Of course by saying I wanted to release this chapter faster than the last, that jinxed me to get this out super late. There is no excuse for taking this long. My humblest apologies for the delay. Sort of disappointed by the lack of reviews for chapter 1, but I guess there's not much to comment on. If you thought my exposition before now was bad, prepare yourselves. AN ENTIRE CHAPTER OF EXPOSITION AWAITS YOU. You need to read the last few parts though, they're important, I swear!
Disclaimer: I do not own To Aru Majutsu no Index/A Certain Magical Index, it is property of Kamachi Kazuma, ASCII Media Works, Dengeki Bunko, Seven Seas Entertainment, J.C. Staff, and Funimation Entertainment.
Revelation
Chapter 2
"I'm going to fucking kill that Hamazuraaa!"
Was what echoed throughout this ordinary restaurant, the clock hanged up on the wall indicating it was just before noon.
This eruption originated from the model-like and tall, slender girl with long tea-colored hair, Mugino Shizuri. You couldn't tell at first glance, but a third of her face was cosmetically treated to cover burn scars along with a fake right eyeball and one of her arms was a prosthetic. Wearing a short-sleeved autumnal jacket over bright yellow long sleeves and stockings covering the entirety of her visible legs, which complimented her orange high heels, this person who emitted every sense of a proper lady was the last person you'd expect to explode like that.
But that was just who she was.
The Number Four Level 5.
Meltdowner.
"Hamazura never stops being super Hamazura-y!"
There were two other girls occupying the table Mugino was seated at.
The first of which was Kinuhata Saiai, a girl with short, brown, silky hair in a bob not reaching her shoulders, that couldn't be older than 12. As a result of her dressing style that passionately upheld exposing her thighs but just enough to not reveal anything she wouldn't want to be seen, she was in a woolen dress that looked like a sweater, covering her arms and even featured a hood for the cold November air.
"Takitsubo-san, what do you super think about this?" Kinuhata asked the third and final girl.
Slumped up against the bench was the lethargic Takitsubo Rikou, with shoulder-length dark hair and a pink track suit she would most likely wear to occasions where such attire would not be appropriate, as she dressed for comfort and not practicality. She was blankly staring out the window as if she was watching someone she knew leave that was already gone. This Level 4 AIM Stalker also happened to be Hamazura Shiage's girlfriend. Today she also had an authentic lei composed of a series of foliage not native to Japan and thus not expected to be found in Academy City. Hamazura had gotten it for her as a souvenir while on his short trip to Hawaii, its beauty reminding him of his distant lover.
Of course, Mugino and Kinuhata alleged he only acquired it to freshen up her uninspiring track suit, but that was only because they were jealous of not getting any gifts like her. It took endless pleading from Hamazura to persuade her that was false, truly a burden for the boy.
These girls, along with Hamazura Shiage, were ITEM, a faction in the underworld of Academy City. All underground groups in the city such as this were officially disbanded after World War III, but ITEM remained by choice. They existed to prevent the upper echelons of Academy City, including the Board of Directors, from gaining too much power and getting out of hand. They were an unofficial institution that a scarce amount knew existed. The members of ITEM determined they were a necessary evil that prompted further operation.
"Hamazura looked urgent so I won't worry about it," Takitsubo replied plainly.
Only minutes before, Hamazura Shiage entered the building with the shopping supplies they tasked him with, dropped them off, asserting he had business to attend to and would accept any form of punishment when he returned before leaving.
"I don't care how urgent it was, he's going to pay dearly when he shows his face again," Mugino promised, brimming with sadistic excitement.
"Maybe super Hamazura is meeting up with another girl like he super did with Frenda-san's little sister. He could be super seeing her right now!" Kinuhata suggested.
"I wouldn't be surprised if that bastard did," Mugino concurred.
The both of them redirected their gazes to the one going out with the person in question.
Takitsubo Rikou's temperament did not waver.
"Hamazura wouldn't do that," she said. "At least, not right now."
"How do you know?"
"How do you super know?"
Mugino and Kinuhata asked at the same time.
Takitsubo shrugged her shoulders. "I can feel it. If Hamazura was with another girl, I would-"
The girl in the track suit could not finish. Her sleepy eyes shot wide open.
You could see the rationality slowly leave the additional girls' faces, replaced by resentment.
"So. Should we super commence the super Hamazura Search 2.0?"
"Yes, we should."
"…"
Reaching an agreement, the trio left the restaurant. Their aura of killing intent was so intense that the waitress was too terrified to ask for the check.
They had no method of knowing his location, but they had the destination in mind. And that was the unfortunate man Hamazura Shiage.
It was a little past 12 pm.
Since the Ichihanaransai was approaching, every student in Academy City were preparing for the arrival of the festival. These people in direct opposition to that flow of festivity were gathered at a large table arranged to accommodate more than a handful of people in an otherwise empty open-air café.
Kamijou Touma, Accelerator, Hamazura Shiage, Misaka Mikoto, Kumokawa Maria, and Cendrillon.
"Thanks for meeting on such short notice, everyone," Kamijou said gratefully.
"Skip the pleasantries," Accelerator dismissed. " Just where the fuck did you go after that mess in the Hawaiian Islands?"
Hamazura and Mikoto seemed to agree with what he said as they looked at Kamijou quizzically.
Kamijou dropped his head shamefully. "I'm sorry about that. I know it was wrong of me, betraying your trust like that, and I know any apology probably won't make it right… But that's not the issue right now. GREMLIN is still at large, and it's possible their next target is here in Academy City."
Accelerator and Hamazura responded in shock, the females at the table already aware of this.
"What do you mean by that…? What could they possible want with a city of science like this? Aren't they aligned with magic?" Hamazura asked, flustered.
"Speaking of which…" Accelerator interrupted. "What is she doing here? I thought she was with them," he brought attention to, referring to Cendrillon. Hamazura and Mikoto agreed once more with this sentiment.
It was not Kamijou who answered, but the magician they were addressing.
"Because I am also a victim of GREMLIN's game. My role in Hawaii was that of a pawn, in fact, the entire invasion was a tool of higher plan."
"How are we supposed to trust you after that affair at the airport? You were trying to kill us back then," Mikoto reminded.
"Believe me, she's not lying about this," Kamijou vouched for her. "When I found her, she was forcefully crammed into the shape of a table by a member of GREMLIN."
Cendrillon nodded to affirm this. "Before I was turned into a human table, the person who did that to me confessed that the GREMLIN magicians and Trident were a means to an end. It didn't matter if they succeeded in turning the United States into a theocracy, that wasn't the goal in mind when it came to the Hawaiian Islands. In fact, their objective was reached with the eruption of Kilauea. This person referred to me and ones like Saronia A. Irivika 'temporary members' in contrast to 'actual members' such as her. She was speaking to someone over the phone, another 'actual member' of GREMLIN I suspect, that she called 'Odin' and informed her their plan of using Kilauea as a reactor was a success and something else about Gungnir."
Educated individuals like Accelerator and Mikoto recognized the terms 'Odin' and 'Gungnir' as terms from Norse mythology, but Mikoto could not see the relevance they played in all this. Meanwhile a dumb thug like Hamazura didn't perceive the meaning of the terminology in the first place. Kumokawa didn't appear to be paying any attention at all to the discussion at hand as her interest lied elsewhere.
"I do not know what that woman meant by what she said, that would be best left to someone who is more informed than I am," Cendrillon readily admitted. "But at the same time, I do not care. What they're planning is none of my concern, my only ambition is to give them my thanks for betraying me."
However, Accelerator was not content with this.
"That doesn't mean shit. Playing the role of the victim won't get my sympathy. I'm still not comfortable cooperating with you."
"I'm not telling you to trust me," the French magician said. "Just as they used me, you are a way for me to get closer to my revenge. I also owe that fool for saving me from a life of living as furniture with that right hand of his, whether you believe me or not is your decision but I will not go back on the debt I owe him."
Accelerator wanted to continue but Kamijou simmered him down. "If she does anything, I will take responsibility for it."
"Try and take responsibility if one of us ends up in the hospital or worse," Accelerator retorted, but settled down, not wanting to drag the issue out.
"None of this answered what happened to you after November 10," Hamazura said, reviving the topic.
"Right…" Kamijou sighed, awkward with the whole situation. "But first of all, I think I should tell you the truth about Birdway."
Leivinia Birdway was the leader of the Dawn-Colored Sunlight, a Golden Dawn-style magic cabal that once saved Kamijou Touma from certain death in the Arctic Ocean at the end of the Third World War. Birdway was also the one who informed Kamijou, Accelerator, and Hamazura Shiage of GREMLIN and their presence in Hawaii.
"Now that you mention it… I haven't seen her since then. In fact, I don't even remember her being there after the dust settled from the Trident invasion," Hamazura recalled.
"Do you remember how the 27 Cooperative Institutions ended affiliation with Academy City as a result of their 'involvement' in the Hawaiian incident?"
"Yeah… I remember seeing that on the news back at the hotel." Accelerator remembered as well, and Mikoto already knew where this was going since she was there when Kamijou discovered this.
"Well, Birdway intended for that to happen," Kamijou explained, continuing past his companion's surprised reactions. "She admitted to it over the phone, and for all I know she could be a true member of GREMLIN. I should have known! All that time with her and I didn't see it! It was right in front of me… she was the one who told us about GREMLIN, she was the one who manipulated us into going to America…"
"…Don't blame yourself," Hamazura spoke up. "We were all working together with her, any of us should have seen it."
"That bitch," Accelerator cursed. "All of us are at fault here, she wasn't exactly trustworthy to begin with."
"You guys…"
It was Mikoto's turn to step up. "All of us are accountable for that Birdway person's actions. Don't selfishly take all the credit for that. Instead of moping around over your mistakes, raise your head up and make up for them. That's what all of us are going to do."
Kamijou gave in after allowing it register. "You're right."
"Now… tell us what you did after abandoning us at the Hawaiian Islands!" Mikoto demanded, clearly giving him no leeway.
"Fine…" he complied, not comfortable with the subject, and not just because the guilt of leaving them in favor of it.
"You should have heard about the Natural Selector tournament being hosted by the Cooperative Institutions in Eastern Europe. As it turned out, GREMLIN allied themselves with the at-the-time Science Guardians for reasons I'm not sure of. With the indirect help of a man named Bersi, a core member of GREMLIN, I was able to make it to Baggage City on the day of Natural Selector."
"I should have known…" Mikoto groaned, accustomed with Kamijou's tendency to be in events that were on the news.
At the same time, a spell had been cast, Kumokawa Maria had been resurrected! The name "Bersi" brought life to her.
Kamijou continued. "After Academy City's military interfered and the tournament was interrupted, I'm not sure of the details since Bersi had me wandering around the whole place until it was almost over…"
"Then let allow me to explain," Kumokawa volunteered.
"I've been meaning to ask… who exactly are you?!" Mikoto asked.
"Mm— Kumokawa Maria," the odd maid introduced herself.
Why did the name 'Kumokawa' bring out a sense of familiarity from Kamijou?
"I am a maid in-training attending Ryouran Maid School here in Academy City. I was right in the middle of the Baggage City affair so I would know more of it than that useless person."
"Is that any way to treat someone who saved your life!?" Kamijou complained, the insult distracting him from picking up she went to the same maid academy as his neighbor's step-sister.
"Shut up! It really hurts my pride that something like that even happened, bringing it up might snap what's left of it!"
"Can we just get back to the topic at hand?!" Mikoto yelled, electricity sparking around her bangs now.
"Very well," Kumokawa submitted. "Aside from Academy City and Baggage City dispute, there was something much darker in the depths of that city. Me and few other individuals found ourselves caught up in that madness. To combat the members of GREMLIN there in the city, Academy City deployed a special unit made up of a crazy group of people known as the Kiharas."
Both Accelerator and Mikoto tensed up at the mention of 'Kihara'.
"It was a really unpleasant experience! It was minus 20 degrees, lots of tremors shaking everything, had to take off my clothes a lot, nearly got killed by bombs and bazookas, got knocked out a few times, dealt with that scary brown girl and her human-alteration powers and her scary sword later, had life-or-death fights with those Kihara and GREMLIN people, watching that terrifying Majin girl-was she some kind of god of demons-having my beloved sensei die on me after going through the trouble of going all the way to Europe… stuff like that really hurts a girl's pride!"
Everyone else at the table were at a loss for words at Kumokawa Maria's inability to read the atmosphere.
Except for Hamazura that is, he was holding back the blood flowing to his nose ever since he heard 'had to take off my clothes a lot'. Yes, this Level 0 was that weak to anything sexually suggestive.
Around the same time, the girls of ITEM were still on their "Hamazura Search 2.0". For now, they were just aimlessly strolling down the streets of District 7.
"Takitsubo-san, what are you super picking up about Hamazura?" questioned Kinuhata.
"Is it Frenda's little sister?" Mugino joined in.
"No… I don't think so. I can tell he's with three other women though…" Takitsubo announced, concentrating.
"That fucker! He's already gone and replaced us!" Mugino deduced.
"We need to super discipline him with our super abilities this time!" added Kinuhata.
Takitsubo's eyes widened once more.
"Hamazura just had indecent thoughts!"
Back at the open-air café, the group all ordered their own cups of coffee as a short intermission after Kumokawa killed the mood.
Finishing his own, Kamijou called attention back to the account of the Baggage City story.
"Anyways, after all the Kiharas and GREMLIN magicians but one were taken down, I was able to stop the last remaining opponent… the leader of GREMLIN made their appearance on the scene personally. And…" Kamijou paused, having trouble saying this next part. "I was completely and utterly defeated. I didn't stand a chance, they ripped off my right hand like it was a fruit being picked off a branch… I've never seen a power like hers before."
All but Kumokawa, who was there at to witness it, realized the gravity of this development, growing more strained and spirits lowering.
"How did you survive? I doubt they would spare you after all the lengths they went to about getting rid of your right hand," Accelerator inquired.
"I was saved by two men from the Magic Side, both immensely powerful. The enemy fled afterward and the survivors in Baggage City including me remained in the city for two days to recover. And now, here we are."
"That still leaves a lot unanswered…" said Hamazura.
"There's more to it than that," Kamijou replied. "It's just I can't properly explain it myself…"
"What about you, then?" Mikoto asked, directed at Cendrillon. "You worked for them, you should understand the enemy more than any of us."
"Like I said, I was just a peon," reminded the princess-like girl. "I was conscious during the time I spent as a living table but didn't hear much regarding their plans. Even if I did, I wouldn't get the context behind it. I'm not qualified to speculate over their true intentions."
"So what the hell are we waiting for?" Accelerator voiced the question everyone was thinking.
"This man I met in Baggage City," Kamijou answered. "He knows more about this than anyone and promised to meet us here, but because he's involved with the Magic Side he can't exactly waltz into Academy City through the front entrance or ride on one of their passenger planes."
"What about this fairy tale girl here?" asked Hamazura. "She's with the occult too."
"She isn't a danger as she is now. Her abilities were linked to her dress, which was destroyed by that tanker truck exploding. That's what Birdway told me, at least," Accelerator explained, having been the only one who remained behind in the airport after said explosion.
"Also, I am too big of a figure in the world of magic to enter this city in such a direct manner," came a new voice from behind the table full of people.
The atmosphere that had previously surrounded the empty café had been blown away as if it was never there to begin with. It did not reek of killing intent, in fact, it perfectly blended in, which made it all the more intimidating. This feeling that gave everyone sitting down a cold sweat was emanating from this person who just arrived.
He was a tall but slim young man with short blonde hair and green eyes accompanied by a modest, long-sleeved aquamarine shirt with an unbuttoned, camel-colored lambskin vest over it and matching pants.
"Hi, I'm Ollerus. I'm the failure who should have been the Majin."
In some twisted way, he was an even more bizarre existence than GREMLIN.
"I'm sure you all have several questions," he said, taking an empty seat at the table that allowed him to face everyone else. "The magic cabal known as GREMLIN. The girl that leads them called 'Odin' by her subordinates. The status of Majin she holds and how I relate to it. Their purpose behind the eruption of Kilauea and Baggage City. The meaning behind 'Gungnir'. And most importantly, their ultimate objective."
"Where is Fiamma? I was expecting him to be with you again," wondered Kamijou aloud.
"It is too dangerous for Fiamma of the Right to step foot into this city. When the Board Chairman wants you dead, it's best not to enter within his domain. That is what the two of us, what he himself, decided."
Accelerator and Hamazura apparently remembered Fiamma of the Right from Birdway's lecture on November 5, because they both looked confused and uneasy at the sound of his name. Mikoto and Kumokawa Maria, two Academy City residents ignorant to magical world out there despite encountering magicians firsthand, were puzzled for different reasons.
"Now then…" Ollerus started. "I suppose I shall start with the heart of all this: GREMLIN. You may have been told that they are a cabal formed from the losers of World War III that wanted to shift the balance between science and magic away from science, but that is false. Although it is true they were created as a result of the war."
"Yes… that Dvergr told me that much," Cendrillon confirmed.
Ollerus nodded. "GREMLIN is a collection of individuals all with differing ideologies, but they have come together due to one shared viewpoint. These people have determined what right does Academy City have to decide that the science side were the victors of the war? Fiamma of the Right represented the side of magic, but they did not like that he lost and made a mockery of the name of magic after selfishly taking the helm of their culture before they showed their faces. So now they have decided to take back the Magic Side's rightful place at the head of the world. They also could not tolerate that Fiamma of the Right, affiliated with the three major sects of Christianity, stood for magic, so to oppose that, they decided to use Norse mythology as their basis."
"Then aren't they just being fucking hypocrites?" Accelerator cut in. "They don't help in World War III and then bitch about how their side lost?"
"GREMLIN had nothing to gain from helping Fiamma of the Right. His plan also didn't leave room for allies, just people to further his own goals."
"He's right…" Kamijou supported, vividly remembering how Fiamma plotted to use his right hand then dispose of him once he attained it.
"In the end, it all goes back to one thing… the Majin," said Ollerus. "In the Magic Side, the Majin is someone who can do anything in this world, a person who steps into the territory of God, the Magic God… the highest authority in power that a magician can reach. I am the one who should have been the Majin, but because of my incompetence, it was stolen from me by One-Eyed Othinus, or 'Odin' as her cohorts call her. A chance that presents itself only once every 10,000 years, as the world must be perfectly aligned for the ascension… and I missed it."
The words he said would make you think he felt boundless regret but the way he phrased it, this man 'who should have been Majin' had accepted this and even seemed to be poking fun at himself. This left the group of young listeners unknown as to whether to pity him or not.
"I have no idea what you're talking about, but… what you just described sounds like our Level 6," Mikoto observed.
Accelerator, who was at one time the candidate to be the first Level 6 esper, had thought along the same lines. Was it possible he understood this young man named Ollerus more than anyone else in this room?
"If that train of thought helps you understand this, then go ahead," Ollerus shrugged. "In a way, they're the same thing, just in different systems of power. However, there's one thing that sets the Majin apart. When you have the power to do anything, doesn't that dictate you have just an equal chance of getting a negative outcome as a positive one? It may be difficult for wide-eyed children of your age to get with the concept of infinite possibilities rooted in your head. Think of it like flipping a coin, you have a 50/50 chance of getting heads or tails. That is the nature of infinite possibilities. There is the possibility to succeed and to fail no matter what you do. You can defeat the strongest of opponents but still lose to a child. That is the existence of the Majin."
"This sounds like it's in the same vein as the omnipotence paradox…" Mikoto noted.
"You are quite the informed young lady," Ollerus complimented with a smile before carrying on. "Othinus is the pure example of a Majin, I am of the impure variation. I stopped at the point where I 'should have' become Majin. To put in simpler terms to understand, it's like I took all the necessary requirements for a job but missed the interview and didn't get the job. Othinus beats me in sheer strength, but I am not restricted by the 50/50 limitation. Every time we have met in the past has ended in a stalemate, including at the climax of Baggage City."
"And what of Gungnir?" Cendrillon was the one to raise this question.
"I suppose you are curious as to what exactly GREMLIN strung you along for then? Very well. Odin is the chief god in Norse mythology and its most powerful deity. He wields the holy spear of Gungnir which grants him his unlimited power. Norse gods are only as powerful as their weapons, there have been stories where they have lost their powers after losing possession of their weapon. Thus, whoever possesses the weapons of the Norse gods shall also share their immense power. But before I can explain how this relates to GREMLIN, I must first tell another story."
"Tch," Accelerator clicked his tongue in impatience. " How many times are we going to deviate from the core of the issue in all this? You sure seem hesitant to get to the point."
"This is necessary for your understanding of the state of affairs. I would have had to discuss this eventually, might as well get this out of the way now," Ollerus insisted, slightly bothered.
"There is a woman named Brunhild Eiktobel. She is a Valkyrie, a very powerful Norse warrior like that of a Christian Saint. Some time ago, she instigated a commotion on a global scale that almost destroyed the balance of the world. She did this by finding the Final Rune of Odin with instructions to create Gungnir. Aside from being the head of the gods, Odin was also known for being a magician. He had left behind a series of runes that when correctly interpreted, could give you the knowledge of various things. The Final Rune had the most secrecy of them all for providing the method of creating Odin's spear and giving it its power once carved into the Earth. Brunhild Eiktobel found this rune, deciphered it, created Gungnir with the plans it provided, and nearly carved it into the very core of the Earth… all of this to save one child. How she accomplished any of these things are unknown, and will in all likelihood remain that way since her means of doing it were covered up and buried for being too dangerous to be repeated. That is GREMLIN's objective. But not what Brunhild Eiktobel crafted, that was merely a replica. Othinus wishes to have the real and genuine Gungnir. As I said, the Norse deities draw their strength from their weapons, and Othinus is another way of saying Odin. With that spear, her 50% probability will be no more, she will finally be able to fully utilize her power with a 100% guarantee of success."
The students assorted around the table could not even think of the power a Majin such as that could possess, it was simply beyond the scope of imagination.
"But you just said it yourself: any method to create Gungnir was eliminated. So what's there to worry about?" said Kamijou naively.
"Ah, but there is one place on this planet it still exists. Inside Brunhild Eiktobel's mind," Ollerus responded, tapping a finger on the side of his head.
"Don't tell me…"
"Yes, GREMLIN sent in some forces to acquire the plans to Gungnir from her head on the same day as the Baggage City ruckus. Don't worry, one of my comrades was there to assist her since I had a feeling Othinus would target her. Brunhild is safe but GREMLIN still succeeded in getting what they wanted."
"Then what the fuck are we waiting for? We should be hauling ass to do whatever it is to stop them," Accelerator asked irritably.
"It's not that simple," Ollerus said with a sigh. "There are several measures needed to be taken to forge Gungnir without the rune. The Final Rune was written like an original grimoire, which is poisonous to the minds of anyone who reads it. GREMLIN's agents wouldn't be able to decipher it without dying in the process. Brunhild Eiktobel was fortunate to possess both the capabilities of a Saint and a Valkyrie so she could endure reading it. All they procured from her brain were the blueprints to the spear and not just anyone can craft one. Norse legends speak of a race of dwarfs, special beings who were not created by the gods when they gave birth to the world, they already existed. The Dvergr. They were responsible for the creation of the weapons for the gods. Isn't it odd? Don't the Dvergr sound like they don't belong with the rest of the Nordics' mythology? Several weeks ago, a man from the Church of Necessary Evil by the name of Richard Brave carried out an attempt to annihilate the Anglican Church using the techniques of the Dvergr, which he theorized were in actuality human beings that were adopted into Norse lore. A human who can create legendary weapons, that can modify the human body… Yes, GREMLIN would need such a thing if they intend to make Gungnir."
The young blonde man paused, Kamijou and Cendrillon already knew where he was going after that description, Kumokawa also having an idea of who he was describing.
"Marian Slingeneyer," he stated the name of the official member of GREMLIN active in Baggage City. "A living Dvergr. Cendrillon… was it? I believe you have met her, have you not? I know it resurfaces some painful memories, but was a drum-shaped object with her at the time?"
"Yes… how did you know that?"
Ollerus smiled. "Oh, it's just that it seemed odd to me that a former elite magician like you could lose to someone who doesn't specialize in combat. So it would only make sense if she had some assistance."
Not fully content with his response, Cendrillon continued. "She was sitting on that… thing. Was even talking to it. Called it Mjölnir, her 'prized creation' as she put it. And like you said, it is what struck me down so that goddamn Dvergr could alter my body."
"So it appears the information of England's Saint on Radiosonde Castle was correct," Ollerus said, pleased with himself. "Then let me say this: that 'Mjölnir', as you might have guessed, is named after the Norse god of thunder Thor's hammer. And although not as mighty as the original, it does possess the power of the holy weapon. Marian Slingeneyer created that tool using the only materials she can use…"
"You couldn't possibly mean…" Kamijou slowly began to realize.
The impure Majin nodded morbidly. "Marian Slingeneyer's ability is human-alteration, so it stands to reason that Mjölnir of hers is another product of those modifications. You should all be coming to understand where I'm getting with this. Mjölnir, Gungnir, the Dvergr… Yes, Othinus plans to have Marian Slingeneyer use another human as the base component for the creation of Gungnir."
All the inhabitants at the table figuratively gulped at the thought of that fate. Even Kamijou Touma, who has seen the worst the Magic Side has to offer. Even Accelerator, who has shed much blood himself and was submerged in the deep pit of Academy City's dark side. Even Hamazura Shiage, who practically dwelled in the violent back-alleys of this city, experienced the brutality of war firsthand, and was hunted down by the General Chairman himself and the Number Four to the ends of the Earth. Even Misaka Mikoto, who discovered her DNA given to help people was used to produce clones just to die and could do nothing to save her 'Sisters'. Even Kumokawa Maria, who personally encountered Marian's "creations" while fighting for her life in Baggage City and lost her loved one before her eyes. Only Cendrillon could sympathize in that respect.
"However, no ordinary human can be used to construct Gungnir. At least, not if they want to create a full-powered one unlike that of Brunhild Eiktobel's or their Mjölnir. They also need a special furnace to place their 'sample' in, just as a professional chef needs an oven to bake their dish. The volcanic ash of Kilauea would be perfect for that. That was the purpose of their involvement in the United States. GREMLIN has been circling the globe to put together all the necessary arrangements for the completion of Odin's spear. But even with all that, it should have been impossible to finish the ultimate form of Gungnir with the techniques that exist in this world. Until Baggage City that is… which you could say was an 'experiment' for the human specimen they require for Gungnir. They developed a technique that does not exist on this Earth, holism. It operates in the opposite way you espers do. While Academy City's psychic powers are based in quantum theory, by making changes to the microscopic world, you bring about supernatural phenomena like your esper abilities. Holism, on the other hand, uses powers by making changes to the macroscopic world. If a holistic esper were to use make a flame come off their hand, they would first have to make a large-scale change like making a star in the night sky disappear."
"Wait a minute," interjected Mikoto. "If someone could make that large of a change, what would be the point of their powers in the first place?"
"Do you really think they would be conscious of the macro-scale changes they cause? Like you said, if someone had the power to destroy a distant galaxy, why would they just not end the world or more? Don't look past the simplest answer: it's because they can't. I know it sounds convoluted but just go with it for the moment, okay? Anyways… that is what GREMLIN was trying to achieve in Baggage City. The coming of the Kiharas and the battle between those two forces was all just as Othinus planned. She hoped that this clash of magic and science would have a small supernatural phenomena occur since it was so vastly different than what the world 'normally' is. As things turned out, the 'experiment' went out of Othinus' control after about halfway through and the area known as 'Baggage City' was going to be drawn from the present to a 'future' where a holistic esper exists by the very distortion she desired would take place. As this proceeded, it allowed more tragedies to ensue. But before it could all culminate, you, Kamijou Touma, appeared and your Imagine Breaker reset the world back to normal and shattered the distortion. But the very fact that your right hand negated something in the first place proves a change did in fact transpire. So you could say the experiment was a success. In the end, that experiment was just that, a test. It proved holism is a possible phenomenon in this world, but now they need a subject to recreate that phenomenon with a single brain. An ordinary human won't cut it, Othinus will need a body surpassing that of a human. This superhuman cannot be a Saint or Valkyrie, supported by magic. This person can also not have undergone Academy City's Power Curriculum Program either. There is only one possible target, and they are in this very city. The Windowless Building. The Board of Director's Chairman, Aleister. There is no better candidate than the leader of science who renounced magic. And that concludes everything I needed to tell you."
Silence.
Everyone was silent.
All the teenagers had to let everything they just heard settle in. Aside from Hamazura, who lost interest an unknown amount of time ago and gave up paying attention. Mikoto could not grasp any of the magical expressions and tried applying her own laws understanding to it, failing to do so. Kumokawa Maria couldn't even begin to comprehend anything this man Ollerus had said and had no mind to do so.
"I know it's a lot to take in," Ollerus finally said.
"So in other words, we have to stop GREMLIN from penetrating the Windowless Building," Kamijou summarized.
"I don't even know if that's possible," Accelerator commented. He knew better than everyone just how impregnable that fortress was, having attacked it himself on August 30 using five minutes of the Earth's rotational energy only to not leave even a scratch.
"It doesn't matter if it is or not, Othinus will stop at nothing to get what she wants. Remember Radiosonde Castle, the invasion of Hawaii, and Baggage City? All of those disturbances were just warm-up exercises. With the final piece in her sight, do you really think she'll just quit and go home? You've seen the lengths GREMLIN has gone to for their goals, wiping the rest of Academy City off the map as a side-effect wouldn't even incite a reaction from her. It would be the same feeling to you if you crushed an ant. Whether you like it or not, you guys are already involved once GREMLIN stepped into Academy City. Everyone in this city is."
"…Fuck that," Accelerator scoffed. "I won't let them disturb the peace I worked so hard to get my hands on."
"I don't know what the hell's going on… but if Takitsubo or any of my friends are in danger, I'll do whatever it takes," Hamazura resolved.
"I'm going to help so that no one else will have to get immersed in this," said Mikoto with confidence.
"I have nothing to do with this… but I will cooperate because I have something that must be done," Kumokawa shrugged
"Derailing GREMLIN's plans sounds like the best way to get even with them. As I said before, I'm only in for vengeance. We just happen to have similar paths to get to our different destinations," concluded Cendrillon.
All finished, they turned their attention to Kamijou Touma.
"I won't fail again… If GREMLIN and the Majin Othinus think they can do whatever they want with this city… THEN I'LL SHATTER THAT ILLUSION OF THEIRS!"
Kamijou brought his right fist down on the table with great force as if to emphasize this.
Ollerus smiled in approval. "That's more like it."
The group of people split up into search parties to look for signs of GREMLIN, leaving only a few in the open-air café.
Hamazura approached Kamijou, being in a different group than him.
"Hey boss, don't you think you should drop by your dorm for that girl who was there when we were all there to listen to Birdway's lecture? Shouldn't she be waiting for you?" he suggested.
"No," Kamijou said firmly. "I made a promise. A promise that I wouldn't return to her until this was all settled. And I intend to keep it."
As he made this claim, Kamijou Touma gripped his right fist tightly.
In a certain student dormitory of District 7 in Academy City, the sound of sneezing rang out.
The person who sneezed was a girl of 14 or 15, whose petite body was wrapped in a pure white nun habit reaching down to her ankles, held together strangely by safety pins, and had a one-piece hood over her head, all with gold embroidery sewed in. She had white skin, green eyes, and silver hair that went all the way down to her waist. This was a girl with the name of Index.
She was currently staying in Kamijou Touma's living quarters.
Wiping her nose, she said, "Asian cultures say you sneeze when someone is talking about you, maybe it's that idiot Touma."
Thinking over it, she dismissed such a notion.
"But that means Touma would have to remember me in the first place. That Touma, if he ever shows up again, biting his head off will just be the beginning!"
In another corner of Academy City, there were three other people drifting down the streets without aim.
The first "person" was a black cylinder no more than 3 meters tall made of a stone-like substance that covered distance by floating above the ground. "They" were known only as Mjölnir, a living weapon. Such a sight wasn't seen as out of the ordinary in Academy City, with espers and all. And just as it so happened, the cleaning robots seen throughout the streets and even in the hallways of the dorms had the same drum shape so Mjölnir could just barely blend in.
The second sitting on top of "them," not so much. With long white hair in braids, golden eyes covered by red-rimmed glasses, and oversized circular earrings, a pair of overalls was the only thing that covered her naked brown skin and moderate bust alongside a pair of gloves and plain sneakers. Her only piece of clothing also bore the crest of the World Serpent on her left foreleg. She had looked like she had lost any motivation to continue living.
Marian Slingeneyer. A real Dvergr.
The last of them, androgynous with their lean build, wore a white coat stretching all the way to their ankles and helmet that covered their entire head with gray gloves, boots, and belt.
This was Kihara Kagun, otherwise known as Bersi, a science expert magician who defected from Academy City and the Kihara family.
Kihara Kagun was dead.
You couldn't tell because his movements were that of a living human. He walked just like any other person would, and his posture was regular. If you were to see his face, you'd be able to immediately tell the difference, but his helmet did its job of obscuring his face. Thus, he too, was perfectly camouflaged with the scenery of Academy City.
All of them were of GREMLIN.
Marian's smartphone in her overalls pocket rang, but she didn't answer. She still received it regardless through a magical transmission.
["Are you still moping about over Bersi?"]
Marian did not respond.
["Don't forget who you are, Dvergr. You're still needed even if you don't want to be."]
"…I don't care anymore."
["I'll have Bersi carry you if need be."]
"Do what you want, I already said I don't care."
["Not caring is fine, it is opposing the plan I will not tolerate."]
"…"
["I've sent the GPS coordinates to your phone. You should be able to track it with the map option."]
"Whatever."
["Just get there, Marian. It's our only lead to the Windowless Building."]
And with that, the voice on the other end died out.
Marian lazily pulled out her phone from her pocket, inspecting the location she had just been delivered.
"A hospital in District 7, huh?"
Between the lines 2
Dark Matter.
The Number Two Level 5.
Kakine Teitoku.
Standing taller than the average boy of his age, he had shoulder-length, dark-blonde hair and was completely bare in this room made of concrete.
On October 9, Kakine Teitoku had been torn to shreds by Accelerator at the end of their duel after a scuffle with ITEM earlier that day. His remains had been gathered and preserved by a system known as the Dark Legacy ever since then. While he was incapacitated, electrical stimuli had been applied to his brain (with the machinery assembled in the room) that was split in three to generate his powers for Academy City's needs, such as the production Powered Suits or Kihara Byouri's Dark Matter implants.
His ability was Dark Matter, the power to create unknown material that did not exist in this universe until Kakine made it that broke the laws of physics and did nearly anything he wanted it to. On November 13, it was discovered his Dark Matter could even produce human tissue. It continued to do that until his brain finally regained a consciousness of its own and reattached itself to his body just now.
Kakine Teitoku looked down at himself, as if to confirm he was really here, if he was really whole again, even if it was hard to make out in this darkness. He moved his various appendages, testing out the joints of his body. Everything appeared to be in order.
"Good morning, Kakine Teitoku."
Turning to the first sound he's heard since his "rebirth," Kakine found a young woman in a ready-made cheap suit and lab coat.
"That voice," he spoke for the first time again. "I know you…"
Kakine was the leader of the dark side organization SCHOOL before his "death." When they weren't fulfilling their own selfish goals, they would be getting directions from the higher ups of Academy City over the phone or through an audio connection on a laptop. SCHOOL's backer would remain anonymous, never revealing any information about themselves as a safety measure. And you would find the same to hold true for other syndicates like ITEM or GROUP. But he knew without a doubt the woman standing before him was the person who ordered him around on the other end of the phone.
"Yes, I am the manager of SCHOOL, Kihara Yuiitsu. Or was, more accurately," the woman introduced herself.
"Where are we?" Kakine asked, completely stepping over the issue of her identity.
"This is an underground laboratory in District 3 under the supervision of us, the Kihara family. Your condition was left in our capable hands after you were mutilated by Accelerator."
Kakine's expressionless face he maintained since restoration finally twisted in response at the name 'Accelerator.'
"Before I begin, please get dressed," said Yuiitsu, presenting a hospital gown to wear.
"No need," he declined, holding up a hand.
The next moment, thin threads sprouted from his skin one-by-one and before even a minute passed, an entire set of clothes covered his body. From his brown shoes to his dark maroon school uniform and white-collared shirt under it, both unbuttoned, leaving his red v-neck exposed.
"Ah, yes. I should have known better that your Dark Matter could even be used for that," remarked the woman in the lab coat.
"I'm sure you have a lot of questions. I'll keep it short. After your battle with Accelerator on October 9, you were left in critical condition that was sustained until now by the doctor Heaven Canceller's Dark Legacy. Until two days ago, your remains were unresponsive unless electrically stimulated, which the higher ups and even other Kiharas used selfishly to obtain fractions of your Dark Matter. You should probably vaguely remember that, your presence was still within those fragments of your ability after all. Thanks to that, you learned to spawn even human tissue. Over the last three days, your brain slowly regenerated and when it was done, it then sought out the rest of your body and organs to restore the entirety of your body. Our research on you the last few days has discovered that the substance known as 'Dark Matter' and the person known as 'Kakine Teitoku' are almost indistinguishable from one another. You could almost say you've achieved a form of 'immortality.' There's more to it than that, but I'm afraid I'm not a qualified enough Kihara to be briefed on more than I've already said."
She was right, Kakine did have memories of being in a distant land, it was like he was dreaming and fighting for the chance to wake up until it vanished , but he resumed dreaming until he awoke.
"Today is November 15. A lot has changed while you were out. Earth faced its Third World War at the end of October which Academy City participated in. For his contributions to ending the war, Accelerator was rewarded by the dissolving of the dark side of this city. Or at least, those forced into the darkness against their will. But now Academy City faces a potentially even greater threat, the organization known as GREMLIN. Our information on them is limited, but we do know they function on a different set of laws than you espers do, the same laws showed signs of themselves in World War III. We have reason to believe their current aim is here in Academy City and have infiltrated the perimeter."
"What does this have to do with me?" Kakine asked impatiently.
"I would like for you to dispose of the foreign entities that have filtered their way into this city. As a Kihara, I care not for the welfare of Academy City, all I want is to observe how it develops. Any damage taken is within acceptable parameters."
"Ha, and why should I do that?" Kakine said mockingly.
"If you comply, I can provide you with the power necessary to surpass Accelerator in exchange," Kihara Yuiitsu offered.
"You're trying to make a deal with me? Forget it. I can beat that bastard on my own, you said it yourself: I've become immortal."
"Don't be naïve. Accelerator outright defeated you without Awakening. And if our sources are to be trusted, he gained an even greater power in World War III. If you were to confront him in your current state, you would lose just as poorly as you did last time."
"…"
"There is also evidence that GREMLIN's target is the General Chairman. It would be unfortunate if they succeeded and you were unable to negotiate with him. The Kihara family can make you a Level 6, is it not a fair trade for becoming the Main Plan?"
"…Very well," Kakine abided. "So what now?"
"You may do as you wish, Kakine Teitoku. When all the preparations are complete, we will call you. Until then, you are free to do what you want so long as you don't make contact with Accelerator."
A sick smile crossed Kakine's lips.
"Don't keep me waiting."
With that, another hostile force presented itself in this city of science.
A/N: Having so many characters converged and interacting was difficult to write but it got easy after Ollerus showed up and stole all the dialogue.
Again, I sincerely apologize for taking this long to get this out. I wish I didn't stall back when I actually did have the time to finish it.
As for my thoughts on NT 5... I'll just say it was by far my least favorite novel and leave it at that. This isn't the place for me to go off on a rant.
I'll say it again: Please leave a review if you can! They're what motivates me more than anything to type my chapters up.
As for when you can expect next chapter, yeah... I'm going to be overloaded with schoolwork for the next two weeks or so. Don't be expecting the next update any time soon, sorry.