to release a breath they had been unconsciously holding in.

Then, Kanzaki started to explain to Misha that since Kamijou had no knowledge of magic at all, he couldn't possibly be the one who triggered Angel Fall. And if an esper used magic, the burden would be too great on the body, but Kamijou didn't look like he had any wounds on him. Perhaps Kamijou hadn't been affected by Angel Fall because of his right hand's Imagine Breaker ability. With that power, any supernatural power would be erased with just a single touch.

Misha continued to pay attention to every single word and she nodded several times. Finally, she stared at Kamijou; or more accurately, his right hand. Maybe the Imagine Breaker had piqued her interest.

Arisa looked timid.

"Do... Do you think she was convinced by—"

"Values, 40, 9, 30, 7. Total is 86."

BOOM! A water pillar spurted out from the floor behind Misha. Most likely, a water pipe had burst.

"Respond. Mem ' tet ' lamed ' zayin (Oh water, form as a holy snake, and strike through like a sword)."

After Misha said that, the water pillar curved its head down like a snake, and then like a mythical Hydra or a Yamata dragon, it formed several snakes. Before Kamijou's mind could even process the danger, the water snakes came attacking like spears.

TUMP TUMP TUMP! One after another, water pillars continued to shoot out from the floor surrounding Kamijou.

And one of those pillars came at Kamijou's face directly.

"—!"

Everyone widened their eyes at the quickly orchestrated attack that was meant to harm Kamijou.

But no words came out. They barely even had time to register any feelings of outrage they might have had.

However, apart from everyone else, Kanzaki and Tsuchimikado tensed in fright as the attack came for some reason. Now this would have been normal if their expressions didn't look so positively fear-stricken— more so than everyone else.

Even though out of those present… they should have been the ones the readiest for it.

Had they simple forgot, or maybe—?

Kanzaki's brow furrowed.

(Had...Had she really intended to try to get rid of the Imagine Breaker at that moment, or did she really think he was a suspect?)

The woman asked such a question because she knew exactly who "Misha Kreutzev" really was.

Regardless, the outcome of the decisive move was decided swiftly in the very next moment.

"WAH!"

Kamijou frantically used his right hand to block the water pillar. The water pillar that got blocked exploded like a balloon that was filled with water, and the water splattered all over the place. However, it seemed like Kamijou was protected by an invisible shield, as there was not a single drop of water on him.

She just...!

That girl with zero hesitation just...!?

Everyone looked at the screen in a rather incredulous manner and lost the ability to speak for a moment.

3...

2...

1...

Mitsuari was the first to freak out.

"W-Wait a second! What was that just now!? Why did she attack him!?" She cried out, regaining her wits.

She was under the impression that — while not allies at the moment — they weren't enemies.

At least she hoped so.

"W-Well, I'm just glad Kamijou-san was able to block it." Hokaze added in, relief evident from her voice.

"Yeah, same here." Mitsuari replied, easing up a bit on her rage.

Hokaze smiled.

To be honest, when that sentiment wave of force came hurdling towards the boy, it did not even register for Hokaze that the boy was going to use his ability.

One she forgot about temporarily.

Misha carefully looked at the water that had splattered onto the floor.

"Correct answer. The Anglican's view matches the result of the experiment just now. This answer is enough to remove the suspicion. Boy, I apologize for scaring you because of a wrong answer."

"Wha!?" Many exclaimed.

They all could not believe what they were hearing.

"That sure-kill attack... was a test...?" Agnese asked rather slowly, which just exemplified her growing disbelief.

Orsola also looked upset. "That's— what would she have done if she killed him...?"

Nothing.

Kanzaki had to bite back that instant retort she wanted to say. She just chose to grimace instead.

"Instead of that, you already attacked me, right? And who in the world doesn't look into the eyes when she apologizes?"

"My third question: Since you're not the culprit, who's the one who cast Angel Fall? It's a fact that the phenomenon is centered around here, do you have any thoughts of who may be the one?"

"You aren't listening to me! Seems like you aren't reflecting about it at all!"

Kamijou lay on the floor and saw the large hole in it.

Birdway noted all of this and sighed.

"Really— after getting attacked by three psychos in one day, this boy is still acting like his usual stupid self." She said in exasperation, yet her lips curved upward a bit.

"Yep~." Lessar grinned at her comment.

"Yeah, that certainly sounds like Kamijou alright." Fukiyose smiled in turn.

(I-I'm just glad he's not traumatized.) The big breasted classmate secretly thought.

"Wait, three psychos...?" Himegami suddenly muttered in confusion. "Who's the third?"

Everyone blinked.

And then all turned to the same person at the exact same time.

"Wh—! Why are you all...!" The guilty party stuttered out, but then fell silent and bowed her head down.

"I-I didn't mean to attack him."

Looking down in shame with a red face, the one and only Kanzaki-nee-chin made for a very cute sight.

At that moment, Misaka Imouto, who didn't understand what was going on at all, could only tremble as she secretly talked to Kamijou. Maybe she had finally calmed down somewhat.

"Can…can I ask you…what kind of special effects movie are you filming? And…wasn't the one who escaped just now Hino Jinsaku? Are you guys the undercover cops who often appear on TV?"

"For your own safety, I suggest that you don't interfere with our affairs."

Misaka Imouto's question was shot down completely by Kanzaki.

"Poor lady..." Misuzu muttered.

But Misaka Imouto's words caused Kamijou to realize something.

"Hold…hold on! That guy is Hino Jinsaku to you?"

"Who else? Anyway, who do we claim the damages from? Hino, the police, or the broadcasting agency?"

In a shock, Kamijou didn't know what to say.

For example, on the second floor, there was Aogami Pierce in a nun's habit.

To everyone, that guy was Index, but to Kamijou, he was Aogami Pierce.

That was the difference between the inside and the appearance.

But to both Kamijou and Misaka Imouto, he was still Hino Jinsaku.

Inside and appearance were the same? That meant…

"That guy…didn't get switched?"

This caused Amazora to cock her head in confusion.

"Um…? Didn't Onii-chan already confirm that just a bit ago though? You know, when he realized that the prison uniform literally had the guy's name on it…?"

Amazora's question was justified, however—

"While you are right Amazora-chan, there wasn't any confirmation that the man wearing the uniform was actually Hino Jinsaku. He could have just been another one of your crazy psychos with a knife in hand." Rikuri responded.

"…Oh." After thinking on that for a while, Amazora replied with a nod.

That's right.

To Kamijou, there was still no definitive proof that Hino Jinsaku was the suspect they were looking for.

Until know that is.

People still saw Hino Jinsaku as Hino Jinsaku. Meaning no tampering had been done to his insides. Meaning, he wasn't affected by Angel fall.

Kamijou explained that to the magicians, and everyone looked somewhat grim.

"My fourth question: Is it the one who just escaped?"

Misha looked in the direction where Hino Jinsaku escaped. Just as Misha intended to dash out, Kanzaki grabbed her shoulder.

"Hold on, since we're aiming for the same thing, why don't we act together?"

"My fifth question: What benefits does this have to me?"

"Let me ask you then? Do you specialize in hunting humans? Are these tools on you famous interrogation tools of the tower of London? We locals don't use such things; an ordinary axe is still better than a gold or silver one."

Kanzaki continued.

"You people at the Russian Orthodox Church should specialize in exorcism, right? Hunting humans isn't a strong point of yours, and we of the Anglican Church are good in these. With us helping you out, it shouldn't be a bad thing to you."

"…Good answer. Thank you for your proposal."

Itsuwa's face brightened. "The priestess is so reliable in times like this."

Kanzaki smiled wryly at such a compliment.

(I'd be flattered if I wasn't so sure that Misha was only working with us for other reasons.) The woman thought, referring to her earlier distrust of Misha's true nature.

.

..

…

(Wait, 'in times like this'? Isn't that—?)

Misha stretched her small hand out. Kanzaki was stunned for a moment, before realizing that she wanted to shake hands, and then smiled as she reached her own hand out to shake hands.

While both of them were talking, Kamijou, who was beside them, asked, "Alright, what should we do now? Do we go chase after him?"

"Your enthusiasm is good, and I really want Tsuchimikado to learn from you. But right now, your job is to recover. While you recover, it's best that we guard you. We don't know what Hino wants, and it's not like he won't attack in the middle of the night while you're asleep."

"You wound me, Nee-chin~." Tsuchimikado retorts playfully. "Saying something like that even when I'm right there."

"I know." Kanzaki impassively says. "That's why I said it."

(So even as a magician, Tsuchimikado is a slacker, huh?) Komoe thought with a wry smile.

Had she said that out loud, such bluntness would have stuck him right through the heart.

Hearing Kanzaki's words, Misha said, "My sixth question: Since the priority of the people that require protection is smaller, should I head out alone to hunt the suspect?"

"We don't know how strong the enemy is, so it's not a good thing to scatter our strength. In the worst case scenario, he may have obtained the power of an angel."

Misha didn't seem satisfied with that answer, but she didn't say anything else. Maybe she already regretted agreeing to work together.

"…"

Both Kanzaki and Tsuchimikado looked deep in thought at that answer.

However, Kanzaki ignored her and continued, "First, we have to discuss the plan with Kreutzev, and next, we have to repair the damages. Once these are done, we'll protect your safety…Tsuchimikado, why do you look so unwilling?"

Everyone looked at him.

"Oops. Did I let that show on my face? My bad, hahaha…"

Though he apologized, Tsuchimikado didn't look very regretful.

Kanzaki's words made Kamijou feel that something was amiss.

Because if that was the case, they couldn't sleep. For the sake of Kamijou sleeping, they had to work hard, which Kamijou couldn't accept. Even though he was injured, that was because Kamijou hadn't paid enough attention, so he couldn't give an excuse.

Even though he thought that way, Kamijou didn't say anything, as his throat was dry and painful, as if it was burning.

Kanzaki's eyes softened considerably upon hearing such sincere thoughts. "So that's what you were thinking..."

"That's typical of Kamijou-san." Itsuwa suddenly said with a smile of her own. "Always worrying about others."

Even after being on the receiving end of a fatal wound, the boy still didn't feel it was right to make someone look after him just so he could relax.

"Stupid boy. He... should just learn to let others help him." Agnese muttered while looking off to the side.

Orsola flashed a smile at the girl's behavior.

(Oh my, is she embarrassed?)

At that moment, Kanzaki actually looked at Kamijou tenderly, which was completely different from her usual expression.

"Hwah?" Kanzaki suddenly flushed red, making a strange noise.

"We'll discuss the details with Kreutzev, and I'll tell you that later. Right now, you really need to rest. If we let ordinary civilians get hurt, it'll be really shameful on our part."

"Ya. How sad will it be if an ordinary civilian dies while the expert lives?"

Tsuchimikado said in a rare lonely tone.

Maybe those people felt like they had their own responsibilities. Kamijou sighed.

(Hm? Go…go back to my room?)

Kamijou suddenly felt that something was not right.

"?"

They blinked in confusion.

"Was there something else?" Hamazura asked.

"Hm... not sure." Takitsubo said.

"Ah…AHHHHHHHHHHHH! DAMN IT! INDEX!"

An idea suddenly flashed through Kamijou's mind, and then he jumped up, contrary to the expectations for an injured person.

"!"

The boy's sudden yell startled them.

"What now? What is he freaking out over?" Birdway asked with a veil of annoyance.

"Wh-What's wrong!? Is Index-chan in danger!?" Arisa asked.

But the person's name in which he shouted looked totally confused.

(E-Eh? Why is Touma suddenly shouting my name?) Index wondered.

Kamijou's sudden actions was starting to worry them.

Abandoning the speechless people, Kamijou frantically dashed up the stairs to the second level.

The handrails of the stairs had some mysterious words carved in with a knife, but once Kamijou's right hand grabbed the handrail, he seemed to hear the sound of glass breaking. Maybe the 'empty area' spell got destroyed, but Kamijou didn't have time to care about that at all.

He wasn't going for his room, and not Mikoto's room.

That only left…

"Eh? But that way is his parents' room? Why would he— Ah..."

Uiharu stopped altogether, and then went pale. She was the first in that regard.

Oh wait, never mind.

(Our room?) Touya thought innocently. (Why he coming to mine and his mother's room after shouting… Index's…... name. …Oh god.)

Despite not being an avid believer in any set religion, Touya definitely did feel the fear of god run through him in that moment.

Kamijou tugged hard at Kamijou Touya's room. Even if the room was locked, he intended to force the door open.

BAM! With a shocking force, the door was forced open. The lights in the room were turned off, and there were two futons on the floor.

Kamijou Touya was just about to attack Index, who was sleeping in the futon.

Of course, to Touya, the person in front of him was his wife Shiina, so he wouldn't feel guilty about it.

But to Kamijou, his almost 35-year-old father was currently attacking a probably less than 14-year-old Index. That scene couldn't even be described as weird; it was already a nightmare.

Multiple things happened simultaneously.

Index widened her eyes and flushed crimson. "H-Huhhhh!?"

"EHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH?" Many people cried out in surprise, alarm, and embarrassment.

"PFFFFTTTT!" A massive spit-take was heard from the resident guilty party, Kamijou Touya, as he chained together the word 'attack' and 'Index' in the same context.

But that was nothing compared to the very sinister and ominous "WHAT…?" that came from Stiyl.

He looked about ready to summon his flames.

"N-Now hold on a minute Stiyl-san. I-In my defense, that's my wife…!" Touya tried to say resolutely, but that backfired as that was the wrong thing to say to calm Stiyl's nerves.

"Don't care. What will be it be… death by incineration or combustion?"

"THOSE ARE THE SAME THING!"

"I assure you that you are wrong Mr. Kamijou. …One hurts more."

"THAT DOESN'T MAKE IT BETTER"

"…"

Meanwhile, Shiina was just watching in silence.

Was she that shocked at what was happening? Well, it makes sense. She—

(Hehehe, this is new. My husband and another man are fighting over me…) She thought giddily.

…Okie dokie, well— moving on.

Everyone else watching was left reeling and completely pale.

"This… doesn't look right…" Sogiita said aloud with a mystified face.

(That's because it isn't… in any way, shape, or form…) Mikoto thought as a retort.

Although truthfully, nothing was really so wrong. No horrible acts were being committed by who committed them, as everything was fine from their perspective.

But from the perspective of someone outside that boundary...

"STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP! HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!"

Kamijou completely ignored the dizziness caused by the poison left inside him as he leapt between the two futons.

Touya was shocked.

And as for Index, who was acting as his mother, she was still sleeping deeply even with this commotion.

"…(T-Touma! How can you rush in at this most awkward moment?)"

"SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP! WE'RE SLEEPING TOGETHER, THREE OF US! SURE-KILL, PARENT AND CHILD RELATIONSHIP BATTLE!"

Just like that, the midnight battle began.

Kanzaki's care for the injured wasn't effective at all, because Kamijou Touma wasn't able to sleep during the entire night.

.

..

...

Everyone in that room had never been so glad that the boy had intervened when he did. If Kamijou hadn't then…

No! No! No!

They didn't want to think about that.

But moreover…

"I can't believe I'm saying this but—… I owe you, Kamijou Touma." Stiyl said reluctantly.

And right next to him, Kanzaki was nodding multiple times.

(Wh-Why does it feel like this debt is bigger than the rest…?) She thought with a degree of nervousness.

Meanwhile, Touya looked silently thankful at having been spared the flux of disgusted stare he would have gotten, Shiina was still laughing giddily to herself, and Index…

Well Index was still bright red at the moment.

(Touma instantly ran up after thinking it was me…)

---

Chapter 2:

The Detectives of This World at War

Part 1

---

The next day.

In the cool and refreshing morning, Index, who was now Kamijou's mother, woke up from her dreamland to see the father and son with black rings around their eyes, as they continued to stare off against each other.

"Good morning. Ara ara, two men continued to talk for the entire night? I'm so envious, it feels like some field trip or some sabbatical."

It was true that on seeing the current depressing energy that permeated the atmosphere, one might have thought that it could rival 'a real gathering of a guys' room real-life experience during the night of a school excursion' (with 80% and above having plump and swollen faces while they continue to bluff each other). However, because of Kamijou's lost memory, he couldn't recall such an experience.

Anyway, as Kamijou had fought valiantly against his tired body for the entire night, he was too tired to be able to reply to Index.

(Ha...haa. Damn it, at least I managed to hold on...it's morning now, don't worry...)

As Kamijou was thinking this, he was attacked by the sleep monster and collapsed onto the futon.

With this comfortable feeling of victory, he entered dreamland.

It was a bit ridiculous, but it was correct all the same. Kamijou had achieved victory— in which he had to stay awake the entire night to do so.

"Mm... I'm kinda disappointed." Shiina suddenly says, revealing a pouting face.

"I thought our son wanted to sleep his parents because he was lonely, not because he had to worry about something ridiculous like people switching bodies...!"

Her small rant left her a bit breathless, causing Touya to rub her back soothingly.

"I understand, but that just means we need to go on a proper vacation next time, with hopefully nothing happening in the middle of it. Or at the very least, maybe Touma can tell us and we can ease his burden."

The father said what had been on his mind since they were first given the massive influx of memories that belonged to their son.

"Mm. Yeah."

...

"T-The whole night?" Saten asked in shock. "That's actually pretty impressive."

Misaka Imouto nodded in agreement.

"Misaka agrees. The boy must have really not wanted for Touya-san to engage in sexua-mphf?"

"STOP! STOP! STOP!" Y-You don't need to say anything more! We get it!"

Upon Imouto's severe lack of filter when it came to all things related to common sense, Mikoto was quick with the save, putting a hand over her mouth.

Meanwhile, Misuzu was watching in wonder.

(She looks just like Mikoto yet behaves so differently at the same time. It really is something else...) She thought.

Misuzu was simply admiring the unique characteristics between the two girls.

...

"Isn't that nice, Index?" Arisa asked with a warm smile.

"H-Huh?" Index was still a little but distracted because of the earlier events, so much that she didn't hear the girl.

"Touma reacted so strongly when you he thought you were in danger. He wanted to protect you."

""O-Oh. Yeah..." Index blushed faintly.

"(Well it's either that or your chastity...)" Index picked up on Othinus' dry retort and her ears turned pink.

"Here, okaa-san! Touma's already asleep, we should have a passionate kiss once in a while in the morning, right?"

"Ara ara, can't be helped. Thinking about this so early in the morning, I really don't know what you two were talking about last night."

Touya seemed to treat Index as Snow White and he hoped to give her a wake-up kiss.

And upon seeing this—

"…Innocentius"

"STOOOOOOOOOPPPPPPPPPP! Don't bring that monster in here!"

Stiyl's one word sent shivers down Touya's spine, even though it should have been something he knew nothing about. However, he had the memories he had been given to thank for that.

Luckily, Kamijou Touma saved the day just in the nick of time.

Just as the couple's lips were about to meet, Kamijou's eyes suddenly widened.

"A terrifying tongue-biting uppercut!"

Before their lips met, Touya was hit by an uppercut to the chin from Kamijou and his face flew upwards while the like landed on the futon. Kamijou hadn't actually used a lot of force, but Touya was already rather tired since he hadn't slept. It should be alright now, right? Feeling relieved, Kamijou again collapsed.

"Uwaa— he just straight up punched him with no hesitation..." Lessar said momentarily shocked.

But Birdway just sighed. "Why did I know that was going to happen...?"

However...

Kamijou's enemy wasn't just Touya.

"ONNIIIIIIII-CHAN! THE ALARM-CLOCK-REPLACEMENT-ATTACK IS HERE!"

"Eh!?"

A strange noise originated from Mikoto.

Being attacked suddenly by Mikoto (who seemed really happy), Kamijou felt all the weight of her body pressed down on his chest and his body cramps inwards. His mind instantly woke up (it takes about 15 minutes for a person to start sleeping).

(Uoohh...ack...ackack! Wha...what's going on?)

"Hahahahaha!"

"STOP LAUGHING ON ME! HURRY UP AND GIVE ME AN EXPLANATION!"

"Captain! It's an imouto's basic skill to have a special wrestling move that can replace an alarm clock's functions!"

"STOP FOOLING AROUND! ARE YOU TRYING TO ACT CUTE? I'VE HAD ENOUGH! I'M GOING TO TIE YOU UP AND STUFF YOU INTO THE GYM STOREROOM!"

Shirai, Saten, and Uiharu just stared.

"..."

"..."

"..."

They were all thinking one thing.

(((This is so weird...!)))

—And they weren't talking about Kamijou's sudden violent tendencies.

"I don't know how Kamijou-san thought you'd ever act like this to begin with, Misaka-san." Uiharu said assuredly, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Yeah, this cutesy act doesn't suit you at all. Way too forced." Saten tapped her chin thoughtfully, even getting a little analytical.

"Onee-sama..." That's all Shirai said, with such an unsure look on her face.

"I agree with all of you, but do you have to critique me that harshly?! And why are you of all people at a loss for words Kuroko?!" Mikoto cried out as the hurtful comments from her friends were way too much.

Mikoto then looked back to screen, in which she tried and fail to suppress the raging blush that came from watching herself— well...

(S-Stop pressing up against him with MY body!)

Mikoto could only pay attention to the very loose camisole she was wearing on screen and how she was un-caringly hugging the boy tightly.

At this moment, Aogami Piece, who was acting the role of Index, came into the room.

Oh... Oh no.

"Kh…!"

Everyone — without fail — flinched in fear.

"Fuck." Accelerator cursed instantaneously.

"Ugh... I did not need to see this again..." Mikoto looked visibly sick.

"Oh— you've got to be kidding me..." Misaki muttered.

"I mean this in the nicest way possible, go kill yourself." Mugino said simply.

"I don't think that look works for you man, sorry." Sogiita said with a rare amount of tact.

Those Level 5's were no exception.

"..."

Oh, as for Aogami? He devolved from [human] to [dead-flea-floating-in-the-wind].

(M-My self-esteem...)

Now he would never be able to cross-dress in public.

"Ah! Touma's already playing an interesting game so early in the morning! I wanna play! I wanna play!"

"HOLD...HOLD UP YOU MUSCULAR HULK! YOU'LL KILL SOMEONE WITH THAT SQUASH ATTACK!"

"Why? Why is Touma pushing me away? I wanna play, I wanna play! I must play!"

"(Still think your anger at him was justified when that's what you looked like?)" Othinus suddenly asked her.

"Muuu..." Index groaned and looked away. "M-Maybe not..."

"Ah...hold...hold on! I'M SORRY, IT'S MY FAULT! I CAN AT MOST GIVE YOU 2000 YEN, PLEASE LET ME OFF...GYYAAAH!"

"Pfftt—Ha ha ha ha ha ha!" Mugino burst out laughing; she couldn't help it.

(H-He instantly resorted to bribery...!)

"Ha ha ha ha ha!"

Many people looked at Mugino strangely for laughing so hard but couldn't conceal the wry grins of their own.

The impact Kamijou took nearly caused his insides to explode.

"Uu...uuggghh...ha...hoho...I'm going to start killing! I'M GOING TO SMASH YOUR STUPID BRAINS LIKE A WATERMELON!"

Just like that, the second day of the Angel Fall phenomenon opened with a bang.

"Please tell me that was all the slice of life bullshit over and done with..." Accelerator practically begged.

"Haha! Wouldn't you like to know, Accel-kun~!"

"I mean this from the bottom of my heart. Go fuck yourself."

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

That laughter he got in response just continued to grate on his nerves.

---

Part 2

---

Noon.

Kamijou's family (including the nun who was freeloading at Kamijou's house) were all playing at the beach, leaving Kamijou alone in the resort on the excuse of summer illness. The moment everyone left, Kanzaki, Tsuchimikado and Misha stepped into the Wadatsumi resort.

As Tsuchimikado's appearance was that of an idol who had recently created trouble, it would have been troublesome if the boss saw him, so they held the meeting in Kamijou's room.

On a side note, the reason why Kamijou hadn't done anything all morning was because Kamijou really was unable to move due to morning illness. This tragedy was due to a lack of sleep, insufficient intake of water and the hot weather.

"…Not to mention fighting against a knife wielding maniac, getting poisoned, and almost getting assaulted where 'no means no' didn't do a damn thing apparently…" Musujime listed impassively.

"…"

Everyone just stared at her.

"What?"

"W-Well that is true. No wonder he's sick…" Fukiyose said.

She and the others were just surprised to hear it said so bluntly.

…

"Why are you sitting pathetically hunched over like that…?" Stiyl asked Kanzaki who was currently squatting with her hands covering her face in shame.

(T-Those three things all are on me!) The girl thought.

Misha seemed to have searched for Hino alone in the morning, but she couldn't find anything. Kamijou felt rather self-loathing that he had become everyone's baggage.

"Really...what were you thinking for the entire night?"

Right now, Kamijou looked like a plant that had withered because someone forgot to water it. With Kanzaki raging and worried as she lectured him, Kamijou felt even more depressed.

At that moment, Tsuchimikado, who was wearing blue sunglasses, grimaced and said, "Okay, okay Kanzaki nee-chin, there's no need to make the patient feel worse."

"You're too naive, Tsuchimikado. When you have to scold, you have to scold heavily, or he may end up repeating that again! I always see him getting into trouble. We can deal with it!"

Kanzaki sounded like she was lecturing a child who had just played with fire, and these words hit Kamijou the hardest.

They watched with widened eyes as this unfolded.

"Kanzaki-sama went into full mother-mode…!" Itsuwa said, stars in her eyes.

"—Eh?" Came a surprised reply form a still sulking Kanzaki.

That got multiple nods all around the room.

"Hehe… it suits you Kanzaki-san~" Shiina said with a smile.

"W-What are you talking about…!?" This embarrassed Kanzaki even further.

Unable to stand this any longer, Tsuchimikado put his mouth near Kanzaki's ear and whispered to her like a couple.

"...(Nee-chin, is it really alright to pressure Kami-yan like that? Kami-yan did drag his poisoned body along to protect the Index that you care for the most!)"

Index's cheeks inadvertently lit up.

"Uuu..."

Kanzaki was stunned.

"...(You should be thanking him, right? Why are you angry at him instead? Besides, you haven't thanked him for what happened the last time.)"

"Uuu..."

Kanzaki's entire body froze.

((((((((((((((((She was disarmed so easily!)))))))))))))))))))

Practically everyone thought this.

"Just how manipulative is this guy?" Mikoto wondered dryly.

"…Completely tore down her entire argument." Saten muttered.

To these types of comments and looks he was getting, Tsuchimikado simply laughed smugly.

Standing slightly further away while looking at Kanzaki and Tsuchimikado, Misha sighed. Though she didn't say anything, Misha must have been feeling that this was rather funny. Since she normally lowered her head, and her face was often covered with her bangs, it was hard to see her expression.

Kamijou had a feeling that if that meaningless conversation kept going, the hastily-assembled group would break up. Starting to worry, he decided to take up the role of the leader for the meeting.

Kanzaki suddenly broke out of the annoyance she was feeling upon watching this scene again.

(Eh? Was he really…—?)

Her expression dimmed, apparently bothered by the responsibility the boy felt like he needed to take on for their sakes. The whole point of having experts like them in the first place was so someone like Kamijou wouldn't have to feel the need to step up.

Kanzaki sighed.

(Even when we tell you to leave it to us, you'll never follow expectations...)

"Speaking of which, the culprit behind Angel Fall is Hino Jinsaku, right?"

Hino Jinsaku was the man who had attacked Kamijou from below the floor yesterday.

"According to the eyewitness report I got from Misaka Imouto, that person wasn't changed."

Kanzaki looked at Kamijou and said, "I didn't see Hino Jinsaku directly, so I didn't dare to conclude this. But if he really wasn't switched, he's most likely the suspect."

"Well that's just great." Hamazura concluded with a sigh.

"A serial killer is also a powerful magician. Though... I don't know what else I was expecting…"

"...In other words, we just need to capture Hino Jinsaku...but..."

Looking rather bothered, Tsuchimikado stroked his sunglasses.

It was not that easy to capture Hino Jinsaku. He hadn't left any trails behind, so it was impossible to tell where he escaped to.

"Since Hino's a magician, can't we just track his magic trail?"

"My first answer: We couldn't trace the trail of magic that Hino used last night. It's likely that he may have used some masking method to prevent being traced."

"The most important angel also didn't leave any trails. If an angel-like magical energy is left alone, the huge amount of energy can even cause the ground to distort, so he must be using some other method to hide the power of the angel."

"Hiding...is it really that simple?"

In regards to Kamijou's question, Kanzaki pondered for a moment, before continuing.

"According to records in the Old Testament, angels did hide their identities to enter ordinary people's cities and have meals with ordinary people. Also, there was a story that an archangel walked into a river to save an infant from drowning. Maybe we have to assume that angels have extremely skilled techniques in hiding their powers."

It was honestly crazy.

Thinking that beings such as Angel's actually existed, when they were thought to be nothing more than a dreamed-up fairy tale.

But should they really doubt such a thing?

(With all that I've seen so far, would angels really be so far-fetched?) Kumokawa thought.

On hearing Kanzaki's words, Misha nodded her head slowly.

Though her bangs obscured any expression, Misha seemed satisfied. This response was similar to what Index often did; it seemed like nuns loved to talk about things in the Bible.

"Wuh?" Index looked flabbergasted at such a comment but found she really couldn't deny it.

Index didn't really like how the boy just said that.

(Just because it's true…) She thought weakly.

"Anyway, all we can do right now is to compile all our information."

Tsuchimikado said this, and then turned on the old TV in the corner of the room.

On the news, Komoe-sensei was still holding onto the microphone as she reported the news.

"...It's been past a whole day since Hino Jinsaku escaped from jail. Right now, we have professor Ono Raizen of Miwa University's criminologist department. who'll give us an in-depth analysis. Professor Ono, please."

Komoe blanched once again.

(I'm never ever going to get used to that…)

Saying 'thank you' with a heavy tone, Professor Ono looked like a third grader. The show looked like some children's education show when both of them appeared on screen. Professor Ono said,

"Hino Jinsaku's modus operandi is extremely rare in the history of crime. He did kill 28 innocent victims, but he insisted that this wasn't voluntary. He said that he was just following orders from an 'Angel-sama'. To be honest, this feels somewhat similar to the ritual killings of the religious crimes in Europe and America."

A wave of uncomfortableness spread through the room.

They really didn't know how they should feel about that.

"Huh…" Sogiita said to himself. "That's why he was calling out that word."

Saying something as ridiculous as 'Angel-sama', he thought there had to be a reason.

The elementary school kid dressed in Western clothes continued to rattle on. Kamijou nodded his head.

"That's right, Hino did mention yesterday of an Angel-sama. This analyst should be talking about the 'Hino before he was switched', and this can prove the one 'before he got switched' is the same as 'the one after switching'."

"My first question: Let me confirm this again, is this Hino Jinsaku the culprit behind Angel Fall?"

Hearing Misha's question, Kamijou nodded his head again.

Unlike Kamijou, Hino didn't have the power of the Imagine Breaker, but he never got switched. Therefore, Hino Jinsaku was the most likely suspect.

"But who is the Angel-sama?"

That was the real question.

Was it actually the angel they were looking for; the one who had come down to earth because of the spell?

But— the spell has yet to be completed, so it couldn't be…

"This is really starting to get complicated…" Misaki muttered.

"As for that, while I was repairing the floor yesterday, I found this underneath the floor."

Tsuchimikado pulled out a thin block of wood that was about the size of a notebook. The wood block was scarred thoroughly on the surface, as if someone had used a nail to scar it, and there didn't seem to be any place without a scar.

"That's..." Fukiyose recognized it.

It was the took being used earlier, the one in which Hino Jinsaku received instructions from.

"What's carved onto it seems to be letters, and because there were so many letters carved onto it, they seem so packed together."

Tsuchimikado sighed.

"This is somewhat similar to an oracle or a John's Pen mode. Hino may just be following orders of the 'right hand that was naturally carving out words', like some Kokkuri-san or Planchette."

"…Just like it." Index muttered softly.

It was a little disconcerting to hear that her 'other' self was being compared to in this way.

(...Kokkuri-san?)

Kamijou felt that something wasn't right, but he didn't say this out loud, since they were the experts here.

"We can tell that this ritual killing that the Angel-sama commanded took 28 lives away...what kind of ritual is that?"

"...Maybe that's Angel Fall?"

Kamijou couldn't understand the talk about some world-level magic spell and huge ritual arena, but it was really spine-chilling to hear 28 live sacrifices. It really sounded like those black magic spells to worship demons.

Saten noticeably shivered. "I-I totally watched a movie about that. They would kidnap these girls, put them in white dresses and then—!"

"O-Okay Saten." Uiharu suddenly interjected with a cramped face.

"I think we get it..."

"R-Right. Sorry."

"But if that's the case, things got a lot more complicated. Assuming that Angel Fall really was casted by Hino, the one who commanded him was this Angel-sama. Why would an angel deliberately cast such a spell like Angel Fall."

Tsuchimikado folded his arms and pondered. At this moment, Kamijou answered without hesitation.

"...Maybe the most simple reason is that the angel wanted to descend into the mortal realm?"

"Um, Kami-yan, your explanation here has a huge flaw. The angels have no personalities. Angels are messengers of heaven, and their real appearances are like humanoid balloons with lots of abnormal power within them. In Idol Theory, a fake cross can obtain power, and the angels are the same. In theory, an angel's power can be divided into 100 and invoked into swords and armor. Also, without God's commands, angels themselves won't automatically create miracles on their own, help good people or defeat evil. Angels are basically like remote controlled cars in this regard."

"…"

"No. Amazora." Kabi said suddenly said for some reason.

"Uhhhhhh…"

"No, you can't."

"Uhhhhhhhhhhhhh…!"

"(sigh) Amazora, you can't have an Angel." Kaibi then simplified.

"B-But they're remote controlled cars…!"

While they were bickering, Rikuri giggled in amusement.

"...So angels are like these?"

"Ya. In the Final Judgment described in the New Testament, God will judge the humanity of mankind at the end of the world. Sending good people into heaven and bad people into hell. Before that, angels can't deliberately save or kill people as it may change history." Tsuchimikado continued, "Oh ya, like what I just mentioned, angels are like remote-controlled cars of God. If one of the cars couldn't receive the commands because of some failure, or if the command received was wrong, it will become what we call a demon."

Tsuchimikado's words really surprised Kamijou. The angels and demons that often appeared in video games were completely different things. In his own impression, angels were just some random dumb blond beauties (with wings attached) that loved to watch from the heavens. Of course, this impression came from movies and manga.

"Random dumb blonde beauties— heh, sounds about right." Mitsuari said with a condescending laugh.

Misaki's eye twitched.

"M-My my Mitsuari-san, calling me as beautiful as angel? How kind of you."

"Hmph. You would try to make that a compliment." Mitsuari said while looking away.

"Ah ha ha..." Hokaze didn't know what to do, so she smiled wryly.

"..."

At this moment, Kamijou didn't think again as he said, "Maybe the angel wanted a heart?"

"Since it doesn't have a heart, how can it desire one? Though angels look like they have their own will and can move about on their own, that's just a false impression. They're like stringed puppets, they can't move when the strings controlling them are snapped."

Said Tsuchimikado, scratching his head.

"Since it doesn't have one, it can't desire one...?" The Voice said softly, almost as it to herself.

"..." But they all heard it, and yet stayed silent.

Everyone knew what she meant by that.

She was referring to herself.

"As for the reason behind this, we just have to ask Hino after we catch him. Right now, let's thoroughly discuss what the enemy has."

After Tsuchimikado finished speaking, Misha just glanced at him slightly. However, she did not add on. It seemed like she wasn't used to initiating a conversation, only asking questions or giving answers. Thus, only Kanzaki could continue.

"First point, did Hino Jinsaku control an angel?"

"From what we discussed, I think we can exclude that. Besides, if Hino did completely control an angel, why didn't he use the power when he was in such a critical situation?" Tsuchimikado thought for a moment, and then continued, "Maybe Hino isn't able to command the angel fully, as if there were some static on a radio signal. Also, it seems like Hino had to follow the angel's orders, so in that critical situation, I don't think that Hino was able to get the angel to help him."

Now that he mentioned it, Hino, who was desperate, bemoaned why Angel-sama wouldn't help him out.

Many were glad at this information.

"That's good right?" Kinuhata offered. "The fact that the guy didn't super blast the room with some mythical power means he can't use the angel."

"But on the other hand, if the angel got his orders, it is still likely that it will accept Hino's command when he's in danger, right?"

Hearing Kanzaki say that, the eyes hidden under Tsuchimikado's shades revealed a haughty expression.

"Well, it's not a bad thing to think of the worst case scenarios. But...hoho...if we really want to go against an angel, the history of Mankind will most likely meet an end."

Komoe gulped.

(W-Will it be that bad?)

Even though Tsuchimikado had said that, Kamijou couldn't really imagine it.

What was an angel? How would the world look like when humanity is destroyed?

"...?"

They all looked lost as well.

After all, Kamijou had a point.

Try imagining the world getting destroyed. Just try it.

It wasn't something that could be imagined so easily.

Sure, there might be a massive explosion— but then what? What was there after that? Would everything just cease to exist? A world war-torn with nothing but rubble and destruction?

Or—...

They found themselves freezing as one more idea came to the forefront of their minds.

...—Would it be a lonely, empty world filled with nothing but darkness...

Yes.

They already knew what such a world looked like.

All of a sudden, they found imagining such a biblical end a lot more frightening.

"Next, we'll analyze his allies' support. Is there a likelihood that Hino may be under the charge of a certain group or organization?"

"That's a really low probability. If Hino really has comrades, he wouldn't be alone when the 'Angel-sama' commanded him to carry out the 'sneak attack'. Of course, it's a different case if his comrades are working on other things."

"Hm...it's unlikely that he has an accomplice. If so, where is Hino going to heal himself? According to Kreutzev, Hino has two teeth pulled out, and his left wrist is fractured."

"He'll definitely be arrested if he stupidly decides to walk into a hospital. Even if he wants to find a private doctor, he shouldn't have any money with him when he just escaped from jail. If so, either he's going to rob a cash truck or he's preparing to cast a recovery spell."

Musujime crossed her arms.

(They're really going through all the possibilities here...)

However, she wasn't condemning it.

It was without a doubt the right play. It's something she would do for a mission of her own. But for this, she couldn't use the rationale she was accustomed to— the ones she had compiled for those life or death battles in Academy City.

No, this was magic.

That alone presented itself on a new stage. You couldn't use the same set of rules you had been using before. You simply couldn't.

If you did, if you arrogantly held true to those rules when the game had clearly changed then—

(...You'll just die all the faster.)

Musujime thought this as she stares at both Kanzaki, Tsuchimikado, and Kamijou on the screen; the ones who had been involved in this new world this entire time in secret.

"Either way, we can't guarantee it. Also, I want to know how he got the knife and the poison. Maybe he hid it some place, or maybe he got them when he attacked someone. He may also have funds, or not. Or maybe he has accomplices who gave him the weapons. Since we're not criminologists, overly guessing here will give us more wrong information."

Kanzaki sighed and stopped talking.

Once someone became quiet, the entire conversation was interrupted. The atmosphere seemed rather heavy. Only the sound of the TV continued to echo about without any feelings.

At that moment, the originally calm voice from the TV set sounded rather panicky.

Turning around to look, Kamijou saw the huge words 'breaking news' flashed on the TV. The baffling analyst was shoved aside, and Komoe-sensei looked shocked as she saw the sudden news report that was shoved into her hands.

"Ah, we have the latest news on the Hino Jinsaku jailbreak! Hino's in a house in Kanegawa-ken, and the police assault squads have already arrived at the scene, surrounding the house! Reporting from the...can you hear me? Reporting from the scene is reporter Kugimiya..."

This news startled them.

"Ha ha— that's a scary coincidence. Our house is also in Kanegawa. He was so close to us?" Shiina said with a nervous laugh.

"...Yeah." Touya replied, though you could see the gears turning in his mind, beginning to suspect something.

"...!"

Both Tsuchimikado and Kanzaki stiffened up all of a sudden. But Tsuchimikado was sweating bullets.

He was thoroughly in deep shit.

(Shiiiiiiiiiiittttttt! They're totally going to find out I blew up their house…!)

He wondered…

He wondered if "I did it for the sake of the world—" would hold?

Everyone was now staring intently at the TV; even Misha Kreutzev was silently peering over.

The screen changed.

Two-story tall houses were located on the sides of this commonly seen residential street scene. The originally quiet street was now bustling with interested onlookers, policemen were blocking the civilians, and assault squad members were dressed up as if they were ready to go to war. The entire place was buzzing, but the policemen and assault squad members were converted into old grandpas and kindergarten children, so it looked really unnerving.

"U-Um okay— that's really close..." Shiina muttered.

"..." Touya had a bad feeling.

A man who looked like a vegetable seller held onto the microphone and said, "Dear viewers, as you're seeing now, all the people, including us reporters are stopped just six hundred meters away from the house that Hino Jinsaku took refuge in. The civilians here seem to be residents who received the advice to escape to safety. According to reliable sources, Hino Jinsaku pulled all the curtains and the windows up after he escaped, so nobody outside could see what's going on."

Tsuchimikado lowered his voice and cursed.

The eyes behind the blue sunglasses revealed his anxiety.

It was unknown whether he was worried that things would be more difficult due to the situation escalating, or whether he was worried about the residents in the house.

"We don't know what the situation is in the residence. We don't know whether there are hostages, and we don't know what sort of weapon Hino Jinsaku has, so the assault squads aren't attacking...ah, something's happening. A car just entered a restricted area. Is that the police's negotiator?"

The screen changed to the bird-eye's view from a helicopter. The red roofed house should be where Hino Jinsaku was hiding.

"Ahh!?"

Both Touya and Shiina gasped, faces going pale.

"Th... That's our...!" Shiina let out in shock.

"O-Out of all the places..." Touya then said.

He looked to be barely coming to terms with it, yet such revelation made everything start to make more sense.

But Mikoto looked at their reactions with confusion, but then suddenly widened her eyes.

(Wait— don't tell me...!)

"Idiot..."

Kamijou couldn't help but curse. Lifting the helicopter above the residence would only cause unnecessary disturbance to Hino Jinsaku, and it was likely that he was watching the TV. It was a good thing that it was just an enlarged image; if they showed a bird-eye's view of the surroundings, it would basically be telling Hino of the assault squad's location.

(...Eh?)

Suddenly, that image caused Kamijou to feel something strange. However, the image was unnaturally switched back to the studio; maybe it got restricted. Komoe-sensei looked helpless as she read the news, and the content was basically about the crimes Hino committed and a reminder to the surrounding residents not to leave their homes.

(Eh? Kamijou-kun made the same face as Touya-san and Shiina-san... why would he—?)

Misaki froze all of a sudden and gasped as well.

"Alright, things just got messy. If Hino lands into the police's hands, it'll be hard for us to make him remove the Angel Fall spell. If possible, we should take Hino away before the police, but what should we do?"

"Tsuchimikado! You know what will happen if he has a hostage!?"

It was rare to see Kanzaki so agitated, but Tsuchimikado merely replied casually.

"Hm, no matter what we do, we have to get to the scene of the crime. But where is it? Kanegawa-ken."

At that moment, Kamijou timidly raised his hand as he requested to speak.

Kanzaki said in an impatient tone, "What do you want to say? If you want to go there, I refuse. I'm different from Stiyl, I don't intend to bring you to the scene."

"It's not that, I just noticed from the aerial footage..."

"(Gulp)"

"(Gulp)"

An ominous noise came from two throats in unison.

Yes, Misaki and Mikoto had realized it first; no matter how much they didn't want to believe it.

"What?"

"Ah...well...that...I may be mistaken...and even if it's true..."

"Hurry up and say it, stop beating around the bush."

"Um...my mom has an interest in paragliding...ah, there are many kinds of paragliders; one type uses a motor. I don't really know, but it's basically sitting on a chair that looks like a swing and flying with a huge propeller on the back. My mom sent me lots of photos when I was hospitalized; I don't know what's so fun about it, but these were shot in the air near my house..."

"Aerial shots? So what..."

Before she could finish, Kanzaki suddenly understood.

Kamijou nodded and said, "I find that red roof familiar...I often see that in the aerial shots near my house."

"...!

Everyone gasped now, widening their eyes— sans Misaki and Mikoto of course.

"A-Are you serious!? Arisa suddenly exclaimed.

"Wah... just how super unlucky can one person be?" Kinuhata let out in a mystified voice.

"S-So that means that serial killer is...!" Komoe found she could not continue, not liking the outcome.

"Well that figures..." Accelerator muttered, crossing his arms, as if to say he thought things could go in no other way.

"...!" But Kumokawa stiffened greater than anyone.

Because with this news only meant one thing—

(They're on their way to that guy right now...)

And she found that incredibly worrisome.

...

Hino Jinsaku was holding up in none other than the childhood home Kamijou Touma.

Everyone looked uneasy at this information, especially when gauging the reactions of both Touya and Shiina.

Those parents looked downright nervous. After all, why wouldn't they be? A bona-fide serial killer was in their house. That much was basically a fact now.

---

Part 3

---

Pain will cause people to lose their cool when they make decisions.

The escaped convict Hino Jinsaku silently cursed as he grabbed the left hand that was like a rotten fruit. Though it was not yet noon, all the windows and blinds were pulled up, so light couldn't enter.

"Gh...!" Touya went rigid.

"T-Touya…" Shiina exclaimed fearfully.

Because there he was; Hino Jinsaku was actually in their house as they thought.

This was not an overreaction.

The danger from before, the danger their son had faced was always so far away. They never felt that danger has something so close. But this was different.

Their skin crawled. Their breathing accelerated. Their faces perspired.

And it was all because they were truly scared for the first time.

Touya clenched his fists in revulsion.

But not because of the fear, not because he thought he didn't deserve it.

No.

It was because for the first time, he felt the minimum of what his son must have felt all those times he willingly went int to danger despite being told he could lose his life.

So, this wasn't an overreaction. This was a father hating how scared he felt right now just because a little bit of fear was chanced his way.

(Touma— I'm sorry. Your father really is pathetic.)

He absolutely hated it.

The electricity seemed to have been cut off by the assault squad outside. In this late August summer season, sealing all the windows up without turning on the air conditioning and letting the hot air gather wasn't any different from a greenhouse. Though he knew that he was thinking too much, the room was really too hot, making him worry that his wounds would rot because of the heat.

On the way there, he had managed to pick up some metal wires and a wooden stick to hold his wrist together. However, the teeth that had been pulled out couldn't be treated medically now. The wound brought out a mysterious scalding and numbing pain.

Many had to turn their gazes away from the unsightly image of the man's wounds.

(Ugh... that's rather revolting.) Agnese thought with a sick face.

This heat and pain caused Hino Jinsaku to sweat heavily, and he muttered to himself in the darkness.

"Angel-sama, Angel-sama..."

He continued to mutter as he considered the current situation.

After Hino became the infamous mysterious killer who killed 28 people through ritual-like killings, there were a lot a people who appeared on the internet, either worshipers or con-artists. Among them was a college student who created a website to support the serial killer Hino Jinsaku, and that person lived in an apartment nearby. After he escaped from prison, Hino had wanted to use that hiding place and the funds he provided...

"W-What? There are actually people like that?" Misuzu could not be more shocked.

"..."

Shirai grit her teeth at this information.

The truth was, she knew that people actually did this; supporting and cheering for serial killers. It was just one of the many horrors that the internet held.

As long as no responsibility could be claimed, she was sure that even some people would commit murder just because they were bored.

It was a truly frightening thought.

It was impossible to watch the television when the house had no electricity, so he couldn't tell what was going on outside. However, the residents nearby seemed to have been ordered to evacuate. If that was the case, the helper who was living nearby would have been chased outside the perimeter.

(Well that's a relief at least. Things would have been more complicated if there was a civilian aiding him on top of everything else…) Tsuchimikado thought.

And as if mirroring such thoughts, many silently breathed in thankfulness.

"Angel-sama, Angel-sama..."

What should I do now? Hino started to think. Right now, the assault squads didn't seem like they intended to attack, maybe because they still didn't know what was the situation inside the house. But if they found out that there were no hostages inside the house, they would immediately charge in.

He couldn't let the assault squad figure out his bluff, so the trick was to maintain the secrecy. Being a specialist in psychological attack, Hino understood that the most savage and rowdy criminals weren't the hardest to handle, but the ones who were so silent they're scary.

"…"

Hamazura narrowed his eyes at that logic.

A fight with your life on the line meant you needed to use every tactic at your disposal. Intimidation and psychological warfare were no exception. Those who fought in the dark side of Academy City knew that much.

Amongst many others in that room, he was proven time and time again of that truth.

What should he do? How could he escape?

He still had a curved knife in his hand, but that alone wasn't going to break through.

"Angel-sama, Angel-sama..."

At that moment, Hino's right hand started to move on its own.

The edge of the blade stabbed Hino's abdomen in a shallow manner, and carved out words.

"(Gasp…!)"

They instantly flinched at the sight of blade meeting flesh, going pale in horror at the disturbing image.

"...!" Last Order's shoulder's jolted as she looked away in fright, quivering in place.

Accelerator saw this out of the corner of his eye.

Even though she was simply a manufactured clone who had seen death immemorial through countless perspectives and instance, swimming around like data in her mind— this still proved too much for her. She feared things she didn't like. But that feeling of fear she felt just proved one thing above all else.

Last Order was human.

And she wasn't afraid to feel things despite knowing they were painful.

And more than that, she didn't grow to be rotten because of that pain.

(Not like I—)

With that sudden thought appearing in his mind, Accelerator's shoulders all of a sudden drooped with sigh. And then—

"…Eh?"

Last Order made a surprised sound as she felt something touch her hair, the top of her head. She looked up with big round eyes, cheeks rosy.

It was hand, one belonging to a white-haired boy still staring with that ever-fixed glare at the screen.

Accelerator did not do anything particularly heartwarming, not even rubbing her head in an affectionate manner one was probably supposed to do in this situation. He did not say anything at all either; one was supposed to say words of encouragement in this situation.

A normal person would observe that this boy did not know how to comfort someone at all. And that would be true; Accelerator did not know a single thing.

And yet, despite that… here he was, doing this for her, no matter how small.

So Last Order grinned happily regardless, because she couldn't be more joyed at the thought that had been afforded to her discomfort.

And with that, she didn't find the scene all too frightening anymore.

The red oracle, carved onto his flesh, silently answered his question.

CALL AN AMBULANCE.

"An ambulance? Wouldn't he be caught if he was sent to a hospitable?" Orsola questioned with a tilt to her short blonde hair.

Her question was valid.

Silence stewed as they wondered to what aim this Angel-sama was working towards.

I see, there was still this trick. Hino really felt impressed about it. As expected, the Angel-sama's words definitely wouldn't be wrong. Though I once got arrested by the police and got sentenced to death, Angel-sama will help me fulfill my desire to live on. Angel-sama will bless me a wonderful future. Since I know what to do, let's get into action.

Without even intending to wrap his wounds on the abdomen, Hino Jinsaku immediately got ready for the preparation.

(Whatever that means, it's not good…)

Shirai had no idea what the man was planning, though judging from the beyond crazed look in his eyes. She — and everyone else — had cause for concern.

---

Part 4

---

Kamijou Touma had lost his memory.

Thus, Kamijou didn't even know where his old house was. Using the excuse of going to the toilet, Kamijou left Tsuchimikado and company. He recalled the aerial footage he saw on the TV and used the GPS function of the phone to find an approximate location.

Ah yes, once again, the topic of Kamijou Touma's memory loss— no. His memory destruction.

Both Kanzaki and Tsuchimikado expressed visible sadness at that.

"Kamijou-... you..." It was unclear what Kanzaki felt the need to say, but she looked disheartened regardless.

He wanted to be useful to them. So even though he had no memory of his childhood home, he had been pressed to find that information himself.

And these worries were ones that he kept to himself, because he couldn't bear the thought of people knowing that he was no longer who he used to be.

That mental burden? How did manage such a thing…?

(I can't even imagine… losing my memories like that— I'd want to tell someone, anyone. Keeping it a secret would be unbearable…) Saten thought with a grimace on her face.

Luckily, the aerial footage had managed to capture a large shopping center, which was located mainly in the Kyushu region. There was only one in Kanagawa-ken, so Kamijou managed to get the location immediately.

However, the GPS image wouldn't be able to show the family name.

Kamijou could only find the approximate location and then search through the commotion.

After confirming the location, Kamijou walked out of the toilet and onto the beach. Ignoring the people playing on the beach, he headed to the umbrella that was slightly further away. How careless of them to have left all their luggage bags here. Kamijou felt somewhat guilty as he searched through his father's wallet and pulled out his old house keys; and then he returned back to the Wadatsumi.

"Don't let that bother you son. Don't even begin to think I would be mad at you for trying to help people." Touya said with a sincere fatherly firmness in his voice.

Yes.

Mad? There was no way that was the case.

He was just disappointed that his son had to go through all of this alone without help.

And of course, he wasn't just referring to this fiasco with Hino Jinsaku. It was regarding all the things his son had convinced himself to undergo by his lonesome.

Kanzaki was waiting at the first level of the Wadatsumi.

"Alright, where's your old house?"

"Hm, it'll take twenty minutes to get there. The easiest way is to take a taxi over."

They noticed that he didn't fret over his response at all, showing no outward signs of distress or unease over such a question.

(Amazing. Keeping such a gaping secret hidden at times...) Rikuri thought.

She couldn't imagine. Honestly, she couldn't.

"...Let me ask you again, are you really going to go there? You don't have to accompany us, you know."

Despite knowing what his answer would be, Himegami secretly wanted Kamijou to say no.

She didn't want the boy to be anywhere near someone so deranged and dangerous.

But—

"...Let me answer you again, that's my house. If I leave it to you guys, you guys will mess it up, and my house will vanish from the map."

"Cough! Cough! Ack..! Cough Cough!"

Tsuchimikado suddenly erupted into a violent chain of coughs, as if startled by something.

"...?"

Aogami and the others looked at him confused though.

Even though he said that, Kamijou was partly worried about Kanzaki and Tsuchimikado. Though Misha had sent Hino Jinsaku retreating yesterday through overwhelming force, it didn't mean that he could relax.

"Ha ha…" Kanzaki chuckled with a bright expression on her face.

How typical was this behavior from Kamjiou Touma?

It did not matter whether it was a girl, boy, Level 5, magician, saint, magic god, or whatever else— he would still show indiscriminate concern no matter the recipient.

And by that merit, how many people had he saved even when everyone else believed them to be untouchable?

Mikoto's cheeks reflexively flushed as she thought of such things.

"Since Hino's a magician, my right hand can at least be of some use here. As for that, I suppose we all understood that when you guys tried to pull my beach pants down."

"Cough! Cough! Ack..! Cough Cough!"

In a freakishly similar manner, now it was Kanzaki's turn to cough violently, and this time everyone understood as to why.

"Forcing your demure investigation that way, y-you were really just trying to see that, weren't you?" Birdway asked with a noticeable red tint to her cheeks.

You could tell it took all her pride to say those words, even if she was pointedly looking away while she said them.

"Tha...! That's wrong! I wasn't trying to do anything like that, I swear!" Kanzaki vehemently denied it.

She definitely wasn't trying to pull those pants down to get a look at his—

The woman's face dyed red.

(Nooo! What am I thinking!? I wasn't! I wasn't!)

Kanzaki was inadvertently silent. At this moment, Tsuchimikado and Misha were there. Though Kamijou didn't know who Misha got switched with, Tsuchimikado was a troublemaking idol now, so it would be troublesome if he met the resort boss.

"Hm?"

Lessar titled her head in confusion.

(...'Who Misha got switched with…?')

For some reason, that question instilled some unease in her, especially when it came to her name.

Misha.

"Hi, Kami-yan! If you're ready, hurry up and lets go! You're the only one who knows where your house is, we need you to lead us."

Misha remained silent. The weather was so hot, yet she wasn't sweating at all.

"Ah, as for that, it takes twenty minutes to get to my house by car, so we better take a cab."

"Eh?" Tsuchimikado sounded rather unhappy as he said, "Seems like I have to hide before the taxi arrives. It'll be bad if the boss who looks like Stiyl sees me."

After saying that, Tsuchimikado left the resort like a ninja.

Many were left gaping like fishes.

"Whoa, so fast..." Uiharu said.

"I-It's like he literally just dived into the shadows..." Saten added.

"...And he doesn't even have teleportation..." Shirai also mentioned.

"Tsuchimikado!"

Kanzaki shouted as she followed. Maybe Tsuchimikado's attitude of wanting to drag Kamijou down made her unhappy.

"Wow~! Kami-yan hit the nail on the head~!" Tsuchimikado blustered.

"...Shut up." Kanzaki said with a tired tone.

Kamijou remained stunned for a while, then he pulled out his cell phone to hail a taxi.

After ending the phone call, he wondered, (Oh yeah, who's paying for it? I don't want to! But if we have to play rock-paper-scissors, I'll lose...)

"Heh." Kinuhata chuckled.

Also, Mugino's lips curved upwards in amusement.

Thinking about that, Kamijou suddenly felt that someone was behind him.

Misha Kreutzev was still standing there.

"WAHH!"

Having thought that Misha would have disappeared, Kamijou shrieked.

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

This caused them to laugh even harder.

"Hahahaha! Onii-chan shrieked like a girl!" Amazora chided in a good fun with wide smile.

"Amazora calm down. It's not that funny." Kaibi said but—

"Then why are you trying to wipe that smile off your face, Kaibi-chan~?" Rikuri suddenly pointed out, causing the middle sister to blush.

…

"(Hmph. What an idiot.)" Othinus muttered to herself, though her eyes danced in amusement.

Index just giggled without a care in the world.

"Touma-kun is funny as usual." Arisa said with a visually pleasing smile.

Even Shutaura found herself cracking a rare grin.

"My first question: Why are you so panicky?"

"Nothing..."

Kamijou didn't know how to explain it.

Misha's method of asking was very suitable for information exchange, but it was not suited to chit-chat at all.

The taxi would take five to ten minutes to arrive. Tsuchimikado and Kanzaki had disappeared, so there was nobody else to talk to. However, Kamijou was reluctant to leave Misha alone, so he could only stay here. This awkward silence was like taking an elevator.

And Misha was basically wearing what was similar to underwear with a coat over it. While both of them were alone, Kamijou even felt embarrassed to look at her.

Aogami sighed wistfully.

"Oh, the woes of being a hormonal teenager~" He said with a amused expression.

Fukiyose and the rest didn't know what to say to that.

While they were perplexed and a bit amused by the boy's sudden embarrassment, they guess it was to be expected considering how this Misha Kreutzev was dressed.

"At least he isn't ogling a girl a few years younger than him." Musujime said plainly, in the boy's defense.

"Y-Yes. Even though Kamijou-san's a boy, he treats them with respect. Er... most of the time..." Komoe just killed her entire momentum.

But they understood what she meant. Kamijou was very mindful and sincere to those of genders, but his lack of common sense at times made him out to be... seen differently.

A majority of the room blushed as memories of such came to mind.

For one—

(W-When you're holding an unconscious girl like that in nothing but a swimsuit, of course I'm going to get the wrong idea, baka…) Mikoto thought as she crossed her arms and looked off to the side with a blush.

She was thinking of the time she had found an oblivious Kamijou contemplating how to carry a dehydrated-to-the-point-of-exhaustion-Shirai Kuroko.

When they were in swimsuits.

She suddenly looked over to Kuroko.

(I wonder how she would react if she knew about that.)

Her face suddenly cramped at the thought of what the old Kuroko would do, but now…?

Mikoto shook her head.

(No, I probably shouldn't tell her. Yeah, it's probably for the best she didn't know.)

"Hehehehe…" The Voice chuckled faintly.

(A girl can hope~.)

---

[ A/N: Kyah…! First mention of Heat Wave/Elements Arc…! ]

---

(This...this is too intense...damn it...I can't even smile at all...)

Thirty seconds into the silence, and Kamijou was unable to take it. Kamijou preferred to have 'a cheerful dinner table gathering'. He looked around to find something they could talk about, and then searched his pockets. He touched something hard, and pulled it out; it was chewing gum.

"You...you want some?"

Kamijou carefully asked, but Misha remained unmoving.

"N-No dice?" Hamazura wryly muttered.

"My second question: From your question, this should be a form of food, right?"

"It can be eaten, but it can't be swallowed."

They blinked in confusion.

Did they not eat gum in Russia? That could make sense.

Misha suspiciously tilted her head. Kamijou again passed the chewing gum to Misha, who moved her hand slowly. She nudged the edge of the chewing gum with one finger, not touching Kamijou's fingers at all. Her movements were rather uncommon; it was like a shop attendant passing the change to the customer.

"Wow, she super doesn't even want to touch him." Kinuhata noted.

Such actions would kill any boy's self-esteem.

It seemed like Misha had never seen chewing gum before, and she stared at the paper wrapped object for quite a while before peeling it carefully. She then brought the chewing gum to her nose and sniffed it like a small animal, before sticking her tongue out and licking the chewing gum gently.

(Uu...seems like I'm not trusted at all...she's actually testing for poison...)

Even though his face was smiling, Kamijou was crying deep inside.

"Pfffttt—Hahaha...!"

Accelerator burst out laughing.

It was almost like he could see the tears streaming down his face.

"Heh heh! Look how hurt he looks! That girl just broke his heart! Ha ha ha ha!" Worst was laughing as well.

...

"Ah... Kamijou-san looks really sad..." Hokaze gave a sympathetic expression.

Although she was the only one to do so.

Despite their feelings, Misaki and Mitsuari tried and failed to suppress their smiles at the situation that unfolded.

(His face...~) Misaki thought.

Was it really such a bad thing to want to see all the expressions of someone you cherish?

Misha finally put the chewing gum into her mouth. After taking the first chew, she stopped. Maybe the feeling of the chewing gum was something she never experienced? Misha maintained this position before her small mouth started to move again. It seemed like she was rather satisfied.

"My personal opinion: Hm, sweet foods are good. I often say that sweets are a source of longevity, it reminds me of God's grace."

Though her expression was hidden by her bangs, her lips seemed to be smiling.

"Only him..." Agnese shook her head in mock dismay. "Only he would be able to make a girl like that smile..."

"Yes, but that's a good thing, no?" Orsola questioned with a wide grin.

Being able to make others smile with simple acts...

(Yes, a simply wonderful thing.) She thought.

At that moment, Kamijou was finally released from the heavy atmosphere.

Seeing Misha chew the gum like a child, he heaved a sigh of relief.

Almost as if that was the most important thing in the world to him.

Everyone was captivated for a moment because of that relief.

However, Misha's throat rolled with a 'glup'.

They blinked a few times at the sight.

...Eh?

"WAH! WHY DID YOU SWALLOW IT?"

"My third question: Why are you so panicky? Is this a chewing type cigarette that can't be swallowed?"

Seeing Kamijou shout on reflex, Misha just looked puzzled as she tilted her head. She then reached her hand out with an of-course attitude, meaning 'I want another one'.

"Hah..." Mikoto sighed. "She actually swallowed it..."

Misuzu suddenly started giggling all of a sudden, something Mikoto found suspicious.

"...What?" Such suspicion was heavily traced in her tone.

"Oh, ah ha ha. It's just that I seemed to remember a small Mikoto doing the same thing. It was so cute~!" The mother exclaimed.

Mikoto's face went bright red.

"Oh! Tell me more, tell me more!" Saten said.

"Yes, I would also like to inquire information on Big Sister, subtly implies Misaka as she tries to not make it too obvious of her delight." Imouto jumped in as well.

"Well you see—"

"Noo! Don't say another word!"

(Is this really alright?)

Kamijou wondered if he should teach her the correct way to consume chewing gum.

(Never mind, it's something that can be put into the mouth and chewed. It shouldn't be poisonous...)

Kamijou then took out another piece of chewing gum and passed it to Misha, and she pinched the chewing gum as she received it.

Kamijou though didn't know that the main component of chewing gum was synthetic rubber.

"Hehehe..." Index giggled happily.

She found this funny for some reason.

"What's funny Index?" Arisa asked.

"It's Touma. He's acting like a big brother to this girl, even though he doesn't even know her. It just suits him."

"Oh, I see." Arisa shared in that happiness, showing a warm expression.

---

Part 5

---

After a while, the taxi arrived. Kamijou and company boarded it and headed to the perimeter. The driver (because of the appearance switch, the person holding the steering wheel was a female high school student) said that the police had already sealed the road off, and the taxi could only go halfway. Kamijou and company indicated that it was alright.

Kanzaki's nodachi was about two meters long, and extended from the back end to the front seats in the cramped car. Though the driver looked really bothered, since it was a nodachi, she didn't care to complain about it.

(...Probably the right decision.)

Hamazura thought.

The four of them disembarked some place far away from where the onlookers were gathered.

While disembarking, the driver saw Tsuchimikado's face.

"You're an idol-right? My daughter really likes you!"

The taxi driver then happily opened his notebook, and Tsuchimikado smiled as he gave a huge autograph.

Kumokawa snorted. "Someone's having fun..."

"Yes. Yes I am." Tsuchimikado grinned.

The taxi left. If the reports on the TV were true, the perimeter net around the scene should be six hundred meters in radius.

"Speaking of which, wouldn't that be too exaggerating? Why must they set up such a large net when the police don't even have enough manpower? Can't they just shrink it?"

Kamijou's reply to this question was easy, but it gave him an uncomfortable feeling.

"Maybe the higher ups have allowed them to fire? This is to prevent the civilians from being hit by stray bullets."

However, even if it was a bank robbery, the police wouldn't have set up such a large road blockage. Maybe to the police, today's incident wouldn't be settled by one or two shots. It may end up as a large scale mechanical and explosive battle. Such high level alert was only seen in Europe and America, when explosives were involved, and this was a rarity in Japan. Besides, there was only one convict. Maybe Hino Jinsaku was a rather unique criminal to the police.

That degree of caution put many on edge.

Hokaze began to fidget in place.

(I hope Kamijou-san and the others will be okay...)

As Kamijou wondered about that, Kanzaki and Tsuchimikado started to discuss the actions they should take next.

"Hm, the media's helicopter is gone. Maybe they got warned by the police."

"The reporters on the ground are also sealed off by the barricade. Those wolf-like guys can actually listen. That's weird, maybe someone's pressuring them from above."

Tsuchimikado said that as he readjusted the tilted pair of blue shades. It seemed like he was really after those gossiping reporters.

"Are you saying someone in the Japanese police has realized that Hino Jinsaku used Angel Fall? But I thought that report from earlier this year determined a 0th Investigation Department that specializes in spiritual matters was a groundless rumor."

0th Investigation Department...?

Many people were baffled by such a name.

They way Kanzaki was talking about it, was it a Japanese police force that dealt with magic side matters?

(Hm… I can't picture it at all.)

Someone like Sogiita couldn't imagine such a thing; as the group of Anti-Skill and Judgement were the only ones in his mind.

"I'm not talking about that dimension. Those people are just afraid of someone capturing the image of the 0.22 caliber rounds the police use when they blow Hino's brains out. Political figures require a much better image than idols. It's complicated."

Kanzaki revealed an irritated look as she looked at the no entry area. Misha continued to chew on her chewing gum.

After looking at those three experts, Kamijou said, "Now what? There's still the crowd and the police out there. How are we going to go back to my house? Do we have to go by the sewers?"

"The police must have considered that Hino may escape by the sewers. Anyway, let's get to your house first."

Tsuchimikado said that as a matter of fact, and Kamijou was inadvertently stunned.

"How?"

"You're asking how? Of course we're going by the front."

Tsuchimikado said that as he pointed to the concrete wall of a nearby residence.

They were briefly stunned by the boy's straightforward answer.

"...The front?" Fukiyose repeated.

"Yep. The front." Tsuchimikado said casually in response.

The police had already sealed off all the roads nearby.

But on the other hand, there wouldn't be any police on 'those places that aren't roads'. The nearby residents had evacuated, and the gardens of the residences were blocked by the shrubs and the walls, forming a space that couldn't be seen from the road.

Tsuchimikado and company casually passed by the residences, and Kamijou followed. They jumped past the hedges and climbed over the walls to get from one residence to another.

With such a now obvious loophole being exploited, there were countless people giving Tsuchimikado indescribable looks of suspicion.

One of them being Shirai.

(This guy is treating the aspect of law enforcement way too easily...)

She kind of dreaded the thought of what this shameless spy did in Academy City.

Of course, this alone wasn't enough to escape the police's eyes.

Though the police were watching the roads, it didn't mean that they would ignore the gardens of the civilians, car shades and the like. If Kamijou and company were to be seen by them, they would definitely be arrested.

That's right, if they were spotted.

But Tsuchimikado and company were able to use various opportunities, like when a policeman just so happened to be talking to another one nearby, or one who was focused on the wireless broadcast, or those who just saw a stray cat leap out of a dark corner, or one who was staring at the sky for no reason...they continued to use these chances to quickly slip by the police. And they never got stopped. The moment they slipped through just so happened to be the time the police revealed an opening, as if everything was timed.

Basically, the outcome was that Tsuchimikado and company were running all the way without stopping as they slipped through the perimeter.

And they even brought the amateur Kamijou along.

At that moment, Kamijou was reminded of some video games—the spy games where one had to slip through and hide in those buildings that were occupied by terrorists, or a ninja who had to get through those Japanese style buildings that had guards roaming around, or something similar.

"That's exactly what I was thinking, Misaka Misaka says in excitement! Walking slowly in a crouch, peaking corners with your camera, and making it into the building undetected! It's all so cool!" Last Order was obviously enraptured with the idea.

Accelerator just sighed at her antics, while people such as Misuzu gave her soft looks of amusement.

---

[ A/N: Arkham series, anyone? ]

---

Kamijou seemed to be under the illusion that he was seeing a record being smashed or something.

But reality was a little different from the games.

The stages of the games were designed to be broken through.

A perimeter in real life however was designed to prevent people from entering.

It sounded like nothing much, but the difference between them was huge.

Seeing such amazing prowess, Kamijou realized that Tsuchimikado, who he felt was close to him, was actually an expert, and that made him extremely bitter. Tsuchimikado, who was humming as he easily passed the perimeter, seemed a bit further away from Kamijou now.

Tsuchimikado looked at the screen with a satisfied smile.

(There we go. That's— that's actually a relief.) He chuckled.

In truth, Tsuchimikado had been bothered this whole time because of one thing.

—Kamijou Touma did not look at the existence known as 'Tsuchimikado Motoharu' any differently even when learning his secret—

To hear Kamijou actually have thoughts like that, it didn't nearly surprise him nearly as much as maybe it should have. Because he already knew that the boy had the capability to be selfish, to want things just as much as others, and get bothered by things all the same.

They had ALL seen that— when he ran away from the danger of a bio-engineered dragon, effectively abandoning Mitsuari and Kumokawa.

They had ALL seen that— when the boy selfishly imposed his ideals on a white-haired boy tainted with bloodlust and hate.

They had ALL seen that— when in a certain world, everyone despised his very existence, yet he still wanted to try to fix things regardless.

They had ALL seen that— when the boy had finally cracked when talking to the Will of the Misaka Network, letting out all of the murkiness that had been clouding his heart.

So, it didn't surprise them. More like it satisfied them instead. Because that just meant that the existence known as Kamijou Touma was closer to them than they thought he was.

So Tsuchimikado didn't have a problem with such feelings that were expressed, as it just proved that the one with Imagine Breaker was human.

Nor did others feel let down either.

The boys and girls in that room just had it confirmed that Kamijou was capable of the same things as them.

(That type of personality is flawed for sure, as anyone else is. …But he would put others before himself despite holding such typical petty feelings...) Kaibi thought to herself.

It wasn't that Kamijou was a saint, he clearly wasn't. It was just that his actions made him look like one, despite being the same as anyone else.

After passing through the six hundred meter radius police perimeter, they hadn't met a single soul for a while. But after running inside, they found some people who were armed with armored clothes and transparent shields. They were the assault forces members, but there were some people who were switched into grandpas and grandmas, so they didn't really look reliable.

They blinked at such an odd sight.

"I... I don't even know what to say..." Mitsuari was truly at a loss for words.

At that moment, Tsuchimikado stopped and hid behind a car on the road. The rest followed suit.

"Alright, it's now difficult to sneak in. The forces surrounding Kami-yan's house are all watching with binoculars, so it's impossible to go in without being discovered."

"Impossible...? Then how?"

Kamijou was shocked that they came all the way there, only to be out of ideas.

"I'd feel the same. They passed— like a bajillion guys...!" Saten retorted in disappointment.

"Yeah, I'm sure." Mikoto said with amusement.

"Yah, though magic spells that can interfere with consciousness will cause the assault forces to sleep or be unconscious, this will end up with no one responding to the wireless communication. The police outside may suspect that something's wrong."

Kanzaki paused.

She was considering what was just said.

"How about we use spells that don't change their judgment?"

Kamijou didn't understand it at all, and Misha silently stared at Kanzaki.

"Basically, we just need to let the assault forces think that another house is Kamijou Touma's house. With this, no matter what happens inside Kamijou Touma's house, the assault forces will report that everything's clear."

Even those numerous amateurs in the room could tell that this was a good idea when they heard it, despite not being too fluent in the ways of magic.

"(Hm, that's an interesting prospect. And here I was dying of boredom.)" Othinus muttered.

But even though she said that, she has been thoroughly entertained thus far because of her human's actions. It was rather entertaining for her to see the boy from such a unique perspective.

Especially since her 'perspective' mostly consisted of being carried and experiencing various moments where she had to look up at everyone like they were her betters.

(And there's no way that's true.) Othinus thought indignantly.

Shua! A gust of wind could be heard.

Numerous steel wires appeared beside Kanzaki. If it wasn't for the reflected sunlight, the naked eye would definitely have been unable to see them.

Komoe gulped.

(T-Those are...!)

She remembered those wires. They were the same one's that had most notably cut up Kamijou's hand when he had fought against Kanzaki the first time.

"Boundary of Forbidden Wires—a summoning circle that originates from South East Asia. It's meant to summon a god that protects houses."

"How can you reveal my methods in front of them so thoroughly, Tsuchimikado?" Kanzaki sighed, and said, "If we have to use it on all the assault forces, it seems like we need a one-hundred-meter radius web. The work will take about twenty minutes, so find a place to hide first."

"Heh, heh."

Tsuchimikado chuckled at Kanzaki's reaction.

"Roger that~"

Tsuchimikado stroked the blue shades with his fingertips as he casually replied.

"Also, Kamijou Touma, don't touch these wires. The Boundary of Forbidden Wires uses a three-dimensional magic array formed by the wires to replace a two-dimensional one. The wires are the core of the boundary, so the magic may be dissipated if your right hand touches it."

"I got it, I won't be so stupid to touch the wires when my fingers can be cut off. My right hand just got sliced off a while back, and I don't want to have another limb separated. No matter how unfortunate I am, I don't have to be that pitiful, do I?"

Many people noticeably flinched at the memory.

(...That's right. His arm really did get cut off at that time...)

Rikuri made an uncomfortable expression just thinking about it. Similarly, Kaibi and Amazora were paling slightly.

"How can he joke about it like that...?" Kaibi muttered.

"D-Didn't it hurt?" Amazora questioned.

It seemed that they were just as bothered as everyone else.

...

It was the same for the parents, Touya and Shiina. Both of their faces fell at the mention.

"Oh Touma-san..." Shiina muttered sadly.

"..." Touya showed a grim expression.

They couldn't even imagine how painful their son had it.

...

Beyond that, those that felt the worst were Himegami and Index. They wore such downtrodden expressions.

"He was forced to experience something like that because he was tasked with reaching me..." Himegami said.

"And I let myself be taken, so I'm just as guilty..." Index also admitted.

This was something that had bothered them.

Had Kamijou not had to swoop in and save them, he wouldn't have had to endure something as horrible as losing a limb.

They...They wouldn't be surprised if he secretly resented them for that...

"Aisa that's—"

"Index you can't really—"

Fukiyose and Arisa both attempted to call out the girls for their troubles, but—

"Don't you remember how happy he looked?"

"...Eh?" Both of them let out.

The Voice startled them out of their melancholy thoughts with something seemingly completely random.

"I said, don't you remember how happy he looked that day?"

And then she continued.

"He was worried about you, Index. But don't you remember how overjoyed he looked upon seeing your peaceful form? He didn't see that as a bother at all, he just wanted to make sure you were safe you know."

And leaving her with that, she then addressed Himegami.

"And when he negated the effect of the Alchemist's command, don't you recall how utterly relieved he looked in that moment, Aisa? He could not have been happier that he was able to save you."

"..."

"..."

"Kamijou Touma is the type of person who'll meet someone for the very first time and show them kindness— like treating them to a meal, or even going out of his way to talk to them. But, even when they have to part ways, he'll still worry for them even though he has no obligation to do so."

"...!" Both of their breaths hitched in surprise.

Those words struck them in the only place it could, the heart. And it began to feel lighter as a result.

The Voice then laughed, suggesting she was smiling. "Don't you think so?"

"Mm..." Index voiced.

"Yeah..." Himegami softly said.

"So no, I don't believe it, I refuse to. There's no way he held any regrets over what happened, no matter befell him."

Suddenly, the expression on Kanzaki's face disappeared.

"Eh? But Kami-yan, wasn't it 'the good thing among all the bad things' when your hand got cut during the Misawa Cram School battle?"

Tsuchimikado and Kamijou didn't notice the slight change on Kanzaki's face.

"Please don't tell me he's referring to that thing as a good thing..." Hamazura said with a slightly disturbed face.

"Hm?" Takitsubo made a sound.

"What is it?" Hamazura asked.

"Oh, it just... Kanzaki... she—"

But Takitsubo's concern did not fully come to fruition.

"Who will be happy with getting a hand sliced off!? Meeting someone like that damned pedophile of an alchemist is already my misfortune."

"P-..."

The air completely left their lungs as they blanked.

"Pedophile...!?"

Someone said in shock.

.

..

...

Then—

"Pffffttt— Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

Shirai laughed all of sudden, the boy's words greatly amusing her to the point where she could no longer contain it.

It was a rather odd sight in itself, to hear someone like Shirai Kuroko laughing in such a manner, but it was a welcome sight nonetheless.

"S-Shirai-san, I don't think I've ever heard you laugh like that before..." Uiharu said in shock, pointing out what everyone else was surely thinking.

Mikoto and Saten just nodded in agreement, looking a little bewildered.

"Ah ha ha— eh? I haven't? Well sorry, but it was too funny, going and calling him a pedophile like that."

A lively youthful expression appeared on her face as she smiled, not at all bothered her friend's questions.

Crack! Kanzaki turned away from Kamijou.

Kamijou felt a chill down his back as he inadvertently turned to look at Kanzaki. This was a subconscious act, similar to what humans would do when endangered.

Kanzaki's back was emotionless now.

(That's right...) Kanzaki realized what was going on in her head at this moment. (This is when I had selfishly—...)

She went silent.

"...?"

On the other hand, everyone else could not be more confused.

(What's wrong with her all of a sudden?) Birdway wondered.

Not that she cared for the saint's well-being or anything like that—

She really didn't...!

—but to it was a bit unlike her to act all moody instead of her usual 'stickler for justice' aura she had on all the time.

"Wha...what? Are you unhappy?"

"Nothing."

Kanzaki answered.

Kanzaki left Kamijou as she went to set up the Boundary of Forbidden Wires. While leaving, she didn't even look back.

She dashed into an empty area and started to set up the wires one by one.

What was different in an ordinary city as compared to Academy City was that there were telephone poles on the road, which made it easy to hide the wires and support them. Kanzaki used the poles and cables to form a one-hundred-meter radius three-dimensional magic array that created a unique wavelength of magic to cause the assault forces to be wrong in their judgment. The Boundary of Forbidden Wires looked like a Chinese wok, but Kamijou may have thought that it looked like a saucer-shaped antenna.

Kamijou.

Hearing him say the word 'misfortune', Kanzaki frowned.

Now they were even more confused.

Just what about his misfortune bothered her?

(Wait, could it be...?)

Itsuwa widened her eyes as she had an inkling come over her.

(It's not his fault. I shouldn't have taken it out on him.)

Logically she knew that, but a certain illogical emotion made Kanzaki not want to remain there.

—Not his fault—

Those words echoed in their minds.

Kanzaki had a bad memory about the word 'misfortune'.

If possible, she would not like to hear that again.

Afraid of the dusty memory being opened up again, Kanzaki chose to run. Faster, stronger, concentrate. The act of concentrating caused her to not think of those things she was afraid of.

Suddenly feeling ashamed of her actions, Kanzaki dipped her head down.

Meanwhile, everyone was left wondering.

"(Bad memory... just what could it be...?)" Agnese muttered to herself.

It was hard to imagine a bad memory plaguing someone like a saint...

—But it was that very assumption that had to do with Kanzaki's anxieties, though Agnese had no way of knowing that.

After Kanzaki ran away, Kamijou, who was hiding in the shade of the car, sighed.

He was shocked that the magicians were so lazy they didn't have a plan, even though they were so powerful. Basically, if Kanzaki just so happened to be unable to use that 'so-so boundary', what did they intend to do? Were they going to stand around and laze? Even if they were those special forces 'who specialize in eliminating' in the movies, there would be some scenes where they were seen planning with the layouts before charging into a building occupied by terrorists.

Speaking of which, the last time he fought the alchemist with the rune magician during the Misawa Cram School incident, there hadn't seemed to be any plan.

His words held a certain amount of sense to them.

"You know, I would say he's just complaining again, but doesn't he super have a point?" Kinunata asked with a wry expression.

"Considering that guy literally used him as a human shield, I don't think his thoughts are too far off..." Mugino commented, casting a light glare at Stiyl.

"Well excuse me for treating his hand like it actually is, a tool to be used." Came Stiyl's instant unabashed response.

"Hah?" Mugino narrowed her eyes.

Okay! We're just going to stop right here before we see what's higher on the periodic table, Ion Beams or Condensed Oxygen.

Apart from that, Lessar simply laughed at the conversation.

"Haha! Well he's not wrong. But what's wrong with being lazy? If you can do something with little to no effort, then I'd say you're living correctly." She grinned.

"Such a mentality suits an easy woman like yourself." Birdway snapped back at her.

Kamijou complained about this to Tsuchimikado, but Tsuchimikado's response was "Of course".

"Kami-yan, we magicians are experts, but we aren't like those trained special forces. We aren't like soldiers who are trained to be organized in killing, and we aren't trained to have teamwork. We're amateurs in battle."

"Huh?"

Confusion ran rampant in the room.

As expected, many didn't understand what Tsuchimikado was saying.

"Eh? You're telling me Mr. Kill-or-be-Killed over here is an amateur?!" Mitsuari cried out in shock, jabbing a finger towards Stiyl.

Once again.

(Why am I always the example...?!) Stiyl thought.

---

[ A/N: Another reference for you, because why not? ]

"Now there's a plot twist for ya. Kirito, are you— are you ACTUALLY defending these people?"

"Oh, don't get me wrong. No one's saying their potential doesn't top out in assistant manager at Kinko's— I mean, just look at Schmitt."

(Distant yell) "WHY AM I ALWAYS THE EXAMPLE?!"

[ A/N: Again, if you know, you know. ]

---

"What?"

Kamijou frowned.

To Kamijou, the words 'battling amateurs' certainly didn't match these magicians.

"Are you kidding me? Those people like Stiyl and Aureolus can just laugh and beat up a type-90 tank from the front! Those battle maniacs, those destructive monsters, how can they be amateurs?"

Kumokawa raised an eyebrow with an amused look.

(He insulted them twice...)

Misha silently reached her hand out to Kamijou, and Kamijou again passed a chewing gum to her. Like a cashier handing money to the customer, Misha received the chewing gum without touching Kamijou's hand.

Through the blue shades, Tsuchimikado saw that action between Kamijou and Misha.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

Silence ensued.

That one small action stowed unrest in the hearts of many a woman watching.

(T-They didn't even have to say anything to each other!) Itsuwa thought in shock.

(Why is that idiot so accommodating of her all of a sudden?) Mikoto accused with narrowed eyes.

(They're so in sync...) Mitsuari noticed with a frown on her face.

"Hamazura?" Until Takitsubo broke it.

"...Yeah?" The boy replied.

"Was Kamijou-san able to domesticate that girl, or has she domesticated him?"

What a great question. One that seemed to sum up what they just saw.

"I really couldn't tell you, Takitsubo."

"That's like being a middle schooler with a nuke launch button in the hand. Though we have amazing magic abilities, that isn't the result of military training."

Tsuchimikado chuckled.

"Or else you would have felt weird right, Kami-yan? If magicians were trained professionally, why would they harbour so many personal feelings in battle? Knowing the shocking truth and being stunned in front of the enemy, treating the enemy's words as true, pitying the enemy, wanting to fight the enemy one on one—the battles between magicians have too many unnecessary elements."

"Ah..." Misaki let out.

The boy was talking about Kamijou's first fight with Stiyl and Kanzaki, one that he no longer had any memory of.

If they really were a group of cold-blooded killing machines who were trained, they wouldn't listen to the enemy, wouldn't pity them, wouldn't want to face the enemy head on, or even enter the enemy's line of sight. Even if they knew the shocking truth, they would choose to beat the enemy down. Once they got an order to kill, even if the enemy grabbed a child to use as a human shield, they would still pierce the enemy's heart together with the child. That was a real professional fighter.

"Basically, magicians are kids. Kids with knives, kids who are crying and trembling, for they were once betrayed by the world."

As shiver went down Komoe's spine at those words.

Because...

(Tsuchimikado...)

Didn't that also apply to him as well...?

Tsuchimikado sighed.

"Magicians are like this. They have wishes, and once prayed to God, but never got a response. Having lost it, they could only toss their bodies into this underground world called magic."

Things started to make a lot more sense now

—Why Kanzaki and Stiyl acted the way that they did.

—Why the one's known as Lessar and Birdway behaved in the ways they did.

Despite holding unimaginable power at their fingertips, they would still lose to their emotions like anyone else. Despite being blessed with their god's grace, they would still let things like pride and greed get the better of them.

Only out for themselves, fighting for what only they believe in, unwilling to admit that their way is wrong.

"...!"

All of a sudden, the vast confusion that had been unconsciously perpetuated towards ones that wielded magic, cleared up instantly.

Because they weren't gods (with the exception of one), they weren't omnipotent, and they most certainly weren't all powerful.

It was as Tsuchimikado had said. They were just children who learned that they could hurt people if they swung a knife.

Kamijou couldn't say anything. Tsuchimikado was a magician; even though he was looking rather casual, the person in front of him was a magician. That teenager who had a smile on his face almost every time must probably have a blank spot within him.

Misha, who was silently chewing the chewing gum, must be the same as well.

"The term 'magician'—especially the modern magicians that were established in the tenth century, will carve their wishes onto their souls. This is the magic name. Carving the reason why they want to learn magic or give up their entire lives for the one goal by writing it out it Latin. Like for me, I'm Fallere825, Kanzaki nee-chin's Salvare000. The numbers behind are used to prevent others from repeating the word, so this is like an email authentication."

"I'm kinda jealous. Having a code name that emphasizes your convictions sounds hella cool...!"

It was only natural that Sogiita was into something like this.

"Guts in Latin would be... wait, what is it?" He muttered.

"It's viscera. ...B-But..." The Voice answered succinctly, but then she faltered.

"I'm not sure you would want to be known by a name that literally translates to a 'human's intestines'..."

"Intestines? What does that have to do with anything?" Sogiita cocked his head in confusion.

"...Never mind."

"...Thi—"

—How much must one be prepared to give up? Kamijou wondered. Even if he himself didn't have much of a real goal, Kamijou knew that it was a tough thing to talk about one's own dreams in front of others. Besides, everyone would be afraid of getting their dreams rejected. Many wanted to be idols or sportspeople, and gave up their dreams after their parents and teachers rubbished them. That was because the impact of having a dream denied was huge.

Weren't those aspiring magicians afraid?

Why could they make such a realization of not giving up even when many people would doubt them?

"He's thinking way too hard about this." Birdway said dismissively.

Though, even though she said that, her expression softened as the boy was doing all he could to try to see it from another point of view. To be able to be open minded in order to understand others.

(...But that's not a bad thing.)

Birdway's heart rate escalated slightly as her cheeks dyed red.

After all, what girl would deny wanting to be understood.

"To people like us, the term 'group' isn't too significant. We just so happen to gather because we have similar goals. Whether it's Kanzaki nee-chin or Stiyl, once the group becomes an obstacle to their goal in life, they can betray the organization easily. However, because of the hostage that's Index, they won't leave so easily."

Though the term 'hostage' shocked Kamijou, he just sighed.

That's right.

Many people suddenly felt a sour taste in their mouth.

"Index-chan is being treated as a shackle..." Komoe said sadly.

She remembered Stiyl saying something similar.

Index's face fell at this news.

She was unknowingly preventing so many people from moving freely because of her position in the Angelican Church.

(Touma is my guardian, and before him it was Kanzaki-san and Stiyl...)

So many people had been protecting her all of this time so that she could live a happy life without worry. She owed more gratitude than she could probably ever give back.

Index cast a glance at the two people she was sure now used to be her closest friends.

She thought they wouldn't be looking at her, however she was surprised to see that wasn't the case, as they were staring at her in what she could only guess was worry.

That only made her feel worse.

(But— even so...)

She pushed that feeling down for the moment, choosing to do something that she should do— no. That she NEEDED to do in that moment.

She smiled.

And she tried to convey as much feelings as her heart could possibly muster with it.

"...!" Both of them were taken aback. But— they smiled in turn.

Even Stiyl managed to form a soft smile, one that he had banished away but never forgot.

The magician's definition of an expert was completely different from that of a special forces soldier, and right now, Kamijou could somewhat understand it. The magicians were different from those people who could go against their own will for money and kill. Magicians didn't listen to orders, and didn't want money, but they wouldn't go against their own beliefs—those who pushed this naive thought to the extreme were called experts among magicians.

(...If so...)

Kamijou looked at where Kanzaki left.

No one was there. It was just a wide, empty street.

Kanzaki hadn't looked happy when she left.

(Did I say something that hurt her beliefs as an expert?)

"...It seems I really did make him worry for me..." Kanzaki said with a hint of shame on her face.

Seeing Kamijou being so insecure, Tsuchimikado smiled.

"Ah, Kanzaki nee-chin must be unhappy because she heard the word 'misfortune' nya."

This puzzled practically everyone.

Just what was the connection between Kanzaki and misfortune?

"Misfortune...? Did I just say that?"

Kamijou tilted his head and recalled. He turned to Misha, who didn't say anything as she continued to chew on the chewing gum silently.

"To Kami-yan, 'fukou da' became a catchphrase already, right? In fact, Kanzaki nee-chin is bothered by her own misfortune."

"...'fukou'?"

"Her... own?" Fukiyose questioned in confusion.

They started to wonder if Kanzaki was also someone who was misfortunate like Kamijou.

Kamijou looked like he didn't understand, and Tsuchimikado nodded.

"In Japan, there's a secret Christian sect called the Amakusa. Nee-chin was designated to be the Priestess of this group before she was born. Also, she's one of the Saints who's blessed with the Stigma from God, and it's said that there's only about twenty of them."

"...!"

Itsuwa suddenly stiffened at the mention.

Tsuchimikado smiled.

But it was now different from the casual ones before.

"She has the talent of succeeding no matter whether she works hard or not, she doesn't even need to do anything in order to earn the hearts of the people. Every day, she will have an unexpected surprise. Even if she's to be assassinated, she can survive because of luck. The bullet will deviate for no reason. Even if a bomb explodes beside her, she can survive without so much of a scratch."

They were all truly surprised this.

After all, Kanzaki's troubles did not stem from any bad luck like Kamijou, but rather her apparent good luck.

But that still begs the question.

"Why the hell would she be bothered by something like that?" Shutaura muttered.

"For the same reason you grew to hate miracles, Shutaura."

"Miracles—?! ...What are you..." Surprise lit up her face at the Voice's sudden verbal jab, stunning her speechless.

Tsuchimikado's words sounded like a lullaby,

"-So Kanzaki nee-chin couldn't forgive her own fortune. No, she's probably cursing her curse."

"...What? Is there really any need to be troubled?"

As for Kamijou who was always filled with misfortune, this was truly a position worth envying.

Kamijou answered exactly like they expected him to. Hell, he answered as probably everyone would. After all, why would look deeper things that everyone already knows to be true?

Good luck is good.

Bad luck is bad.

There was no reason to pick such concepts apart.

...Right?

"Who knows, maybe you should experience it to understand it."

Tsuchimikado smiled.

But he didn't look happy at all.

"But Kami-yan, how's the feeling when someone is lucky? When there's only one winning lottery ticket and someone will always draw it, doesn't that mean that other people won't be able to ever win it?"

"...Ah..."

"...!"

They went completely still at this perspective, one that was so obvious but not easily understood.

"She's had the Priestess position ever since she was born, but others who wanted the position couldn't fulfill their dreams. She had the ability to succeed when others despaired after trying so hard. She managed to be the center of attention without doing anything, but other people at the center are forced out. Her wishes will always come true, she will always have a surprise everyday, but there are people behind her who can't fulfill it, and can only choose to give up all hope. She can survive so many assassinations without any reason at all, but the weak will protect her and die in front of her. Many who admired her have died blocking bullets for her, taking the explosions, and so on."

"..."

Ah...

That's...

That was...

Their throats went dry without fail.

Faces morphed into ones of sadness as they understood.

No, was that even correct? Could they really say they understood with just a simple, watered down explanation?

"Pontiff-sama..." Itsuwa let out, sadness dripping from her expression.

"Kanzaki-san..." Index lip's trembled as she too showed a distraught visage.

"If nee-chin was a bad person, she wouldn't even need to worry. However, she couldn't forgive herself for taking up all the fortune. It's because she loves the people around her that she can't forgive herself for being the lucky person who brings misfortune to others."

Tsuchimikado sighed.

He looked up at the sky and said, "In the end, nee-chin couldn't take it anymore. She couldn't stand seeing the people she cared for dying because she brought misfortune to them, who ended up telling her even before dying that being able to see her was their greatest fortune."

Why did Kanzaki curse her luck the same way Kamijou did? Why would she grow to resent good things that happened to her?

Being born with God's grace helped her, sure. But it also purposely shifted the world in her favor, ensuring that everything would always go her way, no matter what. It was truly a skill fitting of a saint.

So, what was the problem?

But it was just like Tsuchimikado said.

Kanzaki wasn't a bad person, and that meant she couldn't accept how the world would punish others for her continuous good luck, for her very existence.

Mikoto bit her lip.

As a Level 5, she understood that more than anyone.

(To succeed without trying every time...)

Just how worse was it for those watching that incorrigible success? To know that they would never reach that same level no matter what they did?

...

Shutaura was silent as she came to her own understanding.

...

'For the same reason you grew to hate miracles, Shutaura.'

...

(It's different, but it's also the same...)

That day on the Orion, a miracle happened for everyone except her father. But people still praised it as a godsend? She hated that. If that all-important miracle was so powerful, why had it killed father? Why didn't he get that same magic?

So Shutaura grew to hate that unique justification, that mindset that praised a bad thing as good, just because the world needed to see it as good.

(She too hated it. She hated how everyone praised her as someone above them, someone important, even when they were coughing up blood...)

"Why are you all acting like it's okay...?" Shutaura muttered with a vulnerable expression.

She had said that one day, when she finally couldn't take what everyone else was saying about that flight.

Kamijou didn't know what to say.

"..."

Kanzaki looked down in dismay.

She was scared.

She didn't want to see the look on the boy's face, whatever it would be. Not what he looked like, what he said, or what he thought.

Kanzaki was scared of being rejected by Kamijou Touma, plain and simple.

So, she did not look up.

But the boy's thoughts came to her ears regardless.

Kanzaki was now affiliated with the Anglican Church, which meant that she had left the Amakusa. Even though she had been born with the highest position and was admired by everyone, she had chosen to leave everything to prevent the people who believed in her from suffering the misfortune. In order to protect the people around her, she could only suppress her feelings of wanting to be with them and choose to be alone.

In the end, the people who could be with her—

Were those as strong as Necessarius, a unique organization that wouldn't be affected by luck or no luck.

Yes, the boy had summed it up perfectly.

What kind of feeling was that? Kamijou wondered.

Kamijou really regretted causing Kanzaki to recall all of that; he really regretted talking about his misfortune in front of her so casually.

"!?" So Kanzaki widened her eyes upon hearing such sincere sentiments from the boy.

"Haha— did you really think he was going to dismiss you...?" The Voice softly asked.

Her question was met with shocked visage for some time before it changed abruptly.

"No—." Kanzaki smiled.

"I suppose not. He said exactly what I thought he would say. Heh... just how egotistical is that...?" She said with a cynical look on her face.

"It's not Kaori. It's really not. It just means... you're close enough to his heart to be able to understand him."

"His... heart?"

For some odd inexplicable reason, hearing it like that instantly washed away all the insecurities plaguing her heart.

(His heart…) She nodded and then smiled gently.

At that moment, Tsuchimikado noticed it, and said, "But Kami-yan, you don't really have to mind about this. Nee-chin wanted this. She got hurt by her own heart, what does it have to do with you?"

Tsuchimikado waved his hand.

"She's just throwing a kid's tantrum, you don't have to worry."

Though Tsuchimikado was chuckling as he said that, Kamijou's melancholy wasn't eased.

He looked as if he still wasn't satisfied. He didn't look happy about that at all. He wouldn't just forget such a thing and move on.

And as such, his parents could not be more proud.

Touya and Shiina smiled in glee at their son's character.

But there was another reason why they were happy. And they weren't the only ones to realize this.

"He had every excuse to despise someone like her, someone who is always lucky..." Kaibi said.

"Yet he doesn't...?"

She said it as if she didn't understand, but the truth is she did.

It was the same for Amazora and Rikuri as well.

Kamijou Touma does not let his own misfortune define him.

He doesn't use it to get handouts. He doesn't use it to avoid having to save people. He doesn't wallow in despair like anyone else would in his situation.

If he did then—...

A lot of people on this room would be a lot worse off as a result.

A short silence.

There wasn't a single sound on the streets, only the occasional sound of dogs barking, similar to that of a dog's bark at midnight. At that moment, the sound of a train moving far away could be heard.

After a while, Kamijou looked around on that empty street.

"Speaking of which, why is Kanzaki so slow? Nee-chin has the ability to break through tanks from the front even if she got caught. However, though nee-chin's one of the ten strongest magicians in London, her magic isn't cautious. She's not the best in setting up boundaries, so maybe she ended up spending more time."

This information was met with several blank stares.

"T-Tanks?" Saten stuttered, trying to imagine such a feat.

"...Oh ya, I'm still not used to the fact that you're a magician. Does that mean that you're a priest, and will wear priest robes?"

"Eh?"

Musujime, Himegami, Fukiyose, and Komoe all made strange sounds as they looked at the boy in question, or more specifically what he was wearing.

This guy? A priest?

But they shook their heads.

As expected, they couldn't. They just couldn't imagine Tsuchimikado wearing such things.

"Undercover policemen don't wear uniforms. I'm not too familiar with clerical work, and my Bible is all dusty. My basis of magic isn't Kabbalah, but a mix of Taoism and a Japanese Onmyodo."

"O-One of those sounds Japanese... I think." Hamazura muttered with uncertainty.

(Hamazura is cute when he's confused...) Takitsubo thought.

---

A/N: Imagine a chibi Hamazura deep in contemplation. You're welcome.

---

"...Onmyodo...that feels Japanese."

"Yeah, but Kabbalah and Onmyodo are rather similar." Tsuchimikado nodded twice, and continued, "Like for example, the symbols that represent the 5 elements; both East and West use the Pentacle. Also, everything is designated by a color and a position, and when setting a magic array, there will be four guardian deities set at the four positions, but in the Western world, they're called the four archangels, and in the East, they're the four gods nya."

"Oh..."

To Kamijou, those were things of the unknown, so he just said, "Unbelievable."

"There's nothing unbelievable, these aren't coincidences. The one who established Onmyodo was Abe no Seimei during the Heian period, and during that time, there were a lot of foreign stuff brought in through the Silk Road, and I suppose Onmyodo was affected to an extent. Even that Onmyodo classic Kinugyokutoshū was passed here from China. If you're interested, you can ask Index for this book if you want."

Kamijou clearly didn't understand; they were able to piece that together by now.

"U-Um..." Arisa said quietly.

And neither did some of them for that matter.

But Shutaura actually made an attempt.

"..." She had her eyes closed as she tried to imagine what was being talked about.

Tsuchimikado then said in a self-mocking tone.

"But I specialize in feng shui. There's a difference in reading the landscape through Eastern and Western means."

"Fengshui? Like Kobayashi-sensei?"

Kamijou had seen a job called 'feng shui master' in RPGs. So that was his job, right?

"Ah, Kami-yan let me make this clear, the world originally doesn't have a profession called a fengshui master. In China, the one who's supposed to do this is the Taoise priest, and of course, here in Japan, it's the Onmyoji's job."

"Uhh?"

Amazora made a noise, her cute little face scrunching up in confusion.

Tsuchimikado lifted his fingers and started to count.

"The feng shui's job is just one of it. Feng shui master, divination master, alchemist, curse specialist, prayer master, waterclock master; these are jobs that are derived from Taoism and Onmyodo."

"Oh...it's like how a part of Shaolin martial arts got passed to Okinawa and ended up being karate?"

"It's a similar feeling. The way in Taoism is to exert air into other objects, and by the same principle, using it on the ground and earth will form feng shui. In a scientific point of view, it's the Gaia theory. Basically, it's a theory of treating the earth as a life form."

"Uhhhhh!?"

Her confusion only intensified.

"It's okay Amazora-chan, you don't need to understand." Rikuri soothes.

(N-Not like I do either for that matter...) She then wryly thought.

Tsuchimikado then pondered for a while, and added on.

"And among which, I specialize in the black arts. Basically, it's 'creating a water road' nya."

"Creating a water road?"

"Exactly what it says, creating a water road. By using the water to create a large magic array to protect a castle or a city. It's not rare to see water roads formed as magic arrays. Though it's unrelated to feng shui, the water capital of Italy is one. It's said that at the end of World War II, the Japanese intended to link all the air-raid shelters to create a large water road array, too bad it failed nya."

Tsuchimikado seemed to recall the past.

"I used to specialize in setting traps by using water roads. Actually, that's what an Onmyoji does, to secretly summon a god far away where people can't see it, or to conceal myself by using the surrounding magic arrays the enemy set up. The Heian period people feared Onmyodo, not because how strong it was, but because it's a despicable, heinous, cunning, shameless taboo that's used to corner people from the darkness."

You could tell many people were trying to understand, judging by the ever-abundant scrutinizing faces, but they were clearly getting nowhere.

"...?" Index made a confused face but for an entirely different reason.

"(I don't get it, why does everyone look like their having trouble understanding...?)"

As she spoke to the one on her shoulder, she was genuinely perplexed.

"(Human minds are incredibly feeble, let's just leave it at that, girl.)" Othinus sighed.

As they continued to talk, they saw Kanzaki moving among the shadows quickly and returning back to Kamijou and the rest.

"Oh thank god— I mean, uh wow...! There she is!" Lessar suddenly said with really bad acting.

Everyone just looked at her.

((((((((Isn't this girl a magician as well though...))))))

Anyway—

Upon the woman's form, many looked relieved beyond measure that they didn't have to sit through one more minute of 'magic 101'.

Even Accelerator notably relaxed slightly.

(One more second of that and I would have broken somebody's arm just for the fun of it...)

She looked calm, almost without any emotion.

"The Boundary of Forbidden Wires is activated. The assault forces surrounding Kamijou's house should be treating an empty house three hundred meters away as Kamijou's house and shifted their perimeter."

"Okay, then we can mess up Kami-yan's house without anyone looking nya."

Tsuchimikado casually said that as he stepped out. Misha and Kanzaki followed him, with only Kamijou left stunned.

The boy was stunned and rightfully so.

So were the parents.

(M-Mess up!?) Touya thought in worry.

Touya and Shiina were starting to have sneaking suspicions that this Tsuchimikado character had something to do with what happened to their house.

"..."

"..."

(Oh shit— they're looking at me...!) Tsuchimikado thought frantically, sweating profusely.

Kanzaki turned around and asked, "Let's go. Or do you intend to stay here and let us handle Hino?"

"Ah...oh..."

Kamijou replied and frantically followed Kanzaki, who was waiting for him. He chased up to Tsuchimikado's back. While running, he wondered, should I apologize to her for making her remember something this unpleasant?

Kanzaki's eyes rose ever so slightly.

(...No, she'll end up remembering that again.)

Since it was not a good memory, it was best not to make her remember. Kamijou shook his head. Kanzaki stared at Kamijou in a puzzled manner, and in order to avoid Kanzaki's gaze, Kamijou hastened his steps.

[ Scene End ]

Kanzaki's face softened as the screen went black.

She thought that Kamijou had stopped dwelling on the conversation he and Tsuchimikado had shared but apparently not. In fact, it seemed he was now even more conscious of it than before.

(Why show such kindness, Kamijou Touma. Our relationship was reset. To show consideration to one such as I— I don't deserve it.) She lamented.

She really thought that was the case.

"(But...)" She whispered. "(I still appreciate it...)"

...

Meanwhile, Shiina and Touya were both worried about a serial killer inside their house, and conversely— their son heading straight towards him.

"Oh Touma-san, why do you have to get involved in this…" Shiina said with a worried visage.

"I feel just the same as you honey, but don't you know by now? Touma's mind is all made up. He wants to help his friends." Touya replied, giving his wife a soft-hearted look.

You see, Touya also didn't want his son to go head-long into danger, but he's seen enough by now to know when Touma wouldn't just throw in the towel just because he thought it might not be safe.

Yes… he's seen enough.

Also, Touya is really kicking himself while imagining how Shiina will react to HIM also being in a spot of danger in this memory as well.

(I still don't know why yet but apparently, I come under suspect for some reason or another…)

So Touya also had that to worry about.

However, all he cared about was reassuring his wife that everything was okay, and that he and his son were going to be fine.

The man nodded resolutely.

(Right. When that times comes, I'll do exactly that. What kind of husband would I be if I can't even make my wife feel safe and secure?)

…

"Ahem! So! What did you think? It was funny right? Hehehe!" The Voice laughed.

Everyone just gave her blank looks.

"Oh, come on! Are you really telling me that our sassy, cocky Railgun here going full little sister mode wasn't hilarious?!"

"Fbuah!?" Mikoto suddenly let out.

Her face turned bright red in surprise. "Wha—!? D-Don't remind me of that! A-And it wasn't funny!"

"W-Well, it kinda was funny." Saten raised her hand with a wry smile.

"S-Saten, why!?" Mikoto looked like she experienced the ultimate betrayal.

"Being the little sister suits you, Onee-sama, Misaka says with a supporting tone, wishing you luck on your future endeavors." Imouto adds.

"M-My own little sister…? Wait! What do you mean, future endeavors!?"

And then sniffling could be heard from Shirai. "Onee-sama, I just want you to know that I'll accept any side you…!"

"Kuroko. Why are you crying…" Mikoto asked with a deadpan.

"Hm? That wasn't you, Misaka-san? Could have fooled me." Misaki's voice dripping with teasing intent entered the fray. "You were just so SMALL and CHILDISH that I couldn't really see a difference. Weird, isn't it?"

"Hey."

"Oh, you don't need to say anything Misaka-san. If you want to act like a grade-schooler, I have no right to judge. It's okay to be a late bloomer you know~" Misaki said with extra emphasis on a certain word.

And then to add insult to injury, she made a pose that looked like she was stretching her arm which made her chest bounce in place.

"Nice (thumps up)." From a distance, Aogami showed his gratitude— to which he was promptly punched in the face by Fukiyose.

"W-Well maybe—!" Mikoto finally spoke in retaliation.

There was no stopping this, was there?

"—I don't want unnecessary lumps of fat that make me look like an experienced bimbo…!"

"Ex—!" That caught Misaki off guard. "E-Experienced…!? W-What do you mean by that!?"

Imouto chose this time to jump in again. "Misaka read somewhere in a girl's magazine that guys are turned off by a girl who looks to have more experience than them… whatever that means." Imouto relays her sage counsel.

—Which also could be called 'Ten Things That A Boy Looks For In A Girl: Issue 5'.

"HAHAHAHA!" Mitsuari burst out laughing. "H-He's got you there, Miss Bee. Just imagine it, Kamijou-kun being too intimidated to speak with your mature self that with exudes such 'experience'— Ha ha ha ha!"

"B-But that's not true. I don't have experience— I've never even—!" Misaki suddenly stops her heated reply upon realizing what she was about to blurt out.

Everyone just gave her strained smiles of amusement.

"Oh-ho~? I wonder what she sees as experience~?" Lessar said with a grin. "Holding hands…? Kissing…? Or maybe… THAT…?"

At Lessar's verbal prompts, Misaki's face turned red.

"(Cough) N-Nevermind."

Then—

"…Muuu" Misaki made a sudden sound.

"…Sorry, Misaka… for making fun of you." Misaki said.

(Huh!?) Mikoto thought in shock.

She widened her eyes at the completely non-confrontational tone the blonde girl was using, and at the fact that the mocking '-san' had not been added at all.

"Uh, r-right. Um— No… problem." Mikoto didn't really know what else to say.

Misaki turned away, not letting the girl see her expression.

With that, Mikoto assumed they were done, even if she was still feeling an awkward air — which had never really happened before mind you — but she assumed it would pass.

.

..

…

…Until Misaki spoke again, barely above a whisper.

"(Y-You… You don't really think I look like I have experience, d-do I?)"

"Eh…!?"

It seems Misaki was more bothered by such a comment than she let on.

She gave Mikoto a nervous glance.

"O-Oh you're serious, well uh…" Mikoto waved her hands frantically in the air. "N-Not really. You do act mature sometimes, b-but I'm pretty sure most people can tell you've… um… r-r-respected yourself."

Mikoto really REALLY didn't know what she was saying anymore.

But it looks like Misaki got the gist of it as her cheeks took a red tint at the girl's words.

"O-Okay. Well good, t-thank you for telling me."

"Y-Yeah, sure."

"…"

"…"

(So awkward…!)

(So awkward…!)

…

"Um, hey… can I just jump back in here?" A Voice suddenly asked.

—Ah…—

Mikoto, Misaki and everyone else instantly froze in place.

They had totally forgotten about her!

"Wow okay, that hurts. I can totally read all your minds right now. Even without being able to do that it's obvious from your faces."

"S-Sorry Voice-san." Hokaze said, despite not being the cause of the previous escalating conversation at all.

"Don't apologize to me Hokaze-chan~. I saw how you were looking between Misaka and Shokuhou with nervous glances."

This caused said girls to look at Hokaze, making her nervous all of a sudden.

"O-Oh, I wasn't really, um— I-I just wanted…uuuuuuuuuuu…" Hokaze's eyes were darting all over the place in embarrassment.

"Hokaze-san, relax. It's okay." Misaki placed a hand on her shoulder.

"R-Right. Sorry."

"Anyway! Before I can be ignored any further, everyone get prepared for part two!"

And with that, the screen changed again.

[ Next Scene: Angel Fall — Part II ]

---

And that's it. That's it, that's it, that's it! Pencils down! Pass. The Test. FORWARD!

—Sorry, I just really like LongBeachGriffy.

Anyway, as much as that was a tease at the end there, you aren't getting part 2 so easily. Unless you wanted me to try to crank out another 80k words out of my ass.

"…"

…Please don't ask me to do that.

Sorry for the lack of music on this one; as it wasn't a very good chapter for specific music choices in my opinion. Doesn't really give me the urge to want to listen to one, you know?

Another thing. I'm sorry, but I won't be doing Kamijou-senpai for Shirai anymore. It just doesn't feel like she would be that familiar with him in that way, at least at the moment.

That goes for a lot of characters. I might ease up on the whole 'Kamijou is Jesus-kun' speal, just a bit. After a very very very very very VERY constructive review I got. (You know who you are) I decided to take a little of what he said into consideration.

Not that I encourage negotiating with terrorists. Wait, no! I'm not implying that anyone here causes terror to anyone besides this college author. Before anyone types me out some hate mail, just know that I appreciate anyone who tells me my story is bad, especially when they tell me exactly why it is.

So, thanks for that, Mr. Blunt and Honest. (Seriously, we're cool.)

Next thing.

Sorry if the Kanzaki and Tsuchimikado duo was overused in this chapter. Also, for the fact that I had them lay out subtle spoilers for the second part (regarding their suspicions of a certain someone's motives).

Oh!

I realized I've never explicitly said this until now, so here you go for those wondering:

Yes, I am planning on doing a PTSD Chapter for Kamijou. However, that can only happen AFTER Othinus gets her good ending. More interesting that way~.

Hope you enjoyed.

Please review.

Have a wonderful day.

—EPSILON