Hello again readers and welcome back to another round of LoCG. Another fairly lengthy one, as well… def took my time writing it. Author's notes will be at the end of the chap for now… Reviews!

Whwsms:{I mean… that was kinda obvious considering you have an aesthetic.

That is a very accurate response, it was intense. Glad you liked Index vs Touma with the dragons. And yeah… she be insane now… she full yan mode. And our boy Touma is finally back in the outside world!

I hope keep your interest}

Guest1:{Actually, that is incorrect, or… I heard it was incorrect. It's just… they can't call strange 2 the dick dragon despite that being what it obviously is. The tweets surrounding them said all of them were canon. Strange V2 is just a second strange dragon, not a replacement for Strange 1. As for the second bit, ignoring the fact that what you're talking about was not about the dragons in Touma's arm. But the concept of dragons. I looked through it… and no at no point are dragons explicitly stated to ignore duality. They ignore the line between duality and tend to bounce between them. But if I'm wrong, could you direct me to the specific scene you're talking about?

Besides… nothing wrong with having a bit of experimental fun is there?}

Guest2:{I am afraid I do not have enough knowledge of, nor any interest in the sonic franchise. So, I could not properly write or even begin to write such a story. Not to mention im not sure they'd even mesh well, so… I'm not your guy.}

Princegeoge:{I think you're over exaggerating but im glad you like it so much. It's really nice to see someone this invested.

Her growing insanity and the obsession, yeah Its fun to amp up over the course of the story. So, I'm glad you're enjoying her descent. And I mean… think about it from her perspective, is it any wonder she considers Touma perfection?

I though the wait would be worth it, all about building that suspense to make his escape truly satisfying. What was the saying? Oh right, third times the charm.

You're about to see how well Accel's doing.

Wait no more}

5had0wHand:{I needed an idea that fit into the concepts of Toaru. But didn't conflict with the dragon's existing lore. While also making it clear that it wasn't the only piece of the puzzle.

Index Vs Touma, I honestly wanted to go ham with her. Shapeshifting, size shifting, reality warping. All to express the insanity of what she's become. And huh, you know, I never did think about it like that but you're right. It's thematically in line with her.

That was difficult to figure out, but I choose Touma's dualities because it… well felt right for one. And two, it doesn't discount any other theories on them. Just applies attributed to them that could be used in any real setting. Corpseflame dragon was just an excuse to have Touma penance stare Index. I will not apologize for that, it was cool, and you can't tell me it wasn't.

Thats what buildup is for baby! Couldn't just rush things, had to make sure it would have the desired impact. Looks like it did.

No, I'm gonna say that now… unlike Othinus, people know Index, and they are working to save her. No need for a round two because everyone is on the same page.

It's… more nuanced and vague than that, it's… more… uncertainty? I really couldn't express it merely in words.}

Mr?:{The main man is back again with an amazing review. And yep, it was fairly experimental so glad you liked it.

The psychological battle was the main highlight of the chapter. The physical battle was merely a backdrop to allow for that psychological one to occur. And basing the dragons off of Touma's duality just felt right. And you're right, wanting to return and accept the false world was his gluttony. However the returning to the original world. Thats not, as it's not over indulgence, he's giving up the indulgence of the world Index made for it.

Thanks and your absolutely right… you'll see why in the Author's notes of this one.}

Enigmathenightmare:{simple and the point

Thank you, a lot of effort went into that chapter and the back and forth was definitely a highlight for me and Rails.

Yep! I've been enjoying sort of passively developing Stiyl's character. So, glad you noticed his growth.}

Remember, constructive criticism is both encouraged and desired.

With that out of the way…

Execute, Chapter… 66

Chapter 66

The angel of death and the armored serpent

After Stiyl had stood and dusted himself off. Touma found himself reacting to a lightning spear. Imagine Breaker went off and a fist collided with his stomach.

"Where… the HELL! Were you all this time, Idiot!?" A glaring Misaka shouted as she threw another fist. "Last time I saw you, that bastard Ainmire had stabbed you through the heart! Then We're told you're okay, but Index wouldn't tell us where you were!"

Stumbling back a little, Touma coughed and looked up. "What the… Misaka!? You're being a bit harsh on me, I've been trapped Inside of Index for the past week. What was I meant to do? Call you!? Do you think my cell phone has cross-phase support?"

Stiyl raised an eyebrow and gave him a confused look. Touma had just said he had been trapped for a week. But only a few hours had passed for them.

"A week? It's only been about 6 hours since we last saw you." Mikoto snapped back, "what the hell are you talking about Idiot? You hit your head when that priest caught you?" she jerked her neck towards Stiyl

"Time flows differently in the phases, remember?" he noted, lighting a cigarette.

Misaka blinked in confusion, "what do you-" before she was interrupted by Ollerus who had approached.

"It's like how a few hours pass for us in Asgard, despite only minutes passing in the outside world Railgun," he began with a soft smile. " I thought we already explained this to you. Time flows differently in each phase, for us a few hours may have passed. But who knows how time flows in the phases within Index. For all we know, she could have halted time entirely. Meaning an eternity would pass in there while only a moment passes here."

Misaka's mouth opened to retort, but she fell silent. "Oh," she muttered in realization, before frowning angrily. Ollerus had just made her look stupid again, and she knew he was doing it on purpose.

"Wait… what? You guys are saying it's only been a few hours since we la-" Touma was interrupted by a dark skinned blur that tackled him.

"Touma-saaamaaaahahahaha ahhahhhhh!" Muireann began sobbing as she pushed Touma onto the ground. Tears poured down her face and she rubbed her head into his chest sniffling even as the stunned boy squirmed. "A-ay was sah warried about yah! Wha happened!? Ar ya okay? daed Indax hart ya!? Navar maind all that!" She slowly got her Scottish accent back under control as she pulled her coat off her back and shoved it into the boy's arms, making odd 'arfing' noises as she fell onto him. "Take it, just take it already ya big heroic idiot!"

Overwhelmed by her reaction, the poor highschool boy's eyes spun in confusion. "M-Muireann!? Wh-what are you even going on about!? O-one question at a time please! A-and why are you shoving your coat into my face!? I-I thought you Selkie needed that so you could turn into seals!"

"JUST TAKE IIIIIT!" Muireann shouted, shoving it into Touma's face. She had pretty much flopped onto his lap as she rubbed her face against him. "If you don't take it now! I may never have the chance to give it to you ever agaaaain!" she cried out in desperation. Her coat was practically smothering the boy's face as he squirmed around trying to get the girl off him.

"I-I can't br-breath Muireann… you're smothering my face and the smell of seawater is overwhelming!" he choked out. Muireann instantly made a weird 'eggph' noise and froze, falling silent as she went completely red. Touma managed to push her off him gently, before draping the coat over the embarrassed selkie.

"Oh dear, I think you broke her, Imagine Breaker." A shockingly young looking Black Annis said. She smiled softly as she stroked the young selkie's back.

"Gentle… Annie?" Touma muttered in shock, "you go to the fountain of youth or something? Cause you look way younger since last time I saw you." he asked, confused.

A chuckle came from the former goddess. "Ara? careful young boy, you've already seen what one goddess's love looks like. Don't go charming this old hag, she too has a bite." she gave Touma a wink before gently dragging the blue-screening selkie away as she muttered 'smell of sea water' under her breath on repeat. "I must thank you Kamijou Touma. Thanks to you, I've remembered who I was."

"You're… welcome?" Touma muttered questioningly. Before suddenly finding twin knuckle sandwiches slamming into his face. "Ow! What the hell!?, who is it this time!?" he shouted in annoyance.

A haymaker slammed into his back, "That's what you get for dying on us boss!" Hamazura shouted as he pulled Touma into a headlock. Tsuchimikado cracked his knuckles with a large grin plastered onto his face.

"And this! Is what you get for Leaving us hanging to have fun with Index Kami-nyah!" Tsuchimikado shouted as he delivered a clean uppercut to Touma's chin. The boy was lifted off the ground before crashing back down behind them.

Stunned, Touma tried to stand, "What the hell are you guys tal-" but the two boys suddenly embraced him. "Ha?..." he said in utter confusion. His face contorted with one eye twitching.

Sniffling and snorts came from Tsuchimikado. "I…I'm not crying Kami-nyah.. y-you're the one who's crying" the spy lied. Big ugly tears streamed down the backstabber's face even as he tried his best to hold them back.

"I… never said you were though," Touma muttered under his breath as he raised an eyebrow.

"D-damn it boss! I didn't know it'd hurt this much to lose you!" Hamazura choked up a little as he pulled away. A big smile on his face as tears rolled down it. "W-Welcome back you big fucking idiot!" he gave Touma a punch on the shoulder.

Tsuchi pulled away too, "Yeah, welcome the fuck back Kami-nyah!" he smiled as he smacked Touma on the shoulder.

A pair of hands grabbed the two boy's collars and Yomikawa began dragging them off. "Alright, that's enough you two, there's a line you know. And we still got work to do" She flashed a smile at Touma, "good to see you you crazy student of Komoe's. We'll catch up later-jan" Yomikawa saluted with a single hand as she left.

Then Touma felt someone grabbing at his waist before a familiar pervert's voice spoke. "So, Loveboy~ I heard you were inside of Index… how did it feel" Lessar smirked as she gave Touma a hug.

"Um… not like you're thinking" Touma said with a grimace. "It was… actually fairly normal." He scratched his chin, "which was the weirdest part honestly. You'd expect it to be a crushing black void or something."

"I was worried when I heard what happened." Lessar said as she pressed her face into his chest. "You do realize how many people look up to you right?" At her words, Touma's expression softened and he placed a hand on her head. "So… don't do that to us again okay?"

His mouth opened and he was about to answer her. But then his eyes narrowed as he felt Lessar's hands moving down towards his rear and squeezed.

Karate chopping the wannabe succubus on the head. Touma cracked his knuckles and glared at her. "Lessar… I see you're back to your old self, do you need another lecture?" he asked threateningly.

"Nope! Nope!" Lessar said, shaking her head rapidly. "I just needed to make sure you're real~" she immediately switched to a smirk and licked her lips. Her hands reached down towards his pants in an attempt to strip him.

Fortunately, a spearhead smacked the pervert girl on the head knocking her out as Itsuwa popped out from behind her. "S-sorry for her poor behavior Kamijou-san, Um… h-here's a towel?" she blushed, holding out a wet Towel.

"Okaaay… I'll… take it?" Touma said, a little uncertain as he took the towel from her hands.

Itsuwa blushed slightly, "S-so… your okay?... Index didn't do anything to hurt you, did she? I mean, beyond what she's already done." she asked, her eyes gazing into his.

Touma opened his mouth, but was once again interrupted before he could answer.

"Oi! Kamijou!" Galistic popped out from behind the girl, accidentally knocking her over. "It's really ya! Can you tell us what happened!?" Itsuwa groaned underneath her as if accepting fate.

"Now then dear sister, I'm sure Mac-Kamijou will tell us in his own time" Baobhan Sith smiled sweetly as she approached.

Galistic's head whipped around at her sister. "What!? Ya were just going on about how ya would beat his face in if he didn't talk…" she trailed off seeing her sister's smug face. "DAMN IT SIS! Not again!"

"You're the one trying to nip his neck dear sister" Baobhan Sith smirked.

Touma pushed the goat girl's face away from his neck. "I'd rather keep my blood, thank you very much, miss vampire reject." Galistic's jaw dropped and Baobhan nearly laughed. "What?..."

"Ya little…" Galistic smacked him in the face. "Damn it ya know how to piss me off, why was I worried." She shook her head and walked off, her goat hooves clopping against the sargasso.

"You say that dear sister, but you're smiling about it," she lifted Lessar's unconscious body over her shoulder.

"Shut up!" Galistic responded, her hoof caught on Itsuwa's outfit and began dragging the girl off. Much to the latter's distress, "Lessar still needs to pay for leaving our sisters hanging during a girl's night." Galistic glowered angrily as she and her sister left. Dragging the Amakusas and wannabe succubus with them.

"H-hey fool," Birdway said oddly nervously behind Touma. She fiddled with her hands behind her back as she looked to the side. "I-I knew you'd come back, you're too much of a fool to leave us behind" Her eyes were a bit red as if she had been crying.

Touma raised an eyebrow, the way she was reaching for his hand made her look like a worried little sister. He knelt down and put his hand on her head. "You believed in me even when I didn't." He slowly rubbed her head and Birdway's eyes closed. "Thanks Birdway, you really do act like a little sister sometimes"

The cabal leader suddenly went red and pushed his hand off. Shaking her head Birdway looked up at Touma "So, did you give Index a good punch?" she smirked, tossing her hair to the side.

"Have you tried punching a god Birdway?" Touma asked, deadpanning, "It's not easy."

"So, you haven't punched her" Birdway glared at him. "Why did I expect you to punch her?" she crossed her arms and 'hmphed', looking to the side.

Touma crossed his own arms, "when you get trapped in a phase inside of a god and break out, then you can complain. Until then, you have nothing to whine about Birdway"

The cabal leader gaped at him and his rash words. Her eyes twitching, before she was thrown aside by Kanzaki. "Kamijou Touma!" she knelt, "I am completely ashamed for being unable to protect you and leaving it to you to save Index!" She looked up with an odd expression that Touma was not comfortable with. "I will find some way to repay you, anything at all you must let me!"

She was grabbing his hand and pulling him close to her. "Ts-tsuchimikado what the hell did you tell her!?" Touma shouted.

Kanzaki froze and looked down slightly, "H..he's not told me anything. What do you mean?"

"Listen, you don't need to repay me or whatever, you don't owe me anything. I'm not that bastard Ainmire. I'm just glad to see people smile." he pulled his hand out and pat Kanzaki on the head.

The saint froze for a moment and shook her head. "What do you mean!? I must insist, otherwise I'll never feel right. I'll do anything, please just ask me to do something for you!"

Touma groaned and facepalmed, "Fine then, when this is over you can pay for Index's living expenses alright?"

Kanzaki blinked, looking almost… disappointed. "Is…is that it?" she asked hesitantly?

"What? Were you expecting me to ask you to pay with your body or something? I may be a teenager, but I have self control." He crossed his arms in annoyance.

"D-damn it… that spy's been getting to my head." The saint muttered and stood, clearing her throat. "M-my apologies Kamijou Touma."

Touma shrugged, "no problem" he smiled at her. "C-could you let go of me now?" he asked her.

Kanzaki's eyes widened a little, realizing she was still gripping Touma's hand. "O-oh…" she blushed and let go, before shamefully slinking off.

"Wait a minute….did you actually expect to pay with your body!"? Touma shouted back at Kanzaki, only to realize she was already gone.

At that moment, Elizard waltzed in, leaning on her sword. "Young Kamijou, I see you've returned, and are already making it big with the ladies. What was it like in the ol hotel Index?" she slyly grinned, causing Touma to blush.

"I-I'll explain everything later c-can't you stick to teasing your daughters and making Knight Leader's life a living hell!?" he asked flustered.

"My boy, you're just that easy to tease." she chuckled. "Besides, I wanted to make sure you were alright. Can't have you ending up as fat on one of my citizen's rear now can I?"

Touma groaned at the laughing queen. "Really? Don't you have more important things to do, than teasing this Kamijou-san about Index's fetish?" he asked her.

Elizar's face lit up, "Ah! You're right!" she grinned. "I should be teasing those girls instead. I can't wait to see their reactions!" She left Touma standing there, with the feeling that there was going to be a misunderstanding soon.

"So, not only did you manage to make the pagan norse head god fall for you. But you made a nun of the church forsake her vows and challenge god to save you." Fiamma smirked behind Touma. "Just who do you think you are? Tempting people away from the house of god, Lucifer?" the leader of God's Right Seat chuckled. "Don't think we haven't noticed that group of followers you've amassed."

Touma gave a sideways glance, "heh, says the same guy who tried to become Jesus by stealing my arm. Are you jealous that people like this Kamijou-san more than you? Thought, maybe, that by stealing my right arm would make you popular?" he snarked before turning around and shaking his head. "Yeah sorry, this Kamijou-san's right hand would do the opposite of that. By the way last I checked, you got run over by that mummy, High Priest. How's the back?"

"Perfectly fine, thank you for asking" Fiamma continued smirking. "So, Index finally got fed up with you starving her, and decided to resort to cannibalism? We all knew it would happen eventually, with how financially challenged you are. So how did it feel to find yourself on the receiving end? Did you give her heartburn on the way out?" he mocked, crossing his arms.

Rolling his eyes Touma sighed, crossing his arms. "Really? That's what you're going with? This kamijou-san is always on the receiving end. And I'm not even sure that devourer of funds is capable of getting heartburn. But, I did punch her for the trouble she caused me." Touma then held up a finger. "Oh! That reminds me, how's the face?" he teased.

Sparks flew between them, as Fiamma's hand went to his cheek. "Perfectly fine, thank you very much, how's the arm?" he glared.

"Oh, it's fine, unlike your's, this Kamijou-san's arm likes to stick around." Rubbing it in, Touma rolled his right arm in its socket, smirking.

Rolling his eyes, Fiamma sighed, "I get it, you're hilarious Imagine Breaker. You'll need to tell me who else fell for the 'cut off his arm' idea." He turned, waving back as he left.

Touma shook his head. "More than you'd think, actually… more than you'd think."

"Think what fool?" a metal staff, smacked against his forehead. Touma yelped, seeing Agnese leaning against her staff. She grinned smugly as she looked at him. "You certainly took your sweet time, did that dirty, sinful nun show you a good time? I knew she wasn't exactly pure. But declaring she'll eat god is another level entirely."

"I don't want to hear that from someone who shoved her staff up some knight's ass." Touma snapped back, rubbing his forehead.

Metal met flesh as Agnese smacked his crotch with her staff. "H-how dare you accuse me of such a thing," she snapped, blushing. "Wh-where did you hear about that!?"

Doubling over, Touma whimpered, "wh… where do you think!?" he gasped out.

"Angeleneeee~" Agnese drawled out, her eyes twitching as she walked off. She passed Tatemiya, who shrugged and crouched down next to Touma.

"Yo, Imagine Breaker, Agnese didn't hit you too hard did she?" he asked, helping the boy up.

He groaned, "This Kamijou-san's family jewels are still intact at least." Touma flashed the leader of the Amakusas a smile. "Good to see you, sorry about what happened to Index."

"They are merely the woes of love, no need to apologize." Tatemiya flared his hands out. "A Love, so powerful it tore down the heavens and stripped the gods of their power! A love So strong, it overcame death itself to pull a loved one out of Yomi!" He frowned with a weird expression. "Funny enough, It just also happened to come with endless hunger that would never be sated."

"We both know, She was always a black hole, we should have expected this." Touma sighed and shook his head.

Tatemiya nodded, "Touche, welp, glad we could chat, I gotta get back to working on the Yomi spell before it's too late." He vanished before Touma could ask what he meant.

"Huh…" Touma muttered as he crossed his arms. "I missed a lot didn't I, what is even going on here?"

"Are you… fucking Kidding me!?" a voice said behind him. "This is the guy? What the fuck!?"

Touma turned around and saw Mugino standing there. She was looking at him with a look of disbelieving disgust. "Um… hello?" he waved.

"Your telling me… this is the guy, who essentially has two gods wanting his fucking dick!? He's just some average looking dude, plain, and basic, nothing special. You're telling me, that this guy is the same guy, that Muireann was crying like a widowed housewife over all this time? THIS!? Is the guy that damn Nun became a god eating eldritch yandere monster, for!? What kind of fucking joke is this? How does this guy have a harem of woman after his ass!?" The Meltdowner ranted as she stared at Touma. "I mean… even that fucking railgun" she mumbled under her breath.

"Mugino, can you not mercilessly tear into this Kamijou-san's heart like that?," Touma crossed his arms with a frown. "It's been through enough already."

Mugino's mouth dropped in shock. Which was understandable, she and Touma had never actually met. She went to ask something but Touma interrupted her.

"What? I met you in Index's so called 'perfect world'." He smiled at her, "So, you're the one Hamazura speaks so highly of?" he held out his hand. "Despite the whole… you know, I'm glad we finally got to meet for real."

She slapped his hand away, "Fuck that! Explain yourself, how the fuck does someone as average as you get this many fucking woman wanting to ride their cock Hm?!" she demanded.

Kinuhata popped her head out from behind Mugino. "I don't know Mugino,that looks like he's super packing, down there" she whistled. "Super wouldn't mind giving him a shot myself."

"The hell!? You too!?" she whipped around. "What the fuck do you secrete some kind of gas that makes women throw themselves at you!?"

"Hold on a moment" Touma scratched his head in confusion. "Please don't tell me you've been drinking the Aogami and Tsuchimikado brand kool aid too Shizuri-san. I don't have a-"

"WHO THE FUCK SAID YOU COULD USE MY GIVEN NAME YOU FUCKING BASTARD!" Mugino shouted and fired a few meltdowner beams.

Touma… almost casually smacked them away. "Sheesh, sorry, didn't know you were that kind of level 5. Sorry Miss Meltdowner," he said with a frown.

"He just fucking shooed my Meltdowner ray away like it was a fly! Who the fuck is this guy!?" Mugino said in complete shock

Kinuhata blinked and smiled, "I think that's why Hamazura super calls him boss Mugino" she held her chin and nodded.

"The fuck does that explain!? Is this kid even human? I refused to believe some average guy could get that many fucking women trying to screw his ass. Including a girl who put the world in danger because she was fucking jealous!" Mugino cried out in anger.

Touma facepalmed, "Then don't believe it! Aogami and Tsuchimikado have no clue what they're talking about. There's only two girls who were into me, and one of them ate the other. So yeah, that happened," he groaned in annoyance.

"Holy… fuck! How, fucking blind is he?" Mugino's eye twitched in annoyance. "He really doesn't realize he's got a fucking hoard of woman desparate to ride his dick!"

"I'd super tap that," Kinuhata smirked like she was examining a work of art. "Those toned muscles, that super greek-sculpture-like figure? Yep, he's hot alright" the esper nodded to herself.

"Okay! Explain why your colleague is looking at me like a five star steak from a fancy restaurant." Touma demanded, gesturing at Kinuhata with a confused expression.

Whipping her hand out, Mugino knocked Kinuhata Saiai into the ground. "There… better?" she asked, her eye still twitching.

"Did you really have to smack her like that?" he asked, frowning.

"Now… explain… how the fuck! You managed to get not one, but two gods of infinite power trying to fuck your ass! Cause I refuse to accept some normal highschool boy could do that" she hissed out grabbing his collar.

Touma rolled his eyes and grabbed her wrist, twisting it. Mugino's eyes widened in shock. That was her artificial hand, not her human one. And yet, Touma just casually pried it off him.

"It's nothing really, I've taken care of Index since July. Fed her, housed her, protected her from the odd magician or two. And Othinus? I just listened to her, tried to understand her. That's all she wanted, all she needed. I just happened to be the only guy who was willing to try"

Touma dropped down and glared up at Mugino as he stood.

"There's no special voodoo, no hocus pocus, no dumb love potion. Anyone could have done what I did if they tried, got it? I had no clue Index would start eating gods in a desperate attempt to save me." Silence fell as Mugino and Kinuhata stared stunned.

Touma became a little concerned, "Um… excuse me? hello? You guys there?" he asked, waving his hand in front of their faces.

The two ITEM members continued to stare at Mugino's prosthetic hand for a moment. Slowly turning to stare at the boy in front of them before the level five finally snapped out of it.

"You've got balls kid… I'll give you that, but Hamazura's got way bigger" she smirked before grabbing Kinuhata by the collar. "Come on Kinuhata, we still got work to do," she strode off, dragging the level four behind her.

Blinking a moment Touma shrugged, "okay… guess that went… well?" He turned, expecting someone else to pop up.

And sure enough, he saw Mikoto's friends alongside… Celt? approaching him. Saten waved her hand with a smile as Celt leaned over Kuroko's shoulder. She seemed to be saying something into her ear. When did they become close friends?

"Hey Kamijou-san!" Saten smiled, shaking his hand. "Glad you're alright, I can't believe you managed to escape!"

Touma smiled sheepishly at the girl. "Y-yeah… I couldn't have done it without Accelerator's help." He rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

Uiharu pulled a notepad out, "So, how was your experience inside Index?" she asked, catching him off guard. "Pleasant? Unpleasant?..." she gave a serious expression. "Slimey?" Her friends paused, giving her concerned looks.

"N-none of the above?" Touma responded nervously. "Index just locked me in a phase she created inside her. Wanting me to be able to 'live normally'. So, really it was fairly average." No… way, was he gonna mention Rolf or his creepy cult.

Saten shivered, "I… I'm just shocked someone so… sweet and innocent could become an esper eating monster."

Touma's eyes widened in shock, esper eating? He thought Index had only eaten gods. "What?! What do you mean she started eating espers!?" He grabbed Saten by the shoulders, horrified at what he just heard. How, how had Index justified eating innocent people!?

"Y-you didn't know?" Saten asked, confused.

Kuroko shooed Celt's face away as the Leanan Sidhe giggled. "Your little nun friend decided to go cannibalistic and started eating espers for their personal realities." She glared at Touma.

Celt sighed and shrugged, "nearly got us two," she gestured at Kuroko and her. "I do not want to find myself in those jaws again…" she looked at Kuroko who was blushing. "You're kidding me love, you actually enjoyed that!?"

"Shirai-san is a pervert, so of course she did," Uiharu smugly grinned.

"Sh-shut up you two!" Kuroko said, "anyways, if it wasn't obvious by the fact most of us have been busy. We're working on a way to seal Index." She glared at Touma, "I get most of us are happy you're back, but you better not try anything on my onee-sama, ape."

Touma gave her a deadpan, "Really Kuroko? Now is not a good time for that," he rolled his eyes. "I honestly have no clue what you're talking about. Me and Misaka are just close friends, not like she has any interest in me. And even if she did, she's not even my type."

"Huh?" Kuroko said shocked, Saten's and Uiharu's jaws dropped, eyes wide. What? It's not like he just sunk their favorite ship or anything.

"I'm not gonna go into detail okay." Touma hung his head and shook it. "Honestly, just my luck. The only two girls who were into me were. Othinus, my understander, and Index who ate my understander." He looked at Kuroko slightly annoyed, "If you have feelings for her, go ahead. I'm not gonna stop you from telling her how you feel."

Silence fell a moment before Kuroko made a pained expression. "I… had no idea, but… are you sure? My onee-sama is a level five, how could you turn her down so readily? Not to mention you barely have enough money to scrape by. Why aren't you taking advantage of that opportunity?"

"Y-yeah!" Saten said nervously, "besides, c-clearly Misaka-san has a thing for you and would be much, much happier-" but Celt covered her mouth before she could continue. A grin on the Leannan Sidhe's face as she winked.

"I'm not gonna go so low as to rely on a middle schooler for money. I have my pride as a highschooler you know." He put his fingers against his forehead. "Look, there's no way she'd be happy with a guy who can't even get his own life together." Touma shrugged, "So go ahead, ask her out, I don't know. The last person who dated me used mind control to get what she wanted. So, I don't think I can help you."

A moment or so passed and Kuroko smiled. "I judged you wrong, thank you, Kamijou Touma. I apologize for my mistreatment of you thinking you were leading my Onee-sama on."

He waved his hand sideways. "Don't be, I'm used to it, just glad we cleared that up."

"Ahem… well we still have work to do, but, glad you're with us." Uiharu said as her Kuroko and Saten left. "Guess we'll see you later then, you need to tell us all about your adventures."

Touma grimaced and looked at Celt who had stayed behind. "Cheek okay?" he asked the fey.

"It's fine, I wanted to apologize, formally Mac Kamijou". Celt Eislyn bent to one knee, shocking Touma. "Mac Kamijou Touma, I apologize for trusting the lies of a false hero. For letting him twist the truth and lead me to harm your world, your family and friends. I hope you can forgive us for what we've done."

The boy stared silently for a moment, his jaw flapping open and shut. "S-s-stand up please!" he stammered. "There is no need to bow like that and nothing you need to apologize for. You were worried, trying to protect your family. I can't blame or commend you for what you did to achieve that. And I especially don't deserve your apology when my actions and failure lead to Index becoming what she has."

Celt chuckled and stood dusting herself off. "You say that, but I can't help but feel I owe you… if you need our help… My family… the Fey of Tír Nall will be there." She held out a hand.

Touma shook it with his left, "and if you need my help… at any time… call me." He smiled and let go. "I owe you for the punch."

"If it wasn't for the fact you were male, I think I'd have fallen for you instead." Celt shook her head and followed after Kuroko. "Later, Grand Hero," she said.

After Celt had left his earshot, Touma looked around for a moment. After making sure no one else was nearby, he sighed and looked up at the sky. The words he had been holding in since Saten had revealed what Index had done, finally being released.

"How… HOW CAN YOU STILL CLAIM YOU DID THIS FOR ME, INDEEEEEEEEX!" he shouted at the top of his lungs. Touma clenched his fists and paused, blinking, he looked at his left hand.

When had that Silver branch gotten there?

The light faded as platinum wings pulled themselves away from Index. Accelerator floated just before her in the void of the new world. Head down, fists clenched, The Great Devourer shook silently as the planet was slowly restored below them.

Accelerator panted, exhaustion clouding his already stressed brain. A grin formed on his face as he chuckled. "Heh, what? You're gonna cry because I saved the damn hero from you?" he sneered. He had managed to pull Touma free from Index's world. The boy had ended up back in the original world safe from their fight.

Index's face was shadowed as she growled under her breath. "I-...-king…ki-...-ou" she muttered, biting her lip.

"Sorry, diiiidn't quite catch that!" Accelerator mocked, feeling a bit cocky from the high he got saving Touma. "You'll need to speak up a bit."

Space shook as Index's head slowly rose. Eyes ablaze with cosmic purple fire, her face twisted into a snarl. Cracks spread out through the void from her fists and feet. "I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU! I'LL TEAR YOU TO SHREDS, AND EAT EVERY LAST SCRAP OF YOUR SOUL!" she roared, a pulse ripped through the world. Tearing gaping holes in space itself. "And then, I'll make you watch as I do the same to that dumb kid last order!"

At that moment, Accelerator snapped, he didn't even know he had moved. All he knew was the boiling fury he had not felt since Kakine had nearly killed Yomikawa in front of him. His hand was reaching towards Index's face, intent on ripping the girl turned god to shreds.

Index's eyes stared directly into his, unflinching as a hateful grin could be seen on her face. And in the very next moment, all thought, all cognitive functions were gone from Accelertor's mind. It was like his battery had run out, but that shouldn't have mattered. Not while Accessing Clonoth with his platinum wings.

Index's shape seemed to be laughing loudly as weird thin ropy shapes extended from her body. Everything moved in slow motion as those shapes began to coil around him. Had Accelerator been able to think properly, he'd have realized he had fallen into her trap.

An odd blobby shape seemed to extend out from behind Index; it rose above Accelerator's head and opened up. Red filled his vision as something warm and wet splashed onto his face. Noises pounded in his ears, but he couldn't make out any meanings.

The weird shape descended, an odd maw-like appendage. His vision rapidly cleared and he realized he was in danger. Index had surrounded him in tentacle-like appendages and was about to consume him with something akin to a slobbering tail. Just what did this girl think she was?

Accelerator found himself moving even before he had fully regained his senses. His hand reached down and pulled him through the world itself. But he was not the one in control.

Blinking Accelerator found himself crashing into a floating mass of land. "MASTER! Are you alright!?" Qlilphah's voice echoed into his head. She deftly maneuvered Accelerator's body aside and through a phase, just barely avoiding a mawed vine-like tentacle.

"BRING ME THE FUCK BACK THERE THIS INSTANT! I NEED TO BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF THAT LITTLE GOD BRAT!" Accelerator roared in anger at Qliphah. They halted and zipped sideways. Slipping through the phases again, they avoided Index's immense serpentine form as it ripped through the space they had just been in.

"Master! That's exactly what she wants though. You know that! If you try to attack her, she will eat you. And then all that we've worked to protect will be lost. She'll eat you, then eat the sisters and anyone who gets in her way!" Qlilphah told him as she used his body to move through space. Barely avoiding a rift that appeared to swallow them up.

He didn't want to admit it, but Qlilphah was right. But, this was no time to be prideful, taking a breath. Accelerator relaxed, "Alright, can you at least explain what just happened? And give me back control of my body!"

"One moment!" Qliphah mentally responded. She reached Accelerator's hand out and pulled up two phases, intentionally causing a spark. It disrupted and deflected the sudden mass of tendrils that had erupted out of thin air allowing the two to phase hop again.

Accelerator felt control of his body return, and instantly spun. Using his wings to deflect the many arms of Index as they snapped at him. He rotated through space then through the phases as he appeared in the neon city of Hong Kong. "Alright, spill!" he told Qliphah as the ground shuddered. An immense reptilian monster the size of the skyscrapers around them stomping past.

Accelerator didn't expect to see the iconic Kaiju in all honesty. But, considering the fact that lovecraft's creatures had been summoned from a cosmic horror phase. He really shouldn't have been surprised. No, as cool as the giant monkey punching the giant lizard in the background was. His focus was on the figure that appeared in the sky having torn a hole in reality.

"Alright," Qliphah began as Accelerator kicked off the ground. A large blue beam of radioactive energy blasted into him. Redirecting it, he sent it directly towards Index who didn't even react to it. "When you had charged Index, she drained your body and mind of its power. Specifically, she sucked all the AIM out of the area. You weren't prepared for that, and even if you were you couldn't protect yourself from it." Accelerator once again swore and ducked through the phases. Index's jaws snapped around his prior location.

"So, your saying she fucking disabled my ability?! That explains it, my choker uses the SISTERS network. Without AIM it wouldn't work and without my ability I can't use my wings." He crashed into a slimy, mud filled riverscape. Shrieks and cries, and all manner of depraved voices fell silent as figures, humanoid, distorted and otherwise turned to the newcomer.

Qliphah nodded mentally, "Exactly, however, she can't so easily get rid of a 'direct' connection to the trees. By possessing you, I can share my connection to Qliphoth with you."

The boiling swamp of the fifth circle of hell shuddered and screamed as it was torn into. The Great Devourer's rage overwhelmed it with cosmic, god-slaying fire. The sinful souls of the wrathful catholics and christians screamed in horror, unable to flee. Their forms were burned away as Accelerator grabbed sky and earth. Rotating through the phases and space until he ended up in Hades.

But somehow, Index was already there, Accelerator slipped back and pulled his wings up. Barely managing to push back against Index as the ground opened up. The mandibled jaws of her armored serpent form, bursting up and swallowing space.

"Shit!" Accelerator swore, and slipped through the phases again. Index was already there, again, she still was there. Eyes wide Accelerator paled, if that was even possible. "THE FUCK!? Is she just Omnipresent now!?" he asked.

"N-no! She's just anchored herself to your perception! Listen, she may not be able to so easily get rid of a 'direct' connection to the trees. But, if she so much as catches you… it's game over Master"

The sky was colored gold, large burning serpents sung in chorus as ringed beings with eyes along their rims floated through the air. Index looked down at Accelerator with burning hatred. Her body, changing before his eyes.

"Where did all that bravado go white hair?" Index mocked, her waist erupted with a mass of tendrils, they formed a long writhing gown covering her legs. Much like that of the king in yellow Hastur. "I thought you were gonna beat the shit out of this little brat god! What happened to that? Are you scared? Running off with your tail between your legs? Like the scared little puppy you are?" Six large tentacles spread out from her back on either side of her spine, forming immense butterfly-like wings. "Honestly, it's really pathetic, you were much more fun when you were trying to kill me. Whatever happened to being the number one esper. Crosser of the abyss and ruler of academy city?" Slipping out of slits from either side of her body above her waist and below her armpit, were four tentacles with a mawed bulbed tip. Multiple large tail-like appendages burst from her tailbone, slobbering jaws at the end of each.

Now looking like the lovecraftian goddess she was. Index's eyes caught Accelerator and he found himself being pulled through space. He flexed his wings and struck back, avoiding being pulled into her jaws. But in doing so, he appeared right back where he had been. Her multiple tails lashing out at him as they erupted from impossible angles.

"What? And you think that means I'm stupid enough to take you head on?" Accelerator said and coiled space around him. Gravity pulled him out of the way faster than he could see and he slipped through the phases again, Index however was there. Anchored to his perception, she would remain in the same place relative to him. "What a joke, I'm not planning on dying. You'll need to do better than that to get me to put my guard down."

The dark god sneered as she was behind him. Those arms and tails whipping out. "You certainly seemed to be when I threatened Last Order." Accelerator's hand twitched and he ducked away. Rotating through the phases so her striked collided with one another.

He had nearly lost his composure again, and Index knew that. "The fuck!? You liked her! I saw you and her playing with Hamazura's little brat! Why are you so insistent on killing her now?"

"Because without Touma, nothing matters anymore!" Index roared. She bit through the sparks caused by the collision and bent space. "I want you to feel what I am after you took my human from me!"

Her jaws closed around Accelerator, and he slammed two phases together again. Launching him out past her, and back into the new world. Barely ducking back and pulling his wings up. He deflected her mawed tails as they snapped at him.

Flapping his wings, Accelerator tried to slip through the phases again but gasped out in pain. His reflection could protect him from a lot of things, but it couldn't protect him from something spontaneously forming inside of him. He was swallowed up by the event horizon of the phase that Index created and only barely managed to escape a black hole within that phase.

'Master hurry, she's going to eat the phase!'Qliphah shouted in his mind and Accelerator rolled his eyes. Swinging around the black hole, using his wings to pull himself through it back outside. And just in time too as he saw Index once more swallow the phase she had tried to trap him in. However, she seemed to have predicted this as Accelerator's eyes widened. He found himself hurtling straight into Index's back, which had opened into a maw.

Index grinned broadly as the jaws snapped shut around the esper. Accelerator swore,slamming his foot against the sides as his wings tried to pierce her flesh on the edges. He could feel his strength being drained as his vision flickered.

"Mhh~" Index's voice echoed, "guess you're not as strong as your all cracked up to be white hair." She said smugly as the pulsating walls of flesh tried to force him down her throat. "Thanks for the meal~"

'Master!' Qliphah panicked as Accelerator's foot slipped and was caught by the muscles in the back. The slick, fluorescent saliva coating the walls of Index's 'back' maw, made it near impossible to get a grip.

As he desperately fought being pulled into the abyss. He asked Qliphah a question, 'Hey! Demon! I can hop into a phase as long as I can access it right?'

'R… right but Index's is in her stomach, the only reason you were able to get Kamijou Touma out was because Imagine Breaker broke the barrier of inside and out. Without a direct connection to the phase you can't hop into or out of it.'

Accelerator grinned, "Hang on tight then!" he shouted as he let go. Qliphah screamed in horror as they were pulled down Index's throat. Accelerator thrusted his wings forward.

And then they were enveloped by light.

Index paused in the middle of licking her fingertips. She had swallowed Accelerator, that she knew. She had felt him slide down her throat, be it the throat she created inside of her back-maw. She had tasted his flesh and felt his AIM flowing into her.

But then, why didn't she have his memories? Why didn't she have his mind and power? Her tendrils splayed out behind her as those tails snapped in the air.

She looked down at her stomach and raised an eyebrow. Amusing, it was almost like he was asking to get eaten.

She giggled darkly as she closed her eyes.

The light faded and Accelerator tumbled into Index's world. "AHAHAHAHAH" he laughed, "I didn't know if that would work!" he grinned trying to orientate himself.

'YOU DIDN'T!?' Qliphah cried out in horror. 'You mean you bet the entire universe on a maybe!?'

"A Calculated risk," the number one said. "It was either trying to enter her phase and have a chance of survival. Or, accept our fates as Index's fucking chest fat or whatever!"

Qliphah groaned, 'I'm not sure if you're brilliant, or just insane' she didn't actually seem that upset however.

Accelerator chuckled as he landed on the ground. "The line between those two things is awfully thin. And I erased that line long ago!" His eyes came up and met the glowing violet eyes of a large armored worm. It was hauntingly similar to Index's serpentine form but way smaller.

It opened its jaws making a sound that sounded oddly like a child opening their mouth to eat something. But was interrupted when the sky shook. It shouted, also oddly like a scared child, and burrowed off.

Index's avatar manifested in the sky above. She looked down at Accelerator with a smug grin as she sat in the air. "I thought you were supposed to be smart!" she mocked him. "Don't you realize that by entering my phase you're at my mercy? I control everything here. You're in my stomach now, so I can take my sweet time absorbing you." she licked her lips as she laughed.

The sky became flesh, the ground began to shift as it faded revealing immense layered muscles. Vibrant purple fluids were secreted from the shifting floor as Accelerator felt his physical form being torn at.

"No, because you just gave me exactly what I wanted." Accelerator grinned, ignoring the pain. He kicked off the soft ground and hurtled at Index who's eyebrow rose. Qliphah's wings were visible sprouting off his back underneath his own platinum ones. The eroding of his physical form revealing the essences within.

He thrusted his wings forward and they plunged into Index's Avatar's stomach. And once more he was enveloped by light as he returned to the outside world.

Biting his lip in agony, he rolled through the phases to avoid one of Index's many mawed tails as he healed himself. "Shit shit shit shit! That fucking hurts!" he roared out.

'But it worked master! You were right, that was genius!' Qliphah squealed in excitement. 'We might just be able to buy enough time for the others to get ready!'

A roar of anger was heard as Index's serpentine form burst forth from the phases directly at them. Her human form, somehow riding the former as she spread the lovecraftian arms behind her.

Accelerator's eyes widened as the many mawed tendrils and tails of Index began emerging all around him from places he hadn't even considered. Behind his wings, behind his legs and fingers, anywhere he couldn't directly see.

"ACCELLERATOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORRRR!" Index roared as her serpentine form's jaws opened, her own human form's mawed arms closing in on him.

Accelerator's wings vibrated as he twisted in the air. One wing grabbed Kemetism, one wing grabbed Olympysim, one wing grabbed Hinduism, one wing grabbed Buddhism and another grabbed Christianity.

He pulled the phases around in a whirlwind, the immensely conflicting natures of them causing sparks and sprays so immense. They rippled outward and sent him and Index through different phases. Her tendrils, tails, and serpentine form being launched back into her.

Crashing into a foggy plain that could have been anything. Accelerator stumbled, his head pounded, sweat rolled down his brow. His breath was short, and he felt his mind was beginning to lose focus. The only reason he had yet to collapse from exhaustion of using his wings for over an entire day was because he was continually revitalizing himself by drawing in energy from the world around him.

But even he wasn't sure he could keep this up for much longer. A few hours? Maybe only 30 more minutes.

The sky split and Index descended into the world once more as she looked down at him. Deciding merely fighting wasn't gonna get him Anywhere. Accelerator decided to try and get Index to talk.

"So… you eat me, eat the sisters… then what!?" he demanded. "You eat the fucking world next!?"

Index glared and her tails whipped out, "No, why would I do that? One, I eat it and there won't be anything else to eat. Two, It's Touma's world and I promised to protect it."

Accelerator, pulled up whatever phasal energy he could to deflect the tails. They carved through his wings, but were diverted slightly, allowing him to shift his position to avoid each one. There were two important details about what Index just said.

The first was the order in which she said her reasons for not eating the world. By placing the fact she wouldn't have anything left to eat first. It showed she was more concerned with her own selfish desires rather than Touma.

The second was the fact she called the world they came from Touma's world. In essence, she was saying she was separate from the residents of that world and didn't belong in it.

"But you know~" Index grinned, "maybe I could eat this one!" she smiled as she seemed to vanish.

An immense shadow was casted over the foggy plains as Index's eye could be seen enveloping the sky. Accelerator swore again and grabbed a random phase, pulling himself through.

However, Index had already locked herself relative to him. Stumbling back, he looked up at her as her jaws opened and began to close around the planet.

'Master!' Qliphah mentally shouted, 'I have an idea! hop back to the main phase!'

"WHAT!?" he asked in confusion, a thundurus crash tore the planet's crust apart as Index's jaws snapped shut around it. He began pulling his wing's back prepared to leap into Index's world the moment she swallowed.

'You wanted me to trust you when you pulled that stunt earlier. So trust me right now and jump back to the main phase!' Qliphah insisted even as Index began tilting her head back. Gravity pulling the planet's chunks towards her gullet.

Accelerator bit his lip, while hopping into Index's world had worked, there was a quite literal large difference in scale here. It was all about timing, and he couldn't time it as well when the size of the event horizon to Index's world was so much larger. By the time he could make the jump, he'd have already been enveloped.

So, trusting Qliphah's judgment he did as she said and his wings swung up. Grabbing hold of the main phase even as Index's body rapidly drained his AIM, and pulled himself up.

The world shifted around him and he saw himself standing in the middle of a field in russia, Index stopped tilting her head. The planet stopped descending and the sky returned to normal, her throat in the distance fading away. The dimly lit sky once more replaced it as Index's tails whipped out behind him.

'Index said she promised to protect Touma's world, remember?' Qliphah said. Accelerator's eyes widened, 'that means she'd disengage if she was about to swallow this earth!'

It was obvious, but at that moment, Accelerator had been too overwhelmed to realize it.

Pulling his wings forward, Accelerator deflected Index's tailed maws. They carved through each wing, but would be diverted from the phasal manipulation. One however managed to nick his leg and he found his body stumbling in the air.

"So, you're saying that we now have a way to at least keep her from eating us." Accelerator commented.

Index was suddenly just before him as her hand slipped into space. Accelerator's wing came around and deflected the multidimensional vector. Another wing gripped a phase and pulled Accelerator aside. Buying him some time before Index anchored herself to him.

Qliphah mentally nodded 'Right since nothing short of eating a planet is large enough that you won't be able to cross over to her world in time. We can keep from being eaten long enough for the others to give us a signal.'

Mawed tentacled vines began slipping out of the unseen places around Accelerator. His back, below his hands, behind his legs. However, his wings coiled around constricting them and forcing them back just barely.

Index's foot suddenly collided with Accelerator's stomach and he found himself hurtling towards the ground. She had tried to force a singularity to form inside of him. But he managed to unravel the exponentially growing gravity well before it formed.

However, in doing so, he had left himself vulnerable. One of Index's many tails whipped out and caught him in its maw.

"Surely you must think this is fun white hair!" Index's voice echoed out as her tail swallowed its prey. "That rush of adrenaline, finally being able to go all out without worry of consequence!" she laughed. "You've finally met someone who can truly overpower you!"

Accelerator bit his lip as he was pulled along. She was a bit right, his heart was beating like never before. Even when he had fought Touma the first time and experienced pain. He had never truly been fighting for his life. No, Index achieved what not even magic gods, Coronzon, or Anna sprengel had.

She had made Accelerator run away.

His eyes snapped open just before he entered Index's body. Wings struck forward and light poured out. Once more entering Index's world he rolled in the air, gasping for breath.

"Seriously, that little brat knows how to piss me off!" he hissed as Index's avatar formed before him.

'She did kinda eat Odin, that girl once caused a war between two pacifist nations for fun.' Qliphah pointed out.

Index giggled seeing Accelerator charge at her. One of her many avatar's tails whipped out to eat the boy. He ducked and weaved through them even as his physical form was slowly being stripped by Index's body.

He threw his wings forward, but the grinning Index grabbed them just before they reached her stomach. "You look tired Accelerator~ how about you take a rest. You've been fighting for over a day!" she wrenched him towards her. "Calling on the power of Clonoth for that long must be exhausting. After all, you're only human, you have limits. Why not lie down and let big sister Index take care of you~"

Accelerator managed to slip one wing through 11 dimensional space however and penetrate Index's stomach. Light poured out and he once again reentered the outside world.

"Thanks, but no thanks, rather not end up your fucking happy meal!" Accelerator hissed, he was trying to hide his exhaustion from her. But, it appeared the lovecraftian goddess that was Index could tell.

She narrowed her eyes in irritation, his constant bouncing from her world, to the outside world. And then back to the main phase must have begun to annoy her. "Oh well, I haven't given you a choice yet have I?" she said before vanishing.

Instantly, the sky was gone, Index's jaws crashed around the planet of the phase they were in. Accelerator was stunned for a moment as the ground split and Index swallowed. Screams, cries and more echowing around as helpless phasal beings were made victims of Index.

Accelerator's wings acted on instinct, whipping up and grabbing hold of the main phase before pulling himself through. And just in time too as he could feel the soul absorbing energies of Index's event horizon.

A strike hit his back and Index's Tendrils wrapped around him as they crashed into the oldest city on earth. Cracks ran through the air around the houses of Çatalhöyük. Radiant phasal energy bursting forth through the world.

Eyes sharpening ever so slightly, Accelerator's wings slipped into the cracks. Pulling himself through back into Uruk, he crashed against the remains of the ziggurat.

He pulled up the energy of the phase itself and a weird red,black and gold blade appeared in his hand.

'Huh, guess the original view of gilg is so distorted, aspects of modern fiction were merged with the phase' Qliphah muttered.

It looked more like a short jousting stick, and the blade itself was made of rotating rings. He raised an eyebrow but shook his head. Spinning round he thrusted the blade forward. Channeling the energy through it towards Index who had appeared.

A whirlwind of pure phasal destruction energy burst forth towards Index. All she did was swing her hand and the blade and destruction was cleaved. A glittering gold spear in her hand, Index was before Accelerator. The spear vanished and she swung her glowing fist down.

Accelerator ducked back and frowned, Index's fist crashed against the ground and it opened up. They fell through the phases and Index vanished as they landed in the mesopotamia underworld.

A crash was heard and Accelerator grabbed the main phase through the cracks and pulled himself through. Index's throat enveloping the sky, now In the middle of South America somehow. Accelerator saw Index vanish and reappear in the sky.

Swearing, Accelerator used his wings to teleport to a distant mountain. Index's island sized foot crashing against the earth where he was.

She was like a living continent as she carved out the chunk of land he was on and dropped it down her jaws.

"I THOUGHT SHE WASN'T GOING TO DESTROY THE DAMN HERO'S WORLD!" Accelerator shouted back at Qliphah as Index swallowed again. Glowing saliva crashed against the land and dissolved it.

'She isn't not in her eyes, she can just undo this damage remember? Besides, Touma's never been to South America so it's not part of his world to her.' the demon clarified as Accelerator thrusted his wings forward towards the event horizon before him.

Once more crossing into Index's world, Accelerator crashed into a hellscape of a city. A large fleshy monolith in the distance with a glowing solar looking sphere held in its tooth like crown.

Index's avatar remnifested, it was likely had she not been so irritated with Accelerator. She'd have realized she could just choose to not manifest her avatar. Thus depriving Accelerator with a way out of her world so she could absorb him.

She pouted as she glared at him, "Can't you just let me eat you? I just had to repair the entire Brazilian countryside and undo the deaths of countless. You're making this way more difficult than it could be!"

Accelerator launched himself at her and swung his wings through the unseen spaces of her world. However nothing happened as Index opened her mouth expectantly. This was her world, there was no such thing as an unseen space for her.

Qliphah took over for a split second and yanked him out of the way. "You chose to do that, we didn't make you crush that city! We didn't make you eat that mountain!" she shouted through Accelerator's lips.

"The demon's fucking right you dumb brat!" Accelerator shouted back. He felt his reflection beginning to fail him. He wouldn't be able to keep this up for much longer. "You could have just not caused all that damage. If you're so powerful you could have just grabbed me!"

He threw his wings forward and around Index a mass of tentacles erupted out, snapping at them. Index's hands caught the ones in front of her. And her leg kicked aside the one that tried to snake around.

"Hmm, maybe, maybe not!" she grinned with sadistic glee. "But where's the fun in that?"

Accelerator glared and swung his head back, channeling the phasal energy into a headbut. "THEN DON'T BLAME ME FOR THEIR DEATHS!" he cried out.

Since it was Index's own phase, the headbutt actually disoriented her. Using the moment, Accelerator's wings pierced her stomach and hopped back to the outside world.

Tumbling through the air, the two halted and faced each other. Accelerator was Exhausted, his reflection was down, and it took all he had to keep his wings and breathing going by creating oxygen.

They floated just across from each other above earth. Only one more hit and Accelerator was sure he'd be done for. But Index in her lovecraftian glory, was completely unphased.

The mass of tentacles sprouting from her back retracted. One of her eldritch arms stretched out and wrapped around the white haired boy as she drifted towards him.

"Tell you what white hair, It's clear you've been through quite a bit. So, I'll make you a deal." The dark god whispered into his ear, an armored serpent tempting the angel of death. "If you bring Touma back to me, unharmed. I'll leave Last Order alone, and she'll never have to see me again!"

Accelerator growled quietly, "don't fuck with me, no way you'd have a change of heart that quickly. You were dead set on killing her ,if I agree you'll eat me the moment I bring the damn hero to you. Then you'll go and eat the brat too."

"No, I won't" Index responded with a pout.

"Ha?" Accelerator blinked confused.

"Well, Of course I'll eat you, but if you bring Touma back to me. I'll lose the reason to kill Last Order. Because you're right, I do like her, I just love Touma much much more. How could I not, He's given me everything, a place to sleep. Good food to eat, and a family to call my own. He gave me a normal life, and then protected that life by putting his own on the line. Ever since I fell on that balcony with nothing, not even memories. He's taken care of me, even when he lost his own memories. And I was but a stranger, he still did everything he could to make me happy. Without him I'd have nothing, I'd be nothing. So, I'd do anything to get him back. Besides, It wouldn't be the first promise of this kind I've made to my prey." Her body reverted to normal as the two continued to stare eachother down.

"What? You think I'll just take your word for it?" he sneered at her.

Index shook her head, her hair drifting into the air ever so slightly before falling back down. "You wouldn't need to, just ask the girl you saved. I've kept my promise to her even though I didn't get to eat her. Her brother is currently resting in the hospital after a chemotherapy session. He'll be back to full health by the time he wakes. While it was always possible, I tipped the scales of fate so it was guaranteed. Oh! I know!" Index lit up, "How about I sweeten the deal for you white hair!" she giggled her body shape-shifting again. Her lower half became the armored serpent and she wrapped her coils around Accelerator. Leaning over his shoulder, her silver hair cascaded off her like a waterfall as she whispered into his ear. "Bring me Touma, and I'll leave Last Order and the SISTERS alone. I won't make promises for Misaka, but I don't think you'd mind that."

Accelerator shook quietly and bit his lip. 'Master! Don't fall for it, she's got the skill and experience of at least 6 gods. Multiple of whom are experts in deception including Othinus! She's trying to deceive you, there's going to be some kind of loophole in her promise she can take advantage of,' Qliphah warned Accelerator. 'They've all lived countless years, so they know how humans work. Don't trust Anything she says!'

"Oh Boo! Why would I have any reason to deceive white hair?" Index pouted at Qliphah. This made it clear she could hear her despite her not speaking. "Sure they have phases in them, but it's not like the SISTERS are the only espers around. And besides, as long as no one tries to stop me, I won't need to refuel either. Especially after eating Accelerator," her jaws opened in an unsettling grin. Hot breath poured down Accelerator's neck as he could see saliva coating the inside of her mouth. "After all, he'd last me quite a while."

The number one esper glared back at her. "What about the countless espers in the city? My students, what about Yomikawa? You haven't promised to leave them alone. And I can't just let you eat them too!" he hissed out.

Index held her chin, "I'll extend that protection to Yomikawa. But answer me this, would you rather me leave your family alone? Or just your students? Because I could easily eat them both if I really wanted to. And you could do nothing to stop me, and you know that. So… who would you rather me leave alone?"

"You're making me choose!?" he shook nervously. "Of fucking course I'd choose the Brat and SISTERS over Academy City! But they are still my responsibility, I'm not just gonna let you kill them!"

Index sneered, "I could choose for you~ but then you won't have a say if I ate the SISTERS."

"Bullshit!" Accelerator snapped back. "Besides Last Order and the SISTERS are Academy City espers too"

"But they aren't your students, are they?" Index pointed out. "They are your family and I specifically asked you to choose between Students or family. Not Espers or SISTERS."

Accelerator's breath caught a moment. He was now beginning to see what Qliphah meant earlier. He wouldn't be able to beat Index in a battle of wits. For every 3 steps ahead he thought , Index was 25 steps further. She already had a response for any answer he could give.

Biting his lip, Accelerator's heart wavered. He only cared for those in his phone's memory. That was a small list, and even though it held more names than he could count on one hand. It was still way smaller than the number of espers in the city.

That list held the names of those he considered family. Last Order, Yomikawa, WORST, Yoshikawa, and every SISTER he could contact.

But, there was one other name on that list Accelerator would move mountains for.

"But… The damn hero… is also my family," he sneered, bringing up his phone. Sweat rolled down his brow nervously. "See? Right there near the top of the phonebook. And you have no intention of leaving him alone, do you?"

Index froze a moment, for as good as she was. It was impossible to predict something she had no knowledge of. Had she not been so arrogant, she would have thought of this. Thus allowing herself knowledge on Accelerator and those numbers. She growled silently as her eyes scanned through the list of names.

More than the ones she had mentioned were listed there. There was also Hamazura, Misaka, Komoe, GROUP and even names she didn't recognize.

"You sure Accelerator?" Index asked, dropping her playful nickname. "If you choose your family over your students. You'll be condemning the lives of everyone in Academy City," she sneered. "Their blood would be on your hands. You wouldn't be acting as Academy City's board chairman or Accelerator. You'd be playing god, could you face Last Order if you did that?"

Accelerator nearly stopped breathing again, Index was right. If he chose family over students, he was playing god. Choosing who lives, and who dies, his family? Or the millions of espers in Academy City. Could he really consider himself better than Index at that point? Could he call himself the number one Esper if he did that?

Could he even look Last Order in the eye if he did that?

'Master she's trying to throw you off do-' Qliphah was suddenly cut off as Index's hand shimmered.

"Silence Demon, this is between me and white hair~" she sneered.

If he chose to be the number one esper. He'd lose everything that mattered to him. But if he chose to be Accelerator. He'd be condemning countless innocent lives and be unable to face his family again.

Index's coils shifted and she lightly lifted his chin with her finger. "Well~? Hurry up, otherwise I'll make the decision for you," she giggled. A soft, seemingly kind smile formed on her face. It was like a sweet poison you didn't know you took until it was too late.

Students, or Family, Family or students, it was a lose lose situation. His thoughts turned to the damn hero whose death caused this whole mess. What would he do in this situation? How would he find that third option and slip out of this impossible decision?

Accelerator's thoughts paused for a moment. Why had Index asked him if he was sure? Shouldn't the answer be obvious? He'd always choose family over students, he couldn't make it up to his family if they died. So, why had she asked such a redundant question?

Unless she wanted him to question his decision. Under normal circumstances he likely wouldn't hesitate. But right now he was exhausted to the point that his brain was unable to keep up his reflection.

Coming to a conclusion, Accelerator looked Index directly in the eyes. "Family," he answered with utter confidence.

"Oh~ you sure? You're willing to sacrifice all of Academy city and its espers. Put their blood on your hands, just to save your family? I can't say I'm surprised, but I am a bit disappointed. Maybe you and I aren't as different as I thought." Index pouted at him, her coils tightening slightly.

A grin formed on Accelerator's face. "Are you willing to give up Touma? Because like I said, he's part of my family. Which means you'll need to leave him alone too."

Index's eye twitched, she had tried to lead him to question himself. As slim a chance it was, it was possible he'd have not answered in time. Thus leaving the decision to her, but he had caught her red handed.

However, then she grinned, "But this deal requires you to give me to Touma." Index chuckled darkly, "and because he's the bargaining chip, that means his status as part of your family is null and void"

Accelerator paled as she slowly tilted her head.

"And if he can't be family~" she looked him in the eyes. "He's your student"

"Y-you… BITCH!" Accelerator roared angrily. He tried to break free of Index's coils, but she only constricted him tighter. "You keep slightly altering the deal, first, it was my family against my students, now it's the Damn hero against my family! Do you really expect me to make a righteous decision!?" he glowered at her.

Index gave him a calm look, "Absolutely," she stated. "Besides the fact you do see Touma as your student. You can also match me blow for blow and survive. Compared to the average mortal on that little blue planet below, you are a god Accelerator." She swiveled her torso around and stroked his cheek. "You can save or end a life with a single touch. Cause an earthquake or natural disaster with the wave of a hand. And then just as easily stop them. And now you've made it your responsibility to protect them all. Throwing yourself in harm's way to stop me. For all intents and purposes Accelerator you are a god."

She pulled away as she looked down at the helpless white haired monster. A cold cruel grin on her face as she flared her hands out.

"And as a god Accelerator, it's your job to choose the lesser of two evils! Who will you choose to save? Will you choose your family? Or will you choose your students?" Her words echoed out in the void despite there being no sound. And Accelerator found himself unable to counter her.

After all, she was entirely right. With his ability, he could save or end lives with a single touch. He could split the earth in two, or put it back together. And then, he had the gall to decide it was up to him to protect the people of that world. Hadn't he put himself in the way of the tsunami Index created using Ame-no-Nuboko to protect the civilians of Tokyo? Hasn't he redirected her attacks in order to best minimize collateral damage? He had chosen to save them when he could have let them die to fight Index.

What else could the average man call him but a God?

"So… Family it is then~" Index chuckled. "I don't blame you, after all. I chose the same thing." She sneered and Accelerator's eyes widened in horror.

He was out of time

The next thing he knew, the Great Devourer's jaws enveloped his vision.

A/N:

Craytherlay: This chapter took a while to get going, and even when it did… it wasn't good.

DragonRails: The fuck you mean!? Wasn't good. We had shit for this chapter dude, we had a brain fart one day and rolled with it.

Craytherlay: Shit? Dude that wasn't even shit, that might as well have been the very concept of revulsion and disgust. Words, cannot describe how bad the first attempt was.

DragonRails: The first attempt shouldn't even be called one, the amount of scenes we had to delete and rewrite I swear i felt like you were smoking something.

Craytherlay: We? Dude I was the one who deleted the entire chapter. You just sat there telling me I was an insult to the concept of writing. And whatever the fuck I was smoking, it'd probably make me to like Kamikoto. And we all know how much I hate Kamikoto.

DragonRails: first of all I said you had to go apologize to your mother and father, for a poorly written chapter, secondly if i didn't tell you to delete it, this chapter would've taken at least another 2 weeks, and third as the one editing and reading your failures I deserve the credit that you even managed to get anything written much less thought of asshole.

Craytherlay: Considering both of them are writers and authors, it might as well be the same thing. And besides… do you really want to take credit for whatever that was… Actually can we just deny that abomination even existed? It's like Suicide squad… ah shit I just acknowledged that existed… Anyways let's move on to the real first attempt shall we?

DragonRails: Fine I'll admit the first real attempt was…decent and that's just being nice, next time I vote we just spit ball ideas and see what sticks, as of right now we got a blank billboard with no ideas, no plan, nothing! I can't save you this time

Craytherlay: … that… was the spitballing one… the thing that shall not be acknowledged was the one that had no spit balling. And… no plan? You underestimate my power rails… at least I have coffee. Now then… the first section of this chap. Last chap, I scrapped a Touma being welcome back scene. Which was the main focus for this chapter, there was… well a fairly long debate on how it would go. Way longer than you'd think actually, Rails kept saying that Mikoto would completely ruin the welcome wagon by attacking Touma. You really did sound like me then Rails, eventually we settled on having her be the first to interact with him after he came back… well other than Stiyl. Of course some tsundere action was required, and a bit of teasing. But It felt pretty natural, Mikoto's more actively aggressive nature means she'd be pretty quick to approach him. Of course, after her, I had to let our resident Selkie go next. I'll let you handle that one Rails, take it away!

DragonRails: We both agreed that our resident selkie oc was adorable as fuck, that we can take pride in, also Lessar and Birdway's reaction came to a good second place honesty it was a good thing we went through those scenes we made them alot better. secondly I stand by what I said about Mikoto so fuck you and your opinion on it.

Craytherlay: Oi! I'm the kamikoto hater here, don't you go taking my spot rails! Anyways, It was indeed a good decision to go back through and improve things. I actually watched a seal vid explicitly to include a seal noise in Muireann's scene, #heckingseadoggos. Lessar and Birdway's scene both saw some of the greatest improvements from that decision. Of course there was also, Itswa and the as Touma said 'vampire rejects'. But they were fairly quickly passed over. I think the next highlight was Touma and Fiamma, passive aggressively snarking each other. Don't you agree rails?

DragonRails: yeah by the way I've yet to hear a thank you for those Lessar and Birdway changes, and the Touma and Fiamma scenes AND having to remind you on the way Touma talks, like when the fuck did Touma start talking like a refined gentleman!? An-

Craytherlay: Yeah… honestly have no clue when that started… I swore I had it down… and then… it just vanished… like I still normally get it right… but then… other times… he suddenly becomes mc-jagger. Heck, even suddenly forgot the 'Kamijou-san' tick for everything but that one line to Fiamma… oh sorry continue?

DragonRails:AND FOR THE LOVE OF GOD STOP INTERRUPTING ME WHEN I'M TALKING OR MESSAGING IT'S STILL ANNOYING, anyways as I was saying, pointing out your flaws on how certain characters speak was a challenge which you still need to work on. other than the railgirl gang scene and the Mugino scene, I really liked the Accelerator vs Index scene I still enjoy the psychological warfare they had, I felt like was a big turnaround in this chapter.

Craytherlay: okay okay sorry… grantedthisisbasicallyscriptedsowebothagreedtokeepmyinturruption. Wait… Vs? I think You mean, Accelerator desperately trying to avoid becoming Index's happy meal. That, was an amazing sequence to write. Actually some elements of the coughcough version that shall not be named coughchough were kept with it. By which I mean, only Accel big braining it into Index's world, And Qliphah, Big braining them to the main phase. Index was doing allsorts in this chap. Shapeshifting, phase making, phase eating esc. Esc. Oh and yes… Accel did use Fate Gilgameshe's Ea sword thanks for asking. I needed a way for Accel to survive against Index while she was fucking pissed and trying to eat him. Without it seeming like tooo much of an asspull. So, that's why I had Qliphah possess him to share her Qliphoth connection. Phase fuckery was the norm of course, and then there was Index going full Lovecraftian Goddess mode on Accel. And planet nomming… what? You can't tell me she wouldn't do that at this point. Now the meat of their confrontation of course, wasn't the physical but the psychological battle as Rails said. Index's playful and teasing nature taking advantage of Accel's rage. But, I'll let rails go into detail about that stuff.

DragonRails: uh huh all I see is another RANT coming, by the way your welcome for the Index speech and partial Accelerator speech, I'm taking credit for those I felt a sense of pride coming up with them, although I'll admit I suck at battle scenes I excel at psychological warfare honestly i felt like i had the right idea on what Index, Would say considering her feeling and the situation, and lastly it was interesting to see Accelerator take such a gamble It really made the chapter a bit more intense and considering our earlier ideas, it worked out pretty good. Anyways readers I hope you all enjoy the chapter, the next chapter is going to be hard for sure.

Craytherlay: quickly checks DM's There's an entire prompt with only my input to prove your claim wrong. That is… if you mean the {Prompt: LoCG; Index tempts Accel concept}. Heck! There's even that Mario being four parallel universes ahead of you meme posted by me… just before it. But… credit where credit is due, you did contribute a lot to how I wrote that scene. For example, Qliphah's mention of Index having eaten 6 gods was your idea. It really helped express just what Accel was really dealing with. The whole thing about Accel being a god compared to normal people. Absolutely phenomenal idea and I probs wouldn't have thought of it without you. You of course had also many smaller contributions here and there to their interactions in that scene. Actually… Wasn't it your idea to have Index threaten LO to begin with?

DragonRails: Good glad to see that you at least know when to give credit where credit is due unlike coughdarkbetryercough

Craytherlay: that little… scammed me Twice already for SV, once for Touma's explanation on idol theory. And then twice for him being confronted by Blake and Neo about the dragons in the latest chap. Probs gonna fail to credit me for something he'll pull in a future chapter too, Bastard.

DragonRails: uh huh only twice? Please that bastard has used at least 20 of my ideas and never gave me credit for them for infinite possibilities, trust me he's NEVER gonna admit that we've given him most of his best ideas for his stories, you have a better chance at winning the lotto before he admits anything. The only good original idea he had was when he killed off that annoying bastard Jason and I had a party for it.

Craytherlay: well we could go on complaining about Dark and his shittily disguised Gary Stues but… hey… better chances than him accepting Othinus is a good character am I right? Anyways, thanks for putting up with our insanity to the end of the chapter… seriously do you have nothing better to do? Well, you could at least say if you enjoyed this type of Authors Notes.

So, for now… I'll put this tale of an Infinity away. Until the next chapter.