Painted Prison Chronicles

by Sparity Ikari

When Kamijou Touma and Gokusai sisters reunite after a long while, things certainly go crazy for all of them when they found themselves living together through random twists of fate. In their daily life, Touma, Amazora, Kaibi, and Rikuri will learn about each other, with their light, darkness, and pasts revealed. Among the misfortune, comedy, and romance, their bonds blossom anew!

39. Chapter 39

PAINTED PRISON CHRONICLES

CHAPTER 39

REQUIEM OF FATE

ONE WHO NEGATES FATE

Hello everyone, belated Happy Easter if you celebrated, good day if you did not. I had quite a break. I am surprised myself, I wasn't expect to be away for so long. It is not totally unexplainable, I am participating in certain journey important for me, and had to have time to attend few matters of importance. Before I knew it, weeks passed. Then I had to gather to muse over few things for some time, before writing finally resumed. But I hope the wait will be worth it. Also, 20th anniversary and GT10 are almost here. I adore Transcendent girls, they really prove to be better and better with time, and they will continue to reappear in incoming chapters.

A final crescendo of the battle is here. That is not to say that this is a full resolution of KNT arc, but quite possibly, this is the Battle with capital B when it comes to this antagonist. It is a rather unique chapter when it comes to proportion of action in it. It is an action chapter in almost the entirety of it. That's both good and challenging. As I probably mentioned before, action scenes are not my main specialty (if I were to pick one, it would be monologues and dissection of character's emotional interactions with one another). Please, be mindful of the fact that when it comes to action, I am still learning and doing my very best. I hope it will still be satisfying for you.

This chapter revolves around many concepts that I took from interpreting certain lore aspects and utilized in unique fashion. In certain places, lore was given extensions stemming from my own interpretations and enriched with bits of scientific and magical lore from our own world history. I think this is one of the things that makes Toaru series so great, so it's only natural to attempt doing the same thing for its fanfic.

Besides the battles and confrontations, a lot of relational aspects regarding KNT arc will still be explored in future time, like Rin + Uiharu, what happened with Kanzaki, what were Accelerator and Hamazura concerned with during the conflict, so there are quite a few things to wait for.

Q&A corner:

Averege Stuffy: I am very glad for your excitement and I hope the chapter will live up to it.

Kuroshigami 0: A hype indeed.

KHVSFF: The battle is going to be somewhat cellestial, I really like use powers that link philosophical concepts in it with a bit of good old school battle sequences.

TheDarkPublisher: Like I wrote before, thank you for the feedback, and I present new chapter to you in hope it will be to your liking.

FingFangFoom100: I am so glad to see your excitement... have a good meal now!

Zekrom17: I am so glad and honoured to see such an enthusiastic reviewer. When it comes to Kimi, I think I have better grasp on her character now, so while I can't promise her appearing in the near future, it's not out the question that she will appear before the story is over.

Mr.X: It's alright, I respect your points and will think them through. Although, if I may ask, there is something I am interested in for some time. Do you like the story? Just curious, since I know that you tend to point to things to correct, which is helpful, but it makes me wonder sometimes.

Without futher delay, let's begin!

As two boys clashed fists, the shockwave caused everyone to tumble back. Only Kaibi unsteadily kept her footing, but she couldn't help but shiver at the intensity of just that one exchange.

"We said a lot about helping... but will there really be an opportunity..." she questioned out loud.

After all, it was certain that the battle was about to shift to a new level.

Kamijou No Touma gave a cold smile to serious looking Touma. His skin seemed to be peeling off, as zig-zags of pink and green spread more and more on his body, alongside sparks of said colours scattering in the air.

His eyes glowed as the smile widened.

"Yes... that's what it should be!"

In the next moment, Touma was struck so hard that he was sent flying backwards in straight line, with no stop in sight.

His enemy suddenly appeared just below him and sent another punch.

It was so strong that the boy was sent into the sky, clouds parting as he zoomed passed them. He covered hundreds of meters in the matter of seconds.

But Kamijou No Touma was even faster as he slammed into Touma for third time.

"Give me more!"

That hit completely reversed the earlier one.

In less than couple of moments, Touma slammed into the ground, earth erupting as it formed a small crater.

"Onii-chan!"

Distraught Amazora screamed as everyone watched in horror.

Kamijou Touma was defeated in moments.

Or it looked like it, as hand snatched the pink-and-green from behind and the body of Touma dissolved into green mist.

It was an illusion. It became apparent when real Kamijou Touma leaped behind his enemy and struck with dragon claws of his blue appendage.

It went through the false boy's body.

Touma clenched his teeth. Even that early in their clash, something normally inviolable went away as he went for a strike to actually end the other's life.

The emerald mist swirled around him, as Kamijou No Touma chuckled, blood trickling down his lips.

"The mist of illusion, huh? Not bad..."

Everything from the initial clash was just a mirage. It served as a distraction for delivery of the actual, efficient attack.

But...

The Kamijou No Touma's head twisted backwards 180 degrees.

Spectators watching the fight felt uneasy, with Rikuri actually turning slightly green, and Amazora loading her gattling gun on reflex.

Although his mannerisms and intelligence where human-like, there was something certainly inhuman within that creature that posed threat to Kamijou Touma.

The fact that KNT twisted his body in a way that any normal body would not tolerate was only a tip of the iceberg in that regard.

He spoke

"...but when it comes to dealing with me, I hope you didn't think it would be so easy."

In one moment, he was there.

In the next, it seemed as if reality itself glitched.

The scene vanished and was replaced as if something was forcibly cut from the fabric of spacetime.

Touma received a powerful blow, this time real blood spouting from his face.

Gokusai sisters and eagerly watching Enshuu were not sure what to make of this.

But Hasako, who briefly engaged in battle, understood.

For many espers, such as Misaka Mikoto, grasping concept of magic could prove, to put it lightly, a bit challenging. Even when confronted and accustomed with magical theory, they still tended to view it through the lens of rationality, although there existed some notable exceptions, such as Accelerator or Hamazura Shiage, who, although also needing time to process the information, didn't distort the original image of magical practice in their heads by automatic comparison to scientific rationality, instead managing to think about it as a system with different set of rules.

But Hasako was different from majority of modern espers. Partially because she was made into one when all of the scientific esper jargon could find its way into the minds of the populace, as she was the closest to Aleister's original method, and partially due to the fact that her own mind was inclined in more mystical direction, she assumed the explanation that seemed unrealistic.

Touma seemed to land a fatal blow. But Kamijou No Touma seemed to make it so it never happened.

He apparently predicted that Touma would try to deceive him, so he allowed himself to be injured just so he could caught him off guard.

The attacks that would be normally never hit were rendered useless.

Fatal shot could be reversed with erasure of fate.

The defeating event could be avoided with deletion of time.

Devastating blow could be frozen and could never reach if there wasn't a space to traverse.

'He is able to negate conceptual basis of physical reality, basic ontological categories... space, time, fate, causation... it's a devastating ability.'

Touma, however, was undeterred.

He pounced back at his nemesis. He took a swing with his fist.

And at the same time, the barrage of bullets hit Kamijou No Touma's back.

The attack of Amazora, although conducted with her ferocity, didn't do much to actually hurt the enemy, aside from him shooting her a glare in annoyance.

But it was still a great assist as the punch of Kamijou Touma actually connected.

A burst of flame shot from his skin, engulfing his enemy in a cascade of blazing inferno.

Instantly afterwards, the red glow switched into crackling lines of lightning.

The flames parted, as Kamijou No Touma walked in between them.

Flames danced on his skin, as he raised his hand.

"I feel a bit of tiredness, but nothing serious. Those flames burn away your time and power. But if you are from somewhere beyond time, it is not such a threat. And the Pure World is pretemporal "

He slammed his foot into the ground, the flames being extinguished in an instant.

Touma was not far behind.

Pair of wings sprouted from behind his back.

As if he became lightning itself, he zoomed forward, coated in the energy of golden dragon.

His foe also shot into the sky, and the two collided like shooting stars up above the ground.

On one hand, draconic powers. Darkness flowed forth with such force that group watching close to fainting, combined with and accompanied by golden lightning with dark edges striking everything in its path and incinerating everything to ashes, as if space itself was burning. Touma was swift and strong, trying his hardest to reach and defeat his enemy. He used hard crystals for the defense and frequently manipulated emerald fog to conduct feints and bluffs. It wasn't, despite the punches, the way he usually handled enemies. But it only showed how much Kamijou No Touma pushed him into becoming something he rather not want to be.

He once again blocked the attack, the crystals resounding with a beautiful, deep tone.

On the other hand there was the incarnated essence of Pure World, the emanation of Imagine Breaker. Carrying the soul of atemporal, and aspatial plane of existence, Kamijou No Touma straight up denied physical categories of reality. He appeared to teleport by simply erasing space in font of him. He avoided attacks by cutting away flow of time. He stopped causation from taking any effect by stretching it so long that the effect never arrived.

If taken to extreme, negation of the unnatural could shake the reality itself.

One could liken the characteristics of Pure World to the Big Bang's primordial singularity. Something that was so dense and compressed that it wasn't defined by time and space, by when and where, with entire existence in one single point, focused on the point of unraveling the very fabric of reality. Kamijou No Touma took that single focal point, or in this case a phase, as an original start and basis for everything. Anything else that came after said focal phase, which included multiplicity of matter, cause and effect, flow of time, and diversity of space, could be reverted to that primordial singularity.

Touma screamed and punched his adversary in a flurry of hits, each crackling and sizzling, as his eyes glow golden, with darkness and smoke rising from his bare body and hair, standing up as if electrified.

The space broke and bent around while time seemed to dilate from the outside perspective as the two exchanged blows.

They were moving faster than anyone in the City ever did, one using erasure of spacetime, other the property of light bestowed by dragon of gold. Even a Saint would be bothered to maintain such velocity.

Index observed battle with intense gaze. Kaibi could not tell what was on her mind. She had a lot on her own.

'He flew up... he turned into a giant lizard... another one of him just popped up...and he is just zooming in and out, while oozing terrifying darkness, crimson flames, and green mist, like a mixture of japanese deity and a dragon... just when I thought I knew him, he never stops just making me question absolutely every damn thing in this world...'

Kaibi groaned

She understood people's inner psyches, she dealt with mafia, underworld, and worked under a narcissistic sociopath, who in his own right was a headache in figuring out, but this?

Next to her, Rikuri fiddled with something that looked a pair of twin joysticks. Enshuu had an eerie, a bit creepy smile, as if she sized up a prey to swallow while looking at the otherworldly fight. Hasako and Maidono hastily exchanged some comments.

Meanwhile, she dealt with a true exchange of questions from her mind, which was in a much more chaotic state because of all of the weirdness going on.

Why was this so complicated?

Where should her sisters be safe?

What could even be done to help or end this?

Would they only get in the way?

Why was Kamijou so hot when fighting like this?

She needed answers. Some faster than others.

Something told her that this battle was about to be carried onto yet another level.

(MEANWHILE, AT UIHARU KAZARI'S)

Of all the things that stopped Sukemi Rin from making a dramatic reveal of her intention in front of her second cousin was a door kicked to her face.

After her timid alter ego went to sleep, she was about to use unaware Uiharu Kazari for her own purposes.

But the door was literally slammed into her face and sent her into the wall.

"Hiyah! Rescue has arrived!"

Kumokawa Maria stretched and then bent her pantyhose-adorned leg, posing menacingly while looking left and right, straight in front of the completely stupefied Uiharu.

"Do you know the world discrete?" Ladylee walked from behind with a hand on her brow. "This girl is dangerous. Human lives are unusually fragile. I know so many ways that could kill regular human that I am honestly sick of it"

"Sorry..."

"W-Wha... i-is that breaking and entering?" Uiharu stuttered

"It would be just entering if not for that capoeira-maniac busting the door"

"I-I am calling the Judge... w-wait, I am Judgement! You are to freeze and-"

"Uiharu-san, we are here to rescue you"

"Rescue me?! What are you talking about? Rescue me from what? I was just minding my business. There is no one here except me and my cousin"

Maria and Ladylee exchanged looks

"What?"

"About Sukemi Rin... she is actually the reason of our intervention."

The small girl in a headband emerged from behind the kicked door.

"You are quick to catch on, I see..."

"Rin-chan?" Uiharu turned around hesitantly" Is this some kind of a prank? What are they talking about?"

Rin was silent. Uiharu shook her head.

"But... this doesn't make any sense. My cousin is a sweet girl who would never hurt a fly. Whatever you are accusing her of, she couldn't-"

"I agree she normally wouldn't... but this is apparently much more complicated. She has some explaining to do"

"Rin-chan?" Uiharu asked again" What's going on?"

Rin looked up. Her eyes narrowed, as she straightened her arm.

Something akin to flash of genuine sorrow flashed through her eyes.

"Sorry, cus. Even if we switched, I still feel that I regret revealing it like this. I need you to come with me. Even if I hurt you in order to do so"

The arm came down and sank into floor, before being abruptly pulled up.

Uiharu had no time to react when deep cut spread in her direction.

But then, something zoomed through the room, whirled in a circle and stopped behind Rin, putting Uiharu on the ground.

Rin slowly turned back with narrowed eyes.

"You are fast... I couldn't follow you with my eyes"

Mei slowly put Uiharu down. From behind her, Hokaze Junko bowed and explained

"We had to pause to get good shoes"

"SERIOUSLY?!"

Mei pointed at her feet, sporting jogging shoes.

"I tell you, good shoes are the basic principle. Those can save lives"

She was not fully immune to friction of her own velocity, so what she said held truth. If she were to fight in bad shoes, she would rip the skin of her feet in no time.

"C-Can someone please tell me what is going on?!" Uiharu shouted

It was Hokaze who came with the explanation

"Uiharu-san, I am terribly sorry, but it appears that Sukemi Rin-san was the cause of recent attacks on the city. She is in collaboration with rather nefarious individual, and her mind was split, causing her to becoming cruel and callous. She possesses ability to manipulate sharpness and sever objects"

Uiharu opened her mouth and closed her. She looked like she wanted to protest again, then looked at the big cut throughout her kitchen, back on Rin, and shivered

"You do act quite unlike yourself... if that's truth... why, Rin-chan?"

There was something between those two family members, everyone could feel it.

But that was not time for the actual inquiry.

"I want to reclaim my justice..." Rin said quietly, clenching her fists" Me and him shared something special, I know that... so why won't he look my way now? Why was I suddenly snuffed out by all of those people around here? Why is he suddenly gaining attention? Those fiends spit on our history. I could never dream to break through that crowd. I was powerless, weak, normal, ordinary in every respect... but I couldn't stop those feelings, feelings for the only guy who actually found me able to amount to anything of value besides you, Kazari."

"The victims were women... oh gods... everyone who get close to your-"

"I never killed them. I only injured them"

"S-So you feel some..."

"That would be too easy. I want them to understand the pain I felt. To be only condemened to watch in silence and be ignored... I will never be confined to the background of life anymore. Not when I have the strength to make it all go away. I just want to be happy! I just want to be seen!"

Uiharu shook her head.

"But this is still wrong!"

"Don't tell me about rights and wrongs. I need to do this... I need to claim him with my own hands, even if it means making myself a monster. I want to be his, and I need to clear a path for it. Master gave me this ability and no one will stop me"

"Not while we are here, foul villain!"

If someone were to see the scene in slow-motion, they would see Mei running to Rin and delivering a strike to her chest.

But everyone saw just a blur of beige and black, after which Rin stumbled backwards, once again hitting the wall.

She delivered the slash forward, but Mei already zoomed away.

"Tch... acceleration ability?"

"Uiharu-san..." Mei appeared behind Kazari" we need to get you safety"

"No, I... must talk to her..."

"She is not really in the mood for talking. We will make the opportunity when the situation won't be so unstable. This is Kamijou Touma instruction"

"You know Kamijou Touma?"

"Well..." Mei pouted a little, turning a little red" He is a sweetheart of our Queen, or at least that's what rumors say... I probably wouldn't be included in his circle of affection, although Hokaze-san will likely share him with Queen..."

"I... I didn't ask for this..."

"Oh? I-I am sorry, I let my thoughts get the better of-"

Flustered Mei didn't manage to react quickly enough and the slash permeating through space cut one of her twintails off. She frantically touched her now asymmetric haircut.

"NO! I look incredibly stupid now! She will pay for this!"

"Focus! You were supposed to do the rescuing, remember!"

"O-Okay, but I will be back!"

"Wah?! What are you doing?"

"If I hold your neck like that, you won't get yourself a whiplash"

"Whip-"

Mei and Uiharu zoomed out of the room with a powerful gust following.

Rin wanted to move along, but Maria swiftly blocked her path

"I will be your opponent. I will teach you not to mess with capoeira"

"You all are really start to piss me off. Maybe I shall start by cutting off your tongues" Rin also got into battle position.

(MEANWHILE, BACK AT AND ABOVE THE SWITCHYARD)

Kamijou No Touma once teased that he could eliminate the threat of CRC

It seemed like those were not just empty taunts and statements.

He appeared more like a monster now, although few monsters would remain so callously collected in the heat of the battle.

He appeared almost invincible with his true abilities unleashed. Both he and Touma zoomed in an out of existence, carving out space and erasing time, which caused the reality itself to skip and glitch like a broken record.

Both boys sported draconic characteristics of wings and claws, but remained humanoid.

They appeared to be equally matched. But everyone knew the toll of the battle would not be beneficial for Touma.

Kamijou No Touma's defenses were almost impossible to breach and his attacks were very dangerous and difficult to avoid. But Touma made for it with versatility.

The weakness of Pure World-based attacks was the fact that Kamijou No Touma needed to be aware of them to erase or negate the effects on time, space, or causation. It was the Achilles heel that both Touma and Hasako figured out, each in span of their own battles.

Touma unleashed another wave of darkness, which caused his foe to grimace and fall back. Someone with Kamijou No Touma's mental fortitude would not faint while faced with Obsidian's power, but it still seemed incredibly unpleasant experience.

Touma landed close to Gokusai sisters.

"Rikuri, is it ready?"

"It is" The oldest sister tossed him the vial" It's the most potent chemical Iever crafted. Make good use of it"

"Oh, I am sure I will. Are you ready?"

That question wasn't directed to any people present in front of him, but one of the dragons within him.

'I have been ready even before we began. I am starving!'

He broke the vial and splashed it all over himself.

"What is he doing?! Onee-chan said that it is super deadly!"

"I think we are beyond questioning dumping deadly poison on himself when he is a dragon-styled deity"

Kamijou No Touma appeared again, going for Touma's throat.

"You are mine!"

THUMP!

Touma's claws stopped the attack, shockwave spreading through the switchyard.

"Surprise!"

And then Touma punched back.

His body became drippy with the very same poison Rikuri concocted.

It was a powerful biocide from carefully selected chemicals, specifically designed to dissolve cell membranes and destroy organic matter down to molecular level.

And thanks to Cobra Dragon, which wielded power of moisture and poisons, the biocide propagated and coated over Kamijou Touma.

The dark emanation of Imagine Breaker convulsed and roared in fury.

Any living creature would be dead within minutes.

Kamijou No Touma was beyond a mere living being, so poison would not kill him.

But negating its effects was annoying and distracting, slowing him down a little bit.

"Yeah, taste the rikurium!"

"Really?" Maidono facepalmed" You named the chemical after her? There is no way this isn't totally cheesy"

Kaibi glanced at her older sister, who had unnaturally flushed cheeks, and was coyly moving her fingertip across her big bosom, while watching poison-coated Kamijou Touma.

"He's so cute for naming it..."

Oh yes. If there was anything to turn Rikuri on, it was the boy she loved making a cheesy, romantic gesture in the middle of the adrenaline-filled fight, while dripping with lethal poison. If Touma somehow managed to incorporate drones on top of that, the oldest sister would probably resort to some graphic action.

"You think you are going to win with the cheap tricks like this one?! Don't make me laugh"

"Look who is talking"

Beyond those two boys, no one here would give any real push to the clash's conclusion.

But they accepted that. As long as their efforts could distract or slow enemy down, that was all that counted.

And it turned out that they were not alone in that line of thought.

Because in that very moment a pillar of light descended from the heavens, staight onto Kamijou No Touma.

(FEW MOMENTS EARLIER, IN KAIZUMI TSUGOTOSHI'S OFFICE)

Kumokawa Seria was, to put it lightly, slightly on edge.

It was not only because she denied herself her beauty sleep and she had bags under her eyes, which would normally be unprecedented.

No, the reason was the cold anger she felt towards the enemy she was attacking.

"Are you sure you are okay with that?" she asked over the phone.

"It's fine. I am to engage only in extreme circumstances. The less direct involvement the better"

Back in his cell, Accelerator stretched on his couch, analyzing battle while deep in thought.

"And if it makes chances for that bastard being slowed down for hero to destroy him, I am all for it. In the long run, it doesn't actually matter."

"Someone is being a big tsundere here..."

"Oi, I can revoke your codes for this weapon, you know, so shut it! I am still turning a blind eye on the fact that you uncovered it on your own and wanted to use it without my permission"

"Fine, fine..."

Seria tapped on the computer, readjusting the optic weapon's aim.

"I weren't at the sight of the last time this guy showed up... but I did some digging, and what I found is making all possible alarms straight up blare in my head."

"That's accurate, that bastard really is bad news."

"I don't know if I am able to truly win here. But... if that gets him a step closer to victory, and most importantly, gets him a step away from getting recklessly hurt one more time... that's all I ask for. And now, I am going to remind everyone"

She pressed "ENTER" on the keyboard.

"... what happens when one messes with what's mine"

(AT UIHARU KAZARI'S DORM)

This wasn't a battle for the faint of heart.

If Sukemi Rin, who got hold of the body of Uiharu Kazari's sweet-mannered relative, got one good slice with her body at the yellow and black maid-in-training, the latter's hand, arm, or even head could be severed from the body.

It should be over rather quickly.

But Rin underestimated just how flexible and agile Kumokawa Maria was.

While Rin's ability could be lethal, the movements in itself were not complicated and were telegraphed rather bluntly. Meanwhile, Maria twisted and bent, did cartwheels and splits, kicked in rapid succession from multiple angles.

Because Rin's ability was not automatic, she had to anticipate attack to counter. That was why Maria, who was a martial artist, landed quite a few blows on smaller girl.

Of course, she was not only one who managed it though.

Because Rin had a such small body frame, hitting her was possible, but not exactly easy.

And Maria got sizeable number of cuts on her body, primarily thighs. That fact annoyed her to no end, but not because of the reasons one would expect.

'Those are my favourite leggings. It's one find to have them ripped and cut, but the staining with blood is just unacceptable for any self-respecting maid. Not to mention I still owe Kamijou Touma a thigh sandwich, in onee-chan's face, and I can't possibly give it while having my legs like that!'

The maid romance lover was focusing on a bit off things here.

Still, she was relentless, even if the situation appeared stalemated.

Ladylee and Junko were looking for the opportunity to jump into a fight and aid, but someone beat them to it.

Mei zoomed into existence, ramming into the girl with a headband, which made Rin trip and fall.

She easily avoided few counters, allowing herself a yawn and look of superiority.

"You might as well give up! There is no way you can defeat us. Especially since I won't even give you a chance to touch me. While on the move, I am unstoppable"

She went straight into full acceleration once again, Rin skidded backwards.

For a moment, she was silent.

But then the girls in the room heard quiet snickering, that soon with a louder laughter.

"What's so funny? You are outnumbered!"

Rin placed a hand on her cheek in amusement.

"That's true... but you are clearly outmatched. Unstoppable..."

She swung her arm once again.

The deep cuts in the structure of the building were not done randomly and not only due to the inability to hit Maria.

With another strike, a chunk of apartment broke apart and crumbled down.

The wicked smile appeared on Rin's face as the horror entered the visages of her enemies

"... meet the uncontained"

The sound of rumbling drawn any other sound as half of Uiharu's dorm fell down in a cascade of the debris.

(10 MINUTES LATER)

Hokaze Junko blearily opened her eyes. They were stinging, and just as she woke up, she felt as if her body was incredibly sore.

Both her vision and the air appeared hazy. When she looked up, she managed to notice that dorm building was intact, but corner of it was missing like a broken tooth.

She cringed a bit.

When they fell, she used her Rampage Dress to maximize the durability of her body, but it was still quite a toll on her.

Junko sat straight. She broke into a coughing fit. She couldn't taste or smell anything but the dust and powdered cement, which clung into her mouth, hair, and nose, making it difficult to breath.

She shakily got up, before once again activating her ability throughout her body, slowly managing to regenerate minute by minute and retain her usual strength.

But she didn't walk very far before seeing two people standing over the fallen body of the third one.

One of them was Uiharu Kazari,

"Hokaze-san? Thank goodness you are okay"

The comment came from Kumokawa Maria, who appeared slightly shaken but alright.

Junko's eyes widened and she quickly rushed to the side of Mei, collapsed on the ground.

"Mei-san!"

The speedster was obviously in the worst condition, with half of her head covered in blood and her leg bent in a strage angle.

"Hokaze-senpai..." she whispered" I am sorry that I performed like this. Someone like me is useless without surface to run on or legs to carry me"

"Don't say that!" Maria protested" You saved me and Ladylee-san. I... owe you my life"

When Rin destroyed part of the apartment, Mei reacted quickly, using her speed to manouver alongside the falling debris to grab and pull out the falling girls. She managed to do it with Kumokawa Maria and partially with Ladylee (who wouldn't actually mind) before being caught into the collapse and suffering her injuries.

"Still, I am ashamed. If only Kii was here..."

Kii, Mei's best friend, had the ability to solidify nitrogen, which created platforms in the air. Together, they were a very formidable duo and complimented each other in excellent fashion.

"... I even hurt my leg because I went over my limitations. If I was stronger, I would be able to still run and fight with you"

"No, Mei-san. That's alright. You've done good, and went with selfless instinct. I am sure you wouldn't be hurt if you didn't go back in trying to save me. I am just glad that you weren't killed. Our Queen would be proud of you and I am sure Kamijou-san would be too"

"Is...is that so..."

Mei smiled before her head lolled to the side. Junko sighed, straightening up.

"H-Hokaze-san!"

Uiharu snapped out of the daze that the string of unexpected events got her into and pointed at unconscious Mei.

"I-I want to help! I want to do something. I still can't believe in everything that is going on... but I can't stay idly by. It seems your friend, the small blond girl, went to pursue Rin. I can connect to cameras and allow you to trace her"

"I am grateful for the idea, but there is no need."

Taking a handcrafted handkerchief, Junko blew her nose, before taking a deep breath through it, sniffing the air as the electric energy crackled around her. She sorted out the scents surrounding her before discovering two that were of her interest.

"If you desire the need of assistance, going after your cousin would be unwise as she wants you and only retreated due to our unforeseen intervention. Please, Kumokawa-san, Uiharu-san, take care of Mei and phone for an ambulance. Meanwhile, I am going to assist Ladylee-san."

"Are you sure? I mean, I don't mind taking care of Mei-san, I owe her that much... but will you be okay"

"T-That's right Hokaze-san! For whatever reason, I don't want you to be hurt because you tried to protect me..."

"Don't worry, I will be alright" Junko smiled in her gentle and kind fashion" Besides, I need to. I want to help Kamijou-san and avenge my fallen kouhai"

"Can you please... not hurt Rin? She must be under some influence, but I want her to come back to me..."

"Of course, I will attempt that. All of my important people wish for me to return her to light. And thus I will do my utmost"

(MEANWHILE, AT THE SWITCHYARD)

The ray of light descended from heavens and hit Kamijou No Touma.

The blinding light was so bright that everyone had to shield their eyes.

That was optical weapon of Academy City. Among other cases, Kamijou Touma witnessed its usage during World War II.

When the light receeded, smoking but completely unharmmed Kamijou No Touma looked at the sky with annoyance.

Another beam of light started to descend but then seemingly vanished before even getting close.

"Same trick will not work twi-GHH?!"

"Yeah, but it's still distracting, isn't it?"

Touma hit his adversary's head with poison coated fists infused with golden lightning. Rikurium sizzled, it's colour shifting from indigo to violet as Touma combined two of his abilities

KNT opened his mouth and roared with both pain and amusement, showcasing row of sharp,glowing, pink-and-green teeth, that would be more in place in the mouth of carnivorous apex predator than anything remotely humanoid.

"That tickles..."

In the next moment, the space between them stopped to exist, causing Touma to fly backwards and slam into a container.

His enemy was upon him in less than a second, clawing and punching him in every possible spot.

'Human, is there anything we haven't tried?'

'Working on it! You don't have table of contents or anything like that, you know'

"Why wouldn't you just yield"

"We both know... this is not an option for either of us. You have no reason to stop, but neither do I"

In the next moment, world turned upside down.

Literally. Or at least, it appeared so.

Gravity stopped working, as earth and the sky switched places and rotated like giant sphere, everything floating around as if in a giant snowball.

That was an enormous spell. Kamijou No Touma fell back, examining the chaotic, almost physicless domain.

Touma looked down and noticed a small part of land with his friends on it.

All of them stared in wonder and awe at the sight around them.

That was not an illusion. Reality really changed.

Touma focused on Index. She had her eyes closed and was chanting. Only then, Touma noticed that new person entered the battlefield, out of nowhere.

Niang-Niang had her hand on Index's shoulder, as the nun's voice rose up

Aller Wunder si geswigen

das herde himel hȃt überstigen

das sult is vür ein Wunder wigen

Erd ob und himel unter

das sult ir besunder

Vür aller Wunder ein Wunder

"This is our support." Niang-Niang whispered, appearing behind Touma" We both cast it, with my help and her knowledge. It's a very old spell, of great might and consequences. It is possible it will take quite a bit of your life force, since we linked it to you. But in return... it grants you the power to become this pocket universe the spell alters. You can undo any law of the world within here, all the fundamentals of this universe, and become them."

"Become..."

"It's a pantheistic spell, born out of creation of holy scriptures, depicting world put on its head and natural law being inversed"

Touma felt it. He felt everything. He didn't know why he did or how he did, but within the sphere that became a universe, he could feel, see, and react to everything. He felt his body, but at the same time, he felt as if he was spread and interwoven in every single part of the upside down switchyard. Containers rose up, but it was as if he raised his own hand. He saw everyone from multiple perspectives and knew that he could be next to them just be taking a step in a direction, any direction.

"Is that how Magic Gods feel?" Touma asked. He was a bit uneasy with gaining that much power.

"Not really, we not omnipresent in that sense. Only 'almost' like that. But you should test it out alongside what we practiced"

Touma did not need to be told twice.

As Kamijou No Touma closed in on him, Touma simply thought.

The world folded around Kamijou No Touma like origami. He cut through it and escaped, but in each second, Touma knew just what to do.

He was the world around him. And he could go wherever he pleased.

He was a universe gifted his own free will. And that included laws of nature.

"What is going on?" Amazora had enough of an unyielding curiosity to ask.

"It appears that we entered a space without scientific laws" Enshuu spoke calmly, her eerie stare not leaving the floating boys" This includes conservation of mass, momentum, laws of gravity, thermodynamics, radiation, transfer, least action, relativity, gravitomagnetism..."

"For a Kihara, you are oddly calm while faced with a perspective of something like this"

"If I am not mistaken, simulations of something similar, though not comparable in the terms of scale, were conducted when working on the span of powers of Dark Matter"

Kaibi also noticed this similarity. Although she had a feeling that while Kakine could pull something like that, this was something different.

"Why..." Index panted as she spoke to Niang-Niang, wiping the sweat off her brow after she finished the spell. "Why do you describe as if it wasn't magic?"

"Whyever not?" she asked back" I mean, it is magic, don't get me wrong... but science is magic is all but a name. Magic is the art of changing reality through will and imagination. Science does the same but claims to bring order into disorder by classifying things, and reigning them in. That is the case for any phenomenon. It is of magical nature if felt and acted upon, before the process of understanding begins. It gives humans control, but strips away their emotionality and feelings. Magic is so powerful because it is primordial innocence of reality, unrestrained and imaginative. This spell is incarnation of this unbridled force. That being said... I don't think this the end just yet..."

She stared at Kamijou No Touma, who was pushed onto defensive.

Touma reversed all explosions and countered other attacks. KNT could not hurt him, and while he didn't appear hurt either himself, the chaotic nature of changing and unstable world that became Touma Kamijou made it nearly impossible for him to conduct any lasting offensive.

"It's over" Touma said with strong voice." I am locking you away for good"

The emerald mist, shining crystal, red flames, smoke-like darkness, indigo poison, and yellow lightning all erupted from Kamijou Touma's body and spiralled around the dark emanation in few differently angled rings.

Touma coughed up blood, but still pressed on, smiling

"We didn't come here without any preparation. I will seal you up, this time with no chance of your return" he yelled

'You tell him, human, lead us to victory' a voice spoke from crimson flame

'I will make him sleep within my embrace' green mist whispered.

'It's time for the feast of a lifetime' poison bubbled up

'Be swallowed by shadow, unholy beast' darkness rumbled.

'Vanquish him! Show no mercy!' lightning roared.

'Leave him encaged for all eternity' bellowed song of the crystals.

Kamijou No Touma watched as the rings of 7 different hues started to glow, turning into silhouttes of respective dragons, circling around him as if in some oriental dance.

But then, everyone saw his face, peering through the flames and shadows.

It was a face that held mockery and contempt even in such conditions.

"Do you really think that you are the only one with a trump card like that up your sleeve?"

A small orb of the darkness appeared by his left side

"Darkness, nothingness, attraction, devastation..."

Symetrically, a glowing orb of light appeared by right.

"Light, wholeness, repulsion, creation..."

The spheres slowly connected, and floated upwards, just above the hand of Kamijou No Touma. With his hand within the orb, his elated smile widened.

"In the beginning, the world was created. From wholeness came the multiplicity and from this one point of singularity sprung forth the entire creation. I represent this very singularity. If singularity was a starting point for all of existence, then all of existence can revert to nothing by coming back into that one point. And I mean, everything. Including your magic"

Touma shot through the air. But not in the direction of Kamijou No Touma.

The enemy snapped his fingers.

In the next moment, the sphere of light expanded, before reality itself was compressed and imploded, taking away any and every single thing within its reach.

(MEANWHILE, ELSEWHERE, IN PURSUIT...)

Sukemi Rin came to a halt while running on the steel railing in the dimly lit warehouse. Or more precisely, it was a meat preparation factory. Her, the meat that was imported into the city was prepared for the cooking in restaurants of District 4.

The girl in the headband looked at Ladylee Tangleroad, who looked at her with cold eyes.

"You followed me all the way here?"

"Don't act like you are surprised. This place clearly gives you an environment advantage"

Two girls walked in front of each other, ending in the intersections of the overpasses, above the deep metal cisterns.

"You are quite stubborn. Don't blame me for your demise"

"Trust me, you are far too young and inexperienced to scare me. I am going to drag your other self out even if it's through my blood, sweat and tears"

"Are you up for round three then?"

"Well, you know what, three times a charm, isn't that how it goes?"

There was no need for more words.

Rin's arm made a snake-like motion and deep gash appeared in Ladylee's leg. She stumbled but still tackled her enemy and slammed her to the balustrade.

But Rin simply walked forward and through Ladylee's arm, which fell apart into a few slices.

"This is not going to end. I can always break free and cut apart anything you throw at me. Meanwhile you..."

Ladylee's arm was growing back. After less than a minute, it was back as if nothing happened.

"... what exactly are you? You said you can't die, am I supposed to believe that?"

"What about you? Are you actually enjoying what you are doing? Is this what justice is supposed to be?"

Rin winced.

Flashes of memories... memories of her other self... passed through her mind.

Two petite, short-haired girls sitting on the swings, with sky covered in cherry petals on the wind...

Younger Rin grasping the hand of the gently smiling woman, laying in bed...

Suffocating loneliness and isolation among talented peers, and desire to be seen for at least a moment...

Kind hand of spiky haired boy, who managed to see her and not make fun of her...

The strongest of feelings, only made more potent by some strange twists of fate...

His sudden indifference towards her, terrible heartbreak and depression...

Watching him from afar, wondering what could be done so he could focus on her among the crowd of such vibrant people around him... she would not bear another time...

One that looked like her love allowing her inner bitterness to manifest, alongside with the ability tailored to take her vision of justice.

"I lost him...I was happy... and I lost the one who made me complete." Rin said darkly" I just wanted to belong with someone. I know I couldn't do much as my own self. I was plain, I was just a country bumpkin, with average grades, average looks, and average social connections. But I thought... I dared to dream... that I still could make someone happy. But each time... each and every time... something or someone stole him away from me."

"So you are going to just take it all by force?"

"I will not tolerate any more losing. I only have one life"

"Yes..." Ladylee looked at her hands" One life is all we have as ourselves... but something like this will never bring the solution you crave"

"How can you say that? Am I not allowed to fight for myself? Am I supposed to be denied that? Do you even understand what I am saying?"

Ladylee looked up and Rin backed away.

She did it purely on instinct, something rooted deeply in the humanity that she still held in her being.

That was how intense and ominous presence of Ladylee Tangleroad momentarily became.

The blond straightened up and looked coldly in the eyes of girl in the headband.

"Never, if you value your continued life, lecture me about loss. Standing before you is someone who buried countless generations of people, who saw countless lives slip through her fingers, who cared so much that it burned her from the inside. Who cried herself through that windy road so much that she forgot what proper grief is supposed to feel like. Who cared so much about those she lost that she dreamed about joining them, despite the inability to cease living, until all she was left with was the unfeeling mask. Who even attempted to..."

She unconsciously moved her hand on the level of her belly, before shaking her head.

"You are right, I can't stop you from fighting for yourself. But winning on a borrowed strength is not a solution. I probably have no right to give a lecture about this either but the way I see it, if you want to earn love, you have to rise for yourself, not topple everyone else"

"That's impossible in my situation!"

"Is it? Have you really attempted it? Or did you give up, deeming it impossible from the get go? Even if you were to succeed, even if you were able to wipe out all the obstacles in your way, when you would have him exactly how you wanted, what would you present yourself as? What will you have to give to him?"

"I... I will have myself. He will love me for sure then"

"Maybe. But you are really indifferent to how that version of yourself actually is"

"..."

"You don't actually want to kill others, do you?"

"Shut up! Why am I even listening to you?"

"You are right. We should end this. I just... I guess my age is getting the better of me. It's nice to lecture the young to avoid the mistakes of the old"

Two girls clashed once again, kicking, punching, slashing, evading, and even biting. One of the neighbouring overpasses partially collapsed, it's base being cut through.

After few minutes, the girls were panting, looking at each other with clenched fists.

Or at the very least, Rin was looking, because Ladylee's head soared over the balustrade.

The torso didn't collapse as the immortal regrew her head, through years of practice.

As her other wounds healed, Ladylee considered her battle so far.

Ladylee was not very strong or fast, which is why she was susceptible to be hurt in contrast to agile melee fighters like Hokaze Junko or Kumokawa Maria. She also couldn't use magic on her own. She was immortal, and that made her able to fight with big disregard for any injury (she was just beheaded!) but that only meant she could continue fighting, not that she was any closer to defeating her enemy. Although Sukemi Rin was significantly tired, Ladylee's own stamina was also very limited. She had to avoid the scalpel attack because no matter how enduring she could force herself to be, taking out her heart would temporarily knock her out.

However, one thing she had was experience and many tricks she learned during the long centuries of her immortal life.

One of Rin's arms was limp and slightly numb.

"What did you do to me?"

"Acupressure. You travel to China to learn from ancient masters, you pick up a thing or two. Enjoy having unusable arm for an hour"

Actually, with her strength and lack of precision due to performing the technique in the middle of heated battle, the effect would probably last from 15 to 20 minutes, by Rin didn't need to know that.

And now it was time for the game changer.

(HALF AN HOUR EARLIER)

While in pursuit of Sukemi Rin, Ladylee was blinded by light.

"Your god has descended! Feel free to revere her!"

"My eyes! Turn off the damn light!"

Nephthys sighed and the brightness receded.

Ladylee scoffed at the brown-skinned deity.

"What do you want, Nephthys?"

"Oh really, is this a way to speak to a fellow immortal? I get the feeling that you don't fancy us gods"

"Fellow? I know you Magic Gods mock me every single time I am around you and treat me like an inferior sort"

"That's absurd. Human who is not a god yet is deathless... I always dreamed of a pet who would never die and didn't leave the poor me alone..."

Ladylee's eye twitched.

"Once again, what do you want? I am kind of busy chasing someone right now"

"I am here to provide glorious assistance. Deus ex machina, if you will. I am still accustoming myself to being in love with a mortal, but I am sure this is what should be done in this case. This is from your own collection, you know. Against the foe you are up against, this will prove excellent tool."

Ladylee frowned, examining the wooden talisman in Nephthys' hand. She herself was rendered magicless, so she collected enormous of magic items and amulets to serve as mediums in a fight. She kept them in multiple storages around the world, and since she was a bit chaotic in her cataloguing, she didn't always remember everything she possessed.

But after a moment, she recognized this particular item.

"This is..."

(AND BACK...)

This was perfect.

All she needed was some blood of her enemy.

She put the talisman out but then a part of the railing, sharpened to the perfection, took off her arm, which soared over the railing.

Just as she was about to say the string of very graphic vulgarities from many languages she knew, something shone through the darkness, kicking on the walls. before landing behind them.

With electricity surging across her body and hair, Hokaze Junko focused on the scene in front of her and smiled to Ladylee.

"I found you, Tangleroad-san. Also, you appear to have dropped this"

"What do you know... seems like luck really is a factor not to be taken lightly" Ladylee mused.

Normally, she would be annoyed that someone interfered in her battle, but this time was an exception.

"Luck, you say? I think you ran out of it" Rin said.

In that moment, the section of the overpass with Ladylee on it broke down, with Rin watching with satisfaction.

Junko was so surprised that she didn't manage to react at first, before her face in horror. She tried to jump but she knew she couldn't make it before it was too late

Before she fell into the the cistern with rotating blades, Ladylee pointed to her hand and grasped her fist tightly.

Junko understood and nodded. Whatever she picked up, she had to not lose.

Blood splattered and there was unsetteling sound as Ladylee fell into the blades. Junko turned away.

Rin raised an eyebrow.

"That's what she gets from trying to bring back that crybaby. Even if she can regenerate like she does, she will never regain the human form when she is still being mixed up"

This was sickening.

Junko felt a very rare emotion of anger boil up inside her.

"I came to defeat you. As a senpai and as a friend. And also..."

She assumed the attack stance, preparing to attack the sharpness manipulator.

"...your cousin wants you back. Ladylee-san did not sacrifice herself in vain. For everyone, and for you too, I will aid in your defeat"

(BACK AT THE SWITCHYARD)

The attack obliterated both space and time in its range. It carved out and utterly annihilated the fragment of reality down to its very basis.

Gokusai Kaibi did not really know all the details of their enemy's attack. All she knew is that Kamijou Touma shielded and protected them and was now laying in her arms.

"Hey, hey! This is not funny!" she cried out, shaking the boy.

His form akin to japanese deity receded, barely visible now, as the boy remained motionless.

There was an enormous crater in the middle of District 17. There was absolutely nothing there. It was perfectly razed to the ground, and minutes earlier didn't contain any particle of any kind. It was truly a perfect annihilation, as if a huge bite was taken out of the district's structure.

Touma did not hesitate even for a moment. Before they were hurt, he dashed in front of them and managed to contain the monstrous attack by spreading out his full dragon form, blocking the attack which apparently imploded the entire microcosmos created by Index, and getting knocked out as a result.

Kamijou No Touma observed them from the air. He did not attempt to attack them yet, as if he knew that outcome of the events was in his grasp.

"Onee-chan, do pushes on him!" Amazora cried out.

"Come on, wake up, you silly moron! Come on! 1,2,3,4,5..."

Kaibi started to perform compressions. At the end, she looked more desperate and scared.

"T-This is not how I imagined our next kiss. If you don't wake up, I will..."

"Let me try the breaths too, I have greater lung capacity" Rikuri said, scooting closer.

And finally, after artificial breathing provided by both Kaibi and Rikuri, Touma gasped, coughed, and wheezed, before slowly rising up.

"Wow... I am still alive..."

"Stupid Touma!"

"OW! Index!"

The jaws of wrath knew no mercy.

Niether did Kaibi, who slapped him across the face, quickly wiping away tears. Amazora also added a small punch of her own, not being able to actually suppress few droplets of salty liquid.

"Never do that again!"

"Ow... I don't intend to. And I had such a good awakening"

"D-Don't change the subject. You owe me real kiss for that. You made as worry, you know"

"T-That's right!"

"If I may interrupt..." Kamaijou No Touma descended to just above the ground" Can you do me a fucking favour and just die?!"

"As if! Also, you totally weren't serious when fighting us" Maidono pointed out.

"When you battle ants, you don't bring flamethrower or a gun to kill them instead of squashing them under your foot"

"I had no doubt that I dislike you, but you keep proving it"

Kamijou No Touma sighed, raising his hand

"That was entertaining to an extent. But for now, you can't move. I will finish you off, before you regain your mobility and then consume you"

"As if we let you!"

"Girls, no..."

Touma strained himself, trying to stand up, but only managing to sit.

Gokusai sisters and Index stood in front of Touma protectively, Enshuu narrowing her eyes and clenching her weapon tighter. A set of metal chains rose into the air like a pair of snakes on Maidono's command.

It was Hasako who first heard a sound in the distance.

"Is that...a person"

"HIIIIIIIIIIIIIII..."

KNT rolled his eyes.

"What the hell else?"

"...YAAAAAAAA!"

Sogiita Gunha shot down and kicked Kamijou No Touma's head with his outstreched leg, sending him bouncing away through the scattered metal containers, hundred meters away.

"Sogiita?!" Touma yelled out" What are you doing here?"

"My guts told me my friend was facing a great peril!" the boy in setting sun shirt laughed boisterously" That, and Hamazura mentioned something alongside those lines, so I came to see if it's true. He really looks like you! How crazy is that? Gutsy abbs you have there too. Maybe I will follow suit"

"W-Why is he stripping too?!" ever modest Hasako covered her eyes.

"Is Hamazura alright?" Touma asked

"He is doing what you agreed with him he should do. That's what-"

Kamijou No Touma appeared behind the number 7 and slammed his clawed fist into Gunha's face.

But the Gemstone just smiled, despite the blood trickling from his nose.

"Nice punch. But it lacks passion!"

"You appear interesting, but do not interfere. I will deal with you"

"HAAAAA!"

Gunha screamed and waved of sound once again repelled Kamijou No Touma away. This time, he managed to stop himself in mid-flight and narrowed his eyes, assessing the boy in a modified jacket.

"I will play with our friend here" Gunha said" You focus on getting back on your feet. Eh, Kamijou?"

"Sure, I was just about to do it anyway"

"AWESOME! Then..."

He ran towards Kamijou No Touma

"Let's get going!"

Touma forced his body to move and rose up.

"A-Are you really in the state to fight?" Index and Hasako asked at the same time.

"That's not the correct question. this is something that must be done by me. The real one is... how can he be dealt with him? I don't know if even Gunha can take him on..."

KNT clicked his tongue and stepped forward, popping into existence straight in front of Gunha.

In the next moment, the body of athletic boy burst with blood.

However, he only smile and flexed his muscles, the wounds sealing themselves instantly.

"With guts, those are merely insect bites! Be serious here! SUPER HYPER EXTRA ULTRA HYPER AGAIN AMAZING PUNCH!"

The telekinetic pressure of a punch blew up into the showcase of explosive force...

But Kamijou No Touma simply lifted his hand. The explosion split in front of him and chain of flashes and roars continued behind him, after finishing in a huge 'boom' that lifted couple of containers into the air.

"Not really impressed" he yawned, as they fell

Gunha jumped backwards, into the air, where he remained, bouncing as if he was hitting the solid surface.

"Hmm...if that didn't work, it just means I have to try harder!"

He squatted and bounced towards Kamijou No Touma. As he clenched his fist, orb of crackling energy enveloped it.

Kamijou No Touma regarded the incoming punch with bored expression.

"That's pointless. Not in a million years will such a simple blow-"

WHAM!

A fist smashed into his face. As Gunha landed, he shifted his feet, putting weight into the blow, and consequently crashing Kamijou No Touma into the ground.

Everyone's jaws dropped.

KNT was more shocked than hurt, as he exploded upwards from the half buried position.

"WHAT?! That had no right to connect. I negated the relation of cause and effect in your punch! How the hell do your punch transcended the idea of causation necessary execute the punching in the first place?!"

"Beats me. But if I had to guess, my guts can brave through any limitations given enough courage"

"...but maybe he can drive him insane and force him to submission through this way" Touma finished his thought, about to rejoin the fight.

(IN THE MEAT PROCESSING FACTORY)

Hokaze Junko was a fairly good match against Sukemi Rin. Swift, agile, and strong, she was able to avoid slashing and cutting attacks that devastated the area around her.

But even with her speed and agility, actually landing a blow on Rin was difficult due to three reasons. The weapon-mimicry from the smaller girl's side wa quite hazardous if taken lightly. Secondly, the metal overpasses were getting cut and she had to jump from one to the other to keep herself in good equilibrium. Thirdly, she did promise to hold back a bit, for Uiharu-san.

But she still had a mission to aid in Rin's defeat.

She did a cartwheel and a split to avoid another slashes, and then sped up, slamming her palm into Rin's chest. The girl cried out, falling on the metal floor of the overpass and staying down.

"Please give up. I do not wish to actually hurt you more than I have to"

Rin didn't answer her. Junko slowly walked closer.

"Hello?"

Still no reaction.

Junko was warned that Sukemi Rin somehow obtained durability greater than her looks would suggest, but still, worry made her come even closer.

And then Rin's dark alter ego attacked. It took all of Junko's reflexes to bent away from the surprise attack. However, this devious assault did not pass without any victims.

After it passed, Junko noticed with great horror that her luscious, violet curls fell down around her, as Rin, who had blood staining her hair, suddenly sliced the air with her arm.

"My hair! That hairstyle was a gift from the Queen and symbol of my bond to her!" the distraught Junko screamed.

Not to mention the fact that both she, her Queen, and two of her most important gentlemen friends really liked that style on her.

Now, she was left with hair that reached to the base of her neck and curled only in a swirl curls at the very ends of the locks.

"I am trying to be reasonable here, but I can't deny that you make me more than angry."

Junko whirled around in a spur of electricity, using her forearm to repel Rin and push her against the balustrade. Then, she zoomed forward, her superior eyesight detecting the perfect opening. She then used pectoral, biceps, illiopsoas and even muscles of spine and legs to incapacitate second cousin of Uiharu Kazari.

Because of the sudden change in the strength of her efforts, Rin had to fall back, as the sparking ojou-sama whirred around her, delivering devastating blows.

Hokaze Junko started to breathe in relief. It seemed that things were going in her favour. This seemed like something truly irrefutable and objective.

But Sukemi Rin once again overturned the theories of her enemies against her.

Junko suddenly felt as if she was sinking down in a quicksand.

Her shoes split and feet started to bleed. If she didn't fall back, the metal overpass could cut her in vertical sections and she would simply fall through to the darkness in slices.

Sukemi Rin could sharpen objects she was in contact with and those objects retained this property for a short time. This made it possible for her to set traps at her enemies, like miniature cutting mines.

If Junko stood still, those cutting spots would quickly lose their potency and pose no threat. But she also wouldn't be able to efficiently fight Rin.

She smiled, bowing her head slightly

"I acknowledge your ingenuity. However..."

She crouched down and then shot forward, electricity pulsing in the dimly lit magazine like luminsecent lightning storm.

She became so quick that the cuts had no major effect. Soles of her feet hurt, but they weren't caught through.

Rin closed her eyes on instinct, but the punch never came.

"She is... gone?"

She looked around, and missed the leg striking her from behind as Junko rose above the edge of the overpass.

Rin was sent flying as the leg struck her and fell over the edge. However, Junko caught her and using the momentum, she flipped Rin in a pendulum-like motion, making her travel nearly 360 degrees, before being painfully slammed into the overpass once again.

"You went below the overpass to the other side, you gabbed me in the air and flipped me around it... all while hanging on one hand?"

Junko's hand was bleeding. It still hurt even though it was healing at accelerated pace.

"That was no fun at all..." Rin seethed, executing another attack.

Once again, the overpass broke apart, sliced into pieces, leaving Junko falling down. She managed to balance herself over the cistern with spinning blades and jumped to the small shelf alongside the factory's wall.

All of the sudden, there was a sound that resembled crushed metal.

Junko looked around but even with her superior sight she could not properly identify the source of the noise.

She dropped down, until she reached the bottom.

Light was bad here. It wasn't great to begin with, but at least the scarce illumination of upper level was of good quality.

Junko was careless.

When a projectile came from the darkness, she was still adapting to the change of light.

She avoided one of them, but the second pinned her to the wall.

It was long, shrapnel looking fragment of something metallic. Luckily, she did not get pierced directly, but instead, was pinned through her uniform getting stuck. She wasn't injured, although the shrapnel tightened her uniform so much that she felt pain of her well-endowed chest being too compressed.

Soon after, two other shrapnels pinned her leg and one of her arms.

Focusing her eyes, she finally determined what happened.

Rin was walking towards her, staggering slightly. And besides her was...

Yes, there was no mistake. Those were blades used to mince meat. They appeared broken and cut.

'She... slid to the cistern, but instead of getting cut to pieces... she was the one to cut the blades through by using her ability on her body. She cut them into light yet sharp pieces that would be suitable for throwing and used them to immobilize me after cutting through the wall of the cistern. She is much smarter than she asserts...'

"Looks like this is the end. I have no doubt that you can free yourself, but slicing you apart will come faster."

Junko discreetly looked around before focusing on something on the wall to her right.

"Any last words?"

"Not really, because I have no intention to go down yet"

Her body flared with electricity, lighting up like a small star.

This wasn't the usual usage of the Rampage Dress, which was tailored to be utilized internally, and not externally. This was a primary difference in the techniques between it and Electromaster like Misaka Mikoto, even though she also learned the Rampage Dress move set.

But all she needed was a short-circuiting.

And as the circuits were fried, the light went out.

Junko strained herself and after a moment, managed to free herself.

There were gaping holes in her arm and leg, which she focused on giving the improvise closure to.

Still, the surprise attack, combined with earlier fall, was making her body a bit fatigued. The only upside was the fact that Rin had it worse.

She went running, with Rin trying to follow behind in pursuit.

She tripped a few times. She was using her ability to contain her bleeding and at least partially repair her tissue, so she had little to nothing to spare on the speed.

But she reached the place she had in mind.

It was irrational. But she had hope... that somehow...

"Stop running! What are you even trying to accomplish?!"

Junko tripped again and fell painfully onto the ground.

Rin raised her hand, but then...

She jumped in terror and disgust, as something grabbed it from behind.

The blades of meat grinder were not spinning and mixing anymore. Which meant...

This something appeared like a lump of flesh and bones in a vertical position.

Slowly, yet steadily, that lump of disfigured tissue began to reconfigure itself and gain semblance of human silhouette.

Junko pulled out the strange talisman and threw it into the air.

And the silhouette of torn muscles and bones caught it.

"G...ob... ding...t...is..."

Rin slowly twisted her neck to look back in fear, as smile appeared on the silhouette, which gained more and more human features. As its vocal chords reattached, it spoke again

"God job holding onto this..."

Ladylee Tangleroad's face started to cover itself in skin, as she grinned, part of her cheek still regenerating alongside her eye.

"I am going to enjoy putting you down"

(BACK AT THE SWITCHYARD)

Touma was back at the battlefield.

Gunha wasn't unscathed. In fact, he was blasted so strong with a force of an unknown attack that he passed out (yet regained the consciousness few minutes later).

"Hmm, even if his guts are rotten, he is formidable"

"Yeah, we need a plan. Luckily, I think me and the girls have one. Can you distract him?"

"Hah, I think I am the most distracting thing I can think about"

When Gunha appeared before Kamijou No Touma once again, he, just as they suspected, was fed up with him and attempted to once again carve space to deal damage to number 7.

But Gunha once again overturned every possible explanations.

He grabbed the air itself that folded like fabric and pulled strongly overhead.

Enormous explosion bellowed on the sky above them, as KNT opened his mouth and closed it again.

"What?" he asked finally." I erased the spacetime with you in it. You should not be able to avoid that"

"I don't really know all that stuff, but... I just imagined it as tug of war. I just pulled and what you wanted to destroyed went up to the sky"

"You pulled spacetime itself? This absurd!"

"How is loud onii-chan doing this?"

"Number 7's ability goes beyond any logic and scientific law Kihara family was able to idenitfy" Enshuu spoke" It was ascertained that it can work on the uncertainty principle and randomness typical of quantum mechanics, but it's still a loose theory and working hypothesis at best. The vast array of phenomena produced by the ability is augmented by imagination of the wielder and requires a degree of irrationality in itself..."

"I-I knew that! A-And I wasn't asking you!" Amazora wasted no time to get annoyed at her rival.

In that moment, KNT became frozen in place.

"Stopping time like this will not hold him for long" Niang-Niang, who was the one to immobilized him, mused out loud" But it should suffice for you to do your part"

Kaibi stepped forward, taking Touma's hand.

"We don't have much time"

"Can I really do it?"

"It's unlike you to be worried in a moment like this"

"It's just... I created this mess in the first place through my Measure Heart. What if I make it worse?"

"You won't. And it wasn't my fault."

Kamijou No Touma's body glitched a little.

"Do it now, Kaibi."

The girl's eyes glowed and just as KNT broke free.

But there was a link established between two boys.

"You wouldn't dare try to bring us together again" the menacing boy shrugged" I will kill you before you can do it"

"I will never allow you to hurt Kaibi. Or anyone else here"

By decreasing the distance between two boys, she was hoping for the theoretical result of two of them becoming one. One of them would live, the other perished.

It was a risky operation and one that needed time. Kaibi was never as proficient in manipulating the heart distances between two other people than when it was her and someone else.

In the meantime, Niang-Niang nodded as if confirming something.

In next moment, she appeared next to Touma's ear and whispered.

"It's time"

Time for-"

"You know what I am talking about"

"I made a promise to never do this again. It isn't right"

"This time will be different. Trust me. And if not me, trust in others who work to give you aid"

Speaking of aid, where did Index go?

(FEW MINUTES EARLIER)

Index was pulled back into the alley behind the track control station.

"I need you now" said the voice.

Index's eyes widened.

"What? How in the world are you-"

"No time for that right now. I need you to help me activate this"

After some explanation, Index frowned.

"You made all the preparations in the meantime?"

"Yes, it should be good to go. I am a bit scared about him as well, but-"

"I understand. This is not the time to waver"

(AND BACK WITH TOUMA)

Touma closed his eyes and reached within, deeper than other dragons, until he found a force he vowed to never use again.

But... right now, he needed to trust the others.

"I... need you"

That was all he needed. With just a bit of effort, the power within broke loose.

The Dragon King emerged from within and roared, the world around him vibrating as it did.

Amazora and Rikuri passed out in a mere moment. Enshuu's eyes widened in curiosity mixed with cautiousness, while Gunha clenched his fists and stepped back in both respect and excitement. Niang-Niang nodded approvingly. Maidono and Hasako watched with apprehensive dread, as the beast stepped out of the boy's unravelling arm.

Kaibi, fully dedicated to adjusting her Measure Heart, had no opportunity to actually focus on the newcomer force, but she felt her skin crawl and grow cold.

Kamijou No Touma laughed.

"You used it? I didn't suspect you had the balls to do-"

Touma appeared in front of him, and flicked him on the forehead.

This sent his enemy hundreds of meters into the air.

But Touma was already waiting there.

The dragon engulfed Kamijou No Touma in powerful beam that caused him to fly across the entire city, with skyscrapers coming apart and reforming as if made from gelatine, when he flied through them.

The world itself yielded to Kamijou Touma's will.

The dragon spread his wings, showcasing the galaxies on their undersides.

For the first time, since the battle started, Kamijou No Touma had a truly serious face

"Dragon King. The one who imposes his will over all beings. The divine herald of disaster. You are right, he is something capable of besting me. But that you really think that all this time I was within you, I, Imagine Breaker's incarnate, would not partake myself in such power?"

Something bulged out and burst out of the boy's body.

It was a second dragon. In contrast to Touma's, this one's body was pale and elongated, resembling more dragon of the east than that of the west. The eyes were crimson, and the membrane of the wings were golden.

"If yours is Dragon King, mine is the Dragon Queen." Kamijou No Touma spoke, as the serpentine being floated above him" As his opposition, she became attracted to me. He's Dragon King's śāṭān, his natural adversary. In addition to granting similar abilities to the King's master, she carries the opposite core of her being. If your power can control the world and preserve it, mine can destroy and reshape it. She is the embodiment of the disaster your ability wants to prevents. Anything she bites or eats will decay and be gone from both space and memory. And from the ashes she makes, a new world will flourish anew"

The Queen hissed and sprung forward towards the King. The bigger dragon roared mightily and tried to claw at her, but she coiled around him, trying to sink her teeth into his neck. With a growl, he bit her first, causing the dragoness to fall to the ground. She landed on a container, before once again taking into the air.

The container slowly became rusted, then grey, before finally completely falling apart.

Both boys looked at each other, their silhouettes glimmering and shadows flickering, as two dragons fought firecely above them.

"Face it, I matched you in everything. Your ability, and power to save others" Kamijou No Touma stated" the only thing left to do is to surpass you once and for all, by erasing you from this world. In the end, you will have to release this power, and it will happen before I will be forced to do so. You lost"

Kamijou Touma's shadow, visible on the earth, shrunk down.

He was already injured and straining himself.

But he knew it wasn't the end. Even if he was confronted to someone that could match the Dragon King, he would not back down.

"Endure it, Touma" Kaibi muttered, her eyes not leaving the battle above her head" I am very close"

Everyone seemed to hold their breath...

And then...

The world exploded with light

(MEANWHILE, IN MEAT PROCESSING FACTORY)

Ladylee Tangleroad, nearly fully recovered, took a grasp of talisman, and before her enemy took notice what was going on, she also got smear of Rin's blood on it.

"Really, good job for not losing it. This is a surefire key to victory

(DURING THE CONVERSATION WITH NEPHTHYS)

"This is..." Ladylee examined the wooden talisman.

"Do you know Zombie? Magic God Zombie, I mean"

"I am familiar with the name"

"Zombie is... was... a creator of quite a few spells, one of which allowed manifestation of Magic Gods in this realm... before it was meddled with... but also crafter of several magical items, that are centered around voodoo magic. You were unaware that one of them got accidentally in your possession, right? Few can use it correctly, but it's perfect for you"

"What is its purpose?"

Nephthys provided an explanation.

Ladylee chuckled, shaking her hand.

"This really is a deus ex machina. Fine, I will take it..."

"Do some trick for me to give you the treat. You are quite cute when you want something"

"I AM NOT YOUR PET!"

(BACK TO THE PRESENT)

"As much as did that sun-dried, pompous goddess pisses me off, I really owe her for this one"

"Are you here for a rematch?" Rin tried to regain her cool and charged to attack Ladylee.

"Trust me, this will not be much of a match"

In the next moment, Rin slashed Ladylee across her entire torso.

"You were saying something?" she mocked.

Ladylee smirked, as the talisman glowed.

"Yes. Yes, I was"

Rin blinked, not understanding what Ladylee was so happy about.

And then it happened.

A great wound mirroring the one on Ladylee burst open across Rin's chest, blood gushing out, with the girl's face in absolute shock.

"Wha.. what... hap-"

She didn't have a chance to think or do anything else.

Ladylee Tangleroad hit her in an uppercut that made her lose consciousness momentarily, causing Sukemi Rin to fall to the ground and cease moving.

"Damage redirection. One of the basic techniques of voodoo magic. Convinient to an extent for normal magician, practically invincible tool an immortal who can heal herself"

The wound on Ladylee closed and healed, as she sighed and fell down, both she and Junko breathing deeply, exhausted and battered.

Their battle was over.

Junko was now bleeding as well, and tried not to cringe from pain too much, but the effort was rather futile.

"You are in no shape to take her to the hospital?"

"Unfortunately, I can't move a muscle"

"I am calling an ambulance right now with emergency phone here. It's possibly for the better. You wouldn't want running around naked, would you?"

"Wha-"

Only then Junko noticed that due to freeing herself from the fragments of metal rotors blades, her uniform was torn into pieces, that fell to the ground, leaving her only in bra and panties. Meanwhile Ladylee, who was literally torn apart, before reconstituting herself, was completely clothless

"Hyah?!"

"Yeah, told you"

(BACK AT THE SWITCHYARD)

The world exploded with light.

Or at least it appeared so due to the light suddenly coming to vision from the ground.

Kamijou No Touma flinched and fell back.

The body of Kamijou Touma began to shine.

"I am all and one, in now and forever, in everything and nothing, in life and death"

It was not just Kamijou Touma's voice. Voices of all the dragons and powers within him, voices male and female, combined into a choir as he spoke.

Dragon King hovered above him as his skin became a cosmic tapestry of galaxies and stars. on his skin. His hair turned into bright light, its spikes looking like flickering, bright flames. His eyes were of colour that escaped human description, with fire dancing along their corners. As he opened them, a halo appeared over his head. Entire body was surrounded by aura of light. Dragon King spread his wings and lowered his head, the boy descending on top of him.

"What is this form?!"

Then he looked at the ground.

And paled.

"What?! When?! The district..."

Among the entire switchyard, there were glowing lines of white. They were made with salt and infused with magic. And they were not random. In his eyes, colours of red, yellow, purple, blue, black and green also coloured the lines.

"WHO DID THAT?!"

The entire district turned into magic seal. And not any magic seal.

"It is done"

Back on earth, the group turned around to look at the pale and exhausted Index, who nevertheless kept a smile on her face.

"What is done?" Maidono dared to ask.

"Activation of the seal. Nothing will stop Touma now. I just pray he will make it through"

"Make it... what's going on? What seal?"

"The entire district was marked with a very powerful seal. It's called Sigillum Dei, and known as the Seal of God, Seal of Truth, or Seal of Aemeth."

This seal, dating back to XIV century, consisted of two circles, a pentagram, two heptagons, and two heptagrams, with names of god and angels inscribed on it, with a blood of a medium in the middle.

"If conditions are good, this seal fulfils its intended purpose. It brings into possession of a chosen one the Spirit of God."

"Which is?"

"It turns person into Living God, a living symbol of the power of the Divine, capable of ruling over all creation, being granted a vision of God, controlling all elements and light itself, conversing with all things dead and alive, and having hold of all souls of the universe."

"But..."

"It burns the person's humanity away. It can drag him into abyss with no return"

"What? Why did you risked him turning into something like this?"

"Because I believe. And I have faith in him. And it's not only me..."

Someone else stepped from behind Index and everyone's eyes went wide.

"Aren't you..."

(MEANWHILE)

Kamijou Touma felt peace and tranquillity.

He held billions of lives on the entire planet in his grasp.

He felt waves washing over the entire globe.

He sensed the currents of the air howling through the atmosphere

He perceived the fire in the heart of the planet and in every star in the universe.

He saw through the soil and the riches of the earth.

In one instant, he could travel to every single place he could think of.

In one thought, he could will the reality to change into anything he envisioned.

On one whim, he could have anything he desired.

On one whim, he could destroy anything he despised.

He knew. He just knew.

He was over and above anything and anyone. He saw everything that ever was and could be. And he knew that whatever he chose would simply come to be.

"No, no!"

A speck in that vision caught his attention.

Seven dragons emerged and bound him in one place. Not that was fully necessary now.

Kamijou No Touma was not going to give up.

"It can't end like this! It's cheating! A being like me can never bow to some disgusting, fake, inefficient, ordinary-"

There were infinite ways of actions that would shift the law of the universe in his favour and disposed of the annoyance in front of him. But the lips of the Living God said only two words:

"Be not"

Kamijou No Touma opened his mouth to protest further...

But in that moment his existence in the physical world came to an end and he died.

(?)

KNT opened his eyes in the world of whiteness. He was alone there, save from one girl in a nun clothes.

"I... really died, didn't I?"

"Yes. It appears so. You died as this version of you"

"Huh?"

Index did not elaborate.

"I am talking to you throughout the connection with the Seal of God. In a few moments, you will disappear forever"

Kamijou No touma sighed.

"Well, that's good for you, isn't it? It's what you wanted all that time"

Index watched him with sad eyes.

The boy clicked his tongue and impatiently waved his arm.

"Are you here to gloat? Just let me die in peace. It's not like I ever wanted to be born anyway..."

"That's not true"

He lifted his eyes, but refused to directly focused them on her.

"You wanted to make things right. You wanted to be better than Touma and you wanted to keep me safe"

He didn't say anything to that.

"This is not unimportant. Even though Touma had to oppose you, and even though your vision wasn't right, you had good intentions"

"Your point being?"

"I... wanted to say... I am happy that you have those memories. Of Touma trying to save me"

"I...he...we... failed you"

"No. I am still here after all. Even if you are not my Touma, I am happy you loved me. And because of that love, I have to apologize"

"You will... never be able to love me back, will you?"

"No, I won't. I am sorry"

KNT was silent and chuckled, without any malice or mirth. It just sounded hollow.

"I suppose that this is right-"

"But I want to save you. Despite all you did... I want to do this."

"What?! There is no salvation for me. Not in the world without you"

"You were still him. And this is the only apology I can try to make. I just hope Touma will make a good call..."

(MEANWHILE)

His mind was beyond anything alive and dead.

He felt everything and everyone, always and forever. He knew all, was throughout all, could do anything he could think of.

His mind was burning. But he couldn't let this go.

He could save everyone. He could make a world without pain a reality.

Even if he died, the changes he made would remain.

But...

"Please, don't!"

The Living God knew who it was. But he still turned to see Gokusai Kaibi.

She was trembling, barely able to withstand the pressure of connecting with divine mind, but nevertheless pressuring herself to reach him.

"Why would I?" asked choir of voices" There is so much that can be done! There is so much... so much of it..."

"But this will not be you. You will be lost, I can feel that" Kaibi cried out" You will be consumed by this power. This is not like you"

The Living God was unbothered.

Kaibi's glowing eyes flickered, as she placed a hand on her heart.

"I didn't think it was possible, but I fell in love with someone. He was kind, and silly, and brave, and caring... for the longest time, I didn't want to admit it, but he was everything I ever wanted. He was the one that pulled me out of labyrinth of illusion I was trapped in, who allowed me to write chronicles of this painted prison I made of myself on new pages. That person is you! You are Kamijou Touma."

Living God tilted his head. This sounded familiar, but why?

"You are the lowest level 0 of Academy City, you go to Certain High School, you lived with me, my sisters, and Index-san on the 9th floor of Apartment Hub Complex. You are an excellent cook, you have absolutely awful luck, you complain about it, but never, ever give up. You had such adventures, all around the world. You told that you believe that everyone deserves to be saved, that you wanted to create the world of smiles. But this world can't be achieved without you. There is a future that has to be realized in some form or way. I want to be a part of this world, because I love you! I really do!"

Something akin to small spark appeared in the Living God's vast mind.

"Please, remember me. I hated you, remember? But in time, I started to appreciate you and then fell in love with you. We shop for supplies together... remember that time when you saw me naked in the bathhouse? When we went on a date? When we danced together? There are so much we did together and so much we are yet to do. Not only us. What about Amazora? She won't fall asleep without you now. She loves when you comb and wash her hair, would have no one else walking her to the school, and she never smiled to anyone so much as she did to you! You are the center of her world and I doubt there are many people she admires so much. And Rikuri nee-san too! She is completely head over hills and thanks to you, she actually became confident in her own self, just like I did. She loves to watch movies with you, you boosted her confidence to cook, you made her feel love and important, you reinforced the very structure of our broken family. You even went so far to try and reunite us with our mother. What about Index-san? There is so much to your bond I don't get, and I am sure a lot of things happened behind the scenes, but it's clear as day she is extremely important to you. You want to discard that bond? What about Maidono-san and Hasako-san? You changed so many lives, touched the hearts of so many people, and you never truly asked to be thanked. Do you really think that those who became your family would not rush to your aid in your time of need? Did you think we will abandon you?"

The spark grew and magnified itself, until it became a human silhoutte in the center of mind of Living God.

He opened his mouth as if wanting to said something but not being able to find the words.

"She is right, you know"

Another person appeared.

Othinus walked to Living God, disregarding the pressure that pushed Kaibi away, and placed a hand on his cheek.

"It's enough for me to carry the burden of the divine, human. I prefer if you remained just as you are. This was someone who managed to defeat my vision of the world. It should be you who decides the future, and I will support you through this. We walked together through shadow and death, so I know just how much I can't allow your loss. Show me the future that will best the ones I thought of"

The eyes of Living God changed. They became a regular human irises, focused on Othinus, who gently put another hand on the second cheek.

"Back in Denmark, I told you that I was already saved the moment you decided to fight for my salvation. Now, I can tell you that I knew from the very beginning that should the time of need ever arrive, I would do anything in my power, no matter what it took, to bring you back home. Remember who you are"

She closed her eyes and kissed Kamijou Touma, who came back in the mind of Living God.

Kaibi sensed the change and put all of her efforts into pulling Kamijou Touma back through Measure Heart.

It was a bitter effort. But an indispensable one.

As the goddess and human who turned into a god kissed, the world slowly became enveloped in the whiteness.

(AFTER A WHILE...)

Kamijou No Touma opened his eyes.

He was stiff, motionless, and grey as ash. He could be deemed as good as dead. But he was nevertheless alive.

"Why?" he asked the group surrounding him.

Kamijou Touma was back. He was standing supported by Maidono and Hasako. Kaibi and Index rested on the ground, with Amazora and Rikuri coming to their senses after passing out earlier. Enshuu was clicking something in something that looked like a small tablet, and Sogiita Gunha was looking at the scene of the battle with unusually wistful face.

"He brought you back to life in a last minute effort" Niang-Niang, who was standing behind the fallen boy, answered cheerfully" Living God commands all souls of living and dead, thus he can take and grant life"

Touma shakily stepped forward, looking at his copy on the ground. With both boys fully reverted to their human selves, there was something deeply profound in the scene and its layout.

"If I am honest here, I have no claims against ending you" Touma spoke quietly" I hate you will all of my heart. But to some degree, I think I understand you. I understand that at some point I could become you. I doubt I am able to truly forgive you. But I am able to respect Index's wish."

"What... do you mean?"

"Killing is the easy way out. I will get rid of you, but I will also leave you to go on with consequences of your own life story. So you will never be able to shift the blame on anyone else ever again"

"Bye bye. I will not miss you. I still hope that I could crush you with a mountain" Maidono muttered angrily.

"You were exceptional enemy, but I am glad we part ways" Hasako added.

"I know you were kind of evil and all, but the guts of that fight was awesome!"

There was no clarity to which part of the fight Gunha was referring to.

"Leave our onii-chan alone" Amazora looked like she still wanted fill KNT with more holes.

"At the very least he was a fine test subject for rikurium" Rikuri muttered indigently.

"There was no way you would ever replaced him" Kaibi said, putting hand on Touma's shoulder.

"I came to a conclusion regarding my course of action. I took the opportunity to scan your brain after your supposed... resurrection... but before you woke up. I deemed your thought patterns efficient and valuable in combat. But overall evaluation of behaviour rendered me convinced to follow Kamijou Touma I knew first, and fight for his sake, should the situation be deemed proper for such a reaction. But rejoice, your thought patterns should never be lost and will benefit the greater good"

Enshuu proudly finished her speech, although Kamijou No Touma, in pre-death state, could not care less.

Index approached him and lifted his hand.

"I wish you luck. Find her, alright? And make her happy"

Kamijou No Touma allowed himself a small smile.

"I am not sure I follow... but yeah, I will try."

Touma stepped forward and from his the place where his right arm was ought to be emerged the only dragon out of Dragon Strike's 8 that was absent in the battle. It was as if he was waiting on the sidelines for this particular moment, in which he had a big part to play.

It was a dragon that could destroy memories and idenitities of anyone he bit or swallowed. This very dragon was the one that once scared Aurelous Izzard half to death.

Touma gave Kamijou No Touma one last look as the dragon opened his jaws, filled with razor sharp teeth, nodding slightly.

And KNT said nothing, instead smiling gently as the dragon's head leaned over him.

(10 MINUTES LATER)

What's done was done.

"More importantly..." Touma looked around" Othinus, explain yourself. How do you look like this? I thought this was just a vision in the mindspace, but you actually... got regular sized!"

Othinus was indeed the height he remembered from before their journey across Denmark.

"I thought it wasn't possible. How-"

"Nephthys and me had a geas" Othinus sighed, cringing as if she tasted something sour" She has a right to ask for favour of her choosing, which I am obliged do in the future. What a pain in the ass. She wants me specifically and she knew that I was interested in getting back to this form-"

"What would that be exactly?"

"I can't discuss it, even with you. I set my restrictions, but besides that even I don't know full details yet"

"And... this form of yours... is this permanent?"

Othinus lowered her gaze, appearing uncharacteristically bashful for a moment.

"Would you like it... to be?"

"What? I didn't hear you"

"I mean... well, the answer lies between yes and no. The cost of negating the spell I was hit with involved me turning into fairy size. Unless I don't want to die, I can't fully avoid the small size. Apparently, during the day, the proportion of small size to regular human size is 1 to 2, or 8 hours to 16 hours. So I will alternate between big and small on a daily basis, and I will look like this for 2/3 of the time"

"This is still amazing. How did you manage to grow? Some magical item? Potion? Ritual?"

Othinus grit her teeth and shook her head.

"Nephthys simply shifted my size. In other words, magically made me grow up"

"R-Really? It was that-"

"That simple?" Othinus coughed, changing her voice to mimic Nephthys" She said: 'Apparently, it could be done any time. Was your brain peanut sized too dumb to guess that?', or something similar"

"R-right..."

Touma did not really want to go there... he also wondered what kind of deal Nephthys got Othinus into when they disappeared, but he was not ready to ask about it yet.

"Did you make that seal?"

"Yes, I did. But it was Index who readjusted the details and actually activated it"

Touma looked at the nun, who smiled gently at him.

"I am sorry that I did something so dangerous... but I believed that you will be back"

"I wouldn't really make it without you, Kaibi" Touma turned to the sisters" You saved my mind from being destroyed"

Kaibi sighed, wiping the sweat from her brow.

"It was the least that I could do in this battle. The initial plan was different, but I am glad I could be of some use"

"Unlike us. I know we didn't do as much as we wanted... I know that there is logic in not taking on the foes who are obviously stronger than you, but..." Rikuri pouted, looking at the ground.

"At least he fought with your cool poison, Riku nee-chan. I only did few surprise attacks and all they did was annoyed the evil onii-chan" Amazora exclaimed

Touma slowly crouched down and pulled all three into a hug. He then looked above their shoulders to Index.

"You are right that you played the support here. He wasn't someone you could defeat on your own" he said" but this battle was a team effort. You didn't need to be all mighty and flashy to help. Every bit helped. Maidono and Hasako fighting him earlier, those beams from the sky, Sogiita, Index, Niang-Niang, Othinus... Amazora, even if your bullets did no damage, they provided distraction. Rikuri, even if your poison was not able to actually kill him, it slowed him down and made the fight easier for me. And if it wasn't Kaibi, I would be lost forever in that godly power. Most importantly, I am now certain. I wanted to come back to you because you are my family. We are strange one, weird one, but a family nonetheless. And not only you. Maidono, Hasako, and everyone we spent time with during our shared life together still made the difference... that's why I can't allow to afford losing and leaving in this world before having lived happiness I earned with my own hands alongside all of my friends"

"Well said, human" Othinus nodded with a smile.

Index smiled softly before looking at the sky.

"I wonder what's going on with him now..."

"We won't know. But I hope he will take the chance to make a good history..."

"Maybe, if fate exists, he will really find her..."

(AFTER ERASING KAMIJOU NO TOUMA'S MEMORIES)

As the dragon of decursing retreated, Touma felt familiar sensation and in one moment, his right arm was back.

Since Dragon of Memory erased Kamijou No Touma essence, the part that made him Imagine Breaker's emanation dispersed or got sucked up inside of Touma again, and the unconscious boy in front of him was just Kamijou Touma's copy, thus Imagine Breaker returned to its proper host.

"What are we going to do with him?" Touma mused out loud" He has no memories, only the knowledge of supposedly being 'Kamijou Touma'. I know the feeling... but if I could do it, he can too"

"I have an idea." Niang-Niang said" Since we can't have two of you here, let's just move him to a place where Kamijou Touma never existed."

"A phase shift?" Othinus tapped her finger deep in thought, before realization struck her" In that case, I think I have a good suggestion. You could... *whisper, whisper*..."

"Hmm, alright, I will make the arrangements and get him on his way"

(DIFFERENT PHASE, WHERE KAMIJOU TOUMA WAS NEVER MEANT TO EXIST)

The one who was once known as Kamijou No Touma awoke in a park, bathed in gentle, golden sunlight.

He looked around and slowly got up, shielding his eyes.

When his vision sharpened, he noticed that the park was filled with people.

How did he get here?

He didn't know. In fact, he didn't remember anything besides his own name.

As he looked around, he didn't recognized people around him.

He searched his clothes. He found a wallet with sizeable amount of money, address of Certain High School Dormitory, which he assumed was his living place, but there was nothing else.

He had no idea how he got there, but there was something within him that whispered that he should move forward.

He didn't know who he was but he had time to try to find out. Or better, reshape it anew.

There was sound of commotion in front of him and a colorful ball bounced off his feet and rolled back.

"My ball..." someone said.

On instinct, he got up and reached for it.

And at the same time, the ball's owner did the same, causing two hands to be accidentally put on top of one another.

They froze, as if hypnotized. And then slowly lifted their eyes.

In front of him was a girl with beautiful hair of the hue of silvery blue and exotic eyes looking like two twinkling emeralds. She had a look of surprise on her face, as she blinked, curiously tilting her head.

"Hey... do I know you? Have we ever met before?"

He, for reasons unknown to him, wanted to say yes, he wanted to shout it from the very core of his being. He had the strangest of feelings that he met her before, that he should know that girl.

As if in another lifetime. As if in another world altogether.

"No... we haven't"

"Oh... I just had that feeling... well, maybe I saw you around town..." the girl still looked at him with a smile, that made him warmer" My name is Index. Unusual, I know, but that's a long story. I came to Japan from abroad. What's your name"

"Kamijou. Kamijou... Touma"

"Kamijou Touma... do you cook?"

He didn't know. But something compelled him to nod.

She brightened up.

"Something tells me that there is a great future ahead of us. We just met, and I already like you, Touma."

"Really?"

"Yes. It's something in my gut... a good feeling..."

Her stomach rumbled.

"W-Well, that's embarrasing... you don't mind stopping for something to eat, do you?"

"Stopping? As if..."

"Let's go walk together."

He smiled and nodded.

He didn't know why.

But he agreed that future suddenly appeared brighter.

(BACK TO PHASE OF TOUMA AND HIS GROUP)

"Gunha, I didn't expect you to join the battle, but I am happy I could fight by your side"

"Same, Kamijou" Gunha grinned widely" Those were some otherwordly guts I saw out there. Plus those dragons again! So wickedly cool!"

"Speaking of the dragons... does that other dragon..."

"Yes. When he died, she got into my possession... although she is not very pleased with it...

(BEYOND THAT RIGHT HAND)

Deep within and beyond Imagine Breaker, there was a pale white dragoness with crimson eyes and golden-webbed wings, bound by dozens of chains made of energy. The other dragons watched her from distance.

'This is troublesome.' Obsidian admitted, his black head shaking in almost human fashion' To think Mother was around, and in possession of that individual...'

'Now she is here. And is not happy at all from the family reunion' Emerald focused her multiple eyes at the imposing Dragon Queen.

'King and Queen are nameless forces representing preservation and destruction, monsters beyond comprehension or power of mere phase emanations, such as ourselves. She is our mother, but doubt she even acknowledges our existence' Golden bared his teeth, lightning crackling and sparking on his scales.

'She is incarnate of destruction and decay. There is no reason for her to even have a conscience' Crimson Flame said' Will our human be okay? He won't attempt to reason with Mother? She is'

'Father considered him worthy of manifesting his power' Crystal pointed out, her eyes narrowed in contemplation' His power is too much to bare for regular use, but if he even considered allying with a human, maybe...'

'Mother is completely different story' Obsidian cut her off' She will erode his soul and break apart his existence at any minor weakness. Let's just hope that things will not get out of control until we get around the countermeasure.'

'In that case... may I have a suggestion?...'

(BACK OUTSIDE OF IMAGINE BREAKER)

"Enshuu, what are you up to now?"

"I must analyze the data, so our ways part now. But fear not, onii-chan, you shall see me again soon"

"He shall not see you at all!" Amazora stuck her tongue out, grasping Touma's freshly regenerated arm.

Enshuu nodded at Hasako and Maidono

"I hope to get a bath together again"

After she departed, Touma felt the hand of Othinus on his shoulder. It was such a strange feeling after he got used to having her on a shoulder.

"What now?"

"We need to get you to-"

But before she finished, they noticed someone else.

She was running towards them with happy tears on her face, wobbling slightly on the injured leg, before launching herself into the air and spreading her arms wide.

"Hokaze-san?!" Touma exclaimed in shock, as she closed her embrace over both him and Gunha.

He was slower in recognizing her since she wore a nurse's outfit for some reason, and her signature curls were mostly gone. Her hair looked like longer version of Itsuwa's frayed hairstyle, only falling on her back much more instead of being in a bobcut. It was still short though.

"I am so happy that you two are fine" she smiled through happy tears." We managed to best Sukemi Rin, and got her to the hospital. That's where the outfit comes from... she is recovering and taken care by the doctors right now. I immediately rushed here when I learned that you were facing even graver danger. Accelerator-san and Hamazura-san told me and my Queen that you would be here"

"Hamazura and Accelerator did?"

"Mental Out?" Kaibi asked" Is she here as well?"

"My Queen... fallen behind a little bit..."

"Somehow this doesn't surprise me..."

Two boys balanced themselves as Junko hugged them.

"That was a worthy and challenging battle" Gunha admitted" But it was not nearly enough to best our brotherly power! Right, Kamijou?"

Touma wanted to agree with him and reassure Junko, as well as ask her about details of her battle, the tasks that Hamazura and Accelerator undertook during the entire action.

But suddenly his body felt as if it was stabbed with thousands of knives.

He pushed the others away, and threw up a collosal stream of blood.

Everyone else, except Niang-Niang and Othinus, looked mortified.

"He was compatible as a vessel for Spirit of God. Not to mention earlier fight." Othinus clicked her tongue" I am actually surprised that he lasted that long without his body breaking down"

"Oh no, catch him, he is going to-"

Kamijou Touma collapsed lifelessly on the ground, the pool of blood growing quickly, as his mind collapsed into pitch black darkness.

(LATER...)

He thought he was partially waking up few times.

He could have sworn he heard voices of various people around him, before it all fell back into the blackness once more.

When he finally regained consciousness, he noticed a familar ceiling.

He was bandaged up tightly, as he could feel them on his torso arms and head.

When he looked to right, he saw familiar raven haired girl, who peeled the apple with a look of utter concentration.

"Mitsuko-san?"

Kongou Mitsuko, with few plasters over her face and wearing hospital gown, shrieked in fright, almost dropping an apple.

"You startled me!" she said, before realizing who it was" Darling! You are awake!"

"Mitsuko-san... you are visiting me?"

"Actually, I am staying here"

"What?"

Touma tried to sit up, but Kongou quickly stopped him.

"Please try to rest. You were unconscious for over four days"

"Four days?!"

It shouldn't be a surprise. In fact, he should probably be grateful that he was alive at all.

"Is everyone alright?"

"Well, I was informed and asked to tell you that Rin-san also regained consciousness yesterday and is in stable condition. Uiharu-san was by her side ever since she got here. Hokaze-san is also recovering, although she is almost fully healed... albeit the clique is mourning her gorgeous hair... it should grow back of course, but still... Mei-san is in her room, her injuries more urgent, but also taken care of by now. They are still forbidden to leave though"

"And others?"

"Gokusai-san and her sisters were here almost all the time. They are sleeping in the lobby, they barely got a wink of sleep since they brought you here. Index-san went to get something to eat but should be returning soon. Maidono Hoshimi and Kankyougami Hasako-san left you flowers and homemade cookies" Kongou gestured on the small table by the side of the bed" Misaka-san and Shokuhou-san spent nearly entire day here, and were arguing about better gift, and Misaka-san ended up frying both of them, so..."

"I see, that's good then... and what about you? You were saying you were staying here too?"

Kongou blushed a little, haughtily waving her hand with a smile.

"Ohohohoho! You are always the first to worry about the other, even when your own situation was grave, and not be taken lightly. But fret not! The strong and graceful Kongou Mitsuko is fine and well"

"Something tells me you got overconfident and hurt yourself in the process"

"W-Why would I..." Kongou's cheeks got a bit more crimson as she crossed her arms and speread her fan" I- I would never make a mistake like this... again"

"Mitsuko-san, we both end up in this hospital more frequently than our friends. The only difference is that I end up here due to my misfortune, while you end up here to the pride"

"Pride and misfortune..." Kongou smiled absentmindedly" I like the sound of that..."

She then realized what Touma said and pouted at him.

"W-Well, I supposed that at times... I got a bit ahead of myself..."

"At times?"

"A-Alright... frequently..."

"Don't pout at me, I am just teasing you. I enjoy your company. So, what was it this time?"

"I might have been trying to a get a cat down the tree... without real tree climbing experience... I fell...and sprained my leg a little bit..."

"And what happened to your hands?"

Kongou's delicate fingers were also covered multiple small cuts.

"W-Well... I thought that I will peel you an apple when you wake up if you were to be hungry. The attempts from two days ago and yesterday were a bit... messy"

"The fact that you ojou-samas consider paying for the damage to the multi-billion yen building or equipment something normal, but struggle with peeling fruit will never not be super surreal to me"

Kongou fumed at that and Touma understood that he chose wrong words

"W-Well, it's not like commoner can understand... I am not asking for-"

"Wait, wait... you really tried to prepare me something to eat every day ever since I awakened, right?"

Touma smiled at Kongou.

"Thanks, I mean it. I didn't mean to make fun of you... a lot, that is"

"I h-heard that" Kongou muttered, hiding her face behind the fan" What I have with you, darling. W-Well, I suppose I graciously accept your apologies. I've been here for 3 days"

"Three days..." Touma looked outside the window, and then frowned" Wait, not that I mind that much, but why are you here specifically? This my private room"

"The main doctor about this hospital indulged my request. Apparently, it's not a problem when family members stay in one room"

"But... how does it apply? Why are not in one family"

"Not yet"

"Yes, not ye... wait, what?"

Touma had no chance to get a good look at Kongou's face, because the door burst wide open and Index, Amazora, Kaibi, and Rikuri practically flung themselves on Touma.

"We were told by the staff that your heartrate changed..."

"... which meant you woke up..."

"... I am so happy..."

Touma hugged all the sisters, smiling with them and carressing their heads, before he looked at Index and touched her hand

"I am back" he whispered.

Suddenly, the railing of the bed bent and twisted, wrapping itself around the sisters and pulling them away.

"Hey!"

Maidono lowered her hand.

"Give him a space to breathe"

"Yes, indeed. He can barely move" Hasako added.

"Hasacchi, you need to apply your advice to yourself"

The First Esper snuggled to the boy so closely that their cheeks touched.

"I am so happy that you are recovering..." she whispered.

Maidono frowned and scooted from the other side.

"S-So am I. You stressed me out so much that I expect some damn good recompense!"

"Oh, Touma, Hokaze-san and Maria-san said they will visit you tomorrow. Junko-san has some health examinations and Maia-san went to meet Seria-san" Kaibi remarked.

Nephthys and Niang-Niang were nowhere to be seen. The same went for Ladylee, but Touma felt she will show up sooner rather than later.

Wait, wasn't there someone-

He felt something weigh on his chest.

But it wasn't anything within him. It was something on him.

In one second, everything was completely normal.

In the next Othinus, sleeping in the pocket by his heart, grew up to her human size, ripping his shirt as well as the miniature set of clothes she had on.

She yawned and rubbed her eyes, before slowly looking down.

"Human?"

"Mmmm!"

Due to Othinus appearing all over his face, Kamijou Touma had little to no chance to voice his predicament.

He had to breath, so he forcibly got his way out of the clothless mess.

Maybe it would be wiser he didn't.

He was met with icy cold looks of disgust, excluding still sleepy Othinus.

"T-This really isn't what it looks like... I litterally had no idea this would haaaaaapen!"

Heaven Canceller, peaking through half closed door, smirked at the sight of bunch of girls unleashing torrent of ridiculous verbal violence against a boy.

"Ah, the spring of love and youth..."

(FEW HOURS LATER)

Touma talked with everyone a lot, to the point by which his voice became sore.

After a while, the group allowed him to rest. Kongou went to have her leg checked, so he was alone in the room.

Although it wasn't for long.

"I know you are behind the door. Come in"

After a moment, the door creaked opened and Ladylee Tangleroad slowly entered.

Touma looked down from the magazine Maidono brought him to entertain himself.

"I heard you won in your battle." she said" Good. It would be regrettable if you perished"

"You won too. You can be proud."

"Well, I don't like to brag, but I am pretty amazing. I just... wanted to check on you, so I will be on my way-"

Touma grabbed the little immortal's hand.

"That's not the only reason, isn't it?"

Ladylee was silent.

"I agreed to help you." Touma persisted" But as long as I know you, if I am to help you reverse your immortality, I want you to be honest with me"

"I... should... shouldn't..."

"I don't give a damn. Look at me!"

Slowly, very slowly, Ladylee turned around.

There were tears in her eyes.

"Can you tell me what happened?" Touma inquired.

Ladylee sniffed, looked both sides as if she was making absolutely sure that they were alone, before suddenly embracing him.

"L-Ladylee-san?"

"No one must ever know. B-But for now... just hold me"

Touma complied. After a moment, Ladylee whispered.

"I know it's dumb, but... I had to hold that hand again. B-Because when I fought her... I got shredded to pieces. T-That in itself is nothing new, I died like that many times... but this time, I was getting mixed by blades, and I couldn't fully reform. My body tried to regenerate, but couldn't, and at the same time, I was not able to die and was conscious the whole time. If not for that violet haired girl, I wouldn't... I would be there... and... I acted strong and I know it's pathetic, but being stuck in that state, I was just so..."

"Scared?"

Ladylee sniffed again and rubbed her eyes.

"To be honest, yes. Heh, you can laugh now. Honestly, I didn't know I could still cry like this"

"Actually, I am glad you can and do. I feel much more connected with you now"

Touma put his hand on top of Ladylee's head and hugged her carefully, as tears started to unwillingly wet his shirt.

"I think it's better to know that through all that time, you are still human. Tears are often where human hope lies"

And so Kamijou Touma comforted Ladylee Tangleroad as she wept.

(FEW MORE HOURS MORE, ELSEWHERE IN ACADEMY CITY)

A woman from Orthodox Church of Russia wearing a crimson habit, known as Vasilissa, inhaled deeply, looking at the cityscape.

"Sasha, do you feel that?"

A blond with her eyes covered by her hair did not share her enthusiasm

"Question: What are you referring to?"

"The possibilities, my dear"

"Second question: We are here for the few days now. Can I go home, please?"

"Nonsense, you can't possibly do that. During, the last few days, there was some delightful chaos here. It's time we get ourselves into the heart of the matter more than we did before"

"Third question: Why do I sense that there is something you hide from me?"

"Hide from you, my dear Sasha? That's how surprises work. I thought you appreciated them"

"Answer: I feel somewhat suspicious when it is coming from you"

"Now, let's get going. On the way, there is a dress shop I want to go to"

"Fourth question: Can you just kill me instead of letting my dignity suffer like that"

"Sasha, Sasha, Sasha... being cute is essential for a sweet, delightfully innocent maiden like you."

Statement: It still makes me quite uneasy to consider"

"Don't worry, you are safe with me... there are quite few people who wound up in hospitals due to the lapse in judgement or pride, but I am not one of them"

"Second statement: That's not why I am feeling uneasy though..."

(BACK AT THE HOSPITAL)

"Ah..."

Touma looked at Kongou Mitsuko, who gasped over fashion magazine, before waving her hand dismissively few seconds later. Gently rubbing her nose, she smiled apologetically

"Quite strange. I got a strong urge to sneeze, but it just vanished. I apologize for startling you. For some reason, I felt as if someone made fun of me... though it's probably hospital's cleaning products. The smell was always a bit too sharp for my nose"

The sun almost set, as they looked outside the window.

"Mitsuko-san?"

"Yes, darling?"

"For very long time, I was wondering about something. You seem... quite fond of me"

"You can put it like that"

"But... this makes no sense"

Kongou frowned.

"If that's about difference of our social standing, I assure you, I did change my worldview about that since I met you. In earlier days, I would probably be rather hesitant in fraternizing with a commoner, but both you and Misaka-san challenged so many things and-"

"No, that's not... well, that too... but... you don't know my life yet. I am sure you got some ideal version of me that saved your life. But I am not all that great. For someone bent on success like you, I will be simply a hindrance. I am very misfortunate, you probably don't realize how much. If you want to continue associating with me, your own life will-"

"Let me stop you right there!"

Kongou stood up, walked to Touma's bed, sat herself down, and placed her hand on Touma's own.

"K-Kongou-san? What are you doing?"

The girl was red and unable to look him in the eyes.

"I-I am pronouncing the weight of what I am about to say. K-K-Kongou f-f-family are t-t-the takers, t-t-there is nothing u-u-unusual about laying a claim..."

"If it makes you that nervous, it's obviously not completely usual!" Touma said, getting slightly red as well

"A-ANYWAY!"

Kongou cleared her throat, before continuing in a calmer manner.

"You are right, I don't know everything there is to know about you. I know that your apparent lack of fortune can cause a lot of trouble, I probably can't get how much. Maybe it will pose problems to me as well. Maybe everything will not always be good and sunny. But I don't think this doesn't change all the wonderful things I witnessed out of you. You changed my view on level 0 gentlemen. But even among them, I have never seen kindness, determination, and bravery such as yours. Not to mention, the way you draw people closer without even realizing it... and without putting up a fake farce like so many do... it's a sight of envy. I wish I could be like you in that regard."

"It's nothing special though-"

"But it is! I... it's hard to admit it, but I tend to have some bad luck on my own. Being first one in accidents is one thing, but I couldn't find myself true friends for longest time, before coming to Tokiwadai. So what you have is a natural gift. I think I just grew fond of both your unforced chivalry and this people-connecting ability... not to mention, f-for a commoner, you don't look half bad. W-What I am trying to say is that I don't mind not making sense when it comes to my relationship with you, darling. If your misfortune will weigh on you, I will try and ease it up. Money can't buy happiness, but is very useful in diminishing some more mundane problems. I... may act big, but at times, I am unsure about the future. Even still, when it comes to you, I still want to try. I wish I could properly express my gratitude for aiding me, by using everything fated gifted me with to make your life a bit brighter. Money, influence... and...

She innocently played with fringe of black hair flanking her forehead, with crimson hue on her lithe face.

"...my charm, too"

Yup. Despite his restraint and high level of morality, Touma was sure that he was red as well.

Actually, were they in such short distance away when they started talking?

Weren't Kongou's dark eyes closer than before, and wasn't her breath tickle his own skin more?

Weren't his own body moving ever so slightly, although he wasn't aware of that until now?

They both seemed to realize that, but that only stopped them for a moment.

The intoxicating heat of both of their faces was so good and calming... that if only they were to close their eyes and move just a bit closer...

"Touma! We need you downstairs and-"

Jumping away from having lips mere millimetres away from each other, Touma and Kongou quickly assumed poses as normal as they could be upon arrival of Kaibi.

Of course, Measure Heart perceptiveness caused her to raise an eyebrow.

"Why do you sound as if you just ran a marathon? And why is Kongou-san on the ground?"

"I...I slipped!" Kongou offered a lie, although inside she was boiling up from both embarrassment and, most importantly, irritated frustration at Kaibi's arrival.

"Ah-huh..."

Kaibi walked to Touma and rather demonstratively pulled her arm around him, pressing him to herself while glancing at Kongou, who answered with the haughtiest look in her ojou-sama arsenal.

"As I was saying, you should get down. Everyone is there and we need to have a meeting. Regarding Rin-san, what Kanzaki-san told us, and what happened during our battle, and the days you were asleep"

(TO BE CONTINUED...)

There you have it! There were many emotions and sways during the writing of this chapter, it got up and down, into order and chaos, and at least I hope it was as rich in content and moments as I felt it was. Now, for quick notes on some of the more intriguing things in this chapter:

A. The translation of Spell of Infinte Imagination

I refer to the german poem Index chanted during battle with Kamijou No Touma. It was written in medieval times by Reinmar von Zawert and it translates into something akin to this:

Nothing are all the wonders

Earth reached the sky

This is what I should consider a wonder

Earth above, and sky below

This is what you should praise

As wonder of wonders

B. Pure World and Big Bang

I imagined that Pure World is innermost point of creation, pure physical, uniform, spaceless, timeless, in center of all phases. Such a vision reminded me of Big Bang's singularity, the focal point of nigh-infinite density that violates regular laws of physics. In similar manner, KNT's abilities were bases on a concept that through his link to Pure World, he can revert everything to the uniform, spaceless, timeless, fateless state before the universe became differentiated. His attack during which he snapped his fingers and obliterated section of space-time pays homage to inversed contemplation of the universe in the theory of ancient philosopher Plotinus, in which One emanates Mind, Soul, and matter in the universe, and the universe can become nothingness and one when this process is reversed through the mind of the mystic. It is also similar to the theory of Big Collapse, which is the inversion of the Big Bang.

C. The Sigillum Dei or Seal of Living God

Also called the Seal of Aemeth or Seal of Truth, this a prominent magical diagram, composed of composed of two circles, a pentagram, two heptagons, and one heptagram, with inscriptions of angelic and divine names. When activated correctly, it was supposed to turn compatible person into a temporary vessel for Spirit of God, human incarnation of divine power. Such incarnation would be able to control all elements, manipulate all creation and converse with all living and dead, control and become light itself, gain omniscience and nigh-omnipotence, and hold mastery over all souls in the universe. What's very interesting, usage of the seal was supposed to be the final act of magician's power, since there was a high chance of being consumed by divine power, causing the mortal body to combust. The seal was first described by Honorius, son of Euclid, in Liber Juratus, and later by infamous elizabethian magician John Dee

D. Concerning Othinus

Othinus struck a magical deal, or Geas, with Nephthys, and partially regained her human size. Because of that, we gained new gag and mystery concerning the deal and future being changed once again. This will possibly not affect the future with Tenma, although you will have to wait for the details. I admit, I made Othinus able to be big for limited daily time because it is a tempting idea and overwhelming majority desired for her to truly have a chance with Touma on par of the rest of the harem