A Certain Infinite Possibility

by Darkbetrayer

An ancient organization has emerged from hiding in order to bring the world into darkness. Will Touma be able to stop them or will his actions make everything worse. Will Touma finally develop the harem he deserves? Magic and Science will collide in ways no one thought possible. Touma X Harem (Maybe, he is really dense.)

110. S5 The Lightning God

It took a little longer than I would have liked for this chapter. I wasn't feeling the best for a while and then when I improved, I started to really go all out. Overall, I was pleased how this chapter turned out. Obviously, those who have read the light novels understand this chapter is going to be kind of battle intensive based on the chapter title. Those who haven't probably think Thor is a little OP. My beta reader Hubb flinched a lot at this chapter. Many will understand shortly why that occurred. There are a few new characters and I hoped I portrayed them well enough. Also, yes, probability manipulation can easily be OP. I put some limits on it, but I haven't worked out the specifics in all scenarios yet. This chapter is leading to a couple things I have been looking forward to for a long time. I have to force myself not to rush to get to scenes I want to write and skip out on the flow of the story.

Primo104: I try to keep the characters the same, but they have different information based on the events in this story compared to canon.

Unbreakable Dark Yuri Eberwein: Jason hasn't done anything noticeable, yet. You can be sure those two will be watching more closely. They are not very trusting.

Bluejack222: Not sure what you mean? I listed his name in the chapter he showed up in.

Iceflame55: Yes, Thor gets to fight an army of enraged females. Though, it is Thor. He might actually be okay with that.

Inacio: Maybe. Vampire may show when she's needed. Probably older. No idea about best body. Depends who you ask. Suzuki is in high school. So around 16. Amelia wasn't really designed to be a repeating character, but maybe.

DivineDemonDragon: As long as Thro doesn't cut off Touma's hand, he will be fine.

vietnamese guy: I definitely did not forget her until recently. This was all planned.

Salishious: Snuggle-chan works for herself and does what she wants. Suzuki was mentioned…. in chapter five? So it has been a little bit. He might have, but I doubt Ricane is that stupid to allow that.

reality deviant: They didn't have a lot of proof. It's just Kihara is not a popular name.

ReyKingKaiser: People seem to like Thor.

Whwsms: Her character development is beginning to cement. A lot of stuff happened last chapter, didn't it?

Kuroppy: Well, I liked some of your stuff and would love to see you write more.

general ironox: Nah, Thor will never get a harem.

Phoenix 7.49: Heh, Thor may regret picking on Touma in the end.

Guest: You are not the only one who has pointed that out.

Guest: 1) Really? That's what you ask? Maybe Aisa's. 2) …someone else had a really good idea for probability manipulation I might use.

Tardis42: She watches a lot of anime.

Guest: There are limits. It's not like she's above a level 5. The details are still being worked out. The thing is, Othinus success rate is just to use her powers. She can rewrite reality. Suzuki admitted she can't make something that isn't possible, like making a gold ball out of nothing.

Sergio644: Touma vs Thor always seems to end the same way. It's interesting how Kazari doesn't believe Jason could do anything bad.

edinosaur25: Othinus showed up once already.

Guest: They all have different plans, but so far, they don't seem to be interfering with each other much. When they do, the other side takes action.

DEVIL ADITYA: Yep, guys are just cookie flavors.

Savaris: Remember, if Touma's bad luck doesn't take effect immediately, it builds up until the dam breaks. I know exactly when that scene will take place, and Jason's few fans will probably be unhappy. Of course, it may change depending how I feel. The Talk probably has set in motion one of the biggest changes ever in our poor misfortunate hero. Misaki is really the only one who could make the transition smooth. Mikoto could do it for some, but not all. It was important Touma had someone like her.

Guest00: Thor may get hit once… or twice. The ending might be a little surprising.

Agent Nine: The thing is, realistically, it is hard for Touma to defeat someone like Thor. Thor is a master of war and understands Touma's power is in his fist. The reason fights last so long is Thor plays around. Once he gets serious, Touma doesn't normally stand a chance.

Handsomistic1: We are currently in Season 5. So many possibly harem candidates.

Generation Zero: You wrote quite a bit. Heh, glad I'm out of college. Why do you think Suzuki was marked as unranked back in chapter five? There is a lot of uses for her and many sides would no doubt want her. Snuggle-chan is my favorite character, because she is literally the fan base of Index turned into a character. The thing is, Accelerator and Mugino don't have a lot to go on. Jason hasn't DONE anything to them they know of. He's actually helped them. The fact is it was only because of what his last name was, not that he changed it. Pacing is always a challenge. I don't want to go too fast, but I don't want to drag things on forever. No love for Index. Sogiita vs Thor does sound fun. I will think about that later. Fine, I'll bring Dark Matter back soon. Just because you asked. It wasn't planned before. People who take the time to give full length comments always deserve more. So many groups fighting for control.

FrodoFighter: You are lucky. I couldn't post this chapter until you commented. I almost think you don't like the head crab. Touma is actually considering a harem. He's grown up so fast. Any girl being nice to Touma means they like him. Touma didn't get her number. She got his. I wonder which part Snuggle-chan was joking about. Heh. Kazari stands by her man. It was kind of fun to write her being outgoing then. Kazari did say group, not Eve directly. I think she could arrest Accelerator but just getting Last Order to help. Jason can do nothing wrong. Kuroko did indeed build up an electrical resistance. Finally, someone who agrees. Thor is obviously a female who dresses up like a man because she fell in love with Othinus. Almighty isn't even god level. It's strong sure, but god power, nah. That's a good way of putting it, grinding.

Disclaimer: Random people do not own Toaru Majutsu no Index or any of the characters. Reading this story may cause you to burst out in laughter or start yelling at fictional characters. This may cause nearby people to assume you have gone crazy. Please read responsibly.

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Touma felt like he had been slapped in the face.

Thor, someone Touma had never met before or, as far as he knew, had done anything to, had knocked out one of his friends and threatened to kill her. For what? Just the thrill of a fight and to get stronger? Touma had a hard time wrapping his head around that logic. Sure, that sounded like a reason, but Thor didn't give the impression he was getting stronger for a reason. He was only gaining strength for the sake of having it. To Touma, strength was something people sought out because they had something to protect.

"Index," Touma said, not taking his eyes off Thor. "I need you to get out of here while I find out where Itsuwa is."

"But, Touma!" Index protested. "I can help and Itsuwa is my friend too."

"I'll take care of him and bring her back," Touma promised. "I'll be fine."

"No, you won't!" Index fumed. "You always do this! You leave me out of it and I never know if you are going to return safe and sound. Do you think I like finding out you're in the hospital from someone else? I'm not leaving until you win!"

Damn it, Index, Touma thought desperately, trying to think of an argument to get her to leave. "I would love your help, Index," Touma finally said to her. This was a mixture of truth and lie. He didn't want Index to risk her life against a magician, but a small part of him admitted her knowledge of magic would be useful. He knew nothing about Thor or his magic. If he was truly imitating the Norse god, Thor, all Touma know about that was from the movies and he did not see a hammer of any kind. "But he challenged me, it's a guy thing-..."

"I don't mind," Thor interjected. "It would be kind of unfair since I know about your power and you don't know about mine. The fight might get more interesting with her help. Plus, if she's in danger, you might show off your true power."

Damn it! Touma cursed mentally again. Part of him briefly considered Thor might have the ability to read minds, judging from the mocking expression on his face.

"See," Index pushed. "It's fine."

"Please…" Touma finally turned to face her and his words died out. Her eyes were narrowed in resolution, something he hadn't seen in a long time, plus he saw concern permeating her resolve. Index was scared for him, so she must be able to detect something about Thor that Touma could not. He took a deep breath and hated what he was about to do. Trying to convince Index to do anything else would be pointless and a waste of time. "Fine, but please, for me, stay back. If anything happens to you…" Touma couldn't finish his sentence.

"It won't," Index said. "Because I know you will protect me, but now is my chance to help protect you from his magic."

"You two finished?" Thor asked and placed his hands behind his head.

"Yeah," Touma confirmed and stepped forward. "Thanks for waiting."

"No problem," Thor said with a grin. "I've been waiting for this match for ages. A few minutes longer won't kill me." He started to stretch. "Sneak attacks aren't my style. I specialize in direct assaults. Besides, it's not like I can improve myself if I take down my opponents in a single blow by surprise." Touma frowned slightly at this. Thor seemed to be an honorable fighter. It was getting rather difficult for Touma to believe Thor actually did something to Itsuwa.

"Did you really attack Itsuwa?" Touma asked. "You really don't seem like that kind of person." For a brief moment, he believed Thor might have been lying in order to fight Touma. Of course, there was a strong chance that was indeed the case if Thor's personality was exactly like how he presented himself.

"Heh," Thor snickered and then grew serious. "You seem to be misunderstanding things, Kamijou-chan." Thor started walking forward confidently. "Confusing kindness with selfishness is a sure way to get someone killed. I couldn't care less about her or the girl behind you. I told you already. I am here to fight you. Everyone else at the most is just a means to that end. I don't try to involve innocent people, but the second it becomes necessary, I will kill them without a second thought." His grin grew dark and Touma's doubt vanished.

"Tell me where Itsuwa is!" Touma yelled and charged forward, as his right hand clenched into a fist. Thor's grin instantly became sincere.

"That's the expression I was looking for!" Thor charged forward and brought his own hand back. "Show me the power you used to defeat Fiamma of the Right and the first Adam!" Touma felt a flash of anger at how easily Thor was willing to pick a fight. He drew back his fist and aimed it right at Thor's face.

His hand passed through empty air as Thor ducked.

"Gah!" Touma gasped in pain as Thor's fist collided with his gut. He's good. That was the last thought that passed through Touma's mind before Thor grabbed Touma's hair and slammed Touma's head down into his knee. Touma almost blacked out from the pain, but adrenaline kept him conscious. Thor let go and Touma staged backwards, rubbing his face. His nose wasn't broken, but it still hurt. However, Thor gave him no quarter and swept Touma's legs out from under him. He collided against the ground with a thud.

"Touma!" Index yelled in panic.

"Stay back!" Touma gasped. He had no idea Thor was so strong and there was no indication Thor was even using magic.

"My," Thor mused, a combination of pity and irritation. "You sure have become pathetic." He delivered a kick into Touma's stomach, sending him flying backwards a couple feet. "Where's the pressure you put on people far stronger than me? Where's that determination to win to protect someone at any cost?" He shoved his hands into his pockets and stared at Touma with disgust. "Do you require friends to support you? Can you fight for yourself without being told what to do? People will die with such indecisiveness. Your friend is on the verge of death and you can't even take a fight to save her seriously. Are you becoming a villain?"

"Shut up!" Touma gasped and forced himself to stand up. His side hurt, but nothing seemed to be broken. "If you think kidnapping people is the right way to get stronger, I'm going to shatter that illusion of yours!"

"Your expression is good," Thor commented. "But your words are hollow. You doubt your ability to defeat me, don't you?" He leaned forward and grinned. "I'll confirm what you probably expect. I'm not even using magic, it's just basic fighting skills. Welcome to the warm up show." That information had been guessed by Touma, but his stomach still fell at the confirmation. "When I use my magic, you will know."

This is not good, Touma thought. He didn't like this guy, but he had to rescue Itsuwa. None of his friends were here to help out except Index and she would only be good at analyzing Thor's magic for him. The second he realized that, Thor's words suddenly made sense. He's right. I was told that people worried when I ran off by myself without asking for help and I think I've been unconsciously relying on my friends. I used to handle these kinds of problems by myself. Did I really become useless without them? After all, they are more talented than me. He blinked. It had been a long time since he thought of something that negative. No, that's not it. It's good to ask for help when you need to, but there are somethings people must do for themselves. I won't… I can't back down now. Not when someone's life is at risk.

"Silent treatment?" Thor asked. "Have you given up?" Thor suddenly looked bored. "This was a waste of time. I barely tapped you and already fell apart." He sighed. "Guess I'll just kill you and go home. Sucks for that girl though, I'm not going to bother with her." He blinked and turned to Index. "Maybe you just need more motivation." Index took a step back. "If I kill her in front of you, will you show me your power? If so, that's a pretty evil source of strength you have. Sounds like something Adam would do. Does that make me the good guy? Should I lecture you in order to change your ways?"

"…Shut up!" Touma's voice seemed to rise from the depths of the earth. His strength was so great, Thor grew silent. "How can someone like you, who is willing to attack innocent people just to get someone to fight, possibly be lecturing me on anything!? Not even The Fallen's plan was this bad! Sure, they involved innocent people but they didn't deliberately target them! Most of the time, it was accidental or they just used area effects. Either way, it was still unacceptable, but you are in another league of your own! People like you make me sick. If I have to knock some sense into you with my first, I will!" Index's worry faded away and her expression softened. This was the Touma who would fight the world for a single person. The boy who vowed to protect her when she was at her lowest.

"Yes!" Thor suddenly looked ecstatic. "That expression, that tone, the pressure you are emitting… now I know you are ready. This is what I came for." He flexed his arms out to his side. "It's time for me to get serious."

"Thor! Why haven't you finished yet?!"

The atmosphere was broken in an instant.

Touma, Index, and Thor turned to see a lone swarthy young girl walk out from behind a building. Her outfit was unusual, even by Academy City standards. She only had a pair of blue overalls on her bare skin and did not appear to be wearing any undergarments. The pockets bulged slightly, indicating she had items hidden in her outfit. Her long silver hair was braided, ears pierced with large gold circular earrings, and she wore glasses. The only other clothes she had was a pair of brown gloves. On her overalls there was some kind of crest that resembled a gold serpent. She didn't seem to be embarrassed at all by her outfit now concerned about the fight between Thor and Touma. In fact, her presence indicated she could easily take care of herself.

"Seriously?!" Thor asked in disbelief. "You chose now to show up? I just got him in the mood and you ruined it all!" He blinked and realized something more important. "Why are you even here, Marian?"

"To keep an eye on you," Marian replied and her eyes darted toward Touma. She scoffed. "At his level, you should have finished him in a moment."

"You just don't understand the importance of a good fight," Thor refuted. "I was trying to awaken the warrior within him."

"By attacking and kidnapping an innocent girl!" Touma snapped and looked at the girl. "Are you his friend?" She scoffed again.

"No," Marian replied and faced him. "I find that rather insulting…"

"Hey!" Thor protested, but he grinned all the same.

"…We are coworkers," Marian continued nothing more. "Nothing more."

"Do you help him attack uninvolved people?" Touma asked. His question had two parts. If she did, Touma would have to stop her too, otherwise more people would be hurt. He had no idea which organization they belonged to, but that didn't matter. If someone was going to get hurt, he would do whatever he could. If the girl did not condone Thor's action, he might be able to get her to help convince Thor to give up Itsuwa's location.

"No," Marian answered again. "But as far as I know, he hasn't involved any innocent people."

"Did you not hear our-…?!" Touma fumed and Thor's laughter cut him off. Marian continued, ignoring her companion.

"She's hardly innocent," Marian elaborated. "She drew her weapon against Thor first. Besides, even if she didn't, the fact was Thor was targeting you and your personality inevitably lead to the situation." She shrugged. "You should realize anyone you get close to could become a target." Touma stared at her in shock.

"Time to be honest with you, Kamijou-chan," Thor answered. "That girl is Marian Slingeneyer. While we try to avoid getting unrelated people involved, she has a bit of a sadistic side. If you have the choice of being her prisoner or dying, I would suggest dying."

"Shut up, you fucker," snapped Marian. "Just hurry up and kill him already. There's some new cellphones I want to check out to replace my old one. Academy City has some really advanced ones."

"You just don't appreciate the art of war," Thor sighed and turned back to Touma. "Sorry for the interruption, where were we?"

"You were about to regret kidnapping Itsuwa," Touma said through clenched teeth. The conversation between Thor and Marian ticked him off. Both of them didn't seem to treat life that valuably.

"Riiiight," Thor said sarcastically. "Hey!" Touma froze as Thor remembered something. "Wasn't one of your friends able to control electricity? A girl by the name of… Misaka? Pretty sure that was her name."

"What about her?" Touma asked cautiously. Warning bells went off in his head at the thought of Thor going after another one of his friends.

"I just realized you might be used to this then."

It came in a horizontal strike.

A bluish-white beam of light grew to about the size of a sword from the tip of Thor's finger and came down directly between Touma's shoulder and neck. The beam expanded explosively and the scattered light melted part of the asphalt between them like it was ice. It was an electric arc that could slice through a metal plate over ten centimeters thick like it was paper. However, all it took was the sound of breaking glass for the electricity to vanish. Touma glared at Thor and lowered his arm.

"This isn't the first time I've seen surprise electrical attacks," Touma said clearly. "You're going to have to do better than that." Silently, he thanks Mikoto for all those random attacks on the streets long ago before they started to get close. His danger sense had risen to new heights and was probably responsible for preventing countless close calls.

"I plan to!" Thor replied and another bluish-white beam started to appear at Thor's fingertips. Touma dashed forward and grabbed Thor's wrist before the arc blade could fully form. Thanks to Thor getting physical a few moments earlier, Touma was actually able to reach him in time. The electricity disappeared with a familiar shatter, something that used to frustrate Mikoto oh so many times. This was the first time Thor actually had his magic negated at close range and he was distracted for a split-second. That was all it took. The anger at Thor for hurting Itsuwa rose up in Touma and he brought his knee straight into Thor's gut.

"Gah!" Thor stumbled backwards, as Touma let him go, and clutched his stomach.

"Is this serious enough, you bastard?!" Touma yelled.

"Yes!" Touma blinked in shock at Thor's declaration and it was his turn to be temporarily stunned. Thor seized the opportunity to charge forward and grab Touma by the collar. Touma felt his feet leave the ground as Thor lifted him up into the air. With one quick motion, Thor brought Touma down onto the ground with a thud. Touma's vision flickered for an instant and then retaliated with a kick to Thor's ankles. Thor slipped and fell down and the two began to struggle to get an upper hand. Index and Marian could only stare as the two boys turned a fight into a wrestling match.

"Idiots," Marian sighed. "All of them."

"Go, Touma!" Index cheered.

While the fight to an outsider might have looked like a simple schoolyard brawl, the two combatants knew the seriousness of what was happening. Both of them were trying to get on top to prevent the other one from moving, while they positioned themselves to attack the other. Of course, Touma was at a disadvantage. He had to constantly strike Thor with his right hand to prevent those electric arc blades from forming. During the scuffle, there had been several near misses. If the blades didn't give off a powerful light, Touma might have missed it. One blade actually struck the ground next to him and he heard a hiss as the asphalt melted and bubbled. While they struggled, both of them kept trading blow after blow. Without the momentum behind them, none of the punches did much damage, but they still hurt. Thor had just positioned himself up top and prepared to mercilessly strike Touma's face, when Touma suddenly raised his leg.

In his defense, it was an accident.

But Touma did not regret it or deny the results.

Touma's knee went straight up between Thor's. Time seemed to slow down as Thor and Touma realized what happened. Marian actually winced slightly and then snickered. Index tilted her head in confusion at the fight's sudden stop. The pain suddenly set in and Thor let out an involuntary gasp. He rolled off Touma, who took the opportunity to spring up on his feet. Thor seemed to recover unnaturally fast and stumbled up himself.

"Not bad," Thor panted. "I didn't expect you to resort to underhanded tactics. Consider me impressed."

"I'll do whatever it takes to protect someone," Touma replied, a lot more confident then he felt. He didn't want to admit out loud it was a complete accident. There was also something else on his mind that prevented him from letting his guard down. Thor had only showed the electric arc blades. Previous experience with magicians told Touma they always had more than one trick up their sleeve. Thor fighting on the level of a normal person was also suspicious. There was surely spells to increase physical strength if needed, but Thor wasn't using any of it. Maybe he thinks they would just get negated because of my hand, but I have a feeling there is something more.

"Heh," Thor laughed and then cover his face with his hand. "Simple Arc Fusion Blades could take down so many people, but they are useless against you."

"Are you giving up?" Touma asked hopefully.

"No." It was only one word, but Touma felt goosebumps. "I'm going to be serious now. Marian!" He turned to his companion. "I need Mjölnir!"

"Why?" Marian asked. "Weren't you going to beat him by yourself? My presence was an unwelcomed surprise."

"True," admitted Thor. "But since you're here, might as well show off my true strength. He's prepared to go at this with his life on the line. I should oblige and do the same."

"Maybe I should withhold her so you learn a lesson," Marian replied and crossed her arms.

"Didn't you want me to hurry up?" Thor pushed. "This would speed up the fight considerably."

"You should be able to finish this fight without her," Marian sighed. "But that is a valid point."

"Touma!" Index cried out. "If he is really basing his magic on the Norse God Thor, you can't let him wield the hammer, Mjölnir."

"What's it do?" Touma asked, rounding on her.

"It allowed Thor to control the power of lightning," Index answered quickly. "Since he can already use lightning based magic, Mjölnir would most likely give him a huge boost in power."

Shit! The thought ran through his mind as he changed at Thor. The conversation between Thor and Marian had thrown him for a loop, but Index was right. Standing still and letting an enemy gather their power was a stupid move, something Touma had taken advantage countless times. Now he was on the other side of the fence. Thor looked mildly impressed at Touma's quick decision and created another arc blade. Instead of using it as a direct attack, something Touma was expecting and had raised his hand in response, Thor struck the ground. The blade exploded when it was halfway in the ground. Chunks of debris pelted Touma from the force and he was forced to cover his face with his arms. The attack had stopped him and even pushed him back slightly. Small scraps and cuts pelted his arms. Damn, he's already figured out how to keep me from reaching him.

"Fine," Marian sighed. "Might as well," she turned around and started to walk toward the street she had arrived from. "Let me get some distance. I don't want to be caught up in your stupidity."

"Probably for the best," Thor chuckled. "I want to let loose."

"Come on out," Marian called out and something began making a faint banging sound. Out of the street, emerged what looked like a cylindrical piece of stone with a diameter of 55 centimeters and the height of about a meter. It started shaking and Marian nodded. "Yeah, go ahead and lend him your power. You know him, once he chooses an opponent, he won't think of anything else."

"That's a hammer?" Touma asked surprised, as he rubbed his scraped arms. Index was staring at it intently.

"Mjölnir has many forms," scoffed Marian. "Thor, the Norse god not this idiot, does not only rule over thunder but that of agriculture, weather, and terrain. Mjölnir's form symbolized his power as the convenient tool that could be used for many different tasks, like a magic wand if you want it put crudely. I took special care into crafting her."

"You keep saying her," Index muttered and Touma glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. Index's eyes widened and her mouth fell open. "You made Mjölnir out of a person!" she gasped and now Touma felt his own mouth fell open. He turned to Marian for confirmation.

"I did."

"How could you do something like that!?" Touma yelled in anger.

"It was entirely voluntary," Marian pointed out and Mjölnir seemed to shake in agreement. "She is not only a magician in our organization but a spiritual tool that can be used for anything. She's quite special. It wouldn't be unheard of for the entire magic side to fight over her." Mjölnir shook slightly in what could be considered happiness at the praise.

"How would you even do that?" Index asked. "Sure, the theory is sound, but to actually craft something like Mjölnir out of a person…" She trailed off.

"I'm a Dvergr," Marian answered.

"A what?" Touma asked confused.

"You might be more familiar with the term, dwarf," Index said quickly.

"Dwarf?" Touma muttered out loud. "Like those short hairy guys' from movies?"

"Wow," Marian said and Mjölnir shook angrily. "That's racist."

"Didn't think he was such a bad guy," Thor added. "Now I don't feel bad for killing him."

"I'm not racist!" Touma yelled defensively. He calmed down and turned to Index. "Dwarf?"

"Dvergr is a term used to refer to diminutive humanoid beings of Norse mythology," Index explained and looked curiously at Marian. "Their skill in metallurgy is legendary and they created all sorts of metals unknown to Nordic Cultures. So good was their works, that it was said they crafted the gods themselves weapons." She tilted her head. "Many people believe Dvergrs were just a different race of humans, rather than a different group entirely. I didn't realize there were any left in existence."

"I'm pretty much the last one," Marian said and her lips tightened at her words. Mjölnir shook vigorously and Marian glanced over. "Go ahead, Thor."

"Mjölnir… Perform final connection check. Once it is done, begin supply."

As soon as Thor muttered those words, the color of his eyes changed. His hair and fingertips began to emit a pale bluish-white light. It looked like St. Elmo's fire floating around a ship's mast during a storm at sea. The air changed and Touma instinctively took a step back. His body warned him about the danger of the power Thor had just received. Mjölnir was glowing slightly in the same color, but otherwise looked normal. Touma raised his hand to prepare himself for whatever Thor was about to do.

Something Index and Touma didn't know was Thor was the leader of direct combat in their group. Marian provided support from behind the scenes with equipment and weapons, while Mjölnir was a generator that was overly attached to Marian. If they sensed a moderate threat, the proper course of action would be for Marian and Mjölnir to monitor things from a distance, while Thor headed out to engage the enemy in combat. The fact Marian and Mjölnir where not hidden simply implied they did not see Touma, Index, or even Academy City as a threat to what they were doing.

"I don't believe it," Index gasped. "He actually is wielding the Lightning God Thor's magic."

"What's that mean?" Touma asked, not taking his eyes off Thor.

"It means," Thor elaborated. "You are royally fucked." He gently waved his hand, like batting away a fly. Beams of light similar to his earlier arc fusion blades instantly formed from his fingertips.

Only this time, they were ten meters long.

Touma's eyes widened as Thor brought his hand down. Index was out of the line of fire, but Touma couldn't block all five blades at once. Instead of trying to block the blades, he dove to the side to avoid them. Index had tried to yell something to him, but the explosive sound of air being roasted blocked her words. The ground where Touma had been standing was torn up in an instant. Asphalt was thrown into the air and all over the street, crashing into nearby buildings, shattering glass, and knocking down light poles and benches. Touma stood up and took in the destruction caused by Thor. There was enough firepower to level a building with just the simple gesture of waving.

"Like it?" Thor asked. "And that was just a fragment of my power. I hope this fight doesn't end too quickly." He raised his hand again. "I'm going to slowly increase my power as the fight goes on. Hopefully, you will last to the end and I can enjoy this." This entire fight was just an experiment to see how far Touma could push him. Thor was banking on the fact that because Touma could stand up to Fiamma and Adam in a single day, he would provide another stepping stone for Thor to reach an even greater height. He was fighting for his own reasons. Marian was just there to make sure the situation didn't get out of hand.

"I'm fighting for Itsuwa's sake," Touma growled back. "I could care less about fighting you to grow stronger. But if you put someone's life in danger, I'll be your enemy."

"You have an excellent look in your eye," Thor commented. "That is the look my enemy needs. A kind of fight that will be satisfying, no matter who wins in the end is now a real possibility."

"There are plenty of people stronger than me," Touma refuted.

"I can think of a few people who are stronger than me," Thor said. "But fighting them could destroy an entire city or a country. That would leave a bad taste in my mouth. There are certain requirements I'm looking for." His words continued to confuse Touma. Thor was fighting to gain power, but seemed to have restrictions on how he went about doing so. If it wasn't for Itsuwa being captured and possibly hurt, which Touma again began to doubt might be the case, he might have considered Thor a pretty good guy. However, Itsuwa's life could be at risk and that was something unacceptable. "Show me the extraordinary part of yourself that made even Othinus take note!"

Thor shot arc fusion blades out of both of his hands and the ten beams of light spread out like wings.

Touma felt the great gusts of wind form by the sudden expansion of ten meter long arc blades. The hairs all over his body stood on end from the electricity in the air. Great, Touma thought. It's like an angry male Biribiri is standing in front of me.

Across the city, Mikoto suddenly felt the urge to shock Touma.

Thor casually swept his right hand horizontally. A trashcan and pole in the way of the arc blades were sliced into paper scraps without any sort of resistances. The air hissed from the super condensed electricity. Touma couldn't spend any time worrying about collateral damage. As his life was in jeopardy, he blocked out all external distractions except for what related to the battle. Instead of running from the approaching blades, like a normal person would do, he did the opposite. Thor's eyes widened slightly in surprise as Touma bolted toward the oncoming blades. This wasn't a suicidal strategy though. At the last second, Touma leaned back and slid under the arc blades while lifting his hand up to negate the bottom most one. It was only supposed to be a test to determine how fast his hand would negate the attack and if there was some secret spot that should be a priority to focus on.

It was a test Touma was glad he attempted.

The familiar sound of glass went off, but the blade did not disappear. Instead, Touma felt what could only be described as a brick wall. His fingers were pushed back by a sturdy wall of force and, if Touma had not bent his hand, his fingers might have been pushed back far enough to break. Touma slid to a stop and tried to figure out what to do. My hand can't negate the blade. The power is too great… no, Mikoto's Railgun is like that and I can negate it. His eyes fell onto Mjölnir in the distance. He said he connected to it and Index said Mjölnir gave the Norse God Thor the power over lightning, so it has to be feeding him a continuous source of power, like Stiyl's Innocentius. That means I should go after the source. He eyed Marian and saw she was watching him closely. Shit, she knows that's what I'm planning to do. His eyes then darted toward Index, who was mouthing wordlessly. She's trying something, good. I could use any help available.

"That surprised me," Thor said, sounding impressed. "I was only planning to use the first strike to gauge your strength, but to actually dodge it by running towards the blades, I like it." The arc blades disappeared and then reappeared instantly after Thor got his hand back in position. "I want to see if you can keep doing it!"

He swung his right hand again in the same manner.

Touma didn't see any difference in the attack. The arc blades swung horizontally and Touma had the same opening. Every instinct warned him it was a trap, but it was the only opening without trying to take those blades on directly with brute force. Based on the previous contact, his hand would not negate them. There was no other good option at this time. He started to duck with Thor brought down his left hand in a vertical motion. Touma quickly eyed all the arc fusion blades coming at him horizontally and vertically. The horizontal ones he could still dodge by ducking, but the vertical ones would definitely connect.

"Did you think I would keep using the same boring tricks?!" asked Thor, excitement etched onto his face. "Adaption is a key point to any fight!"

"Shut up!" Touma yelled, annoyed at the distraction. There was only one choice and Touma brought his fist up against the vertical arc blades. The second he made contact, the force flooded into his wrist and it felt like his bones were about to break. Pain shot through his hand like someone was branding it. The blades did not disappear because of the continuous flow of power from Mjölnir and because it seemed to surpass the speed of his negation. Touma gritted his teeth as he fought through the pain and then heard an explosion.

"Amazing!" Thor yelled and Touma looked up to see Thor above him. Once the horizontal arc fusion blades were no longer capable of hitting Touma from Thor's position, he released them and then jumped into the air when Touma became preoccupied with the vertical ones. Using a quick expansion of the arc fusion blades, Thor was able to propel himself into the air before conjuring more blades in his right hand. Instead of bringing it down at Touma in a vertical fashion, he made a sweeping motion. The blades expanded into the ground and exploded, pelting Touma with a barrage of asphalt and concrete. Touma jumped back to minimize the damage, but he noticed something while doing so.

Thor's not dodging. The explosions caused by the arc fusion blades sent debris everywhere, including into the air. Thor seemed to be ignoring the dirt and dust hitting him. Instead, he spun around in the air and brought down another vertical strike at Touma. Touma was already off balance due to jumping back and was unable to dodge. He once again raised his fist against the oncoming arc blades. GAH! The pain resonated through his hand again, but the blades were at least stopped. Touma was pushed backwards by the force for a moment and then the electricity disappeared. Touma was panting and staring at Thor, who landed on his feet without issue.

"Range won't work, huh?" Thor muttered, but the grin on his face was showing a great amount of joy. "Let's try this." Thor charged straight towards Kamijou with his ten arc fusion blades at the ready.

"Damnit!" Touma yelled. Thor was fast, not superhuman, but faster than Touma was. If Touma tried to stop one side of the arc fusion blades, he wouldn't be able to move, which would lead him vulnerable to the ones on Thor's other hand. The blades were too large for Touma to be able to retreat without being stabbed in the back. That left one option. Touma charged too. There was a chance, microscopic though it may be, but there was a chance he could go between them. The arc fusion blades were like fans with gaps between them and attached to Thor's fingers. The closer Touma got to Thor the less space there was between each blade, but there was an opening between Thor's right and left side Touma might be able to take advantage of. He realized his mistake when Thor grinned and began to clap his hands together. Fuck! It was a trap!

What happened next, no one expected.

The blades passed through thin air.

Thor's eyes widened as Touma dived face first onto the ground. Dived might have been the wrong word and fell would be better because Touma did not plan that. He was too focused on the arc fusion blades that a simple piece of debris was overlooked. Touma stepped on it and slipped, causing him to fall forward. As this wasn't a dodge, Thor didn't correct the path of his attack. Touma's reflexes instead reacted and he caught himself with his left hand before his face smacked against the pavement. He could smell the tips of his hair burning as the arc fusion blades passed over his head. A single opportunity opened up and Touma took it. He pushed himself up with his hands while simultaneously pushing himself forward with his legs. His right hand balled up into a fist and brought it up towards Thor's face.

The uppercut was delivered straight into Thor's jaw, which lifted him up a foot in the air.

"Got you-…!" Touma tried to say, but was cut off as more arc blades formed from Thor's left hand. Touma was forced to divert his attention and block them with his right hand a moment before he was sliced into bits. Again, his hand began to feel like it was on fire from the strain of blocking a virtual moving wall. The arc blade counterattack had one additional benefit for Thor, besides allowing Touma to pummel him. The force sent him flying back, as there was nothing to brace against nor did he use the arc blades as boosters, so he could land about twenty meters away.

"That was close," Thor gasped and rubbed his jaw. "A unique way of dodging, but there was no doubt it was effective." Touma didn't have the heart to tell him it was accidental. There was also the chance if Thor knew it was accidental, he might grow angry. It was best to make him believe Touma had done that on purpose. "But you should be careful. It only takes one attack to connect to end this fight." He suddenly looked ecstatic. "Ah, teetering on the precipice of life and death. What could be more fun than that?!"

"You're insane," Touma growled, as he messaged his wrist.

"Wish Thor would just hurry up," Marian growled to Mjölnir. "But I suppose that's how he is." Mjölnir rattled and Marian nodded. "Yep, battle crazed idiot. Can't deny it's not useful at times."

"Why is the connection so difficult to decipher," Index muttered. "Could it be some Dvergr technique? Mana is being created in Mjölnir's body, so let's start there and break down the rest." She was working as fast as she could, but Dvergr techniques were relatively unknown, even to her. She had a few scraps of knowledge and was trying to piece them together in order to help Touma. She could tell he was having a difficult time and she was not going to be on the sidelines. Rather than attacking the blades directly, stopping the source was a more foolproof plan. Blades could just be reformed.

"Life's more fun if you are a little crazy," Thor laughed. "Though, if that's your strength, I'm kind of surprised Fiamma lost to you. And Adam. I don't like to overestimate people, but you have to be stronger than this." Before Touma could respond, he heard something weird. It was like cracks were spreading apart plastic. Thor was flexing his fingers and Touma was able to pinpoint the sound to them.

"What was that?" Touma asked and for a second, Thor's smirk slipped.

"Just cracking my joints," Thor answered nonchalantly. "Is it weird to be able to crack your knuckles? I find it soothing."

"That was a lot more than just cracking your knuckles," Touma stated and tried to read Thor's expression. "Unless… your magic has a downside." This time there was a noticeable change in Thor's demeanor. His smirk faded and his eyes flashed.

"You sure are perceptive," Thor stated.

"His attacks were designed to cut," Index called out, which caused Touma and Thor to glance at her. "If they are unable to, he receives the backlash. Most likely equal to the force that stopped him. Each time you punched those attacks, Touma. It was like you punched his fingers." Her eyes fell onto where Touma was messaging his wrist. "And it looks like you are receiving the brunt of the attack as well."

"I feel slightly better knowing he is taking some damage," sighed Touma, though the prospect of winning was still far on the horizon. There was no telling how much damage Thor could withstand. "He probably has some strengthen magic to reduce the backlash at least since he's so experienced-…."

"He doesn't," Index interrupted.

"What?!" Touma stared at her with his mouth open.

"He has no body strengthen magic," Index elaborated. "And his body is just like a normal person's."

"Hah!" Thor let out a short laugh. "Well, guess there's no hiding it now, Kamijou-chan. I told you before, I'm not a special-made person with ridiculous powers like a Saint or one of your level 5s in this city. I'm just a normal magician. If I want to grow stronger, I have to push myself." He flexed his fingers again. "A little pain in my hands is a small price to pay." His attacks were like swinging a metal bat at ridiculous speeds he couldn't control. If the bat could pass through the material without issue, there wasn't a backlash. But if it hit say, a concrete wall, the sudden stop would send ripples of force back at the batter.

"So now you know." He shrugged. "This could be an endurance battle if you aren't careful."

Thor's words were clear.

If Touma could avoid any attack hitting the rest of his body, the battle could indeed be decided by endurance. The person whose body gave out first would lose, Touma's wrist or Thor's fingers. Still, this wasn't quite a silver lining as Touma would have hoped. He was still at a disadvantaged.

The endurance battle could go either way, but that implied Touma could keep dodging the arc fusion blades.

He was still at a severe disadvantage.

The realization did not escape Thor. He held out his hands and formed the arc fusion blades on both sides. Again, the appearance of an angel appeared, though no peace could be associate with it. It was an angel of war. The air grew cold.

"Show me that determination you had against Adam!" Thor roared out suddenly and brought down his arc fusion blades in a vertical strike. Touma reacted instantaneously and brought his fist up. The force rippled through his wrist once again, but he gritted his teeth and did not allow any sound to escape his lips. This time, he noticed the uncomfortable expression on Thor's face for a moment.

He definitely feels the pain, Touma thought and ducked under a horizontal strike from Thor's other hand. Damn it, I can't get close and I don't really want to make this an endurance battle. In the best case scenario, punching Thor until he was unconscious would be the preferred choice. As he was a normal person, a couple well aimed blows would do the trick. The problem to this plan was Thor's reaction speed and the arc fusion blades that could dice up any part of Touma's body besides his right hand. The closer he got to Thor, the more vulnerable Touma's sides were. He could not rely on a lucky opening again.

Touma had no choice but to rely on the stamina battle.

He gritted his teeth and this time he went off the offensive. He swung his first forward with all his might and collided against the blades. The pain was growing with each blow, but there was a noticeable effect on Thor too. The blades didn't flicker, but they did move slightly. Touma's eyes flickered to the reason. It wasn't because the Imagine Breaker was adapting to the power of Thor's attacks, but the fact Thor's arm had moved. This was the first time Touma actually attacks the arc fusion blades. Every previous time his hand and the blades clashed, Touma had merely defended himself. Now that he attacked, Thor received the brunt of Touma's punch. The force moved passed Thor's fingers and into his wrist, which caused it to jerk slightly. Since the arc fusion blades originated from his hand, that is what caused them to move.

Again and again Touma exchanged blows with Thor. The fight from a distance seemed to be pretty simple. Thor was continuously bringing down his blades at Touma, who was either blocking them or striking them back. Touma was unable to close the distance and Thor kept slowing increasing the length of his blades. They were now closer to twenty meters and Touma was stuck at the halfway point. Ten meters was a hell of a distance to transverse when the arc fusion blades threatened him from all sides. It would seem Touma was going to lose, but the truth was far more complicated.

It was true Touma couldn't get near Thor, not for a lack of trying. The danger areas only increased the closer they got. Instead, Touma focused on something else. He wasn't merely defending, he was actually attacking. Punching the blades was, on the surface, a defensive strategy. In reality, Touma was actually planning each strike. Kamijou kept in mind what would cause the most damage to Thor's wrist. If hitting the blade on the side was more effective, he would do that. If a straight punch was needed, that was his response. If the blades struck each other and lost a bit of their momentum, Touma used that opportunity to attack them. Thor wasn't changing his strategy and just keeping Touma at bay.

"Just like that!" Thor yelled out happily. "Let's push each other to our limits and beyond!"

The process repeated again and again.

An ominous creaking sound came from within Kamijou's body.

The same thing was happening in Thor's body as well.

Both sides were slowly giving up the subtle tricks and devolving into a straight on brute force battle. Endurance was important in their fight, but the battle would be settled by something more. Pain was being amplified with each strike to both parties. They were fighting at their limits because as soon as one of their wrists gave out, they would lose. It didn't matter how well they pushed each other up to that point. If Thor's wrists failed him, he couldn't use the arc blades. If Touma's wrist failed him, he could block the attacks. A simple barbaric fight was taking place between the two boys.

A fight neither believed they could lose.

Touma suddenly felt his hand grow numb after the last strike and he looked down at his wrist. There was an oddly discolored bruise around it, which caused Touma to stop for a moment. Shit! Touma understood his wrist could not take another strike and stay useful. In fact, he probably shouldn't use it again or risk it snapping. Of course, Touma would be willing to risk that in a heartbeat if it meant saving Itsuwa. The problem was, Thor still seemed capable of continuing. The blades around Thor vanished and he tilted his head slightly, as he glanced at Touma's wrist.

He burst out in maniacal laughter.

"Now this is exciting," Thor said, after he calmed down. "A normal person wouldn't be able to continue, but I don't believe that. You would be able to block another blow." He grinned. "Well, that's what I would have originally believed." He held up his hands above him. "Even if your bones snap, you would continue to fight. The Imagine Breaker won't vanish just because of a broken bone. Even if the pain you experienced would kill a normal person, you would stand up. I can see it in your eyes." Thor's grinned widened. "This is the kind of battle I love. The kind that makes your blood rush. While you still have your strength, let's put it to the test." Arc fusion blades shot up high into the air, far larger than any of the previous ones.

They easily reached one thousand meters into the sky.

"What the-…!" Touma gasped as he stared up at the size of the attack. If Thor dropped those blades, the entire street would be decimated, not counting all the buildings in its path.

"We can make this the finale!" Thor roared and brought his hands down.

Touma could do nothing but raise his hand one last time.

If was his hope he could block it before the blades cause too much damage and reach Index who was in the line of fire.

Anger roared to life at the thought of her being injured because of a battle maniac like Thor. Touma was going to stop the blow even if it killed him.

"SVTCNNTD! (Sever the connection of thunder!)"

The thousand meters arc fusion blades flickered and disappeared a few seconds before they collided with Touma.

"What?!" Thor gasped, as he felt the power of the Lightning God Thor vanish. He blinked and tried to figure out what happened. That moment of hesitation just about sealed his fate.

Touma never stopped to debate what had happened. The second the arc blades had flickered, his body began to run forward. He knew of Index's ability to interfere with magic and he placed his trust on her when she spoke. The moment she created to give him a chance of victory was not going to be squandered. His feet began moving at full speed. Gritting his teeth, with the understanding of the pain he was about to feel, Touma brought his fist back and delivered it directly at Thor's face. Thor's experience in battle didn't fail him. He raised his left hand and blocked the blow from Touma.

Two decisive cracks rang out.

AHHHH! Touma screamed internally as he staggered backwards. His right wrist was on fire and he couldn't move his fingers. The wrist had been dislocated after that final hit. However, he forced his eyes up toward Thor and refused to pass out. Thor's wrist was broken and his other hand wasn't in much better condition. "It's… over," Touma gasped. Thor responded by extending his right hand and tried to create the arc fusion blades.

"It seems I was caught in her plan," Thor commented and eyed Index for a second. "I truly cannot feel the power of the Lightning God."

"How is that possible?" Marian asked in shock, mostly to Mjölnir. "Run a full system check and try to reconnect." Mjölnir responded by shaking violently followed by a rattling sound. It stopped and fell silent, before making a single dull thud. "Seriously? What did that girl do?" Marian frowned and glared at Index. To actually disconnect Mjölnir from Thor forcefully? There's no way she has knowledge of Dvergr craft. If she did, she might have tried to take over Mjölnir forcefully and cause her power to overrun in Thor. Othinus should be aware. She did say not kill the Index Librorum Prohibitorum.

"You won't be able to connect to Mjölnir," Index added. "And the forceful disconnect disabled your ability to use your original lightning powers too." She suddenly looked worried and turned to Touma. "Are you okay, Touma?"

"I'm fine," Touma lied and focused on Thor. His right hand may be useless, but that didn't mean he couldn't fight. He had his left hand, his right and left legs, and the rest of his body. "What will you do now, Thor? Will you surrender and give up Itsuwa's location?"

"No." Touma blinked at Thor's response. "We will continue."

"What do you mean!?" Touma demanded angrily. "I did what you wanted and fought you with everything! Both of us aren't in any shape to continue this stupid fight!"

"We need to finish this," Thor continued. "A tie won't be acceptable like this. A fight this amazing requires a proper conclusion."

"I figured as much," Touma said softly. "But I was hoping it wouldn't come to this." He clenched his left hand in a fist. He would continue to fight, to save Itsuwa and try to teach Thor a fight like this was pointless. "Without those blades of yours. Can you still fight?"

"…Sorry, Kamijou-chan."

Every warning bell in Touma went off at once. Every instinct told him Thro was about to do something insane. All he was obviously doing was muttering, but Touma had enough experiences with magicians to know what that meant. His right hand couldn't move, but he could still block attacks, even if it meant never having full control of his hand again. Knowing all this, Touma still charged. Every fiber in his being was hoping he could stop Thor before whatever he was doing could be completed. Touma gritted his teeth and pulled back his left fist as he closed in on Thor.

"I am more than a mere lighting god." Touma never had a chance to understand Thor's words. Thor somehow attacked first and Touma felt a fist collided into the side of his head. Touma was knocked down and his head hit the pavement. "Index-chan stopped the lightning god, but she didn't plan for the almighty."

"Give…back…Itsuwa…," Touma growled as his hazy mind began to fade.

"You entertain me to the end," Thor said to him. "So relax and have a nice nap. She will be fine…." Touma's mind finally faded and blackness took over.

---

"TOOOUUUMMMAAA!"

The cry of Index rang down the street as Index bolted to Touma. She knelt down next to him and saw that he was breathing. She sighed in relief before standing up and glaring at Thor. Her arms widened as if she was trying to block Touma from Thor's gaze.

"Quit picking on Touma! Tell me where Itsuwa is and leave us alone!"

"Heh," Thor laughed. "The losers have no right to tell the winner what to do." He tilted his head. "You gave him false hope and overlooked my true strength." He leaned forward and grinned. "I doubt he will know what I did, so I do hope you tell him." He raised an eyebrow. "I know you recognized that attack."

"The Almighty Thor," Index whispered and Thor nodded. Thor was most commonly referred to as the god who ruled over lightning and thunder in Norse mythology, but there was more to him than that. He was involved in agriculture and refining metal. A god that helped with production and manufacturing that supported Norse Culture. Ruling is a lot easier when the god at the very top of the pyramid is a war god that protects the military rather than a god that protects farmers and manufacturers. It held a lot of meaning to be on top. At that point, he became a lightning god rather than ruler of all forms of weather. Some could say he became a one trick phony. However, when Thor activated the Almighty instead of the Lighting God, he took over the original aspect.

As the highest peak, one could say he ruled over the world. Overall, it could be explained in a simple way, though it was far from a simple task to achieve. The Almighty allowed Thor to move the world so he could position his target in such a way that none of their attacks could reach him and that Thor was in an ideal place to attack. Because it was the earth that moved, the Imagine Breaker did not respond. This magic automatically adjusted position and distance so Thor only had to swing his arm or leg to land a clean hit. Lightning God Thor had been a formidable opponent most magicians would never have been able to meet. Yet, Almighty Thor was leagues above that.

Index overlooked this because she focused on only what he was doing. You could contribute that flaw to her lack of combat experience.

"Can't believe you had to use the Almighty," Marian sighed. She and Mjölnir had made their way to them.

"He was an opponent I couldn't go easy on," Thor answered and put his hands behind his head. "He wasn't quite as strong as I hoped, but it was entertaining."

"Do you think he will be of use?" Marian asked. "Or are you going to leave him here?"

"I was thinking of killing him," Thor said with a shrug and Index froze.

"That wasn't what you said before!" Index shouted. "You just wanted to fight!"

"I did," Thor admitted. "But I never said he wouldn't die. I promised that girl he was fighting for would and I will keep that promise. I'll tell you where she is and you can save him." He held up a finger to stop Index's protest. "You see, in a fight like this, it would be rude for me to leave half finished. Warriors fight to the death. This loss would tarnish his honor."

"Touma doesn't fight for that!" Index argued. "He doesn't care if he loses as long as everyone is safe! He didn't fight to stir your ego, but to save Itsuwa!"

"I have my own ways of doing things," Thor stated firmly.

"Wait," Marian interrupted. "He's the owner of the Imagine Breaker. Maybe GREMLIN could use him."

"Huh?" Thor and Index looked at her.

"Thinking out loud," Marian continued. "Besides, I doubt I'll get as rare of crafting material as that." She reached into her pocket to pull out a small golden pair of pliers and hammer. "Can't miss this chance."

"That gleam in your eye says you are going to fight me for this," Thor sighed. "Death would be preferable to your creepy tastes in décor." Index did not understand everything the two were talking about, but one thing stood out. Marian had admitted to crafting Mjölnir out of a human body. Her words made Index believe she was going to do something similar to Touma.

"I won't let either of you near him!" Index declared. "I'll… fight you if I have to!" This caused Marian and Thor to burst out laughing.

"I think she's serious," Marian finally said.

"Yeah," Thor agreed. "But I'm partially in agreement with her. This was my fight and you have no right to interfere with the ending." He took a step forward and Index gulped. "Move or get struck down. I won't kill you, but you won't be walking for quite some time."

"Or give him to me," Marian suggested. "I'll make sure he stays alive." Index shivered at the girl's sinister smile.

"No!" Index did not budge, even though every instinct in her told her to run.

"Suit yourself," Thor said with a shrug. "By saying that, you are no longer a bystander." He raised his right hand and Index closed her eyes.

"That will not be necesssary."

Everyone froze as an overwhelming force bore down on them.

Three pairs of eyes and Mjölnir turned to face the new arrival. A very attractive girl in her early twenties with rich chocolate skin stood there in almost no clothes except for a thin strip of rainbow colored scales covered her chest and lower region. The scales flickered in the light and appeared to be changing colors. Her eyes seemed to encompass every color imaginable. She smiled and gently brushed Index's cheek with her hand.

"I have sseen enough."

"W-who…?" Index coughed, still in awe at the girl's presence.

"Julunggul!" Marian and Thor exclaimed in shock.

"Julunggul-ssama!" she corrected them and both of them fell to their knees as a pressure exerted on them. Thor flinched when his left hand hit the ground. "We are in Japan, sso you will usse honorificss."

"The Rainbow Snake Goddess?" Index asked. She did not remember meeting the magic god the first time because of her hypnosis.

"The very ssame," Julunggul answered. "You ssee, I have taken an interesst in this boy." Her eyes fell on Thor. "Killing him would not be wisse on your part."

"Excuse me, but why are you here?" Index asked, still confused about the turn of events. It was not unusual for a magic god originating from region to go to another. They had virtually limitless power. What confused Index was the fact a magic god was right here, at this moment, and protecting her and Touma.

"Thiss boy peaked my interesst," Julunggul said and moved her hand down Index's cheek to her neck. "Sso I followed him here to help him with hiss… woman problem." She laughed and Index's eyes widened. Julunggul was a fertility goddess who oversaw the maturing and initiation of boys into manhood. Index's face flushed scarlet and she hit her expression under her hood as best she could.

"Julunggul-sama," Marian said slowly. Fuck, fuck, fucking fuck! The guy she was talking about was that guy?! "I want to apologize for this idiot's rudeness. We had no idea this boy was under your protection. If we did, Thor wouldn't have been allowed to bother him."

"Othi-chan undoubtedly knew," Julunggul said sweetly. She left Index's side and slowly stepped toward Marian and Thor. Mjölnir rattled, but didn't seem to be able to fare any better under Julunggul's power. "But let him try." She brought a hand down, placed it under Marian's chin, and lifted her head up so Julunggul could stare into her eyes. "If he left after beating him up, I would not have minded." Her eyes flashed. "But he threatened my toy. That iss unforgivable." Marian gulped and Thor continued to struggle, but Julunggul ignored him. Instead, she twisted Marian's head back and forth and grinned. "He will be punisshed, but I'm debating about yourss. You are not bad looking and could be usseful to fulfilling my role."

"I'm sure you really don't need me," Marian replied. Everyone there knew what that meant and she was not interested in doing anything of the sort with the owner of the Imagine Breaker.

"Maybe," Julunggul conceded. "But if hiss interestss change…" She let the threat hang. "Othi-chan won't mind, which remindss me." She leaned forward and began to whisper into Marian's ear. "Passs on a messsage to her for me. I found a ssolution to her little problem. If sshe wantss to know what it iss, come and vissit me. Do you understand?"

"Yes." It wasn't like Marian had a choice in the matter.

"I will know if you don't," Julunggul told her and then she let go of Marian's face. "Now, what do we do with your battle crazed friend?"

"Heeyah!" Thor shouted and pushed himself up to his feet. "Even if it's before a magic god, I won't grovel on my hands and knees. I will fight to the end. If I die, then I know that is how far I can go!"

"Impresssive," Julunggul commented amused. "Few normal magicianss can withsstand my presssure. Naturally, you won't kill him with me here. Though, an apology for making me wasste my time iss in order."

"I won't apologize for wanting to fight strong opponents," Thor refuted and Julunggul raised an eyebrow.

"I ssee." She stepped over in front of him and, with a single fluid motion, used her left hand to grab the space where his legs met.

"Wha…?!" Thor's voice came out much more high pitched than usual. Marian's and Index's eyes widened slightly.

"Your sstubbornnesss is a typical male trait," Julunggul stated. "Too much tesstossterone in the blood. I'll fix that." Index may have been confused, but Marian and Thor were not.

"Julunggul," Thor pleaded. "No…"

"Julunggul…yess."

A ripping sound echoed across the street, followed by a very unmanly yell.

"Now that I'm finisshed," Julunggul said cheerfully and turned away from the unconscious Thor to Marian. "Take your companionss and go." This was not a request.

"Of course, Julunggul-sama," Marian said respectfully, as the pressure lifted. She picked up the unconscious Thor and hurried away with Mjölnir hot on her heels. Index stayed quiet and then remembered something important.

"Wait, he needs to tell us where Itsuwa is!" The presence of a magic god overshadowed all other issues for a moment.

"Do not worry," Julunggul reassured her. "I'll pick her up on the way to our desstination. I have much to talk about with the both of you."

"Where are we going?" Index asked. "Touma's dorm is right there!" She pointed to the building in the distance.

"Oh," Julunggul said and then smiled. Without looking, she snapped her finger. A small explosion followed by a loud boom went off in the distance. Smoke was rising from Touma's room. "It sseemss to be having sstructural isssuess. Don't worry. I sset up a home for you all to resst at while it getss fixed up."

Index wasn't listening. She was staring at the scene in horror.

"NOOOOO!" Index wailed. "There was still food in the fridge!"

---

A few moments after Index was forcefully taken away and the unconscious Touma was still lying on the ground, a van screeched as it made a sharp turn onto his street. The van barreled toward Touma and the brakes grinded to a halt. The back door burst open and two men jumped out and examined Touma's body.

"Dislocated wrist," the first one said. "Minor cuts and some bruises. Nothing else seems broken. Possible head trauma."

"Get him in," the second one said. "If we don't get him back, our lives are forfeit." The two of them picked up Touma effortlessly and placed him into the van. The door shut and the vehicle shot off toward another section of the city. The effort was quick and efficient, but their arrival broke the anti-magic field covering the area and people began to arrive. The smoke rising from Touma's apartment was a handy distraction.

---

Kuroko stirred feebly and felt the cool metal on the side of her face.

My head, she thought. What happened? The last thing she remembered was talking to a girl asking for directions and, the next, a blinding pain sensation. She wretched her eyes open and saw she surrounded by metal bars. Everything she was kind of blurry and she had to blink to get things to focus. A groan next to her drew her attention and she saw Kazari lying on the ground, a metal choker around her neck.

"Uiharu," Kuroko whispered and shook her gently on the shoulder. "Wake up."

"Shirai-san?" Kazari asked sleepily. "What happened?" She blinked and sat up. "Where are we?"

"I don't know," Kuroko admitted. They were in a large room without windows. Computers and all sorts of equipment lined the walls and there was a large chair in front of a computer with countless screens surrounding it. "I would guess some kind of lab."

"I remember a surge of pain before everything went black," Kazari said. She was also looking around. "Someone struck us while we were distracted. I hope that girl is okay."

"She might be part of it," Kuroko seethed and Kazari nodded glumly. "Getting kidnapped, I hope the others don't find out about this."

"It's only your first time," Kazari reassured her. "This is my second. Does that mean I'm winning?" Kuroko blinked and turned to Kazari, who was trying to give a small smile.

"I'll say this again. You have been hanging out with Jason too much." A door to the lab opened and an old bald man with white hair around the sides and back walked in. He was dressed in a white lab coat and stopped for a moment after he glanced at them.

"Woke up, I see," he commented.

"Who are you?" Kazari asked.

"I'm pretty sure you know me," the man laughed. "I'm Doctor Ricane, though The Doctor is what I go by nowadays. You two are going to be my guests for a little while. Afterwards, I may let you go."

"You have a lot of nerve thinking you can keep me trapped," Kuroko fumed and prepared to teleport out of the cage and knock the old man out. Right before she could, the collar around her own neck flashed and she felt a surge of electricity surge through her. "AHHHH!" She fell back as she lost temporary muscle control. A second later she sat back up, a little sore, but alive and functional. "Dang it, what are these?!"

"A special device I made to restrain ability users," Ricane explained. "You don't think I forgot what your abilities are, did you?"

"Why did you kidnap us?" Kazari asked.

"Bait." Ricane sat down in front of his computer and typed something quickly before monitoring what looked like a map with moving dots. "I need someone to come to me and this was the best way."

"Who?" Kuroko asked, but she and Kazari had the inkling of an idea, but there were a couple options. Mikoto was a level 5 and they were her friends. Jason was an option because they were close to him and he was a researcher. Touma was also another possibility because of his hand.

"Someone you are intimately familiar with," Ricane said with a chuckle. "He goes by the name Jason Kagere now, but we shared a similar name ages ago."

"Leave him alone!" Kazari shouted and Kuroko jumped slightly. "What has he done to you?!"

"Not much," Ricane admitted. "But he has knowledge I desire and won't give it up willingly."

"So you kidnaped us to get him to come to you?!" Kuroko asked incredulously. "What are you planning to do when he gets here?"

"Force him to give up the information," Ricane stated simply. "Though, he might die if he doesn't give it his all." He turned to look at them. "With your lives on the line, he will be sure to go all out. If not, I suppose I could just kill one of you to enrage him. He didn't use to be so emotional, so I guess I have to thank you two for giving him such a weakness I can exploit." The girls were furious at this.

"You…vile…" Kuroko seethed, trying to get the words out.

"How could you!?" Kazari yelled. "Threatening, hurting someone just to get what you want? There's no reason to do something so evil!"

"It's just business," Ricane said in a bored tone. "I wouldn't expect kids to understand, but I'll tell you this. The world is not black and white. It's varying shades of grey. The sooner you realize this, the sooner you can adapt." A beeping noise started occurring rapidly and Ricane smiled. "It looks like our guest has arrived. It's time to get to work." He turned to the girls again. "I'll even let you two see what's happening." A monitor flashed and the two girls saw a large sliding metal door open.

Jason stepped inside and he did not look happy.

"Ricane!" he yelled. His voice coming through clearly though speakers. "I'm here, alone. Just like you said."

"Welcome," Ricane announced into a microphone. "I hope you enjoy the fun I have planned tonight. The data you provide will benefit the world."

"Sure it will," Jason growled. "I kept up my end of the bargain, now let those two go."

"Not now," Ricane said. "Think of them as assurance you will participate." Kuroko and Kazari saw Jason's hands balled into fists.

"How am I supposed to know you will let them go?!" Jason demanded. "Or that they are okay."

"You don't," Ricane laughed. "But you don't have a choice. As for if they are here, I'll let them speak." He hit a button on his keyboard and a light above the girls turned on. "Say hi to him, girls."

"It's a trap!" Kuroko yelled.

"Leave and get help!" Kazari added. The light turned off and their voices no longer reached him.

"They better be okay when I finish your little test," Jason told Ricane, a dark expression on his face. "I won't forgive you otherwise."

"From my surveillance," Ricane responded, ignoring Jason's threat. "The girl, Kazari Uiharu is your girlfriend. It would be obvious you showed up to save her, but what is the other girl to you? You seem equally concerned about her."

"There's nothing wrong with being concerned about his friends," Kazari spoke up. Ricane ignored her.

"So what is she to you?" Ricane asked again when Jason remained silent. "If you don't tell me, I might just get rid of her because she isn't important."

"Don't answer his taunts!" Kuroko yelled, not to no avail. The only mike on belonged to Ricane and he was too far away.

"She's…" Jason faltered and there was a look of uncertainty in his eyes. Kuroko and Kazari shared a surprised look.

"Ricane is only doing this to mess with his head," Kuroko fumed and started to shake with rage. Kazari put her hand on Kuroko's arm.

"It's Jason," Kazari reassured her. "He's going to change the flow to his own pace."

"Well?" Ricane prodded. His expression was emotionless, but he was constantly monitoring graphs on several of his monitors, almost like he was measuring something.

"She's definitely more than a friend," Jason finally relented. "With Kazari as my girlfriend… she's my… guess I have to say… mistress."

"WHO'S A MISTRESS?!" Kuroko roared. Her voice was so loud, it actually ran through Ricane's mic. The fact Jason heard it was verified by a small smile on his face.

"If she can get that mad at me," Jason said. "I know she's okay for now." His expression grew stony. "What do you want me to do?"

"It's a simple experiment," Ricane said. "Follow the path ahead and you will have two choices; left or right. One will be the actual test route. The other is designed to eliminate you on the spot. I left a small clue there to help you decide." He chuckled for a moment. "Your skill to manipulate the flow of battle to your advantage remains the same as ever. Joking in a fight may seem stupid, but it unbalances your adversaries. Don't expect it to work on me."

"I never did," Jason replied and started walking down the corridor.

That makes way too much sense, Kuroko thought. He always tends to joke in weird situations. So that's why he does it. She glanced at Kazari, who had clamped her hands together. She wasn't worried about herself, she was worried about Jason who got involved because they had been captured. At least we know Ricane really is involved. We just have to find out his plan.

"Come on, Jason," Kazari muttered. "I believe in you." She was shaking and Kuroko reached out a hand and clasped Kazari's.

"I believe in him too," Kuroko whispered. "Once he rescues us, we will make sure to thank him properly." Kazari's eyes widened, but then she smiled and nodded.

"Sounds perfect."

The girls watched in anticipation as Jason approached the intersection. There wasn't much they could do. He couldn't hear them unless they yelled at the top of their lungs and, at that point, Ricane would probably shock them to make them be quiet. They couldn't use their powers either or the collar would automatically shock them. Jason stopped at the intersection, looked down the right and left path, and then pulled a piece of paper off the wall. Jason looked at it, scrunched his eyebrows, frowned, and started to bite his thumb. A minute passed and he didn't move.

"What's wrong?" Ricane asked mockingly.

"What is with this kid riddle?" Jason asked in disbelief. "Choose the right path and live, but choose the wrong path and you will die? I figured you might have set some weird riddle inside of this, but you can't be serious."

"I figured something to lighten the mood was in order," Ricane said with a smirk. Kuroko fumed silently.

"What do you want?" Jason finally asked. "You deal with robotics. I don't. Why are you targeting me?"

"About time you asked the important questions," Ricane continued to mock. "I was wondering if you were just going to go along with it." Jason started the crumple the piece of paper and rustle it in his hands.

"We could play games," Jason admitted. "If it was just me and you, sure. The thing is, Kuroko and Kazari are involved. Why don't we skip the boring set up and go right toward the real reason you want me? It will prevent any accidents and we can end this charade."

"I can accept that," Ricane agreed and leaned back in his chair. "As you pointed out, I do deal with robotics. With the amount of information involved with abilities, mixing them with androids is a simple procedures…"

He's mixing robots with abilities? Kuroko and Kazari thought in unison.

"… but researching magic is a completely different story," Ricane continued. "I don't have many magicians willing to voluntarily work for me. I did get some data, but trying to create a robot that can use magic is problematic. When I do, I found out no machine available to me can handle magic and an ability."

"You came that far?" Jason asked sounding surprised. "How would you even use magic with robotics? Does it have something to do with that D-TEC technology you stole?"

"Impressive, right?" Ricane asked. "I knew you could understand my genius. I'm not going to give you my secrets though. Regrettably, people tend to steal ideas and pass them off as their own. I have been a victim of that one too many times." He shook his head, even if Jason couldn't see it. "The issue is, when I combine magic and science into one host, the host destroys itself. It doesn't matter if it's living or machine. I recently had a source of a material but, sadly, it didn't work out." Jason raised an eyebrow at this. "Therefore, I had no choice but to examine the one person I know who can use both."

"So you want me here to use magic and my ability during your tests?" Jason asked.

"Not quite," Ricane corrected him. "I don't care about your ability. I care about your body when you use magic. You see, Jason, may I call you Jason, I want to measure your biological information during that time."

"That explains it," Jason commented and started to fold the piece of paper.

"However," Ricane continued. "This is important. I don't want you to use weak magic, like rune cards or elementary level spells. I need results I can easily measure. I want you to use your most powerful magic to go through the obstacles I have prepared. To ensure you do, I have set up extremely powerful AIM jammer to prevent you from skipping out and using your shadow ability."

"You do know a lot of my magic requires my shadow to act as a circuit, right?"

"Then you better make this one count," Ricane said coldly. "If I'm not happy with the results, I'll kill one of the hostages. This is not negotiable. Their life and yours is on the line. Understood?"

"Understood." Jason took the piece of paper he folded into a plane and threw it down the left hallway, before turning and walking down the hallway to the right. He approached and stopped about twenty feet from a doorway.

"Jason," Kazari whispered. "Please, don't fall for his tricks. You have no idea what he plans to do with this information."

"He's going to," Kuroko said reluctantly through gritted teeth. "Because we got captured."

"Let's see it," Ricane said to Jason. "Do try not to disappoint." Jason looked at the camera currently monitoring him and his expression was a mixture of anger and worry. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"I'm not responsible for what happens next, Ricane," Jason replied slowly. He reached into his pocket. Kuroko expected some kind of rune card or magic item to help Jason fight. What emerged instead was completely unexpected.

It was a simple pocket knife.

A cheap knife one could find anywhere.

"Kuroko," Jason spoke up suddenly. "Kazari… I'm sorry for what's about to happen. It… won't be pretty." The girls' eyes widened at his words and then their mouths fell open at what happened next.

Jason plunged the blade into his palm, cutting his skin open, while simultaneously releasing his shadow into a complex design below him. Kuroko and Kazari screamed out, but Ricane only looked at Jason's actions with amusement.

A moment later, he burst out laughing.

"No wonder you are hiding in Academy City!" Ricane exclaimed. "Blood magic?! Every magician in the world would be after you otherwise!"

---

Touma's eyes fluttered open.

Where am I? Touma blinked and stared up at a white ceiling. He sat up groaned, and then noticed his right hand was wrapped up in a splint. For a moment, he thought he was in the hospital, when he noticed the bed he was laying in was much nicer than a hospital bed. In fact, it was better than his own bed. The sheets were gold and made of silk. Ow, my head hurts. Thor did a number on me. Wait, what happened to Index? When he rubbed his head, he felt bandages wrapped around it. Someone patched me up, but who?

"Hey, Lover Boy! Nice of you to drop in." Touma nearly had a heart attack.

"Lessa-…! His words failed him. It was indeed Lessar, but her current predicament was something else. She was bound to the room wall with thick chains in a spread eagle position. Other than that, she looked completely fine, her beaming smile being a strong indicator. "Er…what is this?"

"Just hanging around."

"…"

"…"

"That joke is bad every time I hear it," Touma sighed. "So, Lessar. Where am I?"

"I could tell you," Lessar said. "But someone else wants to do the honors. She's kind of scary and I'm in no position to fight her." Touma raised an eyebrow. He had a feeling he should run, but his body hurt all over. Someone was kind enough to patch him up and deserved a thank you at the very least from him. "Hey!" Lessar yelled. "He's up." Lessar turned back to him. "You won't believe who it is."

"At this point," Touma sighed. "I'm done being surprised."

How wrong he was.

Tempting fate was never a smart thing to do.

Footsteps echoed from behind the doorway for a second before the door opened. Touma stared at the person who entered and his eyes widened.

"I'm dead, aren't I?!" Touma realized. "And I've gone to hell!"

A shoe flew through the air and smacked him in the face.

---

Feel free to leave a review, comment, suggestions, or ideas, I love reading them. If you have a question you wish I ask and would like a quick answer, feel free to message me directly. I try to respond to those within a day or two. Comments, I tend to respond to in the next chapter.

Mikoto: Wait… where is he exactly?

Pierce: Isn't it obvious? A kinky sex dungeon.

Misaki: …

Shizuri: …

Frenda: …

Motoharu: Doesn't look like your house though. Academy City has more than one?

Ruiko: What?!

Accelerator: There's a reason we never go to that bastard's house.

Jason: Hmm, at least this explains where Lessar has been. Things have been quiet.

Kazari: Isn't that a good thing?

Bayloupe: No. If things are quiet and Lessar is involved, that is when something bad is going to happen.