Author's Notes: I've been busy clearing out the later parts of the story. The draft for the Epilogue is completed in digital form and I aim for it to be done in the coming two weeks. The prologue for Time Index 3 is done in paper draft. I hope you enjoy the read and review.

Chapter 18: All in

When Touma and Misaka left the factory, they were left with a problem. Touma scanned his eyes around the group of men catching their breath from running away from certain death. "How are we going to catch him?" Kihara Jiro is escaping by vehicle and they certainly cannot up with a car.

Misaka pulled at her hair. "Argh! I have no idea too!" They can end this entire charade now if they can just solve this problem! The trucks are gone for some reason. The answer to that was very simple actually or should it be termed, fortunate.

A Mazda Speed3 stopped beside them. The driver door opened and a certain red head popped out. "Yo." Kurozuma called out. Inside the passenger seat, Uiharu was occupied with her laptop. "I figured you need a ride. Get in."

They got in and Kurozuma rapidly accelerated the car. Touma asked as the Mazda jerked in between the light traffic. "Since when did you learn to drive?"

"I didn't learn it on the official channels." Kurozuma shifted gears and pushed the car harder. All three passengers were slammed into their seats. "Uiharu, give me an update!"

"Hai." The computer specialist affirmed. "Kihara Jiro is moving southeast along the highway to most likely the Tokyo Bay."

Kurozuma noted the details. "That's cool. We'll just have to catch him before he gets there." A car horned loudly as Kurozuma took a sharp turn into its lane. "How close are we to him?"

Uiharu read the graphics that are filtered by satellite. "He is twelve kilometres away travelling at regulation speeds of 90 kilometres an hour."

"Let's not stick to the regulations then." He pulled more juice from the powerful engines.

Seeing the annihilation of the Hunter Killers at the factory via the security cameras, Kihara Jiro closed the laptop he had on his lap. Anthony wasn't pleased. The doctor remained calm despite his boss's displeasure. "They served their purpose just fine."

Anthony frowned. "I would have rather used those resources in better suited places." He had already spent about thirty million dollars of his limited budget. That is more than enough money to last several lifetimes for a person. If this grand plan fails, many heads will roll.

Jiro explained. "It is still important data to determine the effectiveness of the HKs in order to improve them. In fact, I've already took the next step for that."

"I heard about that, no thank you." Anthony took a sip from a tin can of coffee. "That will be discussed later." He put the empty can aside as he turned around. "For we have company." Behind them two hundred metres is a noisy speeding Mazda. It was a no brainer assumption that it has to be Academy City. Anthony gestured to his assistant. "Take care of them."

His assistant in the passenger seat opened the limo sunroof. On his lap is a M60E machine gun. This weapon was his own, having kept it since his time in the infantry. He stood up and aimed the bulky weapon. Clear as day, out in the open on the highway, the Mazda is an easy to hit target.

Kurozuma saw the preparation to fire. "Get down!" He swerved the car left, pulling Uiharu and himself under the dashboard. Touma at the back, startled by the sudden turn pushed Misaka onto the seat and landed atop her.

ZHUK! ZHUK! ZHUK! ZHUK! ZHUK!

The heavy calibre bullets broke the windows, penetrating through the car like miniature sledgehammers . The Mazda crawled to a stop, hitting the divider at a non injuring speed.

Kurozuma checked on everyone. "Anyone hurt?" Uiharu shook her head as a no.

Behind, Touma recovered without injuries as well. "Are you ok Misaka?"

The Railgun's face was red. Touma was atop of her, his face very near to hers. "Can you get off me please?" Touma complied as Kurozuma was done performing rudimentary inspections of the car. The limo had already vanished, most likely speeding away already.

The Mazda now looked like Swiss cheese instead of a car. "The car can still run. However…" He looked at them. "I can't guarantee your safety. Choose if you want out now."

"No, we'll get through until the end." The three were unanimous on their decision.

The former Skillout grinned. "That's cool. It's just as I expected." He floored the accelerator.

District 14th Mishinima Train Station.

Yori finally climbed up the final steps to the three story high platform. He had ditched the car locked off course. Anti-Skill will return the car promptly after the case. The broken window and electronics however, insurance will have to cover it. He checked the clock again. Ten minutes… He's short on time before those kids would be lost. He looked at a display board installed on the ceiling.

Next train in twenty minutes

He contemplated the issue. Kihara said an hour. This meant there's ten minutes left but the train's coming in twenty. Is this a mistake or a trick? The crowd were sitting patiently for the train, making him stand out. Yori looked around. There should be coordinating efforts here for a transfer. If what he suspected is true, he could take out the receiving end and deal with the train afterwards with an advantage of surprise. If it is true, how can he snuff them out?

Yori observed the crowd. A lot of them are students doing their business. Some are parents with young kids. A baby stroller is also around. The demographics are too varied for an accurate speculated guess. How should he proceed? Hmm….this might work. He reached into his compartment and….

He trained his pistol to the sky and fired a shot. Bang! Everyone is affixed to him now. He yelled to the crowd "There's a bomb in here! Get out of here!" That ensured a mass panic within the crowd. People rushed their way for the stairs in their plight of escaping the bomb. Yori grinned as he watched the commotion. This'll force Kihara's goons to play their hand or be subjected to his control of the situation. They could either follow the crowd and be forced away from the station or stay and easily presumed as targets. That is a win-win situation for him.

There is one thing he didn't expect. It came with a green band of Judgment. A young lad with black hair about his age displayed his arm with that band. "Who are you and how did you know about this bomb?"

Yori was unsure on how to answer. He had entirely forgotten about Judgment and Anti-Skill. This black haired kid won't leave him especially since he has a weapon and made quite an announcement. Neutralizing him will invite more trouble instead. He could say he's Judgment but he lost his armband or something. Oh wait, he did have Kuroko's armband! He had taken it from Kuroko since the explosion and kept it in his secret storage. That was why he clipped his ammunition to his pants instead besides making it faster and more convenient.

He put on the armband without revealing the movement of metal at his hips. The length of extension after all is at his control. "I'm Yori Shirai from the 177th Branch. We just had information about a bomb planted around here."

An expected question came up. "How did you get these guns?"

Yori gave his customary answer for that. "Custom made…with rubber bullets." He never used any rubber bullets left since three months ago. Why? He ran out of them. For that, he has to blame a few certain people.

The Judgment member nodded and put himself under Yori's jurisdiction. "Where can I help?"

Yori asked the basic of questions. "Do you have any abilities?"

The answer was a sad one. "Level zero, sorry."

Yori assured. "Never mind. I need someone to keep the crowds back while I look for the bomb. Get Anti-Skill here too."

"Okay!" The lad went down the stairs to his assigned duties. Now the station is empty and horribly quiet. Yori now would need to find the contact that will collect the kids. Yori scanned across the platform. Not a trace of anyone hiding here. His eyes pinpointed to several doors. What about there?

Yori had three doors to choose. One is maintenance and the other two are the toilets for gents and ladies. He opened the maintenance door first. There are mops, brooms, dustpan, detergents, buckets and nobody here. He closed the door and glanced at the time.

Twelve minutes for the next train

He grits his teeth. He doesn't have much time. Two rooms to clear in within the safe margin of two minutes. He must throw caution to the wind. He kicked open the door, activating his time flow. His movements now are twice the speed. He fired a shot to each of the three cubicle locks, breaking them open. Empty.

He made haste to the ladies restroom. He did the same, pulling a shriek from the second cubicle. He stepped into view, gun raised. A young a redhead woman was having her black skirt down, revealing her red underwear. Yori turned around, feeling red on his face. "Sorry about that."

Seeing the large mirror, he caught a sharp reflection.

THREAT IDENTIFIED

Yori completed his spin, his wakizashi deflecting a bullet to his neck in time. He slammed the woman against the wall, the blade by her neck. "Cheeky ploy you have there. Now tell me where the others are?"

The woman gave a sly smile. "It's all a ploy. I have no real role in this. I'm just to ensure that things went according to plan."

Yori stared eye to eye, probing for the truth. His criminal past assured him the vocal authenticity. "How is Kihara Jiro then going to collect his test subjects?"

"When they are corpses, he doesn't need them alive. He doesn't even need the bodies, just the brains alone will do." Yori felt disgusted to that. The platform outside screeched a loud noise and blasted away. The agent grinned. "That must be it. They'll ride all the way to the end and have a falling death."

Shit! Yori knocked the woman out and gave chase. Given the readouts of his mechanical eye, the magnetically levitating train was speeding at two hundred kilometres an hour, a speed that even he would be unable to catch. He went to the power station of the train station and shot open the case. Transformer coils, circuit breakers and other protection system is inside. He triggered the row of circuit breakers, cutting power to the station. The train should have no power and come to a stop.

He got back onto the platform. The train is a kilometre away. It's just a speck to his vision right now. It's still running? His eye's telemetry read a constant speed of seventy kilometres an hour. He looked around, the power is still working. Damn Academy City backups! He chased after the train.

Getting to the train wasn't a problem now. Stopping it is the issue. Yori leapt onto the top of the hull. He tried to think of a solution along the concept of power. Despite having backups, a train's electric engines will fail if it doesn't have electricity. He shot off the thick wires mounted on top the train that connects it to the power grid. Sparks arched from the severed cables, swinging dangerously close to electrocution. Yori blasted off the other side, letting it fall away from potential harm. He waited for several long seconds….nothing

He slammed a fist into the train. His ideas aren't working! Wait, the number of kids in the train isn't a lot right? He'll bypass the problem. The train can crash for all he cares! He cut a large hole in the ceiling and slipped in. His assumptions were just an assumption. The number of people isn't just one dozen or two. The car is full. It's a full hundred. Regular passengers are also involved. If the other six cars are full as well…

Damn it! How the hell can he save hundreds of lives before impact?

A grey haired woman in her elderly years asked him. "Why aren't we stopping young boy? Isn't Mishinima the last station?"

Yori now realized why Kihara told him the final point is Mishinima station. It's the last station of the line and nearest to hit the end of the railway branch. From there, it will be a good twenty metres straight down to Mother Earth. Twenty metres, no safety gear with such crushing weights. The passengers are confirmed fatalities. Yori wanted to swear at Kihara. He can't save them.

Kurozuma pulled the car to a stop at the entrance of Tokyo Bay. The limousine has already been abandoned with the open doors a clear tell sign. The Anti-Skill detective warned. "Don't go near the car. It might be booby trapped."

Uiharu was busy hitting multiple keys on her laptop. "I see them on the security network. They're destroying any security bot in the way!"Academy City may be superior in technology up to the degree of thirty years but there's no saying that you cannot purchase such technology for reasonable applications. Nationally important facilities such as ports and airports have valid security requirements and so these security bots are worth the price and why they're here.

Kurozuma directed the computer specialist. "Redirect the bots to buy us some time and a direction." Kurozuma pulled a small pistol from the compartment on the dashboard. "Let's go!" The three of them ran as their computer expert worked franticly to acquire time.

Misaka kept in contact with Uiharu using her cell phone. "Where are they heading?"

"They're heading to the very end of the piers." A pause before Uiharu added. "Now they've split three ways as well!"

Kurozuma didn't like that one bit. "Splitting us up for another takedown huh? That's just not cool."

There isn't much of a choice. Misaka directed. "Tell me where are those three groups going to? We'll split up after them."

Uiharu relayed live findings. "One is heading for the Railway Bridge. Second is heading to the container storage area. Final group is heading to the train maintenance area." That split the paths to the left, right and forward.

"Good luck you kids." Kurozuma went left towards the cargo storage area.

Misaka took her pick. "The bridge is mine!" She ran right, leaving Touma with the path forward.

He tightened his fists as the settings are set. Today, he'll end this.

As Misaka neared the bridge, her phone rang again. She answered it on the run. "What is it Yori?"

Yori gave his regrets. "I'm sorry Misaka... I can't save them."

She was furious. "What do you mean you can't save them?"

Yori explained his predicament. "I'm out of solutions here! Power's cut and the train still keeps running! There're hundreds of people in here. I can't get them all out in time!"

Misaka understood enough of the train to explain to Yori. "It's probably the backup self magnetizing motors in the train. It's most likely being able to run with its current power but not start itself up."

Yori cut to the chase. "And you're implying?"

Misaka gave the condition. "If you can force the train to a halt at least once, the train will stop for good."

"Zero velocity. Got…" Yori's voice was cut off as Misaka barely noticed a flying projectile towards her from the side. She ducked, her phone being chopped into two pieces by a kitchen knife. Her opponent was standing from the side of the bridge entrance. The man appears to be in his late twenties. He wore a brown trench coat with the cowboy hat. A simple black shirt with blue jeans fixed the insides. Big black boots encased his large feet. He said with a small nod. "I apologize for interrupting, little Mistress."

Misaka flexed her wrists. "That's rather polite for someone as dangerous as you."

"I serve my boss with loyalty and my enemies with respect. That is who I Nigel Deandre is." He held out another kitchen knife with its tip on his fingertip. "Shall we begin, little mistress?"

"Ladies first!" Misaka shot a bolt of lightning. Nigel moved left, avoiding it. A knife came back in reply. Misaka deflected it barely to avoid her neck. These knives aren't very strong in metallic properties. It's most likely made of ceramic. She needs a defence against them.

She used her electromagnetism to draw rust from everywhere around her, separating the iron oxides into pure iron again. She held her makeshift iron sword, deflecting the next two knives easily. She ducked under a knife that came in from behind her. The knives of the floor returned to its master. She made a guess. "So you're an esper too eh."

"I apologize for your mistaken assumption. Please die." He threw the trio knives while running towards her. She prepared to block as the knives suddenly changed directions in a surrounding arc. She felt metal nick the collar of her uniform. How can he control so many at one go? Telekinesis espers have a limit of control due to the required three dimensional focus of an object. Add in vectors and kinematics into the equation as well. Triple the demand with three such objects at one go. Kuroko is able to calculate up to the eleven dimensions but act upon a single generalized entity. To compute such calculations on the fly would demand something of a Level 4 or 5. This man is not known to her.

Misaka held short an attack for her arm. Still, the small blade suddenly withdrew in an instant pull. The behaviour confused her. What is the man's secret? She switched to an electric bubble defence. She probed the air for detailed electromagnetic fields in contrast to her normal vision. She could see the flow of electrons moving in unnatural linear patterns back to Nigel that still remains unharmed. "So that's it! You're using extremely thin wires to control them!"

Nigel withdrew the knives back under the sleeves of his coat. "You are quite perceptive little mistress. You have impressive skill to decipher my trick."

"I had experience." Misaka was once nearly strangled to death by an esper capable of controlling the nerve impulses. Add in actual wire being used as well and of course, she managed to beat or rather electrocute that guy to kingdom come.

"I cannot imagine a little mistress like you having experience in such fetishes." Uh…what?

Misaka realized what he meant. Her face went red as she counterattacked. "Shut up you idiot!" Her lightning bolts were avoided again and again. Misaka is now mad.

Kurozuma moved carefully among the rows of large metal containers. There are many blind spots in this place. His enemy or enemies might be settling up camp here. He must be fast but he must be steady. Carrying his pistol in a dual handed grip, Kurozuma advanced. His experience felt an ambush is imminent but the question is where?

Where oh where? This is not cool. Adrenaline started pumping into him with combat anxiety. Fighting a visible enemy is so much easier than one hiding in the shadows. Fear is a detriment to morale. The place is quiet. There is supposedly many people managing logistics with trucks entering for more goods. They've probably fled at the sound of gunshots.

He listened carefully as he scanned his horizons. He peeked quickly at each dark spot, finding nothing. Kurozuma grit his teeth as seconds went by. Time is running.

Kamijou Touma reached the end of the line. The river's edge is in several dozen paces away. The area buildings are empty of people except him. This should be it. Touma wandered where the group of escapees have gone to. From the central building of the Tokyo Bay, a man exited. He wore a pure ochre suit, white undershirt coupled with a red neck tie. The brown leather shoes matched the bill. The sharp specs stabbed spears of detail. Cleanly shaven with eyes that radiate death, the man spoke in a calm manner. "Ah, isn't this the dreaded Kamijou Touma."

Touma tightened his fist. "So you are this Anthony Hugh."

"You know who I am. No bother with the introductions then." Anthony pointed his finger at Touma. "You have incurred the wrath of the world and you are asking for death by my hand."

Touma demanded. "Why are you doing all of this? You turned Yori into a cyborg to kill me. You hurt Kuroko, making those weapons to hurt everyone. What is all that for?"

"The simple version is simply…everything." Anthony snapped his fingers. "Now die." Suddenly, the area around the Illusion breaker was filled with battle cry. Two dozen men bearing from office wear to hard labour gear came charging at him with metal rods or knifes. Even an axe came into play. They came towards him from all directions.

Touma sharpened his focus. He is outnumbered twenty four to one. His experience yelled at him to run. Two hands can't deal with that many at one go. This is especially when he has no esper abilities and a wide area of defence. These enemies too appear to be something else. Scapegoats. His analysis suggests they are actual staff from this very port. Fukou Da!

Kurozuma took a glance around him. He heard the battle cries and electricity sparking around. The two must already be in battle. The left edge of his vision caught movement. He turned, going onto a knee with his pistol raised. His opponent fired his gun. Kurozuma felt the bullet zing past his right ear. He shot back in return. The bullet went wide, hitting the container next to the man. The man must probably be the driver, wearing a standard black classy suit with the hat as well.

The driver bolted behind the container and out of sight. Kurozuma pulled into cover as well. He listened for footsteps over the speeding heartbeat of his. Add the other two ongoing battles as part of the difficulty. He peek an eye out of the corner. The enemy isn't in sight. That implies one of two possibilities. The man is waiting by the corner, ready to shoot as he makes his way towards him. The second would be the man has run to acquire better positioning and another chance of an ambush. How should Kurozuma proceed?

Option A: Move towards the enemy, gun trained and ready. Option B: withdraw; find a better position or angle of attack. Option C: Entice his opponent to come at him instead. He pondered more about his enemy before deciding.

What is his opponent's goal? The three way split would suggest a commonly used escape pattern. However it also means the possibility of separating a force into parts where they can be destroyed with greater ease. Kurozuma decided on the former. The best way to counter the tactics leading up to that goal is an aggressive approach.

Kurozuma primed his muscles and shot forth from cover. He ran with a single handed grip pointing forward. As he got close, he dropped into a skid. He trained his gun at the last known position as he skid by. It is empty. Kurozuma saw white footprints on the floor. The source was a pool of white paint and almost empty topped can. The prints went down that path before taking a right.

The cop chased the prints. The further the steps, the less conspicuous the trail becomes. There's only a little bit of time before this advantage disappears. He took a left turn and instantly.

SLUSH

Kurozuma slipped along a white pool of paint. He hit the ground as he heard.

Click!

The gun was trained just before his face. Death imminent, Kurozuma quickly swatted the gun's muzzle to the right. Pain pierced his right shoulder. Endorphines worked to temporarily remove the pain. Before the driver could get another shot, he kicked the man in the gut. It pushed the men onto the floor. Kurozum got up and kicked the gun in the hand. He pulled his handcuffs in attempt for a fast arrest. He cuffed one wrist but the other fist hit him in the face. It threw him against a container's body, ringing metal.

The driver was already up and by the time he recovered, another swing was in mid progress. Kurozuma ducked, letting flesh and bone struck metal. He followed up with two blows in the chest before a sucker punch in the face. The man spun, unwittingly the free half of the handcuffs swinging and cuffing the Anti-Skill's left wrist.

Bound together, the man's falling mass pulled Kurozuma down. Still not giving up, his foe countered with a punch to the face. Now both of them are on the ground. Both sides struggled to get up as blood stained Kurozuma's red shirt.

The driver kicked Kurozuma at the gut, bending him forward. The man tugged hard at the cuffed wrist, pulling the detective forward. The Anti-Skill pulled his head to the side, avoiding the blow and counterattacked the chest. He followed with a hard kick, throwing the man backwards. Kurozuma used the cuffs as a pivot point and swung the man around with raw strength. His target is the metal wall of a container.

SLAM!

The man plopped to the ground with a confirmed knockout. Kurozuma unlocked his side of the cuffs. "That fight is just not cool."

Misaka was having a hard time fighting Nigel. While he appears to have no esper abilities, he could avoid her attacks with either great speed or precision. Despite that, at least his attacks aren't getting through. She'll need to use her trump card then.

She began charging as she reached for her coins. Meanwhile, she needs to create an opening to use the Railgun. First, create an inescapable position. She moved to the right, drawing him to move parallel with her. She pulled her iron sword and used it like a whip. She slashed from behind, drawing him to face her directly. Perfect!

She flicked her coin. "Take this!" Nigel won't be able to close the distance or dodge her shot. She prepared to aim as Nigel struck the ground with a fist before shooting forward. The punch echoed beneath her feet, causing her to suddenly lose focus. Huh? The next thing she knew, she was hit in the stomach and rolling on the railway bridge seconds after.

She coughed as she tried to take in the blow. Nigel gave no respite, lifting her up by the hair. Nigel struck her again and again at the chest, squeezing air out of her systems. He said as he lifted her up by the neck now. "Strong as you may be but you still are a flower." She tried to zap him but she can't focus. Why can't she control her ability? He chose his next weapon and plunged it to her neck. Misaka screamed as electricity coursed through her out of control. It is a good ten seconds before he pulled the taser away. "I don't like breaking flowers. This death is more suitable to you." He threw her off the bridge to splash into the river below and walked away.

"Die!"

Touma dodged a labourer's axe and grabbed the handle. He smashed the butt to the man's gut before giving a punch to the face. It knocked the man out of the fight. Touma had no time to rest for her was already repelling several metal rods from above with the axe. He forced them back before charging at the trio. Each punch with his Imagine Breaker nullifies the spell Anthony put on them. Twenty four hits are all he needs.

Bam! Bam! Bam!

Seven are down now, leaving seventeen to go. Anthony wasn't apparently interested at him at all. "Doctors, is the transport ready?"

Kihara Jiro and a henchman scientist exited the building in a calm manner. "The boat is ready."

"Good." Anthony turned to someone else. "Ah Nigel, just on time."

A man in the trench coat greeted Anthony. "Yes boss. It is just as you asked. The Pulser is working as intended."

"Has this Railgun been disposed off?" That spiked Touma's heartbeat to the maximum.

The trench man replied. "She'll be shortly at the bottom of the river."

Anthony sighed. "You're too particular with your code. No matter, we're leaving." The small group began to escape onto a small speedboat docked by the water's edge.

In the midst of fighting, Touma heard every bit of that conversation. Damn it! Touma cursed in his mind. He'll have to choose between Misaka and chasing Anthony. The choice is easy of course. He broke away from the attacking zombies and ran towards the bridge. If he's fast enough, he can save her!

An average physique person can usually hold their breaths up to possibly two minutes. Any longer, they go unconscious and begin to drown. Just hold on! Touma prayed.

Yori felt the call disconnect suddenly. He put his cell phone away to solve the problem. Zero velocity. How can he bring the train to a full stop? The train doesn't have any brakes since the maglev train works on magnetic levitation and propulsion. He worked on finding a solution as he went forward to the first car of the train.

The emergency controls to the train should be upfront in this car. He moved quickly through the six cars into the leading car. The door was locked but Yori stabbed it open. There, a dozen kids were sitting in their seats involuntarily. Two Hunter Killers were standing by the front of the train. Seeing Yori, they began to turn to their combat programming. Yori pulled to a forward skid, firing both pistols. It caused one Hunter Killer to fall backward in a dead manner, throwing the mounted gun's aim off. Yori pushed himself off the floor to stab the second circuited chest with his blade. It collapsed in sparks, securing the train."

"Onii chan!" Harumi said with great relief. Yori held a finger of silence as he examined the controls. They are belching smoke, having been shot up by the first Hunter Killer. That isn't a good thing. Yori pondered his options as he created an estimate. Five minutes before impact. The simplest of ideas hit him. Why not just destroy the damn motors? There has to be an active source to generate the necessary electromagnetic potential within the train. The simplest of problems answered back. How many are there and where are they placed?

He knew Uiharu would be able to find the answer. He tried to dial her phone but all he got was no answer. Time is running out. The next idea that appeared was crazy but it's doable. He has to make it work. Yori cut the front viewport open. He let his pistols and ammunition clatter onto the floor. Harumi called out to him. "Where are you going?"

Yori answered as he climbed out the viewport. "To do the impossible." He will stop the out of control six car train running at 70 km/h with his very own body.

He stood carefully at the train's nose. The concrete floor looked menacing with the intense speed they zip by. Yori accelerated time forward to acquire even more time. He deployed his blade, keeping a firm grip on the corner of the viewport to avoid falling under the train during the process. Adrenaline running and facing the train, he let his legs slide down and onto the ground. Initial friction and resulting scuffling of his shoes were minimal. Yori pushed harder against the concrete as he stabbed his blade into the floor for added resistance. Sparks flew as Yori pushed down against the track.

STATUS / BP: 100/70

OPTICS / HR: 120 BPM

ATTACHMENT_/ OP: 75%

SENSORS /

SKIN / WARNING! TEMPERATURE RISING!

STORAGE /

ADVANCED_/

His systems added a new sensory table to his heads up display. Yori pressed further, using every bit of his leg's mechanical strength to slow the train down by sheer force. The grip on the soles of his shoe had worn off quickly and the heat is already threatening to burn them off if it wasn't grinded off beforehand. The train of thirty tons isn't even slowing down one bit. Its inertia is significantly bigger than him.

ARM TEMPERATURE: 50oC

LEG TEMPERATURE: 70oC

RECOMMENDATION: DISENGAGE CURRENT ACTION

No can do! Yori ignored the warnings of his other self. The sparks got brighter as his sword started to glow orange from the heat. The heat coursed through his entire body. His skin burned like a real fire. His living body started to sweat from the heat. Everything around him is shut off. The sights, the sounds, everything is nothing. It is just him and the train. One on one, mono e mono. He grits his teeth as he looked behind him. The end of the line is in distant sight. Two minutes! The train isn't even slowing down at all. DAMN IT!

Harumi cried out from the window. "Stop it! You're hurting yourself!" The other kids are watching him tear himself apart.

Yori shook his head as his shoes disintegrated. His synthetic flesh now took on the friction. At this rate, he can't stop the train. His blade snapped off by the overloading stresses.

WARNING! SECONDARY ARMANENT LOST

RECEIVING BIPEDAL CORE DAMAGE

Yori could feel Jiro mocking him by his ears.

You are only human…

Yori bit his tongue. He won't give up just yet.

I'm a machine!

The retort came back.

You are a useless machine.

Yori tightened his grip on the train. "I'm not a useless machine. I'll show you I'm more than just that!" He pressed harder and harder. "I will prove it to you Jiro! I'm not just a human or a machine! I am beyond that!" He yelled his all. "FOR I AM YORI TAMOTSU!"

HEARTBEAT RATE LEVEL CRITICAL!

Yori gave the loudest war cry he ever yelled. It doesn't come from the depths of his thorax. It came from the deepest, the rawest part of his soul. It is where a boy truly becomes a man.

"!"

ENGAGING EMERGENCY SUBROUTINE: ALL IN

ACTIVATING ONE MAN ARMY

From the core of Yori's mechanical legs, hydraulic systems forced 60,000 pascals of pressure to extend the internal core matter. They tore through the little remaining bits of the synthetic flesh to stab into the ground, acting as heavy anchors for the Last Man Stand.

INJECTING STEROIDS

INJECTING EPINEPHRINE

INJECTING ADDERALL

INJECTING ENDORPHINS

OPTIMIZING OPTICS

INJECTING TURBOXENE80

The mixture of chemicals and hormones injected from the arm into his bloodstream. Instantly, they were distributed throughout his entire system at a rate of 200 beats a minute.

ENGAGING MAXIMUM BATTERY OPERATION

SHUTTING DOWN EXCRETORY SYSTEM

MAXIMUM LOCOMOTION POWER PRIORITY

OVERLOADING PUMPS, MOTORS AND DRIVES 150%

GOOD LUCK

The train started to slow down but it won't be enough. Yori pushed his metal arm to the floor, ignoring the loss of his blade. The synthetic skin tore off instantly, revealing the true metal underneath them. A wave of sparks flew a second later. The amount of down force Yori is exerting is up to a minimum of 10,000 newtons, nothing a regular human can do.

SHRRIEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKK!

The screech of metal screams at such intensity that even the mythical banshee is no match. The added support structure by the One Man Army disintegrated as the train slowed down to half its speed. Yori's right wrist was already grinded off as the ankles began to break apart. Yori pressed harder and harder and harder!

DAMAGE LEVELS: 70%

STRUCTURAL FAILURE IMMINENT

The train is only five hundred metres away from impact. At this current speed of 50 km/h, he has ten seconds left.

TEN

NINE

Harumi cried out "Get away!" Tears were already welling up in her eyes. If the train doesn't stop, he'll be crushed from both ways. Yori ignored her for her can't hear her. It's all in or nothing.

EIGHT

Every bit of him holding the train was breaking with each passing second. He has to hold. He has to hold! HE HAS TO HOLD IT!

SEVEN

SIX

TARGET SPEED: 45 KM/H

FIVE

FOUR

T_GTE SPE_X: 30

THREE

TWO

SPE_: 2!^(#

ONE

TARGET SPEED: 0 KM/H

Yori let go his flesh and blood hand from the train. The damage sustained is enormous. The right arm had been sheared off to just below the shoulder. Both legs are already gone. Only the hips remain, leaving hot metallic stumps. He said with gratitude to God. "I'm glad."

WARNING: BLOOD PRESSURE UNSTABLE

Yori plopped to the floor. He cannot hear anything as his vision turned black. I've done my part here…now Touma, take care of everything else.

WARNING!

BPM: 0

CARDIAC ARREST