Chapter 3 - A Tool For Disaster
If someone were to ask a random person on the street which color they believed represented "purity," the likelihood of receiving an instinctive response of "white" would be nearly 100 percent. It was perhaps this trivial fact that irked that girl so much.
"This is what life is like," Kimi muttered, surrounded by all that white.
"What did you say?"
"Mind your own business, Shirakinu."
"In a bad mood again, eh?"
Being in a foul mood was a frequent occurrence for this girl, who should be relishing her youth instead of being ensnared by conflicting thoughts. It couldn't be healthy for a child not yet ten.
Kimi leaned against a wall near the cafeteria, trying to distract her mind, trying to find a refuge from all that annoying white.
Her friend, Shirakinu Honoka, smiled and shook her long black hair in an attempt to grab attention, annoying Kimi in the process. It wasn't particularly effective.
In this underground facility, distinguishing places was often challenging. Every room bore the coat of "pure" white, extending to the attire donned by the guinea pigs. It created a surreal landscape without a discernible end or beginning.
"He's at it again," said Honoka, pointing her slender finger towards a group of huddled guinea pigs. "What is it now? The fifth time?"
Knowing that conflicts were a regular occurrence among the guinea pigs in this "optimization" facility somewhat relieved Kimi, confirming that she wasn't the sole individual losing her sanity there.
"Come on, get up!" shouted a blond boy whose name she couldn't recall, even if she wanted to. "You like being hit, don't you? Then get up!"
The blond boy, and his group of idiot friends, were as usual bullying the level 0s once again. He must have been a high level, at least 3, since no one dared to help the poor kid who had already been beaten up for at least ten minutes straight.
"I hear he doesn't have an AIM diffusion field," commented Honoka, watching the impure scene amidst the white purity with rapt attention. "Reminds me of a certain someone."
Kimi looked at her friend coldly.
"That's not what I meant." Honoka rolled her eyes playfully.
The two continued observing the boy without an AIM field. He had stood up, but that was the extent of his response. His fists weren't clenched, displaying minimal will to fight.
"I think I'll help him," Honoka said, moving to step forward, but Kimi's arm obstructed her.
"It's none of your business," she said coldly. "If that wimp isn't even fighting back, then why bother helping him? Let him suffer."
"Since when did you get so cold?"
"Ask the scientists here; they'll give you a precise answer."
x-2-x
"Hey, Kimi, heeey!"
Index extended her hand in front of the other girl's face, but she appeared to be in a trance.
"Huh? Oh, sorry," Kimi responded, smoothing down the hair covering her eye. "I tend to have a few daydreams sometimes."
"What about?"
"My childhood." She sighed and placed her coffee cup on top of the Kotatsu. Her thoughts drifted elsewhere. "He's taking his time."
"Do you think he'll be all right?"
"I have no doubt. The reason he's taking so long is surely something else." Kimi's gaze shifted to the door. "He's always been a bloody hypocrite."
Kimi involuntarily smiled as she said that, like always, barely noticing it herself. It made her realize that the boy's influence on her was even greater than she had imagined. What would her life have been like if she hadn't confronted him that day so many years ago? Could she perceive the world as she does now?
Obviously, the answer was no.
The door opened slowly, allowing the sun's rays to illuminate the place, bringing a hint of clarity to Kimi's mind. Kamijou Touma was back, as casual as ever. Not a single stain marked his pure white shirt, the standard summer uniform for his school.
The same couldn't be said for the girl beside him.
Her clothes were soiled with dust and debris, torn in some parts. There was dried blood on her face, but considering that wasn't severely damaged, the boy had taken it easy on her. No surprise there. He always had to take it easy; otherwise, the fight would be over in an instant, leaving nothing but a pool of blood as a memento. Not even that, really.
"Looks like you took care of things pretty well, Kimi," said Kamijou, looking at Stiyl tied up in the corner of the room. "He doesn't even look hurt."
"He fell at the first blow." Kimi displayed her palms as a casual sign of disappointment. "Those mages are a fraud, apparently." Her gaze shifted to Kanzaki. "That one must have at least put up a reasonably entertaining fight."
"She's a lot tougher than she looks," replied Kamijou, glancing at Kanzaki. The saint looked away, slightly embarrassed. "Anyway, let's have that talk. Does your friend have anything to add here, or can we start without him?"
"I'd rather we waited for him to wake up."
"I'm sorry, I'm not a patient person."
Kamijou quickly approached the spot where Stiyl lay unconscious and jabbed him in the forehead with the tip of his finger, causing Kanzaki to shudder in place, as if triggering some trauma.
"Hey, time to wake up, mister cheap cologne," said Kamijou, shaking the poor boy.
After a few seconds, Stiyl opened his eyes quickly and began to assess his surroundings. It didn't take him long to realize he was completely trapped by the duct tape. The click of his tongue made it clear how irritated he was.
"What's going on here?" He squirmed on the floor like a worm, futilely attempting to free himself.
"I tied you up after you were easily defeated," Kimi said, casually taking another sip of her black coffee.
"Hmm..." Kamijou smiled slightly. "Kimi, if I didn't know you, I'd say you tied him up because you wanted to get something off your chest. Do you have anything to tell me?"
"Yes, take me back as your girlfriend, and I promise to stop taking it out on the first idiot who comes my way."
"Talking like that makes it sound like you weren't doing the same thing before we broke up."
"You two," said Stiyl, "untie me now, or you'll regret—"
"Shut up!" Kimi shouted, and just then, a sharp feather pierced the air, passing within millimeters of Stiyl's face. "I've only known you for a few minutes, and I can't stand you anymore. Be glad I didn't tear your body apart in our fight, you pimp-smelling priest!"
The bound boy even shrank away from the girl's angry outburst. The strangest thing was that soon after, she took a deep breath and went back to her coffee.
"Can I have some of that?" asked Kamijou, also with all the casualness in the world.
"I've prepared more for you; it's in the kettle. It's a new brand, I bet you'll like it."
After everyone had settled around the Kotatsu, Kamijou offered some of the black coffee to Kanzaki, who shyly accepted with an embarrassed nod.
"So, has the hottie been tamed yet?" asked Kimi in a mischievous tone. "One more for the harem, apparently."
"Ahem," Kamijou cleared his throat and coughed nervously. "Kimi, have some manners."
"Just breaking the ice."
There were also some snacks on top of the Kotatsu, in quite a variety. The girl had gone to a convenience store while Kamijou was away, so their fridge was stocked again.
"Kanzaki," said Kamijou.
"Y-yes?" The saint squirmed nervously beside him.
"Tell me your side of the story."
The serious way he spoke was enough to make the young woman pull herself together. She straightened up where she was sitting, took a deep breath, and placed the sheath that held what was left of the sword next to her. She hesitated, clearly not wanting to talk about it.
"I am from Necessarius of the Anglican Church," she said, as if coughing up blood. The way she bit her lip when she looked at Index was full of pain. "Index and I are from the same organization... she's my colleague... my precious friend."
Index was the sole figure visibly caught off guard, her features betraying a blend of surprise and muted distress. She seemed to be trying to remain neutral, but her wide-eyed gaze showed her inner turmoil, but not a single word escaped her lips.
"Um... are you two friends?" Kimi put a finger to her chin in confusion and then looked at Index sitting right next to her. "Is that true, Index?"
"I..." Index hesitated, her emerald-green eyes locked on Kanzaki. "I can't say."
Those few words dug deep into the core of the saint who had her body destroyed, and now part of her spirit too.
But a right hand touched her shoulder.
"Go on," murmured Kamijou, his voice registering a low, almost hushed tone.
Kanzaki affirmed with a nod, her head now held high. This time, her gaze sought refuge in Kamijou's blue eyes instead of Index's.
"Have you ever heard of a perfect memory?"
"Index mentioned something about it earlier. It's related to those grimoires or something, right?" Kamijou pondered, using this as yet another diversion for his mind.
"Over eighty-five percent of Index's brain is occupied by the 103,000 grimoires. The remaining fifteen percent is barely functioning enough for her to be like the rest of us," Kanzaki explained, her pause lingering as pain crept back into her expression. "Because of this, she doesn't remember me, Stiyl, or any of her past companions."
"That doesn't add up. Index has a perfect memory, correct? So why did she forget? What caused her to lose her memories?"
"She didn't lose them," Kanzaki clarified, even halting her breath. "Technically, I erased them. I had no choice. With only 15 percent of her memory left to function normally, any further accumulation would have caused her brain to explode, killing her. Do you comprehend? Everything I did was to save her."
After Kanzaki unveiled her side of the story, Kimi and Kamijou exchanged a look that leaned more towards curiosity than concern. The expressions on their faces bordered on the comical.
"Kanzaki-san," Kamijou began, as if grappling with something profound within him. "I'm truly sorry for what I'm about to say, but..." He took a deep breath and shook his head. "That doesn't make any sense."
Kanzaki even recoiled slightly, moving her upper body away in shock.
"I see, you don't believe me," she said, her expression once again turning somber.
"That's not what he meant," Kimi interjected, leaning on one hand with a bored expression. "He's just saying in a polite way that you're an idiot."
"Kimi—"
"Oops, it slipped out," Kimi nonchalantly smiled. "The point is, that's not how human brains work. Believe me, Kamijou and I have had our brains scrambled all our lives with information put in and taken out practically every day, testing our limits. We've closely examined the results to understand the madness. We're not experts, but we know enough to say that everything you've said is bullshit."
"It can't be," Kanzaki sounded exasperated. "You on the science side have a limited view of the rest of the world. You don't expect me to believe that everything my organization has told me is a lie?"
"That's a relief," Stiyl said from his corner. "Not what you espers said, but knowing that Kanzaki isn't letting herself be manipulated by your poisonous words."
"I thought I told you not to join the conversation," Kimi complained.
"I didn't hear you say anything like that," Stiyl retorted.
"Touma-kun, if I happen to accidentally, just a chance, end up killing that annoying guy, how angry will you be with me?"
"Moderately."
"Is it the sexy kind of anger or..."
"The other kind."
"Damn! You will live one more day, matchhead."
"Can we get back to the subject at hand?" Kamijou looked at Kanzaki once more, realizing he might lose her if he didn't clarify everything. "Look, I know it sounds crazy since we're in different worlds, but I swear it's true. Can we take her to a specialist?"
"It's no use," Kanzaki interrupted with a stern tone. "It's easy for you to say since you weren't there, but I saw it with my own eyes. She only has room in her brain for one year's worth of memories. As the time approaches, her body begins to waste away, horrible headaches occur because of it, something you'll witness soon if you don't let us do what we have to do."
"And how long before that time comes?"
"One week. That's the limit. The ritual to erase her memories will take place at midnight in a week's time."
"You mean 'should' be performed, don't you?" Kamijou was serious, his gaze on Index, who still seemed stunned by the revelation. "Because believe me or not, this ritual is not going to happen. I won't allow it."
For a moment, everyone there expected Kanzaki to react angrily to those decisive words, but she just looked at him with an emotionless face and asked in a calm voice.
"Is there anything I can do to change your mind?" Kanzaki sounded exhausted.
"No." But Kamijou wasn't about to back down.
"Even if I put my head down? Even if my forehead touches the ground and I crawl to your feet like a worm?"
"No."
"Even if I promise to be your slave until the last day I live?"
"Kanzaki—"
"Shut up, Stiyl!" Kanzaki shouted at the flame magician, her eyes filled with anger and determination as she locked eyes with Kamijou once again. "I can't defeat you. Even if I brought a whole squad here, I can feel deep in my heart that the result would be the same. It's like you said, I don't have any power. So all that's left is for me to offer my useless body and soul, just to have the slightest chance of saving the people close to me. So please... please, Kamijou Touma, let me save her."
She was about to bow, but the boy stopped her by placing his right hand on the top of her head.
"Kimi was right; you really are an idiot," he said with a slight smile. His index finger playfully touched her forehead. "Weren't you listening to me? I admitted I was wrong; there's power in you, more than it seemed. And don't say embarrassing things; I'm a teenager, you know. If a pretty girl talks about offering her body to me, what do you think is going through my head? Jeez, girl, pull yourself together."
"I bet she'd look delicious in a sexy maid's outfit."
"Kimi... no, no, you have a point." He looked at Kanzaki in a rather special way. "Damn it, this isn't the time, Kamijou-san. Put away the intrusive thoughts." He cleared his throat loudly. "Anyway, we'd better get some expert help."
Kamijou reached into his pocket for his cell phone and searched for the number of a certain person from his past.
x-3-x
The following day, the group decided to visit a nearby park in District 7, known for being a favorite spot of a certain level 5 esper in the past.
Seated alone on a bench in the square, Kamijou gazed curiously at the sky. Summer had fully arrived, guaranteeing clear days like the one he was experiencing. There were a few clouds in the sky, just enough to mildly distract him. His preference for this ritual had always been during the night, surrounded by the brilliance of stars. Climbing to the top of buildings to escape the city lights and bask in the celestial glow was a common practice for him.
Just then, a soccer ball came rolling towards him.
"Are you going to play with us or not?" asked Kimi, standing next to Index on the green lawn.
He glanced away for a moment, then grabbed the ball with both hands and executed a move resembling a volleyball serve. The ball accelerated remarkably, but Kimi effortlessly caught it with one hand and began spinning it on her finger.
"You can start without me," Kamijou said, returning to his contemplative state.
The four of them were just lazily kicking the ball to each other, nothing that could be called competitive. Stiyl didn't seem too pleased with the casual atmosphere.
"This is a waste of time," he muttered to Kanzaki, who technically belonged to his team, given that Index and Kimi were on the opposing side. "We should seize the opportunity and-"
"I believe that's the most prudent course of action," Kanzaki promptly interjected, calmly kicking the ball towards Index, who skillfully returned it to Stiyl. She noticed him waver but maintained her gaze on him. "When was the last occasion we had the chance to spend time like this with her?"
Stiyl clicked his tongue. Both of them observed Kimi and Index practicing a unique ball move, their expressions suddenly shifting to neutrality. Nevertheless, they appeared more at ease than their usual selves.
"I still don't believe there's another way to solve this," Stiyl asserted, stealing a quick glance at Kamijou sitting on the bench. "If there were, we would have discovered it by now. An amateur like him can't be trusted."
"To label him as an amateur might be quite misleading, frankly."
"What makes you say that? Did he exhibit any occult knowledge during your confrontation? Do you suspect he might be a clandestine member of a cabal?"
Initially met with silence, Kanzaki eventually shook her head in denial.
"How was your fight with that girl?" she asked briskly. "She mentioned you fell for a blow." Her gaze fixed on his eyes, but the boy averted his gaze, seemingly embarrassed. "Those two are perilous. I'm uncertain if we were unlucky and stumbled upon two monsters or if encountering such situations is commonplace in this town. Regardless, even if he lacks occult knowledge... I want to believe in him. It's not merely a matter of strength. I may have lost two fights, but I don't feel defeated."
Following that sincere expression of opinion, the game resumed as usual.
Kamijou extended his arms on the bench, closing his eyes and allowing himself to be immersed in thought. However, something immediately brought him back.
"I was hoping it would take longer," he mused to the wind, keeping his eyes closed. "I don't know what you're attempting, but you're well aware that sneaking up on me won't work."
"You've always been a spoilsport, Kamijou-san."
The giveaway for the person who had just arrived wasn't their footsteps but their scent. Sweet and subtle, Kamijou never let it elude him.
Taking a seat on the bench beside him, the newly-arrived girl found Kamijou with his arms outstretched along the bench's backrest, giving the impression that he was employing a stretching technique to extend his arms over his crush's shoulders. Yet, it was the girl who playfully approached him with a mischievous smile.
"So, golden girl," he began, opening just one eye to glance at her before closing them again. "I see you're still using the same shampoo."
"You can't change a winning team, can you?" She casually opened her white star-print handbag and retrieved a remote control. "But putting your unnecessary comments aside, which of the two girls needs my queen ability?"
"Calm down, don't go pointing that thing around."
His hand rested on the elevated remote control, still not bothering to shift his gaze in her direction.
Shokuhou Misaki held the title of #5 in Academy City. As the most powerful telepath, she was an expert on the human mind, making her the ideal candidate to address Kamijou's inquiries. Their relationship was amicable enough for the busy girl to halt her activities and come to him no matter what.
"First of all, a warning," he said, finally opening his eyes, but pointing them at Index. "Your target is the little girl, Index. But be careful, there's something there you can't see no matter what."
"Hmm? Can you elaborate?"
"They mentioned something about grimoires and how they can poison anyone's mind, driving them to madness. So you don't want to touch it."
The expression Shokuhou wore was quite charming and, at the same time, somewhat comical. It was not uncommon for this boy to find himself entangled in peculiar situations, but this was a new one.
"What, then, am I supposed to do?" she inquired, her finger resting on her chin in contemplation. "If her mind ability has some peculiar defense mechanism, wouldn't it be better to advise her to deactivate it before I take any action?"
"Unfortunately, that won't be possible." He shrugged nonchalantly. "I just need to verify something. The two over there informed me about her memory being overloaded, and they claim her brain will 'explode' unless they erase the last year of her life."
"What? What kind of absurd ability is that?"
The exaggerated reaction she displayed brought a certain sense of relief to Kamijou's face. He already suspected something was amiss with the narrative, but hearing it affirmed by an expert added weight to his doubts.
"Confirm something else," he urged, now fixing his gaze on the starry eyes of the girl, who appeared to have blushed at the sudden closeness. "Use your powers on her and check if there's anything amiss with her mind. Can you manage that without making contact with the grimoires there?"
"I can try." She gestured towards the remote control, though there was a hint of hesitation in her firm grip on it. "You're going to shield me with your strange powers, right?"
"I'd prefer you not to rely on it, but yes, I can handle it."
"Here goes nothing, then!"
The excited girl mumbled something about categories and then pressed the remote control.
Meanwhile, in the laid-back game between the four of them, Kimi began to showcase her skills. She executed a series of impressive moves, maneuvered the ball behind her back, and forcefully kicked it towards Stiyl, who was caught off guard and struck in the stomach.
"Hehe... I missed the target a bit, but that's good too," said Kimi puffing out her chest.
"You're being a bit too mean to him," commented Index, but she didn't exactly seem concerned about the flame magician.
"I don't like grumpy people." Kimi shrugged, sticking her tongue out at Stiyl in a rather impolite manner.
"You're a bit grumpy yourself."
"Huh?" Kimi frowned, feeling the comment hit a nerve. "I'm going through some relationship issues. I'll be back to being a nice person soon, I promise."
A quick glance was thrown in Kamijou's direction, and the girl growled softly upon realizing who was standing next to her "boyfriend." Kimi didn't harbor any animosity toward Shokuhou Misaki, but the honey blonde was one of the few people who made her raise her guard. She couldn't discern if he was attempting to read her mind actively or if he did so passively. However, she preferred to set that aside for now and concentrate on supporting the boy she liked so much.
Kimi hadn't heard from Kamijou about his intentions, but it was evident that he would ask #5 to delve into Index's mind. The ball game had been her suggestion to keep the magicians occupied and distracted. She knew it wasn't the optimal plan, but it seemed to be effective.
"Kimi, can I ask you a favor?" Index pulled at her poncho, a gesture that was becoming routine.
"Of course," Kimi said, seizing the ball and kicking it toward Kanzaki.
"I want to get out of here."
This request caught the dragon girl off guard, to the point that she let the ball slip away. Index followed her as they searched for the lost ball in the park, courtesy of Kanzaki's forceful kick.
"What do you mean, 'get out of here'?" Kimi held the mud-filled ball in her hands and looked in the direction of the girl in her immaculate white outfit.
"I think you've already done too much for me and—"
"Sorry, Index, but that's not happening."
With muddy hands, Kimi moved her fingers to spin the ball on one, the dirt stuck there being thrown in all directions, sending splashes that soiled Index's white habit, yet the nun didn't react.
A sigh escaped Kimi's mouth.
"Index, you mentioned something about being important to your church, right? Your grimoires and all."
"Yes, but what do you mean?"
"You're special." Kimi felt as if her body had become heavy. She sat down on the grass, not realizing that her hand had brushed against her white poncho, leaving a mark. "And special people always end up with the same fate."
Index sat down next to her, her emerald eyes shining with attention.
"I'm strong, you know that?" Kimi asked, her gaze shifting toward the mages who were confused by the sudden halt of the game, chatting among themselves. "Probably stronger than most people you know or will ever meet."
"Yeah, I realized that. You espers aren't what I expected."
"Actually, Touma-kun and I are the exceptions, not the rule." She leaned over, her hands supporting her body as she looked up, then back at Kamijou. "I have a power that allows me to create black holes at random points in the universe. With enough research, I alone could solve the entire world's energy problem, providing free energy to every person on the planet."
"Wow, that sounds incredible."
"Yeah... but there's also the chance that I'll accidentally destroy the entire solar system."
The young nun looked impressed, but her expression shifted to a neutral one, her eyes now unfocused.
"You could say I'm a genius, but I'm also a disaster." Kimi was now looking directly at Index. "Scientists deemed me too dangerous, and the options were to put me on a leash, attempting to control me as much as possible, essentially becoming a tool for those greedy worms... or... the other option was to eliminate me to ensure the worst didn't happen."
Index swallowed dryly at that moment, her small hands clenching unintentionally, causing the grass and dirt below to dig into her nails.
"So they're controlling you now?" asked Index, as if she were carefully probing a taboo.
"Nobody controls me but myself." But Kimi shattered her expectations instantly. "They tried to kill me, but I had people by my side who wouldn't allow my story to end badly. One of those people made sure I retained my freedom and my life, betting everything to save this walking disaster that was of no good. I ran away that day, but that doesn't mean I didn't choose to fight back."
As soon as she said this, she placed her hands behind her, stood with her head held high, and then flashed a small smile in Kamijou's direction. Her gaze soon returned to Index. Kimi's hands gripped her shoulders, further staining that "purity" imposed upon her by the people who had put her in this situation.
"So, Index, can I ask you a favor?" asked Kimi,leaning in so that her eyes were level with the little girl.
"Of course," came the automatic reply.
"Fight back." Kimi smiled as she said that, then stepped back and made a gesture as if to signal to the other two that she was back in the game. "I will protect you, with my life if necessary. I won't let anyone hurt you for as long as I breathe. I'm not asking for much in return, don't you think?"
Index remained silent, gazing at her dirt-covered hands, and then smiled, a thin, minimal smile, just at the corner of her lip. Her hands met her habit, leaving marks of impurity contrasting with the "purity" of that white. She too was back in the game.
x-4-x
Initially, Misaki maintained her lips pressed together in a straight line, reaching into her bag for another remote control. This one resembled a device from an analog tape recorder. The process unfolded for a few more seconds, highlighting her meticulous approach. From time to time, she directed the controls toward her own forehead, taking an extra precautionary measure.
"There's something there," she finally said, her voice calm, with a distant look in her eyes. "Unfortunately, I can't say for sure what it is."
"Could you give me something more concrete?"
She had to pause for a moment to think, then attempted to offer an explanation.
"As I said, I have no idea what it is, but there's something in her mind ability that I could only call a 'time bomb'. I could go deeper, but I'll have to be more careful."
"No, no... that's enough." Kamijou waved his hand and got up from the bench. "Thanks for your help, if you need me, I'm at your service."
"I could definitely use your services," she replied, licking her lips quickly. "I hear you got rid of your... 'ties', is that true?"
"Almost."
"Huh?"
Instead of elaborating, he turned away from her and gave a slight nod, still with his back turned.
"See you around, Shokuhou-san."
The disappointment on that girl's face was evident, but she was always willing to assist him with whatever he needed.
"What does a girl in love have to do to get what she wants these days? Sometimes I wonder if I'm lucky or not."
She continued to smile all the same.
x-5-x
Night fell on Academy City, a clear sky above allowing Kamijou Touma to observe the bright moon, its silver cloak resting against his palm as he scrutinized it like a seer attempting to glimpse the future.
His apartment was busier than usual. Besides the rare moments when his "ex-girlfriend's" gang of girls decided to visit, he was almost always alone. Of course, Kimi visited him frequently, so much so that it felt like she lived there, but today's activity was different.
A conversation had suddenly captured the boy's attention.
"So we were friends?" asked Index with a curious tone.
"Yes." Kanzaki paused. The two were at a small table, eating grilled fish that Kimi had prepared. "I hope you understand that what I did..."
Index nodded when she saw the girl hesitate so much. She had even stopped eating for a moment, something that seemed like a great effort to her, but perhaps this was a way of respecting the girl who was suffering.
"It's not your fault," continued the silver-haired girl. "And I... or my past self must have agreed to all this, right?"
A thick blanket of silence suddenly covered the room, Kanzaki gently placed the bowl of rice she was holding on the table and then looked towards the balcony.
"Can you give me a minute?" asked Kanzaki, getting up before the girl could say anything.
Kamijou leaned over the balcony railing, his gaze fixed on the stars above, as he listened to the soft footsteps approaching him.
"You enjoy looking at the sky." Kanzaki positioned herself next to him, mimicking his leaning posture. "Did you know that stars are used as a common divination tool? Experts claim you can glimpse even a century into the future if you look closely."
"Yes, I've heard something like that from a certain someone." He extended his arm toward the sky, observing with curiosity as the glow from above passed through his fingers. "And up there is our past too."
"Hmm... science must have its methods, just as we magicians have ours." She visibly flinched a little when Kamijou mentioned the past. "Can I ask you a personal question?"
"As long as I have the right not to answer if I don't want to, go ahead."
"Have you ever done something you regret? Something that you feel has changed your life forever, and that you'll never get back?"
"No."
The two of them were now looking in the same direction, at those stars that held both their future and their past, the girl in contemplation after that dry answer.
"And neither do you," continued Kamijou, observing Kanzaki's surprised reaction only with his peripheral vision. "I mean, not the regret part."
Without saying another word, Kamijou turned away from the balcony and entered the apartment, attempting to leave those particular stars behind. He saw Stiyl analyzing his rune cards while leaning against a wall near the door, and Kimi absentmindedly fixing Index's hair with a hairbrush. Everyone there was waiting for that boy to tell them what they were going to do next.
There was no more time to lose. Kamijou clapped his hands twice to capture everyone's attention.
"Okay, I think I know what to do," announced the spiky-haired boy, looking directly at Index. Kanzaki and Stiyl had approached her for some reason. "First of all, I'd like to make something clear. You've been tricked. All this talk about brains exploding and needing periodic maintenance or something is all nonsense."
"Do you have any proof, esper?" asked Stiyl. At that moment, the way he moved, with his face and posture rigid, suggested he was ready to fight.
"None that you would believe."
"So whatever you—"
"I'll tell you what I'll do," Kamijou rudely interrupted, causing Stiyl to cluck his tongue. "According to the information I've gotten, there's something wrong with her mind. You could say there's a 'bomb' in there. So all I have to do is disarm it."
"Bomb?" Kanzaki sounded exasperated. "What do you mean there's a bomb there? If the situation is so serious, please don't tell me you're about to do something reckless."
The boy maintained silence, simply tilting his head and withdrawing his hands from his pockets as his non-verbal response. He elevated his right hand, the symbolic representation of his power.
"I can't say I'm accurate enough for this task." Kamijou took a step forward, towards Index who was being 'protected' by those two. "But the other option is to keep up this lie while you're forced to hurt your friend every year."
"We're not hurting her, esper," spat Stiyl, chewing the cigarette in his mouth and then throwing it on the floor and crushing it under his feet. "You're saying that because you already feel guilty about what you're about to do."
"Have you ever heard of 'Ship of Theseus'?" Even with such hostility directed at him, the question was as casual as someone asking for the time. "The human body has similarities to that story. Our body constantly destroys and regenerates itself, to the point where we are someone completely different from what we were in our childhood. Except for this." He pointed at his own head with two fingers. "I'm a science esper, so I can't say whether something like a soul exists, but as far as we know, we are our memories. So from my point of view, what you're doing is no different from killing someone every year."
This time, Stiyl couldn't bear to hear it and fired in Kamijou's direction. The two-meter-tall boy grabbed the other by the collar of his shirt with both hands, his face contorted with pure rage. Even his canines seemed to elongate at that moment.
"Listen here, Kamijou Touma," said Stiyl, close and loud enough to sound intimidating, but nothing more than that. "All this time, I've been following your instructions because my colleague decided to turn into a frightened kitten all of a sudden. But you know what? Don't you dare say that what we're doing is something considered evil. Believe me, I've seen enough malice to know the difference. So, try your luck again and see what happens."
"I'll keep that in mind, magician." Kamijou's voice hadn't changed tone since the last time he spoke. "If you're finished, could you be helpful and let me do what I have to do?"
"Over my dead body."
A sigh escaped Kamijou's lips. He wanted to look up at the sky right now, but unfortunately, there was a ceiling above him. Of course, he could tear through that ceiling as easily as the stubborn boy in front of him, but what did that prove?
"Index," said Kamijou, looking Stiyl in the eye.
"Y-yes?" The short girl seemed conflicted about what was going on.
"The 'tough guy' here says he's acting in your interests, so he should respect your opinion. Answer me honestly, knowing the whole situation, do you want to risk everything in the hope of being able to live as a person? Or do you want to continue dying and being nothing more than a tool at worst, or a mere pet at best?"
Stiyl didn't seem at all pleased with the way the boy put it. The grip on Kamijou's shirt collar tightened; he would soon be lifted if this continued. However, the flame mage's face went blank in the next instant.
It was just a push.
It didn't come from Kamijou Touma who didn't change his calm expression for a single second, but rather the helpless young girl thrust into the situation and never able to do anything to get out of it. She used her frail hands to push the two-meter boy with all the strength she had.
He staggered. Stiyl Magnus let go of Kamijou's shirt and found himself unable to stand after that push that had no force behind it.
"I want to live," said Index, her voice resolute. With her back turned to Kamijou, she shielded him with arms stretched out, delicate yet determined. "Even if it's risky, I choose to live. I don't want to forget these last few days. I don't want to forget the taste of the food Kimi prepared for me, I don't want to forget when you told me you'd follow me to hell, I don't want to forget the soccer game we had today... I... I don't want to forget any of you, ever again... so please..." She wanted to look back, but she used what little power she had and remained determined to protect that boy who had no reason to save her. "Please, Touma, help me make this dream come true!"
Finally, the expression on Kamijou's face changed, a simple smile now sliding across his lips.
It was in those moments that he understood what it meant to be human.
x-6-x
"Let's do it," said Kamijou.
Stiyl was no longer there. It seems that Index's brave words had shaken him so much that he decided that getting out of the boy's way was the best course of action. At that moment, Kamijou held a newfound respect for him. It would have been much easier to continue being stubborn, to keep lying to himself and banging his head against the invisible wall in front of him, but the flame magician decided that the girl's opinion was more important to him than his pride.
"Kanzaki, if you have something to say, the time is now."
"Just save her," she replied instantly.
A substantial burden now rested on his shoulders. That girl, who was still suffering from her injuries from the previous fight, had staked everything on him. Kamijou was not one to ignore such a commitment without retribution; he was determined to offer her the best.
"Hey, Kimi."
"Is there a problem, Touma-kun?" She raised her head from her seat on one of the kitchen worktops, not really caring what was going on. "There's not much I can do that you can't, so don't lean on me right now."
"No matter what happens, just do what I ask, okay?"
"Okay." She smiled at him with those sharp teeth and then threw herself off the worktop to stand up. "But just this once."
Without wasting a second, the boy took the white piece from Index's head with his left hand and tossed it to Kimi. He raised his right hand, as if the weight of the whole world was there.
"Are you ready, Index?"
The girl just gave a determined nod. It was admirable how powerful that girl was being right now. Seeing someone so weak fight like that always made him feel that it was all worth it.
They had put a leash on that girl, so all he had to do was destroy those bonds, erase that illusion the church was trying to maintain, and save those three from that cruel fate.
His right hand touched Index's forehead, which made her close her eyes at that moment. The Dragon King's jaws could erase anything from existence, even unshakable reality. But at that moment, he needed to be careful, to aim only at what was necessary. He needed something different.
Nothing happened. Nothing really happened.
There was no light or noise, but had the magic the Church had put on Index been negated? The answer was obvious. Kamijou looked puzzled and touched her on the cheek and the back of the head, but nothing happened. Nothing changed.
"Hmm?" That subtle sound escaped Kimi's mouth. "If you're trying to be careful, then try a more direct approach." She approached Index and made a circular gesture with her finger. "Index-chan, open your mouth." And then she took hold of Kamijou's right hand.
"Kimi, are you serious?" The boy was already pulling away from her, but he paused when Index just opened her adorable mouth and then closed her eyes.
"She seems to trust us, so don't let her down, 'hero'."
Kamijou narrowed his eyes once, gathered his resolve, and then shoved his hand into the girl's mouth. The person who seemed most uncomfortable with this was Kanzaki, who turned her face and stared at the floor, but did nothing to interrupt.
Index's lips contorted as though belonging to a distinct entity, reacting to the intrusion of his fingers. The oddly warm saliva enveloped his fingers, and the disconcerting sensation of her tongue briefly gave Kamijou pause. However, he proceeded to push his fingers further, aiming for the back of Index's throat.
It was like feeling electricity run through his body. He had hit whatever was causing all this evil, that time bomb was deactivated.
Or so it seemed.
Index shook violently. She moved away from Kamijou with uncertain steps, her closed eyes making the scene even more bizarre. The boy's gaze shifted when he saw Kanzaki gripping the scabbard of her sword tightly as if she sensed something was wrong.
The silver-haired girl's eyes slowly and silently opened. However, it wasn't those bright emerald eyes that Kamijou saw.
Blood-red magic circles floating inside her eyes were glowing.
"Not good!" shouted Kanzaki. "Index shouldn't be able to refine magic power. You were right, they lied to us!"
"Warning: Chapter 3, Verse 2. All barriers for Index Librorum Prohibitorum's collar from first to third have been breached. Preparing to regenerate...failed. The collar cannot self-regenerate. Switching priority to eliminating the intruder in order to protect the 103,000 archived grimoires."
Index's voice adopted a monotonous tone, resembling the robotic articulation of an antiquated reading app. Her head hung without energy, her body now defying gravity. Her empty gaze fixed on Kamijou, as if a thorough assessment was being made.
"The magic expected to be most effective on the specific intruder has been put together. Proceeding to activate the special magic known as St. George's Sanctuary to destroy the intruder."
It seemed as if space itself had been ripped apart. The atmosphere warped, and black rays manifested like fractures in front of the girl. Through these rifts that seemed to extend into another dimension, a primal, feral scent wafted forth.
Something lingered within, pulsating from the depths of the fractures.
"Ah." That sound escaped Kamijou Touma's mouth without him even realizing it. Something strange was happening inside his body. "Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"
It was euphoria. For some reason, Kamijou Touma couldn't stop laughing.
A pillar of light shot from within the cracks. The light was so pure a white it looked like it had been melted by the sun.
"D-Dragon Breath?!" Kanzaki shouted in desperation, trying to do something to avoid that devastating attack, but she didn't need to.
Another pillar of light appeared, emerging as the boy raised his right hand. The two beams, eerily similar yet distinctly different, collided, unleashing a shockwave that cleaved through the entire room as if reality itself were unraveling.
Unfazed, Kamijou Touma continued to smile, taking a confident step forward.
"Is that all?" he questioned, not addressing the girl but the thing through the cracks. "Come on, you cheap imitation, show me something that's at least worthy of a real dragon."
The boy had definitely gone mad. He didn't even look like the same person anymore, as if an external influence had taken over his body.
An unseen force, akin to an invisible claw, sliced through the air and plunged into the fractures. This imperceptible tear cleaved through the crack, likely a gateway to another world. Whatever resided there recoiled, or rather, it unmistakably cowered in fear as the claw extended through the opening and sealed it shut. The sound of something violently breaking resonated, and the pillar of light amidst the gaps vanished from existence.
"Warning: Chapter 22, Verse 1. Dragon Breath was ineffective. Proceeding with a more in-depth analysis of the enemy."
Kamijou only snapped back to reality upon hearing the robotic voice once more. It wasn't a matter of losing consciousness; he remained acutely aware of his actions and he enjoyed everything that had happened, that strange sensation still sliding through his body. But he forced himself to put on a straight face again.
"Kimi, stay close to me," he said quickly. "If you think I'm losing control, hit me on the head as hard as you can."
"What if I actually like you losing control?"
"Kimi..."
"Yeah, yeah. It's a joke, don't look at me like that." The dragon girl put on the most serious face she could at that moment and then clenched both fists. "Don't think I've forgotten the promise I made to you. We're still the same, and I'm still here, don't forget that."
That was more than enough for him to completely shake off that euphoria.
They were ready. The battle to save the girl who had chosen to live was beginning in earnest.
A/N: How are you doing, readers?
In this chapter we discover a little of the extra backstory I've created for the two protagonists. Yes, the facility Kimi is in here is not the same as the one in the Canon. Not only that, but other details will be different, so keep that in mind, but much of her past is still here, which you'll understand as the story progresses.
By the way, if anyone is wondering why here Kamijou has more time before the ritual, it's because the fight against Kanzaki takes place much earlier here. This extra time isn't necessary, of course, since Kamijou is solving everything in record time, lol.
One more thing, basically all the extra information from the canon was given to Kamijou and Kimi here, even if I didn't write it. The reason for this is that I don't want to give exposition to something you already know, so I keep the "similar" scenes to a minimum. A few extra changes have been made here, a lot in fact, so I hope you haven't minded the different direction I'm taking.
I'm going to answer the reviews, trying to be brief since I'm a bit short of time (and sleepy, which is a good thing, anyone who's read a certain fic of mine to the end knows what I'm talking about xD).
Onilink500: Good to hear that you found their relationship entertaining. Yes, that makes sense.
5had0wHand: Thank you. I'll talk about it in my farewell notes below. Yes, the speech is similar, but with slightly different connotations, nice that you noticed. I'm glad you like the way I write Kimi and Kamijou, there's more of their antics here. Delta Force will show up eventually. I still have problems visualizing fights when I'm writing, so it's very nice to be complimented on that, thank you very much.
5queso: Yeah, I hope all these changes haven't bothered you. My intention is to make something more "unique" but not to change the story completely. We'll have more moments of Kamijou kicking ass, lol. Thanks.
Guest: In the next chapter we'll look at this resolution.
BlueJack22: I also love Pre amnesia Touma. And love to write about it too. Yeah, I tried to keep her in character, but I changed the dynamic of the two, which will be expanded when we get Touma's next scenes at school.
ExoticButterz: Thank you very much.
DerpTripz: Um… okay :)
Fullbreaker: xD I don't have a Reddit account, since I don't have any time to spare (kinda) and haven't bothered to make one, but every now and then I take a look at the Subreddit and see you commenting there. Nice to have you here too. Poor Kanzaki, lol. It seems that this change has been well received. Thank you very much.
Elementalgaming30: Did you think so? Maybe just a little, I admit.
Guest: Hyped for the next one too?
Zatil Hidayah Spensa: Touma simply put zero effort into beating lol. Stiyl simply get no diffed, Kimi was too angry to bother playing around.
Guest: "Throughout worlds and phases, I alone am the scaled one."
Nicko2545: These poor bastards aren't prepared for the Dragon Lord's power, LMAO. As a double overkill, Kimi is also ridiculously OP, because why not? I hope you're having fun. About Kimi helping him if he gets too influenced, that's kind of been answered here. She tries to keep him in line at his request. Thank you very much for reading.
Amad0: Thank you. Good to hear you're enjoying the changes, we'll have a lot more of this in the future. The ultimate power couple, aren't they? Nobody stands a chance. Yes, he has IB here, he used it on Kanzaki's last attack and now on Index. There will be an explanation of how he manages to use the other powers even with IB here.
See you next time!
One last thing before you go. Actually, my only contact with Jujutsu Kaisen before writing this story was some memes I saw because apparently the internet has been taken over by them lol. But you guys commented so much on Gojo that you convinced me to watch the anime. I'm already finishing the second season and plan to read the manga. That's it. Drink more water. Moon leaving.