Hello everyone! Last chapter was the calm before the storm, and now we finally get the battle against Acqua!

Blankow: Yeah, Mikoto will indeed have to get used to that, but at least she'll know that it's not Touma's fault most of the time. It is sad for Itsuwa to see Touma taken, and other girls will have similar reactions later on. Mikoto could definitely be a biker, and in fact she rides the AAA as a bike at one point. Index explaining magic to Mikoto would definitely help them bond a bit more. There will indeed be a lot of trouble in this chapter.

Clearwing Yuta: Thanks, it will certainly be eye-opening for Mikoto.

UA1991: Yeah, the schedule is definitely a bit tight, and I made an edit to Chapter 11 to make the timeline consistent. Chapter 1 takes place on September 30 and October 1. Chapters 2-9 take place over two weekend days, and Chapter 10 takes place later on SUnday and on Monday. There's plenty of time before October 7, when the Document of C arc starts, for these events to happen. Chapters 11-17 occur over four days, with Chapters 11-12 on one day, Chapter 13 going into the next day, Chapters 14-15 occurring on another day, and Chapters 16-17 the day after that. This means that these chapters can be on October 9-12, which leaves Mikoto enough time on the 12th to have her meeting with Shokuhou and then fight the Doppelganger. Thank you for pointing this out, and I'll make sure to pay more attention to the timeline in the future.

xellos540: Hello! Yes, Shokuhou will appear at some point, and she'll definitely be heartbroken when she finds out. Index does treat Touma pretty poorly even ignoring the biting gag, but maybe she'll start improving. Mikoto does know that Touma sleeps in the bathtub. Itsuwa is the same age as Touma, so I guess she's neither older nor younger, though Mikoto definitely sees her as an older type. Index indeed broke the tub like in canon, and the bathhouse scene was surprisingly tame. Itsuwa apparently studied a lot about Academy City in preparation for her visit. I'm glad you liked Mikoto starting to learn about magic. Itsuwa does accept her loss, even if she's sad. Mikoto admitted her feelings to herself on September 30, so just over a month after she started really liking him, though that is a long time in terms of the story pace. Itsuwa did witness Mikoto being kind to Touma, and Mikoto has been kind to him before. I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter! I'm trying to post about every week, though some chapters take a little longer.

GG Vegito: Indeed, trouble will arrive in this chapter.

Guest10032: Thanks, and congratulations on your upcoming graduation! I'm glad you enjoyed my version of the soccer ball scene. I didn't think about having Mikoto stop the ball, but that would've been cool as well, though it would remove the scene of Mikoto tending to his wound. Yes, a Mikoto cooking scene will come at some point. The bike scene was really cute, with them getting some brief alone time together to tell each other about past adventures. Yes, Itsuwa has accepted that Mikoto is a good match for Touma, and Index may still need some time. Mikoto will indeed be surprised by how strong magic can be. Touma restoring her friends' memories would definitely be a quick way to get part of the truth to them, though they'll definitely be aghast that their memories were altered. I hope you enjoy the fight against Acqua this chapter. And yes, there are still plenty of girls who will be disappointed by the news of KaMikoto.

DBZLEGEND154: Thanks, it is indeed depressing to see Itsuwa sad, since she's so great! The fight against Acqua will definitely be epic! I'm not sure when exactly Hamazura will first appear, but it'll probably be in an NT arc.

Toa Solaric: Yeah, Itsuwa accepts their relationship, despite her disappointment. Itsuwa definitely hasn't gotten too many opportunities to be around Touma, unfortunately. Mikoto is starting to get the differences between magic and science, and that'll continue in this chapter.

Stryper88: I'm glad you enjoyed the funny moments! It definitely would've been hilarious if his hand slipped to her chest like that, though I didn't think of that possibility. I'm happy you enjoyed the soccer ball scene, and the other Amakusas' reactions would definitely be priceless. Mikoto will tell her mom about her relationship soon, and there will be plenty of teasing. Thanks for catching that typo, and I hope you enjoy this new chapter!

Fencer29: Yeah, Mikoto was hostile towards the other Amakusa and a bit jealous of Itsuwa. It's definitely good that Mikoto got telling her friends about her sisters out of the way. Magic is certainly not really her own secret, so she may be conflicted over whether to tell her friends about it.

Hercules8: Yeah, Itsuwa is also a nice match for Touma, but unfortunately she had to lose in this fic.

Surayo: Mikoto will indeed need to be assertive about her position. Itsuwa accepted their relationship, but other girls may be more troublesome.

Oshudawatta: Yeah, I feel bad for Itsuwa too. But I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter!

Hotaru TKM: Thank you for your kind comment. I'm sorry for your loss, and that you couldn't go to visit her or her funeral in person. It's good that she lives on in your memories, and I hope you have a better 2021.

The One who saw All: Yeah, Mikoto has now learned about the Magic Side, and the fight with Acqua is imminent. It was indeed very disappointing for Itsuwa to make all these preparations and then find out she's already lost. I'm glad you enjoyed the bike scene, I sort of wanted to do the reverse of NT13 with Touma holding onto Mikoto.

After Touma finished his time in the bath, he stepped outside to get some fresh air. Unfortunately, since this part of the city was underground, there wasn't any breeze. He thought about the current situation, with Acqua of the Back apparently coming after him. Touma didn't know when Acqua would strike, which made him a little anxious.

Soon afterwards, both Mikoto and Itsuwa came outside as well and approached Touma. As his girlfriend approached him, Touma noticed that, due to the bath, she smelled really nice and her hair was still a little damp. He then greeted them, "Hey guys, how was the bath?"

Mikoto glanced at Itsuwa and answered, "It was nice, we got to know each other a little better. How was yours?"

Touma was glad that they were getting along, and replied, "It was fine, a little lonely though." He briefly wondered what it would be like to share a bath with Mikoto, but shook off that thought before it got too inappropriate.

Itsuwa then suggested, "How about we all take a walk?" She figured it would be a nice way to relax after the bath. She wished she could've gone on a walk with just Touma, but she knew that it wasn't possible.

The boy nodded, "Sure, but where's Index?" He wondered where the third girl was, especially since he knew how much trouble Index could get into if she were by herself.

Itsuwa answered, "Oh, she was running around the all-you-can-eat food stalls." She and Mikoto had been amazed at how much food Index could eat at once.

Touma chuckled, "Sounds like her. Well, she won't get lost, so let's go." He knew that Index would bite him if he tried separating her from unlimited food, and he figured it would be better to not get her involved in any potential fight against Acqua.

Mikoto grabbed onto her boyfriend's left hand, and the three of them began walking around the underground streets. She found it pretty romantic to walk with him outside under the starlight, even if there was another girl present. She marvelled, "The sky is really beautiful here, isn't it?"

Itsuwa nodded and excitedly answered, "Yeah, they put planetarium panels on the ceiling, so you can actually see way more stars than you'd be able to see from outside!"

Meanwhile, the other Amakusa members were following them from a distance, trying to watch over them. Tatemiya muttered, "We thought the soccer ball plan was a complete success, but it turns out he already has a girlfriend! And now Itsuwa is just third wheeling their romantic walk."

The others also felt bad for Itsuwa, but there wasn't much they could do about it, so they turned the conversation to Acqua of the Back and how to defend Touma from him.

After a bit longer, Touma wondered, "Hey Itsuwa, where are the other Amakusa members? Aren't they supposed to be with you?"

Itsuwa answered, "Oh, they're keeping an eye on us from a distance. We'll be pretty well-protected against Acqua. Though it's too bad the priestess isn't here, she'd be equivalent to a hundred people."

Touma replied, "You're talking about Kanzaki, right? She's very strong, isn't she?"

Itsuwa then replied, "Of course, she's one of less than twenty Saints in the entire world!"

Mikoto was unsure of what they were talking about, so she asked, "Hold on, what's a Saint?"

Itsuwa answered, "Saints are powerful magicians, who possess characteristics of the Son of God, allowing them to draw upon his powers. They have superhuman strength and senses, can move as supersonic speeds, and can use much more powerful spells. They're on the same order of magnitude as Level 5 Espers."

Mikoto's eyes widened, "Wait, there are magicians as strong as Level 5's?"

Itsuwa nodded, "Yes, and there are some non-Saints who are also about as strong, though in different ways. Magicians come from all over the world, not just one city, so it's not surprising that there are quite a few that are that strong."

Mikoto suddenly felt a lot smaller. It seemed she was just a big fish in a small pond, with a whole world outside Academy City that she hadn't been aware of before today.

Itsuwa then continued with a frown, "Unfortunately, Acqua of the Back is also a Saint, so it'll be tough to take him down, even with the entire Amakusa force and Misaka-san on our side."

At that moment, a spark suddenly emerged from Mikoto's forehead, and she flinched, "Ow!"

Touma saw this happen and asked, "Biri-Biri? What's wrong?"

Mikoto held her hand to her forehead and confusedly answered, "That's weird, this sort of thing happens when that annoying Mental Out girl tries to control my mind. I have an electromagnetic barrier that stops me from being brainwashed, but she's not here right now."

Touma replied, "Oh wow, you're immune to mental control, too? You have so many useful abilities!"

Mikoto blushed a little at his praise, but retorted, "Yeah, but who's trying to control my mind? I don't even see anyone else in the streets."

Touma's eyes widened, "That's right, I haven't seen any people or cars around us for the past few minutes!"

Itsuwa realized, "It's a People-Clearing Field!" She turned to Mikoto and said, "That's a spell that makes people leave a certain area, but it doesn't work on other magicians."

Mikoto was amazed, "Hold on, there's actually a spell that can do that?" If so, she figured it must work similarly to Mental Out, since her barrier was still effective against it. Of course, Itsuwa was immune because she was a magician, and Touma was immune because of Imagine Breaker.

Itsuwa nodded, "Yes, and that can only mean one thing!"

The bridge they were on suddenly shook, and they all heard a voice say, "I gave you a warning. You had plenty of time and a number of options before you, but this is the path you chose?"

All three of them got into a defensive stance, and Itsuwa prepared her spear. The voice continued, "Honestly, did you really not have any better alternatives?" They looked up and saw a huge, well-built man, and Touma identified him, "Acqua!"

Acqua then suddenly disappeared from his previous perch. Itsuwa looked around frantically for him, but he suddenly appeared behind her and elbowed her in the back, causing her to fall to the ground.

Touma shouted, "Itsuwa!" He started to approach her, but he was soon interrupted.

Acqua stepped up and announced, "I've come to eliminate the source of all the current unrest around the world."

To Mikoto's disbelief, a giant mace then started to appear out of the ground behind Acqua. He picked it up and was about to swing it against Touma, saying, "Is now the best time for you to be concerned about others?"

Not wanting her boyfriend to be hit by that mace, Mikoto charged up and sent a powerful lightning spear towards Acqua. To her surprise, the man took the attack head-on, and he didn't suffer any major damage. She thought to herself, "He didn't negate it like Touma, or reflect it like Accelerator. He just absorbed it into his body! Itsuwa-san wasn't kidding about Saints."

Mikoto's attack did succeed in turning Acqua's attention away from Touma, but now he swung his mace towards her instead. Since it was made of metal, the girl held out her hands and tried using her magnetism to hold it back. Mikoto succeeded in slowing it down somewhat, but Acqua had enough strength to overcome her magnetic force, and she was painfully knocked to the ground.

Touma rushed towards the girl and exclaimed, "Mikoto, are you okay?"

Mikoto sat up and winced, "I'm fine. Man, he really is strong!" Her eyes widened and she suddenly shouted, "Watch out, Touma!"

Acqua finally swung his mace at the boy, "Like I said, you're not in a position to worry about others!" Mikoto was again able to partially inhibit the mace's momentum with her magnetism, but it still made a hard impact on Touma, who was sent flying up and then knocked head-first into the ground.

Acqua then asked, "Did you think you could challenge me and win, when your entire group combined could not?"

Itsuwa's eyes widened, "What did you do to the rest of the Amakusa forces?"

Acqua replied, "I didn't kill them, they're not the ones I'm after."

It seemed Acqua had already taken out the other Amakusa members, which explained how he'd been able to approach the three of them without being detected. Nevertheless, Itsuwa raised her spear and said in a determined tone, "Even so, I still have my pride." She lunged for Acqua, but he disappeared and reappeared to her side. Mikoto tried impeding his mace again, but due to his sudden movements, there was not enough time for it to have a significant impact, and Itsuwa was knocked back against a pillar.

The man decided that Mikoto's interference had gotten annoying enough, and made a final attack on her. Once again, Acqua was able to overpower her magnetic force and knocked her down to the ground.

With both Mikoto and Itsuwa temporarily unconscious, Acqua then approached Touma, who was struggling to get off the ground and had blood dripping from his lips. He harshly demanded, "Your right arm. If you offer it to me, I'll let you leave this place with your life."

Touma protectively held onto his right wrist with his left hand and defiantly exclaimed, "No, screw that!"

Acqua raised the mace above his head, "In that case, I'll have to give you a little more insight into the reality of your situation!" With no interference, Touma was struck at full force, and he fell back to the ground, bleeding heavily.

Soon afterwards, both Mikoto and Itsuwa opened their eyes. Itsuwa's hand was covered in blood, and she knew that it wasn't hers. She quickly realized that it was Touma's blood. Looking up, she saw a bleeding Touma lying on the ground, shouting, "Kamijou!" She rushed forward and kneeled in front of him, tears beginning to form in her eyes.

Mikoto was altered by the other girl's shout, and soon saw her boyfriend's bloody body. She raised her hand to her mouth in shock, "T-Touma?" She began to tear up as well, but she also rushed to the boy's side.

Itsuwa began gathering some ordinary items, including a hot towel, and carefully arranged them around Touma. She then announced, "I'll heal you with my restoration spell!"

Mikoto watched in amazement as glowing balls appeared and danced around the boy's body, seeming as if they would enter his wounds to patch them up. She couldn't believe that such a thing was even possible, but she couldn't argue against her own eyes.

Unfortunately, the entire spell was negated by his right hand. Itsuwa frantically tried again, but the result was the same. Acqua then asked from behind them, "Are you finished yet?"

Itsuwa quickly moved to stand between Acqua and Touma, her spear ready. Mikoto also moved to protect the boy, her body emitting sparks due to her anger and sorrow at what Acqua had done to her boyfriend.

Acqua was a bit exasperated at their continued resistance, so he stated, "All right, I guess I'll have to crush all three of you together."

Mikoto was frustrated that she wasn't strong enough to do anything meaningful against Acqua. Her shocks were not strong enough to damage him and he could overpower her magnetism with his raw physical strength as a Saint. She couldn't even use her iron sand, since they were surrounded by concrete. It was just like when she'd fought against Accelerator.

An idea then came to her, "If my magnetism doesn't work on his mace, maybe I can use it on something else!" She magnetized some of the railings from the bridge and flung them at Acqua. However, he was easily able to swat them away using his mace. Mikoto considered making those large hunks of metal stick to that mace, but she decided that Acqua would still be strong enough to swing it, and the extra mass would make any further hits even more deadly.

As one last try, Mikoto quickly pulled out a coin from her skirt pocket and fired a railgun at Acqua. However, the man was able to simply sidestep the projectile. She winced, "Of course, I can fire my coin at three times the speed of sound, but he can move at supersonic speeds, so it's easy for him to dodge my railgun."

Despite the hopeless situation, both Mikoto and Itsuwa grimly prepared to make a final stand. However, they both then felt a hand on their shoulder. Touma had somehow managed to get up and now stood between them.

Touma first said, "Thank you, Itsuwa. Because of your healing magic, I'm feeling a little bit better now." Itsuwa knew that was a lie. Because of his right hand, her spell could not have had any effect whatsoever.

He then smiled at Mikoto and said, "Thank you, Biri-Biri. If it wasn't for your magnetism, I probably would be dead right now." While this was perhaps true, he had still taken a critical amount of damage, and Mikoto knew that Acqua probably could've hit him much harder if he'd wanted to. And yet, despite all his injuries, her boyfriend was still forcing himself to stand up.

Touma then lunged towards Acqua, his right hand clenched into a fist, ready to strike. Of course, he had no illusions about being able to defeat Acqua. Instead, his aim was to protect Mikoto and Itsuwa from getting hurt any more. Since Acqua was only after him, Touma figured the man would leave the girls alone if the battle ended without further involving them.

Acqua calmly reacted, "I admire your courage." He then quickly struck the boy with the sharp end of his mace, ramming him against a pillar. Acqua then said, "I'll give you one day. If you cut off your own right arm and deliver it to us by then, I will let you live." By this point, Touma was completely unconscious and couldn't hear him, but Acqua knew that the two girls could hear him loud and clear. He then gave his mace a final swing, flinging the unconscious boy into the water, hundreds of meters away. Touma's body skipped along the surface a couple of times before finally sinking.

Acqua once again said, "I'll wait for one day." He then walked away from the scene, leaving a shocked Mikoto and Itsuwa behind.

A bit later, Mikoto and Index were in a hospital room, looking at an unconscious Touma. The other Amakusa members had managed to retrieve him out of the water and bring him to this nearby hospital. According to the doctor, Touma was in a very bad condition, though fortunately he was rescued early enough that his life wasn't in danger.

Mikoto thought back to her encounter with Acqua, and how absolutely nothing she did could stop him in any way. She felt completely impotent, similar to how she'd felt against Accelerator. She had wanted to help protect her boyfriend, but once again, it had been him who had protected her instead. Sure, Acqua was from the Magic Side, which Mikoto had only just learned about, but she was supposed to be one of the strongest people in Academy City. And yet she could only watch as Acqua beat up Touma close to death.

Meanwhile, just outside the hospital room, Itsuwa was slumped down on the floor, leaning against the wall. Tatemiya asked her, in a frustrated tone, "So, how long are you going to stay huddled down there on the floor?"

Itsuwa looked down and quietly replied, "He said...he said thank you to me, even though I did nothing to help him. I couldn't protect him at all with my magic, and he thanked me. I was thinking about his power, and how I always thought it was so amazing even before I met him. But I was so wrong. He can't rely on any defensive spells, and my restoration spell couldn't heal a single scratch. He could only fight with just his physical body, and I just watched him get beaten. How can someone like me go on living? Divine punishment should be raining down on me? It isn't right, I should be the one in that hospital bed instead!"

Tatemiya roughly grabbed her by the collar and lifted her up, and angrily said, "You gotta be kidding me, this is the kind of girl he stuck his neck out to protect? The man you owe your life to is lying there black and blue, and you're saying all you can do is sit here and cry about it? He nearly threw his life away for a girl like you, and you don't lift a finger? If so, he risked his life for nothing, absolutely nothing!" As he finished, he threw Itsuwa onto the ground.

He then continued, "Acqua of the Back will definitely return. While you're sitting around and doing nothing, our time is running out. Are you going to waste this time over pointless regret and guilt, even while it's still possible to act? Don't throw other people's lives away just because of your own troubles!"

Itsuwa slowly got up and tried to reply, "I want-"

Tatemiya interrupted her, "You want to apologize to him? After what happened to the one you wanted to protect, do you want him to see the light of day again? If so, then fight! Prove to him that you're a great girl, and that he was right to risk his life for you. Unless you want to apologize in front of his grave, we have to fight!" He then turned and walked away, along with the rest of the Amakusa members, saying, "Damn it, the guy we wanted to protect was right in front of us, but none of us managed to save him. How could we have let this happen?"

Itsuwa was left by herself on the floor, and she soon returned to leaning against the wall, trying to recover from Tatemiya's verbal attack.

Mikoto had, from inside the hospital room, been able to hear what Itsuwa and Tatemiya had said. She found the man's words really harsh, but when she applied them to herself, she couldn't really refute them. Mikoto felt really bad for Itsuwa, having to endure her failure being rubbed in her face like that. Mikoto then left the room and saw Itsuwa huddled down on the floor. She sat herself down next to the other girl, resting her arms on her bent knees.

Itsuwa briefly looked up and turned to the other girl, "Misaka-san?" She was a bit surprised to see Mikoto join her.

Mikoto replied, "I heard everything both of you said. That sounded pretty harsh."

Itsuwa looked down with a frown, "Maybe, but everything he said was true. I came to Academy City with the other Amakusa members to protect Kamijou against Acqua of the Back. But when the time came to fight, I couldn't do anything!"

Mikoto sighed and then showed a sad smile, "Well, if that's true, then everything he said applies to me as well. I'm the 3rd Ranked Level 5, but I couldn't do anything to save Touma either. Perhaps I'm not a girl worth saving either."

Itsuwa looked over at Mikoto and retorted, "Don't say that! You were at least able to soften the blows he took! Meanwhile, I couldn't even touch Acqua, and my healing magic had no effect."

Mikoto shook her head, "No, Acqua was easily able to overcome my magnetism without much effort, and he probably could've hit harder if he'd wanted to. But I guess it doesn't matter that much. What matters is what we do from here."

Itsuwa sighed, "Yes, but what can we do? Acqua defeated all of us so easily. How can you be so sure that we can beat him if we try again?"

Mikoto frowned, "Honestly, I'm not sure at all. But something like this has happened to me before. In order to save some people who are important to me, I once tried to take on someone who was completely invincible. No matter what kind of attack you threw at him, it would be reflected away. Battling him was only a question of how much he decided to punish you."

Itsuwa widened her eyes, afraid of this person who seemed to perhaps be even stronger than Acqua. She then asked, "So what happened? Were you eventually able to beat him?"

Mikoto chuckled, "No, Touma was the one who beat him for me. I helped a tiny amount during that fight, but it was mostly him. But I did learn that even if something seems completely hopeless, there might just be a way to overcome it, especially if you can get help from others."

Itsuwa sighed, "Kamijou really is strong, isn't he? But we can't really rely on him in his current condition."

Mikoto replied, "Yeah, he's not really in any condition to fight. But it seems like your friends are trying to come up with a plan. You guys are the experts in magic, so I bet you'll come up with something. And didn't you say you also had a Saint on your side?"

Itsuwa nodded, "Yes, we do have the priestess on our side, and we might be able to get her support. But it might take some time." She was feeling a little better, so she stood up off the ground, "I should go join the others and help prepare a plan. Thank you, Misaka-san."

Mikoto then got up as well, "No problem, Itsuwa-san. I'll stay here and keep an eye on Touma. I probably won't be of much use fighting Acqua again anyway." She really hated admitting this, but she knew if she tried facing off against Acqua again, she would only get crushed in vain.

Itsuwa replied, "All right. Take care of him, okay?" Mikoto gave her a quick nod, so Itsuwa left to go join the rest of the Amakusa members.

A while later, Touma woke up and looked around the unfamiliar hospital room. The only other occupant was Index, who was sprawled onto the bed and sleeping. Mikoto had just temporarily left the room, so he was alone with his thoughts.

It took him a bit of time in his damaged condition, but he slowly remembered the fight against Acqua. He wondered if Mikoto, Itsuwa, and the other Amakusas continued to fight after he was knocked unconscious. If so, given how much of a monster Acqua had been, he doubted that they could have won immediately. The boy thus figured that it would be best for him to rejoin the fight. After all, Acqua was so concerned about high right hand, so perhaps Touma still had a chance to use it to help defeat him.

He turned to the sleeping girl and thought, "I'll apologize profusely to you later, Index." He struggled to get off of the bed, but after some time, he managed to stand up, and he began slowly walking, first out of the hospital room, and then out of the hospital and into the cool night. Though his entire body ached with every step, he continued walking, determined to rejoin the battle.

Meanwhile, Mikoto finally returned to the room, quickly seeing that her boyfriend was no longer there, the sleeping Index being the only remaining occupant. It did not take her long to reach the obvious conclusion, "That idiot must be trying to confront Acqua again!" She quickly ran out of the hospital and tried looking for Touma.

The girl soon noticed him walking along the street, just a small distance from the hospital entrance. She caught up to him and angrily questioned, "You idiot! What are you doing outside the hospital?"

Touma slowly turned towards her and said, "Mikoto? Is that you?" He could barely make out her appearance, but he recognized her voice.

Mikoto saw that he was swaying on his feet, and when he took a step, he was about to collapse. She quickly hugged his left arm to support him. Looking at his eyes, she could tell that they were unfocused. She continued, "Where are you going?"

Touma replied, "They're probably...still fighting. I have to go."

Mikoto then replied, "But you're really hurt! Can't you let Itsuwa-san and the others fight instead? Why does it always have to be you who ends up in a hospital bed?"

Though he couldn't see her face that well, Touma could tell how distraught she was. He knew just how worried she was for him. Nevertheless, he replied, "Sorry, Biri-Biri, but I can't back away from a fight because of reasons like that."

The girl sighed in exasperation. Honestly, she had not expected anything different. She then softly requested, "If you're going to fight, will you at least let me help you get there? It's going to be hard to walk there by yourself. You can barely stand up right now."

Touma at first wanted to continue on his own. He didn't want Mikoto to get involved in the fight, especially since she'd probably get hurt even more. But he knew that this was something she felt strongly about, and anyway, he figured it would be nice to have some support. So he replied, "All right, I'll be counting on you, Mikoto!"

He expected her to just continue walking with him while supporting his body. However, she smirked and said, "Great! I'll carry you there!"

Touma was surprised by her suggestion, replying, "Carry me? No, you don't need to do that."

Mikoto rolled her eyes, "Look, I know it's a little embarrassing to be carried by a girl, but this way, you'll get to rest a bit and won't spend your energy walking. Plus, we'll get there faster." She had previously tried to fight while she was hungry, exhausted, and beat up, so she wanted to lessen his burden as much as possible.

The boy finally relented, "Okay, you win." Mikoto put one arm on his back and the other behind his knees and lifted him into a princess carry. He hesitantly wrapped his arms around her neck, asking, "Wait, do you need your ability?"

The girl shook her head, "No, I can carry you without boosting my strength with my ability. Just make sure to hold on tight!" She then began walking along the street. They didn't know where the fight was, but she figured they'd be able to find the signs of it soon enough.

Touma leaned his head against her shoulder and closed his eyes, glad to be able to rest a little. He quietly said, "Thank you, Mikoto."

Mikoto smiled down at him, "You're welcome, Touma." She was silent for a bit before saying in a sad tone, "I'm sorry I was too weak to protect you from Acqua. Itsuwa-san said that Saints were on the same order of magnitude as Level 5's, but I couldn't do anything against him, just like with Accelerator."

The boy opened his eyes again, wanting to reassure his girlfriend, "You're not weak! I think you did pretty well against him, it's just that he has a monstrous amount of strength and speed. There's no shame in losing to him."

The girl sighed, "That's not really the point. I mean, yes, my pride as a Level 5 was hurt, but more importantly, I wasn't able to protect you from getting so hurt. What kind of girlfriend am I if I can't even help keep my partner safe? I know I'm not as strong as you, but I still want to stand by your side."

Touma was moved by her determination. He smiled up at her and replied, "Well, if you're talking about Acqua, you did much better against him than I did. I'm really glad you were by my side then. But...I don't like the idea of you getting hurt in fights that should only involve me."

Mikoto was a little annoyed at his stubbornness, retorting, "Well, now that we're partners, any fight that involves you also concerns me. I don't want you getting hurt either, but I know you won't stop fighting to help people, so I at least want to help you where I can. Maybe I can't help you much more in this fight, but I want to do so in the future."

Touma chuckled, "Wow, you're pretty stubborn about this, aren't you, Biri-Biri? But I guess I can't really say no to that, huh?"

Mikoto smirked, "Good, I'm glad we're on the same page!" However, she was still worried, not just about the rematch against Acqua, but about whatever magicians he'd have to face in the future. So, she asked him, "Have you fought against a lot of really strong magicians like Acqua? I used to think that you beating Accelerator was a once-in-a-lifetime achievement for you, but that's not true, is it?"

The boy answered, "Yeah, I guess not. I'd say the strongest magician I've faced so far was an alchemist."

Mikoto raised an eyebrow, "An alchemist? Were they actually able to turn lead into gold?"

Touma replied, "Probably. He apparently had the ability to make whatever he said into reality. So he could make a car appear above me, or create guns to shoot at me. My Imagine Breaker did work, but it was still pretty tough."

Mikoto's jaw dropped, "Wait, he could make anything he said come true? That's a really overpowered ability! And how does that even work? It violates so many laws of physics! I mean, I know esper powers sort of do that too, especially Accelerator's, but still!"

The boy then said, "Yeah, that's just how magic is. Anyway, I wasn't able to do much against him, and he eventually managed to cut my right arm off."

Mikoto replied with some shock, "H-he cut your arm off? Wait, doesn't that mean you were able to use your dragons?"

Touma replied, "Yeah, though that time I only used one dragon. It turned out that his ability was actually to turn his thoughts into reality, rather than his words. So I just had to pretend to be a psychopath when I got my arm cut off, and he was too scared for anything he tried to work against me."

Mikoto was both shocked and impressed. "Wow, that's completely insane! Have you used your dragons any other times?"

The boy answered, "No, just the two times. I don't really like using them, since I have to get my arm cut off, and I'm not sure I can completely control how much they destroy."

Mikoto chuckled, "That makes sense. It would be pretty funny if you just cut your arm in every fight to just end it instantly, but I get why you wouldn't want to do that. It's sort of ironic that Acqua wants to cut your arm off, since I bet he wouldn't expect the dragons."

Touma showed a wry smile, "Yeah, I bet. Anyway, I've fought against a bunch of other magicians, but I'd say he was the strongest besides Acqua."

At this point, they started hearing the sounds of an ongoing fight. Mikoto announced, "Looks like we're almost there. You ready?"

The boy steeled himself in preparation, "Yeah, let's go." Mikoto started running towards the fight, hoping to get there before it was too late.

It didn't take them too long to arrive. Mikoto saw that Acqua was facing the Amukusa group as well as another girl who she hadn't seen before, who she figured was Kanzaki. She also noticed that Acqua was in front of a giant cross, and that there was a crown made of metal wires and a giant metal nail near him.

Acqua realized what they were, "Symbols of the Son of God's crucifiction?"

Kanzaki then exclaimed, "Longinus, now's the time for the execution!" Itsuwa then readied her spear and prepared to strike.

Before she could do so, Acqua said, "The Amakusa Church, that is a name worthy of being engraved on my heart." He then jumped very high into the air. Mikoto noticed that Kanzaki tried to restrain him with very thin metal wires, but he was able to avoid them. He then chanted a bunch of English letters and quickly plunged downwards.

This is when Touma knew he had to intervene. He said, "Mikoto, let me down here!" She nodded and carefully lowered him until he was standing on his own two feet. The boy then ran towards the point directly below Acqua's descent path.

Kanzaki tried to stop his descent with her metal wires, but Acqua again brushed past them. However, just before he hit the ground, Touma was able to raise his right hand and block the tip of his mace, completely negating its magic.

Acqua, Kanzaki, and the Amakusa members were all shocked to see Touma suddenly appear like that. Touma shouted, "Now!" Kanzaki then sprung into action, restraining Acqua with the wires, which was now possible because of Touma. The Amakusa group then prepared their final strike, their Saint Destroyer spell. To Mikoto's surprise, Itsuwa's spear suddenly became covered by electricity, and then the spear itself was transformed into a glowing yellow pillar, which Itsuwa struck Acqua with, directly in the chest.

Mikoto watched in amazement as a cross of electricity formed behind Acqua. She could sense that it was neither natural lightning nor like her own esper-created lightning. After a few seconds, Acqua was forcefully flung back into a nearby artificial lake, which instantly boiled off all the water, creating pillars of steam.

Acqua had finally been defeated. However, Touma had taken a lot of strain by stopping Acqua's attack, and he was unable to remain conscious in his injured condition. Just before he collapsed to the ground, Mikoto rushed over and caught him. She then sighed in relief, glad that the battle was over, though still worried about the condition of her boyfriend, who needed to be quickly returned to the hospital.

By the morning, Touma had been moved to his usual hospital in District 7. He woke up in his usual hospital bed, and he saw Mikoto and Itsuwa sitting next to the bed. Itsuwa gave him a bright smile, "Oh, you're awake!"

The boy tried getting up but found it a bit difficult. Mikoto told him, "Hey, don't strain yourself, Touma! You just got back from a huge fight!

Touma replied, "Huh, I don't remember much of whatever happened after I left the hospital. I remember Biri-Biri being with me, but not much else."

Mikoto was glad that he remembered their walk to the fight, even if it wasn't the most important part.

Itsuwa excitedly replied, "You don't? We defeated a Saint, one of less than twenty in the world! It was a huge miracle, like Santa tripping up and dropping presents everywhere!" She still couldn't believe it had actually happened.

Touma smiled up at her and praised, "So, it's safe to say that we beat Acqua? Man, you and the Amakusa are really awesome!"

Mikoto felt a little jealous at how he was praising Itsuwa, but she knew it was well justified. She said, "Yeah, that final attack was amazing! But I'm wondering, what was that cross made of lightning?"

Itsuwa answered, "Oh, that was our Saint Destroyer spell. Since Saints have the power of the Son of God, they're weak to spells that symbolize his crucifixion. That's why that cross of lightning appeared."

Touma watched the two girls with a smile. His eyes then widened, and he panicked, "Wait, what day is it? Is my attendance record okay? There have been so many incidents lately."

He struggled to sit up, but Mikoto held onto him, warning, "Hey, you shouldn't be getting up, you idiot! You're still very injured!"

At this point, Index entered the room and glared at the boy, angrily exclaiming, "Touma! I haven't heard an apology for sneaking out of the hospital yet!"

Itsuwa added, "That's right! How could you think of fighting Acqua in your condition?"

Index jumped towards him and reacted, "Acqua? As in the Right Seat of God? Why wouldn't you ask me for help against such a strong foe, Touma?"

Mikoto saw that her boyfriend was distressed by their badgering. She sighed and replied, "Look, it was stupid of him to leave the hospital in that condition, but I was the one that helped him get to the fight, so I'm at fault too. But it all turned out well in the end, right?"

Touma beamed at his girlfriend, glad that she was on his side. It was hard given his injuries, but he slowly raised his hand and started rubbing her head, saying, "Thanks for helping me out, Mikoto! I couldn't have done it without you!"

Mikoto blushed and retorted, "D-don't be silly, I didn't really do that much. With how stubborn you were, I bet you would've walked all the way there by yourself if I wasn't there!" She really wished she could have been more useful to him but there wasn't much she could do about it now.

The boy chuckled, "Maybe, but it was because of you that I didn't have to strain myself too much." Though Mikoto thought her contribution was minimal, Touma was glad that she'd eased his burden and kept him company during the trip.

Meanwhile, just outside the room, Kanzaki approached the door, wanting to enter as well, but was flustered about doing so when Itsuwa, Index, and that other girl were already inside.

Suddenly, Tsuchimikado appeared behind her and said, "Hey, nee-chin. You came to thank Kami-yan for helping the Amakusa, right? But it seems you're too late! Kami-yan already has a girlfriend!"

Kanzaki's eyes widened, "Wh-what? He does? Has Itsuwa already made her move?" She knew that Itsuwa had been eager to see Touma again and act as his bodyguard, so she wondered if Itsuwa had actually managed to confess.

Tsuchimikado laughed, "No, his girlfriend is Misaka Mikoto, the other girl in that room right now."

Kanzaki was a bit surprised by this, but she recalled how that girl had caught Touma when he was about to collapse to the ground after Acqua was defeated. She was disappointed, but knowing this fact actually eased her nervousness a bit, since at least she wouldn't have to try to make a move.

She entered the hospital room, where she saw Mikoto holding onto Touma and him rubbing her head. They looked up, and the boy said, "Oh, hey Kanzaki!" Mikoto finally let go of him, not wanting to linger in that pose in front of so many other people.

Mikoto recognized that name, realizing that the girl in front of her was indeed the Saint that Itsuwa and Touma were talking about last night. Mikoto also recalled how she controlled those metal wires during the fight.

Kanzaki bowed towards the boy, "Th-thank you for all your help, Kamijou-san. We wouldn't have been able to defeat Acqua without you."

Touma smiled, "Come on, you and the rest of the Amakusa did most of the work. I just helped a bit at the end."

Mikoto rolled her eyes, remembering him saying something similar during their dance. She then sized up Kanzaki, thinking, "Geez, why does this idiot know so many girls with huge boobs? And why are her jeans just missing an entire leg?" But she then berated herself, knowing that there was no real reason to be jealous.

Soon afterwards, Kanzaki and Itsuwa said goodbye and left. Touma had to remain in the hospital for a bit longer, and Index planned to stay with him. However, Mikoto had to head back home, so she gave her boyfriend a quick goodbye kiss and then left.

Once she walked outside, she ran into Tsuchimikado, who she'd briefly met back at Touma's school. He greeted her, "Well well, if it isn't Kami-yan's new girlfriend! Congratulations on snagging him, I was wondering how long it would take for him to finally choose a girl!"

Mikoto narrowed her eyes, suspicious about his intentions, "Thanks?"

Tsuchimikado then held out a package with some kind of pink and white clothing in it, saying, "Here, this is something I think your boyfriend will enjoy."

The girl reluctantly took the package and examined it, trying to figure out what it was. She asked him, "What is this?"

The boy smirked at her and he answered, "It's a Neko Maid costume! You can wear it for him on a special occasion!"

Mikoto blushed profusely, "Wh-what, why are you giving me such a p-perverted thing? There's n-no way I could wear that!" However, she remembered Touma telling her that she'd make a cute catgirl and wondered if he would actually like seeing her wearing this outfit.

Tsuchimikado replied, "Come on, I bet he's only seen you wear your uniform! Think how much of an effect you'd have on him if he saw you in something different!"

Mikoto had to admit that he had a point. "I guess if it's for Touma, I don't really mind." She replied, "F-fine, I'll take it!" She then quickly turned around and left the hospital, noting to herself, "I absolutely need to hide this from Kuroko."

As she began to head home, Mikoto reflected on the major revelations that she had learned over the past day about the Magic Side. Touma was apparently heavily involved in it, so she knew she would also have to get involved. She resolved to learn more about magic, so that she could fight more effectively against magicians in the future.