Summer nights were typically hot and humid, but that night became even more baking from the still air. Usually, one would only want to escape this unbearable heat and go to an air-conditioned place as soon as possible to cool down his body temperature. He would also definitely not want to run, which can make already steaming perspiration even worse.

This boy diverges from that observation.

Kamijou Touma, who was running through streets and alleys, felt blizzard on his back.

That is, every time he recalled Misaka 10031's death.

As he passed by one estate after another, he knew he was near.

What was he running for? To save Misaka 10032 from slaughter.

Why is he doing this? Because he wanted to hold onto a promise he had made - to Misaka to bring her sister back, safe and sound. And his sense of justice permitted no inaction; his ethics compelled his action.

Why did he do something so dangerous? Because he understood well the meaning of a promise: something he must accomplish. And he knew he was fighting for his own sake too.

His name was Kamijou Touma, and he was racing against time.

He couldn't imagine the consequence of him losing this race.

There she was. Clothes torn, body covered in dirt and blood and mind blank, she was lying on the floor, struggling to even breathe.

She didn't know what happened. That girl appeared in front of her out of thin air and put her into a weird space before she landed here.

That was interesting for sure, but Misaka 10032 was not concerned the least with that.

She had tried to stand up and go somewhere, but she failed as she fell back onto the ground 5 seconds after standing up.

Stones pierced through her skin and dug on her previous wounds. It felt worse than her initial injury during the fight with Accelerator as the fell opened old wounds and added new ones, causing double the pain.

For a normal person, it would be excruciating but for Misaka 10032, it didn't matter.

Because she felt she had something she must do.

She heard the sound of reflection. She knew she cannot let that happen.

She made another attempt to push herself off the ground, but as her arms felt like cotton, she couldn't at all support her exhausted body.

Hard pressing both her arms down against the ground, Misaka 10032 pulled herself inches by inches forward. Sharp flints slid Misaka's clothes and incurred a few long wounds on her body. Nevertheless, the painful sensation never entered her mind, which was occupied with one thought alone - the thought to help, the thought to rescue.

'No... Misaka... must... not fail... Misaka... needs to... save her... Misaka cannot... let that girl... die in her place...'

That was a mumble so weak that only she could hear it.

'Help... Help her... Begs Misaka...'

Finally reached the train switchyard, Touma was panting as he held onto the barbed fence wire.

As his sight became clear once again, he noticed that the ground looked strange with a bump.

Not a bump to be precise. It was tens of metres wide and a metre and half long. It was yellowish across its length, though tainted by red at parts.

Touma fixated his gaze, and he noticed that it was a human being.

And he saw the golden hair that hung down.

He knew her.

She was the one he needed to save.

Climbing over the fence, he shouted.

Misaka 10032 heard the shout.

'Misaka Sister! Are you ok?!'

She looked up and saw the person who's calling her.

Oh...

'Are you hurt? Why are you lying here?'

'Help...'

'Help?'

'Please help her... begs Misaka 10032... Please... save that girl from that monster... Misaka says as she wishes you can save her...'

'But who is she?'

'From Tokiwadai... A member of Judgement... Her hair was red... Save her... Please...'

Touma didn't need to recall because he just met her an hour ago.

Blood retreated from his cheeks and lips, which became paler and paler as he confirmed it was definitely her.

'What the... Why is she here... Ah dammit!'

Touma jumped up and was about to sprint when he heard a malicious, maniac laughter. It comes from a man, though it sounded much less compassionate than that of a normal human being.

He also heard the pained winces of a girl at regular time intervals. They became louder and louder and more and more painful.

As Touma could ascertain, they were very nearby.

'It cannot be...'

Kuroko...

No!

He dashed off thus.

Misaka 10032 was still lying on the floor, but she was much relieved.

'Thank god... She will be saved... muttered Misaka as she's glad...'

Darkness blocked her sight, though this time, her face wore a smile as she closed her eyes.

Yeah. The side of Misaka 10032's mouth tainted with blood was curved upwards.

No one will die because of Misaka.

'So I said, leave her now!'

'Tch... You guys are really no fun, so deprived of creativity! Even the words you said are almost the same, so how can I have fun? Must I seek fun myself? So...'

'Hmm... Hehheh! Let's see if you can even catch her!'

He gave a kick at Kuroko's belly, and she sprang up due to the impact magnified through vectors manipulation.

'Woah...' Touma was caught off guard by such a move, but his shock only lasted a second. He sprinted forward and leapt to catch Kuroko's descending body just before it hit the ground.

'Boom.' A deep, loud sound accompanies Touma's body hitting the ground, with Kuroko in his tight embrace. Kuroko opened her eyes again and was amazed she was alive from such a terrible descent. She felt totally surrounded by a mass of warmth.

'Agh!' with a sharp intake of air, Touma's body convulsed due to intense pain.

Kuroko looked up to see Touma's pained expression.

'Touma...' with a weak voice, Kuroko looked at Touma's face through a small opening in her eyes.

'Ah, Kuroko... Good that you are well and all right.'

'Why are you doing this for me? I have the duty to do this, but you don't... I cannot let you get hurt because of me...'

'Hm?'

'Why am I so weak? Why must I put people in danger?'

Touma could feel hot liquids soaked his chest. He looked down and saw Kuroko sobbing in his embrace.

'Why... Why are you doing this... Go... Leave... You cannot get hurt...'

He never thought he would see this weak side of Kuroko. Slowly, he stretched out his hand and gently, he patted the back of Kuroko's head and felt her smooth red hair with his fingers.

'Don't cry, Shirai-san...' he took a deep breath while he spoke, 'don't cry, because right now, I'm going to save you.'

'No... I'm a Judgement officer, so I ought not to let civilians get involved in my cases... Just leave and don't care about me... Just go... and I will deal with it myself...'

'... Look at you. You are all beat and yet taking on that stubborn front still...

Let me ask you. Why did you join Judgement? Wasn't it because of your sense of justice, which propels you to do anything or even to risk your life to protect the people and defend the peace in this city, that you have volunteered to serve and protect this place with your life?'

Kuroko had stopped crying and was looking at Touma's face, stunned.

Touma continued,

'Although I am not from Judgement, I'm all too familiar with that feeling because my dream is to protect everybody too. I want to keep everybody safe and smiling, and that includes you, Shirai-san.'

Touma stood up and gently placed Kuroko onto the ground.

Tears welled up in Kuroko's eyes, which she promptly shook off.

'If then... promise me: you will keep safe and take Misaka sister along with you.'

'And save you too, bakka ('idiot'),' Touma said half-jokingly, 'in the end, despite all the differences we have, we are all the same deep down in our hearts.'

Kuroko finally managed to show him a smile. A teary one.

'Alright. Stay here while I beat that guy up.'

Saying that in a finally relieved tone, Touma stood up and turned to face Accelerator.

Are we the same?

Well, maybe.

The same stubbornness in sticking our necks out to help other people.

The same sense of justice which makes us incapable of not helping those who are in trouble.

The same tone when making promises.

And the same indifference... to our own well being when others' lives are at stake...

Kuroko looked up at the back of the person in question.

Please... beat that guy up...

Kuroko intently looked at Touma as he approached Accelerator, who was almost fifty metres away.

I'm sorry, Touma... For getting you involved.

Bitterness in her mouth and the wetting of her eyes were the two sensations Kuroko could feel.

So I must... muster the courage... to help you too!

Strength began to build up within Kuroko.

'Ah, so you're finally back,' greeted Accelerator with his benchmark grin, relaxed yet evil, 'I was wondering how long would that melodrama go. Luckily you're back before I get too bored. And so... You are ready to challenge me yet?'

'Yes, I am. I swear to god that I will beat you up. For what you have done to Shirai-san, for all Kuroko's pain and misery you have incurred, and for all the sisters you have killed, I swear... I will beat you up.'

Touma stopped 10 metres in front of Accelerator, and stood firm as he slowly said that sentence.

'Oi oi, that was too proud a proclamation. You should know that I am the strongest of the 7 level 5s in this city, and yet you were talking about what... beating me up? That's an absurdity!'

'I could not care less about how strong you are. I will fight you so that you cannot hurt anyone anymore!'

'I just fail to grasp why both you and that stupid girl laying there are fighting so hard. What for? To protect an artificial clone? That does not seem to be a good enough reason.'

'It may not be to you. But...' Touma said, his resolve not wavering a bit, 'but, I promised to do this, and I promised to save everybody. If I need to, I will save you too!'

'You sure are interesting. Well, let's see if you have enough ability to do that.'

'Yaagh!'

Dashed Touma, but Accelerator simply shook his head,

'Too slow.'

A shot of sand and grits burst out of the ground, sending a barrage of rocks at Touma, who was hit and sent flying a few metres until hitting the ground.

Accelerator walked with a slow, indifferent gait towards a train rail.

'Too slow. With that speed, you're a whole century too slow!'

He tapped the rail bar with his left foot, and it sprang up to stand. With a knock of a finger, the rail bent in multiple directions.

Touma just managed to get up from the ground when he saw the rail going at him. He quickly dodged it, only to see more rails coming his way.

As the rails hit the ground, sand and dirt were lifted, blocking vision.

Kuroko, who was watching the combat from afar on the ground, gasped.

When she saw Accelerator sending Touma flying, her heart ached, as if she could feel the pain Touma was feeling. As if, the rocks that hit Touma also ravaged her heart, which felt painful.

When she saw Accelerator sent rails attacking Touma with speed and strength, she was beyond horrified. Her eyes widened until they were like balls. Previously almost deprived of energy, her body was suddenly recharged, as Kuroko apparently found an unknown source of energy which allows her to push herself off the ground. Her mouth was wide open, and her lips were shivering. An incoherent sentence was forming in Kuroko's throat.

'No... Don't... Don't do this Touma... You promised me, did you not... You need to be safe...'

As she saw dust rising from where the rails hit the ground, she thought the worst has happened. Her heat sank into the depths of the ocean of desperation.

She thought... she killed Touma.

Tremendous pain. So overwhelming that it resembled the stabbing of her heart - Kuroko could feel it.

Kuroko knew Touma had promised he would come back safe and sound and told her to just stay where she was.

But...

Kuroko isn't gonna be obedient.

Kuroko isn't a weak person who can do nothing but to wait for the hero to return. Kuroko will help the hero!

And save the hero if needed...

I must muster that courage to do it.

Despite that Kuroko hadn't at all recovered from the damage she suffered, she wanted to stop Accelerator by stepping in.

She knew she would die. She knew she was no match against Accelerator. Nevertheless, the prospect of her death didn't matter to her at that moment. Because to Kuroko...

Kuroko wants Touma to be back safe.

She was now standing up. Propping herself against the wall of a metal container, she was trying to move when, again, her eyes widened in shock.

For Touma wasn't dead, and he was standing up.

Well, I guess we are the same as stubborn, aren't we?

...

We would never give in to challenges, no matter how overwhelming they may seem.

Touma, fight!

Thought Kuroko, renewing her confidence in her hero while allowing herself to give in to fatigue.

'Cough cough' was the sound Touma's throat made involuntarily. The inhalation of sand and dust definitely had taken a tremendous toll on his lungs. He was unfortunate enough, having engaged in many gang fights against his wish. However, he was fortunate in the end because his mobility and alertness were trained through those encounters. As a result, he could dodge Accelerator's attacks though he barely managed to do so.

'So slow of you.'

Following that malevolent voice, Touma saw Accelerator standing on the tip of a rail stuck vertically.

'If you want me to enjoy this hunt, then become a fox, don't be a pig that waits to be devoured, thug!'

In response to that insult, Touma narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth.

Accelerator jumped down from the rail and landed with a soft 'tap'.

'Well then.'

Tapping his left foot on the ground, Accelerator again sent rocks flying at Touma. Touma flew, landing with his back against a rail.

When he opened his eyes, he saw Accelerator walking to him gently and graciously almost.

Like a slaughterer enjoying a morning stroll to his slaughterhouse.

'Now then, shall we put an end to all this?'

With a wide smirk, he stretched his right hand out to reach Touma's right eye.

Almost out of reflex, Touma used his right hand to push Accelerator's hand away.

...

...

Both froze. Accelerator froze, and Touma froze because he didn't know why Accelerator froze.

The reason was actually simple.

Touma could touch Accelerator.

'Huh?' shifting his gaze from his hands to Touma's face, Accelerator at first looked at him with a blank face. Eyes wide open, facial muscles unmoving and everything fixed in place.

'Kchhh,' a growl.

'Gah,' a scream.

A sudden gust of wind began blowing, to which Touma held out both his hands to protect his face, closed his eyes tightly shut and bent down. Despite his response, Touma couldn't hold his ground. He was blown away and hit a container hard with his back. The pain was excruciating, but he had just a second to groan as he sensed a fast-moving, approaching object—Accelerator. With a foot sticking out at him, Accelerator, a missile found its target, was coming at him rapidly. Touma just managed to dodge Accelerator's strike, which caused the container he hit to deform and all the other ones to collapse in a domino chain. Cargo bags fell out of the open containers, bringing a cataract of cargo rain. Touma was quick at dodging, but not that quick. Hit by a heavy bag, Touma fell onto the floor.

Some powdery products spilt, causing them to float around. Touma struggled to breathe as he slowly stood up.

Opposite him was Accelerator, standing as he narrowed his eyes.

'Tch.'

I hate this guy.

Sure, there have been plenty of idiots trying to dethrone me as the top dog. However, all of them, with no exceptions, found how foolish they were as their faces contorted in fear and regret.

And yet, this guy...

'Do you still not understand that you are the weakest? I thought you are an esper with some super strong power, but in the end, you are a non-esper? How regrettable! Not even as good as a poor, stupid teleporter who thinks she can defeat me with her little children's trick, huh?

...

And, why are you trembling?'

'I don't allow... I don't allow you to say that about Shirai-san. She fought just as hard as me to defend other people and for justice's sake!'

'Is that so? Hah! Still saying such things and not admitting your inevitable defeat, huh? Well...'

He looked around at the surroundings muffled by floating particles.

'Today is windless, and there is a lot of flour floating in the air. This might make this situation a little dangerous, y'know?'

Surprised, Touma straightened and looked at Accelerator with widened eyes.

'Hey, third-rate. At least you have heard of 'dust explosion', haven't you?'

Touma looked around at the flour dust around him, and he allowed himself only a second to be shocked. He turned 90 degrees and began running for his life, both literally and figuratively.

Behind him was laughter. Slow, sinister and thrilled.

With a flare of light and a 'boom' sound, particles went crazy behind Touma.